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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sasha and Malia Obama had front row seats for Monday night 's Kids ' Inaugural Concert , but jumped on stage when the Jonas Brothers invited them up . Michelle Obama and her daughters pose with actress Keke Palmer at the Kids ' Inaugural . Their mother -- incoming first lady Michelle Obama -- declared the show `` pretty cool . '' Thousands of kids -- mostly children of military families -- danced and yelled in Washington 's Verizon Center as Miley Cyrus , Demi Lovato , Bow Wow , the Jonas Brothers and others performed . `` Are we fired up in here ? '' Michelle Obama asked as she took the stage halfway through the two-hour show . `` Are we ready to go ? '' Obama called on the young people to play a part in their country 's future now , in activities such as volunteering at shelters for the homeless , visiting elderly neighbors or writing letters of support to troops overseas . `` We all have something incredible to contribute to the life of this nation , '' she said , adding , `` And kids , this means you , too , right ? '' Sasha , 7 , kept her camera ready , getting photos of her favorite teen stars . While the Obama daughters have met many of the stars along the campaign trail in the past year , it was their first time to meet singer-actress Keke Palmer , a presenter at the show . Palmer , 15 , said Michelle Obama told her `` she was really proud of me . '' Most of their backstage talk was about Palmer 's movies and TV show , she said . Like the Obamas , Palmer is a Chicago , Illinois , native . | NEW : At concert , Michelle Obama urges young people to get involved now . Concert features the Jonas Brothers , Miley Cyrus , Bow Wow and Demi Lovato . Billy Ray Cyrus , Keke Palmer and Usher make introductions . Did you miss the show ? It 's available later on Disney.com . | [[694, 772], [514, 555]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nearly 40 years after members of a U.S. cavalry unit put their lives in peril to save 100 fellow soldiers trapped under blistering enemy fire in Vietnam , they received the Presidential Unit Citation on Tuesday . Veterans watch Tuesday 's ceremony , which recognized members of a U.S. cavalry unit . It 's an honor their captain says is long overdue . President Obama awarded the citation for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry to 86 members of the Army 's Troop A , First Squadron , 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment . `` These soldiers defined the meaning of bravery and heroism , '' Obama said at a White House reception honoring the group 's heroics . `` It 's never too late . You can never say it enough . ... We honor your service , and America is forever grateful . '' On March 26 , 1970 , the 120-member Troop A volunteered to rescue an American infantry company surrounded by an overwhelming enemy force at a site on the Cambodian border called the Dog 's Face . The enemy had survived hours of aerial and artillery bombardment and was expected to kill or capture the 100 American infantrymen in Company C within hours . The Americans were running out of ammunition and could not move because of heavy casualties . There were no available landing zones for medical and rescue helicopters to touch down . Alpha Troop heard of their plight on a radio and rode in with an infantry company to rescue their comrades . `` Troop A skillfully penetrated four kilometers of nearly impassable jungle terrain and unhesitatingly mounted a fierce assault directly into the heavily fortified North Vietnamese army position , '' the presidential proclamation states . When the battle was over , more than 70 Americans lay dead or wounded . For retired Capt. John Poindexter , who led the rescue , the award is for all Vietnam veterans , many of whom came home to an unwelcome and sometimes hostile reception . `` The veterans of Alpha Troop feel very strongly that we stand in the stead of all veterans of the war of Vietnam , '' Poindexter told CNN before the ceremony . `` The fact is that we 're being singled out for a very distinct honor , a very rare one , but it is our conviction that on any day in any other jungle in Vietnam , nearly every Vietnam veteran would have been willing to assume the task that we assumed on March 26 , 1970 , when we earned the Presidential Unit Citation . '' Poindexter had been trying to gain recognition for his men for the past seven years . Initially , he felt deep disappointment . In 2003 , he discovered that the men he had recommended for decorations for their valor had not received those citations . Eventually , 14 men received individual decorations . That was not enough . `` My role in obtaining the PUC -LSB- Presidential Unit Citation -RSB- -- or in helping to obtain the PUC -- among the 200 persons who were involved in this matter over a seven-year period , was to be in the unhappy position of discovering that the men who I had recommended for