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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor , who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession , made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation 's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice . Sonia Sotomayor , 55 , will be the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court . Sotomayor was easily confirmed in a 68-31 vote . Nine Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting her nomination . Sen. Ted Kennedy , D-Massachusetts , supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness . Sotomayor , a 55-year-old federal appeals court judge , will be the 111th person to sit on the high court and the third female justice . She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday . President Obama , who selected Sotomayor on May 26 , said he was `` deeply gratified '' by the Senate vote . `` This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family , but I also think it 's a wonderful day for America , '' Obama said at the White House . Watch Obama 's remarks '' Watching the final vote with friends and family at the federal courthouse in Manhattan , Sotomayor was confirmed after senators spent a final day of debate rehashing arguments for and against her . Democrats continued to praised Sotomayor as a fair and impartial jurist with an extraordinary life story . Many Republicans portrayed her as a judicial activist intent on reinterpreting the law to conform with her own liberal political beliefs . Among other things , Republican opponents emphasized concerns over her statements and rulings on hot-button issues such as gun control , affirmative action and property rights . See how Sotomayor measures up with her new colleagues '' They also raised questions about some of her most controversial speeches and statements , including her hope that a `` wise Latina woman , with the richness of her experiences '' would reach a better conclusion than a white man `` who has n't lived that life . '' Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , helped close the debate by stressing the historic nature of the nomination . `` It is distinctively American to continually refine our union , moving us closer to our ideals . Our union is not yet perfected , but with this confirmation , we will be making progress , '' Leahy said on the Senate floor . `` Years from now , we will remember this time , when we crossed paths with the quintessentially American journey of Sonia Sotomayor , and when our nation took another step forward through this historic confirmation process . '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , took aim at what he claimed was Sotomayor 's inability to refrain from bringing her personal political opinions to bear on her rulings . `` This is the most fundamental test for any judge and all the more so for those who would sit on our nation 's highest court , where a judge 's impulses and preferences are not subject to review . Because I 'm not convinced that Judge Sotomayor would keep this commitment , I can not support her nomination . '' Several Republicans , however , bucked party leadership by voting in favor of Sotomayor . Sen. George Voinovich , R-Ohio , announced Thursday morning that he had decided to back Sotomayor after weighing a range of factors , including her education , experience and temperament . `` Judge Sotomayor is not the nominee I would have selected if I were president , but making a nomination is not my role here today , '' Voinovich said . `` My role is to examine her qualifications to determine if she is fit to serve . ... Based on my review of her record , and using these factors , I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a justice on the Supreme Court . '' Voinovich was joined by Maine 's Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe , New Hampshire 's Judd Gregg , Indiana 's Richard Lugar , Missouri 's Kit Bond , Florida 's Mel Martinez , South Carolina 's Lindsey Graham and Tennessee 's Lamar Alexander . Watch the Senate vote '' In a telling political sign , none of the Republicans who voted for Sotomayor is seeking re-election in 2010 . Conservative activists , including the powerful National Rifle Association , mounted a concerted effort to rally GOP opposition to Sotomayor . The abortion issue also played a significant role in the nomination , with abortion-rights supporters backing Sotomayor and opponents urging her defeat . `` Today 's historic vote is a sign of progress for Americans who want a Supreme Court that values individual freedom and privacy , '' said Nancy Keenan , head of the group National Abortion Rights Action League Pro-Choice America . Charmaine Yoest , head of Americans United For Life , praised the 31 Republican senators who opposed Sotomayor for a `` stunning vote of ` no confidence ' in a nominee whose background of abortion advocacy and record of judicial interventionism raise serious questions about her fitness for the high court . '' Underlying the debate over Sotomayor was the larger political question of whether the Republican Party risked alienating Hispanic voters by opposing the first Latina nominee . The party 's share of the Hispanic vote dropped sharply in last year 's presidential election . `` If you meet all of the challenges that you are told you need to meet and still you can be told no , despite fidelity to Constitution , the law and precedent , then it sends a tough message to us as a community , '' said Sen. Robert Menendez , D-New Jersey . Sotomayor 's confirmation capped an extraordinary rise from humble beginnings . Her parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II . Her father worked in a factory and did n't speak English . She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project , not far from the stadium of her favorite team , the New York Yankees . Her father died when she was 9 , leaving her mother to raise her and her younger brother . Her mother , whom Sotomayor has described as her biggest inspiration , worked six days a week to care for her and her brother , and instilled in them the value of an education . Sotomayor later graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and went on to attend Yale Law School , where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal . She worked at nearly every level of the judicial system over a three-decade career before being chosen by President Obama to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court . Accepting the nomination , Sotomayor thanked Obama for `` the most humbling honor of my life . '' After the selection , Sotomayor was touted by her supporters as a justice with bipartisan favor and historic appeal . She has served as a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since 1998 . She was named a district judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and was elevated to her current seat by President Clinton . Sotomayor presided over about 450 cases while on the district court . Before her judicial appointments , she was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes . CNN 's Lisa Desjardins , Kristi Keck and Bill Mears contributed to this report . | NEW : Abortion opponent praises 31 Republican senators who voted `` no '' Sonia Sotomayor wins confirmation by 68-31 vote . She will be the 111th justice , the third woman and first Hispanic on high court . Nine Republicans join unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting nomination . | [[4726, 4741], [4780, 4814], [4788, 4814], [4819, 4878], [327, 375], [0, 26], [139, 253], [254, 269], [272, 326], [572, 581], [620, 708], [376, 460], [400, 460]] |
DOBBS FERRY , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jude Ndambuki teaches high school chemistry , but when he 's not in class , you might find him Dumpster diving for discarded computers . Jude Ndambuki 's Help Kenya Project provides refurbished computers for Kenyan students . For the past eight years , the Kenya native has been refurbishing computers , printers and other electronic educational resources otherwise headed for landfills , then sending them to grateful students back home . `` The children in Kenya have very few resources ; even a pencil is very hard to get , '' said Ndambuki , 51 , who lives in the New York City suburb of Dobbs Ferry . `` Being one of the kids who actually experienced very dire poverty in Kenya , I feel any part that I can play to make the life of kids better , I better do it . '' In lieu of compensation for the considerable time , expertise and expenses he devotes to his Help Kenya Project , Ndambuki asks that recipients plant 100 trees for every computer they receive . By connecting computer recycling , educational development and environmental conservation , he hopes to encourage a greener , more prosperous future for his country . The Help Kenya Project has provided more than 2,000 refurbished computers to Kenya 's schools and planted more than 150,000 trees . Watch Ndambuki and his Help Kenya Project in action '' `` Many of the schools that I give computers -LSB- to -RSB- in Kenya have not seen computers before . So we 're bringing them closer to the development , '' explained Ndambuki , adding that without this opportunity , some of those schools might have gone another 20 years without touching a computer . `` It 's like giving the kids new life , '' he said . `` Computers are getting new life , and trees are being planted to bring a new life , too . It 's all connected . '' Finding treasure in the trash . `` Growing up was not easy '' for Ndambuki , who said he became a teacher to help children who are struggling the way he did . The second of eight children raised by a widowed mother , Ndambuki attended school at the expense of his older brother ; he quit because the family could n't afford both boys ' education . Ndambuki was appointed principal at a Kenya high school where he befriended American exchange students who helped bring him to the United States to further his education . In 1997 , he arrived with his wife and two children for his new teaching post in a Dobbs Ferry private school . On a late-night walk home from continuing-education classes , he passed a computer thrown out on the curb for trash collection . He brought it home , where he found it was in perfect working order . It struck Ndambuki that the machines ending up in landfills could offer life-altering opportunities for children in his homeland . `` It all came together , '' recalled Ndambuki . `` Kids in Kenya need to know technology . It 's the way of the world , and they will be left behind without it . I am determined to prepare them for office jobs instead of field work . '' The United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization estimates that 98 percent of Kenya 's public primary schools and 80 percent of public high schools lack computers . And 70 percent of Kenya 's energy is derived from charcoal and firewood culled from the country 's forests , according to the UN Environment Programme . `` There 's a lot of trees that are cut every year , '' Ndambuki said . `` We find the land becomes bare , a lot of erosion of the soil takes place . So we need trees to be planted . '' The trees also help protect the computers from dust blowing in through the classroom windows , he said . Ndambuki ships a 40-foot container loaded with hundreds of refurbished computers to Kenya for distribution once a year . He and a few of his chemistry students often tinker with computer parts after classes , spending hours refurbishing , packing and preparing the shipments . Each Kenya school receives an average of five computers . To ensure that private data of the computers ' former owners is not accessible to new users , the Help Kenya Project wipes that information from the machines , loads them with necessary memory and restores them to functioning order . Every two years , Ndambuki visits recipient schools to show teachers and students the basics of computer programming and maintenance . Some of his American students accompany him and help teach the computer classes . Watch Ndambuki trade technology for trees in his native Kenya village '' In addition , Ndambuki joins students , teachers and members of their communities to plant trees . `` While I 'm doing this project , I feel so much connection with the kids in Kenya , '' he said . `` I 'm not just gone to America to enjoy the good life . This has been a very nice bridge for me so that I can feel I 've not left them . '' Want to get involved ? Check out the Help Kenya Project and see how to help . | Jude Ndambuki 's Help Kenya Project sends used computers to Kenyan students . In exchange , recipients plant 100 trees for each computer . Group has sent more than 2,000 computers , planted more than 150,000 trees . | [[179, 267], [1174, 1267], [813, 862], [927, 991], [1174, 1267], [1174, 1196], [1272, 1305], [1753, 1808]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The driver who collided with a vehicle driven by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps will be cited for failure to stop at a red light , police said Friday . Michael Phelps ' black Cadillac Escalade collided with another vehicle at an intersection , police say . But the gold medal winner will also be cited -- for failure to present a valid driver 's license and for failure to establish a Maryland residency and obtain a Maryland driver 's license -- in connection with his involvement Thursday in a car wreck , police said Friday . At the scene , he presented a Michigan driver 's license , which police determined `` was not valid , '' said Baltimore , Maryland , police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi . Phelps was driving one of two vehicles that collided at an intersection about 9 p.m. , Guglielmi said . The female driver of the second vehicle was transported to a local hospital as a precaution , Guglielmi said . Phelps and his two passengers were uninjured . Video from CNN affiliate WBAL showed Phelps ' black Cadillac Escalade at the crash site . Watch wrecked cars at the intersection '' Phelps won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing , China . Earlier this year , he was suspended from organized competitive swimming after a photo of him holding a bong -- a device commonly used to smoke marijuana -- surfaced in February . CNN 's Scott Spoerry contributed to this report . | Michael Phelps will be cited for failure to present a valid driver 's license . Olympic champ driving one of 2 vehicles in Baltimore crash . Female driver of 2nd vehicle taken to a hospital as a precaution , police say . Crash is under investigation , police spokesman says . | [[0, 15], [92, 124], [280, 320], [324, 388], [48, 98], [171, 260], [718, 756], [263, 275], [822, 913]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in Colorado say criminal charges are expected to be filed against Richard Heene , a storm-chasing father whose giant Mylar balloon ascended into the sky earlier this week , sparking fears that his 6-year-old was aboard . Richard and Mayumi Heene leave the Larimer County Sheriff 's Office Saturday . `` We do anticipate at some point in the future , there will be some criminal charges filed with regards to this incident , '' Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said . The saga captured the nation 's attention early Thursday afternoon , after authorities reported the family 's homemade helium balloon was set adrift , apparently with young Falcon Heene inside . Since then , speculation has mounted over whether the incident was a hoax by the father , who has appeared with his family on ABC 's `` Wife Swap , '' and posted videos of storm chasing and other activities online . Earlier Saturday , in an impromptu press conference outside his home , Heene told reporters the runaway balloon incident was `` absolutely no hoax . '' The incident prompted a widespread search in northern Colorado that included law enforcement from several counties , the Federal Aviation Administration and the Colorado National Guard . It ended when Falcon climbed down from the attic above the garage at the family 's Fort Collins , Colorado , home . If the incident was a hoax , the only charge local authorities could press would be making a false report to authorities -- a Class 3 misdemeanor , Alderden told reporters Saturday . However , a misdemeanor `` hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances , '' the sheriff said . `` We certainly want to talk to FAA officials and federal officials to see if perhaps there are n't additional federal charges that would be more appropriate in the circumstances than what we 're able to do locally , '' he said . He said further details would be disclosed Sunday morning , and that neither Richard nor Mayumi Heene , who came in voluntarily Saturday , was under arrest . The couple emerged Saturday evening from the sheriff 's office after several hours of interviews with investigators . `` I was talking to the sheriff 's department just now to further things along , '' Richard Heene told reporters outside the building . `` We 're doing well . '' He refused to take questions before the couple drove away in their minivan . Earlier Saturday , Heene emerged from his house and offered a cardboard box for the media to submit questions . Watch Heene reveal question box '' `` I got people e-mailing me , calling me ; they 've got a lot of questions , and I do n't know how to quite frankly answer any of them other than I 've got a box , '' Heene said around 10 a.m. . He said he 'd answer the questions later Saturday night . `` I 'm going to place the box up front . Please write your questions down , '' he said . `` I have no idea what the news are saying . I do n't have cable . '' Speculation began to mount over whether the incident was staged after the family appeared on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on Thursday night . Heene asked Falcon why he had not come out from hiding when his parents were calling for him . `` You guys said we did this for the show , '' the boy said . Heene said his son was confused when he made the `` show '' remark . There were media assembled on the front lawn asking all sorts of questions , and that 's what Falcon was referring to , Heene said . Alderden said Friday that -- based on reports that the parents `` took these children into potentially dangerous situations '' with tornado chases , the experimental balloons and other activities -- it would be `` appropriate to involve child protection -LSB- services -RSB- to at least see what the family situation is and whether the children are in a safe condition . '' Earlier , the sheriff told reporters his department contacted child protection officials but asked them not to contact the family until investigators had a chance to re-interview them . | NEW : Criminal charges expected `` sometime in the near future , '' sheriff says . NEW : Sheriff says he wants to consult FAA to see if federal charges apply . Father of boy thought to be in runaway balloon says he 'll answer questions . Richard Heene sets box in front of home to receive reporters ' queries . | [[0, 110], [379, 452], [1631, 1652], [1653, 1744], [2741, 2798], [931, 980], [983, 1060], [2417, 2422], [2450, 2509], [2802, 2840]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some issues , it seems , still transcend America 's increasingly bitter partisan divide . Ex-President George H.W. Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates smile during Obama 's speech Friday . President Obama attended a community service forum at Texas A&M University on Friday hosted by one of his Republican predecessors , former President George H.W. Bush . Obama took the opportunity to emphasize that , regardless of partisan politics , the government can only do so much with the challenges facing Americans . `` We face threats to our health , our climate and , of course , our security that have left many of our young people wondering what kind of future they will be leaving for their own kids , '' Obama told the audience , which including the former president and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates . `` Anyone here thinks that our government always has the solutions , President Bush and I will be the first to tell you that you 'll be sorely disappointed . '' `` The government can build the best school , with the best teachers , but we ca n't run the PTA ... we can pass the most comprehensive health care reform bill , but Congress ca n't be on the ground in our communities caring for the sick and helping people lead healthy lives . '' The two leaders met at Bush 's presidential library to celebrate almost two decades of work from the Points of Light Institute , which was founded with Bush 's encouragement in 1990 to `` encourage and empower the spirit of service , '' according to the group 's Web site . The Institute takes its name from Bush 's 1989 inaugural address , where he referenced `` a thousand points of light ... all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the nation , doing good . '' Obama lauded the former president 's lifetime of service -- from his enlistment at 18 to his community work during retirement -- noting that Bush was the first president to create a White House office devoted to promoting volunteer work . The president said Bush 's legacy of service affected the life of his own family . `` It 's a vision that 's changed lives across this country , including that of a young woman who went to work for an organization called Public Allies to prepare young people for public service careers -- an organization initially funded by the Bush administration , '' Obama said . `` Her experience there inspired her to devote her own life to serving others , and that young woman happens to be my wife , Michelle Obama . '' Obama latched onto the community service theme during last year 's presidential campaign . He signed a measure in April designed to strengthen national community service efforts by boosting federal funding for thousands of volunteers in fields ranging from clean energy to health care and education . The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act , renamed to honor the late senator 's sponsorship of the measure , will more than triple the number of positions in the AmeriCorps program , from 75,000 to 250,000 , by 2017 . `` Our government can help to rebuild our economy ... -LSB- but -RSB- we need Americans willing to mentor our eager young children , or care for the sick , or ease the strains of deployment on our military families , '' Obama said when signing the bill into law . The law created four national service corps and launched several other initiatives , including , among other things , a `` Summer of Service '' program to spur greater community outreach by middle - and high-school students . Older Americans were encouraged to volunteer more through the creation of a `` Silver Scholars '' program , under which individuals 55 and older who perform 350 hours of service receive a $ 1,000 award . The law increased the existing AmeriCorps educational stipend offered to volunteers to $ 5,350 -- the same amount as the maximum Pell college grant . Some critics have contended the measure , expected to cost roughly $ 6 billion over the next five years , is fiscally irresponsible in light of the current economic downturn . They also argue that the concept of volunteerism is undermined by providing financial compensation for community service . Points of Light Institute CEO Michelle Nunn , however , praised the legislation for encouraging people to `` volunteer their time and talents to positively impact the nation 's largest problems . '' CNN 's Alan Silverleib contributed to this report . | NEW : Obama speaks at forum hosted by ex-President George H.W. Bush . NEW : 44th president praises 41st for `` thousand points of light '' ethic . NEW : Obama : It `` changed lives across this country , '' including Michelle Obama 's . Obama : `` You 'll be sorely disappointed '' expecting government to solve all problems . | [[266, 341], [2357, 2372]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amanda Knox 's parents are hopeful that an Italian court 's decision not to re-evaluate the evidence against their daughter means she will be found not guilty of killing her roommate . Edda Mellas and Curt Knox say they have never believed their daughter was guilty . `` We asked for the independent review because we were sure that anybody -LSB- who -RSB- independently looked at it would support our position , '' Edda Mellas , Knox 's mother , told CNN 's Larry King in an interview to air Friday night . `` Now , maybe the court decided that they do n't even need that support . That our arguments have already been good enough . '' Knox , of Seattle , Washington , has been in an Italian jail and on trial for nearly two years on charges that she helped murder her roommate , British student Meredith Kercher . Knox 's defense lawyers had asked the court for an independent review of the evidence , which can be requested if there is contested or contradicting evidence . Prosecutors say a kitchen knife , allegedly the murder weapon , has Knox 's DNA on the handle and Kercher 's DNA on the blade . The defense disputes that , but last Friday , the court denied the request for a review . Closing arguments in the trial are expected at the beginning of November , and Knox 's parents hope a verdict will finally vindicate their daughter . Watch Curt Knox say why he thinks his daughter was arrested '' Her father , Curt Knox , told CNN that he thinks Amanda Knox was targeted as a suspect from the beginning . Within days of Kercher 's murder , Knox and her then-boyfriend , Raffaele Sollecito , were questioned and portrayed in the media as the undisputed killers . `` I believe that there was a huge mistake made very , very early on by , you know , having a -- literally a ` case closed , ' you know , presentation by the police over there , '' he said . Prosecutors held news conferences weeks after the killing , declaring the case solved . Knox , Sollecito and bar owner Patrick Lumumba were believed to have killed Kercher during a sexual game gone horribly awry . Knox was criticized in newspapers and tabloids around the world for her demeanor after the killing , which included photos of her and Sollecito comforting each other as crime scene investigators looked for clues in her house . Knox 's mother told King that those headlines could n't be further from the truth . `` You know , she 's very much a person who internalizes , '' Mellas said . `` She was extremely upset , and her roommate testified that when she found out it was Meredith that was killed , she was very upset . She cried ; she did all of that . But by the time those photos were taken , it was hours later , and she was being comforted by Raffaele . '' As the investigation went on , the scenario of what happened changed . Lumumba was released because he had an airtight alibi , and DNA evidence from the crime scene soon pointed to a different suspect : Rudy Guede . Guede was sentenced to 30 years for the murder in a separate trial and is appealing the verdict . Knox 's parents believe that Guede is the sole killer , but because the prosecution hammered the idea that Knox and Sollecito were guilty , they could n't back away from it . `` They were just too far into it , and they 've been trying to press it ever since , '' Curt Knox said . Knox 's family and friends insist that the girl they know would n't kill anyone . Her parents say they never believed that she was guilty . After the murder , Mellas said , friends and family told Knox to leave Italy -- to either come home or stay with relatives in Germany -- but Knox refused because she wanted to help find the killer and prove that she had nothing to do with it . `` Many people asked her to leave , but she said no . ` I 'm going to stay . I 'm going to try and help . I 'm going to try and finish school , ' '' Mellas said . Looking back , her parents wish Knox had left . Now , all they can do is wait -- and hope things turn out how they believe they should . `` We have to believe that what they 're hearing in court -- and it 's so clear that she had nothing to do with it -- then they 'll come out with the right answer , '' Curt Knox said . `` I mean , that 's -- that 's what we have to believe . '' | Knox is on trial in Italy , accused of killing her British roommate , Meredith Kercher . Italian court refused defense request to re-evaluate evidence . Amanda Knox 's parents hope that means she will be found not guilty of murder . | [[0, 15], [42, 142], [59, 203], [1124, 1213], [1170, 1213], [1293, 1363]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- America 's most recent war dead lie in a quiet patch of ground at Arlington National Cemetery known as Section 60 . A soldier places flags alongside tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery . In that parcel are 485 men and women who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . Most tourists keep to other paths at the cemetery , visiting the Tomb of the Unknowns or President John F. Kennedy 's gravesite . However , especially on Memorial Day weekend , relatives and friends pay their respects at the graves in Section 60 . `` I wish that everyone in their lifetime could come here at least once , '' said David Christoff of Rossford , Ohio , as he stood where his son is buried . Marine Sgt. David Christoff Jr. died in Iraq two years ago at age 25 . As his father 's arms swept toward the rows of white granite gravestones , he said , `` You can see the cost of freedom . It 's not free , by any means . '' `` These are all heroes . This is why we 're free today . This is why my son was there . '' According to the latest numbers from the Department of Defense , 4,080 U.S. troops have lost their lives in Iraq and 423 in Afghanistan . Arlington is one of more than 100 national cemeteries in the United States where there are military graves . Some families turn down the opportunity to have a loved one buried at Arlington , opting instead to have the grave closer to home . `` It 's a hard place to be -- very emotional , '' said Jerry Fowler of Los Altos , California , while visiting the grave of her nephew , Army Sgt. Dale Brehm . He died in Iraq two years ago . `` All these people who lost their lives , '' Fowler said , `` and we just walk by like it 's nothing . They meant something . '' `` When you walk down these rows , '' she added , `` you learn to respect every single person in this row , not just the person you came to see -- every one . '' At least 4 million people visit the cemetery each year , according to its Web site , and officials say Arlington , sadly , is running out of space for graves . There are more than 290,000 bodies buried there . Plans to expand the cemetery include seven areas where urns can hold the ashes of more than 100,000 people . Stepping lightly with heavy boots along the row of graves , Army medic Andrew Harriman of the 82nd Airborne dropped to one knee at several . `` We lost 22 guys from our unit , '' said the soldier , who was wounded in Iraq . He was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for his valor . `` Every time I come to town , I stop by . '' Four of Harriman 's friends are buried in Section 60 . `` I do n't think people realize how hard it is for the families and the co-workers or friends of these guys , '' he said . Also buried in Section 60 is Ross Andrew McGinnis of Knox , Pennsylvania . The 19-year-old Army specialist died in Baghdad when he threw himself on a grenade that had been tossed into his Humvee . He saved four fellow soldiers . Next month , McGinnis will be awarded the Medal of Honor , the nation 's highest military award , for his bravery . Not far from his resting place is the burial site of Capt. Maria Ines Ortiz , who became the first Army nurse killed in combat since Vietnam when she died in Iraq last year . Particularly touching are the mementos left at some of the graves -- photographs of wives and children , children 's drawings , coins , greeting cards , notes , stones and even unopened beer bottles . Nino Livaudes was killed in Iraq in April 2003 . At his grave is a multicolored , handmade card bearing the message : `` You are my hero , Daddy . I am 4 years old , and I miss you and love you very much , Grant . '' | More than 290,000 veterans are buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Section 60 is final resting place for troops killed most recently in Iraq , Afghanistan . Particularly touching are the mementos left at some of the graves . `` You are my hero , Daddy . ... I miss you , '' reads one handmade card . | [[2051, 2085], [2071, 2100], [96, 145], [3242, 3442], [3268, 3307], [3492, 3558], [3492, 3504], [3561, 3579]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He armors himself , keeps other people guessing and likes to wear a mask . Christian Bale is known as a hard worker who immerses himself in his characters . Batman ? Try Christian Bale . Though in his case the armor and mask are metaphorical , the 34-year-old `` Dark Knight '' star likes to keep his personal life as shadowy as a superhero 's back story . He 's been known to keep a low profile -- `` You will never see me at a party , '' he told the Times of London -- and delights in concocting stories about his life . `` I make up -LSB- things -RSB- , '' he told Details magazine earlier this year . `` Absolutely . I 'm an actor -- I 'm not a politician . I always kick myself when I talk too much about family , or personal things . I 'll enjoy chatting now and then later I 'll regret it . '' But with the explosive impact of `` The Dark Knight '' -- the film has set box office records in the 10 days since its release , becoming the fastest film to reach the $ 300 million mark in history -- and the forthcoming release of the fourth `` Terminator , '' which will star Bale , he may find his privacy limited . -LRB- `` The Dark Knight '' is a Warner Bros. film . The studio , like CNN , is a unit of Time Warner . -RRB- . `` Can he stand the glare of the spotlight ? '' a rival studio executive asked Entertainment Weekly . `` Being put in major roles and major films ? '' Already there are signs that Bale has made the jump from actor to movie star . Last week , news of an alleged hotel-room tussle between the actor , his mother and his sister made headlines around the world . Bale , who has denied the allegations , described the incident as `` a deeply personal matter '' and asked the media to `` respect my privacy in the matter '' at a press conference . Watch the latest on the incident '' In general , he 's been successful at making sure his personal matters are off-limits . Though willing to do interviews about his films -- the Internet is filled with them -- he usually sticks to talking about their production and his performances , reluctant to bring up his personal life . A few facts are well established : Christian Bale was born January 30 , 1974 , in Wales . His father , a former RAF pilot , once served as a film double for John Wayne ; his mother was a one-time circus performer . -LRB- After divorcing his mother , Bale 's father later married women 's - rights advocate Gloria Steinem . -RRB- The family moved often , with Bale estimating he lived in 15 different places in his first 15 years . He started his acting career while still a child . He received his first acting break appearing opposite Rowan Atkinson -LRB- `` Mr. Bean '' -RRB- in the London stage show `` The Nerd '' in 1984 , followed by two British TV miniseries . At 12 he was plucked from 4,000 hopefuls to star in Steven Spielberg 's 1987 film `` Empire of the Sun . '' -LRB- According to the Times of London , he was recommended by Spielberg 's then wife , Amy Irving . -RRB- Even then he disliked dealing with the press : he abruptly walked out of a Paris press conference for `` Empire '' while promoting the film . `` Empire '' was followed by an eclectic filmography : Kenneth Branagh 's Shakespeare adaptation `` Henry V '' -LRB- 1989 -RRB- ; the musical `` Newsies '' -LRB- 1992 -RRB- ; the historical drama `` Swing Kids '' -LRB- 1993 -RRB- ; and the 1994 version of `` Little Women , '' which made him a sex symbol to a group of `` Baleheads . '' -LRB- He was one of the first stars to have a fan site devoted to him . -RRB- . Through the latter , he also met his future wife , Sandra Blazic , a onetime assistant to `` Little Women '' star Winona Ryder . The two have been married for eight years , and have a 3-year-old daughter . By the late '90s , he was acting in a number of independent films , including `` Metroland '' -LRB- 1997 -RRB- , based on a Julian Barnes novel about London yuppies ; `` Velvet Goldmine '' -LRB- 1998 -RRB- , the Todd Haynes film that starred Ewan McGregor and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as early - '70s rockers ; and , most infamously , `` American Psycho '' -LRB- 2000 -RRB- , based on the controversial Bret Easton Ellis novel about a vicious serial killer who hides behind a bland investment banker persona . iReport.com : Your thoughts on ` Dark Knight ' Bale has said he was more affected by trying to get the `` Psycho '' part than the role itself . He was strung along -- the studio wanted Leonardo DiCaprio , who was slated for it but walked after contract negotiations broke down -- and put a number of projects on hold while hoping the role would come through . But making the movie , which was given an NC-17 rating by the ratings board for its -LRB- often implied -RRB- violence and sex -- was fairly easy , he told Entertainment Weekly in 2000 . `` I ca n't say I felt queasy once making this movie . ... I slept really well , '' he told the magazine . `` I played Jesus in this TV thing -LSB- NBC 's ` Mary , Mother of Jesus ' -RSB- after doing ` American Psycho ' -- I had nightmares the whole time , like I have n't had since I was 10 years old . ... But -LSB- ` Psycho ' character -RSB- Patrick Bateman ? Nothing . '' Since `` American Psycho , '' Bale has become as known for his work ethic as his performances . He dropped 60 pounds for `` The Machinist , '' about a blue-collar worker afflicted with insomnia , and then bulked up again for `` Batman Begins , '' his first go-round at the Batman role . He played a disturbed military veteran in `` Harsh Times '' -LRB- 2006 -RRB- , investing the role with such intensity that he shocked director David Ayer , and ate worms in `` Rescue Dawn , '' which he made for the equally intense director Werner Herzog . He changes his natural English accent for each role , to the extent of doing publicity in his character 's voice . He 's said on many occasions that he tries many roles for `` the experience . '' But it 's `` The Dark Knight '' that has everybody buzzing . In interviews for the movie , Bale has been eager to shine the spotlight on his fellow cast members , notably the late Heath Ledger and co-star Michael Caine , and even his stunt double . Watch Bale talk about the film and Ledger '' But director Christopher Nolan -- who 's now directed Bale in three films -LRB- the two Batmans and `` The Prestige '' -RRB- -- says the actor deserves praise in his own right . `` I knew I wanted to work with him when I saw him in ` American Psycho , ' '' he told USA Today . `` You have to be extremely talented to take that kind of absurd violence and make it funny . That 's what I wanted for Batman , too . '' With `` The Dark Knight '' earning raves and raking in money , Bale would seem to have his pick of future roles . He loves working with Nolan -- he 's intimated that he 'd sign on for `` Batman 3 '' if Nolan 's on board -- and does n't seem to care if the role is for a small-scale indie or a big-budget summer blockbuster . But give people a bigger glimpse of Christian Bale ? That 's not going to happen if he can help it . Indeed , he takes pride in his anonymity . He told Details of two incidents -- one in which an agent did n't recognize him , another with a casting director who confused him with Christian Slater -- that encouraged him , and told the Los Angeles Times he will continue to make things up to entertain himself during endless movie junkets : `` I have no desire for people to get their facts right about me , '' he said . What finally matters , he told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune while promoting `` The Prestige '' -LRB- a film in which he convincingly played a magician -RRB- , is the work . Acting , he pointed out , has its blessings . `` We 're fortunate that it 's easy for us to disappear inside our characters , '' he said . | Christian Bale prizes his privacy . Actor has been known to make up stories about himself . With success of `` Dark Knight , '' he may find spotlight shining more brightly . | [[456, 458], [494, 541]] |
In this new weekly feature , CNN.com highlights five recommended Twitter feeds about a hot topic in the news . Despite her importance in the health care debate , Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine is not on Twitter . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Senate Finance Committee this week passed a 10-year , $ 829 billion health care reform bill -- partly because of a `` yes '' vote from a lone Republican , Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine . Snowe does n't appear to be on Twitter . Too bad . But plenty of other people are posting about health care reform and the U.S. health care system on the micro-blogging site . This list of health care twitterers is by no means comprehensive , so feel free to tell us about your favorites in the comments section below . 1 . PolitiFact : The health care reform debate has been nothing if not confusing . `` Death panels , '' `` tea parties , '' Rep. Joe Wilson shouting `` You lie ! '' at the president . It 's a mess to sort through , especially on a vat of commentary and opinion like Twitter . Luckily , there are feeds like @PolitiFact to help . This Pulitzer-Prize-winning news group , which is part of the St. Petersburg Times , sorts fact from fiction on the health care debate and other topics . That `` You lie ! '' comment , for instance ? A lie , Politifact says . Followers : More than 4,800 . Sample tweet : We fact-check whether the Baucus #healthcare bill would tax medical devices such as X-ray tests and surgical needles http://bit.ly/dzZdu . 2 . SusannahFox : Fox is a researcher at the Pew Internet and American Life Project . Does n't sound very health-care-relevant , huh ? But Fox 's Twitter feed is packed with anecdotes and statistics about how social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are changing doctor-patient relationships and the state of health care at large . Followers : More than 2,150 . Sample tweet : Pew Internet : 38 % of internet users look online for information about hospitals or other medical facilities http://bit.ly/oS9mq . 3 . kevinmd : Blogger and doctor Kevin Pho offers up commentary on his life as a physician and the health care system . His random tidbits of medical information can be a riot , especially if you 're looking in from outside the medical community . Followers : More than 15,300 . Sample tweet : Should medical journals use the term nauseous , nauseated , or nauseating ? http://bit.ly/1yffx . 4 . whitehouse : Buildings can type ? Apparently . The official White House Twitter feed covers a slate of topics , but heath care has been especially big on the administration 's recent tweeting agenda . Followers : More than 1.3 million . Sample tweet : Jibber jabber on costs in reform from protectors of the status quo . Take it from the expert instead : http://bit.ly/4CGmMs . 5 . AmerMedicalAssn : This doctors ' group tries to spice up the health care debate with its purple font ! Oh , and tons of newsy updates on the latest votes , disputes and developments . Followers : More than 5,600 . Sample tweet : Why do #healthcare costs keep rising ? An in-depth analysis of America 's health system . @ThisAmericanLife http://ow.ly/u0JX . | On `` Follow Friday , '' CNN.com recommends Twitter feeds on a news topic . This week 's topic : The U.S. debate over health care . SusannahFox comments on health care and social media . kevinmd posts insights from his life as a physician . | [[0, 26], [29, 110], [2013, 2118]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman hospitalized after spending time in a sauna-like `` sweatbox '' has died , bringing the total fatalities to three , authorities said late Saturday . Retreat participants spent up to two hours inside the sweatbox , the sheriff 's office said . In addition to the deaths , 18 others were injured at the October 8 event at Angel Valley Retreat Center near Sedona , Arizona . The latest victim , Lizabeth Neuman , 49 , was a Minnesota mother of three . She died at the Flagstaff Medical Center , the Yavapai County Sheriff 's Office said . There were up to 65 visitors , ages 30 to 60 , at the resort attending the `` Spiritual Warrior '' program by self-help expert James Arthur Ray , according to authorities . Participants spent up to two hours inside the sweatbox , a dome-like structure covered with tarps and blankets , the sheriff 's office said . Hot rocks and water are used to create steam in the enclosed environment . Neuman 's attorney , Lou Diesel , told CNN her family is cooperating with the investigation and once it 's complete , he will `` take all the appropriate actions in response to those responsible for Liz 's death . '' Fire and rescue officials received an emergency call from the resort and transported the injured by air and land ambulances to nearby medical facilities , the sheriff 's office said . Two people were pronounced dead shortly after arrival at a local medical center . A homicide investigation into the incident is under way , authorities said . The other retreat participants who were hospitalized have since been released . Ray is widely known for programs that claim to teach individuals how to create wealth from all aspects of their lives -- financially , mentally , physically and spiritually . He has appeared on various national programs , including CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' CNN 's Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report . | `` Sweatbox '' retreat claims third victim , a Minnesota woman . Retreat participants fell ill after spending hours in hot , dome-like structure . `` Spiritual Warrior '' program was led by self-help guru James Arthur Ray . Police are conducting a homicide investigation into `` sweatbox '' deaths . | [[399, 416], [442, 475], [176, 238], [736, 790], [1436, 1491]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The doctor who implanted six embryos in octuplets ' mother Nadya Suleman last year has been expelled from a fertility medical society , a spokesman for the group said . Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight babies after being implanted with six embryos by Dr. Michael Kamrava . Dr. Michael Kamrava demonstrated `` a pattern of behavior that violated the group 's standards , '' American Society for Reproductive Medicine spokesman Sean Tipton said . An employee at Kamrava 's Beverly Hills , California , clinic -- the West Coast IVF Clinic -- said the doctor would not be commenting on the expulsion . The expulsion , which was imposed last month and just announced , does not affect Kamrava 's ability to practice , because affiliation with the professional association is voluntary . Suleman was 33 years old in January 2009 when she gave birth to eight babies . She was a single woman who already had six young children conceived through in-vitro fertilization . The reproductive medicine society recommends no more than two embryos for women under 35 years old and no more than five for women over 40 , for whom it is harder to get pregnant , according to guidelines published on its Web site . Suleman , in an interview in February on NBC , said Kamrava told her about risks for the children , but she did not want to have only one or two embryos implanted . `` Of course not , I wanted them all transferred , '' she said . `` Those are my children . And that 's what was available and I used them . I took a risk . It 's a gamble . It always is . '' Two of the six embryos split in utero , resulting in the birth of eight babies . Doctors say giving birth to extreme multiples comes with tremendous risks for the mother and the babies . Risks for the children include bleeding in the brain , intestinal problems , developmental delays and lifelong learning disabilities . Suleman 's children , six boys and two girls born nine weeks premature , all went home after an extended stay in the hospital . No indication has been given on whether any problems have emerged . Suleman and her children will star in a `` quasi-reality TV series '' about the family , it was announced in June . CNN 's Carey Bodenheimer contributed to this report . | Reproductive medicine society : Dr. Michael Kamrava `` violated '' standards . Kamrava implanted Nadya Suleman with six embryos before octuplets ' birth . Expulsion from group does not affect Kamrava 's ability to practice . Group advises no more than two embryos for women under age 35 . | [[367, 375], [381, 412], [44, 54], [59, 102], [213, 317], [241, 317], [873, 905], [914, 928], [933, 1006], [643, 658], [709, 755], [758, 826], [1007, 1145]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court has granted a condemned Georgia inmate 's request that his execution be delayed as he attempts to prove his innocence . Troy Davis has always maintained his innocence in the 1989 killing of Officer Mark MacPhail . The inmate , Troy Davis , has gained international support for his long-standing claim that he did not murder a Savannah police officer nearly two decades ago . Justice John Paul Stevens on Monday ordered a federal judge to `` receive testimony and make findings of fact as to whether evidence that could not have been obtained at trial clearly establishes petitioner 's innocence . '' Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer supported the decision . Sonia Sotomayor , who was sworn in August 8 as the newest member of the high court , did not take part in the petition . Davis ' case has had a dramatic series of ups and downs in the past year . He was granted a stay of execution by the Supreme Court two hours before he was to be put to death last fall . A month later , the justices reversed course and allowed the execution to proceed , but a federal appeals court then issued another stay . The high court 's latest ruling means Davis will continue to sit on death row . Stevens said the risk of putting a potentially innocent man to death `` provides adequate justification '' for another evidentiary hearing . His supporters in June delivered petitions bearing about 60,000 signatures to Chatham County , Georgia , District Attorney Larry Chisolm , calling for a new trial . Chisolm is the county 's first African-American district attorney . Davis is also African-American . Davis has always maintained his innocence in the 1989 killing of Officer Mark MacPhail . Witnesses said Davis , then 19 , and two others were harassing a homeless man in a Burger King restaurant parking lot when the off-duty officer arrived to help the man . Witnesses testified at trial that Davis then shot MacPhail twice and fled . But since his 1991 conviction , seven of the nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony . No physical evidence was presented linking Davis to the killing of the policeman . The Georgia Pardons and Parole Board last year held closed-door hearings and reinterviewed the witnesses and Davis himself . The panel decided against clemency . MacPhail 's mother , Annaliese , told CNN at the time , `` This is what we were hoping for , and I hope pretty soon that we will have some peace and start our life , especially my grandchildren -- my grandson and granddaughter . It has overshadowed their lives . '' After the justices in October refused to grant a stay of execution , Davis ' sister , Martina Correia , told CNN she was `` disgusted '' by the decision . `` It does n't make any sense , '' she said . `` We are praying for a miracle or some kind of intervention . We will regroup and fight . We will never stop fighting . We just ca n't be discouraged . The fight is not over till it 's over . '' Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas objected to the court 's decision Monday , calling it a `` fool 's errand . '' `` Petitioner 's claim is a sure loser , '' wrote Scalia . `` Transferring his petition to the -LSB- federal -RSB- District Court is a confusing exercise that can serve no purpose except to delay the state 's execution of its lawful criminal judgment . '' Ten days after the high court refused last October to intervene , a federal appeals court in Georgia granted a temporary stay of execution . Since then , further appeals by Davis ' legal team have dragged on for nearly a year . Prominent figures ranging from the pope to the musical group Indigo Girls have asked Georgia to grant Davis a new trial . Other supporters include celebrities Susan Sarandon and Harry Belafonte ; world leaders such as former President Jimmy Carter and former Archbishop Desmond Tutu ; and former and current U.S. lawmakers Bob Barr , Carol Moseley Braun and John Lewis . | Supreme Court 's latest ruling means Troy Davis will continue to sit on death row . Davis was convicted in 1991 of murdering a Savannah , Georgia , police officer . Since his conviction , 7 of 9 witnesses against him have recanted their testimony . Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas objected to the court 's decision . | [[1167, 1246], [1205, 1246], [1993, 2018], [2021, 2092], [3001, 3078], [3001, 3044], [3088, 3120]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Because you were n't going into botany , the priesthood , or coin manufacturing , you thought you were safe to dismiss Latin as a dead language . Obviously , you did n't graduate cum laude . I think , therefore I am the famous statue `` The Thinker '' by French sculptor Auguste Rodin . Latin is about as dead as Elvis -LRB- who , by the way , made $ 54 million in 2004 -RRB- . Whether you 're deciphering a cryptic state seal or trying to impress your Catholic in-laws , knowing some Latin has its advantages . But the operative word here is `` some . '' The ability to translate The Aeneid probably is n't going to come in handy anytime soon , so we 'll start you off with 9 phrases that have survived the hatchet men of time -LRB- in all their pretentious glory -RRB- . Caveat Emptor : -LRB- KAV-ee-OT emp-TOR -RRB- : `` Let the buyer beware '' Before money-back guarantees and 20-year warranties , caveat emptor was indispensable advice for the consumer . These days , it 'd be more fitting to have it tattooed on the foreheads of used-car salesmen , infomercial actors , and prostitutes . For extra credit points , remember that caveat often makes solo appearances at cocktail parties as a fancy term for a warning or caution . Oh , and just so you know , caveat lector means `` let the reader beware . '' Persona Non Grata : -LRB- puhr-SOH-nah non GRAH-tah -RRB- : `` An unacceptable person '' Remember your old college buddy , the one everybody called Chugger ? Now picture him at a debutante ball , and you 'll start to get a sense of someone with persona non grata status . The term is most commonly used in diplomatic circles to indicate that a person is unwelcome due to ideological differences or a breach of trust . Sometimes , the tag refers to a pariah , a ne'er - do-well , a killjoy , or an interloper , but it 's always subjective . Michael Moore was treated as a persona non grata at the Republican National Convention . Bill O'Reilly would experience the same at Burning Man . Habeas Corpus : -LRB- HAY-bee-as KOR-pus -RRB- : `` You have the body '' When you wake up in the New Orleans Parish Prison after a foggy night at Mardi Gras , remember this one . In a nutshell , habeas corpus is what separates us from savages . It 's the legal principle that guarantees an inmate the right to appear before a judge in court , so it can be determined whether or not that person is being lawfully imprisoned . It 's also one of the cornerstones of the American and British legal systems . Without it , tyrannical and unjust imprisonments would be possible . In situations where national security is at risk , however , habeas corpus can be suspended . Cogito Ergo Sum : -LRB- CO-gee-toe ER-go SOME -RRB- : `` I think , therefore I am '' When all those spirited mental wrestling matches you have about existentialism start growing old -LRB- yeah , right ! -RRB- , you can always put an end to the debate with cogito ergo sum . René Descartes , the 17th-century French philosopher , coined the phrase as a means of justifying reality . According to him , nothing in life could be proven except one 's thoughts . Well , so he thought , anyway . E Pluribus Unum : -LRB- EE PLUR-uh-buhs OOH-nuhm -RRB- : `` Out of many , one '' Less unique than it sounds , America 's original national motto , e pluribus unum , was plagiarized from an ancient recipe for salad dressing . In the 18th century , haughty intellectuals were fond of this phrase . It was the kind of thing gentlemen 's magazines would use to describe their year-end editions . But the term made its first appearance in Virgil 's poem `` Moretum '' to describe salad dressing . The ingredients , he wrote , would surrender their individual aesthetic when mixed with others to form one unique , homogenous , harmonious , and tasty concoction . As a slogan , it really nailed that whole cultural melting pot thing we were going for . And while it continues to appear on U.S. coins , `` In God We Trust '' came along later -LRB- officially in 1956 -RRB- to share the motto spotlight . Quid Pro Quo : -LRB- kwid proh KWOH -RRB- : `` You scratch my back , I 'll scratch yours '' Given that quid pro quo refers to a deal or trade , it 's no wonder the Brits nicknamed their almighty pound the `` quid . '' And if you give someone some quid , you 're going to expect some quo . The phrase often lives in the courtroom , where guilt and innocence are the currency . It 's the oil that lubricates our legal system . Something of a quantified value is traded for something of equal value ; elements are parted and parceled off until quid pro quo is achieved . Most recently , Arizona Senator John McCain co-opted the phrase to describe campaign finance and influence pedaling because he believes that one does n't give major milk to a campaign without expecting major cheese in return . Ad Hominem : -LRB- ad HAH-mi-nem -RRB- : `` To attack the man '' In the world of public discourse , ad hominem is a means of attacking one 's rhetorical opponent by questioning his or her reputation or expertise rather than sticking to the issue at hand . Translation : Politicians are really good at it . People who resort to ad hominem techniques are usually derided as having a diluted argument or lack of discipline . If pressed , they 'll brandish it like a saber and refuse to get back to the heart of the matter . Who said the debate team does n't have sex appeal ? Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam : -LRB- ad-MA-yor-em DAY-ee GLOR-ee-um -RRB- : `` All for the Greater Glory of God '' Ad majorem dei gloriam is often shortened to AMDG . In other words , it 's the WWJD of the Jesuits , who 've been drilling the mantra into their followers since -LRB- Saint -RRB- Ignatius of Loyola founded the Catholic Order in 1534 . They believe all actions , big or small , should be done with AMDG in mind . Remind your Jesuit-educated buddies of this when they seem to be straying from the path . -LRB- Best used with a wink and a hint of irony . -RRB- . Sui Generis : -LRB- SOO-ee JEN-er-is -RRB- : `` Of its own genus , '' or `` Unique and unable to classify '' Frank Zappa , the VW Beetle , cheese in a can , that feeling you get when the Red Sox win the World Series : Sui generis refers to something that 's so new , so bizarre , or so rare that it defies categorization . Granted , labeling something `` sui generis '' is really just classifying the unclassifiable . But let 's not over-think it . Use it at a dinner party to describe Andy Kaufman , and you impress your friends . Use it too often , and you just sound pretentious . E-mail to a friend . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Nine Latin phrases commonly used today . Persona non grata : Person unwelcome due to ideological differences . Quid pro quo refers to a deal or trade . Sui generis refers to something so new or bizarre it defies categorization . | [[677, 712], [1611, 1619], [1664, 1756], [4170, 4237], [6233, 6305], [6311, 6337]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Virgin Airlines heir Sam Branson was hanging out with Andy Roddick , and could n't resist challenging him to a bet . Andy Roddick played left-handed against Sam Branson and still won . Branson wagered $ 150 that he could beat Roddick in a tennis match , as long as the right-handed sports star played with his left hand . Even as a leftie , Roddick cleaned up . They played one set and Branson did n't score a single point . Since celebrities have so much money to throw around , they often amuse themselves by placing weird bets . Peep a few more who 've put their money where their mouth is . 1 . George Clooney was so convinced he 'd still be childless and unmarried when he hit 40 that in 2001 , he bet Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer $ 10,000 each . The two gals just could n't believe that this hunky dude would n't be tied down . But they were wrong . That 's $ 20,000 for bachelor George ! The Frisky : They dated ? Hollywood 's oddest hookups . 2 . Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry made a bet on the set of `` The Whole Nine Yards . '' Perry allegedly thought the film would open at the top of the charts in the U.S. but Willis was n't feelin ' it . When Bruce lost , he had to do a cameo on `` Friends . '' Does n't sound so bad , right ? Well , he had to give away all the money he made . The good news is , he gave it to charity . The Frisky : Celebs whose new loves look just like their exes . 3 . Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio each bet $ 25,000 that the other would become a father first . The Frisky : Hollywood hotties set to play historical figures . When Maguire 's fiance had their first kid , the actor had to pay up . He gave DiCaprio the cash , but did n't mind . Cause , uh , he was a dad . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Celebs have so much money they amuse themselves sometimes by placing bets . Sam Branson bet Andy Roddick he could beat him at a tennis match . George Clooney bet two actresses he 'd still be childless at 40 . Bruce Willis lost a bet to Matthew Perry and had to appear on `` Friends '' | [[457, 503], [523, 557], [211, 277], [625, 695], [657, 668], [672, 723], [657, 659], [663, 723], [1187, 1202], [1205, 1241]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson ended a trip to the Ivory Coast on Friday , after he spoke to leaders from the nation 's political parties and was honored as a prince by a tribe in the West African nation . Jesse Jackson says ceremony to name him a prince of the Agni people was `` very exciting . '' Jackson said he met with President Laurent Gbagbo and leading members of two opposition parties , Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Ouattara . Bedie is a former president of the nation and Ouattara is a former prime minister . Jackson said his mission was not to endorse a candidate , `` but a process . '' `` I wanted the three of them to agree ... -LSB- to -RSB- campaign vigorously ... not to create divisive language , to each agree to support the winner , -LSB- and -RSB- end the -LSB- U.N. -RSB- sanctions , '' he said . `` I think there 's a common agreement on these points . This country has so much to offer the world and Africa . '' The United Nations imposed sanctions on the nation in 2004 , among them , a ban on arms and diamond trades , a travel ban and asset freezes for some individuals . The sanctions , renewed last year , are in effect until October 29 . Earlier in Jackson 's trip , Amon N'Douffou V , king of the Krindjabo kingdom , named Jackson a prince of the Agni people , news reports said . Jackson said it was a `` very exciting ceremony . '' Jackson 's wife , Jacqueline , suffered a broken leg during the trip when a stage she and her husband were on collapsed , Jackson told CNN in a telephone interview . `` We had excellent medical care , '' the pastor said , adding that the collapse was `` not the fault of the organizers , '' but that too many people had gathered on the stage . Official news agency Agence Ivoirienne de Presse reported that the stage collapse occurred in a sports complex in Yopougon , north of Abidjan . A doctor was to accompany them on their Friday night flight back to the United States , Jackson said . The coming elections in the Ivory Coast are being closely watched by U.N. officials . In a July 30 statement , the U.N. Security Council said `` any postponement of the elections of 29 November would be inconsistent with a credible process '' and with a peace agreement that had followed an armed rebellion in 2002 that had divided the country in two . The Security Council said it would review progress toward elections before October 15 . In March , U.S. State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said the `` United States believes that long-delayed presidential elections are still technically possible in 2009 and calls on all parties to take every step necessary to ensure that credible elections go forward as promised . '' The statement said more than 5.7 million people had been enrolled as voters on a `` preliminary basis . '' | Coming elections in the Ivory Coast are being closely watched by U.N. officials . Jackson meets with president , opposition leaders in trip to West African nation . Leader of Krindjabo kingdom reportedly names Jackson a prince of the Agni people . Jackson : Wife received `` excellent medical care '' after breaking leg in stage collapse . | [[1972, 2011], [1972, 2057], [311, 450], [324, 360], [0, 15], [92, 94], [141, 216], [1213, 1229], [1264, 1305], [1381, 1396], [1412, 1466], [1550, 1579]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two international staffers supporting the peacekeeping mission in the volatile Sudanese region of Darfur were kidnapped Saturday morning , a spokesman for the peacekeeping force told CNN . Soldiers with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Darfur -LRB- UNAMID -RRB- pictured in June . The man and the woman , whose identities and nationalities were withheld , worked for UNAMID , a U.N. and African Union force designated to keep peace in Darfur . `` Our people have been able to establish contact with the people responsible for the abduction , '' said UNAMID spokesman Noureddine Mezni , but he declined to identify the abductors . The organization is `` asking for their immediate release , '' Mezni added . The peacekeeping force began operations in Darfur in December 2007 and is expected to remain there until July 2010 , according to UNAMID 's Web site . As of July 31 its force is comprised of more than 13,000 troops from 39 countries . As of June 30 , 999 international civilian personnel were on staff , according to the site . The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Darfur , and 2.5 million have been forced to flee their homes . Sudan denies the death toll is that high . The violence in Darfur erupted in 2003 after rebels began an uprising against the Sudanese government . To counter the rebels , Arab militias with ties to the Sudanese government went from village to village in Darfur , killing , torturing and raping residents there , according to the United Nations , Western governments and human rights organizations . The militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels drew strength . CNN 's Ben Brumfield contributed to this report . | United Nations estimates 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Darfur . Force began operations in Darfur in December 2007 , expected to remain till 2010 . Violence erupted in 2003 after rebels began uprising against Sudanese government . | [[1062, 1210], [1091, 1153], [734, 800], [734, 756], [805, 848], [1254, 1357], [1299, 1357]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Afghan opium kills 100,000 people every year worldwide -- more than any other drug -- and the opiate heroin kills five times as many people in NATO countries each year than the eight-year total of NATO troops killed in Afghan combat , the United Nations said Wednesday . An Afghan police officer digs up a field of opium poppies in April . About 15 million people around the world use heroin , opium or morphine , fueling a $ 65 billion market for the drug and also fueling terrorism and insurgencies : The Taliban raised $ 450 million to $ 600 million over the past four years by `` taxing '' opium farmers and traffickers , Antonio Maria Costa , head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime , said in a report . Not all the money is going into the pockets of rebels or drug dealers ; some Afghan officials are making money off the trade as well , he said . `` The Afghan drug economy generates several hundred million dollars per year into evil hands : some with black turbans , some with white collars , '' Costa said . The latter reference is `` to officials in the Afghan administration , federal government of Kabul or the provinces or the army or the police , '' Costa told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour . Watch Costa talk about the problems '' And the problem is spreading , he added . Drug money is funding insurgencies in Central Asia , which has huge energy reserves , Costa said . `` The Silk Route , turned into a heroin route , is carving out a path of death and violence through one of the world 's most strategic yet volatile regions , '' he said . Authorities are seizing too little heroin , intercepting only about 20 percent of opiate traffic around the world , according to the U.N. report , `` Addiction , Crime and Insurgency : the Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium . '' It comes on the heels of a U.N. warning last month that two years ' worth of opium is effectively `` missing , '' probably stockpiled by the Taliban and criminal gangs . More than 12,000 tons of opium , which can be consumed as a narcotic itself or turned into heroin , is unaccounted for , the United Nations estimated in September . It is not clear who has it or why , but the United Nations speculates that criminals could be holding it as a hedge against falling prices or that insurgents or terrorists could be stockpiling it to fund attacks . The latest report claims to be the first systematic attempt to track where Afghan opium ends up . See how Afghan heroin reaches Europe and the West '' Europe and Russia together consume just under half of the heroin coming out of Afghanistan , the United Nations concluded , and Iran is by far the single largest consumer of Afghan opium . Afghanistan is also probably supplying an increasing share of the heroin in China -- perhaps as much as a quarter , the report said . Afghanistan is by far the world 's largest producer of opium , although Laos , Myanmar and Latin America produce small quantities , it said . The United Nations found that Afghanistan may be supplying more heroin to the United States and Canada than had been suspected . The two North American countries consume more than twice as much heroin as Latin America produces . That means either that more Afghan heroin is making its way to North America than had been known or that Mexico and Columbia are producing more than was realized , the United Nations said . The report confirmed an estimate that $ 400 million in drug profits goes to the Taliban , Costa said . The Taliban `` are deeply involved '' in processing , in protecting farmers and in exporting , he said . The solution `` is very clear , '' he said . `` We need a much greater effort and commitment by governments to prevent drug addiction , to take care of drug addicts ... to reduce demand . '' But the popular will for change needs to increase , he said , noting that the Security Council in 2006 and 2007 passed resolutions inviting member states to give the names of drug traffickers to authorities so that their ability to travel can be curtailed and their assets seized . `` So far , much to my dismay , not a single name was provided to the Security Council , '' he said . The report offered little new in the way of possible solutions , said Ethan Nadelmann , founding executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance , which promotes alternatives to the war on drugs . `` It 's very good at describing a problem , '' he said . `` But it truly is devoid of any kind of pragmatic solution , and it essentially suggests that the answer is to keep doing more of what 's failed us in the past . '' So long as there is a global demand for opium , there will be a supply , he said . `` If Afghanistan were suddenly wiped out as a producer of opium -- by bad weather or a blight or eradication efforts -- other parts of the world would simply emerge as new producers , `` creating all sorts of new problems , '' he said . And Afghanistan itself would not be helped either , he said . `` You would see in Afghanistan millions of people probably flocking to the cities unable to make a living and probably turning more to the Taliban than they are now , '' he said . He listed three possible options . The first , global legalization and control , `` is not happening , not any time soon , '' he said . The second option is to increase drug treatment for addicts who want it and to provide legal access to the drug , as Switzerland , Germany , the Netherlands , England , Spain and Canada have done , he said . `` In all of these places , there are small , growing programs of heroin maintenance that allow addicts to obtain pharmaceutical-grade heroin from legal sources rather than from the black market , '' he said . But Nadelmann added that more people died of opiate overdose last year involving pharmaceutical opiates than died from illegal heroin . A third possibility , he said , would be to view Afghanistan as essentially a red-light zone of global opium production and to think about the solution as a vice-control challenge , `` which means acknowledge that Afghanistan is going to continue to be the world 's supplier of illegal opium for the foreseeable future and then focus on manipulating and regulating the market participants , even though it is still illegal . '' He added , `` That , I think , is in some respects the de facto strategy , even though it can not be stated openly , for political reasons . '' | Afghan heroin trade funds terrorism , insurgencies , U.N. report says . 12,000 tons of opium missing , probably stockpiled by Taliban , gangs , U.N. says . Afghanistan is world 's largest producer of opium , from which heroin is made . Iran is by far largest consumer of Afghan heroin , U.N. report says . | [[254, 289], [1308, 1358], [1695, 1723], [3368, 3393], [254, 289], [1921, 1979], [1980, 2010], [2080, 2098], [2185, 2358], [3368, 3393], [2833, 2893], [254, 289], [1695, 1723], [2638, 2698], [3368, 3393]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China 's long simmering battle against corruption has come to a boil , this time in Chongqing , the largest megalopolis in the world . A massive crackdown has implicated millionaires , gangsters , and even police officers . Known as `` dahei '' -LRB- combat triads -RRB- , the campaign has put the spotlight on organized crime and how it has infested local bureaucracy and businesses through bribery , extortion , blackmail and violence . The anti-triad campaign in Chongqing is being led by Bo Xilai , the city 's party chief . Criminal trials are underway following months of police investigation . Details of murky cases are trickling out . Among those on the dock is Xie Caiping , a portly woman believed be the `` mama san '' of one of Chongqing 's notorious triads . Xie is accused of operating gambling dens , drug trafficking , giving and collecting bribes and terrorizing people , including policemen who had tried to investigate her illicit activities . More trials are expected as the city fights at least 14 mafia-style gangs . Given China 's opaque political world , it is notable that the ongoing trial is extensively covered by the Chinese media . For years after the Cultural Revolution , Chongqing languished as a decrepit mountain-city in Sichuan province , better known for its spicy food and poor farmers carrying goods on bamboo poles . It became the world 's largest city in 1997 when the central government , by administrative edict , incorporated a huge area adjacent to the city into what is now the Chongqing municipality . China 's goal was to build up Chongqing into a modern mega-city that will later serve as the new economic engine in central China . Over the years , thanks of the influx of corporate investments and central government funding in infrastructure projects , the city of 31 million has become a center of an economic boom . But the economic boom has also led to the resurgence of local gangs engaged in human and drug trafficking , illegal gambling , prostitution , extortion and protection rackets . Gangsters were blamed for heinous crimes of murder and kidnapping . Local officials were accused of `` economic crimes '' -- bribery , profiteering and malversation involving public funds and property . Such abuses have prompted popular anger and social unrest . Communist Party officials are under pressure to clean up or perish . `` The life or death of the party depends on whether or not we have a strong will to punish and prevent corruption , '' Chinese President Hu Jintao told a meeting of the party elite last September . Party leaders pledged to attack the `` acute problems '' of corruption , the gap between the rich and the poor , and the lack of democracy within the party 's own ranks . At the meeting , they outlined an anti-corruption directive that would compel officials and their families to disclose their property holdings and investments . `` The new transparency rules are meant to curb abuse of power , '' says political analyst Wenran Jiang . `` It 's also aimed at appeasing public discontent over corruption . '' In Chongqing , police operations started in June , leading to the arrest of over 4,800 suspected gangsters and the confiscation of 1,700 illegal firearms . Investigations led to many city officials , including police officers . They include Wen Qiang , Xie Caiping 's brother-in-law , who is now accused of colluding with gangsters . Highly regarded as an ace investigator , Wen was the deputy police commissioner and head of the city 's justice bureau . Last August , he was stripped of his posts , detained and charged of accepting over 100 million yuan in bribes in exchange for giving gangs a `` protective umbrella '' . Local media reports say Chongqing residents celebrated Wen 's arrest by setting off firecrackers . The `` dahei '' campaign is led by Bo Xilai . 60 , the city 's party chief who also sits on China 's ruling politburo . Son of a revolutionary veteran , Bo had served as Dalian city mayor , Liaoning provincial governor and China 's minister of commerce . An outsider in Chongqing , Bo has had to bring in his trusted protégé , Wang Lijun , to replace Wen Qiang as chief of police and clean up the city . Wang made his name as a tough , upright police commissioner in Liaoning province , Bo 's former turf . In response , the gangs have reportedly put a 12 million yuan bounty on Wang 's head . `` It not us who took the initiative to fight the underworld , '' Bo Xilai told the Chongqing media . `` It 's the underworld who has compelled us to do so . The public has been gathering at the gate of our government building , holding blood-stained pictures , deeply distressed . The underworld has killed innocent people with machetes , like butchers killing pigs -- too horrible to see . '' Bo said the campaign is aimed at restoring economic order and winning people 's trust . Bo 's get-tough stance has earned him praises , especially among the Netizens . `` Chongqing 's experience should be popularized nationwide , '' wrote a Netizen from the eastern province of Zhejiang . `` Bo should be China 's leader in the new era , '' wrote another . Some political observers think success in Chongqing could catapult him as a `` dark horse '' in the next round of political transition , when the next generation of leaders take over in 2012 . `` Whatever his motives , the impact is not local but national , '' says Wenran Jiang . `` Clearly , there is public support for such bold actions . '' Jiang , who was Bo 's college classmate at Peking University in the late 1970s , remembers Bo as `` a smart student of Chinese and world history who always want to do the right thing . '' It remains unclear if the current house-cleaning in Chongqing will spread nationwide . Cynics doubt if the Communist Party leaders have the stomach to genuinely root out the evil of corruption wherever investigations find them . `` These crackdowns are like swatting flies while ignoring tigers , '' shrugs a white-collar worker in Beijing . Some see progress . `` At least they realize that the problem is very acute , '' says a government functionary -LSB- who asked to remain anonymous -RSB- . `` We can not speak of a harmonious society unless the people are treated equally before the law . '' | Anti-corruption drive in Chongqing implicates millionaires , gangsters , police . Campaign has spotlighted organized crime , how it has infested local bureaucracy . City 's economic boom has led to the resurgence of local gangs . Criminal trials are underway as the city fights at least 14 mafia-style gangs . | [[170, 258], [3279, 3350], [3301, 3320], [3323, 3350], [306, 361], [370, 473], [1717, 1731], [1838, 1904], [1909, 1972], [564, 635], [999, 1074], [1027, 1074]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There is a region of the world where the weather is always hot and humid and it rains almost every day of the year . Sounds predictable , right ? But weather in the Intertropical Convergence Zone , or ITCZ , can be volatile and dangerous . Air France Flight 447 went down in a volatile zone along the equator between South America and Africa . The Intertropical Convergence Zone , which circles the Earth near the equator , is where officials say Air France Flight 447 plunged into the Atlantic Ocean . While weather has not been cited as a reason for the plane 's crash , the tragedy does call attention to the region . The ITCZ is a belt of low pressure that wraps around the planet . Clouds and storms form along it because it is literally where the winds of the world 's hemispheres meet . High pressure in the Northern Hemisphere churns air from the northeast toward the equator . On the flip side , air is steered from the southeast by high pressure in the Southern Hemisphere . The winds that move this air toward the equator are also known as `` trade winds '' and converge in the middle of the tropics . That 's where the Intertropical Convergence Zone name comes from . Here , air and water temperatures are typically in the mid-80s . The warm , moist air is heated further by the blazing tropical sun . Steamy air , coming off the ocean , rises until it hits cooler , drier air aloft , forming clouds and thunderstorms . These gigantic storms contain volatile updrafts and downdrafts that can move at speeds of 100 mph . The height of these storms also can tower to more than 10 miles in the air . Even if you stacked two dozen of the world 's tallest skyscrapers on top of each other , they still would n't reach the tops of the biggest thunderstorms of the ITCZ . Former Air Force meteorologist Tim Vasquez wrote about thunderstorms over the Atlantic at the time of the Air France plane 's disappearance on his Web site , weathergraphics.com . `` Based on the infrared satellite imagery , I was able to ... estimate the altitude of the thunderstorms at around 51,000 feet , '' he told CNN in a phone interview . Vasquez himself has flown through the ITCZ at least half a dozen times . `` I remember flying from Guam to the Philippines , constantly weaving around the thunderstorms . Sometimes , though , pilots are forced to fly through them , '' he said . That 's because commercial airliners can not fly above 50,000 feet . In addition , ITCZ thunderstorms can merge with one another to stretch far and wide , covering hundreds of miles . The crew of Air France Flight 447 reported severe turbulence shortly before the plane disappeared . How did the plane break into pieces ? '' When it 's not storming in the ITCZ , the weather can be completely calm , with little to no wind . This stretch of ocean was particularly dreaded by sailors of the 19th century , who named it `` The Doldrums , '' because its lack of wind could leave them stuck at sea , unable to propel forward . Despite these challenges and dangers , planes and ships successfully cross the ITZC every day , thanks in part to technology that has made it easier to see where the thunderstorms are . Here are some commonly asked questions : . Can hurricanes form in the ITCZ ? It 's extremely rare for a hurricane to form near the equator . However , the ITCZ does n't stay in one place all year long . In the summer , for example , it drifts more northward , where it 's possible for tropical cyclones to develop from the thunderstorms there . What does the ITCZ have to do with the `` monsoon season '' in Asia ? Since the position of the ITCZ fluctuates , the location of the heaviest rainfalls varies depending on the time of year . When the zone drifts more northward in May and June , it brings the rainy season to places like Southeast Asia and India . The term `` monsoon '' refers to a seasonal reversal of winds . | Weather in the ITCZ , where the Air France plane went down , is volatile . The zone circles the Earth near the equator and can produce violent thunderstorms . These storms contain updrafts and downdrafts that can move at speeds of 100 mph . Because the storms are so huge , it can be difficult for airliners to avoid them . | [[169, 224], [227, 258], [259, 362], [363, 397], [443, 521], [169, 224], [227, 258], [363, 397], [406, 440], [1451, 1513], [1499, 1513], [1519, 1550]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As a hobby , Suzie Jirachareonkul , a teacher and mother of two , spends many of her nights searching for endangered toads on the country roads near her home outside Cape Town , South Africa . Volunteers in South Africa are collecting data on the Western Leopard Toad , which is endangered . She often finds them flattened on the street . `` They 're so beautiful and it 's just really hard to live with , especially when you 're living on the road right here , '' the 33-year-old said of the toad deaths . `` So we started doing something about it . We started saving them off the road in the middle of the rain . '' When a scientist caught onto her efforts , Jirachareonkul and a friend assembled about 20 volunteers -- a group she calls the `` Toad NUTS '' -- to collect data on the endangered Western Leopard Toad . The information they collect is being used in scientific research . Each time Jirachareonkul comes upon one of the spotted , faintly iridescent creatures , she springs into action . She marks down GPS coordinates , measures the toad , makes notes on its behavior -LRB- Is a mate stuck to its back ? Is it headed toward a pond ? -RRB- and uploads the information so scientists can use it . Oh , and she moves the toad out of traffic 's way , too . While her nighttime hobby may sound a bit strange , Jirachareonkul is far from alone in her efforts to collect amateur scientific data . At a time when climate change and urbanization are poised to set off a new wave of extinction , some members of the scientific community are turning toward backyard biologists for the data they need to monitor ecosystems and protect struggling species . This `` citizen science '' movement is not exactly new , but it has grown fresh legs as the Internet and social-networking sites help people with uber-specified and often bizarre interests gang up for a cause . Amateur-produced Web sites now serve as data hubs for squirrel sightings , bird photos , ant anthologies , snapshots of leaves , flowers and trees , water quality info , beetle hunts and firefly tracking , among others . Find links at CNN 's SciTech blog . `` It 's pretty random , '' said Cyndy Parr of the Encyclopedia of Life . `` There 's a lot of charismatic things that wo n't surprise you -- backyard birds , that sort of thing . But there are also thriving communities of people who like to take pictures of butterflies , centipedes , wildflowers , plants . '' Some of the sites have sweeping goals . The Encyclopedia of Life , which seeks to gather online information on all known species , has started taking public submissions through a public Flickr group . Some individual users have uploaded more than 2,000 photos . Project BudBurst , out of Boulder , Colorado , aims to collect so much amateur data about plant species that scientists will be able to tell how climate change is altering the seasons in North America . The venture , managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research , gathers `` data that would not otherwise be collected , '' said Sandra Henderson , the project 's director . `` We have these additional sentinel eyes on the landscape , if you will . There are n't enough ecologists to be making all of these different plant observations . '' National Science Foundation funding for citizen science dropped off significantly in 2002 but generally has been on the rise since , according to budget numbers compiled for CNN . Since that year , funding in the United States has increased more than 240 percent , to more than $ 3 million for 2008 . Several of the Web projects receive government funding , but others survive on their own merits . In Spain , Josep del Hoyo founded the Internet Bird Collection , an international compilation of bird videos , sounds and photos that 's funded solely by his company . He said the intense passion of birders around the world , plus some money from his publishing company , keep the site running . Amateurs have posted video of never-before-seen birds on the site , he said , and some of the work has been the foundation for scientific articles . Technology is amplifying this passion for citizen science , which has been around since scientists started cataloging species . Researchers at several universities are working on iPhone applications and computer programs that could analyze digital photos of plant leaves and automatically identify the plant 's species . When those photos -- from ordinary people all over the world -- are paired with the photographer 's location and uploaded to a database , the information would be more valuable than anything scientists could come up with on their own , said John Kress , a botanist and research scientist at the Smithsonian 's National Museum of Natural History . The information could help scientists know if a species is going extinct or dying off in certain regions as the climate warms . Identifying a plant species can be tricky , Kress said , so these technologies also would ensure that nonprofessional data is good enough to use for scientific research . `` When people do these things as citizen scientists you 're always a little suspect as to , ` Are you getting it right ? ' '' he said . `` There 's some plants out there that are maples and look like oaks -- and only I would know they 're really maples . But with this system we would have a standard way of identifying the accuracy of this information . '' Some scientists said they 're excited about the trend toward citizen-submitted data because it is impossible for scientists to document all of the changes going on around the world . `` At some point it will really lead to almost a democratization of science , where the amateurs and the volunteers are having just as much of an impact on science as the professionals are , '' said Rick Bonney , who started a citizen science project with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 1987 . `` It 's just going so fast I ca n't keep up with it anymore . '' Others find the movement limited or controversial . The relationship between formal science and citizen science is similar to that between professional news reporters and bloggers ; some scientists worry that the information coming in from nonprofessionals will be inaccurate , said John Musinsky , a senior director at Conservation International . The citizen efforts are also limited in the sense that , at least for now , they 're largely concentrated in North America and Europe , where there are n't nearly as many plant and animal species as in Latin America and Africa . That 's beginning to change , though , said Conrad Savy , a conservation science adviser at Conservation International . `` It 's gaining steam , '' he said of the global citizen-science movement . `` It 's working very well and it 's a great way also to engage the community in conservation issues . '' As photo-taking cell phones become more popular in developing countries , a more diverse group will join the efforts , said Kress , the Smithsonian botanist . Jirachareonkul 's group devoted to the Western Leopard Toad now works with the South African National Biodiversity Institute to promote understanding of the endangered species . Dr. John Measey , a researcher with the institute , said by e-mail that some research on the toad would be possible without the volunteer efforts . But the `` Toad NUTS '' raise awareness and help scientists `` obtain usable accurate data from a much wider area than we could possibly manage or fund , '' he wrote . When Jirachareonkul started the project , she did n't know much about the toads -- they were just a creature she found squashed in front of her house . Now she has a personal connection to them . She said citizen science is a way for people to connect with their local environment -- and to make a difference . `` There are so many problems in the world , but I think the main problem is that everybody is worried about everybody else 's problems that they do n't focus in on their little areas , '' she said . | Average people help scientists collect valuable data in era of climate change . Many Web sites are hubs for citizen-collected info used in research . Researchers developing iPhone app to automatically identify plants , upload data . In South Africa , a teacher has started a network of people collecting info on toads . | [[1423, 1516], [1519, 1611], [839, 906], [1177, 1227], [212, 286]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Arctic as we know it may soon be a thing of the past . Musk ox in the Arctic check the spread of shrubs to the High Arctic , but promote grass growth . That 's the message from Eric Post , lead scientist of a new report into the effects of climate change on life in the Arctic . Published in `` Science '' magazine , Post and his team of international scientist conducted the study during the fourth International Polar Year that ended in 2008 . `` It seems no matter where you look -- on the ground , in the air , or in the water -- we 're seeing signs of rapid change , '' said Post in a press statement . The report found that flora and fauna of the Arctic are responding in various ways to the region 's changes in climate over the last 150 years , and more recently the 20 to 30 years where seasonal minimal sea ice coverage has declined by 45,000 square kilometers per year . With the decline in sea ice and snow , animals usually seen at lower latitudes are being found in more northerly regions , including red foxes that have been displacing native Arctic foxes . View the gallery of Arctic life affected by climate change '' The report found that some native Arctic species have also benefited from climate change , including wild reindeer on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard . With less snow cover and a longer growing season , these non-migratory reindeer have taken advantage of the increased plant abundance , with the result that reindeer populations and their ability to reproduce are up , while mortality is down . But other animals are not adapting well to rising temperatures and the effect on delicate ecosystems . Migratory caribou in low Arctic Greenland and elsewhere are declining in number as they have not been able to keep their calving season in synch with changes in plant growth . With the decline in caribou comes a knock-on effect to native Inuit hunters , according to the report 's authors . Hotter summers could result in more insects and parasites that prey on the caribou , which could then also reduce the annual caribou harvest by local indigenous peoples . `` Inuit hunters at my study site in Greenland have all but given up on hunting caribou there . What will be the next component to disappear from their traditional lifestyle , a lifestyle that has worked for thousands of years ? '' said Post . Iconic Arctic animals dependent sea ice , including Pacific walrus , ringed seal , hooded seal , ivory gull , narwhal and polar bear , are faring especially badly , said the report . The researchers found that polar bears and ringed seals , both of which give birth in lairs or caves under the snow , lose many newborn pups when the lairs collapse in unusually early spring rains . These species may be headed for extinction , said the report . | New study on Arctic changing temperatures finds dramatic changes to region . Conducted during Fourth International Polar Year that ended in 2008 . Some animals and plant life benefiting from rising temperatures . Dramatic decline in sea ice threatening iconic species like polar bear . | [[340, 447], [412, 447], [453, 468], [1158, 1315], [1180, 1315], [2369, 2501], [2504, 2531]] |
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a Somalia-born writer , activist , and former member of the Dutch Parliament . She is an outspoken advocate for women 's rights in Islamic society and a strong critic of Muslim extremism . Outspoken critic of Islam , Ayaan Hirsi Ali . Hirsi Ali fled to the Netherlands in 1992 to escape an arranged marriage in Africa , and served as a member of the Dutch parliament from 2003 to 2006 . In parliament , she promoted the integration of non-Western immigrants into Dutch society and defending the rights of women in Dutch Muslim society . In 2004 , she worked with the late director Theo Van Gogh on the film `` Submission , '' which highlighted the oppression of women in conservative Islamic societies . The airing of the film on Dutch television resulted in the assassination of Mr. Van Gogh by an Islamic extremist , and she went into hiding . Her memoir , `` Infidel , '' published in 2007 , recounts her decision to denounce Islam and become an atheist , and her transformation , she says , from `` the world of faith to the world of reason . '' Ayaan was named one of Time Magazine 's `` 100 Most Influential People of 2005 , '' one of the Glamour Heroes of 2005 , and Reader 's Digest 's `` European of the Year . '' She has also received Norway 's Human Rights Service 's Bellwether of the Year Award , the Danish Freedom Prize , the Swedish Democracy Prize , and the Moral Courage Award for commitment to conflict resolution , ethics , and world citizenship . | Hirsi Ali is an outspoken advocate for women 's rights in Islamic society . Somali-born activist went into hiding after death of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh . Hirsi Ali served as Dutch lawmaker from 2003 to 2006 . She was Anamed one of Time Magazine 's `` 100 Most Influential People of 2005 . | [[98, 207], [406, 419], [422, 555], [842, 864], [0, 97], [254, 263], [343, 405], [1069, 1147]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- My taxi driver is telling me about his meal last night . His name is William . He ate whale . Melting world : mountainous icebergs in Greeland 's Sermilik Fjord . `` Delicious , '' he says , kissing the tips of his fingers on one hand , making the universal sign for good tasting food . William tells me he went out on a boat with some friends a few days ago and shot the whale . I 'm not sure how I feel about this . Welcome to Greenland . On this remote but enormous island subsistence whale hunting is allowed . This was just the memorable start to an extraordinary journey . Cameraman Neil Bennett and I had traveled to the small town of Tasiilaq in southeastern Greenland to meet up with the Arctic Sunrise , a ship belonging to the environmental group Greenpeace . Read Neil 's blog on filming in challenging conditions . The 34-year-old icebreaker and its crew are on a three month expedition around Greenland 's coast . They say their mission is to help scientists working in the region and to publicize the environmental changes taking place here . We join the Arctic Sunrise as it moves slowly up Sermilik Fjord . This is simply the most beautiful place I 've ever seen . It 's an inky blue body of water thick with floating , ancient ice . Some of the icebergs are mountainous . They all come from the Greenland ice sheet , a vast mass of frozen fresh water , hundreds of miles across and up to two miles thick . View the gallery of the stunning landscape '' Over the next four days we observe independent scientists working to understand why the ice sheet is melting so rapidly . We fly over and land on Helheim Glacier , a major outlet for the ice sheet which has sped up dramatically in the last decade . We accompany oceanographers in inflatable boats as they collect data on the warming water currents in the fjord . All this research , they say , points to sea levels rising beyond current predictions . There are still those who question humankind 's role in the warming of the Earth 's climate , but these scientists are not among them . `` Things could be very bad , '' glaciologist Dr Gordon Hamilton tells me . `` If we do n't start to do something about it now we 'll very quickly reach a tipping point from which there 'll be no return . And the consequences for society as a whole would be catastrophic . '' Joining Greenpeace on this expedition was a difficult decision for CNN . Does it compromise our editorial independence on what can still be a highly divisive issue ? In my experience it 's no different to embedding with soldiers on one side of a military conflict . I 've traveled with American soldiers in Iraq and Russian soldiers in Georgia . It enables journalists to access newsworthy locations and people that we could n't get to otherwise , either practically or safely . And the stories told can still be balanced and fair . Traveling with Greenpeace allowed us to record powerful images of Greenland 's accelerating melt . And we met independent scientists who believe the world must act boldly to slow down change that science is struggling to keep pace with . | CNN traveled with Greenpeace to Greenland on their study of the region . Flow of Helheim Glacier has sped up dramatically in last decade . Research of warming water in Sermilik Fjord points to higher sea-level rise . | [[1668, 1685], [1692, 1737], [1872, 1880], [1883, 1939]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Changing winter conditions are causing Scotland 's wild Soay sheep to get smaller , according to a study that suggests climate change can trump natural selection . Ca n't see me now : Climate change could be shrinking Soay sheep in Scotland . The authors of the study published in `` Science '' believe that it highlights how wide-ranging the effects of global climate change can be , adding further complexity to the changes we might expect to see in animal populations in future . `` It 's only in the last few years that we 've realized that evolution can influence species ' physical traits as quickly as ecological changes can . This study addresses one of the major goals of population biology , namely to untangle the ways in which evolutionary and environmental changes influence a species ' traits , '' said Andrew Sugden , deputy and international managing editor at Science . The researchers analyzed body-weight measurements and life-history data for the female members of a population of Soay sheep . The sheep live on the island of Hirta in the St. Kilda archipelago of Scotland and have been studied closely since 1985 . They selected body size because it is a heritable trait , and because the sheep have , on average , been decreasing in size for the last 25 years . According to the findings lambs are not growing as quickly as they once did as winters have become shorter so do not need to put on as much as weight in the first months of life to survive . The results suggest that the decrease is primarily an ecological response to environmental variation over the last 25 years . Evolutionary change , the report says , has contributed relatively little . `` Sheep are getting smaller . Well , at least the wild Soay sheep living on a remote Scottish island are . But according to classic evolutionary theory , they should have been getting bigger , because larger sheep tend to be more likely to survive and reproduce than smaller ones , and offspring tend to resemble their parents , '' said study author Tim Coulson of Imperial College London . `` Our findings have solved a paradox that has tormented biologists for years -- why predictions did not match observation . Biologists have realized that ecological and evolutionary processes are intricately intertwined , and they now have a way of dissecting out the contribution of each . Unfortunately it is too early to tell whether a warming world will lead to pocket-sized sheep , '' said Coulson . | Study of wild sheep in Scotland suggests climate change making them smaller . Authors of report suggest that climate change can override natural selection . Wild Soay sheep in remote Outer Hebrides closely studied since 1985 . | [[58, 100], [0, 15], [103, 123], [116, 123], [129, 182], [201, 261], [1696, 1726], [0, 15], [103, 123], [116, 123], [129, 182], [1033, 1081], [1103, 1154], [1743, 1797]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are several definitions of where the Northwest Passage begins and ends , but using the Arctic Circle is certainly the most encompassing , so we 've been holding our breath until we crossed this line . The crew has negotiated some stunning and treacherous waters to sail the Northwest Passage . The Arctic Circle -LRB- 66 30N -RRB- marks the lowest latitude at which the midnight sun is ever seen . We 've had some stormy weather along the Baffin Island coast . We had waves up to 8m high and winds over 40 knots . Silent Sound was being tossed around a lot , and I was thrown clear across the cabin on one occasion , suffering a minor concussion that kept me in my bunk for several days . Now that we 're out of the Arctic Archipelago and into the open sea , we are seeing more icebergs , instead of ice floes . Ice floes are frozen seawater while icebergs are chunks of ice broken off glaciers in the High Arctic . Bergs begin as snow falling on land , which is then compressed into ice . Even though the icebergs we see are easily 20 or 30 meters high , most of their volume is below water . Only about one third of their entire volume is visible above water . This means you have to stay well clear of them because they may spread out under water , like an upside down mushroom . We 've also started thinking about what we 've experienced and learned this summer . By far the most impressive feature of the Arctic has been its people . In every town we visited we met complete strangers who offered us help , welcomed us into their homes and provided us with hot showers and food . So many people showed genuine interest in our journey and generously told us about their lives , and we left nearly every town with a few fish or other wild game in our fridge . Our mission when we left Victoria , British Columbia in June was to find out how climate change is impacting Arctic communities . We saw and heard about the impacts , from slumping land due to the melting of permafrost to hunter stories about the northward migration of species and the challenge that early ice break up poses for transportation . But more importantly , I 'm leaving the Arctic with a sense that its communities are at a crossroads . They underwent a rapid change in the 1950s and 60s when people moved off the land and into settlements . Now , those settlements are bracing themselves for unprecedented change due to resource exploration , economic development , political wrangling and an influx of new wealth , people and social forces . They 're all tied to climate change in one way or another , and they leave Arctic community leaders with a big job ahead of them . Climate change is turning the spotlight on the Arctic , and hopefully that will mean federal government help where it is needed to aid the Inuit in making wise choices for their future . I 've been struck by how although the Arctic is very different place than the urban habitat most of us occupy , it is not in a different time . To maintain a romantic notion of the Arctic as a place time has forgotten where life is simple and basic would be an insult to the people that call it home and be a mistake . Many of the challenges brought to the Arctic by climate change and economic development are the same as those faced around the world . It 's just a little colder , and a little more remote . While we 've begun mulling over our experiences this summer , it 's too soon for the crew of Silent Sound to relax . We are still about three weeks from our final port . And the sailing is getting cold and tiring . The nights are very dark at sea , and temperatures are hovering just above zero degrees Celsius . On many days we are sailing in snow , rain and sleet . Our onboard heater has broken down , so we have to wear extra layers in our sleeping bags to keep warm . This also means that the condensation builds up in the boat and it gets pretty damp , making it hard to dry our socks and gloves . But Halifax is in sight , and we can get some comfort from our accomplishment of completing the Northwest Passage . | Crew of Silent Sound complete the Northwest Passage , heading for Halifax . Crew have faced dangerous ice bergs and waves up to 8 meters high . Arctic communities at a crossroads , directly and indirectly from climate change . | [[4003, 4092], [226, 318], [250, 318], [486, 538], [896, 940], [2200, 2237], [3182, 3237]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Toward the end of her marriage , Rabia Iqbal said she feared for her life . Robina Niaz said the Quran `` condemns '' abuse of women . `` If we witness injustice , we 're required to speak up . '' Iqbal was born in New York to parents who had immigrated to the United States from the tribal areas of Pakistan . She had a strict Muslim upbringing and when she was 16 , her parents arranged her marriage to a 38-year-old man . She claims her husband turned violent during their 10 years of marriage . When she finally left him , she did not know where to turn . Going home was n't an option , she said . `` My parents ... made clear that they would disown me , '' Iqbal said . `` My father even said ... ` You 're lucky you live in America because if you lived back home , you would have been dead by now . ' '' She was hiding out in her office at work when a friend put her in touch with Robina Niaz , whose organization , Turning Point for Women and Families , helps female Muslim abuse victims . `` It was such a relief ... to speak about things that ... I thought no one would understand , '' said Iqbal , who has received counseling from Niaz for more than two years and calls Niaz her `` savior . '' `` Robina understood the cultural nuances ... the religious issues , '' Iqbal said . Watch Iqbal tell her story '' A devout Muslim , Niaz stresses that there is no evidence that domestic violence is more common among Muslim families . `` Abuse happens everywhere , '' said Niaz . `` It cuts across barriers of race , religion , culture . '' But , she said , Muslims are often reluctant to confront the issue . `` There 's a lot of denial , '' she said . `` It makes it much harder for the victims of abuse to speak out . '' When Niaz launched her organization in 2004 , it was the first resource of its kind in New York City . Today , her one-woman campaign has expanded into a multifaceted endeavor that is raising awareness about family violence and providing direct services to women in need . Niaz said she firmly believes that domestic violence goes against Islamic teachings , and considers it her religious duty to try to stop abuse from happening . `` Quran condemns abusive behavior of women , '' she said , noting that the prophet Mohammed was never known to have abused women . `` Allah says , ` Stand up against injustice and bear witness , even if it 's against your own kin . So if I see injustice being done to women and children , I have to speak up . It 's my duty . '' Niaz 's mission began after a difficult period in her own life . Born and raised in Pakistan , she had earned a master 's degree in psychology and had a successful career in international affairs and marketing when she moved to the United States to marry in 1990 . `` It was a disastrous marriage , '' she said . As Niaz struggled to navigate the American legal system during her divorce , she said she appreciated how lucky she was to speak English and have an education . She realized that many immigrant women without those advantages might be more likely to stay in marriages because they did n't know how to make the system work for them . `` If this is how difficult it is for me , then what must other immigrant women go through ? '' she remembered thinking . After volunteering with South Asian victims of domestic violence , Niaz , who speaks five languages , got a job using those skills to advocate for immigrant women affected by family violence . But Niaz 's focus changed on September 11 , 2001 . `` I was no longer a Pakistani-American ... I looked at myself as a Muslim . '' Niaz said the backlash many Muslims experienced after the terror attacks made abuse victims more afraid to seek help ; they feared being shunned for bringing negative attention to their community . Watch Niaz explain the effects of 9/11 on abused Muslim women '' `` Women who were caught in abusive marriages were trapped even more , '' recalled Niaz . In 2004 , Niaz used her savings to start Turning Point for Women and Families . Today , her work focuses on three main areas : providing direct services to abused women , raising awareness through outreach , and educating young women -- an effort she hopes will empower future generations to speak out against abuse . Crisis intervention services are a critical element of Niaz 's efforts . Through weekly counseling sessions , she and her team provide emotional support to the women while helping them with practical issues , such as finding