decorations had not been recommended , had not been awarded those decorations , '' the retired captain said . `` The result of that was that we got 14 men decorated for their valor , but 14 men out of more than 120 who were engaged in the battle on that fateful day were only a pittance , only a minority , of those who might have been honored . Only a unit citation could honor all equally and impartially , and it was that task we set ourselves on nearly seven years ago . '' He believes lack of popular support for the war had much to do with it taking so long for Alpha Troop to be recognized . `` There 's little question in our minds that the unpopularity of the war in Vietnam is a major contributing factor to the reception these men received when they returned to the United States and a major factor , in my opinion , in the silence that most of them have assumed since then , '' Poindexter said . `` Why talk about something that most people do n't have a very high opinion of in all likelihood ? And if that is n't true , nevertheless , it 's what most of these men think . They were engaged in an unpopular venture that has bedeviled them for much of their adult lives . '' Now , the circle has been closed . `` It 's a very elevating experience to see the men that I have not seen for 40 years since War Zone C in Vietnam , '' the former captain said . `` These are persons who have had success in life , and some have not had a lot of success in life , and to see how they 've turned out , how they look these days , and to know I 'll be with them in the White House -LSB- Tuesday -RSB- is a very fulfilling sensation for me . `` For me , the sensation of being honored is one of having closed an important chapter on my life in a very fruitful and rewarding way . '' The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to armed forces units of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy on or after December 7 , 1941 . The unit must display such gallantry , determination and esprit de corps under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions so as to set it apart from and above other units participating in the same campaign . | 86 in Army 's Troop A , First Squadron , 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment recognized . Cavalry saved 100 fellow soldiers trapped under enemy fire in Vietnam . Leader of 1970 rescue says award is for all Vietnam veterans . Presidential Unit Citation recognizes extraordinary heroism against armed enemy . | [[258, 277], [286, 329], [382, 507], [0, 26], [83, 135], [87, 92], [108, 171], [116, 182], [1774, 1791], [1831, 1868], [4820, 4996]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hurricane Bill weakened Friday afternoon to a Category 2 hurricane , with its maximum sustained winds at 105 mph , forecasters said . Hurricane Bill is expected to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast over the weekend . As of 11 p.m. Friday , Bill 's center was about 180 miles west-southwest of Bermuda , and about 545 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras , North Carolina . Its forward speed had increased to about 20 mph as it continued moving north-northwest , forecasters said . The storm was expected to gradually turn toward the north late Friday and into Saturday . See Bill 's projected path '' If the storm follows its current track , it should pass over the open water between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast on Saturday , forecasters said . Earlier Friday , Bill 's outer bands began producing rain in Bermuda as the storm neared the British territory , the hurricane center said . Forecasters expect Bill to pelt Bermuda with 1 to 3 inches of rain , although up to 5 inches is possible . iReport.com : Bermuda 's preparations . The storm also was beginning to affect the U.S. East Coast , where dangerous rip currents and battering waves were developing , said CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras . Rip currents form as wind and waves push water against the shore , where it is caught behind an obstacle such as a sandbar until it breaks free , sending a strong channel of water flowing away from the shoreline . The large swells are expected to affect most of the U.S. East Coast within the next couple of days , the hurricane center said . There were reports of waves at the center of the storm as high as 54 feet , Jeras said . With Bill advancing , the Bermuda Weather Service forecasts the storm tide will raise water levels by as much as 3 feet along the coast and produce large , battering waves . Large swells were affecting Puerto Rico , the island of Hispaniola and the Bahamas to the south , the agency said . Bermuda remained under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch . The warning means winds of at least 39 mph are expected within 24 hours , while the watch indicates winds of at least 74 mph are possible within 36 hours . Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 85 miles from the center and storm-force winds outward as much as 275 miles , the hurricane center said . Forecasters advised people along the New England coast and in the Canadian Maritime provinces to monitor Bill 's progress . | Hurricane Bill downgraded to Category 2 storm . Hurricane expected to pelt Bermuda with 1 to 3 inches of rain . Battering waves developing on parts of U.S. East Coast . Bill is expected to pass between Bermuda and East Coast . | [[35, 101], [814, 885], [938, 977], [1085, 1094], [1100, 1143], [1124, 1143], [1152, 1210], [1152, 1194], [1213, 1250], [1465, 1532], [1465, 1481], [1495, 1563], [1705, 1732], [1823, 1856], [1857, 1896], [169, 262], [169, 183], [196, 262], [687, 775], [1085, 1094], [1100, 1143]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The murder of rapper Dolla reverberated throughout the music industry on Tuesday as police sought a motive for the brazen killing . Rap artist Dolla was known as a nice guy who survived a rough childhood . The aspiring Southern hip-hop artist , whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II , was gunned down in the busy parking lot of the upscale Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles , California , on Monday afternoon . Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry , 23 , at Los Angeles International Airport , a Los Angeles Police statement said . No other details were given about Berry . The 21-year-old rapper was based in Atlanta , Georgia . He was in Los Angeles to work on his debut album . Those who knew him said that despite coming from a rough background , Burton was extremely gracious and polite . `` Everything with Dolla was ` please ' and ` thank you , ' '' said Ant Rich , manager of A&R for Jive Records , who discovered the rapper for the label when Burton was 17 and helped sign him a year later . `` The streets did not define him at all . He was bigger than that . '' Dolla was a protégé of singer Akon , who collaborated with him on his first single , `` Who the F -- is That ? '' which also featured another high-profile artist , T-Pain . Another Dolla song , `` Feelin ' Myself , '' appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie `` Step Up . '' According to his official MySpace page , Dolla was born in Chicago , Illinois , and his family relocated to Los Angeles soon after . He was 5 years old when he and his older sister , Divinity , witnessed their father committing suicide . After that incident , their mother moved the family to Atlanta , according to his biography . The Burton family released the following statement on Tuesday : . `` First and foremost we , the family , would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers . Furthermore , the family would like to note that rumored details of the shooting on popular Web/blog sites are false . `` Due to the circumstances of the situation , no other information will be released at this time . We are grateful for your continuous support and would be very appreciative if we could mourn this loss in private . `` Additionally , information released before and after this official statement are not confirmed nor should they be considered accurate . '' Rich said Dolla , who also did some modeling for P. Diddy 's Sean John label , loved his family deeply . He was the guy with the great smile who would do things like offer to pick up the bill after a meeting with music executives , Rich said . `` You would tell him ` Look Dolla , you do n't have to do that because we get reimbursed for this ' and he would say ` No , no you got it last time , let me , ' '' Rich said . `` The world lost a really good kid and he had the biggest heart . '' DeAngelo Jones books talent for BET and got to know Dolla after he performed at the network 's `` Spring Bling '' event last year . He said the artist was humbled and grateful for the success he was starting to find in the industry . `` That energy was what drew me to him , '' said Jones , who stayed in touch with Dolla after the show and often ran into him at other events . `` A lot of times there are negative associations that go along with being a rapper , but he was not at all what the image of a rapper is portrayed to be . '' Jones said he was at the Beverly Center only a short time before the shooting occurred . Jones said it was unfortunate that Dolla 's slaying is yet another incident that will link hip-hop with violence . `` Hip-hop gets such a bad rap , ever since the deaths of Biggie and Tupac , '' Jones said . '' -LSB- Dolla -RSB- just wanted to be successful , help other people and do the right thing . What 's so hard for me is to see where his life was heading , because he was definitely on the right course . '' Jerry Barrow , senior editor for The Urban Daily , a publication devoted to African-Americans in pop culture , noted that it was unfortunate that Dolla is finding mainstream recognition posthumously . `` With his modeling and his music , he did more before the age of 20 than many people do , '' Barrow said . `` It 's a