homeless shelters , matrimonial lawyers , filing police reports or assisting with immigration issues . Niaz has helped more than 200 Muslim women . While most of Turning Point 's clients are immigrants , the group helps women from every background . While Niaz has support from many people in New York 's Muslim community , she acknowledges that not everyone appreciates her efforts . She keeps her office address confidential and takes precautions to ensure her safety . `` There have been threats ... but that comes with this work , '' she said . `` I know that God is protecting me because I 'm doing the right thing . '' Want to get involved ? Check out Turning Point for Women and Families and see how to help . | Robina Niaz 's organization helps female Muslim domestic violence victims . Turning Point for Women and Families was first resource of its kind in New York City . Niaz : Domestic violence goes against Islamic teachings , but `` denial '' is a problem . The Top 10 CNN Heroes will be announced on October 1 . | [[950, 986], [989, 1024], [1756, 1799], [1802, 1858], [104, 162], [2029, 2150]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A massive dust storm swept through parts of Australia on Wednesday , bathing the city of Sydney in a reddish haze . The Sydney Harbour Bridge is seen on Wednesday in Sydney , Australia . Susan Paget marveled at the eerie red view from the balcony of her apartment in Manly , a suburb of Sydney , and said she took the day off work to avoid the dust storm mess . `` It just feels dirty and rusty , '' Paget told CNN . `` It was totally bizarre to wake up around 5:30 a.m. and see such a red bizarre sky . '' A video Paget submitted to CNN 's iReport showed thick haze , which made it difficult to see her neighbors ' homes . Watch Paget 's updated iReport . Health officials in Sydney warned residents to stay in indoors if possible , especially if they had asthma or heart and lung conditions . `` Avoid spending too much time outdoors due to the high particle levels and hazardous air quality , '' the New South Wales Department of Heath Web site said . See images of the dust storm '' The Ambulance Service of New South Wales said the dust storm had kept it busy with emergency calls . `` We have already seen an increase in calls to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems , '' the agency said in a statement . Watch a news report on the haze '' iReporter Mark Clarke told CNN he woke up earlier than usual with a stuffy nose and cough at his home in Stanmore , a suburb of Sydney . iReporter : `` It was like Mars '' He pulled the curtains back and saw a `` strange red orangish glow coming from outside . '' `` It feels and smells like a vacuum cleaner exploded , '' he said . Watch Clarke 's iReport . The country 's bureau of meterology attributed the red haze to strong north-westerly winds which blew the dust overnight to Sydney and regions west of the capital . During the day , the dust blanket moved north onto the Queensland capital of Brisbane . The bureau of meterology 's senior forecaster Tony Auden told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the haze was likely to continue moving north . `` It should make its way up into the Sunshine Coast and into those Capricornia and central coast areas soon , '' he said . `` For the south-east expect it to probably linger for the rest of today and hopefully settle out of the air overnight . '' | Residents of Sydney , Australia wake to eerie red haze over surrounding areas . Weather forecasters say strong north-westerly winds blew dust in overnight . Wind blew dust storm north onto Brisbane , predicted to move further north . iReporter : `` It was totally bizarre to wake up and see such a red bizarre sky '' | [[0, 15], [88, 134], [206, 291], [439, 522], [526, 611], [575, 585], [594, 642], [1460, 1462], [1492, 1548], [19, 85], [1647, 1737], [1710, 1737], [1744, 1811], [1647, 1737], [1812, 1826], [1829, 1899], [1900, 2053], [2007, 2053], [206, 291], [439, 522], [1460, 1462], [1492, 1548]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Last year 's inaugural Prix Pictet photography award for environmental sustainability produced a stunning shortlist of photos . Ed Kashi has documented the impact oil has made on the Niger Delta in Africa . This year is no different with 12 photographers in the running for the first prize of 100,000 CHF -LRB- $ 97,500 -RRB- . The theme in 2009 is described simply as `` Earth . '' The aim is to highlight how man exploits the planet 's resources and how this impacts the landscapes and communities surrounding them . In an extraordinary series of photos Canadian Christopher Anderson captures how the quest for raw materials affects Venezuela . In `` The Diminishing Present , '' Portuguese-born Edgar Martins records forest landscapes in the moments before they are engulfed by flames . In `` Curse of the Black Gold : 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta , '' Ed Kashi captures the impact of the oil industry on Nigeria 's environment and people since it was first discovered five decades ago . Kashi , an American photojournalist , spent three years compiling his photos of the Niger Delta , making a total of five trips to the troubled region . Kashi told CNN : `` It was truly one of the most graphic examples of economic inequity that I have ever seen . Especially with the backdrop of hundreds of billions of oil wealth that has been generated over the previous 50 years . '' As a result of his work , Kashi says that his photos are now being used by universities and NGOs to raise awareness to try and effect change . To him , this has been one of the most gratifying and exciting by-products of his work . One of this year 's most intriguing entries is by Sammy Baloji , who superimposes colonial black and white archive photos of Belgian-run mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and places them over his color images of the decaying mines as seen today . Nadav Kander 's images of China 's Yangtze River depict communities adjusting to the changes caused by the re-routing of the country 's largest river . And , Andreas Gursky has captured an extraordinary image of an ocean of rubbish at a landfill site in Mexico City . Darren Almond 's ethereal images of China 's Yellow Mountain Range are made all the more magical through the knowledge that they were shot using only the light of the Moon . All the nominees ' pictures showcase the power of the camera when in the hands of master craftsmen . Click here to view some of the short-listed images '' The winner will be announced by Prix Pictet honorary president , Kofi Annan , on October 22 at the Passage de Retz gallery in Paris . All the short-listed photos can be seen at the same gallery for one month after the award . Further exhibitions are planned in Greece and Dubai and the Netherlands . If you ca n't attend the exhibitions , there is a book entitled `` Earth , '' published by teNeues which showcases the work of all Prix Pictet nominees . | Shortlist for Prix Pictet photography award highlights destruction of natural resources . Twelve world-renowned photographers are up for the award . Prize of 100,000 CHF -LRB- $ 97,500 -RRB- goes to the winner announced on October 22 . | [[243, 363], [2503, 2565], [2581, 2594]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two Americans and an Israeli were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for painstakingly mapping out the thousands of atoms that make up the ribosome -- work that paves the way for new antibiotics . U.S. researcher Thomas Steitz is one of three scientists sharing the 2009 Nobel Prize in chemistry . Inside all animals , plants and bacteria are DNA molecules that contain the blueprint for life . Ribosomes are an organism 's protein factories . They use the information in the DNA to make the tens of thousands of proteins that enable the organism to function properly . These proteins include hormones , enzymes and hemoglobin , which transports oxygen . From a medicinal standpoint , the ribosome is important because it is what antibiotics target . In a bacterial strain , antibiotics bind to the ribosomes , preventing them from making the proteins the bacteria need to survive . Americans Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas Steitz and Israeli Ada Yonath shared the $ 1.4 million prize for mapping the position of the thousands and thousands of atoms that make up ribosomes . Their three-dimensional models showed how different antibiotics bind to the ribosome . `` These models are now used by scientists in order to develop new antibiotics , directly assisting the saving of lives and decreasing humanity 's suffering , '' said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences , which awards the prize . Ramakrishnan , a U.S. citizen who was born in India , is a senior scientist and group leader at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge , England , according to the Nobel Prize Web site . Steitz is a professor at Yale University and an investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Yale , the site said . Yonath is a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot , Israel , and director of the Helen & Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure & Assembly at the Weizmann Institute , the Nobel site said . The Nobel Prizes are being awarded this week and next . The medicine award was handed out on Monday and the one for physics on Tuesday . The prize for literature will be awarded Thursday ; the Nobel Peace Prize winner will be named on Friday , and the award in economics will be issued on Monday . | Two Americans , one Israeli to share $ 1.4 million prize for work on ribosomes . Ribosomes in every organism use info from DNA to make proteins needed for life . Antibiotics work by binding to ribosomes of bacteria so they ca n't make proteins . Nobel winners ' mapping of ribosomes helps in development of new antibiotics . | [[478, 555], [785, 787], [809, 820], [845, 885], [169, 181], [185, 189], [195, 230]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN International 's Going Green is back for another special series of in-depth reports , this time looking into the world 's green pioneers . From groundbreaking ideas in conservation , to the latest water sanitization systems that are impacting the world while advancing the green movement , this next edition focuses on innovative ways to tackle today 's environmental challenges . Anchored by CNN 's New Delhi-based correspondent Sara Sidner , `` Going Green -- Eco Pioneers '' visits Rajendra Singh , also known in India as the `` Rainman of Rajasthan , '' who is on a self-imposed mission to improve access to water in one of India 's driest states . Watch the ` Rainman ' of Rajasthan '' CNN 's Michael Holmes tells how Australian Geoff Lawton is working to spread his knowledge about Permaculture , which he says can turn arid land into fertile food-growing territory . Watch Lawton 's oasis in the desert '' In Argentinean Patagonia , CNN 's Brian Byrnes speaks with Douglas Tompkins , the environmentalist and founder of The North Face clothing company . He is the biggest private land owner in Chile and is advancing conservation initiatives in the southern tip of the South American continent . CNN 's Brian Byrnes reports from Argentina '' And reporting from Texas , CNN correspondent Ed Lavandera takes viewers on a tour of the laboratories of Pliny Fisk , an American engineer who is paving the way for more environmentally friendly structures . | CNN International 's Going Green is back with new special on Eco Pioneers . See `` Going Green '' for stories , tune into television special from October 1 . Half-hour special profiles four environmental pioneers on four continents . | [[126, 130], [136, 178]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday for two breakthroughs that led to two major underpinnings of the digital age -- fiber optics and digital photography , the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said . Willard Boyle , left , and George Smith handle a charge-coupled device in 1974 . Charles K. Kao , a British and U.S. citizen , won for `` groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication . '' Willard S. Boyle , a Canadian and U.S. citizen , and George E. Smith , a U.S. citizen , `` invented the first successful imaging technology using a digital sensor , a CCD -LRB- Charge-Coupled Device -RRB- . '' Kao in 1966 `` made a discovery that led to a breakthrough in fiber optics . He carefully calculated how to transmit light over long distances via optical glass fibers , '' the academy said in a press release . Today , `` optical fibers make up the circulatory system that nourishes our communication society '' and `` facilitate broadband communication such as the Internet , '' the academy said . Boyle and Smith 's Charge-Coupled Device -- invented in 1969 -- `` is the digital camera 's electronic eye '' and paved the way for digital photography . `` It revolutionized photography , as light could now be captured electronically instead of on film . The digital form facilitates the processing and distribution of these images . CCD technology is also used in many medical applications , e.g. imaging the inside of the human body , both for diagnostics and for microsurgery . '' The Nobel Prizes are being awarded this week and next . The medicine award was handed out on Monday . The prizes for chemistry and literature will be awarded Wednesday and Thursday . The Nobel Peace Prize winner will be named on Friday , and the award in economics will be issued on Monday . | Breakthroughs led to fiber optics , digital photography . Optical fibers facilitate broadband communication such as the Internet . Scientists made it possible to capture light electronically instead of on film . Nobel Prizes handed out this week . | [[82, 99], [105, 194], [696, 772], [716, 727], [733, 772], [1095, 1135], [1159, 1248], [907, 912], [915, 1070], [1284, 1350], [1580, 1635]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is midday and Geoff Lawton is hard at work at Zaytuna Farms in New South Wales , Australia . But the real work , he says , is going on inside the center of the compost . Geoff Lawton says that permaculture `` revs up '' systems of soil creation . `` There 's lots of things breeding in there , '' Lawton says . Compost may not seem a sexy subject , but within this steaming pile , life is being created . `` There 's organisms breathing and dying and reproducing very quickly , '' he says . `` It 's all very hot and steamy . '' That rich soil lays the groundwork for Lawton 's revolutionary method of food production . It 's called permaculture . Lawton 's friend and mentor , Bill Mollison , developed the process back in the 1970s . Since then he and Lawton have traveled the globe preaching the value of permaculture and its aim to create harmony between the landscape and the people who live on it . `` Nature exists in an incredibly rich form , and enriching form and does so without any energy inputs from mankind , '' Lawton explains . `` Permaculture does the same thing . '' `` We 've taken the systems of soil creation and soil life and we 've revved them up . We 've speeded up nature itself and we 've improved the system . '' Watch Geoff Lawton at work '' So what does it take to improve the system ? Lawton says it 's about rehabilitating areas that have been damaged by pollution or overuse by recycling nutrients and energy back into the soils . Permaculture also takes all the things we need -- our housing , energy sources , food and water supplies -- and tailors them to fit into the natural rhythms of the ecosystem . The idea is to work with , not against , nature . Lawton says that during the first few weeks and months you do n't see the real benefits , but after a year to 18 months you really start to see the difference . `` Within two or three years you can see a system that is really something that 's got great opportunities and possibilities , '' he said . The gardens at Zaytuna Farms bear fruit and vegetables of all that hard work . The real measure though is n't how it works , but where . Lawton claims this permaculture method can work anywhere in the world , including the desert . `` Almost all the deserts on earth at one point were forested , '' he said . `` They all have different types of oasis systems . What you 're doing is picking different points in the desert and turning them into a rich oasis . '' On a DVD created by the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia , Lawton shows us what happened when he took this method to places like Morocco and Jordan -- just 80 kilometers from the Dead Sea . `` People were amazed to see an area that was salty , sandy ground , turn into a lush green forest , that had mushrooms growing from the soil , '' Lawton said . The ability to `` green '' the desert is not only having an impact on the communities where these gardens are grown . Interest is also sprouting among young people . Dozens come to Zaytuna Farms every year to learn about the permaculture method . `` I 've only been doing it a year and once you hit upon the principles it 's basically observations , '' said intern Jonathan Chan . `` You have to look at the land and which way the wind is blowing and see where the sun angles are and design around that and it does seem quite simple . '' For Chan it 's as much about cultivating a new way of life as it is about cultivating the land . `` I think people are getting to the point where they have to make change and permaculture is a good direction to go , '' he said . Still , permaculture is n't without its critics . They argue the method is time-consuming in the early stages and that makes the system hard to get off the ground in many places . It can be made even more difficult if the people living around the site are n't familiar with the process . But Lawton argues the time and energy expended in a permaculture garden is offset by the quality of the experience , and the richness of the end result . `` A good organic farmer works a thousand hours a year . The industrial mankind works two thousand to three thousand hours a year . What do we have to show for it ? Gadgets . `` We do n't have community , we do n't have clean water , clean air or sensible housing . As negative as we currently are , we can be equally positive , '' Lawton said . `` It 's not just self-reliance or self-sufficiency , it 's absolute abundance . '' | Geoff Lawton is using renewable natural resources to enrich ecosystems . Permaculture can turn the most arid , nutrient-free soil into thriving habitats . Lawton 's friend and mentor , Bill Mollison developed the technique in the 1970s . Lawton has turned deserts in Jordan and Morocco into rich oases . | [[670, 697], [716, 757], [2373, 2470], [2373, 2391], [2438, 2470]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama huddled with top military , foreign policy and national security advisers Wednesday as part of an ongoing review of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan . President Obama and his national security team meet in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday . The meeting , the fifth such gathering in recent weeks , came as the administration continued to weigh a call for as many as 40,000 additional troops in Afghanistan from Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the top U.S. commander in that country . McChrystal has said the extra manpower is necessary to implement an effective counterinsurgency strategy . Wednesday 's meeting , however , focused on efforts to strengthen the American civilian mission in Afghanistan , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said . Obama also received a report on ongoing efforts to train Afghan security forces , Gibbs added . While McChrystal is pushing for a major troop increase , others in the administration are advocating a different approach . Vice President Joe Biden has called for a counterterrorism strategy , which would focus on using special forces and technology to reduce the number of al Qaeda insurgents on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border . `` I will tell you that our principal goal remains to root out al Qaeda and its extremist allies that can launch attacks against the United States or its allies , '' Obama said Tuesday . `` That 's our principal mission . We are also obviously interested in stability in the region , and that includes not only Afghanistan but also Pakistan . '' Obama has come under intense pressure from several leading senators to follow McChrystal 's recommendation , a move vehemently opposed by many liberal Democrats . As Obama huddled with his national security team , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Maryland , said he 's not ready yet to support sending additional troops to Afghanistan . Hoyer also told reporters he has serious questions about U.S. chances for success in the region and the stability of the Afghan government . `` Afghanistan has not been a successful venue for many great powers in the past , '' Hoyer said . `` I ca n't think of any . I think we also need to have some degree of confidence that the government in Afghanistan is a viable government that can create confidence within its people . I have reservations about whether that has happened at this point in time . '' The majority leader also argued that the situation in Afghanistan ca n't be viewed in isolation and requires a regional approach that includes Pakistan and India . Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , said Sunday that any added military deployment that fell short of McChrystal 's request `` would be an error of historic proportions . '' `` And I think the great danger now is a half-measure , sort of a -- you know , -LSB- trying -RSB- to please all ends of the political spectrum , '' McCain told CNN 's John King . `` I have great sympathy for the president , making the toughest decisions that presidents have to make , but I think he needs to use deliberate speed , '' he said . Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-California , argued that U.S. troops would be put in `` jeopardy '' if Obama does not listen to McChrystal . `` I do n't know how you put somebody in who 's as crackerjack as Gen. McChrystal , who gives the president very solid recommendations , and not take those recommendations if you 're not going to pull out , '' she said Sunday on ABC 's `` This Week . '' Feinstein heads the Senate Intelligence Committee . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Wednesday that he is increasing British troop levels in Afghanistan to 9,500 , an increase of 500 . The British have the second-largest contingent in Afghanistan , after the United States , according to NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . Obama announced a plan to send 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March . A total of 65,000 U.S. soldiers are currently serving in the war-torn country . CNN 's Richard Greene and Adam Levine contributed to this report . | Gathering focuses on efforts to strengthen civilian mission . Administration continues to weigh call for additional U.S. troops . Leading senators have urged president to approve request . Vice president has called for counterterrorism strategy . | [[651, 671], [684, 702], [651, 671], [703, 761], [372, 500], [1586, 1653], [1032, 1099]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- It 's Nobel Prize announcement week , and if you had Carol W. Greider , Elizabeth Blackburn , or Jack Szostak in your office pool , you 're off to a good start -LRB- the trio will share this year 's Nobel Prize in Medicine -RRB- . As we await news of the rest of the winners , here are some stories about past Nobel laureates . Nobel Prize winners receive a medal and a cash award . 1 . Robert Lucas , winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on the theory of `` rational expectations , '' split his $ 1 million prize with his ex-wife . If there were a Nobel Prize for Foresight or Timing , she should be nominated , based on a clause in their divorce settlement from seven years earlier : `` Wife shall receive 50 percent of any Nobel Prize . '' The clause expired on October 31 , 1995 . Had Lucas won any year after , he would have kept the whole million . 2 . Physicist Lise Meitner , whose work helped lead to the discovery of nuclear fission , was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Prize 13 times without ever winning -LRB- though nominations are kept secret , so we do n't know for sure -RRB- . This makes her the Dynasty of the Nobel Prize scene -- that show was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards but never won . Other analogies we 'd accept : The Color Purple -LRB- 11 Oscar nominations in 1985 , no wins -RRB- , the Buffalo Bills or Minnesota Vikings -LRB- 4 Super Bowl losses each without a victory -RRB- and William Jennings Bryan -LRB- three-time Democratic nominee for President , losing twice to McKinley and once to Taft . -RRB- . 3 . People who refused the prize : . • Le Duc Tho was awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with Henry Kissinger for their roles in brokering a Vietnam cease fire at the Paris Peace Accords . Citing the absence of actual peace in Vietnam , Tho declined to accept . • Jean Paul Sartre waved off the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature . His explanation : `` It is not the same thing if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre or if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre , Nobel Prize winner . A writer must refuse to allow himself to be transformed into an institution , even if it takes place in the most honorable form . '' • Afraid of Soviet retribution if he traveled to Stockholm to claim his prize , Boris Pasternak declined to accept the 1958 Prize in Literature , which he 'd earned for Doctor Zhivago . The Academy refused his refusal . `` This refusal , of course , in no way alters the validity of the award . There remains only for the Academy , however , to announce with regret that the presentation of the Prize can not take place . '' Yevgeny Pasternak accepted the prize on behalf of his deceased father in 1989 . • Swedish poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt won for Literature in 1918 . He did not accept because he was Secretary of the Swedish Academy , which awards the prize . He was given the award posthumously in 1931 . This was allowed because the nomination was made before Karlfeldt died -- no candidate may be proposed after death . Mental Floss : 10 technologies we stole from the animal kingdom . 4 . In 2007 , 90-year-old professor Leonid Hurwicz became the oldest person to ever win -LRB- one-third of the Prize in Economics -RRB- ; at 87 , writer Doris Lessing became the oldest woman -LRB- Literature -RRB- . 5 . DNA expert Kary Mullis -- 1993 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry -- was scheduled to be a defense witness in O.J. Simpson 's murder trial . However , Simpson 's lawyer Barry Scheck felt the prosecution 's DNA case was already essentially destroyed , and he did n't want Mullis ' personal life to distract jurors -LRB- he 'd expressed an affinity for LSD . -RRB- . 6 . Nobel Laureates you must know : Teddy Roosevelt , Woodrow Wilson , Rev. Martin Luther King , Jr. , Mother Teresa , Elie Wiesel , Mikhail Gorbachev , Nelson Mandela , Yasser Arafat , Shimon Peres , Yitzhak Rabin , Jimmy Carter , Toni Morrison , William Faulkner , T.S. Eliot , Ernest Hemingway , Samuel Beckett , Pierre & Marie Curie , Max Planck and Albert Einstein . 7 . Big names who never won : Dmitri Mendeleev , Leo Tolstoy , Virginia Woolf , James Joyce , Marcel Proust , Mark Twain , Gertrude Stein , Henrik Ibsen , Joan Robinson , Thomas Edison , Nikola Tesla , Jules-Henri Poincaré , Raymond Damadian and Mahatma Gandhi . Mental Floss : 6 people who accidentally found a fortune . 8 . Winners without the greatest reputations : . • Daniel Carleton Gajdusek , who won in 1976 for his research in human slow-virus infections , spent 19 months in jail after pleading guilty in 1997 to charges of child molestation . • Johannes Fibiger won in 1926 after discovering parasitic worms cause cancer -- a breakthrough that turned out to not be true . • Yasser Arafat shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin . This decision caused Nobel Committee member Kare Kristiansen to resign . `` What consequences will result , '' he asked at the time , `` when a terrorist with such a background is awarded the world 's most prestigious prize ? '' • William Shockley won for Physics in 1956 for his role in the invention of the semiconductor , but his support of the eugenics movement alienated the scientific community . Shockley also donated sperm to the Repository for Germinal Choice , a sperm bank developed to spread humanity 's best genes . 9 . As part of his divorce settlement , Einstein 's Nobel Prize money went to his ex-wife , Mileva Maric . 10 . The Curie family is a Nobel Prize machine , winning five : Pierre and Marie for Physics in 1901 ; Marie solo for Chemistry in 1911 ; daughter Irene and her husband Frédéric Joliot-Curie for Chemistry in 1935 ; and Henry Labouisse , who was married to Pierre and Marie 's daughter Eve , accepted on behalf of UNICEF in 1965 . 11 . Marie Curie 's second prize was marred by scandal . Then a widow , Curie had an affair with a married scientist , Paul Langevin -- a former pupil of Pierre Curie . Love letters were involved , eventually leading to a duel between Langevin and the editor of the newspaper that had printed them -LRB- no shots were actually fired . -RRB- . According to NobelPrize.org , when it was suggested that Curie not accept the prize , she wrote a shrewd letter , `` which pointed out that she had been awarded the Prize for her discovery of radium and polonium , and that she could not accept the principle that appreciation of the value of scientific work should be influenced by slander concerning a researcher 's private life . '' 12 . Singing support -- While there 's no evidence the Nobel judges can be swayed by theme songs , that has n't stopped Loriana Lana from composing one for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi . `` Peace Can '' includes the lyrics , `` Silvio forever will be / Silvio is reality / Silvio forever ! / Silvio gives us trust . '' 13 . Alfred Nobel -- inventor of dynamite -- may have been inspired to create the Nobel Prize after a premature obituary in a French newspaper called him a `` merchant of death . '' 14 . Nobel died on December 10 , 1896 . The formal awards ceremony is held in Stockholm each year on the anniversary of his death . The first awards show took place on December 10 , 1901 . -LRB- These things take time to plan . -RRB- . And in case you were wondering just how much of a say Alfred Nobel had in the prize , here 's what he wrote in his will : . `` The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way : . `` The capital shall be invested by my executors in safe securities and shall constitute a fund , the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who , during the preceding year , shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind . The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts , which shall be apportioned as follows : one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics ; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement ; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine ; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work of an idealistic tendency ; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity among nations , for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses . `` The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences ; that for physiological or medical works by the Caroline Institute in Stockholm ; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm ; and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting . It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates , so that the most worthy shall receive the prize , whether he be Scandinavian or not . '' Mental Floss : 13 bizarre stipulations in wills . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | More than one Nobel winner had to share or give prize money to ex-wife . Marie Curie was urged not to collect her second Nobel because of affair . Three U.S. presidents have won the Nobel prize . Lise Meitner was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Prize 13 times , but never won . | [[531, 580], [5365, 5414], [5767, 5818], [6135, 6188], [907, 929], [993, 1046]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- Watch `` Planet in Peril : Battle Lines '' on Thursday , December 11 , at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN , hosted by Anderson Cooper , chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta , and `` The Oprah Winfrey Show '' correspondent and National Geographic host Lisa Ling . CNN 's award-winning series examines the environmental conflicts between growing populations and natural resources . After watching `` Planet in Peril , '' use these questions to focus students ' attention on the concepts explored in the program . Teachers : `` Planet in Peril : Battle Lines '' depicts environmental struggles in the real world . The scenes and accounts presented may not be appropriate for all students . Please determine whether this content is appropriate for your students . Bush meat and Zoonotic Viruses . 1 . What is bush meat ? According to the program , what are some examples of bush meat ? Why do people eat bush meat ? 2 . What are zoonotic viruses ? What are some examples of zoonotic viruses described in the show ? What is the relationship between bushmeat and zoonotic viruses ? 3 . According to the program , why are some people turning to wilderness areas for their food ? In your opinion , is hunting bush meat different from hunting wild game in the United States ? Explain your rationale . 4 . What are some of the negative impacts of hunting bush meat on the local ecology ? Do you think these environmental concerns should outweigh the demand for food in these villages ? Explain . 5 . What are some factors that might cause an increase in the spread of zoonotic viruses ? What are some methods Dr. Nathan Wolfe has used to stop the spread of zoonotic viruses ? In your opinion , how might scientists and policymakers prevent the spread of these diseases ? Nigerian Oil . 1 . What valuable resource found in Nigeria generates billions of dollars in revenue ? 2 . Who is currently benefiting from the oil revenues ? In your opinion , who should benefit from Nigeria 's oil resources ? Explain . 3 . What is MEND ? What is MEND 's goal ? How is MEND trying to achieve that goal ? 4 . Do you agree with MEND 's tactics ? If so , why ? If not , why not ? How would you address the issue ? 5 . What are some of the environmental challenges faced by the Nigerian communities surrounding the oil fields ? In your opinion , who should be responsible for addressing these issues , and how should they be addressed ? Shark Finning . 1 . According to the program , why do some people engage in shark fishing ? What are some ways that people catch sharks ? 2 . What is shark finning ? What are some of the markets for shark fins ? How do humans use shark fins ? Why are they so expensive ? What do some fishermen do with the rest of the shark 's body ? 3 . According to the program : What is the economic value of the fishing industry ? What do you think shark fishermen might do if they were not allowed to hunt sharks ? 4 . How is the shark finning affecting the shark populations ? In your opinion , should people care about the issue of shark finning ? Why or why not ? 5 . What are Peter Knight and Wild Aid doing to try to stop the shark trade ? Do you agree with Peter Knight 's analogy when he says , `` If it was Yellowstone Park and people were shooting up grizzlies , no one would ever get away with it , '' in reference to shark killings ? Why or why not ? In your opinion , should shark species be preserved ? Why or why not ? 6 . How have some countries tried to regulate the shark-fishing trade ? What are some of the challenges faced by those who regulate the industry ? In your opinion , have they been successful ? What more , if anything , could they do ? 7 . What might happen to the fishing industry if there are no more sharks to fish ? What might happen to the ocean 's ecosystems if the shark population becomes extinct ? What effect could this have on the global economy ? Shark Tourism . 1 . What is cage diving ? According to the program , what might be the positive and negative impacts of cage dives ? 2 . What is chumming ? According to the program , what controversies surround the issue of chumming for sharks ? How have some countries tried to regulate chumming ? Why ? Do you think this regulation is a good or bad idea ? Explain . 3 . According to the segment , what are some reasons that sharks are misunderstood ? What are some things that scientists are trying to understand about great white sharks ? What do you think motivates scientist Allison Kok to study great white sharks ? According to Kok , are the sharks associating humans with food , leading to more shark attacks on humans ? Explain . 4 . Why does Mike Rutzen say that free diving `` is the same as a jackal at a lion feed '' ? What do you think Rutzen means when he says , `` They 're just trying to be sharks '' ? 5 . How does Anderson Cooper compare his experiences diving with sharks in a cage to free diving ? Would you prefer to cage dive or free dive with great white sharks ? Explain . Ivory Wars . 1 . According to the segment , what are some of the challenges facing the Zakouma Park elephants in Chad ? 2 . How is Mike Fay attempting to save these elephants ? Why do you think he works to save these elephants ? 3 . Why are poachers targeting the elephants ? What part of the elephant are they after ? What do they do with the rest of the elephant 's body ? 4 . What is ivory ? How much is it worth ? Why do some value it highly ? 5 . According to Mike Fay , what is the status of the `` Ivory Wars '' ? Who are the combatants ? What do you think are the motives for participants on each side of the conflict ? 6 . What do you think might be the environmental impact if all the African elephants disappeared ? Gorilla Tourism . 1 . What struggle did Rwanda recently undergo ? How were Rwandan mountain gorillas affected by the conflict ? 2 . How is the Rwandan government managing the mountain gorillas now ? Why do you think Anderson Cooper calls the story of the mountain gorillas `` a success story in one of the most unlikely places on earth '' ? 3 . Why do you think that park ranger Digirinana Francois risked his life for the gorillas just after the genocide ? 4 . Why do you think poachers plunder rare wildlife such as the mountain gorilla ? What do you think can be done to prevent poaching ? 5 . According to Rwanda 's head of parks and tourism , Rosette Rugamba , why were the efforts to save the mountain gorilla `` a tough sell '' ? How are the Rwandans using the mountain gorillas to promote tourism ? What have been the benefits of gorilla-related tourism ? 6 . Using the program as a guide , contrast the mountain gorillas ' situation in Rwanda with their situation in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo . What is the impact of instability in the Congo on the lives of the gorillas ? 7 . Why is continuing the research on gorillas important ? How do mountain gorillas benefit humans ? What role do mountain gorillas play in their ecosystems ? 8 . What are some pressures the mountain gorillas face from humans ? How might these issues be resolved ? Who should be responsible for resolving these issues ? Overview Questions . 1 . What role do environmentalists play in the prevention of the plundering of wildlife ? Overall , do you think their efforts have been successful in the examples from this program ? Why or why not ? 2 . What responsibility do individuals , corporations , non-governmental organizations and government policymakers each have in managing natural resources ? What responsibility does each of these entities have in maintaining economic development ? Can environmental and economic priorities be balanced ? If so , how ? If not , why not ? 3 . If the issues portrayed in the program were not addressed , what do you think might happen to each of the species involved ? How might that affect the global environment ? 4 . How do the issues examined in this program relate to you , if at all ? 5 . If you could choose an environmental cause to champion , what would it be ? How would you raise awareness of the issue ? How would you address the issue ? What challenges do you think you would have to face ? | CNN 's award-winning series explores conflicts between people , environment . Topics include zoonotic diseases , poaching , ecotourism , and shark finning . These questions focus on the concepts explored in the program . | [[291, 407], [328, 407], [408, 441], [444, 512], [500, 538], [7903, 7959]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Kelly Preston , whose son Jett Travolta died earlier this year , will talk publicly in October about how she and her husband , actor John Travolta , have dealt with their grief . Kelly Preston is going to speak on a panel titled `` Grief and Resilience '' in October . Preston , 46 , will appear on a panel titled `` Grief and Resilience '' at a conference hosted by California first lady Maria Shriver , according to a conference spokeswoman . Jett , 16 , was found unconscious on January 2 , while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas ' West End . He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival , local police said . The Travolta family has not spoken publicly about the exact cause of Jett 's death , but employees of the funeral home that handled the remains said in January the death certificate listed `` seizure '' as the cause of death . The family has remained out of the public eye since his death , only issuing a few written statements . When his latest movie , `` The Taking of Pelham 123 , '' was released last month , John Travolta did not take part in the publicity tour to promote the movie , instead issuing a short statement saying his family needed `` additional time to reconcile our loss . '' Elizabeth Edwards , the wife of former Sen. John Edwards , and actress Susan St. James will also be on the panel , conference spokeswoman Marissa Moss said . Both women have mourned the loss of sons . The Women 's Conference will be in Long Beach , California , in late October , according to its Web site . | Kelly Preston , John Travolta 's wife , to address conference on grief . Preston and Travolta 's 16-year-old son Jett died in January . Other speakers include Elizabeth Edwards , Susan St. James . | [[231, 273], [351, 408], [497, 501], [504, 506], [509, 543], [1293, 1310], [1352, 1405]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of people around the globe may find the payoff Thursday for the countless hours they have spent perfecting the most ridiculous of feats . Chefs in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia , try in September to set a record with a tub of Quaker soup , made with Quaker oats . More than 200,000 people in 18 countries hope to make it into the `` Guinness World Records '' book with a variety of rather odd achievements on this day . Students at the University of Bournemouth in the United Kingdom plan to round up more than 100 participants to set a record for the Most People Dressed as Superheroes . Several Germans will vie to set a record for the Most Juice Extracted from Grapes by Treading . And in New Zealand , would-be record-holders will chase glory in a race to set the Fastest Time to Peel and Eat -- what else ? -- a Kiwi Fruit . The unusual pursuits unfold worldwide as part of Guinness World Records Day . The editors of `` Guinness World Records '' -- universally recognized as the foremost authority on record-breaking achievement -- began celebrating the day in 2004 , a year after the book sold its 100 millionth copy . `` We are very happy to see that people are still passionate and eager to achieve their goals in the midst of the global market turmoil , '' Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said in a prepared statement . Dubai , in the United Arab Emirates , shows its studious side Thursday in an effort to enter the record books for Most People Reading Simultaneously . Brazil will try to break the record for World 's Largest Bread , and Japan hopes to clock the Fastest Time to Run 100 Meters On All Fours . Various places in the United States are also getting in on the act . New York will try for the Most Grains of Rice Eaten with Chopsticks in a Minute and Oak Park , Illinois , will host the Largest Dog Wedding . Sports network ESPN will televise attempts at the Fastest Egg and Spoon Mile and the Most Apples Cut in the Air with a Sword . Roll your eyes if you must . But keep count of the rotations : You could be a contender next year . | Guinness World Records Day efforts range from the ridiculous to the absurd . Largest Dog Wedding , Most Apples Cut in the Air with a Sword among categories . Record book 's editor praises pursuit of goals in spite of economic turmoil . | [[285, 440], [1851, 1977], [1147, 1152], [1168, 1282]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three runners died Sunday during the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon in Detroit , Michigan , police told CNN . An EMT vehicle is at the scene Sunday in Detroit after three runners collapsed at a marathon . All three deaths occurred between 9 and 9:20 a.m. ET , Second Deputy Chief John Roach said . A man in his 60s fell and hit his head , Roach said . The cause of the fall was unknown . The man was transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital , where he was pronounced dead . Two other men , ages 36 and 26 , also collapsed during the race and were pronounced dead at the hospital , Roach said . All three collapsed near the end of the race , he said . Witnesses describe scene '' The weather at the time was overcast , Roach said , with temperatures in the low 40s . CNN 's Chuck Johnston contributed to this report . | Second Deputy Chief John Roach : All three deaths occurred between 9 and 9:20 a.m. Man in his 60s fell hit his head ; Two men others , ages 36 and 26 , collapsed . Race was Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon in Detroit , Michigan . | [[230, 282], [285, 322], [323, 344], [323, 339], [349, 361], [500, 513], [538, 563], [19, 103]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japan has joined the growing number of major economies that are back in black . Japan 's Prime Minister Taro Aso 's $ 150 billion stimulus helps nation out of recession . Japan 's economy grew 3.7 percent on an annualized basis from April to June this year , the first time the world 's second largest economy has seen positive growth in 15 months . The announcement of preliminary figures by Japan 's Cabinet Office comes after France and Germany surprised economists last week by posting 0.3 percent growth for the second quarter of the year . The news that Japan has rebounded -- the hardest hit of the major economies because of its reliance on exports -- gives economists cautious optimism that the worst of the global recession is over . `` The economy has seen a bottoming out of global demand , which has pushed out net exports ... especially in high tech industries and basic materials , such as chemical , steel and so on because of Chinese demand , '' said Hiromichi Shirakawa , chief economist in Japan for Credit Suisse . Japan 's GDP grew just under 1 percent during the three-month period and trade increased 1.6 percent . The uptick marks the end of the worst recession in Japan since the end of World War II . Japan 's GDP fell at a record pace during the January-March quarter , when GDP was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year . The Japanese economy was buoyed by a historic ¥ 15 trillion -LRB- $ 150 billion -RRB- stimulus package in May , which included unemployment benefits , aid to struggling companies , promotion of green industries and a variety of tax breaks . `` There are many times in the past when tax breaks and fiscal stimulus were offered and failed , but this time around , it worked , '' Shirakawa said . Economists expect GDP to continue modest growth through the rest of the year , especially with an expected rebound in global auto sales this quarter . But whether the recovery can continue into the new year after the stimulus package runs its course remains a question . `` Japan 's economy still is quite sensitive to global demand ... and for consumer demand to grow on a self-sustained basis still seems unlikely , '' Shirakawa said . | Japan 's economy grows by 3.7 percent on an annualized basis . First growth in the world 's second largest economy in 15 months . Ends the nation 's worst recession since World War II . | [[204, 289], [292, 382], [1171, 1259]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When she was about 8 , Frida Sepulveda developed dark folds of skin around her neck . It 's a well-known warning sign of type 2 diabetes . Blanca Sepulveda , right , was `` devastated '' when her daughter Frida began showing signs of type 2 diabetes . Frida 's mother , Blanca Sepulveda , who has watched other family members struggle with diabetes and obesity , was `` devastated '' to see her daughter experience similar health problems . Now at age 11 , Frida is about 5 feet , 6 inches tall and weighs around 180 pounds , her mother said . Despite a high body weight for her age and height , Frida does not seem to have additional symptoms of diabetes -- or any other major health concerns -- but her parents are trying to reverse the weight problem Frida has had since infancy . The San Diego , California , family is among a disproportionately high number of Latino-American families with overweight and obese children . According to the 2007 National Survey of Children 's Health , 16.6 percent of Latino high school students were obese and 18.1 percent were overweight . The corresponding national averages for high school students were 13.3 percent obese and 15.8 percent overweight . It 's an epidemic that shocked and saddened Lorena Garcia , a chef who appears on Univision and Telemundo . `` I travel all over the country to the major Hispanic festivals and I realized that 90 to 95 percent of the kids that I saw at the festivals were overweight , '' said Garcia , who established the Big Chef Little Chef program to teach Latino youth healthy cooking and eating habits . Watch Garcia interact with her fans '' The problem is caused by a wide range of cultural , social , economic , environmental and possibly genetic factors . Experts agree it is an uphill battle to solve . `` You ca n't just try to change someone 's behavior necessarily without trying to change their environment , '' said Dr. Michael Goran , director of the University of Southern California 's Childhood Obesity Research Center . How can childhood obesity be reduced ? Blanca Sepulveda , 38 , believes her own upbringing in Mexico before coming to the United States in junior high school ultimately contributed to her daughter 's weight problem . `` The way I was raised ... you do n't -LSB- leave -RSB- the dinner table until you 're done with all your food . That 's instilled in you , '' Sepulveda said . Back in Mexico , she said , the food was healthier and fresher , and she did n't drink soda . But she still applied that mentality to her own children , who were born and raised in the United States , where sugar-laden and fattening foods are widely available . The Sepulveda family 's story is similar to that of other immigrants who are healthier than their American-born children : Those born outside the United States are less likely to be obese than native-born children , said Luisa Franzini , Ph.D. , of the University of Texas School of Public Health . Despite the trends , more study is necessary to determine whether American acculturation is entirely to blame for poor diets among Latinos , an expert says . Rafael Pérez-Escamilla , a nutrition and public health professor with the University of Connecticut , wrote in the June 2009 issue of Journal of the American Diabetic Association that adaptation to U.S. society may explain , to some degree , `` deterioration of dietary quality '' and the risks of diabetes and other chronic diseases . However , he wrote , it 's still not completely clear . Healthy food harder to come by . Economic factors play a major role for many Latinos in their weight struggles . Angelica Delgado is trying to overcome the obstacle with the Healthy Latino Families initiative , a culturally tailored nutrition and exercise program in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . As the Community Research Supervisor for the United Community Center , Delgado is trying to get healthy school lunches in the Bruce-Guadalupe Community School , with which she 's working on Healthy Latino Families . About 80 percent of Bruce Guadalupe 's student body , which is 97 percent Latino , come from low-income households and therefore are eligible for reduced-price or free lunch . Without money coming in to support the lunch program , it 's difficult to fund better quality food and equipment to ensure that it 's freshly cooked , Delgado said . For now , she hopes the fun , bilingual setting of Healthy Latino Families will teach children to make smart food choices . The lack of availability of inexpensive , fresh , healthy food is a common for low-income populations in general , Franzini said . Research suggests that more affluent neighborhoods have a higher availability of healthy food , she said , adding that the cost of healthy food is lower in more advantaged communities . The community factor . Exercise also poses tricky problems for Latino children struggling with weight , as many live in disadvantaged areas may make it tough for them to play outside or walk to school . From a physical point of view -- in terms of sidewalks and litter -- those areas tend to be in worse shape than an average neighborhood , Franzini said . But her research also suggests that the social component of a neighborhood affects children 's physical activity levels . `` It 's not sufficient to just clean up the neighborhood -- pick up the trash and build sidewalks , '' said Franzini , whose study on the impact of neighborhoods ' social characteristics was published earlier this year in the American Journal of Public Health . `` It also needs to be a neighborhood where people feel safe and they feel that they can go out and walk and run and exercise and do whatever they want to do . '' To that end , Franzini 's research indicates that those Latinos living in tight-knit communities often get more exercise than those in more mixed neighborhoods . `` Having a neighborhood which is more connected , where people feel safe -- I think it 's all a matter of feeling empowered in a way . And so those who feel that they have this stronger neighborhood from a social point of view , they are also more likely to be physically active , '' Franzini said . Finding solutions . Researchers and community advocates are attempting to combat the Latino youth obesity problem . But the multitude of factors makes the issue a moving target and results of interventions are mixed . For example , about a year after a previous phase of Healthy Latino Families in Milwaukee wrapped up , children reportedly ate better and watched less television per day . Delgado said they are awaiting results from the current program , but she has seen some success already . USC 's Goran worked with Latino teenagers over 16 weeks to improve their diets , promoting fiber-rich tortillas and altering recipes of aqua fresca so it would have less sugar . But at the end of the four months , he saw `` no significant improvement in the outcomes . '' `` We have to do those studies over longer time periods than we have previously done to kind of give these things a chance to work and kick in , '' Goran said . `` We 're ... taking it one step at a time . '' And Frida 's mom , Blanca Sepulveda , said she is focusing on modifying her own behavior to help her entire family . `` It 's a retraining of the mind , '' Sepulveda said . `` It gets hard because you have to be an example . '' | A disproportionately high number of Latino-American families struggle with obesity . Programs designed specifically for Latino children have had mixed results . Economic factors play a major role for many Latinos in their weight struggles . Exercise , and whether or not children feel safe to play , is another factor . | [[803, 945], [6344, 6400], [3558, 3637]] |
Editor 's Note : In an exclusive series this week on `` Campbell Brown , '' the FBI has unveiled three additions to its list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives . The FBI says Semion Mogilevich has been involved in arms trafficking , prostitution , extortion and murder for hire . NEWTOWN , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Semion Mogilevich may be the most powerful man you 've never heard of . The FBI says Mogilevich , a Russian mobster , has been involved in arms trafficking , prostitution , extortion and murder for hire . `` He has access to so much , including funding , including other criminal organizations , that he can , with a telephone call and order , affect the global economy , '' said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Peter Kowenhoven . Mogilevich 's alleged brutality , financial savvy and international influence have earned him a slot on the FBI 's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list , though he has lived and operated from Moscow , Russia , for years . Watch CNN report on Mogilevich '' `` He 's a big man . He 's a very powerful man , '' FBI Special Agent Mike Dixon said . `` I think more powerful than a John Gotti would be , because he has the ability to influence nations . Gotti never reached that stature . '' He is accused of swindling Canadian and U.S. investors out of $ 150 million in a complex international financial scheme . It centered on a firm called YBM , which purportedly made magnets at a factory in Hungary . Authorities say the scheme involved preparing bogus financial books and records , lying to Securities and Exchange Commission officials , offering bribes to accountants and inflating stock values of YBM , which was headquartered in Newtown , Pennsylvania . In a raid in 1998 , FBI agents found a treasure trove of documents -- purchase orders , invoices , shipping orders , even technical drawings -- everything a legitimate business would produce . But there was one thing missing . `` There were no magnets , '' Dixon said . It was all a sham , investigators say . `` In essence , what his companies were doing was moving money through bank accounts in Budapest and countries throughout the world and reporting these to the investment community as purchases of raw materials and sales of magnets , '' Dixon said . And because the company was publicly traded , anyone owning the stock would have made a lot of money . `` And of course Mogilevich controlled large , large blocks of stock from the outset , and he made a substantial amount of money in this process , '' Dixon said . Investors lost millions into the pockets of Mogilevich and his associates . He and his associates were indicted in 2003 on 45 counts of racketeering , securities fraud , wire fraud , mail fraud and money laundering . Russian authorities arrested him last year on tax fraud charges , but because the United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia , he remained beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement . He is now free on bail . The FBI believes Mogilevich moved on after YBM and began manipulating international energy markets , giving him a large influence on other nations . Dixon noted that Mogilevich had control or influence over companies involved in natural gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine . Authorities say Mogilevich , who has an economics degree from Ukraine , is known for his ruthless nature but also for his business acumen , which led to his nickname `` the Brainy Don . '' `` He has a very sophisticated , well-educated , loyal group of associates that he works with , '' Dixon said . `` He hires top-notch consultants , attorneys , risk management firms to assist him and protect him in his criminal ventures . '' Louise Shelley , an organized crime expert from George Mason University , says Mogilevich is a new kind of criminal . `` The major criminal organizations in Russia have not only tapped into people with economics degrees , '' Shelley said . `` They 've tapped into people with PHDs in finance and statistics who assist them . '' The FBI hopes Mogilevich will eventually travel to a country that has an extradition treaty with the U.S. But , in case he does n't , his wanted poster will be distributed all over Russia . | Semion Mogilevich accused of taking U.S. , Canadian investors for $ 150 million . FBI believes he moved on to manipulating international energy markets . FBI : Mogilevich 's business degree , large influence on nations make him dangerous . Alleged Russian mobster known for his ruthlessness , power , business acumen . | [[1229, 1273], [2968, 3066], [749, 770], [783, 894], [1149, 1190], [2968, 2971], [3069, 3116], [749, 770], [783, 894], [1020, 1045], [3263, 3273], [3309, 3351]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new lawsuit alleges that convicted swindler Bernie Madoff financed a cocaine-fueled work environment and a `` culture of sexual deviance , '' and he diverted money to his London , England , office when he believed federal authorities were closing in at home . A new lawsuit alleges Bernie Madoff financed a sex-and-drugs workplace with investors ' money . The lawsuit , filed Tuesday in New York 's State Supreme Court , was brought on behalf of former investors and seeks unspecified punitive damages and compensation . Beyond that , it offers a look at what the plaintiffs ' attorneys say was once Madoff 's multimillion-dollar empire and what is now his world in a federal prison in North Carolina . Among the allegations in the 264-page lawsuit are that during the mid-1970s , Madoff began sending employees to buy drugs for company use . The complaint alleges that some employees and investors were aware of the drug purchases , and that BMIS -LSB- Bernard Madoff Investment Services -RSB- was known by insiders as the `` North Pole '' in reference to the excessive amount of cocaine use in the work place . Attorneys Joseph Cochett and Nancy Fineman filed the complaint based on an investigation , including a four-hour interview with Madoff in prison in July , that they conducted for former investors . They also allege that major financial institutions , including KPMG , the Bank of New York and JP Morgan Chase , were aware that Madoff was transferring stolen funds to his London office for personal purchases . According to the complaint , Madoff transferred funds to London to buy extravagant personal items . `` In 2006 Madoff thought the end was near because the -LSB- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission -RSB- investigated . He realized he had to change things up so his focus shifted to London , '' Fineman said . `` We know that KPMG were the auditors for the London branch and that money was used to buy yachts and Bentleys , they are supposed to look at related-party transactions . KPMG should have noticed these as a red flag . '' Officials of KPMG and the Bank of New York did not immediately respond to calls from CNN Wednesday evening for comment on the lawsuit . JP Morgan Chase spokesman Tom Kelly said , `` We do not comment on pending litigation . '' The alleged illicit behavior outlined in the complaint did not stop at drug use and extravagant spending . Company parties consisted of topless entertainers , and some employees had affairs in places such as Madoff 's own office , the lawsuit says . Madoff was fond of escorts and masseuses , and used money stolen from investors to pay them , according to the complaint . Madoff was convicted of operating a Ponzi scheme and defrauding thousands of investors . He pleaded guilty in March to 11 counts , including fraud , money laundering and perjury , and was sentenced to 150 years in prison . Prosecutors have said it was the largest investor fraud ever committed by a single person , totaling billions in losses to investors . Before Madoff , 71 , was transferred to Federal Butner Correctional Complex outside of Raleigh , North Carolina , he lived a life of luxury . The lawsuit states that he had multimillion dollar residences in Manhattan , Montauk on New York 's Long Island ; Palm Beach , Florida ; and Cap d'Antibe , France . The complaint includes details of Madoff 's drastically different life now in prison . He lives in a cell where he sleeps on the bottom bunk while up top sleeps his 21-year-old cellmate , who is serving time for drug crimes , according to the lawsuit . Madoff 's recreational activities consist of walking around the prison track at night , and eating pizza cooked by a convicted child molester , the lawsuit says . Madoff now spends his time with infamous inmates , the lawsuit says , including Carmine Persico , a former organized-crime former boss , and Jonathan Pollard , a convicted spy for Israel . Many of his fellow inmates are in prison for drug and sex crimes , according to the lawsuit . Going after large financial institutions that allegedly allowed Madoff 's scheme to flourish is the goal of Fineman and her associates . `` Our goal of meeting with Madoff during the investigation is to get as much money back from responsible parties and that 's why lawsuits are filed and why lawyers do what they do , '' Fineman said . `` Even now , 10 months later , the pain in the victims ' voices is still evident . I still hear it when I talk to people who were being defrauded for so long . '' According to the complaint , Fineman and Cochett are seeking punitive and compensatory damages for their clients with `` an amount to be determined at trial , including interest thereon . '' Fineman said that during the prison interview with Madoff , `` He said he was apologetic , but he did n't seem apologetic . '' `` I forgot I was in prison , he was talking to us as if we were in a restaurant -- he has quite an ego , you could see why people would be drawn to him , '' Fineman said . `` He told us things that were self-serving to him , '' she said . `` But he told me he knew he would die in prison . '' | Lawsuit seeks punitive damages , compensation on behalf of former investors . Starting in '70s , Madoff sent employees to buy drugs for company use , suit alleges . Lawsuit : Madoff used money stolen from investors to pay for escorts and masseuses . Madoff now eating prison pizza cooked by a convicted child molester , lawsuit says . | [[386, 425], [443, 492], [386, 397], [497, 550], [4582, 4672], [28, 49], [55, 87], [290, 385], [733, 872], [788, 808], [811, 872], [3578, 3604], [28, 49], [55, 87], [290, 385], [1582, 1652], [2564, 2604], [2564, 2570], [2611, 2643], [2616, 2655], [3578, 3604], [3578, 3604], [3605, 3638], [3697, 3746]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. professor claims he has identified the parts of the brain that help to make someone a good leader . Pierre Balthazard is using EEG to find out what parts of the brain are involved in leadership . Pierre Balthazard , an associate professor at the Carey School of Business at Arizona State University , also says he can use neuroscientific techniques to help people improve the skills that play a part in leadership . Balthazard uses electroencephalography -LRB- EEG -RRB- to produce a `` brain map '' of his subjects . By attaching electrodes to their heads , he says he can measure electrical activity generated by neurons in their brain . Much of his work has focused on calibrating the EEG data with standard psychometric tests , and now Balthazard says that just by looking at someone 's brain map he can predict their capacity for certain traits linked to leadership . `` From someone 's brain map I can tell if someone would rank high , medium or low on a psychometric assessment of their transformational leadership , and just that is an earth-shattering finding , '' he told CNN . He has been working with the U.S. military to produce a model that will allow them to scan soldiers ' brains for complexity . The idea is that more complex brains produce better situational awareness and adaptive thinking -- essential skills for the modern soldier , who must be able to transition from front-line combat to nation building . He refers to traits like complexity and transformational leadership as antecedents to leadership itself . But for Balthazard , the ability to assess these skills is only half the story . What really excites him is the possibility of brain training and improving leadership skills . `` If you could only assess and not develop then it 's only an exercise in social engineering , and that 's of no interest to me , '' he said . Balthazard explained that brains can be trained using positive and negative reinforcement , in the same way that disorders like ADD are treated . A subject is wired to software programmed to recognize `` correct '' functioning of a specific part of the brain . If the brain is n't performing correctly , there is a negative reinforcement , such as a noise emitted from a speaker at an unpleasant frequency . `` The brain is amazing at adjusting so it does n't get the negative feedback , '' he told CNN . But others think it may prove difficult to develop something as intangible as leadership . Dr Bob Kentridge , a member of the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit at Durham University , in England , told CNN , `` Even if you find differences in the brains of people with different leadership abilities , it 's very difficult to say if that difference is just related to leadership . `` It could be due to all sorts of things that might be fairly tangentially related to leadership . '' `` Leadership is such a fuzzy quality that it 's hard to say conclusively what you are changing , '' Kentridge added . `` You might change things that contribute to leadership , for example people might learn to stay calmer in conflict situations , but is that the same as saying you 're improving the leadership center of your brain ? '' So , what 's inside the brain of a born leader ? Interestingly , intelligence is not a requirement . `` There 's zero correlation between IQ and leadership , '' Balthazard told CNN . `` Emotion control has a lot to do with leadership . People who lead very well tend to have a much more coherent brain on the emotional , right side , and more differentiated brain on the more rational , left side , that can assess more different options . '' Balthazard says that although he has identified brain profiles for antecedents to leadership , he stresses that before he can produce a set of exercises designed to improve leadership itself , he must develop a `` leadership norm '' -- a standard for what makes a good leader . He has currently analyzed the brains of between 200 and 225 subjects , including bankers and military leaders , and says he must test twice that amount before he has his `` norm . '' But he said plenty of people are already going to neurotherapists to train their brain for skills linked to leadership , such as decision-making , cognition , and memory retrieval , and Balthazard says he 'll soon be able to use neuotherapy techniques to develop leadership itself . `` At some point in the next 18 months we 'll have a seminal paper out that says we 've done this . We 're not there yet but I 've seen it in the lab . '' If that happens , budding CEOs might be queuing up at neurotherapists to plug themselves in and turn themselves into the business brains of the future . | Researcher says he can spot a good leader just by scanning their brain . Pierre Balthazard is a business professor who uses neuroscientific methods . There is no correlation between intelligence and leadership , he says . He hopes to improve people 's leadership by working on brain function . | [[779, 892], [239, 256], [349, 425], [239, 256], [349, 425], [1660, 1754], [1680, 1754], [3815, 3855], [4335, 4337], [4355, 4406]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Didier Drogba is backing his Ivory Coast team to make history by becoming the first African country to reach the final of the World Cup next year . Drogba is contemplating a big challenge by the Ivory Coast in South Africa . The Chelsea striker scored the decisive goal as the Elephants sealed their place in South Africa with a 1-1 draw against Malawi on Saturday , but he is now looking ahead to the finals with relish . `` It is going to be a challenge , '' the 31-year-old told reporters . `` To make it to the final will not be easy because there are great teams like Brazil and Germany who have won the World Cup for many years . `` But my teammates and I want to make history and want to change the way the world sees African football . Can an African team win the World Cup next year ? `` I hope that we 'll be the team that is going to go to the final and win the competition . '' Ivory Coast have joined Ghana as definite qualifiers from Africa , with three other places up for grabs in the final round of matches in November . Drogba is one of several stars in the Ivorian squad with Champions League experience , including Barcelona 's Yaya Toure who is anxious to erase memories of their failure to qualify from the group stages in the 2006 finals in Germany . `` At the last World Cup we played really well in Germany , but we were unlucky because we were in a very tough group with Argentina and Holland and so went out in the first round , '' he said . `` But I think with this kind of experience , it will be possible at South Africa 2010 to do much better . Perhaps we can make the quarterfinals and then semifinals , this is something we can achieve . '' Coach Vahid Halilhodzic is also upbeat after seeing his side fight back from a goal down against Malawi to top African Group E. `` We are very proud to participate in the World Cup for the second consecutive time and this time it is going to be better , '' he added . | Didier Drogba targets World Cup glory with African powerhouses Ivory Coast . Drogba scored crucial goal as Ivory Coast clinched qualification for South Africa . Ivory Coast exited in group stages at the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006 . | [[244, 305], [1214, 1292]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The best way to get tongues wagging is to say nothing at all , and it 's a skill Rihanna has down to a science . Rihanna apparently revealed the release date for her new album over Twitter . The Barbadian songstress arrived a bit late to the Twitter party when she -- or her people -- created a `` rihanna '' tag yesterday and sent out a single , sparse tweet : `` The Wait Is Ova . Nov. 23 09 . '' Whether that 's the name of a new single , the beginning of a viral marketing campaign -- or both -- is unknown , but a representative for Rihanna told Entertainment Weekly that though the date `` looks accurate '' for her album release , `` The Wait Is Ova '' is not the album title . The only other object fans can mine for clues about the singer 's upcoming release is the logo , a metallic nail fashioned into a crudely shaped `` R '' that has swarmed the Internet . The new record would be her fourth since her debut at 17 . In the four years since , she 's evolved from an unknown , breezy pop singer to a sonically and fashionably more distinct persona . One can only expect that her latest effort would continue to show that growth . Yet there are extra layers of anticipation surrounding the unnamed work : Not only is this Rihanna 's follow-up to `` Good Girl Gone Bad , '' the album that made her an international superstar , it 's also the first time she is piping up as a solo artist since the infamous fight with her ex-boyfriend , Chris Brown , in February . Those who 've worked with the star on the record have said to expect something with more ferocity . `` Expect an edgier , almost angrier Rihanna on this one , '' Ne-Yo told E! Online . `` Rihanna says some things on this album that you 've never heard her say before . '' But , said Mariel Concepcion , associate editor for Billboard.com , that statement should n't be taken too literally . `` She has changed a bit , but I think she 's simply grown . Fans are expecting her to reveal some details , but I think she 's going to subliminally let it be known that ` Yes , -LSB- Chris -RSB- hurt me , but I 'm moving forward with life . ' This issue was such a serious issue , it calls for more than putting out an angry song about it . '' Tracey Johnson , who said she 's been a fan of the singer since the beginning , has high expectations for the upcoming release , but not because she expects to hear about Rihanna 's personal life . '' -LSB- Some fans -RSB- feel like it would be good for her to represent abused women in some sort of way and say something , but in my perspective , she does n't owe us anything , '' Johnson said . `` She 's always been pretty private about the relationship , and she 's never opened a lot in her music anyway . '' If Rihanna maintains her silence , Johnson said , it will be `` kind of a hit back at the critics who said she disappeared after not becoming the spokesperson for domestic abuse . She 's saying this is what you should be paying attention to : I 'm a fashion icon , and I make great music . '' Johnson , co-founder and editor of celebrity Web site NeonLimelight.com , has paid close attention to Rihanna 's reported studio time over the past few months , but said he did n't expect to see the album appear so soon -- and with a tweet , no less . `` I 'm definitely expecting more for this album , '' she said . `` Rihanna has a platform now that she did n't have before ` Good Girl Gone Bad . ' She 's gone a step forward with each album , and I think it 's going to be a little more of what we heard on ` Good Girl Gone Bad , ' but to the next level . '' That 's a prediction that Concepcion agrees with , considering that the people who have been pulled in on this album resemble the team who worked on `` Good Girl '' : Justin Timberlake , Ne-Yo and Tricky Stewart , who was behind the single `` Umbrella '' that launched Rihanna to a new level of pop stardom . Devin Lazerine , editor of Rap-Up . com , said Stewart is n't trying to top the success of `` Umbrella , '' but rather create a sound that would live up to its success . `` Just from hearing ` Run This Town ' we can see the direction she 's heading in , '' Lazerine said . `` It 's going to be darker and more edgy . She was actually going to put that song on this album , and then Jay-Z heard it and they traded songs . '' Still , Lazerine said , `` dark '' and `` edgy '' do n't always equal `` personal . '' `` She 's all about the music and the sound -- I think we 're going to get something that embodies her fashion sense , '' he said . `` I do n't think there 's going to be much about the Chris Brown situation ; I do n't even think her fans expect that . They just want something that pushes the boundaries . '' Rihanna 's former other half , Chris Brown , has been busying in the studio as well . The singer , who was sentenced to five years ' probation and more than 1,400 hours of community service in August , released the single `` I Can Transform Ya '' with Swizz Beatz and Lil Wayne a few weeks ago , but it 's not the only one circulating the Internet . `` So Cold , '' a ballad with lyrics that sound suspiciously autobiographical , was leaked onto the Internet yesterday , as Brown 's Twitter page confirms . Nonetheless , the artist does plan to keep it on the upcoming album `` Graffiti , '' which has an undetermined release date . | Cryptic tweet from Rihanna appears to reveal new album release date . Album would be the first since fight with Chris Brown in February . Colleagues expect `` edgier '' Rihanna on the album . Fan : `` She does n't owe us anything '' about personal life . | [[132, 209], [1366, 1461], [1492, 1591], [1492, 1540], [1551, 1591], [1592, 1611], [4181, 4223], [2557, 2559], [2575, 2605]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating how an international flight into Atlanta 's major airport landed on a taxiway instead of a runway early Monday . The pilots of the plane that landed at the Atlanta airport have been relieved from flying duties pending probes . FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said Delta Flight 60 , from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , to Atlanta 's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport , was cleared to land about 6:05 a.m. Monday on Runway 27R but landed instead on Taxiway M , which runs parallel to the runway . The flight had 194 passengers and crew aboard , according to CNN affiliate WXIA . No other aircraft were on the taxiway , and there was no damage to either the taxiway or the plane , a Boeing 767 , Bergen said . A runway or taxiway collision , particularly with one plane preparing to take off and carrying a full fuel load , would be catastrophic . Bergen said she is n't sure whether or when other aircraft have ever landed on the taxiway at Hartsfield . Both Runway 27R and Taxiway M are 11,890 feet long , Bergen said , but the runway is marked with white lights while the taxiway is marked with blue lights . Delta spokesman Anthony Black said the airline is cooperating with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board in their investigation , as well as conducting an internal investigation . The pilots of the flight have been relieved from active flying pending the completion of these investigations , Black said . Bergen and Black said a medical emergency was reported on the plane , but neither offered any details . The incursion came just two weeks after the FAA announced that serious runway incursions were down 50 percent from the year that ended September 30 , 2008 , over the year ending on the same date this year . The FAA said there were 12 serious incursions in 2009 and 25 in 2008 . Only two of the serious incursions involved commercial airliners in 2009 , compared with nine in 2008 . The FAA defines a serious incursion as one in which a collision is narrowly avoided , or there was a significant potential for collision that resulted in the need to take quick corrective action . | Plane landed on taxiway instead of runway Monday morning , FAA says . No other plane was on the taxiway ; aircraft was n't damaged . The taxiway is parallel to a runway , but they 're marked differently . | [[0, 7], [10, 202], [317, 341], [521, 548], [669, 706], [713, 767], [539, 548], [557, 586]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To offset carbon dioxide , a Japanese airline is asking its passengers to go to the toilet before boarding . All Nippon Airways is asking passengers to use the restroom before flying to reduce weight . The unusual request by All Nippon Airways -LRB- ANA -RRB- is part of its `` e-Flight '' promotional program to reduce the amount of carbon expelled on 38 domestic routes and its twice daily international flights to Singapore . `` Asking passengers to go to the toilet -LRB- before boarding -RRB- is just a small part of the program , '' said spokeswoman Megumi Tezuka , which includes using recycled paper cups and plastic bottles instead of glass . `` We are making these items lighter -- and making the passengers lighter , a little bit , '' Tezuka said . The airline estimates that if 50 percent of passengers relieved themselves before boarding , it would reduce carbon dioxide by 4.2 tons a month . Flights will also show educational films on the environment . The month-long trial program , which began October 1 , will be evaluated and may be extended if successful , Tezuka said . In true Japanese fashion , the encouragement to eliminate is more suggested than explicit . This is what is announced before boarding the flights : `` This flight is a so-called ` eFlight . ' The idea behind the operation is to think about the Earth in the sky above . Fuel reduction by lightening the weight of the aircraft will lead to restrain the carbon dioxide emission , which is one of the causes of global warming . Thank you for your understanding . '' So no mother-like admonishments to use the toilet before leaving ? `` No , it 's more subtle than that , '' Tezuka said . People are also encouraged to pack lighter for the flights , although no additional weight restrictions apply . The program comes as the airline industry in Japan is struggling . The nation 's largest carrier , Japan Airlines , is seeking a government bailout and forecasts $ 700 million in losses this year . This week , ANA 's stock price hit a 52-week low in trading Wednesday . | All Nippon Airways is asking passengers to go to toilet before flights . Airline estimates that four tons of carbon dioxide a month would be reduced . Comes as Japanese airlines are struggling in the weak economy . | [[46, 127], [128, 201], [157, 220], [449, 494], [451, 516], [779, 924], [806, 924], [1806, 1856], [1827, 1872]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Embattled Sen. Larry Craig accused police after his June arrest of trying to entrap him , but CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin says he puts little faith in such a defense . A police mug shot of Sen. Larry Craig after he was arrested at the Minneapolis-St . Paul airport in June . In a police recording released Thursday , the Idaho Republican denied that he was trying to engage in lewd behavior in a men 's bathroom at a Minnesota airport . He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge . `` You should n't be out to entrap people , '' Craig said on the tape . The arresting officer denied Craig 's accusation of entrapment . Listen to police interview Craig '' CNN.com asked Toobin about how an entrapment defense might work in court . CNN.com : What 's the legal definition of entrapment ? TOOBIN : The key concept with entrapment is the idea of predisposition . A person is entrapped if they are lured into committing a crime that they are not otherwise predisposed to commit . Basically an entrapment defense shifts the burden of proof to the prosecution to prove that the defendant was not predisposed to commit the crime . The question is , did the police entice you to do something that you did n't want to do in the first place ? And the important point to raise about entrapment defenses is that they 're rarely successful . And most juries tend to think that if you commit a crime , you did it of your own volition . CNN.com : What tactics do police employ to protect their sting operations from the entrapment defense ? TOOBIN : Well , what they often do , which was not done here , is use tape recordings or video so the jury can see how anxious the defendant was to commit the crime . Tape and video is the best refutation of an entrapment defense . I think Craig had the possibility of raising an entrapment defense in this case . Now , I do n't know if it would have been successful . What you have to remember about that tape is the officer 's report says that Craig did a heck of a lot more than just pick up a piece of paper in the stall . Watch how fellow Republicans are pressuring Craig to quit '' He rubbed his hand along the side of the stall , and he lingered outside and looked through the crack and rubbed his fingers together . I mean there were a whole series of signals . And the jury might very well have believed the officer rather than Craig . I do n't mean to suggest that entrapment defense would have necessarily been successful , but it was not an implausible defense given the facts . The whole issue is moot because he pled . I do n't take seriously his protestations of entrapment because he pled guilty . You know , he 's not innocent until proven guilty . He 's guilty . He 's an intelligent , sophisticated man with access to lawyers , and he actually told the authorities that he 'd consulted a lawyer . He had weeks to reflect on whether to plead guilty . It would have been one thing if the day of the offense , he signed a paper pleading guilty . He could have made the argument that he just panicked on the day of the offense . But there were weeks between the offense and the guilty plea . CNN.com : Is there any way that Craig could use entrapment as a defense to improve his case -- to work backward legally toward vindication ? TOOBIN : Out of the question . No way . E-mail to a friend . | `` You should n't be out to entrap people , '' Sen. Larry Craig told arresting officer . Entrapment defense possible , but juries do n't often believe it , says CNN analyst . Idaho Republican pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after arrest in men 's room . | [[28, 115], [539, 580], [122, 200], [712, 786], [743, 786], [1288, 1383], [1813, 1894], [1821, 1894], [2614, 2694], [470, 538]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lance Armstrong and 2007 champion Alberto Contador will head a strong Astana team for next month 's Tour de France . Armstrong -LRB- left -RRB- will be backed by a strong Astana squad in Tour de France . Armstrong is bidding for an unprecedented eighth victory in cycling 's most prestigious race while his teammate Contador will start as favorite for the yellow jersey . The Kazakh-backed squad will have strong support riders with Andreas Kloeden , Levi Leipheimer , Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zulbedia also named in the tea , . Kloeden and Leipheimer have both been podium finishers in the Tour de France while the team is packed full of good performers for the key mountain stages . The remaining three riders to make up the squad of nine will be picked from Jani Brajkovic , Chris Horner , Benjamin Noval , Dmitriy Muravyev , Sergio Paulinho , Gregory Rast and Tomas Vaitkus . `` The complete 2009 Tour roster will be chosen based on the strongest team from both a sportive and team-spirit criteria , '' Astana 's team chief Johan Bruyneel told Press Association Sport . Astana have also settled doubts over outstanding debts run up by the team which left their participation in the Tour in doubt with the Kazakh government putting up guarantees that riders would be paid . The team is returning to the Tour after a two-year absence , having been barred from the 2008 because of doping misdemeanors by former squad members . It left Contador to win the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Spain and he will be bidding for a second Tour triumph when racing gets underway in Monaco on July 4 . Armstrong returned to the peloton earlier this year after a three-year absence and finished 12th in the Giro d'Italia , his preparation hampered by breaking his collarbone at a minor stage race in Spain in March . In other Tour de France news , organizers have barred former world champion Tom Boonen from competing in this year 's race . The Belgian , who won Parix-Roubaix for the third time this year , tested positive for cocaine in April . His Quick Step team said on Friday that they would consider legal action to challenge the decision . | Lance Armstrong is named in a strong Astana squad for the Tour de France . Armstrong will be bidding for an eighth victory in cycling 's most famous race . 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will start as the race favorite . Belgian rider Tom Boonen not welcome on the Tour after positive for cocaine . | [[0, 135], [136, 222], [223, 315], [0, 135], [316, 390], [1822, 1946], [1876, 1946], [1947, 1958], [2014, 2052]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A few seconds could have made all the difference in the fate of a family who spent three days lost in the snowy California woods , according to the helicopter pilot who found them . Josh and Lexi Dominguez exit a helicopter Wednesday , shortly after being found . The father of the family , Frederick Dominguez , came running out of the culvert where they had sought shelter when family members heard the sound of the California Highway Patrol helicopter Wednesday afternoon . `` Had he not been moving , we would not have seen him , because the tree line was very dense and he came climbing out of the culvert , '' helicopter pilot Steve Ward told CNN on Thursday . `` We were just very lucky . '' Dominguez had arranged branches to spell the word `` help '' near the culvert , but rescuers did n't see that until they were turning the helicopter around after spotting Dominguez . The helicopter was on its way out of the area at that point , trying to get ahead of bad weather . `` The small window of opportunity we had to find them , it was nothing short of a miracle , '' paramedic David White , who was riding with Ward , told CNN on Thursday . Watch White and Ward describe the rescue '' Dominguez and his three children had been lost in the snow since Sunday , when they set out to cut down a Christmas tree . They sought shelter first in a lean-to they made of branches , then in the culvert under a road . See family 's photos of their ordeal '' Dominguez said his daughter Lexi , 14 , was the first to hear the helicopter overhead . He said he ran though several feet of snow barefooted to wave it down . `` When they turned around , man , I was just praising God and saying , ` Thank you , Lord . Thank you , Lord , ' because I knew we had made it , '' he said . Thursday , Lexi was hospitalized after complaining that her feet hurt . Trying to protect their cold , wet feet from frostbite was an ongoing problem while the four were lost in the forest . Through their three-day ordeal , the oldest son , Chris , 18 , tried to keep his younger brother and sister optimistic . `` I did n't want them to really lose hope , '' he told CNN 's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday night , hours after the family was rescued . `` Whenever they would freak out , I would just be like , it 's all right . We 're going to make it through this . This is nothing . Like , we have already been here a couple of days . What 's a couple more days ? '' Watch the family talk about their `` scary '' ordeal '' But it was hard to stay hopeful lost in rugged terrain , in heavy snow , with no food and few warm clothes . `` I just remember walking and walking and being like , we 're not going to make it , '' said Lexi . `` They ca n't even see us through all this fog . And I just -- there was just a couple of times where I was really , really scared . '' `` I did n't think we were going to make it , '' said Josh , 12 . They removed their sodden socks in an effort to stay warm and dry while they waited for rescue , according to the rescuers who found them . They warmed their feet inside each other 's shirts to help stave off frostbite . `` You just go to survival mode , '' Frederick Dominguez said . `` Every parent would do that . You would do anything , sacrifice yourself , because these are your kids . '' Watch mother as she finds out family is safe '' While the family huddled in the culvert , Lexi led them in impromptu singalongs . `` Someone would say , sing this song , and I would be like , OK , '' she recalled . `` We would all help her , too , '' her brother Josh added . Chris told CNN one of the things he would remember most about the experience was `` Lexi in there , in the tunnel , singing her heart out . '' The four were reported missing Monday night by Dominguez 's former wife and the children 's mother , Lisa Sams , according to police in Paradise , California , a town of 27,000 people north of Sacramento . Although police found the family 's car , it offered no clues as to where they might have gone . The remote area is beyond the reach of cell phones , authorities have said . More than 80 searchers scoured the woods Wednesday until the four were found about 1 p.m. White said the family was found north of where ground crews were searching . All four appeared to be in good condition as they were brought by chopper to the command post and taken to ambulances . After an emotional reunion with her mother Wednesday night , Lexi felt pain , said Brian Clarke , her mother 's fiancee . `` She woke up in the middle of the night and her feet were hurting her really bad , so I carried her out to the van and Lisa took her to the hospital , '' he told CNN . `` She just kept saying , ` I 'm sorry , I 'm sorry . ' I told her she did n't have to be sorry , we just wanted her to get better . '' Her brothers have not complained of health problems that require hospitalization , he said . However , doctors asked the other three family members to come in for checkups , said Barbara Mejia , the girlfriend of Frederick Dominguez . Lexi was at Feather River Hospital in Paradise , California , on Thursday , her father said . `` I 'm glad I 'm home . Praise God , '' Dominguez told reporters after exiting a chopper at the search command post . `` It was awful . '' Asked how he survived , he replied , `` Jesus Christ . '' Butte County Search and Rescue dispatcher Madde Watts said , `` They had angels with them , for sure . '' Mayor Alan White said he and many others in and around Paradise have cut Christmas trees in the same place where the family vanished . When winter weather sours there , he said , people in the woods can get lost quickly . `` If you 're 50 feet from your car , you might not be able to find it , '' he said . `` We were n't prepared at all , '' Chris said . `` We just thought we were going to go up to the mountains , get our tree and go back home . It did n't turn out that way . '' E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Doctors ask family to return to hospital for precautionary checkups . Lexi Dominguez hospitalized after complaining her feet hurt . Family sought shelter from snow in culvert , warmed each other 's frostbitten feet . Frederick Dominguez and his 3 children set out Sunday to cut Christmas tree . | [[4941, 5009], [1794, 1802], [1805, 1865], [4578, 4614], [352, 495], [3069, 3149], [3372, 3411], [3414, 3453], [1293, 1336]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Senate passed groundbreaking legislation Thursday that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity . President Obama has said the country must make significant changes to ensure equal rights . The expanded federal hate crimes law now goes to President Obama 's desk . Obama has pledged to sign the measure , which was added to a $ 680 billion defense authorization bill . President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure . The bill is named for Matthew Shepard , a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998 , and James Byrd Jr. , an African-American man dragged to death in Texas the same year . `` Knowing that the president will sign it , unlike his predecessor , has made all the hard work this year to pass it worthwhile , '' said Judy Shepard , board president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation named for her son . `` Hate crimes continue to affect far too many Americans who are simply trying to live their lives honestly , and they need to know that their government will protect them from violence , and provide appropriate justice for victims and their families . '' Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate-crimes law could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality . Attorney General Eric Holder has asserted that any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias , as opposed to the prosecution of speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs . Holder called Thursday 's 68-29 Senate vote to approve the defense spending bill that included the hate crimes measure `` a milestone in helping protect Americans from the most heinous bias-motivated violence . '' Watch survivor of attack discuss legislation '' `` The passage of this legislation will give the Justice Department and our state and local law enforcement partners the tools we need to deter and prosecute these acts of violence , '' he said in a statement . Joe Solmonese , president of the Human Rights Campaign , called the measure `` our nation 's first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender people . '' `` Too many in our community have been devastated by hate violence , '' Solmonese said in a statement . `` We now can begin the important steps to erasing hate in our country . '' This month , Obama told the Human Rights Campaign , the country 's largest gay rights group , that the nation still needs to make significant changes to ensure equal rights for gays and lesbians . `` Despite the progress we 've made , there are still laws to change and hearts to open , '' he said during his address at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign . `` This fight continues now , and I 'm here with the simple message : I 'm here with you in that fight . '' Among other things , Obama has called for the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military , the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy . He also has urged Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act . The Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage , for federal purposes , as a legal union between a man and a woman . It allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages . The Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act would extend family benefits now available to heterosexual federal employees to gay and lesbian federal workers . More than 77,000 hate-crime incidents were reported by the FBI between 1998 and 2007 , or `` nearly one hate crime for every hour of every day over the span of a decade , '' Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee in June . The FBI , Holder added , reported 7,624 hate-crime incidents in 2007 , the most current year with complete data . | NEW : Senate approves bill expanding hate crimes law . Measure would make it a crime to assault person because of sexual orientation . Religious groups fear law could criminalize conservative speech . Attorney general says it will be used only to prosecute violence . | [[30, 143], [298, 372], [30, 143], [103, 205], [1244, 1363], [1421, 1596]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- During the current economic crisis , high-flying women have been overlooked for promotion , according to a study out Tuesday . At the upper level of management , business is still dominated by men . The study , by U.S. nonprofit research group Catalyst , surveyed 873 MBA alumni who graduated between 1996 and 2007 , asking how their careers had fared between November 2007 and June 2009 . The results showed that overall , male and female MBAs have proved resilient to the recession and have fared equally well in the U.S. , Canada and Asia , with 31 percent of surveyed women reporting that they had been promoted during that time period , compared to 36 percent of men . However in Europe , just 26 per cent of women were promoted , compared with 44 percent of men , according to the study published in the Harvard Business Review . According to the Harvard Business Review , of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies only two per cent of the CEOs are women , and only 15 per cent of the seats on their boards of directors are held by women . Professor Susan Vinnicombe is the director of the Center for International Women Business Leaders at Cranfield University School of Management in England . She told CNN that while it is n't clear why the figures for Europe in particular show such a gender discrepancy , it reflects discrimination faced by women business leaders in general . Read more business related features . `` There is a whole stream of research of male and female MBAs that systematically shows the more senior they get the bigger the disparities in salaries and promotion , '' she said . `` Immediately after the MBA -- at the mid level -- women do quite well , but as they progress upwards the disparities emerge and get wider . That 's not just for MBAs , it 's the function of men and women in the workforce in general . '' When it comes to the top tier , women worldwide were much more likely than men to lose their jobs , with 19 percent of female senior executives losing their jobs , compared with six per cent of men . Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jorden , General Manager of Catalyst Europe told CNN that the discrepancy is probably not the result of the current economic malaise . `` These figures reflect what has been a challenge in Europe for a number years , '' she said . `` The talent pipeline in Europe is clearly not as robust for women . This study indicates that by and large this is not directly related to the economic crisis , but it may have magnified the discrepancy . '' Haller-Jorden cites European corporate culture , perpetuation of gender-based stereotypes , exclusion of women from informal networks and a lack of role models as reasons behind the discrepancy . Cranfield University produces what it calls the `` Female FTSE Index , '' showing the percentage of female directors in Britain 's top 100 companies . Vinnicombe says that in the last 10 years the number of female directors has hardly improved , increasing from seven per cent to just 11 percent . Vinnicombe adds that she has found anecdotal evidence that a number of senior women in the British banking sector have chosen to leave their jobs , rather than work in a `` high pressure , highly controlling '' work environment brought about by the economic crisis . The Catalyst study also shows that many MBAs are n't letting the economic crisis get in the way of career advancement . Overall , 34 percent of respondents had received a promotion and 35 percent made a lateral move . `` The data almost indicates business as usual , in highly unusual times for business , '' Haller-Jorden told CNN . The common perception might be that given the current economic uncertainty , employees would choose to play it safe rather than chance their luck in a volatile job market , but the study found that MBAs have been willing to risk career moves , with 20 percent of respondents changing jobs , 14 percent relocating and four percent starting their own business . Haller-Jorden said that MBAs represent `` high-potential employees '' who tend to be entrepreneurial and show a high level of initiative . She added that these individuals tend to be opportunistic when it comes to their careers , seeking out new developmental opportunities , exploring lateral moves , looking at options around relocating , and choosing other employment opportunities to make sure they are n't negatively impacted by recession . `` The results are sobering for a corporate sector which may have assumed that people would be grateful to have a job and would n't necessarily be exploring other options , '' she said . `` For companies to rest on their laurels and assume they do n't need to worry about retention is a mistake . '' | Study : High-flying women are missing out on promotion . Discrepancy in female promotions may have been magnified by recession . Elsewhere , male and female MBAs proving resistant to the economic crisis . `` High-potential employees '' willing to change roles , despite harsh job market . | [[36, 125], [73, 90], [128, 162], [36, 125], [2397, 2533], [2490, 2533], [426, 623], [3031, 3258], [3809, 3961], [3992, 4061]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Justice Department on Thursday announced 300 additional arrests in a four-year operation that it says produced nearly 1,200 arrests and seizures totaling 11.7 tons of illegal drugs . Authorities look through seized property after a drug raid at a house near Atlanta , Georgia , on Wednesday . Attorney General Eric Holder announced the wrap-up of Project Coronado , which resulted in arrests in 15 states in the past two days . Holder said the operation targeted the distribution network of a major Mexican drug trafficking organization known as La Familia . About 3,000 federal agents participated in the investigation and raids , officials said . `` This unprecedented , coordinated U.S. law enforcement action -- the largest ever undertaken against a Mexican drug cartel -- has dealt a significant blow to La Familia 's supply chain of illegal drugs , weapons and cash flowing between Mexico and the United States , '' Holder said in a news conference . Watch Holder announce the arrests '' Michele Leonhart , acting chief of the Drug Enforcement Administration , said the cartel was known for specializing in the trafficking of methamphetamine and for its brutal violence , including beheadings . Authorities said the arrests made Wednesday and Thursday occurred in California , Colorado , Georgia , Massachusetts , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , Nevada , New York , North Carolina , Oklahoma , South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas and Washington . Dozens of arrests occurred in the Dallas , Texas , area where agents with the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives filed charges against cartel members believed to have illegally purchased and shipped high-powered firearms to the cartel , which was based in the Mexican state of Michoacan . U.S. officials vowed to indict cartel leaders and extradite them to the United States . One leader , Servando Gomez-Martinez , was indicted in New York on Thursday . He remains at large , and is presumed to be in Mexico . A senior law enforcement official involved in the operation , who asked not to be identified , said he was certain the latest crackdown on La Familia would affect the methamphetamine market in the United States for months . `` It 'll make a difference not only because of how hard we hit 'em , but where we hit 'em , '' the official said . Another official said during the course of the investigation that labs run by La Familia had been discovered in Atlanta , Georgia , and San Jose , California . To date , Project Coronado has led to 1,186 arrests in 44 months . During that time , agents seized $ 32.8 million in U.S. currency , and about 1,225 kilograms -LRB- 2,700 pounds -RRB- of methamphetamine , 2,000 kilograms -LRB- 4,409 pounds -RRB- of cocaine , 13 kilograms -LRB- 29 pounds -RRB- of heroin and more than 8 tons -LRB- 7,200 kilograms -RRB- of marijuana . | In past two days , Project Coronado resulted in arrests in 15 states . Officials : 4-year operation produced nearly 1,200 arrests , 11.7 tons of drugs seized . AG says operation targeted La Familia , a top Mexican drug trafficking group . Law enforcement official : Crackdown will affect methamphetamine market in U.S. | [[381, 397], [406, 461], [0, 26], [65, 122], [128, 187], [101, 122], [136, 216], [2521, 2528], [2531, 2587], [462, 570], [525, 592], [2021, 2080], [2116, 2244]] |