shame that this is how many people are now discovering him and his music . '' Rashan Ali , a disc jockey with Atlanta 's Hot 107.9 radio station , said the city has a thriving hip-hop community . Her station , which plays hip-hop , often has its lobby filled with aspiring artists trying to get their music heard . With the success of Atlanta-based artists like rappers T.I. , Outkast , and Young Jeezy , more and more young people are drawn to the area to try and make the connections that will find them fame , Ali said . That Dolla was killed while pursuing his craft is especially sad , she said . '' -LSB- Dolla -RSB- was minding his business , in Los Angeles trying to record his music and this happens , '' Ali said . `` It 's horrific and now a mother has to bury her child . It 's senseless . '' | Those who knew rapper Dolla mourn his loss . The Atlanta-based rapper was killed at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles . Family releases a statement asking for privacy to mourn . Dolla , whose real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II , was 21 . | [[225, 261], [308, 402], [607, 650], [1717, 1778], [2188, 2228], [225, 261], [280, 310]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Singer Nelly Furtado is trying to cross over in a direction many artists do n't ordinarily take . Singer Nelly Furtado says she enjoys diversity in music and broadening her fan base . With `` Mi Plan , '' the Grammy Award-winning singer is taping into a brand new market and fan base , almost a decade after she came to fame in 2000 with the single `` I 'm Like a Bird . '' While the Canadian-born singer -- whose parents are Portuguese -- has sung in Spanish before , `` Mi Plan '' is the first time she has recorded an entire album in Spanish , a language she said she learned as a teen . It 's seems like a natural progression for Furtado , an artist often noted for diversity in her sound . A few years after her breakthrough , Furtado teamed up with superproducer Timbaland for her 2006 album `` Loose , '' a collaboration that gained her scores of hip-hop and R&B fans as well , and spawned hits such as `` Promiscuous '' and `` Say It Right . '' `` Mi Plan '' pairs her with a few Spanish-language music artists , including Alex Cuba , Juan Luis Guerra , Julieta Venegas and La Mala Rodriguez , as well as English-language artist Josh Groban . The first single off the album , `` Manos Al Aire , '' made history as it marked the first time a North American artist reached No. 1 on Billboard 's Hot Latin Songs chart with a song that was originally written in Spanish , rather than a translated version of an English-language song . Furtado spoke with CNN about her passion for Spanish , why she feels like an artist reborn and the career path she hopes to take . CNN : What was the inspiration for the new album ? Nelly Furtado : There were so many inspirations . The language was the biggest inspiration . I 've sang so much in Spanish in the past , and also Portuguese . I get a lot of joy in singing in Latin languages . It expresses the Latin side of me . Watch Furtado talk about her new album '' My parents were born in Portugal and they raised us in Canada . We grew up speaking Portuguese and then I learned Spanish at the age of 14 . I love being a multicultural artist , I love being a global artist . -LSB- The album -RSB- is almost like a literal reflection of that this time in the fact that it 's all in Spanish and it 's a completely original project written from scratch . CNN : So it 's all new ? Furtado : Yes . It feels like a rebirth of sorts . It 's almost like a parallel world where I get to reinvent myself again as an artist , but in a very whole kind of way . It 's been a lot of fun . CNN : You have such a loyal fan base . What do you hope they get from your latest project ? Furtado : Just because I have collaborated with so many different people with so many different styles of music that I think my sort of goal or mantra my whole career has been to broaden the minds of my fan base . This album is just an extension of that . I 'm an inclusive person and everyone is invited to the fiesta . I 'm excited because I am meeting brand new fans for the first time who do n't have any of my prior albums . Four albums in , it 's a tough job to try to attract new fans and I think that 's what I am doing with this new music . CNN : Did you consider it risky to do a Spanish-language album ? Furtado : I like to take risks . I live for risk taking and challenges . I just find it so much more exciting and it keeps my job entertaining and interesting . Everyone is looking for that next challenge at work . Everyone wants that extra credential on their business card . If it 's easy , it 's not fun . CNN : How is performing in Spanish different ? Furtado : When I express myself in Spanish or in Portuguese I feel very free . There are a lot of things you can say in a Spanish song that you ca n't say in an English song , especially from a feminine perspective . As a female , the moment you sing too passionately in English you are kind of labeled as an angry singer . In Spanish that does n't happen . You can be dramatic as you want and it 's accepted . So it 's liberating . CNN : There are a lot of Spanish-speaking artists who want to cross over into the English-language market . How does it feel to be doing the reverse ? Furtado : I think I 'm capitalizing a little bit on the inroads I have already made in the Latin world through working with other established Latin acts . I dabbled in Spanish on my third album . I had two records on there in Spanish and I really enjoyed writing them and playing them live . I 'm just going where my heart 's at and following the passions . CNN : What 's next for you ? Furtado : It 's interesting because when I got off the road from touring with my third album , `` Loose , '' I was exhausted . I tried to write some songs in English and no inspiration really came to me . Then I started writing songs in Spanish and it started flowing , so this album has been like a medicine of sorts . I 'm so excited about music now . I ca n't wait to put out another project in English and further Spanish albums as well as Portuguese . The list is never-ending . | Nelly Furtado 's new album is sung completely in Spanish . The singer worked with noted Latin artists on the project . Furtado , whose parents are Portuguese , finds performing in Spanish `` liberating '' First single made history on Billboard 's Hot Latin Songs chart . | [[488, 563], [2138, 2291], [4272, 4332], [4309, 4339], [399, 423], [441, 458], [1928, 1960], [1241, 1353]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Pacific near American Samoa , triggering towering tsunami waves that gushed over the island and leaving at least 22 people dead . The tsunami wave hit right in the middle of the harbor of Pago Pago , the capital . American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono , speaking from Hawaii , said Tuesday 's quake ranked `` right up there with some of the worst '' disasters on the island . He said about 50 people had been treated for injuries so far but he expected that number to rise . The quake hit the small cluster of South Pacific islands early Tuesday morning . By evening , Laumoli , standing outside the LBJ Tropical Medican Center morgue in the capital of Pago Pago , confirmed 22 deaths . `` I thought it was the end of the world , '' said Dr. Salamo Laumoli , director of health services . `` I have never felt an earthquake like that before . '' Laumoli feared more fatalities would turn up as rescue workers were still trying to access parts of the island severed by damaged infrastructure . Laumoli said people in outlying villages on one end of the main island have been cut off because the main bridge was washed away . `` Two or three villages have been badly damaged , '' he told CNN International . Listen to Laumoli speak about the impact of the quake and tsunami '' Tulafono cited extensive damage to roads , buildings and homes , and said he had spoken to the military about mobilizing reserve forces for assistance . The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach , Hawaii , canceled tsunami watches and warnings for American Samoa about four hours after the earthquake hit . However , a tsunami advisory is still in effect for for the coastal areas of California and Oregon . Watch report on end of tsunami warning '' The Japan Meteorological Agency also activated a tsunami advisory along its eastern coast . The precautionary alert means that the height of a possible tsunami wave would be less than a foot and a half . President Barack Obama `` declared a major disaster exists in the Territory of American Samoa '' late Tuesday and ordered federal aid to supplement local efforts . The declaration makes federal funding available to affected individuals . The tsunami waves hit right in the middle of the Pago Pago harbor , the capital , said Cinta Brown , an American Samoa homeland security official working at the island 's emergency operations center . The water devastated the village of Leone . Watch a resident talk about what happened '' `` The wave came onshore and washed out people 's homes , '' Brown said . The same happened on the hard-hit east and west sides of American Samoa , she said . The quake generated three separate tsunami waves , the largest measuring 5.1 feet from sea level height , said Vindell Hsu , a geophysicist with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center . Preliminary data had originally reported a larger tsunami . Officials in the U.S. territory issued a clear call and were focusing on assessing the damage , Brown said . Reports of damage were still emerging , but a bulletin from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the waves `` may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts . Authorities should take appropriate action in response to this possibility . '' Tulafono , the governor , was on his way back