GREENVILLE , South Carolina -- Some are girlish 22-year-olds ; others are women approaching 40 . They come from South Carolina 's rural counties and its booming cities . They are loud and muted , lively and vacant , hopeful and desperate . A pregnant Ashley Hendrix sought treatment at Serenity Place for her painkiller addiction . As different as they are , they share a connection to two powerful forces : their addictions and their babies . They are swallowed by the same shameful past . They do n't know if they can be good mothers . They do n't know if they can be clean mothers . They 're here at a state-run drug-treatment program to learn how to do both . On this summer day , Ashley Hendrix , 24 , is eight months pregnant with her first child and one of 16 women at the Phoenix Center 's Serenity Place . This is her last shot to get clean -- or face jail . South Carolina 's state supreme court is alone in upholding the prosecution of pregnant women for the damage drugs might do to their unborn children . Across the country , local and state agencies have found ways to prosecute pregnant women for drug use , but the cases are often rejected by the courts . And judges in more than two dozen states have overturned decisions that criminalize pregnant addicts . In recent years , Missouri and North Dakota have ruled against charging pregnant women with neglect and endangerment . Illegal substances -- marijuana , methamphetamine , cocaine and prescription drugs -- consumed Hendrix for more than a decade . `` To this day , I still cry about it , '' she said , `` that if anything does come out wrong with my baby , I know that my drug use is the reason why . Since 1989 , at least 126 women in South Carolina have been arrested during their pregnancies , according to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women . Most were charged with drug and alcohol use that posed harm to the fetus the woman was carrying . During the same period , only about 80 pregnant women were arrested on similar charges in all other states combined . `` Word on the street '' in South Carolina , says Stephen Donaldson , program manager of a drug-treatment facility in Charleston County , `` is if you use during pregnancy , you 're being prosecuted or you 're losing your baby . '' Over the last 15 years , that message has driven many women to Serenity Place , a residential treatment center designed for pregnant women and new mothers . Here , the ultimate goal is to help the women recover from their addiction but Serenity also strives to give the women the confidence to become better mothers . They want the women to know there are second chances , and there is hope . `` I 'm grateful everyday for being here and I 'm grateful to have my baby with me , '' says a freckled Kim Clark , 28 , who gave birth to her son Jaelyn at the center . `` I 've been using drugs since I was 11 years old . I did n't know any other life . And I 've learned a lot about myself . I 've been taught things here . '' She graduated in August , has her own apartment now and works to support herself and her son . Some women arrive here voluntarily . Others were sent by the state 's Department of Social Services . Others made a plea bargain with the courts , allowing them one last chance at treatment to avoid prison . `` My biggest fear was the -LSB- health of the -RSB- baby , but right behind that was that ` I 'm going to go to jail ' , '' says Sandria Doremus , one of Hendrix ' classmates at Serenity . Afraid of being turned in for her opiate addiction , she delayed getting prenatal care . `` I should have gone in a lot sooner , '' she admits . Doremus , 37 , arrived at Serenity after a hospital reported her drug use to law enforcement officials , as required by law . She has sandy blond hair and warm blue eyes that open up her leathered face . She cuddled her 8-month-old son , Matthew , when CNN visited the center in July . Born with heroin in his system , Matthew was placed on methadone . Today , he is healthy , but studies show drug-exposed babies can face developmental delays and learning disabilities in later years . Watch the women of Serenity Place share their story '' In 1997 , the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that a fetus in the third trimester was viable and charges of child abuse , neglect and murder could apply to the mother . Some treatment providers and advocacy experts say this ruling opened the door for prosecutors to charge pregnant women . `` These are addicts who become pregnant , '' says Lynn Paltrow , executive director of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women . `` They are n't women who chose to use drugs after becoming pregnant . '' ` If I did n't have pills , I felt like I had nothing ' Hendrix 's drug addiction started long before her pregnancy . She was born into a world of drugs . She says her mother was an addict , her father a violent alcoholic who once held a shotgun to her grandmother 's head . Hendrix 's grandparents rescued her at age 3 by taking her into their home in rural Union , South Carolina . She has fond memories of her grandfather , but one morning , shortly after her 12th birthday , Hendrix watched her 54-year-old grandfather die from a heart attack . The innocent girl started experimenting with drugs , partly because she could n't cope with her feelings , she says , but mostly to fit in . By the time she turned 18 , marijuana use gave way to cocaine and methamphetamine . Then she discovered prescription painkillers : Lower tabs . OxyContin . Percocet . `` It was n't even about being high anymore . It was just being able to cope with everyday life , '' Hendrix says . `` If I did n't have the pills , I felt like I had nothing . '' Hendrix could no longer leave bed without the painkillers . Her routine consisted of melting OxyContin pills with water , placing the mixture into a syringe and shooting up , even during her pregnancy . By April of this year , she was six months pregnant and on probation for stealing jewelry to feed her drug habit . She took herself to Serenity Place . Tucked alongside empty factories in a once-thriving textile district , the center looks more like a college dormitory inside than a sterile treatment center . Homemade posters , photo collages and cards congratulating the women for giving birth are strewn along the hallways . There is a communal kitchen and colorful playgrounds . Research shows women who remain with their children during treatment have better chances of defeating their addictions . But a national study in 2005 found that only 3 percent of treatment centers had programs tailored specifically to pregnant women . About 14 percent of treatment centers accepted pregnant or postpartum women . The women at Serenity Place follow a rigid schedule that includes therapy , parenting classes and chores . They are n't allowed phone calls or the freedom to surf the Internet without permission . Security cameras guard all exits . The structure can be particularly hard for addicts who grew up in dysfunctional households with few rules . Women spend on average six months in treatment . If a woman violates the rules , she can be removed from the program . On some occasions , women have walked out of the center , leaving their newborns behind . Why prosecute ? Why should addicted women be given a chance at motherhood ? What about the welfare of the children ? These are the questions asked by South Carolina prosecutors , known as solicitors general . Several solicitors general contacted by CNN declined to comment on how many such cases they have prosecuted , but they say that charging pregnant women has become less common in the state . Bob Ariail , solicitor of Greenville , says his district 's policy is a far cry from the 1990s , when then-South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon , an anti-abortion advocate , publicly declared he would aggressively crack down on pregnant mothers accused of substance abuse . Condon often referred to a fetus as his `` fellow South Carolinian . '' Despite several phone calls by CNN , Condon , who is now a private lawyer in South Carolina , could not be reached for comment . In his two decades as a Democratic state representative , Joe Neal of Columbia , South Carolina , has pushed for more drug treatment funding , an effort he says has little chance in these tough economic times . `` Drug treatment ? '' says Neal . `` South Carolina 's response to addiction has been incarceration not treatment . '' But Wanda McMichael , manager of women 's services at Serenity Place , knows treatment can be beneficial . She guides women like Hendrix and the others through that process . Some who graduated from the program when it began in 1993 still remain clean . `` What 's the other alternative if they do n't come here ? '' says McMichael . `` It 's prison . That costs more than treatment , but a lot of people do n't know that . If these women do n't get this treatment , they are going to die . '' A healthy baby , a new hope . Most of the women at Serenity Place say they were little girls the first time they used drugs , some as young as 8 . Many could not recall what sobriety felt like until they came to the center . Hendrix says her own mother was 15 when she gave birth to her and then abandoned her . `` She was real pretty . Blond hair , pale skin like me , '' Hendrix says . `` I have her nose and lips . She just did n't respect herself . '' Hendrix does n't want to be like her mother . Her son , who was born July 24 , is healthy . In August , Hendrix left Serenity for an intensive outpatient treatment program , and she and her baby live with her grandmother in Union . Of the 16 women enrolled in Serenity in July , half have graduated , program directors say . Six continue receiving treatment and two have left the center . Three women are on a waiting list to get in , including one who is pregnant . Hendrix hopes to get her GED and enroll in the University of South Carolina to study psychology next year . `` I am happy today , '' she says , `` and that 's something I have n't felt in a long time . `` My grandmother . My baby . They make me happy . But you know , it 's not about them , jail or none of that anymore . That all changed . I am doing this for me . '' | Serenity Place in South Carolina caters treatment programs to pregnant addicts . South Carolina has been known to prosecute women in their third trimester . A pregnant Ashley Hendrix sought treatment earlier this year for her addiction . `` If these women do n't get this treatment , they are going to die , '' a counselor says . | [[2357, 2433], [240, 331], [8963, 8986]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities are seeking the public 's assistance in identifying a teenage girl who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago , claiming to have no memory of her family , her home -- or even her own name . The teen has recalled an excerpt from the fantasy novel `` Fool 's Fate '' by Robin Hobb . `` I just want to know who I am , '' the girl says in a statement released by the New York City Administration for Children 's Services . The teen , who is being referred to as Jane Doe , continues , `` I want to know who I am and what happened to me . '' The Caucasian young woman , described by New York ACS as `` very soft-spoken , '' is 5 feet , 6 inches tall , light-skinned , with short , straight , cropped blond hair and blue eyes . Doctors are estimating her age to be between 14 and 17 . ACS Commissioner John B. Mattingly appealed to the public in a statement , `` asking anyone who may know this young woman to help us locate her family as quickly as possible , so we can safely reunite her with those who love her . '' The girl was found in midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter , although the organization tells CNN that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility . According to its Web site , with nearly 7,000 youths seeking shelter per year , `` Covenant House New York is the nation 's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless , runaway and at-risk youth . '' A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking around on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her . Finding her unresponsive , he called the New York City Police Department . Police officers interviewed the young woman , but it became clear that she could n't provide authorities with any information about herself . The NYPD said she was wearing military green camouflage pants , a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered . Children 's Services said the girl recently wrote down the name `` Amber '' and has responded to it on one occasion , but she has no idea whether it is her true name . On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words , which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel `` Fool 's Fate '' by Robin Hobb . The girl is also apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian , `` who 's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom , '' says the young woman . The girl has a 2 - to 4-inch scar on her lower left back and had a black , handwritten birthday message on her arm , addressed to a name of Japanese origin , when she was found , police said Friday . Judging from poor dental hygiene , said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman , she appears to have been living on the streets for some time . `` This case has been going on since October 9 , '' Zimmerman said . `` Today is the 23rd , and we 're vey concerned . It 's been a very long time now . That 's a long time frame to not identify somebody . Especially someone who we believe is a juvenile . Usually juveniles we get a lot of inquiries about . '' While the girl is confused and her story remains vague , Mattingly said , `` she is safe with us , and we are doing all we can to help her , but she needs to find her family . '' She is apparently reviewing materials for a high school GED exam , saying that she is able to do the math but has no recollection of studying the history and science portions . However , according to the Children 's Services statement , the young woman `` can easily retain the information . '' New York City Administration for Children 's Services and police are asking anyone with information about the young woman or her family to contact the NYPD Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS . | `` I just want to know who I am , '' girl says , according to children 's services agency . She 's described as 5 ' , 6 '' tall , `` very soft-spoken '' ; doctors say she 's 14 to 17 years old . Girl was found in midtown Manhattan early October 9 outside youth shelter . Agency says girl recently wrote down the name `` Amber '' and has responded to it . | [[335, 363], [470, 517], [520, 529], [533, 584], [588, 613], [616, 664], [667, 772], [773, 829], [796, 829], [1064, 1172], [1999, 2114]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 30 people died and 70 were wounded in shelling on a marketplace in the Somali capital of Mogadishu Thursday , according to journalists and emergency services . Members of Islamist militia Al-Shaabab patrol Bakara Market in Mogadishu , Somalia , earlier this month . A local journalist called the rocket fire on Bakara market `` unprecedented . '' `` This was the most brutal shelling , '' according to an ambulance service representative who said they had picked up 61 wounded , but expect the number to climb . Other victims were being brought to hospitals by family and friends . The source of the shelling could not immediately be determined . Journalists saw shell fire coming from AMISOM -- the African Union Mission in Somalia -- strongholds in a fortified district of the capital and from near the airport . AMISOM is the only force in the area believed to have the firepower capable of such an intense attack . However , AMISOM denied any involvement in the incident . The African Union has a 3,400-member peacekeeping force in Somalia , made up of troops from Burundi and Uganda . It operates under a U.N. mandate to support Somalia 's transitional federal government . The peacekeeping force is charged with protecting key government and strategic installations in Mogadishu , including the port , airport and presidential palace . It is the de facto military force of the weak , transitional Somali government . African Union forces have been battling an al Qaeda-linked Islamist militia in Somalia called Al-Shaabab . The United States is supporting the Somali government 's fight against the insurgents , including providing weapons to government forces . Al-Shaabab is on the U.S. list of terror organizations because of its ties to Osama bin Laden 's al Qaeda network . The United States is concerned that Somalia 's weak government could fall to the Islamist insurgency , as it did in 2006 before Ethiopian forces ousted the militants from power in early 2007 . Ethiopia invaded Somalia with the support of Somalia 's weak transitional government . Journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report . | 30 people killed after shelling in Somali capital Mogadishu according to reports . Journalists report shell fire coming from African Union Mission in Somalia stronghold . Military force AMISOM has denied any involvement in the incident . | [[0, 15], [28, 42], [675, 720], [957, 1004]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Vatican said Tuesday it has worked out a way for groups of Anglicans who are dissatisfied with their faith to join the Catholic Church . The Vatican says more Anglicans have expressed an interest in joining the Catholic Church . The process will enable groups of Anglicans to become Catholic and recognize the pope as their leader , yet have parishes that retain Anglican rites , Vatican officials said . The move comes some 450 years after King Henry VIII broke from Rome and created the Church of England , forerunner of the Anglican Communion . The parishes would be led by former Anglican clergy -- including those who are married -- who would be ordained as Catholic priests , said the Rev. James Massa , ecumenical director of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops . `` This sets up a process for whole groups of Anglicans -- clergy and laity -- to enter in to the Catholic Church while retaining their forms of worship and other Anglican traditions , '' Massa said . The number of Anglicans wishing to join the Catholic Church has increased in recent years as the Anglican Church has welcomed the ordination of women and openly gay clergy and blessed homosexual partnerships , said Cardinal William Joseph Levada , the head of the Vatican 's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith . Their talks with the Vatican recently began speeding up , Vatican officials said , leading to Tuesday 's announcement . `` The Catholic Church is responding to the many requests that have been submitted to the Holy See from groups of Anglican clergy and faithful in different parts of the world who wish to enter into full visible communion , '' Levada said . Levada said `` hundreds '' of Anglicans around the world have expressed their desire to join the Catholic Church . Among them are 50 Anglican bishops , said Archbishop Joseph Augustine Di Noia of the Congregation for Divine Worship . While married Anglican priests may be ordained as Catholic priests , the same does not apply to married Anglican bishops , Levada said . `` We 've been praying for this unity for 40 years and we 've not anticipated it happening now , '' Di Noia said . `` The Holy Spirit is at work here . '' One interested group is the Traditional Anglican Communion , an association of churches that is separate from the Anglican Communion and has hundreds of thousands of members worldwide . The TAC in 2007 petitioned the Vatican for unity with the Catholic Church with the stipulation that the group retain its Anglican rites . The TAC 's primate , Archbishop John Hepworth of Australia , said in a statement Tuesday that the Vatican 's announcement `` more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition two years ago . '' That is because the Vatican 's move involves not only the TAC but other Anglican groups that want to unite with the Catholic Church , said the Right Rev. Daren K. Williams , bishop ordinary of the western diocese of the Anglican Church of America , which is part of the TAC . The Vatican has yet to release all details of the offer , and the TAC 's leaders will meet and discuss how to respond when it does , Williams said . But Williams said he believes much of TAC will respond favorably . Williams , who also is rector of All Saints Anglican Church in Fountain Valley , California , said his parishioners have generally been `` very warmly receiving '' Tuesday 's announcement . `` It is encouraging for them to know their worship experience would n't be turned upside down by the Roman Catholic Church , '' Williams said . `` The person in the pew should see very little difference in the way we pray . We might be asked to pray aloud for any pope who happens to be in office , in addition to praying for our primate . `` Really , there 'd be very little other difference . '' The parishes retaining the Anglican rites would answer not to Catholic bishops but to regional or nationwide `` personal ordinariates '' who would report to the pope , Massa said . Those officials often will be former Anglican clergy , Vatican officials said . The Church of England said the move ends a `` period of uncertainty '' for Anglican groups who wanted more unity with the Catholic Church . Both groups have a `` substantial overlap in faith , doctrine and spirituality '' and will continue to hold official dialogues , the archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster said in a joint statement . `` Those Anglicans who have approached the Holy See have made clear their desire for full , visible unity in the one , holy , catholic and apostolic church , '' Levada said . `` At the same time , they have told us of the importance of their Anglican traditions of spirituality and worship for their faith journey . '' Preserving Anglican traditions , such as mass rites , adds to the diversity of the Catholic Church , he said . `` The unity of the church does not require a uniformity that ignores cultural diversity , as the history of Christianity shows , '' he said . `` Moreover , the many diverse traditions present in the Catholic Church today are all rooted in the principle articulated by St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians : ` There is one Lord , one faith , one baptism . ' '' CNN 's Hada Messia and Jason Hanna contributed to this report . | Vatican opens door to disillusioned Anglicans wanting to join Catholic Church . Married priests and bishops to be allowed to `` enter into full visible communion '' Vatican says `` hundreds '' of Anglicans have expressed interest in joining . Anglicans can retain their rites while recognizing the pope as their leader . | [[4445, 4463], [4488, 4600], [173, 264], [185, 264], [1021, 1133], [1701, 1785], [1714, 1815], [265, 276], [332, 366], [879, 895], [899, 1002], [2413, 2550], [2513, 2550]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pier Silvio Berlusconi , Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi 's eldest son and a top official in his media empire , says his father was `` always there for me . '' Pier Silvio Berlusconi , vice president of the Mediaset group , in Cologno Monzese , Italy in March , 2009 . Berlusconi , 40 , is vice chairman of Mediaset SpA , the Italian commercial television network founded by his father and now owned by the Berlusconi family through the holding company , Fininvest . He 's held several positions at the company since joining in 1992 , at the age of 23 , following a serious motorcycle accident . He started in the marketing department of Publitalia , the company 's advertising group . Four years later , he was appointed director of scheduling and program coordination for Mediaset 's three channels . In an interview with CNN 's Hada Messia , the younger Berlusconi says his father , Italy 's longest-serving prime minister , was `` always a very present father '' even though there were periods he saw him more and times he saw him less . Watch more on the private life of Silvio Berlusconi '' `` He was always a busy man , '' Pier Silvio Berlusconi says of his 73-year-old father , who besides being the Italian head of government , is also a billionaire media entrepreneur , real estate and insurance tycoon , bank proprietor , sports team owner and song-writer . `` I never felt like something , or even more the father figure , was missing , '' he said . The younger Berlusconi , the prime minister 's second child , says he grew up in a `` totally normal family ... at least until my father began to go into work in politics . It was a normal family , a healthy family . '' Asked what makes a normal Italian family , the younger Berlusconi replied : `` A normal Italian family is where certain values are always very present . Some of these values are connected to being a family . Being closer to each other and respecting certain traditions , being there for one another . '' Pier Silvio and Marina Berlusconi , the prime minister 's oldest child and also a top official in his media empire , the billionaire entrepreneur 's children with first wife , Carla Elvira Dall ` Oglio . The couple divorced in 1985 and Berlusconi went on to marry actress Veronica Lario , with whom he had three more children . In May of this year , Lario announced she was filing for divorce after the Italian press reported the prime minister attended the birthday party of an 18-year-old Neapolitan model . Asked what he learned from his father , Pier Silvio Berlusconi said that as a young boy , his father taught him normal father-son things like `` how to swim '' and play tennis . The most important thing he taught him in life though , he told CNN , was `` respect for other people . I am impressed by how much respect he always has for the other person . '' The younger Berlusconi said he got into his father 's business by accident in 1992 after suffering a terrible motorbike accident . `` I had a very bad motorbike accident when I was 20 years old , '' Pier Silvio Berlusconi told CNN . `` I could n't walk for one year . After that , I decided I wanted to do something more than just being in college . '' He then joined Mediaset , which was not listed on the stock market at the time . Berlusconi says when his father decided to go into politics in 1994 -- something the elder Berlusconi says he did to stop the advance of the Left in Italy -- `` he totally disappeared . '' `` In Mediaset , in our company , he was very very present and operative before and he stopped being here . He stopped existing basically , '' Berlusconi said . `` From there on , my job was a continuous revolution and I started looking into things I never thought I would have . In three or four years , I found myself completely into the veins of the company and having important responsibility . '' He said his father `` never even knew exactly what I was doing or what my work was . I know this can sound strange , but it is the way things went . '' Pier Silvio Berlusconi says he has no plans to follow his father into the political arena , however , saying politics is not something you can learn . `` You have it or you do n't have it , '' he said . Asked to describe his flamboyant father in a few words , Pier Silvio Berlusconi replied : `` Positive energy . '' `` He 's like a battery , '' he said , `` full of energy always , always positive , towards people , towards things he has to do , towards problems which he always tries to do everything he can to resolve . '' `` He is really unique in as far as how much passion and devotion he puts into what he does , '' his son told CNN . `` He did a lot as a businessman and now as a politician . '' Asked about the passion his dad feels for his sports team , Italian soccer team AC Milan , Pier Silvio Berlusconi said : `` When my father went into Milan , the passion became a really big passion . '' `` We had many many happy times connected to Milan , '' Pier Silvio Berlusconi said , `` so it is not only a passion that has to do with a sport . `` For me , it is part of my family and what my father has done . '' CNN 's Hada Messia contributed to this story . | Berlusconi 's eldest son says he grew up in a `` totally normal family '' Says the most important thing father taught him was respect for others . Describes his dad as like `` a battery , '' always moving forward , always positive . Says father disappeared from media empire after going into politics in 1994 . | [[1507, 1529], [1569, 1627], [1680, 1702], [2775, 2777], [2789, 2822], [2845, 2894], [1172, 1228], [4335, 4365], [4368, 4388], [4418, 4428], [4431, 4507], [1634, 1679], [3353, 3399]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A train collision in northern India killed at least 13 people early Wednesday . Indian Railway Protection Force personnel look at a damaged carriage after the collision Wednesday . The death toll remained uncertain . Railway officials said 13 people were killed and 15 injured in the crash . But the top administrative official of Mathura , where the collision occurred , put the number of dead at 21 , with about as many injured . The Goa Express slammed into the stationary Mewar Express apparently because the driver overshot a signal to stop , said Anant Swaroop , spokesman for India 's northern railway . Indian Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered an inquiry into the crash , according to CNN 's sister station in India , CNN-IBN . The Goa Express , bound for New Delhi from the western coastal state of Goa , was running on the same track as the Mewar , which shuttles between New Delhi and Udaipur , in western Rajasthan state . Both trains have stops in Mathura , about 90 miles south of New Delhi . Rescuers had to cut trapped passengers from a wrecked car of the Mewar Express . The car had a special compartment for women , disabled passengers , cargo and train guards , said Aditya Verma , a senior police official in Mathura . Bannerjee said victims ' relatives would receive compensation of about $ 10,000 , according to CNN-IBN . Several other trains that go through the Mathura station had to be diverted . Trains are the most widely used mode of transportation for national travel in India . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh in New Delhi contributed to this report . | NEW : Railway officials say 13 people killed , 15 injured after trains collided . NEW : Mathura official , where the collision occurred , put the number of dead at 21 . Goa Express , apparently on the same track , hit Mewar about 5:30 a.m. Railway spokesman : Trains collided apparently because driver overshot stop signal . | [[0, 33], [73, 116], [254, 328], [277, 302], [303, 328], [454, 468], [409, 437], [469, 526], [780, 795], [858, 900], [546, 582], [546, 565], [585, 603]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- Do n't confuse Katey Sagal for Peg Bundy -- it 's a common mistake . Katey Sagal says being a mother has been her greatest teacher -- for all her roles . While her infamous alter ego was uneducated , Katey is thoughtful and well-spoken ; Peg 's fashion is time-warped -LRB- hello , bouffant ! -RRB- , Katey 's is earthy ; for every ounce of laziness in Peg 's body , Katey has a multitasking one to match . It may have taken years for the actress to shake her TV counterpart , but watch Katey as fierce matriarch Gemma Morrow on FX 's motorcycle drama `` Sons of Anarchy '' -LRB- which was released on DVD Tuesday -RRB- , and you 'll start to wonder , `` Peg who ? '' Rachel Bertsche : You 're known for playing three very different mothers -- `` Married with Children 's '' Peg Bundy , Kate from `` 8 Simple Rules '' and now Gemma . Plus , you have three kids of your own , two teenagers and a 2 1/2 - year-old . Given all that on - and off-screen mothering experience , is there any universal quality that you would say all moms have ? Katey Sagal : Being a mother has been my greatest teacher and also the most self-sacrificing thing I 've ever done . I 've never loved anybody the way I love my children . It 's an experience I was surprised by . You have your boyfriend , your husband , your friends , but it 's a different thing . It 's deeper , and it 's a fantastic -- and risky -- commitment to love that deeply . I think the characters I 've played all have that quality , even Peg Bundy . She was devoted and loyal to her children in her own wacky way . But Gemma is intensely dedicated to her family and would do anything to protect her son and her extended family , which is the club . In my personal life , I do n't know that I would go to the lengths for my kids that Gemma does , but close . Bertsche : You were Peg Bundy before you were actually a mom . Once you had your first child , id having firsthand experience change the way you played her ? Sagal : Well , I 've always been a maternal type , but yes , everything was different once I had kids . Your whole perspective on the world changes -- I love how I was n't so self-obsessed anymore ! I ca n't say my characterizations of Peggy necessarily changed much . I just understood more what I was doing . Bertsche : You mentioned your husband , Kurt Sutter , who is also the creator of your show . What 's it like to mix family with business ? Sagal : Most of the time it 's super great . There are moments when it 's not , of course , but most of the time it 's nice because we actually get to see each other . His job is intense , so he does n't get a day like I have today where he can stay home from work . When I 'm there , we can sometimes have lunch together , stuff like that . The hard part gets to be like `` OK , maybe we should talk about something else . '' It becomes the constant topic of conversation , the show and the kids , and we have to make a conscious effort to say , `` Let 's not talk about it tonight . '' Bertsche : People used to say that women of `` a certain age '' -- over 40 -- could n't find any roles in Hollywood . That 's certainly not true anymore , especially on cable , and you might be playing one of the toughest women out there . Why do think that has changed ? Sagal : I do n't know why it 's changed , but I 'm really grateful it has . Maybe it has to do with the fact that we 're all living longer and suddenly it 's okay to get older . Maybe there 's a broader audience for these characters . The stories you can tell about older women are deeper . Plus , cable has opened up enormous possibilities . In feature films , you 're still lucky if you 're not the girlfriend or the wife . But I just read yesterday that Dianne Keaton is going to be on television now , she 's doing a series with HBO , so TV is where our stories are being told . Bertsche : Gemma 's a pretty controversial character . How do you feel about her ? Sagal : I really like her . I like that she 's flawed but she does n't think that she is . She 's survived a lot , and people like that tend to live in a lot of denial . She knows how to get through life in her way , and she does n't question it . It 's just , `` This is how it is . '' For instance , I do n't think Gemma 's ever been to therapy . She 's not that girl . What you see is what you get . Bertsche : What 's on tap for her this season ? Sagal : Something very dark happens . The club is going to go through some turmoil -- when you live an outlaw lifestyle , that 's the risk you take . As my husband says , this season is all about loyalties . Henry Rollins and Adam Arkin are on the show this year , and they ... well , I do n't want to say too much , but they 're not really good guys . Bertsche : I promised a co-worker I 'd ask you about `` Lost . '' She 's dying to know if your character , Helen , is really dead . Even though we saw the grave , she does n't believe it 's the full story . Got anything on that ? Sagal : I was just reading an article this morning at the gym about how they were going to bring back people who were dead on `` Lost , '' and they did n't mention me ! Nobody tells me anything . I 'm always thinking that Helen should come back and show up on the island , but as of today , no one 's sent me a plane ticket to Hawaii . So I do n't think it 's going to happen , but I do n't know . They 're very close to the chest with all that stuff . Oprah.com : Get up close with all the hottest celebrities ! Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Katey Sagal 's series about cyclists , `` Sons of Anarchy , '' is out on DVD . Sagal says being a mother has given her insight into her major roles . She hears rumors about `` Lost , '' but nobody 's told her anything personally . | [[585, 604], [611, 644], [94, 178], [5170, 5196]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Oscar-winning songwriter was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting women whom he would fly in to New York under the impression they were auditioning for movie roles , the Manhattan District Attorney 's Office said Tuesday . Songwriter Joe Brooks is best known for writing `` You Light Up My Life '' and directing the movie . Joseph Brooks , 71 , faces multiple charges including rape , criminal sexual act , sexual abuse , forcible touching , assault , grand larceny and criminal mischief . The charges involve 11 women , authorities said . Brooks won the Oscar for best original song for the 1977 song , `` You Light Up My Life . '' He also directed the movie , which is about a director who has a one-night stand with an actress . `` I 'm flabbergasted , '' said actress Melanie Mayron , who starred in `` You Light Up My Life . '' Mayron said she did not stay in contact with Brooks over the years but described him as a `` lovely man . '' In the indictment , Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau alleges that Brooks would fly women in from California , Florida and Oregon for private auditions . He would serve the women one or two glasses of wine , said Lisa Friel , assistant district attorney . The women described feelings that suggest a date-rape drug was used , she said , but added that toxicology results were unclear . Shawni Lucier , Brooks ' personal assistant , was also charged with criminal facilitation in connection with arranging some of the encounters . Brooks pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday . Bail was set at $ 500,000 bond or $ 250,000 cash . The suspect agreed to the terms and left the courthouse . He is set to return Thursday morning and meet the bail agreement , said Jeffery C. Hoffman , his lawyer . Hoffman said some of the women who made the accusations were trying out for a role in a screenplay Brooks wrote . None of the girls was chosen for the part and may feel `` upset about that fact , '' the lawyer said . Hoffman said he is looking forward to proving his client 's innocence . `` All I can say is , my client is anxious to clear his name of these false charges , '' he added . | `` You Light Up My Life '' songwriter Joseph Brooks indicted . Manhattan D.A. 's office charged Brooks with rape , sexual abuse , other counts . Brooks won Oscar for 1977 No. 1 song . | [[260, 360], [260, 281], [296, 360], [642, 666], [0, 24], [28, 108], [203, 259], [361, 374], [382, 526], [577, 638]] |
Dixon , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- William Heirens , the `` Lipstick Killer , '' is believed to be the longest-serving inmate in the United States . He turns 81 on November 15 . Diabetes has ravaged his body , but his mind is sharp . `` Bill 's never allowed himself to be institutionalized , '' said Dolores Kennedy , his long-time friend and advocate . `` He 's kept himself focused on the positives . '' The days are spent mostly watching television and reading magazines . Using a wheelchair and sharing a cell with a roommate in the health unit of Dixon Correctional Center , he still yearns for a chance at freedom . It is something he has not tasted since 1946 . Heirens has been locked behind bars and walls for 63 years , making inmate C06103 the longest-serving prisoner in Illinois history , state officials say . According to Steven Drizin , the legal director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University , Heirens `` has served longer than anyone in the U.S. that I can find . '' He was put away a year after the end of World War II . It is a dubious record , but fitting for the man dubbed the Lipstick Killer , whose crime spree remains among the most infamous in the history of Chicago , the city of Capone and Leopold and Loeb . The scar-faced gangster and the thrill-kill pair are long gone . Heirens , however , has not slipped into the past . He lives in the present and hopes for a future outside prison . Supporters have championed his cause , convinced that he is innocent , or arguing that he has been rehabilitated , a model inmate who has served his sentence . `` Pray for my release , '' he wrote in a letter dated October 11 . `` There is no reason to keep this man behind bars , '' said Drizin . `` He meets all the criteria for parole . '' While Drizin , who has represented Heirens since 2001 , and others passionately plead for his release and prepare to re-petition the state parole board that has consistently refused to free Heirens , others are convinced he is a manipulative murderer . `` He was the bogeyman , '' said Betty Finn of the man convicted of strangling her sister . `` I do n't think you need to feel sorry for him . He chose his life and he chose his actions . '' Josephine Ross was the first victim . The 43-year-old was found stabbed to death in her apartment . She was killed on June 5 , 1945 . In December , police discovered the body of Frances Brown in her bathroom . She was stabbed through the neck and shot in the head . The killer left a message on the wall . It said , `` for heavens sake catch me before I kill more I can not control myself . '' It was scrawled in red lipstick . The press seized on the detail . The headlines would soon scream of the Lipstick Killer . Four weeks later , an intruder used a ladder to enter the second-floor window of Suzanne Degnan 's bedroom . The killer approached the sleeping 6-year-old girl and abducted her . `` I was old enough to know everything that happened and remember the looks on my parents ' faces , '' Finn said of the crime against her younger sister . `` Can you imagine as a child to have this happen ? Can you imagine going to bed at night and all of a sudden your sister is not in her bed ? '' There would be a ransom note demanding $ 20,000 . But there would also be the horrific discovery of Suzanne 's severed head in a sewer . Other body parts were found within days . Chicago was gripped in fear . Scores of people were questioned , but the investigation dragged on for months without a break . One , however , came in June , when two police officers confronted a burglar near the Degnan home . The young thief was a 17-year-old student at the University of Chicago . His name was William Heirens , and police soon became convinced he was the killer . Drizin said Heirens was subjected to days of brutal interrogation . He also was beaten and given sodium pentothal to make him tell the truth , Drizin said . He underwent a spinal tap , another extreme measure to compel him to talk . Prosecutors said his handwriting matched that of the words scribbled in lipstick at the scene of the Brown killing . The FBI determined that a fingerprint lifted from the Degnan ransom note matched Heirens . That gave the state 's attorney two powerful pieces of evidence against Heirens . But a confession would seal his fate . On August 7 , 1946 , Heirens supplied it , describing how he killed Degnan , Brown and Ross . He pleaded guilty to three counts of murder . In exchange for the plea , Heirens was spared the death penalty and given three consecutive life sentences . Heirens has distinguished himself in prison . He was the first inmate in Illinois to receive a college degree . `` He helped redesign the library system in the department of corrections , '' said Drizin , who also commended Heirens for becoming a `` first-rate jailhouse lawyer . '' Drizin said Heirens has been eligible for parole nearly every year since the 1970s . The Center on Wrongful Convictions mounted a clemency campaign for Heirens on the grounds that he has served longer than required , and that the evidence used to convict him was unreliable . `` Smoke and mirrors '' was how Drizin described it . Kennedy , who wrote a book that attempts to prove Heirens is innocent , said a political component is keeping him in prison . `` It 's a very political case , '' she said . `` Authorities have made statements that he would never get out . I think the courts managed to look the other way and the -LSB- parole -RSB- board did n't want to take the heat . '' John Russick , senior curator for the Chicago History Museum , said the story of William Heirens is complicated . `` This is not a largely understood case , '' Russick said . `` People know the term Lipstick Killer , and that there was a sensational crime , but I do n't think it 's talked about in detail . '' He added , `` I feel like it defies logic , and that 's what 's troubling about it . When you look closely at the nature of these kinds -LSB- of confessions -RSB- and when you know how these confessions were acquired , there 's enough there to -- at the very least -- to make you feel very unsure . '' Frank Czagany , who met Heirens when both were working in the machine shop at U.S. Steel in 1944 , remembers his friend as being `` very quiet , not wild . '' `` He would n't say crap if he had a mouthful of it , '' Czagany said . Finn calls the efforts supporting Heirens misguided . `` I 'm not a vindictive person , I 'm not doing this out of anger . It 's fear , '' she said . `` There is no evidence that says he 's the least bit innocent . How can every single court be wrong ? '' Finn , who attended Heirens ' most recent parole hearing , in July , said he is not innocent by any stretch of the imagination . `` Keep him locked in jail , '' she said . Kennedy said she and others are looking for a suitable placement in a nursing home for Heirens . She said she believes there is some indication that if an acceptable facility is located , he may have a chance to spend his final days a free man . `` He looks for any glimmer of hope , '' said Kennedy . `` He still wants to be out . '' Drizin said that time has come . `` This is a case where I have serious doubts about his guilt , '' he said . `` But it 's a case where there is no question in my mind that the circus-like atmosphere that pervaded his arrest and his prosecution resulted in a trial proceeding for Bill and a guilty plea that was fundamentally unfair . '' `` They probably have good hearts and are dedicated , '' Finn said of Heirens ' believers . `` He is not innocent by any stretch , no matter how they twist it . '' | William Heirens may be the longest-serving prison innate in the United States . He has been behind bars for 63 years . At 81 , Heirens is diabetic and uses a wheelchair . He says his 1946 confession to the `` Lipstick Murders '' was coerced . | [[79, 81], [94, 149], [939, 993], [671, 729]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- I once told my mother about a girl I had a crush on . At the time , I think I was about 16 , and I had so much acne that if I fell asleep at a library , when I woke up , a blind guy would be trying to read my face . `` Just go for her , '' my mother said . `` It 's not that simple , '' I said , while filling out my order form for 25 crates of Noxzema . `` She 's got a boyfriend . '' `` Well , do n't do anything differently . Act like she does n't . That 's how I got your father . '' She then walked out of the room , leaving my pasty teenage complexion an extra shade of white as I actually contemplated my mother dating . I 've since related this story as an example of how hitting on someone with a significant other is n't always a terrible thing . Hey , if they 're not married or serious , go for it . However , if you 're considering trying to get a guy who has a girlfriend , there are a few things you should know . The Frisky : The Top 5 online dating do 's and do n'ts for guys . First , I 'll admit guys will hit on anything . I once observed one of my friends hitting on a street sign . Granted , he was drunk , but it did not matter to him that he was hitting on an inanimate object , or that the street sign was a little out of his league . Men do have standards , but when they 're single , they 'll hit on a woman with a boyfriend . They 'll hit on nuns . Very occasionally , they 'll hit on nuns with boyfriends . I 'm not going to defame my own kind , but women can be better at subtlety , and you should use this to your advantage . The Frisky : Is cheating worse when you 're married ? I 'm a big anti-cheating guy , so if a woman hit on me while I had a girlfriend , I 'd be flattered . If she offered to go home with me or tried to kiss me or something like that , milk would shoot out of my nose and I 'd run for the hills . -LRB- I have an odd fight-or-flight mechanism . -RRB- Subtlety is your friend . We 'll pick up on the signals . If a guy is interested , wait for him to honorably break up with his girlfriend before the two of you start dating . Frankly , this is just good manners . The Frisky : To tell or not to tell on a cheater ? It should go without saying that it 's bad form to hit on a guy while his girlfriend is actually there , or even if she 's in the same town . Men have a well-honed sense of panic that kicks in when someone 's hitting on them while their girlfriends are in the same ZIP code . We know that women can read us , so unless you 're hitting on a really shady guy , you 'll scare him off as he runs home to call his girl and tell the story of the Evil Homewrecking Woman . The Frisky : Can couples get past infidelity ? One last thing : If you do snag a guy away from his girlfriend , be wary . The good news is that , despite the popular perception , most of us men tend to be loyal once we 're in a committed relationship . But know that if it happened once , it can happen again . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Writer : Some guys will hit on anything -- even inanimate objects . Writer : Hitting on a man when his girlfriend is nearby could make you `` Evil Homewrecking Woman '' If you snag him away from someone , be wary : It could happen again , writer says . | [[1029, 1068], [654, 749], [1674, 1716], [2197, 2199], [2218, 2338], [2710, 2724], [2775, 2784], [2920, 2973]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Kenny Ortega , Travis Payne and Michael Bearden , `` It '' is a bittersweet feeling . The three men expected to be spending their time this summer and fall working on Michael Jackson 's concert engagement at London 's O2 Arena , which was scheduled to begin in July . Instead , they are talking about Jackson 's last days and the new movie about that time , `` This Is It . '' In an interview , they described `` This Is It , '' the movie that they 've made from rehearsal and backstage footage of Jackson , shot just before he died June 25 . The film , which has been dominating advance ticket sale outlets , opens wide on Wednesday . The full movie was n't screened for critics , with only 12 minutes of footage available to the media before the interviews . But as director Ortega describes it , the film tries to blend backstage footage with the performance to give an inside glimpse of those last days at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California . The scenes show the superstar working on his dance moves , figuring out choreography , practicing on stage and running the show . From the clips , there 's no question that Jackson was in charge . His physicality is vibrant : At one point , he dances with a troupe of top-notch hoofers and keeps up with all of them . There 's no indication of the infirmities that would ultimately take his life . All three men -- Payne was the show 's choreographer and Bearden its music supervisor -- stressed how they wanted this movie to represent the Jackson they knew . `` It was an honor project , '' Bearden said . According to Ortega , the film is for the fans . He said he was inundated with e-mails from fans wanting to know just what Jackson had planned for the concerts he would never give . Above all , they said they were concerned about Jackson 's three children . They said that they wanted to make a film that his kids -- Prince Michael , Paris and `` Blanket '' -- would be able to see in years to come that would make them proud of their father . Though the men acknowledged a heavy responsibility , there were light moments during the interviews . Payne and Bearden both smiled as they talked about working for the King of Pop and how he 'd try to tell people what he wanted . `` I know you mean well , but ... , '' Jackson would say as he corrected colleagues , they recalled . But all of them talked about he emotional toll that making this film has taken on them . There were `` a lot of tissue moments on this film , '' Bearden said . Watch a former Jackson guitarist reflect on his career . Ortega added that he did n't know whether he could handle the emotional stress involved in making this movie so quickly . Ultimately , according to Ortega , the movie proved to be cathartic . `` I thought I 'd collapse , '' Ortega said . `` I thought I 'll never get through it , it 's too hard , it 's too soon , but in fact it was healing and helpful . '' He hopes Jackson 's fans will feel the same way . | `` This Is It , '' Michael Jackson concert film , is dominating advance ticket sales . Film was tough to make , musician 's colleagues say . Production was for the fans but especially for Jackson 's children . `` American Morning '' looks at the value of Michael Jackson 's estate Monday 6 a.m. ET . | [[575, 641], [575, 639], [642, 667], [1620, 1646], [1792, 1855]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities have identified a teenager believed to be suffering from amnesia who was found on the streets of New York two weeks ago . Police say a CNN viewer in Maryland identified the young woman , who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago , claiming to have no memory of her family , her home or even her own name . The 18 year old whose name is not yet being released , is in the process of being reunited with her family . They are from Washington state and are on their way to New York , New York Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said on Saturday . A photo of the woman , who has been referred to as Jane Doe , was circulated by police and aired on CNN this week . The viewer in Maryland was familiar with her situation and knew she had been missing from her family earlier this month . The girl was found in Midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter , although the organization said that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility . `` I just want to know who I am , '' the girl said in a statement from the New York City Administration for Children 's Services . `` I want to know who I am and what happened to me . '' According to its Web site , `` Covenant House New York is the nation 's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless , runaway and at-risk youth . '' Nearly 7,000 youths reportedly seek shelter there per year . A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her . Finding her unresponsive , he called the New York City Police Department . Police officers interviewed the young woman , but it became clear that she could n't provide authorities with any information about herself . The police said she was wearing military green camouflage pants , a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered . The children 's services agency said the girl recently wrote down the name `` Amber '' and has responded to it on one occasion , but she has no idea whether it is her true name . On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words , which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel `` Fool 's Fate '' by Robin Hobb . The girl also is apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian , `` who 's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom , '' the young woman said . Judging from her poor dental hygiene , said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman , she appeared to have been living on the streets for some time . Evan Buxbaum , Susan Candiotti and Vanessa Juarez contributed to the report . | NEW : New York Police say the 18-year-old is being reunited with family in Washington state . NEW : CNN viewer in Maryland identified the young woman , police say . She was found October 9 outside Manhattan youth shelter . Agency says girl wrote down `` Amber '' and responded to name . | [[358, 373], [413, 466], [162, 197], [173, 357], [838, 946], [1959, 2085]] |
Greenville , South Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some are girlish 22-year-olds ; others are women approaching 40 . They come from South Carolina 's rural counties and its booming cities . They are loud and muted , lively and vacant , hopeful and desperate . As different as they are , they share a connection to two powerful forces : their addictions and their babies . They are swallowed by the same shameful past . They do n't know if they can be good mothers . They do n't know if they can be clean mothers . They 're here at a state-run drug-treatment program to learn how to do both . On this summer day , Ashley Hendrix , 24 , is eight months pregnant with her first child and one of 16 women at the Phoenix Center 's Serenity Place . This is her last shot to get clean -- or face jail . South Carolina 's state supreme court is alone in upholding the prosecution of pregnant women for the damage drugs might do to their unborn children . Across the country , local and state agencies have found ways to prosecute pregnant women for drug use , but the cases are often rejected by the courts . And judges in more than two dozen states have overturned decisions that criminalize pregnant addicts . In recent years , Missouri and North Dakota have ruled against charging pregnant women with neglect and endangerment . Illegal substances -- marijuana , methamphetamine , cocaine and prescription drugs -- consumed Hendrix for more than a decade . `` To this day , I still cry about it , '' she said , `` that if anything does come out wrong with my baby , I know that my drug use is the reason why . Since 1989 , at least 126 women in South Carolina have been arrested during their pregnancies , according to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women . Most were charged with drug and alcohol use that posed harm to the fetus the woman was carrying . During the same period , only about 80 pregnant women were arrested on similar charges in all other states combined . `` Word on the street '' in South Carolina , says Stephen Donaldson , program manager of a drug-treatment facility in Charleston County , `` is if you use during pregnancy , you 're being prosecuted or you 're losing your baby . '' Over the last 15 years , that message has driven many women to Serenity Place , a residential treatment center designed for pregnant women and new mothers . Here , the ultimate goal is to help the women recover from their addiction but Serenity also strives to give the women the confidence to become better mothers . They want the women to know there are second chances , and there is hope . `` I 'm grateful everyday for being here and I 'm grateful to have my baby with me , '' says a freckled Kim Clark , 28 , who gave birth to her son Jaelyn at the center . `` I 've been using drugs since I was 11 years old . I did n't know any other life . And I 've learned a lot about myself . I 've been taught things here . '' She graduated in August , has her own apartment now and works to support herself and her son . Some women arrive here voluntarily . Others were sent by the state 's Department of Social Services . Others made a plea bargain with the courts , allowing them one last chance at treatment to avoid prison . `` My biggest fear was the -LSB- health of the -RSB- baby , but right behind that was that ` I 'm going to go to jail ' , '' says Sandria Doremus , one of Hendrix ' classmates at Serenity . Afraid of being turned in for her opiate addiction , she delayed getting prenatal care . `` I should have gone in a lot sooner , '' she admits . Doremus , 37 , arrived at Serenity after a hospital reported her drug use to law enforcement officials , as required by law . She has sandy blond hair and warm blue eyes that open up her leathered face . She cuddled her 8-month-old son , Matthew , when CNN visited the center in July . Born with heroin in his system , Matthew was placed on methadone . Today , he is healthy , but studies show drug-exposed babies can face developmental delays and learning disabilities in later years . Watch the women of Serenity Place share their story '' In 1997 , the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that a fetus in the third trimester was viable and charges of child abuse , neglect and murder could apply to the mother . Some treatment providers and advocacy experts say this ruling opened the door for prosecutors to charge pregnant women . `` These are addicts who become pregnant , '' says Lynn Paltrow , executive director of the National Advocates for Pregnant Women . `` They are n't women who chose to use drugs after becoming pregnant . '' ` If I did n't have pills , I felt like I had nothing ' Hendrix 's drug addiction started long before her pregnancy . She was born into a world of drugs . She says her mother was an addict , her father a violent alcoholic who once held a shotgun to her grandmother 's head . Hendrix 's grandparents rescued her at age 3 by taking her into their home in rural Union , South Carolina . She has fond memories of her grandfather , but one morning , shortly after her 12th birthday , Hendrix watched her 54-year-old grandfather die from a heart attack . The innocent girl started experimenting with drugs , partly because she could n't cope with her feelings , she says , but mostly to fit in . By the time she turned 18 , marijuana use gave way to cocaine and methamphetamine . Then she discovered prescription painkillers : Lortab . OxyContin . Percocet . `` It was n't even about being high anymore . It was just being able to cope with everyday life , '' Hendrix says . `` If I did n't have the pills , I felt like I had nothing . '' Hendrix could no longer leave bed without the painkillers . Her routine consisted of melting OxyContin pills with water , placing the mixture into a syringe and shooting up , even during her pregnancy . By April of this year , she was six months pregnant and on probation for stealing jewelry to feed her drug habit . She took herself to Serenity Place . Tucked alongside empty factories in a once-thriving textile district , the center looks more like a college dormitory inside than a sterile treatment center . Homemade posters , photo collages and cards congratulating the women for giving birth are strewn along the hallways . There is a communal kitchen and colorful playgrounds . Research shows women who remain with their children during treatment have better chances of defeating their addictions . But a national study in 2005 found that only 3 percent of treatment centers had programs tailored specifically to pregnant women . About 14 percent of treatment centers accepted pregnant or postpartum women . The women at Serenity Place follow a rigid schedule that includes therapy , parenting classes and chores . They are n't allowed phone calls or the freedom to surf the Internet without permission . Security cameras guard all exits . The structure can be particularly hard for addicts who grew up in dysfunctional households with few rules . Women spend on average six months in treatment . If a woman violates the rules , she can be removed from the program . On some occasions , women have walked out of the center , leaving their newborns behind . Why prosecute ? Why should addicted women be given a chance at motherhood ? What about the welfare of the children ? These are the questions asked by South Carolina prosecutors , known as solicitors general . Several solicitors general contacted by CNN declined to comment on how many such cases they have prosecuted , but they say that charging pregnant women has become less common in the state . Bob Ariail , solicitor of Greenville , says his district 's policy is a far cry from the 1990s , when then-South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon , an anti-abortion advocate , publicly declared he would aggressively crack down on pregnant mothers accused of substance abuse . Condon often referred to a fetus as his `` fellow South Carolinian . '' Despite several phone calls by CNN , Condon , who is now a private lawyer in South Carolina , could not be reached for comment . In his two decades as a Democratic state representative , Joe Neal of Columbia , South Carolina , has pushed for more drug treatment funding , an effort he says has little chance in these tough economic times . `` Drug treatment ? '' says Neal . `` South Carolina 's response to addiction has been incarceration not treatment . '' But Wanda McMichael , manager of women 's services at Serenity Place , knows treatment can be beneficial . She guides women like Hendrix and the others through that process . Some who graduated from the program when it began in 1993 still remain clean . `` What 's the other alternative if they do n't come here ? '' says McMichael . `` It 's prison . That costs more than treatment , but a lot of people do n't know that . If these women do n't get this treatment , they are going to die . '' A healthy baby , a new hope . Most of the women at Serenity Place say they were little girls the first time they used drugs , some as young as 8 . Many could not recall what sobriety felt like until they came to the center . Hendrix says her own mother was 15 when she gave birth to her and then abandoned her . `` She was real pretty . Blond hair , pale skin like me , '' Hendrix says . `` I have her nose and lips . She just did n't respect herself . '' Hendrix does n't want to be like her mother . Her son , who was born July 24 , is healthy . In August , Hendrix left Serenity for an intensive outpatient treatment program , and she and her baby live with her grandmother in Union . Of the 16 women enrolled in Serenity in July , half have graduated , program directors say . Six continue receiving treatment and two have left the center . Three women are on a waiting list to get in , including one who is pregnant . Hendrix hopes to get her GED and enroll in the University of South Carolina to study psychology next year . `` I am happy today , '' she says , `` and that 's something I have n't felt in a long time . `` My grandmother . My baby . They make me happy . But you know , it 's not about them , jail or none of that anymore . That all changed . I am doing this for me . '' | Serenity Place in South Carolina caters treatment programs to pregnant addicts . South Carolina has been known to prosecute women in their third trimester . A pregnant Ashley Hendrix sought treatment earlier this year for her addiction . `` If these women do n't get this treatment , they are going to die , '' a counselor says . | [[2281, 2357], [8883, 8906]] |
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From the custom-made , hand-beaded white dress to silver-studded high-heeled shoes , diamond jewelry and tiara , Jenny Ferro is preparing for a day she 's dreamed about since she was 3 years old . `` I 'm really excited , '' says Jenny , eagerly nodding her head . `` Really , really , a lot ! '' She is n't getting married . The 15-year-old is preparing for her quinceañera , a coming-of-age ritual in Latin culture , marking a young girl 's entrance into womanhood . The centuries-old tradition began as a ceremony to introduce girls to society on their 15th birthday and signified that they were ready for marriage . Today , many quinceañeras have become much more elaborate . Jenny and her mother , Marlene Ferro , have worked out every detail of the party well in advance , from the rehearsal to the reception to the flower girl and the music . The theme of the party is bedazzled . First , there is the dress , which Marlene had designed specially for her daughter . It cost about $ 800 . Then there are the shoes , high-heeled and silver to match the dress . During the party , the high heels will be ceremoniously slipped onto her feet to replace her flat shoes -- a symbolic transition of her journey from childhood to womanhood . `` It makes her look like a princess , '' gushes Marlene Ferro . Quinceañeras are becoming increasingly popular in the United States . One reason for their popularity is a greater acceptance of Latin culture in America , according to Michele Salcedo , author of `` Quinceañera ! '' a comprehensive guide to the celebration . `` The 15th birthday , culturally , is a milestone . It does n't have to be celebrated with a party at all , but it is generally marked by something quite special , '' Salcedo says . Experts believe the quinceañera is rooted in Mayan , Aztec and European traditions . Today , many coming-of-age ceremonies resemble lavish `` Sweet 16 '' celebrations . Beyond the elaborate apparel , food and festivities , modern quinceañeras often feature a court of 15 people , typically consisting of family and friends . As the event continues to grow in popularity , the makeup of the court has also changed . `` It has gone beyond Latinos , so that a lot of Latino girls will have not only family members in court but they will reach out to non-Latino friends , '' says Salcedo . `` So it 's a way of reaching out and extending social ties and bringing people in who might not otherwise have an opportunity to know a Latino family and to know the culture . '' Family plays the largest role in the quinceañera , leading up to and during the party . Mothers , fathers , grandparents and godparents can spend years preparing a night to remember for the young girl . The tradition is just as important to the family as it is to the young woman . The large , extravagant celebrations often symbolize a family 's hard work and success . How has America changed Latinos ? Marlene Ferro , who emigrated from Cuba as a child with her parents , says Jenny 's quinceañera was a gift to both of them . The 43-year-old , single mother of three , saved for years and estimates that she spent at least $ 20,000 on her daughter 's quinceañera . `` I was able to accomplish something that I had been looking forward to for 15 years , '' says Marlene Ferro . The parties can be as big and expensive as a family can imagine and costs can escalate into the hundreds of thousands of dollars , according to Salcedo . She recommends that families manage expectations before the party planning even begins . iReporter Alexis Fernandez 's quinceañera was a big event in Alaska . `` Sometimes people go way overboard and -LSB- spend -RSB- much more on the celebration than they can afford and that 's the downside of the quinceañera , '' says Salcedo . `` Because when it 's done right it can be a beautiful family celebration and a celebration of a milestone that a young girl goes through . '' Quinceañeras have changed over the years . Even though her tiara was taller than her daughter 's , Marlene says her quinceañera was simple . It was a small gathering at her sister 's apartment with family and friends . She wore borrowed jewelry from a family member , had a homemade cake and danced with her father . Marlene Ferro 's 15th birthday present was a telephone in her bedroom . `` I did n't have a big quince party . I chose to have a small party with my friends , '' she remembers . `` My dress was really easy ... I did n't have an option . It was this one or that one . Now , we give our kids the option . '' iReporter Diamond Ramirez 's mother , grandmother never had quinceañeras . There 's a spiritual element to these celebrations as well , says Salcedo . The church plays a role in helping to prepare teenage girls for this transition to womanhood . Ceremonies and classes before the coming-of-age celebration teach the young women that with adulthood come certain responsibilities , both physical and spiritual . `` When it 's done in the spirit that it probably should be , the girl has certain responsibilities and by the end of the process , she 's met them and she has showed her mother that she can , in fact , be responsible and she does acquire ... a bit more maturity then she -LSB- had -RSB- before , '' says Salcedo . As the celebrations become more popular in the United States , they also offer an opportunity for more Americans to participate . `` It 's a way to push back a lot of the negativity that a lot of Latinos feel is directed at Latinos , '' says Salcedo . `` It is a way for people who have recently arrived , or maybe not so recently arrived , to say ' I have done well here ' ... I 'm throwing this party for my daughter and I 'm inviting all of you to partake of my generosity so that you can see exactly how well we 've done . '' | Quinceañeras , or 15th birthday celebrations , mark a girl 's transition to womanhood . Jenny Ferro , 15 , has been preparing for her celebration since she was 3 years old . Marlene Ferro estimates she spent $ 20,000 on her daughter 's quinceañera . Expert : The elaborate parties are a way for Latinos to say ' I have done well here ' | [[361, 376], [454, 503], [177, 182], [190, 231], [361, 409], [3079, 3094], [3122, 3217], [2831, 2919], [5629, 5645], [5648, 5678], [5648, 5654], [5657, 5734]] |
Editor 's note : Benjamin Todd Jealous is the new president and CEO of the NAACP . Benjamin Jealous says the 100-year-old NAACP has an ambitious agenda for civil and human rights . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thursday the U.S. Senate passed a resolution apologizing for slavery and for legalized segregation . It arrived more than a hundred years late , but better late than never . Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are expected to pass a similar resolution , and when they do , the bipartisan resolution will acknowledge our nation 's need to take a historic leap out of the shameful past of racial discrimination and toward a future that promises all citizens full access to the legal protections laid out in the U.S. Constitution . But we must go beyond the civil rights guaranteed in the Constitution and advocate for the human rights that will assure that America 's promise is realized for all . While our Constitution mandates equality , for example , there is no constitutional guarantee for an education , let alone a good education . The fight for good schools is a struggle for our human rights . Some have opined that there is no longer a need for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and that we as a society are post-racial because of the election of our first black president . But we can not be post-racial until we are post-racism . The case of Troy Davis , an African American man set for execution who we believe was wrongly convicted , is an exemplar of the disparities that still rock our nation -LRB- see IAMTROY.com -RRB- . Davis was convicted of killing a police officer and has spent 18 years on death row . There is no physical evidence linking him to the crime and seven of the nine witnesses recanted or contradicted their testimony . His case has sparked an outcry from both proponents and opponents of the death penalty including former FBI director William Sessions and conservative presidential candidate Bob Barr . Yet our laws do n't allow him a new trial to reexamine the evidence that points to his innocence . African-Americans are disproportionately represented on death row . Of the 3,500 people on death row , about 42 percent are black , and virtually all are poor . Studies underscore that it is race and class , more than guilt , that determines whether a defendant , once convicted , is sentenced to death . The statistics paint an ongoing portrait of inequality . Unemployment for African-Americans remains twice that of whites and studies show there is no scientific rationale -- neither education nor experience -- that explains the gap . In some American cities , 50 percent of school-aged black men drop out of school and as much as 50 percent of young black men are unemployed . Now , as we prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NAACP in New York from July 11-16 -LRB- NAACP.org -RRB- , we recognize that despite our many accomplishments , we have a long path ahead to right the inequity that still racks our nation . Prompted by the riots in Abraham Lincoln 's hometown of Springfield , Illinois , where a mob of whites containing many of the town 's `` best citizens , '' raged for two days , killed and wounded scores of African-Americans , and drove thousands from the city , a multiracial group of intellectuals , journalists and activists gathered in a small New York apartment to launch the NAACP and fight lynching 's and mob violence . History has shown the efficacy of our tried and true approach : dreaming bold dreams , breaking them down into incremental steps and ultimately achieving big victories . And our triumphs strengthen the fabric of democracy in America . When , after a multidecade-long struggle , we ended the cruel practice of lynching , not only African-Americans benefited but also Catholics , who were , after black people , the likeliest targets of lynchings in the South . Similarly , our lawsuit against 15 banks for steering African-Americans into the predatory loans that have devastated neighborhoods today would force transparency and accountability that would benefit all Americans . The election of President Obama is the result of a decades-long fight for political inclusion . His victory may have come as a bolt from the blue for some , but at the NAACP , we know that our century of hard work helped pave the way for the junior senator from Illinois , a black man , to win the White House . If our unofficial motto , `` registration , mobilization , education , '' sounds familiar , it is because that deceptively simple formula informed the successful election campaign of Obama . The NAACP has always been about the present and the future , and we choose to focus on solutions , rather than just bemoan the hard work to be done : This does n't indicate denial , or ineffectiveness , we simply prefer action over rhetoric . Now , we see Lincoln 's radical determination to extend the rights of the Constitution to all American citizens as the NAACP 's guiding light . We do n't often hear the words `` radical '' and `` NAACP '' in the same sentence but I like the proximity : . We 've kicked off our next hundred years with actions that might have been perceived as `` radical '' at our founding a century ago -- from ending the death penalty in New Mexico to successfully passing anti-racial profiling legislation in Missouri and other states . Being radical is not new for me . I was born out of resistance to Jim Crow when my mom and dad married despite their union being illegal in many states . My dad , Fred , was disowned for marrying a black woman and was used to being the only white guy thrown out of the diner for trying to integrate the lunch counter . My mom , Ann , was an early activist in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee . My generation , was told the civil rights battles had largely been won -- `` Go forth young man and make money , enjoy your life and be successful '' -- but we woke up to find ourselves the most murdered and incarcerated generation in history . So I chose to be an activist , starting at 14 with voter registration drives . I was later kicked out of Columbia University for protesting -- ultimately graduating and becoming a Rhodes scholar . During that forced hiatus , I journeyed south where I learned firsthand about the tenacity and pain of southern racism and poverty . I already knew well its northern urban counterpart . I also learned that we could win -- which filled me with a sense of hope for the nation and confidence in our ability to impact the world . Our many victories and the election of our first black president fuels my optimism over the bright future of the civil and human rights movement . It is spiced with a dash of pride , too . Thanks , in part to the work of the NAACP , my 3-year-old daughter and her girlfriends will grow up in an America where the idea of a woman president -- or a black man , or an Asian woman , or a Latino man -- is n't likely to be `` radical '' at all . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Benjamin Todd Jealous . | Benjamin Jealous : NAACP formed in response to lynchings and race riots . He says organization still has a `` radical '' agenda after 100 years . Jealous : We must move beyond civil rights to human rights . He says organization is fighting inequities in education and criminal justice . | [[83, 180], [105, 180], [742, 841]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An infant falls to his death from a second-story window while his parents are making love . The mother -LRB- Charlotte Gainsbourg -RRB- is consumed with grief and guilt . She 's hospitalized and sedated for days and weeks before her husband -LRB- Willem Dafoe -RRB- , a therapist , insists she return home . He gets rid of all her medications . He will be her partner and her grief counselor , and he will see her through this , if only she will place her trust in him . Not a good idea for either of them , as it turns out . Halloween is nearly upon us , but `` Antichrist '' is a mighty strange kind of horror movie , a wrenching psychodrama for two-thirds of its running time before collapsing into a steaming heap of deranged sadism and supernatural symbolism in the outrageous third act . The movie 's peculiarity can be accounted for in three words : Lars von Trier . The Danish provocateur twice won prestigious honors at the Cannes Film Festival -LRB- with `` Breaking the Waves '' and `` Dancer in the Dark '' -RRB- and re-energized European art cinema in the 1990s with the Dogme movement 's so-called `` Vows of Chastity . '' It 's not often that an art-house director takes up the implements to make a horror film , and for a while , `` Antichrist '' compels with its anguished intensity and audacious stylistic choices , not least the severity that keeps the focus exclusively on this man and woman , neither of whom is named . The prologue -- the child 's death -- is a luxurious , slow-motion rhapsody of explicit sex , black-and-white photography and baroque music , commingling with the infant 's almost ersatz tragedy and finding perfunctory counterpoint in banal close-ups of the family 's washer-dryer . -LRB- There may be a deliberate echo here of the famous sex scene in Nicolas Roeg 's `` Do n't Look Now , '' a far more keenly calibrated examination of grief succumbing to the supernatural . -RRB- . Dafoe and Gainsbourg are riveting as the ill-matched couple . He 's an implacable rationalist , urging her to confront her fears and venture into the darkest recesses of her psyche . She 's not sure he 's ready to share that torment with her . Their bitter , sometimes sourly funny back-and-forth fleetingly echoes the railing , pugnacious and remorseful men and women we find again and again in Strindberg and Bergman . Of course , when those great Scandinavian dramatists wanted to shock us with the ferocity of the battle of the sexes and show a married couple going at it tooth and nail , their only weapons were words . Mindful that he 's up against `` Hostel , '' `` Saw '' and the like , Herr von Trier ups the ante considerably . Hiking to a log cabin in the mountains to uncover the apex of his wife 's fears -LRB- it could be anywhere , but let 's imagine we 're in the neighborhood of Burkittsville -RRB- , the doctor 's little experiment in exposure therapy ends in crushed genitals and , uh , worse . Much worse . It 's safe to say von Trier knows this climax is over the top : `` Chaos reigns ! '' announces a fox , in perfect English , just as the movie goes off the deep end . Chaos reigns all right , and Gainsbourg 's traumatized mom is transformed nonsensically into a raving psycho witch-bitch . This director has often been accused of misogyny for the punishments that befall his heroines -- spuriously , in my opinion . But this time the boot is on the other foot , and for once the charge seems to stick ; no matter that the first half of the movie suggests Dafoe 's smug therapist is due for a comeuppance . Apparently someone had a seizure when the movie showed at the New York Film Festival recently . When I caught up with it at the Vancouver International Film Festival two weeks ago , the screening was punctuated with the single loudest shriek I 've ever heard in the theatre -- that would have been when Gainsbourg gets out the scissors for a spot of ad hoc auto-surgery . There also was a very vociferous walk-out : a gentleman who fairly barked `` You get what you pay for , folks '' as he made for the exit a full 20 minutes before the end . That unhappy camper had a point . Either von Trier is barking up the wrong tree , or he 's pandering to the basest instincts of an audience that 's seen it all before and still demands more , more , more . Beautifully shot by Anthony Dod Mantle and acted with raw conviction , `` Antichrist '' is a calamitous atrocity from a major filmmaker , nothing more and nothing less . If you do n't believe me , go ask the talking fox . `` Antichrist '' is not rated and runs 104 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's review , click here . | `` Antichrist '' has met with vitriolic reaction at film festivals . Lars von Trier film stars Willem Dafoe , Charlotte Gainsbourgh as troubled couple . Horror goes from moody to over-the-top and graphic . To CNN.com 's Tom Charity , the film is a `` calamitous atrocity '' | [[1943, 2004], [1265, 1350], [4396, 4494]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A key investor with convicted swindler Bernie Madoff drowned in his swimming pool Sunday afternoon , police said . Jeffry Picower , 67 , was found unconscious in his pool at his Palm Beach , Florida , home , Palm Beach police said . He was pronounced dead at a hospital . Police said they are investigating his death using `` standard operating procedure in any drowning . '' Picower invested with Madoff , who was convicted of operating a Ponzi scheme and defrauding thousands of investors . Madoff pleaded guilty in March to 11 counts , including fraud , money laundering and perjury , and was sentenced to 150 years in prison . Prosecutors have said it was the largest investor fraud ever committed by a single person , totaling billions in losses to investors . Picower 's Picower Foundation of Palm Beach announced it was shutting down early this year because of Madoff losses , CNN Money reported . Picower 's 2007 tax return valued its portfolio at $ 955 million . But there were also suggestions that Picower benefited from Madoff 's swindle . Citing an unnamed source , Fortune magazine said in April that Frank DiPascali , the chief lieutenant in Madoff 's secretive investment business , was `` prepared to testify that he manipulated phony returns on behalf of some key Madoff investors , '' including Picower . Picower also allegedly `` extracted billions of dollars from Madoff 's fund before it collapsed , '' according to Forbes magazine . | Jeffry Picower , 67 , found unconscious in his pool in his Palm Beach , Florida . Picower invested with Madoff , who was convicted in Ponzi scheme . His foundation announced it was shutting down early this year because of Madoff losses . | [[134, 148], [151, 207], [34, 71], [395, 423], [417, 425], [430, 511], [1292, 1317], [1320, 1342], [785, 900]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 30 Iraqi children riding in a bus were among the 160 people killed in Sunday 's twin car bombings in Baghdad , the Interior Ministry said Monday . At least 540 people were wounded in Sunday 's attacks , the deadliest in the capital in more than two years , the ministry said . One of the bombs exploded outside Baghdad 's governorate building , the other outside the Justice Ministry . The bombs detonated in quick succession about 10:30 a.m. , officials said . The children were packed in a mini bus that was outside the Justice Ministry building , a ministry official said . The vehicle carrying the explosives that detonated outside the ministry building was a stolen white pick-up from Falluja , Baghdad Gov. Salah Abdul Razzaq told CNN during his inspection of the bomb site . Images from the time of the attack showed the truck , linked to the Department of Water , pull up to the side of the building and blow up , he said . Plumes of smoke billowed from the sites as victims fled , some with blood streaming down their faces . The streets were strewn with debris , including charred cars and chunks of concrete . Some government buildings and others in the area were heavily damaged . Among the wounded were three American security contractors , the U.S. Embassy said , declining to provide further details . The area struck is close to the heavily guarded `` Green Zone , '' which houses the embassy . The blasts sparked questions about Iraq 's security and national elections planned for January . Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , who visited the scene shortly after the explosions , said holding the elections as scheduled would send a strong message to the attackers . `` The cowardly attack ... should not affect the determination of the Iraqi people from continuing their battle against the deposed regime and the gangs of criminal Baath party , and the terrorist al Qaeda organization , ' '' al-Maliki said in a written statement . U.S. President Barack Obama called the attacks an attempt to derail progress in Iraq , and pledged to work closely with the country as it prepares for elections . Obama spoke with the prime minister and President Jalal Talabani to express his condolences and reiterate U.S. support . In August , more than 100 people were killed in a series of bombings that led to tightened security in Baghdad . Blast walls were installed across the city and checkpoints were added . Two years earlier , three truck bombings killed hundreds in Qahtaniya , in northern Iraq . Sunday 's attacks were the deadliest on Iraqi civilians since those blasts in August 2007 . A day before Sunday 's explosions , the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , Susan Rice , visited Iraq for the first time . During her trip , she made a condolence stop at the Foreign Ministry , one of six sites attacked in August . Iraqis are supposed to go to the polls January 16 , but parliament has not passed key election legislation , putting the balloting in limbo . The president , prime minister and other top officials are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss the elections law and security concerns . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh , Mohammed Jamjoom , and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Death toll in Baghdad double bombing rises to 160 . Bombs exploded outside government buildings in Baghdad . Obama condemns bombings , pledges U.S. support for Iraq election . | [[88, 151], [320, 385], [1995, 2079], [1995, 2022], [2086, 2157], [2158, 2278], [2158, 2163], [2254, 2278]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It has been 20 years since best-selling crime writer Patricia Cornwell began work on her first novel in the series chronicling the cases of forensic analyst Dr. Kay Scarpetta . Now , both have found celebrity . Cornwell 's latest novel , `` The Scarpetta Factor , '' places her enduring heroine in a role the author knows all too well , a pop culture celebrity sought-after for her expertise . In an interview with CNN.com , Cornwell discussed the challenges of staying fresh , the need for happy endings and the merits of the History Channel and the movie `` White Chicks . '' CNN : The title of your new book , `` The Scarpetta Factor , '' has many meanings . Can you tell me about some of them ? Cornwell : On the one hand , it 's a very direct reference to the fact she 's the chief forensic analyst for CNN in this book . But while she 's doing the on-air spots , they decide they want her to have her own show and that 's what they call it , `` The Scarpetta Factor , '' which is a reference to a cliché that 's beginning to float around , that there 's one element that she can add that will solve the case like she 's Sherlock Holmes . This becomes very upsetting to her , first of all , because it 's a cliché and the scientist in her does n't think she has a special factor , she 's a scientist . It begins to pose problems for her because even some colleagues and friends start to wonder if she 's begun to believe her own legend and make mistakes . With her years of experience and high level of visibility and exceptional grasp of the criminal world , she would be asked to be on major shows . When someone like Michael Jackson dies or Caylee Anthony disappears , that 's the obvious thing that would happen . People would say , I wonder what Scarpetta has to say . I 'm trying to put her in the world we live in . CNN : Why did you choose CNN ? Cornwell : It would make perfect sense that she would sit on the set with Anderson Cooper or Wolf Blizter and be asked relevant questions from a hard news angle . It 's one -LSB- network -RSB- she would go on and there 's lots she would n't go on . CNN : How have things changed since you published your first novel ? Cornwell : When I was shopping my first book around , it was rejected by the major publishing houses and that was because a lot of people did n't think morgues and labs were interesting , and that 's a huge statement about how things have changed . I remember one time , I called my literary agent at that time , and I said I was in a toxicology lab , and she said , I hate talking to you because you 're always in these awful places . Forensic science was not viewed as cool , as it is today . CNN : Are there any on-air personalities we might recognize in `` The Scarpetta Factor ? '' Cornwell : When she is up at CNN for a scene when she 's on a fictitious show , she walks past posters of Nancy Grace and Lou Dobbs and Wolf Blitzer because she 's up on that floor , so I do make real references to people , but the characters , the producers , none are real and they 're not based on anybody I met or know . CNN : How much of yourself do you see in Kay Scarpetta ? Over the years , have you grown into her or has she grown into you ? Cornwell : Only insofar as we have the same values and sensibilities and perhaps the same approach to solving cases . I 'm imposing the way my mind works in terms of connecting the dots , but beyond that , there are huge differences between us . She 's a standalone character . I would feel very self-conscious and bored if she was a projection of me . I have certain things in common with all my characters . Like Marino , I can be a slob and sometimes say stupid things and rush to judgment . CNN : You 're known for doing a lot of research on the ground to give your stories depth and realism . Where did your research for `` The Scarpetta Factor '' take you ? Cornwell : I 've certainly been in the CNN studios so that 's helpful . When I was there over in the last year , I made a mental note of everything I saw while walking around so I could create the studio in the novel . I also spent lot of time with the NYPD , their bomb squad , their emergency unit , the Real Time Crime Center , so I could describe the amazing way computers are used to transmit data to police responding to a call . I spent time at the NYPD crime lab , the New York Medical Examiner 's office , so I can show Scarpetta actually working there . The scene in the elevator in the beginning and the way people ID loved ones is based on what happens . Even the technology of the electronic nose , the mechanical sniffer that takes the place of cadaver dogs , is based on things I 've seen . My research also included looking into the methods and means criminals are using , like TracFones , spoofcards and the different ways to disguise IP addresses . CNN : How has the CSI factor affected your research for your books ? Cornwell : I think people are so inundated with this sort of detail that I do n't want to make the story just about forensics . The people and their relationships are the heart of my books , the forensics are something they wear like an old pair of shoes . I 'll always show you the latest and greatest forensic science and technology , but I ca n't show it all , so it 's very important that I make things interesting in different ways . In the early to mid - '90s , up to the late '90s when I was coming out with new books , I was the only show in town and all of the sudden now they 're everywhere , and I do n't have any problem with that because I do n't own forensics or forensic pathology . CNN : In your opinion , what has been the greatest change in forensic science since Scarpetta started out ? Cornwell : DNA has changed our lives forever , just like the Internet has changed our lives , there 's no going back to pre-DNA or pre-Internet . I would say both of those . The Internet has dramatically changed everything because it 's creating a whole new wave of crimes that our laws and the courts do n't know how to deal with . DNA analysis and the ultra-sensitivity of it : When you 're dealing with some types of DNA , you only need three or four human cells to get a DNA profile , which is something that ca n't even see with the naked eye , so that helps investigators but it also creates a whole other set of problems . They 're saying there will be a point when you can get DNA just from someone walking in the room , and you can see the problems if you have 20 people walk into a room and only one did something bad . Defense lawyers are going to have a field day with that . CNN : What do you want people to take away from this novel ? I 'd like them to take away an idea of how someone like Scarpetta deals with being in the same world you and I wake up to . Now she has a BlackBerry and she has to deal with it , which poses as many problems as it offers benefits . I want people to feel happy ending the book . We need to feel good right now , there 's a lot to feel bad about and that 's something I decided with the last book , I did n't want people to be depressed when they finished it . I used to write very dark books but we lived in happier times . Now , the goal is to scare you , lead you into suspense but when you finish , I want you to feel happy . CNN : What current cases in the news fascinate you ? How much attention do you pay to crime and justice news ? Cornwell : I 'm fascinated by the Michael Jackson situation and the people who disappear and get abducted , all of it fascinates me in terms of the psychology involved and what science might tell us . I 'm always frustrated because I love to know what 's behind the scenes . I 've been following Michael Jackson because it seems so unnecessary , an example of people who should 've said no and not taken it upon themselves to solve a problem . I 've also been interested in the case in Italy with the American on trial for murder . That is intriguing from a forensic standpoint because I think all of us would like to know more about the evidence and what 's there to piece together that could tell us what happened . I 'm afraid that because of how much time has passed and how the case was handled that a lot of the answers are gone and the kind of evidence that was collected could have been handled differently , . CNN : What do you like to watch ? Cornwell : I do n't watch crime dramas . I do n't want to subconsciously get ideas from their shows . I try to keep my mind blank , and keep the influence of my own research , so I do n't tend to watch crime dramas or crime movies . I rarely read crime novels because my work is so steeped in nonfiction , so I try to keep my mind free of those ideas . What I watch is the nonfiction , documentary type things , shows that depict real crimes that happened . I like the History Channel and I will watch reruns of `` The Sopranos '' until I 'm 90 years old . I like comedy , stuff that 's mindless . I do n't watch stuff that scares me or makes me sad . There 's enough of that in real life . CNN : What 's the last movie you saw ? Cornwell : The last movie I saw was a rerun of `` White Chicks . '' How 's that to people who think I have this very esoteric repertoire ? I think it 's a hilarious movie . ... Will Ferrell , I love his stuff , Ben Stiller , I really enjoy comedy , especially stuff that 's kind of warmhearted in its own way . I do n't like stuff that 's really scary . I 've seen so much stuff that 's real . Blood is always real to me . If they ever make a real movie of Scarpetta , I may not be able to watch it . | Author Patricia Cornwell talks about Kay Scarpetta , fame and forensics . In latest book , Scarpetta is CNN 's chief forensic analyst . Cornwell says she works hard to keep up with scientific advances . She says she does n't watch crime shows or scary movies . | [[789, 822], [8392, 8421], [8560, 8613], [8979, 9032], [9422, 9464]] |
MOSCOW , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A bear on ice skates attacked two people during rehearsals at a circus in Bishkek , the capital of Kyrgyzstan , killing one of them , Kyrgyz officials said Friday . In the incident , which happened Thursday , the 5-year-old animal killed the circus administrator , Dmitry Potapov , and mauled an animal trainer , who was attempting to rescue him . `` The incident occurred during a rehearsal by the Russian state circus company troupe which was performing in Bishkek with the program , Bears on Ice , '' Ministry of Culture and Information director Kurmangazy Isanayev told reporters . It is unclear what caused the bear to attack Potapov , 25 , nearly severing one of his legs while dragging him across the ice by his neck . Medical personnel were unable to save Potapov , who died at the scene . The 29-year-old circus trainer Yevgeny Popov , who attempted to rescue Potapov , was also severely injured , according to doctors . `` The victim has sustained serious injuries - deep scalp lacerations , bruising of the brain , lacerations on his body . His condition is considered critical , '' Dr. Gulnara Tashibekova told reporters on Russian state television . After the incident , the circus was cordoned off by police and emergency service workers . Experts have been brought in to examine the bear , which was shot and died at the scene . Russia has a long-standing tradition of training bears to perform tricks such as riding motorcycles , ice skating , and playing hockey . Fatal attacks are unusual . | Ice skating bear kills man during rehearsals at Russian circus . Bear dragged circus administrator Dmitry Potapov across the ice by his neck . Russian state circus company troupe were preparing for `` Bears on ice '' Russia has a long-standing tradition of training bears to perform tricks . | [[383, 462], [681, 760], [621, 623], [719, 760], [383, 462], [1379, 1515], [1392, 1396], [1397, 1427]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Keep the government 's hands off my Medicare . '' Those words -- quoted by so many TV talking heads -- never seem actually to have been spoken by anyone . It 's like that poodle in the microwave story : Everybody has a neighbor who heard it from his cousin . The town hallers were angry , but they were not crazy , and they were not stupid . They knew perfectly well that Medicare is provided by the government . They also knew that their government is proposing to change Medicare in ways they do not like . The health care reform plans backed by President Obama would cut hundreds of billions out of the the growth of Medicare spending over the next 10 years . More ominous for seniors than the dollar figure is the plan behind the number . The president wants to reduce spending on Medicare Advantage , the privately run plans that offer seniors a better deal than conventional Medicare . Over the longer term , the president aspires to shift Medicare patients to teams of health care providers paid by the year , instead of individual doctors charging fees for each particular service -- rather than by the particular medical service they perform . Meet new CNN contributor David Frum . The changes the president has in mind wo n't kill Grandma . But they will change medicine in ways Grandma may find uncomfortable . Ten years from now , Grandma probably wo n't have a personal doctor . Her Medicare will cover less -- and cost more . Medicare was under pressure even before the election of Obama . The gap between the future revenues and future obligations of Medicare and Social Security is estimated by the Social Security trustees at some $ 45 trillion . How much is that ? Adjusting for inflation , it 's the cost of fighting World War II -- 10 times . Medicare is the single biggest spending commitment of the United States . As Obama stacks enormous new health care spending commitments atop the old , Medicare 's already bleak future grows dimmer still . Who wins as Medicare loses ? The short answer is : the uninsured . The president will use the money squeezed from Medicare to extend some form of coverage to the 35 million to 40 million people estimated to lack health insurance . And who are these people ? About one-quarter of them are foreign-born . Recent immigrants to the United States -- unlike the immigrations who arrived between World War II and 1970 -- have tended to be very low-skilled . Their labor is just not worth enough to their employers to support the high cost of an American health insurance plan : $ 13,000 a year , on average , for a family of four . So here 's how the world looks to a Medicare enrollee : . Over the opposition of some 80 percent of the American people , your government allowed millions of poor newcomers to enter the country , many of them illegally . -LRB- Over the past 10 years , half of all immigrants to the United States have arrived illegally . -RRB- . These people cut the lawns of your more affluent neighbors , tended their babies , cleared their tables after their restaurant meals . If you were not so affluent , they reduced your wages and crowded your schools , highways and hospital emergency rooms . Now you are being told that your old age will be made less comfortable to accommodate them . Unsurprisingly , you do n't like it . The debate about immigration and health care has centered on whether immigrants who are here illegally might qualify for coverage under the Democrats ' reforms . Theoretically , they will not be eligible , but since Democrats have so far voted against enforcement measures , some illegal immigrants will no doubt slip through . But the debate over illegal immigrants is a proxy for something larger and more unsettling to older Americans . The problem is not illegal immigration , it is all low-skilled immigration , legal and illegal . By importing tens of millions of people who earn too little to pay for their own health insurance , we have made this supremely difficult social problem radically more difficult than it ever needed to be . With `` Obamacare , '' the bill for four decades of permissive immigration has at last come due . Since the 1930s , the United States has run two different kinds of government social programs . One kind of program is sustained by contributions from the very same people who will benefit from the program in future : Social Security , unemployment insurance , workers ' compensation . These programs have never been controversial . The other kind of program taxes some for the benefit of others : Medicaid , social housing , the old welfare programs for the poor . These programs have always been intensely resented . Medicare was the first kind of program : social insurance . Obama 's public option will be the second kind of program : income transfer . That 's the explanation for the resistance the president is encountering . And it 's the emotion that explains the actual quote -- not the bogus quote -- we heard from so many town hall protesters this summer : `` Fix old . No new . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum . | Town hallers know government wants to change Medicare in ways they do n't like , Frum says . He says changes wo n't kill Grandma , but Medicare will cover less and cost more . Changes will benefit the uninsured , some of whom ca n't pay for insurance , he says . Frum : Resistance to Obama 's plan comes because it will be an income transfer program . | [[435, 439], [445, 530], [1213, 1272], [1414, 1442], [1414, 1426], [1450, 1461], [4829, 4903]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Have you ever been watching television and thought , `` Wow , this soap opera is so good it could cause the downfall of a corrupt communist regime , '' or even , `` I bet one day this show is going to send the first woman into space '' ? Well , maybe you 're not giving the boob tube enough credit . Popular television shows have influenced politics in the United States and around the world . While others are busy blaming television for all of society 's downfalls , we think it 's time someone stood up for ye olde idiot box . After all , these 10 television shows did n't just entertain , they helped convince the world to get with the program . 1 . `` DALLAS '' The Show that Overthrew a Dictator . -LRB- Well , kind of . -RRB- . `` Dallas '' was one of the most popular TV shows in history -- and nowhere was it more talked about than in Nicolae Ceausescu 's communist Romania . How did the soap opera get past Romanian censors ? With help from `` Dallas '' leading man , J.R. Ewing , of course . Because J.R. was portrayed as a despicable oil baron , Ceausescu 's government presumably decided the show must be anti-capitalist . Whatever the reasoning , `` Dallas '' became a runaway hit when it arrived in Romania in 1979 . A series about wealthy , beautiful people -LRB- evil or not -RRB- was an inspiration to Romania 's poor and dejected masses . Eventually , the government decided such Western television was a bad influence , and `` Dallas '' was taken off the air in 1981 . But by then , it was too late . The fantasies of Western life lived on in the imaginations of Romanians , and in 1989 , Ceausescu was overthrown during a public uprising . Not incidentally , the actor who played J.R. , Larry Hagman , visited Romania some years later and was treated as a hero . In an interview following the experience , Hagman said , `` People from Bucharest came up to me in the street with tears in their eyes saying , ` J.R. saved our country . ' '' 2 . `` SEE IT NOW '' The Show that Ended McCarthyism . If you know your 1950s history -LRB- or if you saw the movie `` Good Night , and Good Luck '' -RRB- , you know the impact crusading journalist Edward R. Murrow had on American politics . His vehicle for galvanizing change ? The current affairs show , `` See It Now , '' which premiered in 1951 . Well known as a World War II radio correspondent , Murrow was n't a fan of television initially . He wanted to go beyond the talking-head discussions and newsreels that filled most nightly news shows at the time . So when he finally decided to move forward with `` See It Now , '' he did so on his own terms . The show 's debut episode featured television 's first live coast-to-coast transmission , which included a split-screen of the Brooklyn Bridge on one side and the Golden Gate on the other . Murrow also broke new ground by airing a day in the lives of Korean War soldiers . Of course , the show 's most influential role was in exposing Senator Joseph McCarthy 's anti-communist fear campaign and opening Americans ' eyes to the many lives and careers it was ruining . Thanks in part to fallout from Murrow 's broadcast on March 9 , 1954 , the U.S. Senate reprimanded McCarthy for abusing his power , and McCarthyism came to an abrupt end . Murrow was n't afraid to take on rogue senators , and later , he proved he was n't scared to take on Big Tobacco , either . Two episodes of `` See It Now '' explored the link between cigarettes and cancer -- a brave move , considering television depended heavily on tobacco sponsorships at the time . But perhaps Murrow had a personal interest in the story . A three-pack-a-day smoker who regularly appeared on camera with a cigarette in hand , Murrow died of lung cancer in 1965 . 3 . `` GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER '' The Show that Turned Ronald Reagan into a Republican . In the early 1950s , film actor Ronald Reagan was at a low point in his career . So when Taft Schreiber , of the Music Corporation of America , got him a gig as the host of the anthology series `` General Electric Theater , '' Reagan jumped at the opportunity . For $ 125,000 a year and part-ownership of the program , he not only hosted the show , but also toured America as a `` goodwill ambassador '' for the electricity giant , giving speeches to plant employees and acting as its public spokesperson . By the time `` General Electric Theater '' was cancelled in 1962 , Reagan was a new man . Turns out , all those years defending free enterprise for one of the nation 's biggest multinational companies had transformed Reagan into one of America 's leading conservative speakers . Although the actor had long been a Democrat , the Republican Schreiber convinced Reagan to change political parties . Four years later , the newly Republican Reagan was elected governor of California , and the rest is presidential history . 4 . `` CATHY COME HOME '' The Drama that Transformed the Welfare State . Directed by Ken Loach -LRB- who later became one of Britain 's most respected filmmakers -RRB- , the drama `` Cathy Come Home '' was a poignant episode of the BBC-1 anthology series The Wednesday Play . It told the tragic story of Cathy Ward , a young wife and mother who becomes the victim of Britain 's welfare state . Going from working-class struggle to dire poverty , Cathy 's journey begins when her husband loses his job following an accident and becomes unable to support the family . In a painful spiral toward destitution , Cathy suffers through various states of homelessness , separates from her husband , and eventually , has her children forcibly taken away from her by government council workers . A truly horrifying story , its impact was compounded by the fact that `` Cathy Come Home '' was filmed in such a realistic style that some viewers thought it was a documentary . And although the Conservative Party government claimed the movie was `` full of blunders , '' Labour Party politician Anthony Greenwood said the show should be `` compulsory viewing once a month for the next five years . '' British audiences agreed , and `` Cathy Come Home '' was aired again shortly after . The ensuing public outrage helped bring major changes to British welfare law . Other nations followed suit , with similar reforms and charities . 5 . `` THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR '' The Show that Swung an Election . `` The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour '' was many things . It was the first network TV show to make fun of the Establishment , support America 's counterculture , and have enough nerve to put blacklisted singers -LRB- such as Joan Baez and Pete Seeger -RRB- back on the air . Ironically , however , the show 's major achievement might have been making Richard Nixon president . As a gag , show star Pat Paulsen ran for office during the 1968 presidential election . `` I 'm consistently vague on the issues , '' announced Paulsen on national television , `` and I 'm continuing to make promises that I 'll be unable to fulfill . '' Regardless of his humorous motives , Paulsen seemed to have a `` Ralph Nader Effect , '' stealing 200,000 votes from the Democrats and helping to swing one of the closest elections in history . Thanks to Paulsen 's efforts , Nixon narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey . `` Hubert Humphrey told me I cost him the election , '' recalled Paulsen , `` and he was n't smiling when he said it . '' E-mail to a friend . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | `` Dallas '' gave poor Romanians a view of a better life . J.R. Ewing actor Larry Hagman greeted as hero in the country . Hubert Humphrey blamed comic for election loss . | [[7303, 7353]] |