home Tuesday night on one of two U.S. Coast Guard C-130 transport planes flying to American Samoa with aid . The Coast Guard also will transport more than 20 officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to American Samoa , said John Hamill , external affairs officer for FEMA in Oakland , California . The FEMA team will include a variety of debris experts , housing experts , members of the Corps of Engineers , and other disaster relief specialists , Hamill said . Tulafono told reporters Tuesday that it was hard being away from home when disaster came calling . It was a time , he said , for families to be together . Those who experienced the massive quake described it as a terrifying event . Brown was standing in a parking lot when her sports utility vehicle began rocking left and right . `` You could hear the rattling of the metal '' of a large chain link fence around the lot , Brown said . `` It shakes you because you know something else is coming , '' she said . CNN 's Augie Martin , Mariano Castillo , Moni Basu , Tess Eastment and Nick Valencia contributed to this report . | NEW : White House declares major disaster ; orders federal aid . U.S. sending plane with aid , officials to help American Samoa . Magnitude-8 .0 quake strikes near Samoan Islands early Tuesday . Quake struck at depth of 7.4 miles , triggered three 5-foot tsunamis . | [[1991, 2100], [1991, 2015], [2105, 2154], [2155, 2228], [2177, 2228], [3418, 3497], [0, 15], [46, 84], [531, 611], [0, 15], [87, 186], [2678, 2726]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Swimming legend Michael Phelps struggled in his attempt to adapt to the old-style racing suits at the World Cup short-course event in Sweden on Tuesday . The 14-time Olympic gold medal winner qualified for finals in only one of three events in Stockholm , his best result being seventh of eight to go through in the men 's 100 meter medley . Racing for the first time since winning five golds and a silver at the world championships in July , the American missed out on the 100m freestyle after qualifying in 16th of 23 competitors . His time of 47.77 seconds was 1.84 seconds slower than the leading mark set by Sweden 's Stefan Nystrand . The 24-year-old , who was disqualified in the 100m backstroke , set a time of 53.13 seconds in the medley . The fastest man , South African Darian Townsend , came home in 52.48 . Phelps was one of the few swimmers to revert to the old-style suits , which will become mandatory after January 1 as world ruling body FINA seeks to rein in the high-tech costumes which have sent records tumbling at an incredible rate in the past two years . He will swim in the 100m butterfly and 200m medley heats on Wednesday , and then head to the next leg of the World Cup in Berlin at the weekend . In Stockholm on Tuesday , Chinese swimmer Jing Zhao set a new world record in the heats of the women 's 50m backstroke , clocking 26.08 seconds . She beat the mark of 26.17 posted by Australia 's Marieke Guehrer in the previous meet of the series in Moscow on November 6 . In the men 's 50m butterfly , South Africa 's Roland Schoeman was first in a new World Cup record of 22.29 . | Swimming star Michael Phelps struggles in old-style racing suits at World Cup short-course event . The 14-time Olympic gold medal winner missed out on two of three finals in Stockholm . He was one of the few to wear an old-style suit , which will be mandatory next year . Phelps has two more events on Wednesday before heading to the next leg in Berlin . | [[0, 15], [50, 74], [75, 172], [173, 272], [857, 906], [884, 908], [915, 952], [1098, 1167], [1098, 1100], [1174, 1243]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After a losing presidential campaign , it became clear to Edward `` Ted '' Kennedy that his true calling was to help shape the country 's political future from the U.S. Senate . The turning point came in 1980 when Kennedy unsuccessfully challenged President Carter in the Democratic primaries . But Kennedy 's loss was not necessarily such a bad thing , a top political historian notes . `` I think partly it related to that time when he , after 1980 , he realized that he was not going to be president of the United States ... and that being a United States senator was a pretty important and powerful job in which he could do good , '' said Stephen Hess , author of `` America 's Political Dynasties . '' Kennedy , 77 , had represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate since his 1962 election when he was chosen to finish the unexpired Senate term of his brother , John F. Kennedy , who was elected president in 1960 . The Massachusetts governor appointed Democrat Benjamin A. Smith to the seat following John Kennedy 's presidential win . Political observers have said that Smith was a mere seat warmer until Ted Kennedy turned 30 -- the required age to become a U.S. senator . Watch how the youngest Kennedy brother carried on the family torch '' `` It 's quite remarkable for a person who