Editor 's note : Steve Perry is the founder and principal of the Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford , Connecticut , and author of `` Man Up ! : Nobody is Coming to Save Us , '' which offers solutions to problems in the black community . Steve Perry says a question from a parent started his journey to creating a top-performing school . HARTFORD , Connecticut -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Why do only rich kids get good schools ? '' I was the founder and director of a part-time out-of-school college preparatory program . The questioner was a parent ; herself a victim of a dulled urban education . The statement was more of an indictment than question , and I had no answer . `` Well , why ca n't this program be a school , '' she offered . The program sent 100 percent of our graduates to college . We served poor students who were the first generation in their families to attend college . We provided college preparation through a six-week summer program , after-school tutoring and in-school academic advising . That single mother 's question came at the end of the summer program . This was always a tough time . As the kids said goodbye to their friends and the program 's high expectations , we all looked at the school year with great trepidation . We knew that the students were returning to failed schools with very low expectations -- and results to match . Like that mom , I too wondered why wealth and whiteness are too often linked to quality education . Her question connected to a discussion that I 'd been having with some colleagues during the summer program . All of the teachers in that program worked in failed urban schools . Many had tried to reform traditional urban schools . They 'd started formal and informal programs , identified groups of kids and connected to parents . Each had had some success with some kids , but the conditions that led to the need to do something went unchanged . The question was raised at the end of our 2002 summer program . My first instinct was to begin down the path of opening an all-male minority charter school . In Connecticut , charter schools are publicly funded and privately run , with no teachers ' unions , no school board influence and no centralized curriculum . These were the pluses . There was only one minus : There was no money . The charter idea was dead as soon as it began . I assembled an all - black team . My plan was to put black educators together , and we would show 'em . Brothers and sisters were gon na open a successful charter school . Black educators serving black kids . This was my first major mistake . Talent and commitment have no color . Kids do n't care what color their teachers are , and I should n't have either . After almost a year of stops and starts with a team that was not effectively assembled , I realized that I failed in my judgment because I did not keep my eye on the goal , which was to build a school that sent kids to college regardless of their hue or economic status . I have never made that mistake again . I doubled back and went into the schools and found the teachers who stayed the latest and arrived the earliest . I looked for the most ambitious teachers who had a reputation of being the most talented , and we started a second team . I am a social worker . I knew that I could run an organization , but was n't sure about developing curriculum . When I created Team 2 , my first pick was the best teacher I could find . Rich Beganski is the perfect complement , or opposite , of who I am . He 's meticulous and lives and breathes curriculum . He is an operations genius . He was a longtime assistant coach who never wanted to be coach . I 've never been an assistant and do n't want to be one . Our team was composed of a white guy , a Latina , a black woman and a black man bound by a single commitment : to send kids to college . In 2003-04 , Connecticut was settling a desegregation case . A component of the agreement was to open eight magnet schools in Hartford in two years . Magnet schools are publicly funded and publicly run theme-based schools , complete with unions and subordinate to the local school board . The part-time college preparatory program was hosted in a community college . The college 's president was an impulsive visionary . On a Friday afternoon elevator ride from the 10th to the seventh floor , he said , `` Steve , we 're gon na start a high school , you should run it . '' I told him I would and got off on the seventh floor . First thing that following Monday , I was in his office with the dead charter school application . Over the next few months , we tweaked it until it became a magnet application . With the help of some of the program 's parents , we submitted it to Hartford 's mayor , superintendent , and then the board . The process was anything but smooth . The district could not conceptualize what Capital Prep would become . A year-round college-preparatory uniform school for grades six to 12 was the absolute antithesis of the district 's offerings . Hartford was either the worst or second-worst school system in Connecticut , with a high dropout rate and three failed traditional high schools . At first , Capital Prep was a poorly received idea . It became real , in large part , because of the state 's settlement and our team 's determination to answer the question . After receiving school board and state approval in December 2004 , we were expected to open for August 2005 . The problem was that while we had a `` team , '' Capital Prep did n't have a single employee . Since we were becoming Hartford Board of Education employees , we all had to apply for our jobs . My hire was relatively painless . Beganski , the team 's operations genius , was turned away as an `` internal '' candidate . After two years of working 30 hours a week to turn an idea into a reality , he became our first central office/union casualty . I promised to resign if he was n't hired . Finally , the district relented and gave him the job that he had designed . This was to become an ongoing theme in the school 's first few years : ridiculous actions focused on maintaining the failed status quo . We worked through the summer with the rest of the team . The district stumbled and stalled until , with less than two weeks before our first day of school , Capital Prep only had two staff members : Beganski and me . We were not allowed to hire a single teacher . Even though we had had a team that had worked for years researching and designing the school for no money , we were told that none of them could be hired because union rules dictated who and when we could hire . This meant that our last employee for year one was hired 14 hours before the first day of school . In the years that have followed , the struggles with the union and central office 's narrow , regressive policies have tested our commitment to answer that mother 's simple question . The complexity of the answer is rooted in Capital Prep 's relationship to the failed policies of the once highly centralized district and educators ' union . In recent years , a new superintendent has come on board -- the third in our first three years . His approach has been absolutely aligned with what we need to exist . He leaves us alone as long as we get results . He ca n't shield us from the unions , but he has supported our creativity and commitment to our kids . He lets me run the school , and our teachers teach what works . That 's all we 've ever sought . Answering the question of `` why only the rich kids get good schools '' has set our team on an odyssey . Seven years later , we have an answer that we are proud of . Rich kids are not the only kids who have good schools , because Capital Prep 's 80 percent black/Latino , 60 percent poor students attend one of America 's top high schools , according to US News & World Report . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Steve Perry . | Steve Perry : A parent asked why only rich kids get good schools . He says question started process of building a quality school . Perry says his team fought bureaucracy , union to try something new . He says his school is highly rated and sends all graduates to college . | [[248, 289], [393, 433], [527, 554], [7501, 7528], [7534, 7605], [747, 805]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities have charged two teenagers and an adult in connection with the beating of a 76-year-old African-American man early Tuesday in Baltimore , Maryland , in an incident police say had a racial connection . From left , Emmanuel Miller , 16 , and Zachary Watson , 17 are charged as adults in the alleged beating . Emmanuel Miller , 16 , and Zachary Watson , 17 are charged as adults , police said . They and Calvin Lockner , 28 , face numerous charges in the alleged beating of James Privott , including attempted murder , assault and harassing a person because of race or religion , according to court documents . Lockner is a white supremacist with the nickname `` Hitler , '' Baltimore police spokesman Anthony Gugliemi told CNN . Baltimore Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld told reporters some of Lockner 's tattoos seem to indicate his affiliation with racist groups such as the Aryan Brotherhood , according to audio comments posted on the Web site of CNN affiliate WBAL . There is no evidence the teenagers were affiliated with any white supremacist groups , Gugliemi said , but the two knew Lockner . Police responding to a report of an armed carjacking about 3:25 a.m. Tuesday found Privott with a head injury , according to probable cause statements accompanying charges , filed in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City . Privott told police he was loading his Chevy Tahoe after fishing in the nearby Patapsco River when three or four white males approached him and began to kick and punch him , knocking him to the ground while using racial epithets , according to the statements . One of the men struck him with a baseball bat , Privott said . While he was on the ground , the men stole his wallet , which contained $ 19 , as well as the keys to his vehicle , he told police . The men left in the Tahoe , the statements said . Privott was taken to a hospital and later was transferred to the University of Maryland Hospital 's shock trauma center because of his head injuries . Doctors told police he had a possible fractured eye orbital bone and had sustained serious head trauma , according to the court documents . Privott remained in critical condition , but was making progress , a Baltimore police spokeswoman said Thursday . `` What has happened is an unfortunate thing , '' Privott 's wife , Ethel , told WBAL . `` I think we 're living in a prison world because we ca n't -- we 're not safe here . We go and try to have clean fun and this is what happens . '' The Chevy Tahoe 's tracking system helped police locate the vehicle , which eventually crashed and overturned , the court documents said . An anonymous witness led officers to Lockner after seeing him running from the accident scene . As he was being arrested , Lockner told police , `` I 'm sorry for what I did , '' according to the probable cause statements . Lockner told police he was involved in the beating , but said another man -- later identified by police as Watson -- was the one who assaulted Privott and took his wallet . Both Miller and Watson , however , told police it was Lockner who assaulted Privott , according to the court documents . Watson claimed Lockner used a sledgehammer and Miller used a bat . Both youth said Lockner forced them into the Tahoe after the assault , according to the statements . Watson said the three then smoked marijuana , police said . Bealefeld told reporters that while authorities have received conflicting information from the three , `` I think the consensus is that Mr. Lockner played a leading role in a lot of this . '' Miller said , according to the probable cause statements , that he , Lockner and Watson were at Fort Armistead Park near the river when they saw Privott and a woman fishing . Miller said the three asked the man and woman if they had any water or cigarettes , but they said no . Lockner grew angry at their refusal , Miller told police , and used a racial epithet as they were walking away , the documents said . Miller said the three waited for the woman with Privott to leave and then Lockner assaulted him , hitting him about 10 times , according to the probable cause statements . Ethel Privott told WBAL the two enjoy fishing near the park and have been doing so for more than a decade . `` It 's usually a party , '' she said , but the two had stayed late on Tuesday . `` A lot of seniors go down there . It 's a nice secluded area , and we have fun . Until this , '' she said . A preliminary hearing for all three suspects is set for September 18 . | James Privott , 76 , says white males kicked , punched him , used racial epithets . Suspect Calvin Lockner is white supremacist with the nickname `` Hitler , '' police say . Two teen suspects charged as adults . Privott in critical condition but making progress . | [[1468, 1493], [1513, 1540], [1543, 1597], [409, 422], [639, 687], [3389, 3402], [19, 70], [244, 337], [338, 406], [2167, 2174], [2212, 2231]] |
HAVANA , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new video and a photo of ailing Communist leader Fidel Castro surfaced on Sunday , revealing a healthier-looking man than in previous photos . A man in Havana , Cuba , reads a newspaper on Sunday featuring a picture of a healthy-looking Fidel Castro . State-run Cubavision aired video of Castro during its Sunday news broadcast , saying the footage was taken Saturday when the former president met with Venezuelan law students . It was the first video of Castro broadcast in at least a year . The photo -- the second in 10 days -- published in Cuba 's state-run youth newspaper , Juventud Rebelde , shows Castro , 83 , meeting with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Friday . The photo shows a well-groomed Castro wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and standing face-to-face with Correa . The meeting involved discussions of economic matters and medical checkups , according to the state-run newspaper . Another photo of the former Cuban president was released on August 13 by Pastors For Peace , a U.S.-based advocacy group that recently traveled to the island nation and is pushing for an end to the near half-century-old U.S. trade embargo . Castro , who came to power in 1959 , underwent abdominal surgery in 2006 . The Cuban leader ceded the presidency to his younger brother , Raul , last year , but has retained leadership of the Communist Party , the only legal political party in Cuba . CNN 's David Ariosto contributed to this report . | NEW : The video of Castro is the first broadcast in at least a year . New photo shows fit-looking Castro meeting with Ecuadorian president . Report : Castro and Correa met over economic matters and medical checkups . He ceded Cuba 's presidency to his brother in 2008 but is still Communist Party chief . | [[287, 362], [464, 527], [490, 527], [9, 29], [118, 177], [209, 286], [528, 562], [634, 713], [615, 623], [654, 713], [827, 900], [903, 941], [1258, 1318], [1258, 1274], [1338, 1390]] |
CANNES , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The line-up at this year 's Cannes Film Festival is a cineaste 's dream . There are high expectations for Jane Campion 's `` Bright Star , '' a drama about 19th-century poet John Keats . Packed with big name auteurs -LRB- Pedro Almodovar , Ken Loach , Lars Von Trier , Quentin Tarantino , and Park Chan-wook among others -RRB- and intriguing propositions , the competition for the coveted Palme d'Or is sure to be fierce . While there may be a dearth of surprises in the line-up , the world 's shiniest cinema event has certainly proved that in these tough economic times it can still cherry pick the best of what 's out there . But what among the dizzying array of celluloid magic has caught the eye of industry insiders and professionals ? The Screening Room asked a blogger , a critic and a film buyer attending the festival what films they will be watching out for at this year 's event . THE CRITIC . Name : Jonathan Romney . Credentials : Film critic for British newspaper The Independent on Sunday . Cannes experience : 17 years . It 's heavily loaded with big names and the strange thing is that this year there are very few surprises in there . Last year there was Italian Matteo Garrone 's `` Gomorrah '' -LRB- which won the Grand Prize -RRB- and Israeli Ari Folman 's animation `` Waltz with Bashir , '' films that nobody knew anything about in competition . The one that people are either really looking forward to or dreading is `` Enter the Void , '' Gaspar Noe 's new film . Noe gave everybody a rough time in 2002 with `` Irreversible , '' a violent , confrontational rape-revenge drama . The thing about him is once he 's got you in the cinema you 're not going to get out . This one has been made in Japan and is the story of someone looking at the events leading up to their own death . In particular , I 'll be looking at Jane Campion 's film , `` Bright Star , '' starring Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw . It 's based on the three-year romance between 19th-century poet Keats and Fanny Brawne , which was cut short by his death at the age of 25 . She has n't delivered for quite a while . Her last few films were at best patchy and at worst disappointing . She 's shown skill at her version of costume dramas in the past with films like `` The Piano , '' which won the Palme d'Or in 1994 . Five-times Palme d'Or nominated German -LSB- - born -RSB- Michael Haneke 's `` The White Ribbon '' is another film people are talking about . It is set in 1914 and is apparently about the emergence of Nazism . I imagine it will be fairly austere and confrontational . I also imagine it will be very good . He has never made a film that does n't really engage or impress on some level . There 's also Danish Cannes stalwart Lars von Trier 's film `` Antichrist , '' starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg about a grieving couple who retreat to a small cabin in the forest to mourn following the death of their child . There has been some controversy over why he is making what looks like a conventional Hollywood horror . It almost certainly wo n't be that . I suspect it will be philosophical . A lot of these filmmakers are not entertainers . They like to give their audiences a hard time . One of the keynotes of this year is going to be confrontation . THE BLOGGER . Name : Karina Longworth . Credentials : Co-founder of Cinematical film blog and editor of Spout blog . Cannes experience : two years . In the Directors ' Fortnight section I 'm really excited about `` Go Get Some Rosemary , '' which is directed by these two young American brothers , Joshua and Benny Safdie . Their style is reminiscent of the French New Wave -- but with this sense of humor and willingness to experiment in real locations , and use the people that are walking by as accidental characters . They 're sometimes lumped together with the young American `` Mumblecore '' scene but their films are really different . They 've got a really interesting sense of style . Another film I 'm really excited about is a documentary by French Oscar-winner Michel Gondry . The English title is `` The Thorn in the Heart , '' and it is about his aunt . Because it is in the Special Screening section and it 's not in competition , it wo n't get the full red carpet treatment . But while the international press is looking the other way , if it 's really good it could stand out from the crowd . Of course I 'm excited to see a Quentin Tarantino movie , but my experience of being at Cannes is that going to see one of those giant films ends up taking all day long . I try to go and see films that I might not ever be able to see again . The film I 'm most excited about seeing is Lars von Trier 's `` Antichrist . '' It looks sort of `` Rosemary 's Baby '' - ish and it is a return to working in English with American-known actors . I 'm also looking forward to Jane Campion 's new film . THE BUYER . Name : Robert Walak . Credentials : Senior vice-president , Acquisitions Worldwide , Momentum Pictures . Cannes experience : seven years . Sometimes a film is going to `` pop '' where you least expect it , and it 's often not the film with established directors . It 's quite difficult to find those -- the ones that create industry buzz , the ones that the critics suddenly go for , but also when you finally do get around to releasing it in your territory that the film actually crosses over and becomes an art house hit . I 've already read the scripts for a lot of the films in competition -- you really want to get all of the information and do your homework . This year there 's buzz about a film by an Iranian director , Bahman Qobadi , called `` No One Knows Persian Cats , '' which is being sold by innovative production company Wild Bunch . Qobadi has served as a juror on the Cannes jury before and took home a Golden Camera award in 2000 for `` A Time for Drunken Horses , '' a drama about young Iranian Kurds . I 'm also looking forward to `` Antichrist . '' It 's going to be interesting to see what von Triers ' take on a horror movie is going to be . The script was off the wall and I want to see how he brings it all together . The Ken Loach film `` Looking for Eric , '' which stars ex-footballer Eric Cantona , is meant to be fantastic . It 's already sold in the UK but the script was wonderful and I think it 's going to be a very distinctive , different film for Loach . Feel-good is a very overused term , but people are going to be looking for more feel-good films now anyway . | From Quentin Tarantino to Ken Loach , Cannes is packed with big names . Critic Jonathan Romney 's looking forward to Jane Campion 's `` Bright Star '' Blogger Karina Longworth ca n't wait for Lars von Trier 's `` Antichrist '' Buyer Robert Walak says people will be looking for `` more feel-good films '' | [[222, 242], [1073, 1108], [1073, 1188], [4857, 4861], [4867, 4912], [4661, 4737], [5949, 5953], [5959, 5993], [6458, 6517], [6458, 6464], [6475, 6526]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Danish auteur Lars von Trier presented his gothic thriller , `` Antichrist '' at Cannes Film Festival last month , it was greeted with cat-calls , jeers and , at times , disbelieving laughter . Danish auteur Lars von Trier has been making films that shock , provoke and impress for over 40 years . Filmmakers are expected to give audiences a hard time at Cannes and the two-hander starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a couple grieving the loss of a child is no exception . But it was the level of pornographic sex and visceral brutality that outraged some and astonished many . Von Trier was labeled a woman-hater for the wince-inducingly horrific final scene in which female lead Charlotte Gainsbourg takes a pair of rusty scissors to her genitals and performs a DIY clitoridectomy right to camera . An Ecumenical Jury that normally hands out a prize at Cannes celebrating spiritual values felt moved to award `` Antichrist '' an `` anti-prize '' for being `` the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world . '' `` Lars von Trier , we get it , '' wrote film critic Wendy Ide in UK paper The Times . `` You really , really do n't like women . '' Misogyny could n't be further from the truth , according to Von Trier , who says he sees himself up there on the screen : `` I mostly see myself as the female character , '' the 53-year-old director told CNN in Cannes . Do you think that Lars von Trier is a woman-hater ? Tell us below in the SoundOff box . The director says that he shot the film as a form of therapy after recovering from a serious mental illness . Indeed , a few years ago , it was questionable whether von Trier , who is famously multi-phobic , would be able to make another film . In the winter of 2006 , he fell victim to depression and checked into hospital , the aftermath of which left him `` like a blank sheet of paper , '' he told Danish paper Politiken at the time . Today , if not fully recovered -- the most terrifying thing he can think of is still `` myself '' -- he is able to function once more and is receiving cognitive behavioral therapy to help him face up to his psychological issues . Despite , or perhaps because of , what he describes as his `` sensitive '' nature , von Trier is one of today 's great contemporary European auteurs , considered responsible for spearheading a revival in the fortunes of Scandinavian filmmaking . `` I think that if you are , shall we say , sensitive , then there is a good side and a bad side about it , '' said von Trier . `` The good side is that you can sometimes achieve something creatively . But , of course , it always also allows some of these negative thoughts in . '' Watch Lars von Trier talking to CNN 's The Screening Room about `` Antichrist '' '' He has been nominated for the top prize at Cannes , the Palme D'Or , a staggering eight times , winning once in 2000 for the harrowing operatic tragedy , `` Dancer in the Dark , '' starring Icelandic musician , Bjork , who also took home the Best Actress prize that year . It is rumored Bjork became so unhinged filming `` Dancer in the Dark '' she ate her own cardigan . Von Trier claimed each morning she would say `` Mr von Trier , I despise you , '' and spit at him . In pictures : The wierd world of Lars von Trier '' Von Trier has a reputation for being tough on his actors . His friend and long-time collaborator , actor Stellan Skarsgard describes von Trier as `` not uncomplex . '' `` I was scared , '' admitted Gainsbourg who won Best Actress at Cannes for her performance . `` I had heard stories about him as a director ... maybe he 's cruel and vicious . '' But she now describes him as her `` guide '' and `` the greatest director I 've ever worked with . '' Fueled by his unconventional approach and upbringing , the mythology surrounding von Trier looms large over everything he touches . Brought up in Copenhagen by bohemian parents who were committed nudists , he suffers from crippling bouts of agoraphobia ; and , most famously , a fear of flying . Each visit to Cannes involves a five-day road trip from Denmark to the French Riviera by camper van . He has an undeniable egotistical streak : this year at Cannes , he declared , `` I am the best filmmaker in the world , '' and in 1991 , when displeased that Cannes jury president Roman Polanski had only awarded `` Europa '' the runner-up Grand Prix prize , he called him a `` dwarf . '' He also seems to actively court controversy : 1998 Palme D'Or contender `` Dogme # 2 : The Idiots '' grabbed headlines for being the first commercial film to show non-simulated sex on screen , and for von Trier 's typically eccentric claim that the best way to prepare actors for sex scenes is to direct in the nude . But , von Trier says , he has always taken a deeply personal approach to the experimental , often dark and challenging works that he creates . He says he finds it difficult to know how to satisfy the needs of others with his films and so works only for himself . `` I feel very strongly for satisfying , maybe not my own needs , but my own idea of the film and the images that come from within , '' he told CNN . `` If I did n't follow my instinct , then I ca n't work . '' | Pornographic sex and visceral violence in `` Antichrist '' shocked early audiences . Von Trier was accused of misogyny but claims to identify with the female character . `` Antichrist '' stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe as a bereaved couple . Von Trier 's `` The Idiots '' -LRB- 1998 -RRB- was first mainstream film to show non-simulated sex . | [[532, 591], [573, 591], [597, 632], [1360, 1403], [339, 480], [4570, 4583], [4602, 4673]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three men who kidnapped and tortured a man over a drug debt were sentenced Tuesday in Atlanta , Georgia , to decades in prison , in a case tied to Mexican drug cartels . Federal authorities point to the 2008 case as evidence that Atlanta has become a major distribution hub for powerful Mexican drug groups such as the Sinaloa and Gulf cartels . Victor Abiles Gomez , 20 , Omar Mendoza-Villegas , 19 , and Gerardo Solorio Reyes , 23 , were sentenced to more than 20 years each in the kidnapping and beating of Oscar Reynoso in a suburban Atlanta home , federal authorities said . Gomez and Mendoza-Villegas were sentenced to 24 years in federal prison ; Reyes was sentenced to 26 years . The three gagged the victim and left him chained to a mattress in an unfinished basement for six days because of a $ 300,000 drug debt , authorities said . The three are illegal immigrants from Mexico and had ties to powerful drug cartels there , authorities said . `` This case demonstrates the danger inherent in the illegal business of drug-dealing , '' said Atlanta U.S. Attorney David Nahmias . `` Fortunately , this violent episode did not spill over to innocent members of our community . '' In fiscal 2008 , authorities confiscated about $ 70 million in drug-related cash in Atlanta , more than anywhere else in the United States , the Drug Enforcement Administration has said . Atlanta has become a stopping point for truckloads of Mexican cocaine , heroin , marijuana and methamphetamine , agents say . The drugs are held in stash houses before being distributed on the East Coast . | 3 men linked to cartels kidnapped and tortured man over drug debt , authorities say . Victim was found gagged , chained in basement in Atlanta suburb . The three convicted kidnappers got sentences of 20 + years in federal prison . Atlanta is stopping point for Mexican drug cartel shipments , authorities say . | [[10, 33], [65, 96], [881, 890], [930, 963], [725, 741], [757, 826], [383, 464], [467, 469], [472, 587], [207, 382], [262, 382], [1412, 1522]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Meet Bailey . She 's a registered therapy dog , but you wo n't find her in hospitals or nursing homes . Instead , Bailey makes weekly visits to libraries and schools . She sits quietly or snuggles up to kids as they read her a book . And no , she 's not napping , and the kids do n't have treats in their pockets . She 's actually helping these children learn to read . It sounds implausible . After all , dogs ca n't read . How could they possibly help someone learn a skill that they themselves ca n't grasp ? But it 's a growing trend , and it seems to be working . The philosophy is simple . Children who are just learning to read often feel judged or intimidated by classmates and adults . But reading to a dog is n't so scary . It wo n't judge , it wo n't get impatient , it wo n't laugh or correct if the child makes a mistake . In a nutshell , dogs are simply excellent listeners . And for shy kids or slow readers , that can make all the difference . Kathy Klotz is executive director of Intermountain Therapy Animals , which runs a nationwide program called R.E.A.D. -- Reading Education Assistance Dogs . She says there 's another benefit of reading to the dogs that she did n't anticipate : confidence . `` A factor that we never planned for , that turned out to be really important , is that the child feels like they 're letting the dog understand the story , '' she says . `` They get to be the teacher , the storyteller , the one who knows more than the dog for a change . ... They just blossom when they get to be the one who knows more than the dog . '' The children know they 're not actually teaching the dog , of course , but the for the kids , the idea that they know more than the dog and can share their knowledge is a powerful one . And now that volunteers are aware of that aspect , Klotz says they actively foster the idea of the child as the teacher . `` One of the things you do in the program is you always speak for the dog , '' says Klotz . `` Like if -LSB- the child -RSB- does n't know a word , the dog does n't know the word either . And then they 're not alone , and they can look it up in the dictionary together . '' Bailey and her owner , Jim Wilmoth , participate in weekly reading sessions at local libraries in West Virginia with kids who are generally between 6 and 12 years old . They 're part of the `` Sit . Stay . Read . '' program , which is similar to R.E.A.D. Programs like these have popped up in nearly every state to help improve literacy rates in the United States . `` The kids come in and read stories to Bailey and other therapy dogs for about 15 or 20 minutes at a time , '' says Wilmoth , who was interviewed by iReporter Jennifer Sias at the West Virginia Book Festival . `` It encourages them to practice their reading skills ... and it 's a good way to involve families with the library system . '' And the dogs really do pay attention , according to Lisa Saroyan . Her pomeranian , Minnie , has been a reading therapy dog for about a year in Fresno , California , as part of Therapy Dogs International 's `` Tail Waggin ' Tutors '' program . Minnie , who weighs in at only five pounds , sits calmly but alertly on a table for an hour at a time as children take turns reading to her . `` She really does sit there and stare at them , '' says Saroyan . `` And sometimes as they 're turning the pages , she follows the page with her nose , and the kids just light up . She just knows what she 's supposed to do . '' See Minnie in action . And then , of course , there are the proven physiological benefits of interacting with dogs . According to the researchers at the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University , blood pressure drops and the heart rate slows when a person is petting a dog . The National Institutes of Health confirms what any dog owner knows : Dogs have been found to reduce stress . Each of these factors helps calm children and makes them feel less nervous or intimidated about reading . For older children and teens , the dog can be a supportive friend and provide an outlet from stress and peer pressure . Klotz says her organization has had particular success with kids in detention programs . `` A comment we always get in our detention program is that animals make kids respond so genuinely , '' she explains . `` They get away from peer pressure and towards a genuine enjoyment -LSB- of reading -RSB- . ... They love it . '' It 's hard to measure scientifically the success of the program and others like it . Because they 're volunteer-based , and because each state uses different methods to measure reading level , doing a nationwide study would be difficult . However , Klotz says it 's possible to see results in individual schools by comparing the reading improvement of kids who participate in the program with kids who do n't . She says it 's typical for the kids who read to dogs for just 20 minutes a week to improve their reading skills by a couple of grade levels in one school year . She 's even seen as much improvement as four grade levels in a year . And Klotz thinks that reading comprehension is just the beginning of how these dogs help kids . `` It 's not just reading scores , '' she says . `` They start to speak up in class , and volunteer , and finish homework . They do n't want to miss school when they 're going to read to the dog , so it improves attendance . It kind of just flows over onto everything . '' R.E.A.D. staff and volunteers know people are skeptical about the program 's results at first , but Klotz says anyone who 's spent time with a dog will understand . `` It sounds a little kooky when people first hear the idea , '' she admits . `` But if they know dogs at all , and the way people relate to dogs , it quickly starts to make sense . But you do n't quite ever grasp how really lovely it is until you see it happen and you see the kids light up and you see how excited they are . You see all these changes in them that they just were n't able to make . '' And therapy dog owners say the pups love the program as much as the kids . `` They kind of benefit each other , '' says Saroyan . '' -LSB- Minnie -RSB- just craves that human attention , and -LSB- the kids -RSB- really benefit from her just sitting there and listening . '' | Therapy dogs in libraries can help kids become more comfortable with reading . It 's less intimidating for a child to read to a dog than a parent or classmate . Spending time with a dog also helps physiologically reduce effects of stress . Dogs in libraries and schools are a small but growing trend across the U.S. | [[718, 752], [3518, 3526], [3541, 3611], [3783, 3892], [3831, 3850], [3853, 3892], [3851, 3892]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Federal Aviation Administration revoked the licenses of two Northwest Airlines pilots Tuesday in an extraordinary letter in which the agency chastised the pair , saying they endangered the public by flying an hour and half without contacting controllers `` while you were on a frolic of your own . '' The letter to Northwest Captain Timothy B. Cheney and First Officer Richard I. Cole puts the total time the pilots maintained radio silence at 91 minutes -- 13 minutes longer than originally defined by federal investigators . The letter said the pilots were `` extremely reckless . '' `` Not only did you not comply with ... -LSB- air traffic controller -RSB- instructions , you did not even monitor the aircraft 's air-ground radios , '' the letter said . `` You were disengaged and impervious to the serious threat to your own safety , as well as the safety of people for whom you are responsible . This is a total dereliction and disregard for your duties . '' The letter provides new details about the flight . Cheney , 53 , and Cole , 54 , were piloting Flight 188 from San Diego , California , to the Minneapolis-St . Paul airport in Minnesota on Wednesday when air traffic controllers lost radio contact with the Airbus A320 over the Denver , Colorado , area . Instead of beginning to descend as planned about 22 minutes before its scheduled arrival , the plane continued flying at its cruise altitude of 35,000 feet and passed over the Minnesota airport . At 8:14 p.m. CT -- 36 minutes after the plane was to begin its descent and 14 minutes after its scheduled arrival -- the pilots contacted controllers , the FAA said . One of the pilots radioed : `` We got distracted and we 've overflown MSP -LSB- Minneapolis-St . Paul airport -RSB- . We are overhead EAU -LSB- Eau Claire , Wisconsin -RSB- and would like to make a 180 and to -LSB- make -RSB- an arrival from over EAU . '' Cheney and Cole told federal investigators that they `` lost track of time '' while working on personal laptop computers , the National Transportation Safety Board said . They became aware of their plane 's position only after a flight attendant asked about the landing time , according to the NTSB . The FAA said the revocations cite several violations of regulations , including failure to comply with air traffic control and clearances and operating carelessly and recklessly . The pilots have 10 days to appeal the revocations , which are effective immediately , to the NTSB , the FAA said . Flight 188 carried 144 passengers , the two pilots and three flight attendants . Cheney was hired in 1985 and has more than 20,000 hours of flight time , while Cole was hired in 1997 and has about 11,000 hours of flight time , according to an NTSB report released Monday . Neither pilot reported having had an accident , incident or violation , neither had any ongoing medical conditions , and neither said he was tired , the report said . They each had had a 19-hour layover in San Diego ; neither said he had slept or argued during the flight , but both said `` there was a distraction '' in the cockpit , according to the report . The pilots said there was `` a concentrated period of discussion where they did not monitor the airplane or calls '' from air traffic control , though both said they heard conversation on the radio , the report said . Neither pilot said he noticed messages sent by company dispatchers , the report added . It said the men were talking about a new monthly crew flight scheduling system that was put into place in the wake of Northwest 's merger with Delta Air Lines . `` Each pilot accessed and used his personal laptop computer while they discussed the airline crew flight scheduling procedure , '' the report said . `` The first officer , who was more familiar with the procedure , was providing instruction to the captain . '' After landing at the Minneapolis-St . Paul airport , both voluntarily underwent alcohol breath tests , which proved negative , the report said . | NEW : Pilots were `` extremely reckless , '' `` on a frolic , '' FAA says . NEW : Radio silence lasted 91 minutes , longer than initially believed , FAA says . Pair involved in overflight of Minneapolis-St . Paul airport in Minnesota last week . NTSB : Pilots were on laptops , discussing scheduling system , lost track of time . | [[561, 616], [577, 616], [2223, 2230], [2365, 2385], [2503, 2517], [335, 502], [2503, 2517], [1394, 1403], [1463, 1498], [1922, 2042], [2093, 2097], [2199, 2222], [3168, 3216], [3458, 3536], [3619, 3632], [3646, 3745]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Loretta Chaisson Lewis , 28 , was the first to die . She was reported missing on May 17 , 2005 . Three days later , fishermen found her body floating in a canal off Highway 26 in Jennings , Louisiana . Victims , clockwise : Laconia Brown , 23 , Whitnei Dubois , 26 , Brittney Gary , 17 and Necole Guillory , 26 . Her father , Thomas Lewis , recently posted a plea on a Web site established in September by the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff 's Office to draw attention to the killing of his daughter and the deaths of seven other women in the area . Police say the slayings may be linked . `` We love and miss her , '' the father 's message said . `` She was a loving mother , wife and daughter . If you have any information about her death , please let someone know . '' There have been eight killings in four years in a small town that averages one homicide a year . The victims ' bodies were dumped on the outskirts of Jennings -- population 10,546 -- west of Lafayette , Louisiana . Townspeople are perplexed . They 're asking themselves , `` Is there a serial killer among us ? '' That seems likely , authorities say . `` Based on an analysis of the investigation thus far , we believe the homicides may be linked to a common offender , '' Sheriff Ricky Edwards said in a recent news release . The victims ranged in age from 17 to 30 and had similar lifestyles . They were drug abusers who in some cases resorted to prostitution , `` trading sex for drugs , '' Edwards said . The throats of two of the victims were slit and the others died `` from some sort of asphyxiation , according to the coroner 's office , '' he said . The bodies of all but two of the victims were either nude or partially nude , the sheriff said , but the coroner 's office has not determined whether any were sexually assaulted . One month after Lewis ' death , the body of Ernestine Patterson , 30 , was found in a drainage canal . Two young women were killed in 2007 , Kristen Lopez , 21 , and Whitnei Dubois , 26 . Mike Dubois , Whitnei 's brother , criticized the slow pace of the investigation . `` How can there not be anything ? '' he asked . `` I want justice , not just for my family , but for the families of all the girls . We live in fear that someone else is going to get killed . '' But Edwards said his department and investigators from the neighboring parishes of Acadia and Calcasieu , the state attorney general 's office , the Louisiana State Police and the FBI are doing everything they can . `` This investigation is intense , '' he said . `` We are following up on all leads . I assure you that we are working tirelessly to solve these murders . '' In 2008 , the bodies of three women were found : Laconia `` Muggy '' Brown , 23 ; Brittney Gary , the youngest victim at age 17 ; and Crystal Shay Zeno , 24 . Zeno 's mother , Sarah Benoit , posted this message on the Sheriff Department 's Web site : . `` How beautiful you are . Your smile is forever a reminder of how special you are . It has almost been a year , but it seems like yesterday that you were taken from us . If anyone has any information on my daughter 's death , please come forward . Without closure , not knowing who could have done this is very frightening . I pray every day that God will give the task force what they need to solve these cases . '' In the most recent case , the body of Necole Guillory , 26 , was found in Acadia Parish , off Interstate 10 , in August . Edwards believes this represented a change in the killer 's modus operandi . The bodies of all the previous victims were left on the side of smaller , rural roads . `` It 's likely whoever 's responsible changed behavior because of increased attention in the public and the media , '' he said . Investigators think the offender has significant ties to Jefferson Davis Parish and is known to its residents , because he has demonstrated a strong familiarity with the area , Edwards said . Of the victims , the sheriff said , `` All of these young ladies had substance abuse problems and would go anywhere to fulfill their addictions . '' But he said he stopped referring to their `` high-risk lifestyle '' after the family of one of the victims expressed outrage and accused his department of not caring about the women . `` Jennings and Jefferson Davis Parish is hurting and grieving the deaths of eight women since 2005 , '' the sheriff said . `` The investigative team continues to pray for Loretta , Ernestine , Kristen , Whitnei , -LSB- Laconia -RSB- ` Muggy , ' -LSB- Crystal -RSB- Shay , Brittney , and Necole and your families . '' He encouraged anyone with information to visit the site , www.jeffdaviscrimes.net , or contact the task force at 337-824-6662 . In the meantime , the families continue to wait for news . Benoit , Zeno 's mother , has distributed more than 1,200 fliers in the community urging everyone to attend an October 17 prayer vigil at Lake Arthur . `` It 's called Community United in Prayer , '' she said . `` Everyone is invited to pray for the victims and their families . It 's a healing for our community . '' `` We try to shoulder each other up , '' said Dubois , Whitnei 's brother . `` It 's not the time to be quiet . It 's time to say ` enough is enough . ' '' | Eight women have been slain in Jefferson Davis Parish , Louisiana , since 2005 . Police believe a serial killer may be at work . Sheriff Ricky Edwards launched a Web site on the case last month . | [[470, 568], [791, 851], [4284, 4372], [4284, 4322], [4338, 4383], [386, 522]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We are losing in Afghanistan , on two fronts . The most important center of gravity of the conflict -- as the Taliban well recognizes -- is the American public . And now , most Americans are opposed to the war . For years , Afghanistan was `` the forgotten war , '' and when Americans started paying attention again -- roughly around the time of President Obama 's inauguration -- what they saw was not a pretty sight : a corrupt Afghan government , a world-class drug trade , a resurgent Taliban and steadily rising U.S. casualties . Many surely thought : Did n't we win this war eight years ago ? Americans , of course , hate seeing the deaths of fellow citizens in combat , but even more they hate to see those deaths in the service of a war they believe they are either not winning or maybe even losing , which is one of the reasons why they largely turned against the Iraq war in 2006 . Within a couple of years , Iraq came back from the brink and started to turn around , after which the war there became largely a nonissue for most Americans . Similarly , the American public would be more likely to tolerate the losses of blood and treasure in Afghanistan if they saw real progress being made there . And right now , they do n't . The second front we 're losing is the Afghans themselves , who are the United States ' center of gravity in the Afghan war . Eight years into this conflict , America and its NATO allies -- who are still looked on favorably by a majority of Afghans -- are not providing large swaths of the Afghan population with the most basic public good , which is security . It 's time to table fancy counterinsurgency doctrines about `` connecting the Afghan people to the government '' -- Afghans have never had , and do n't expect much , in the way of services from their government , and it 's time now to focus on something much more basic : security . The last government to provide Afghans with real security was ... the Taliban . When they ruled the country before 9/11 , security came at a tremendous price : a brutal , theocratic regime that bankrupted the country and was a pariah on the world stage . But in the context of Afghan history , the Taliban bringing security was decisively important , since what had immediately preceded their iron rule was a nightmarish civil war during which you could be robbed or killed at will by gangs of roving ethnic and tribal militias . It is has been a staple of Western political theory since the mid-17th century , when Hobbes wrote `` Leviathan , '' that if the state does not provide security to its people , life will be `` nasty , brutish and short . '' Hobbes wrote `` Leviathan '' in the shadow of the English Civil War , deriving from that bloody conflict the idea that the most important political good the state can deliver is security . The United States relearned this lesson in Iraq with some success starting in 2007 . But the U.S. seems to have developed instant amnesia about this issue in Afghanistan , where around 40 percent of the country was controlled by the Taliban or was at high risk for attacks by insurgents , according to a private assessment prepared by the Afghan military in April , which was obtained by CNN . A glaring symbol of the collapse of security in the country is the 300-mile Kabul-to-Kandahar highway , economically and politically the most important road in the country , which is now too dangerous to drive on . Who will then provide security ? The Afghan army is relatively small and generally ineffective . The police are worse . The plans to ramp up the size and efficacy of those forces are , of course , a key part of the American exit strategy from the country . But that training mission is going to take years . Nor are NATO allies going to add significantly more troops . Indeed , a number of NATO countries are already heading to the exits . That means that it now falls to the United States to do the heavy lifting in Afghanistan , and if Obama is serious about securing the country and rolling back the Taliban , he really does n't have much choice but to put significant numbers of more troops on the ground . That way , he can start winning the war : win back the American public , roll back the Taliban -- who have melded ideologically and tactically with al Qaeda -- and provide real security to the Afghan people . Such a ramp-up will have an additional benefit . In the larger war on al Qaeda and its allies , the center of gravity is the Pakistani public , military and government because it is in Pakistan where al Qaeda and its Taliban allies are headquartered . And in one of the most important strategic shifts since 9/11 , the Pakistani military and government are now getting serious about wiping out large elements of the Taliban and allied groups on their territory and , most importantly , are doing it with the support of their population . No longer are Pakistani military operations against militants in Swat and Waziristan seen by Pakistanis as `` America 's war '' : they are now seen as being in the vital interests of the Pakistani state because the Pakistani Taliban and other jihadist groups have made major strategic errors since early 2009 , including marching close to Islamabad , attacking Pakistan 's equivalent of the Pentagon and killing hundreds of Pakistani soldiers and policemen . This new development is vitally important . Over the years , U.S. military commanders have often talked about hammer and anvil operations in eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan that would bring an American hammer down on the militants based along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border , who would then in turn be caught on a Pakistani anvil . In reality , the American hammer was never large and the Pakistani anvil was never strong . But the ongoing Pakistani military incursion into Waziristan , which was preceded by months of `` softening up '' operations with air strikes and artillery as well as a ramped-up American drone program aimed at al Qaeda and Taliban leaders there , is today setting the conditions for a real anvil . The hammer must now be applied . Armed groups do n't sue for peace when they believe they might have the upper hand , and right now , the Taliban feel that they are winning the war -- or at least not losing it , which for most insurgencies amounts to the same thing . If there is to be some kind of political reconciliation with elements of the Taliban , that will only come once they truly believe they have no prospect of military success . At the same time , key roads , cities and towns in Afghanistan must also be secured . Without providing that security , as Hobbes wrote three and half centuries ago , governments of any kind will fail at their most basic task . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bergen . | Peter Bergen : Most Americans now oppose the war in Afghanistan . He says U.S. , Afghan government do n't provide basic security . Hobbes said life in nations without security is `` nasty , brutish and short '' Bergen : Obama has to add troops if he is serious about repelling Taliban . | [[181, 188], [191, 230], [1383, 1413], [1416, 1443], [1509, 1596], [2557, 2606], [2609, 2652], [4067, 4069], [4107, 4164]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The militants behind Wednesday 's deadly strike on a Pakistani marketplace that killed at least 90 people -- most of them women -- are `` on the losing side of history , '' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a joint news conference with her Pakistani counterpart . `` If the people behind the attacks were so sure of their beliefs let them join the political process , let them come forth to the people and make their case that they do n't want girls to go to school , that they want women to be kept back , that they believe they have all the answers , '' Clinton said in response to the car bombing in Peshawar . `` They know they are on the losing side of history but they are determined to take as many lives with them as their movement is finally exposed for the nihilistic , empty effort that it is . '' Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also condemned the deadly attack , offering his condolences to the victims and their families and directly addressing the attackers . `` We will not buckle , we will fight you because we want stability and peace in Pakistan , '' Qureshi said . `` You are on the run and we know that . We defeated you in Swat and Malakand . You think by attacking innocent people and lives you will shake our determination ? No , sir , you will not . '' The blast at the Meena Bazaar killed at least 90 people , most of them women , and injured more than 200 others , according to North West Frontier Province 's information minister . The market is a labyrinth of shops popular with women in the Peepal Mandi section of the city . The attack is the deadliest ever carried out in Peshawar , the capital of North West Frontier Province . Clinton arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a series of meetings with top Pakistani officials . Talking with reporters en route to the country , Clinton said she wants to `` turn the page '' on what has been , in the past few years , `` primarily a security-anti-terrorist agenda . '' `` We hold that to be extremely important , and it remains a very high priority , '' she said . `` But we also recognize that it is imperative that we broaden our engagement with Pakistan . '' Clinton said there have been `` a lot of misconceptions '' about American intentions . `` We have a relationship that we want to strengthen , but we do n't want it to be lopsided . We do n't want it to be just about security and just about our anti-terrorist agenda , '' she said . `` It is unfortunate that there are those who question our motives , who perhaps are skeptical that we are going to commit to a long-term relationship , and I want to try to clear the air up on that while I am in the country , '' she said . | Clinton condemns bombing of Peshawar market which killed at least 90 people Wednesday . Of militants who carried out the attacks , she said : `` They are on the losing side of history '' The U.S. Secretary of State is in Pakistan to shore up strained relations . Clinton said relationship is about more than security and anti-terror campaign . | [[91, 114], [120, 145], [607, 667], [1348, 1418], [12, 36], [171, 207], [671, 719]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There are no immediate plans to commit more U.S. troops to the ongoing war in Afghanistan , President Obama said Wednesday . Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper , left , and President Obama meet in Washington on Wednesday . Speaking to reporters alongside Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper , Obama said he would consult with U.S. allies before determining a strategy in Afghanistan after last month 's elections there . `` I 'm going to take a very deliberate process in making those decisions , '' Obama said . `` There is no immediate decision pending on resources , because one of the things that I 'm absolutely clear about is you have to get the strategy right and then make a determination about resources . '' The United States has about 62,000 U.S. troops in the country , and NATO allies -- including Canada -- have another 35,000 . The Pentagon is planning to add 6,000 troops by the end of the year . There have been indications that Obama soon could be asked to commit even more American troops . Defense Secretary Robert Gates , however , has signaled he would like to gauge the impact of the 6,000-troop increase before considering whether to send more . Support in the United States for the war in Afghanistan has dipped to an all-time low . Just 39 percent of Americans favor the war , while 58 percent oppose it , according to a national CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday . Recent polling suggests that the increasing violence and slow pace of progress are also taking a toll on support for the war in Canada . Obama thanked Harper for his country 's commitment to Afghanistan , where more than 2,800 Canadian troops and dozens of civilians are stationed . `` They have fought ; they have had staying power ; they have absorbed losses that we all grieve for , '' he said . Watch Obama and Harper meet '' Most of the Canadian forces are based in the southern Kandahar province , home to some of the worst violence and instability . At least 130 Canadian troops have been killed in the war . Last year , after a national debate , the Canadian government extended the mission -- which was to end this February -- until the end of 2011 . Harper said Wednesday that `` Canada is not leaving Afghanistan '' but is `` transitioning from a predominately military mission to a mission that will be a civilian humanitarian mission after 2011 . '' The two leaders also discussed economic issues , issuing a joint statement after their meeting saying in part that `` open trade and investment are essential for competitiveness and sustainable growth in North America and globally . '' Obama acknowledged that the `` Buy American '' clause in the economic stimulus package has been a `` source of irritation '' between Canada and the United States and is something Harper has repeatedly brought to his attention . The clause is a provision in the $ 787 billion stimulus package enacted in February that states only American goods can be used in stimulus projects . But it stipulates that the measure would not override existing U.S. trade treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement . Harper said Canada 's concerns about the clause are `` important irritants ... but relatively small '' when compared with the overall U.S.-Canadian trade relationship . | U.S. already planning to send 6,000 more troops to Afghanistan this year . No immediate plans for deployment beyond that , Obama says . Remarks follow meeting with PM of Canada , which has 2,800 troops in Afghanistan . Polling shows support for Afghanistan war dropping in both U.S. and Canada . | [[880, 949], [880, 892], [905, 949], [0, 26], [36, 119], [257, 327], [1637, 1648], [1657, 1728], [1207, 1294], [1446, 1582]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For astronaut Jose Hernandez , his first space flight , scheduled to be aboard the space shuttle Discovery , marks a remarkable journey from the farm fields of California to the skies . Astronaut Jose Hernandez is an American-born son of immigrants from Michoacan , Mexico . Hernandez , an American-born son of immigrants from Michoacan , Mexico , is getting plenty of attention at home and abroad for his journey from working the fields to operating some of the most advanced mechanics on the space shuttle . Mexican President Felipe Calderon called the 47-year-old astronaut over the weekend to congratulate him . A transcript of the entire conversation was promptly posted online by the Mexican government . Hernandez is also reaching out to fans through Twitter , where he posts updates under the name '' @Astro -- Jose . '' `` I come from a very humble family and what I would call a typical migrant farm working family , '' Hernandez said in a NASA interview . As a child , Hernandez 's family split their time between Mexico and California , where they worked as migrant farm workers . During the school year his parents emphasized his education , but on the weekends Hernandez would help the family , he said in the interview , posted on the NASA Web site . Growing up in Stockton , California , it was Hernandez 's job as the youngest child to hold up the rabbit ear antennas on the family 's television set in order to get the best reception while everyone watched the Apollo missions . `` Now I kid around with my family saying that , you know , it was through osmosis that I became an astronaut because I was closest to the whole situation , '' Hernandez told NASA . The real catalyst for his dream to become an astronaut , however , came when Franklin Chang-Diaz , became the first Latin American astronaut in 1981 . `` There was a lot of parallels and that 's when I challenged myself . I said , `` Hey , if Franklin can do it , why ca n't I do it ? '' Hernandez said in the interview . Hernandez earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering , and before joining NASA worked on a number of high-tech projects , including an X-ray laser to be deployed in space , a digital mammography system and the disposal of excess nuclear material in Russia , his official biography states . According to NASA , there are nine Hispanics currently in the astronaut program , and 13 total in the program 's history . Astronaut Danny Olivas , also of Mexican descent , will also fly on Discovery 's upcoming 13-day mission . The scheduled launch of Discovery on Tuesday was scrubbed twice , once because of weather and then hours later because of of mechanical issues involving a drain valve . NASA did not announce a new launch schedule . | Astronaut Jose Hernandez is an American-born son of Mexican immigrants . Jose Hernandez scheduled to be aboard the space shuttle Discovery . `` I come from ... a typical migrant farm working family , '' Hernandez said . Mexican President called the 47-year-old astronaut to congratulate him . | [[205, 282], [0, 15], [75, 125], [205, 282], [851, 928], [888, 943], [1074, 1111], [529, 634], [601, 604], [613, 634]] |
Editor 's Note : Al Vivian is president & CEO of BASIC Diversity , Inc. , a 35-year-old consultancy that specializes in diminishing cross-cultural biases that has worked with clients such as Coca-Cola , Ford , Kroger , McDonald 's , the National Security Agency and CNN . He is also an adviser to the United States Army for diversity and cultural affairs . Al Vivian says Eric Holder was right to urge Americans to confront diversity issues now . FAYETTEVILLE , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Privilege can be a dangerous thing . It releases you from the task of thinking about things that others must . I am an African-American male and I am privileged . Not on race ; but on gender , education , religion , income and many other areas . As a man , my authority and intellect are not second-guessed . As a Christian , my moral code is not questioned , nor am I subject to post-September 11 profiling . I have privilege in these areas , and I realize that this privilege creates blind spots . An advantage to any group creates a corresponding disadvantage to all others . Recently Attorney General Eric Holder made some statements concerning America 's need to confront its racial history , and the need for Americans to engage in cross-racial dialogue . Holder 's comments offended some and motivated others , not uncommon when dealing with the touchy issue of race . On confronting our history he said : . `` To get to the heart of this country , one must examine its racial soul . ... in things racial we have always been and continue to be , in too many ways , essentially a nation of cowards . '' Concerning cross-racial dialogue he opined : `` If we are to make progress in this area , we must ... have frank conversations about the racial matters that continue to divide us . '' In a recent interview , President Obama responded by saying , America has made `` enormous progress , and we should n't lose sight of that ... I think it 's fair to say that if I had been advising my attorney general , we would have used different language . '' The president went on to say , `` I think what solves racial tensions is fixing the economy , putting people to work , making sure people have health care , ensuring that every kid is learning out here . '' They were both right ; but they were addressing two different things . Obama was talking about fixing the economy to ease racial tensions . Holder was talking about overcoming our fears to dialogue and confronting racial privilege so that we can eliminate inequities that cause the racial tensions . Additionally , Holder was not saying that progress had not been made . He was saying that there is much yet to be done in order to fully engage and leverage the abilities of all of the nation 's human capital . Elaborating on history , we must acknowledge that whites have been the benefactors of centuries of history that included half-truths that socially affirmed them to the detriment of all others . Addressing this privilege will take extreme courage , for there will be many loud dissenting voices . For example , there has never been a discussion in America about whether we should or should not celebrate a White History Month . That would be an irrelevant waste of time , because white history has been the basis of practically all that we have been taught . Being able to sit in a classroom and open history books that positively portray a plethora of people that resemble you has been , and continues to be , the exclusive historical privilege of whites . This privilege psychologically and economically benefits every member at every level of the advantaged category so profoundly that its members never have to question their place in society . And that place is on top : the expected and accepted norm . If you are white , consider how different life might be for you now if you had grown up from meager beginnings , while simultaneously being denigrated by a society that had denied equal access to you , your parents and every member of your race during every prior generation . This is the history of black America that Holder is saying we must understand to truly know the heart of America . History is history , and these are the facts . When we choose to exclude vital portions of history , we are no longer teaching history ; we 're teaching ideology . And if you 're a person of color , you 're excluded . The classroom experience for those who are not white tends to fit the following quote by poet Adrienne Rich : `` When someone with the authority of a teacher , say , describes the world -- and you are not in it -- there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium , as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing . '' It 's impossible to grasp the true significance of any groups ' contributions when they are taken out of context , and told as a separate story during some isolated month . It 's like reading a great novel and leaving out chapters . What 's missing is what the late Paul Harvey would have called `` the rest of the story . '' George Washington Carver , a black man , had many breakthrough inventions utilizing the peanut . His contributions could sound insignificant until put into context . The south , as a region , made its money through agriculture , primarily cotton . Poor crop management practices eventually damaged the soil throughout the south until it was almost impossible to successfully grow cotton anywhere in the region . The south needed a new cash crop -- then came the peanut . George Washington Carver revitalized the agricultural south ; thus the financial south . He saved the south . But because we tell his story out of context , no one understands the significance of his contributions . Thomas Edison invented the light bulb , which was a tremendous invention . However its paper filament was only operable for short periods of time , until a black man named Lewis Latimer contributed his invention , the carbon filament , to the project , making possible the widespread use of electric light . Had there been no Latimer , there would not have been a successful Edison . But most history books have no mention of Latimer . Textbooks currently teach that our great nation became a democracy in 1776 . Great nation , strong republic , yes ! Democracy , no . The very foundation upon which democracy was built demanded that the political leadership be selected for the people , by a vote of the people . To deny this right to millions of our citizenry for no legitimate reason was to abort democracy before it was born . The uncomfortable and blunt truth is , the United States did not legitimately become a democracy until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it law that no citizen could be denied the right to vote based on their race . Until we as Americans change course , grow a spine , teach true history that is inclusive of all races and replace these fallacies and half-truths with reputably documented facts , our citizenry will continue to be relegated to racially segmented ideology instead of history . We are a great democracy , and thus ready for honest dialogue . The time is now , and this discussion must go beyond black and white . It must be inclusive of Arabs , Asians , Latinos and others . It must also go both ways . People of color can not only talk . We must also listen . All parties must be willing to be critiqued as well as offer criticism . As Holder said , this will be uncomfortable , but `` this way we can hasten the day when we would truly become one America . '' It 's unusual when someone who is out of the norm makes his or her way into the seat of privilege , because those with whom you now share this privilege do not expect you to speak for those who do not . Welcome to your seat Mr. Holder , it fits you well . And thank you for not taking the coward 's route . By the way , mission accomplished . We 're talking . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Al Vivian . | Al Vivian : Privilege creates blind spots that conceal the harm they do . He says whites have had a longstanding racial privilege in the U.S. Vivian : History has largely been written from perspective of white Americans . Holder was right to make his `` nation of cowards '' speech and urge dialogue . | [[937, 988], [3464, 3469], [3472, 3518], [3189, 3230], [3233, 3297], [3464, 3469], [3472, 3518], [357, 446], [372, 446], [1068, 1213]] |
Editor 's note : President Lyndon B. Johnson secured passage of Medicare , the Voting Rights Act and other milestone legislation . Tom Johnson , who served as one of LBJ 's White House press secretaries , is former chief executive of CNN News Group and former publisher of the Los Angeles Times . He is an associate member of the board of visitors of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center . Tom Johnson says President Lyndon Johnson would have used every tool to get Congress to pass a health care bill . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- LBJ would : . Have a list of every member of Congress on his desk . He would be on the telephone with members -LRB- and their key staffers -RRB- constantly : `` Your president really needs your vote on this bill . '' He would have a list of every special request every member wanted -- from White House tours to appointments to federal jobs and commissions . He would make a phone call or have a personal visit with every member -- individually or in a group . Charts , graphs , coffee . They would get the `` Johnson Treatment '' as nobody else could give it . He would have a willingness to horse-trade with every member . He would keep a list of people who support each member financially . A call to each to tell them to get the vote of that representative . He would have Billy Graham calling Baptists , Cardinal Cushing calling Catholics , Dr. Martin Luther King calling blacks , Henry Gonzales calling Hispanics , Henry Ford and David Rockefeller calling Republicans . He would get Jack Valenti to call the Pope if it would help . He would have speeches written for members for the Congressional Record and hometown newspapers . He would use up White House liquor having nightcaps with the leaders and key members of BOTH parties . Each of them would take home cufflinks , watches , signed photos , and perhaps even a pledge to come raise money for their next election . He would be sending gifts to children and grandchildren of members . He would walk around the South Lawn with reporters telling them why this was important to their own families . He would send every aide in the White House to see every member of the House and Senate . He would send me to see Sen. Richard Russell and Rep. Carl Vinson because I am a Georgian . He would call media executives Kay Graham , Frank Stanton , Robert Kintner , and the heads of every network . He would go to pray at six different churches . He would do newspaper , radio and TV interviews -- especially with Merriman Smith , Hugh Sidey , Sid Davis , Forrest Boyd , Ray Scherer , Helen Thomas , Marianne Means , Walter Cronkite , Phil Potter , Bob Novak . He would threaten , cajole , flirt , flatter , hug -- and get the health care bill passed . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tom Johnson . | Tom Johnson : Lyndon Johnson would use many tools to get action in Congress . He would have used staff , intermediaries to pressure legislators . He would have gained support by granting lawmakers ' special requests . He would have used every device to get the health care bill passed . | [[405, 473], [417, 518], [417, 518], [405, 473], [417, 518], [2650, 2652], [2708, 2741]] |
Editor 's note : Leonard Pitts Jr. , a columnist for The Miami Herald , won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary and is the author of a new novel , `` Before I Forget '' and `` Becoming Dad : Black Men and the Journey to Fatherhood . '' Leonard Pitts says we know what it takes to improve the performance of African-American students . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Back in 1972 , on an episode of `` All in the Family , '' Gloria posed the following riddle to Archie and Meathead . Father and son go driving . There 's an accident . The father is killed instantly , the son is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery . The surgeon walks in , takes one look at the patient and says , `` I ca n't operate on this boy . He 's my son . '' The answer to the apparent paradox eluded Archie , Meathead and the guys down at Kelsey 's bar for the balance of the half hour . They floated theories involving stepfathers , sons-in-law , priests , adoptions and returns from the dead . All of which Archie apparently found more believable than the true answer which was , of course , that the surgeon was the boy 's mother . `` If that 's the answer , '' he spouted , `` that 's the dumbest riddle I ever hoid ! '' Thirty-seven years later it is , perhaps , difficult to appreciate why this riddle ever was a riddle , how so apparent an answer could have stymied Archie , Meathead and , I would wager , the vast majority of the viewing audience . The riddle speaks volumes not just about how the world has changed in four decades , but also about how unconscious expectations can blind us to the obvious . In 1972 , one expected a man when one heard the word `` surgeon . '' Much as , in 2009 , one expects a white kid when one hears the word `` scholar . '' People will deny this , will say all the right and politic things . But the disclaimers will be as thin and transparent as Saran Wrap . Black , white and otherwise , we are all socialized by the same forces and all carry , by and large , the same unconscious assumptions . One of which is that a certain level of achievement is black and another is white . This is what you are hearing when a black kid speaks standard English and another black kid chides him for `` talking white . '' This is what George W. Bush was alluding to when he decried `` the soft bigotry of low expectations . '' And this is what we need to address forthrightly if we ever hope to close the so-called achievement gap that looms between black kids and white ones . In 2007 and 2008 , I traveled the country for a series of columns called `` What Works , '' aimed at profiling programs that addressed that gap . I traveled between big programs and small ones , from the Harlem Children 's Zone , which encompasses 90 square blocks of holistic education , family counseling , medical care and tutoring in New York City , to the Freedom Project in Sunflower County , Mississippi , which offers field trips , martial arts and academic enrichment in a rural county where the median income is $ 25,000 a year and the teen pregnancy rate is said to be 25 percent . I toured Self Enhancement Inc. in Portland , Oregon , a KIPP -LRB- Knowledge is Power Program -RRB- School in Gaston , North Carolina , the East Lake Foundation in Atlanta , Georgia , and many others . In all these places , I saw black kids -- well-spoken , clean-cut and noon-sun bright -- making a lie out of other peoples ' expectations . Over the course of 13 months , common themes began to emerge whenever I would ask why kids such as these were doing such wondrous work in these places and substandard work elsewhere . We have more power to fire bad teachers and reward good ones , they said . We require parental involvement . We have a longer school day and a longer school year . We mentor children that need it . We counsel children and families that need it . We are invested in them and make sure they know it . Most of all , they spoke of the simple power of expectation : making it a conscious point to look for greatness in black kids in whom people had not thought to look for it before . What I came to understand in those interviews is that we already know the secret to improving academic performance for African-American children . What is missing is the will to do so . And that , I think , is because where they are concerned , we have other expectations . I asked Geoffrey Canada , founder of the Harlem Children 's Zone , how he justifies asking for money to uplift poor kids in Harlem . His response struck me : `` Someone 's yelling at me because I 'm spending $ 3,500 a year on ` Alfred . ' ` Alfred ' is 8 . OK , Alfred turns 18 . No one thinks anything about locking him up for 10 years at $ 60,000 a year . '' But then , we expect Alfred to be locked up , do n't we ? Expect it so blithely that we will not challenge the expectation even when it works against our own economic self-interest . Canada , after all , presents a rather stark choice : invest a smaller amount early and produce a citizen who pays taxes and contributes to the system or pay a much larger amount later for the upkeep of a citizen who consumes tax monies and contributes nothing . That we consistently choose the latter says something about how we assess the educability , the salvageability , of African-American kids . Thirteen months of interviewing young scholars left me more impatient than ever with a culture that writes off black kids because they are black kids . Somewhere between the 13-year-old in rural Mississippi who wants to go to Harvard and the second-graders in Harlem studying Vincent Van Gogh , I ceased being surprised and started being angry that what I saw was still the exception and not the rule . Everywhere I went , there were black kids excelling . And at some point , you say to yourself : well , of course . What did you expect ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Leonard Pitts Jr. . | Leonard Pitts Jr. : Unconscious expectations can blind us to the obvious . He says many people expect black students to perform more poorly . Programs have demonstrated that investing in children 's education pays off . Pitts : We already know secret to improve performance , but do we have will to do it ? | [[1531, 1589], [4281, 4288], [4291, 4357], [239, 337], [4084, 4230], [4138, 4230], [4231, 4269]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world has lost almost one-fifth of its coral reefs according a new report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature -LRB- IUCN -RRB- . Coral reefs could be wiped out in 30-40 years according to a new report . Compiled by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network , the report has brought together the work of researchers from 15 countries with data stretching back 20 years . It 's not just climate change -- which raises ocean temperatures and increases seawater acidification -- which is damaging reefs . In some parts of the world overfishing , pollution and invasive species are proving equally harmful . Scientists are warning that reef destruction will have alarming consequences for around 500 million people who rely on coral reefs for their livelihood . Left unchecked , remaining reefs could be completely wiped out by 2050 , the report says . Professor Olof Linden from the World Maritime University in Malmo , Sweden , told CNN : `` We see a great and imminent threat of more reefs being lost . '' Speaking from the U.N. Climate Conference in Poznan , Poland , Professor Linden said that the 19 percent figure is an average . `` For many developing countries like Sri Lanka and countries in East Africa the percentage of damage is much worse . Sometimes three times as high in some places , '' he said . `` In these areas we have local effects like dynamite fishing and other destructive fishing techniques combined the threat of coral mining , unmanaged tourism and all kinds of pollution from agriculture . '' But overall the biggest threat to reef survival is climate change . `` The most destructive climate event to impact the coral reefs so far , '' said Linden , `` was the 1998 El Nino which caused major coral bleaching and disrupted ecosystems all over the planet . '' iReport.com : What little things are you doing to save the planet ? Scientists say reefs have recovered somewhat from those bleaching events . But the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 , coupled with coral disease and human effects , have slowed their recuperation . Coral reefs not only provide an income and food for those who live near them , but are also effective natural barriers against storm surges . Despite the report 's pessimism , researchers see some encouraging signs . Forty-five percent of the world 's reefs are currently in good health and the hope remains that damaged reefs can recover and adjust to the changing conditions . `` We must focus on helping corals to adapt to climate change and on diverting people away from destructive practices such as overfishing , '' Linden said . | The world has lost almost one fifth of its coral reefs , according a new report . Climate change , overfishing and coral mining all are contributing to destruction . In some parts of Indian Ocean up to 60 percent of reef life has died . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 90], [196, 207], [242, 269], [567, 605], [608, 668], [1043, 1066], [1442, 1580], [1588, 1651], [1998, 2077], [2080, 2112]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` You break it , you buy it ... '' Clark Howard says shoppers may save money if they keep their hands off the merchandise . `` Look , but do n't touch ... '' `` Keep your hands to yourself ... '' Three tired platitudes you might hear in the world of retail that all suggest a direct connection between the power of touch and the act of buying something . Now a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research confirms what many have long believed , when you touch something in a store , you feel a sense of ownership and you 're more likely to overpay for that item . That 's why retailers like Apple always encourage you to play with the merchandise . First and foremost , the Journal of Consumer Research study presents a real caveat emptor for your wallet during a recession . And second , it confirms that I have the reading habits of a really dull guy ! Hear a few interesting tips for saving money at the grocery store '' The warning for you is that if you do n't want to spend money , do n't go out and handle the merchandise . Whenever I shop at Costco Wholesale , I never get a cart . I only buy what I can carry in my two arms . Once my arms are full , I 'm not constantly picking up new items along the way to the register . You 'd be surprised how you can cut down on your bill using this simple trick . But there 's a further caution in the study . Even window shopping or browsing online can prove dangerous for your budget . The study 's authors talk about the power of visualization . They suggest that if e-tailers can get you to picture yourself owning something -- even if you really ca n't afford it -- they have a better chance of converting you into an online sale . The question of why people spend money in ways that do n't make sense is one that 's addressed by behavioral economics . It 's a field of study that used to be discredited in serious academic circles . But now it 's proving to be an important discipline as people look for new ways to save more and spend less . A 2008 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that about 1 in 16 Americans -- that 's some 6 percent of us -- have compulsive spending habits . This kind of behavior leads to a momentary rush of adrenaline , but afterward comes the financial hangover . Christa , my radio show 's executive producer , has done a lot in her life to take control of her wayward spending habits . She believes that if you 're always buying new clothes , for example , you disrespect the things you already have in your closet . When the shopping bug bites you , try paying attention to the stuff you 've already acquired in your life . Speaking of closets , I once owned a house built in 1937 . The master bedroom 's sole closet was all of 2 x 1.5 feet in dimension ! During those Great Depression years , that was big enough for a middle-class husband and wife . Today , a closet of that size would never work . Some people have so much clothing that they can go for months without wearing the same thing . So the best way to tackle compulsive spending is with shock therapy -- you 've got to ban yourself from stores ! Let 's say you 're prone to go on a shopping binge when you feel blue . You 've got to make sure you do n't even get into the car to go to the store or the mall . Go for a walk or go to the park if it 's a nice day . If you have a conditioned response that 's bad for you , you 've got to work to change it . And the next time you 're tempted to pick something up while shopping , remember the study in the Journal of Consumer Research . Or if that 's too pointy-headed for you , just start humming the refrain from that old song by the Georgia Satellites : `` Do n't hand me no lines and keep your hands to yourself ! '' | Research says if you touch an item in a store , you are more likely to overpay for it . People form emotional attachments with merchandise . To save money , identify and avoid your emotional shopping habits . Find many more money-saving tips at CNN.com / ClarkHoward . | [[459, 463], [469, 482], [485, 603], [829, 960]] |
Editor 's note : Clark Howard , the Atlanta , Georgia-based host of a nationally syndicated radio show , is host of a television show designed to help viewers save more , spend less and avoid getting ripped off during these tough economic times . The show airs at noon and 4 p.m. ET Saturdays and Sundays on HLN . Clark Howard says it 's smart to cut back and save , but sometimes being cheap does n't pay . ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Over the last several years , we as Americans became `` negative net savers '' -- a fancy term used by pointy-headed economists to say that we spent more money than we made . In fact , our savings rate was at negative 2.7 percent as recently as four years ago . Now , however , the trend seems to be reversing . We actually saved five percent out of every dollar of disposable income in January , according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis -LRB- BEA -RRB- . Wow , a whole nickel out of every dollar . Thomas Jefferson would be proud ! Sure , it 's not the `` dime on a dollar '' rule of thumb for savings that I rave about , but it 's a start . Watch Clark talk with an amazing saver '' The truly noteworthy thing here is how we 're saving this much-heralded five percent . Where exactly are we cutting back to satisfy our newfound hunger for pinching nickels ? The BEA 's numbers show that vehicles and fuel expenses account for nearly two-thirds of the savings . That category alone has seen a $ 115.2 billion decline compared with January 2008 numbers . Americans are riding their vehicles until the wheels fall off . The second largest category where we 've cut back on is eating out , which is down $ 55.7 billion from last January . After that , we 're also trimming the budget on clothing , jewelry , alcohol and more . In most recessions , the sales of alcohol do very well as people try to drown their worries in a bottle . I 'm not so sure that behavior itself has changed , but this time around , people are trading down in their drink of choice . For example , fancy wine drinkers may be switching to Trader Joe 's lines of Charles Shaw wines -LRB- a.k.a. Two Buck Chuck , for their $ 1.99 - $ 3.49 per bottle price -RRB- . Beer drinkers , meanwhile , are skipping expensive and exotic microbrews in favor of cheaper choices . Of course , there are other ways to save a nickel without having to trade down or go without . Many people are simply becoming `` do-it-yourselfers . '' This trend has also been called insourcing -- when you do something yourself instead of paying someone else to do it . Some marketers have seized on insourcing to great effect . For example , Target recently ran an ad campaign that aimed to reinvent the store 's image for these new , leaner times . Consider this : The ailing retailer has always positioned itself as an affordable splurge over the years . But suddenly , any kind of splurge is seen as irrelevant in today 's economy and Target 's sales are suffering . So their recent ad campaign was all about the `` new . '' A circular I saw showed the `` new '' room service -LRB- store brand orange juice and cereal served at home -RRB- ; the `` new '' personal trainer -LRB- using home exercise equipment instead of paying for a gym membership -RRB- ; and the `` new '' restaurant -LRB- eating at home -RRB- -- all things that can be pricey , but are now being repositioned on the cheap in an effort to boost sales . Insourcing is making direct inroads into the home too -- quite literally . The Wall Street Journal 's Weekend Journal recently reported on `` closet boutiques '' where women are now opening up their homes and closets to strangers in order to sell unwanted designer clothes . Closet boutiques are typically advertised on Craigslist . There were 715,000 postings in February -- more than double the amount last year at that time . For buyers , a closet boutique offers the opportunity to pick up designer threads at a tiny fraction of their new cost . But a word of caution for sellers : You 'll almost certainly have some questionable characters coming into your home . Store away all your valuables , and make sure you have enough eyeballs on hand to ensure that people do n't wander around your home with sticky fingers . In other DIY -LRB- do-it-yourself -RRB- moments , The Washington Post recently reported that sales of sewing kits at Wal-Mart are up 30 percent in just the last few months . People are mending their own clothes instead of paying a tailor or seamstress to do the same . And let 's not even mention all the botched dye jobs that hairdressers are having to work with from women -LRB- and some men -RRB- who tried to take matters into their own hands . Sometimes , it does n't pay to be cheap ! | Americans are saving five percent out of every dollar . Vehicles and fuel expenses account for nearly two-thirds of the savings . More people trying `` do-it-yourself '' projects like sewing , hair dying . Clark says , sometimes it does n't pay to be cheap . | [[757, 839], [1309, 1411], [1338, 1411], [371, 407], [4684, 4693], [4696, 4723]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American tennis legend Andre Agassi has admitted using crystal methamphetamine a year before he won the French Open in 1998 , and that he lied to the sport 's governing bodies in the same period about a positive drugs test to avoid a ban . The 39-year-old , who is only one of six men in history to have completed a career grand slam of winning titles at all four majors , confessed in his autobiography that he took the highly addictive narcotic in 1997 while suffering poor form and to quell worries about his upcoming marriage to actress Brooke Shields . The eight-time grand slam champion revealed in his book how he felt when he first took the substance -- possession of which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence in the United States . `` Slim -LSB- Agassi 's assistant -RSB- dumps a small pile of powder on the coffee table . He cuts it , snorts it . He cuts it again . I snort some . I ease back on the couch and consider the Rubicon I 've just crossed . `` There is a moment of regret , followed by vast sadness . Then comes a tidal wave of euphoria that sweeps away every negative thought in my head . I 've never felt so alive , so hopeful -- and I 've never felt such energy , '' Agassi recounted in an excerpt of his book that has been serialized by British newspaper The Times . Following his use of crystal meth , the former world number one pulled out of the French Open and admitted he did not practice for Wimbledon a month later . Later in the year an Association of Tennis Professionals -LRB- ATP -RRB- doctor confirmed to Agassi -- who is currently married to former number one women 's tennis player Steffi Graf -- that his use of recreational drugs had shown up in a positive dope test and that he faced a three-month suspension . The tennis great revealed how he lied in a bid to retain his reputation : `` My name , my career , everything is now on the line . Whatever I 've achieved , whatever I 've worked for , might soon mean nothing . Days later I sit in a hard-backed chair , a legal pad in my lap , and write a letter to the ATP . `` It 's filled with lies interwoven with bits of truth . I say Slim , whom I 've since fired , is a known drug user , and that he often spikes his sodas with meth - which is true . Then I come to the central lie of the letter . `` I say that recently I drank accidentally from one of Slim 's spiked sodas , unwittingly ingesting his drugs . I ask for understanding and leniency and hastily sign it : Sincerely . I feel ashamed , of course . I promise myself that this lie is the end of it , '' Agassi added . Following the letter from Agassi the ATP dropped the case , allowing the American to regain a form that would see him go on to win the French Open in 1998 and the U.S. Open in 1999 before retiring in 2006 . The ATP have yet to comment following the revelations . | Andre Agassi has admitted that he used crystal methamphetamine . The American used the drug in a year before winning the French Open in 1998 . The former world number one lied to the ATP to cover up a positive dope test . Agassi is one of only four men to complete a career grand slam . | [[0, 15], [42, 142], [1317, 1350], [1353, 1380], [1415, 1473], [0, 15], [42, 142], [2666, 2803], [154, 241], [1778, 1849], [259, 274], [307, 389]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American tennis legend Andre Agassi has admitted using crystal methamphetamine a year before he won the French Open in 1998 , and that he lied to the sport 's governing bodies in the same period about a positive drugs test to avoid a ban . The 39-year-old , who is only one of six men in history to have completed a career grand slam of winning titles at all four majors , confessed in his autobiography that he took the highly addictive narcotic in 1997 while suffering poor form and to quell worries about his upcoming marriage to actress Brooke Shields . The eight-time grand slam champion revealed in his book how he felt when he first took the substance -- possession of which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence in the United States . `` Slim -LSB- Agassi 's assistant -RSB- dumps a small pile of powder on the coffee table . He cuts it , snorts it . He cuts it again . I snort some . I ease back on the couch and consider the Rubicon I 've just crossed . `` There is a moment of regret , followed by vast sadness . Then comes a tidal wave of euphoria that sweeps away every negative thought in my head . I 've never felt so alive , so hopeful -- and I 've never felt such energy , '' Agassi recounted in an excerpt of his book that has been serialized by British newspaper The Times . Following his use of crystal meth , the former world number one pulled out of the French Open and admitted he did not practice for Wimbledon a month later . Later in the year an Association of Tennis Professionals -LRB- ATP -RRB- doctor confirmed to Agassi -- who is currently married to former number one women 's tennis player Steffi Graf -- that his use of recreational drugs had shown up in a positive dope test and that he faced a three-month suspension . The tennis great revealed how he lied in a bid to retain his reputation : `` My name , my career , everything is now on the line . Whatever I 've achieved , whatever I 've worked for , might soon mean nothing . Days later I sit in a hard-backed chair , a legal pad in my lap , and write a letter to the ATP . `` It 's filled with lies interwoven with bits of truth . I say Slim , whom I 've since fired , is a known drug user , and that he often spikes his sodas with meth - which is true . Then I come to the central lie of the letter . `` I say that recently I drank accidentally from one of Slim 's spiked sodas , unwittingly ingesting his drugs . I ask for understanding and leniency and hastily sign it : Sincerely . I feel ashamed , of course . I promise myself that this lie is the end of it , '' Agassi added . Following the letter from Agassi the ATP dropped the case , allowing the American to regain a form that would see him go on to win the French Open in 1998 and the U.S. Open in 1999 before retiring in 2006 . The ATP have yet to comment following the revelations . | Andre Agassi has admitted that he used crystal methamphetamine . The American used the drug in a year before winning the French Open in 1998 . The former world number one lied to the ATP to cover up a positive dope test . Agassi is one of only four men to complete a career grand slam . | [[0, 15], [42, 142], [1317, 1350], [1353, 1380], [1415, 1473], [0, 15], [42, 142], [2666, 2803], [154, 241], [1778, 1849], [259, 274], [307, 389]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- David Bartal is a journalist who grew up in Los Angeles and moved to Sweden after marrying a Swedish woman . He has lived in Stockholm for more than 20 years and writes the blog `` Cool Stockholm , '' which looks at the hottest trends in the Swedish capital . Blogger David Bartal describes Stockholm as `` progressive , quite tolerant , somewhat reserved and beautiful . '' CNN : What is your favorite thing about Stockholm ? David Bartal : Nature is close and accessible . Even if you live in the middle of the city you can get to a forest in a short time , but you still have that big-city feeling . CNN : Swedes have a reputation as being cold or hard to get to know -- is that fair ? DB : I would n't say they 're cold , but they are shy . People are n't especially keen to talk to strangers -- they can do quite nicely without them . People are a bit more reserved than in the U.S. , which may not be a bad thing , but if you take the initiative they may be delighted to get to know you and become good friends . And no people are entirely homogenous . There are lots of extrovert , crazy Swedes -- and many of them are my friends . Watch ABBA songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus take CNN on a tour of Stockholm '' CNN : What is Stockholm like in the winter ? DB : Between December and March the winter can get a bit long . It 's not the cold as much as the dark -- it can make people glum . In the winter , the sun sets at four o'clock , but in summer you get incredibly long , beautiful days . It 's one of the most beautiful cities on earth and it 's fun to be here in the summertime . CNN : What do Stockholmers like to do in the summer ? DB : In the summertime many will go to their country houses , they want to get out of the city . If they have a boat they want to be on the boat . In early August there are crayfish parties . People get together in groups and put on conical hats and paper napkins and eat crayfish , drink hard liquor and sing drinking songs . I 've become quite assimilated , but not assimilated enough for crayfish parties ! Foreigners just shake their heads in wonder . See photos of Bjorn Ulvaeus in Stockholm '' CNN : What areas are good for nightlife ? DB : There are two options : Stureplan has glitzy clubs and fancy restaurants . Party people might typically start their evening at the `` little bar '' at Riche , which has good DJs and attracts an arty crowd , then shift to Berns at midnight for flirting and dancing , and if they know the doorman or are feeling lucky , party in the early hours at celebrity hot-spot Spy Bar . There 's also an area on the south side , mainly up on Mosebacke . It 's funkier , a little more bohemian and a little more mellow , with clubs and music venues . You have to trudge up a steep cobble-stone street to get to the top of Mosebacke , but it 's worth the climb . The view of the city at night is amazing and there are some cool nightspots . One of them is Kägelbanan -LRB- which means bowling hall -RRB- . I danced my socks off not long ago there to some high-energy Turkish pop . What makes Stockholm special to you ? Tell us in the SoundOff box below . CNN : Sweden is known for its design -- are Stockholmers a fashionable bunch ? DB : They are fashion conscious -- people follow trends quite slavishly . This season men are wearing red pants and women are wearing gladiator sandals -- it 's almost mandatory . CNN : What are the latest trends in the city ? DB : There 's a lot of variety in coffee shops that did n't exist previously . There are imitation New York coffee shops , but there is also some innovation . Ljunggren Cafe , on the south side of town , is very designed . It has low , gray couches spread over a large area creating a very social environment ; it 's great for people watching . Also , when it comes to coffee shops I recommend Vete-katten at Kungsgatan 55 . It 's authentic and retro , furnished like your great-aunt 's parlor . They make a delicious open-faced shrimp sandwich and awesome pastries . CNN : If Stockholm were a person , what would he or she be like ? DB : Progressive , quite tolerant , somewhat reserved , and beautiful . | Culture-vulture David Bartal has lived in Stockholm for more than 20 years . Nature is close by but Stockholm still maintains a big-city feeling , he says . People may be a bit shy , but there are also `` lots of extrovert , crazy Swedes '' | [[128, 176], [461, 493], [583, 621]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Her identity revealed , a blogger who posted rants about model Liskula Cohen said she was the real victim in the case and plans to sue Google for violating her privacy . Rosemary Port says she plans to sue Google for not doing enough to protect her identity . Rosemary Port and her lawyer said Monday that they will file a $ 15 million lawsuit against the search engine giant for not doing enough to protect her identity . `` I not only feel my client was wronged , but I feel now it sets precedent that anyone with money and power can get the identity of anyone that decides to be an anonymous blogger , '' said Salvator Strazzullo , Port 's lawyer . A New York Supreme Court judge ordered Google to reveal Port 's identity after Cohen sued the company to acquire information about the anonymous blogger . Watch model explain her persistence '' `` I wanted it gone , '' Cohen said . `` I did n't want it to be there for the rest of my life . And I knew the only way for it to be gone was to call my lawyer . '' In August 2008 , Port , a user of Google-owned Blogger.com , created `` Skanks in NYC . '' The site assailed Cohen , 37 , a cover girl who has appeared in Vogue and other fashion magazines . The blog featured photos of Cohen accompanied by derogatory terms . The judge rejected Port 's argument that blogs on the Internet `` serve as a modern-day forum for conveying personal opinions '' and should not be regarded as fact . Cohen 's attorney , Steve Wagner , said he could n't believe Port 's nerve in suing Google . `` Her being a victim here ? I have trouble understanding that in its entirety , '' he said . Legal experts said Port is not likely to win her case . Jeffrey Toobin , CNN 's senior legal analyst , said Google was complying with a court order and that disclosing Port 's name can not be viewed as violating her rights . `` Google never promises anyone absolute anonymity , '' Toobin said . `` There are all sorts of circumstances when Google cooperates with law enforcement . '' Blogger.com requires only a valid e-mail address to register for a blog . After the court demanded Port 's identity , Google handed over her e-mail address to Cohen 's lawyers so they could track her down . In response to CNN 's request for an interview , Google issued a statement : . `` Google does comply with valid legal processes , such as court orders and subpoenas , and these same processes apply to all law-abiding companies . At the same time , we have a legal team whose job is to scrutinize these requests and make sure they meet not only the letter but the spirit of the law . '' Online activists have closely followed the model blogger 's case . Nick Thompson of Wired magazine said the case will force people to recognize that the blogosphere , however anonymous , is not above the law . On the other hand , it could deter some bloggers who fear the cloak of anonymity could be lifted at any moment . `` There will be people who wo n't publish things that maybe they should publish or that would be good for society , '' Thompson said . | Rosemary Port created `` Skanks in NYC , '' a site that assailed cover girl Liskula Cohen . Judge ordered Google to reveal Port 's identity after it was sued by Cohen . Legal experts said Port is not likely to win her case . | [[28, 49], [52, 98], [52, 61], [66, 104], [1040, 1054], [1057, 1061], [1101, 1127], [1131, 1159], [680, 781], [759, 834], [2110, 2151], [2154, 2242], [1652, 1707], [1671, 1707]] |
Editor 's note : Marian Salzman is chief marketing officer and a partner at Porter Novelli Worldwide and is co-author of `` The Future of Men '' and `` Next Now . '' She was named among the `` top five trendspotters '' by VNU in 2004 and has been credited with popularizing the term `` metrosexuality . '' She blogs at www.pnintelligentdialogue.com . See Salzman on American Morning and CNN.com Live Monday , December 29 . Marian Salzman says `` cuspers '' are staking out a separate identity from the baby boomer generation . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rarely has there been a year when so many things went out of style in such a short time : not just investment bankers , gas-guzzling vehicles , corporate jets , conspicuous consumption and political polarization , but also a whole generation . After strutting and tub-thumping and preening their way across the high ground of politics , media , culture and finance for 30 years , baby boomers have gone from top dogs to scapegoats in barely a year . As baby boomers lose their authority and appeal , generational power is shifting one notch down : to cuspers -LRB- born roughly 1954-1965 -RRB- , who arrived in style in 2008 with their first truly major figure , Barack Obama -LRB- born 1961 -RRB- . George W. Bush , born in 1946 at the start of the postwar baby boom for which his generation is named , will leave office with the lowest approval ratings since Richard Nixon was president . As Thomas Friedman has written , Bush epitomizes what 's now seen as `` The Greediest Generation . '' Who 's to blame for the economy going into serious decline ? The short and easy answer is greedy boomers . This is the generation that knew better than their cautious , fuddy-duddy parents , the generation that protested , that had ideals and marched to the beat of defiant music : `` Street Fighting Man , '' `` We Want the World and We Want It Now , '' `` Hope I Die Before I Get Old . '' It 's the generation that pursued pleasure , proclaimed `` I can have it all '' and refused to grow old -- `` 50 is the new 30 , '' etc. . And now , after years of taking credit for changing the world , baby boomers are taking the rap for the reversal of fortune that 's shaking the world . Whatever history may decide , today 's commentators and pundits of all ages have decided that boomers , the dominant cohort in many developed countries , are guilty . And whether they 're really to blame , what counts is that they look like they are . Their profile fits . Like a big-name Hollywood director who 's lived on the edge too long , caused one too many scandals and made one too many turkeys , suddenly the boomers are the generation no one wants to be associated with . Cuspers , the age cohort that have been living in the shadow of the boomers , now have even more reasons to stake out their own separate identity and values . It 's taken a long time for this rising demographic to be recognized as a distinct generation in its own right . They 've been called `` late boomers '' because they missed the formative boomer experiences of the '60s , such as civil rights and anti-war protests . They 've been called tweeners or cuspers because they straddle the divide between Boomers and Gen X. American social commentator Jonathan Pontell has worked hard to establish their identity as Generation Jones . There 's still debate about whether cuspers are even a generation apart from boomers and where the generational boundaries lie . But those arguments miss the key point , which is that Americans want change . In Obama , they see the hopeful prospect of a new generation taking over . And in these dark days , they 're hoping against hope that his generation can usher in new , better values to guide the nation . His victory has been portrayed as the end of Vietnam War politics and the 1960s `` culture wars . '' About half those Obama named to major posts in the new administration are also cuspers including the proposed energy czar , education secretary , treasury secretary and U.N. ambassador . Cuspers may have another poster child if Caroline Kennedy , born in 1957 , is named to the New York Senate seat that Hillary Clinton is expected to vacate . Obama himself has made clear he thinks in terms of generational difference . He has spoken of carrying on the work of the `` Moses generation '' -- the Martin Luther King Jr. generation -- whose successors he has referred to as the `` Joshua generation . '' His activists rallied under the banner of Generation Obama , and his campaign 's ability to mobilize the youth vote proved decisive in his victory . Whether we call them cuspers , Generation Jones or Generation Obama , there are enigmas and paradoxes within this generation and its fans . They respond to Biblical imagery , but they 're not dogmatic in their faith . They value traditional notions of family but see men and women as equals in parenting . They go back to older American values -- civility , community , responsibility -- yet keenly embrace technology and use the Internet naturally . In fact , embracing digital technology is one of the telling dividers between boomers and cuspers . It 's no coincidence that leading-edge Cuspers such as Bill Gates , Steve Jobs and Tim-Berners Lee , all born in 1955 , helped create the digital universe cuspers and younger generations now inhabit as a matter of course . It 's also telling that Gates and wife , Melinda , another cusper , are the parents of philanthro-capitalism . For marketers and brand specialists , cuspers are a fast-emerging challenger brand that 's fascinating to watch as it defines itself and attracts fans . Brand attributes once seen as disadvantages -- living in the shadow of boomers , a lack of major formative experiences , no `` heroic '' narrative -- have turned out to be advantages as the boomer brand loses its sheen . The cusper brand can define itself by what it 's not : greedy , selfish , confrontational , hung up on past battles . The cusper generation is as much an ideal as it is a demographic group , and that appeal extends well beyond the birth years that define it . Watch out for tweets -LRB- messages on the Twitter platform -RRB- that proclaim `` Ich bin ein cusper . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Marian Salzman . | Marian Salzman : For 30 years , baby boomers dominated politics , culture . She says they 've earned the title of the `` greediest generation '' Salzman says next generation of `` cuspers '' is taking over with Obama . The cuspers are different and unlikely to repeat boomers ' mistakes , she says . | [[799, 1004], [3600, 3630], [423, 526]] |
Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Kurdish bloc in the Iraqi parliament intends to boycott the vote on a proposed election law if the oil-rich province of Kirkuk is banned from voting in next year 's national elections , two Kurdish lawmakers said . A vote may be held Thursday on a proposal that would govern the elections , now set for January 16 , legislators Mahmoud Othman and Abdul Bari al-Zebari said on Wednesday . Kirkuk , north of Baghdad , was excluded from provincial elections last January . Kurds displaced under Saddam Hussein 's rule settled on land they say is rightfully theirs . However , Arab and Turkmen residents claim many more Kurds have moved into Kirkuk than were displaced , and that allowing them to vote would create an unfair advantage . Without the Kurdish lawmakers there will be no quorum , thereby blocking the vote , Sunni lawmaker Salim al-Jabouri , a member of the small Sunni political bloc , the Iraqi Front for National Dialogue , told CNN . Before conducting balloting next year , Iraq needs an election law that lays out basic rules . If one is not adopted , the government may have to either reschedule the election or rely on the law used in the 2005 national elections , officials say . Lawmakers failed to reach agreement on the issue a week ago . The other contentious election issue is that of open lists versus closed lists on ballots . Open lists would name candidates and their parties ; closed lists would name only parties . Existing law , used in the 2005 election , mandates a closed list . President Jalal Talabani , Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other political leaders -- members of the Political Council for National Security -- reached a tentative agreement on the draft bill Tuesday evening . Talabani 's office released no details on the content . The constitutional deadline for the elections is January 31 . The election commission needs at least 90 days after passage of the law to carry out elections , which U.S. and Iraqi government officials call a vital step in Iraqi efforts to solidify a democratic system in the post-Saddam Hussein era . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | A boycott would lead to no quorum , blocking a vote , Sunni lawmaker says . Kirkuk was excluded from provincial elections last January . The issue of open lists versus closed lists on ballots is also contentious . | [[855, 886], [974, 984], [426, 432], [454, 507], [1297, 1388], [1345, 1388]] |
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