got there in 1962 at age 30 with no greater qualification for the office than his brother was president of the United States and the voters of Massachusetts respected that name , '' Hess said . And after nearly 50 years , Hess said Kennedy -- the patriarch of the first family of U.S. Democratic politics -- has truly `` made a substantial mark . '' Learn more about Kennedy 's funeral arrangements '' Deemed by many as the `` Lion of the Senate , '' Kennedy was considered one of the most effective legislators of the past few decades , especially in his ability to cross party lines to get legislation passed . In 2001 , Kennedy helped President Bush craft and pass education legislation with the No Child Left Behind Act . While facing some criticism from his party , Kennedy pushed ahead on an issue close to his heart . `` Kennedy realized how much more you could do when you engaged the opposition party and wanted to make the compromises or the agreements that could keep the peace on legislation , '' Hess said . Kennedy , Hess added , was good at coalition building because he was an engaging person who `` owned the Senate . '' Ted Sorensen , a speechwriter for President Kennedy , said that Ted Kennedy 's legacy in the Senate `` is comparable and consistent with the legacy of his entire family for generations . '' That legacy , in addition to popularity among fellow senators , might be the reason why he had major roles in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act , the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act and the Kennedy-Hatch law of 1997 . In 1994 , Kennedy was instrumental in helping the Clinton administration with its plan to overhaul health care . The legislation , maligned by Republicans and conservatives , later failed . Fifteen years later , he continued his fight for comprehensive health care alongside the nation 's first black president , Barack Obama . Kennedy , an early supporter of Obama 's presidential campaign , seemingly handed the torch down to Obama before the `` Super Tuesday '' Democratic primaries by likening the senator from Illinois to his brother , the late president . But the man who spent much of his career helping others to get better health care , civil rights and education , now faced his own personal medical struggle -- the Kennedy patriarch had brain cancer . As that news broke in 2008 , his colleagues on both sides of the aisle not only prayed for his recovery but also honored Kennedy 's legacy . Sen. Dick Durbin , D-Illinois , released a statement saying , `` Ted Kennedy has spent his life caring for those in need . Now it 's time for those who love Ted and his family to care for them and join in prayer to give them strength . '' Sen. Orrin Hatch , R-Utah , said that while he `` sparred a lot '' with Kennedy , he knew `` firsthand what a formidable fighter he is , and I know that he will do all he can to battle this disease . '' Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , called Kennedy `` a legendary lawmaker , and I have the highest respect for him . ... When we have worked together , he has been a skillful , fair and generous partner . '' iReport.com : Share tributes to Kennedy . McCain and Kennedy often worked together on legislation throughout the years -- most notably on overhauling the nation 's immigration laws . Many observers said they believe legislation on the issue progressed as far as it did because Kennedy 's name was on it . But it has not always been an easy political road for Kennedy . After a July 18 , 1969 , party for those who had worked on his late brother Robert 's presidential campaign , Kennedy drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island , Massachusetts . Although he managed to escape , his passenger , Mary Jo Kopechne , drowned . Kennedy did not report the incident immediately and later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident . The incident not only created a firestorm of controversy about the clout of the Kennedy family but also raised questions about the senator 's honesty and judgment . The accident is something that opponents would use in future campaigns . But through it all , Kennedy survived politically and went on to become one of the longest-serving senators in U.S. history . | Edward `` Ted '' Kennedy had been U.S. senator from Massachusetts since 1962 . Kennedy was considered one of the most effective legislators . A hallmark was the senator 's ability to work across party lines , colleagues say . | [[737, 744], [747, 749], [752, 894], [1772, 1859], [1876, 1879], [1888, 1927]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The woman who made the 911 call that led to Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates ' controversial arrest was n't present at the so-called beer summit . Lucia Whalen , who called 911 to report a possible break-in , speaks to reporters Wednesday . But she got a shot of kindness and a taste of gratitude from Gates himself . Lucia Whalen received a bouquet of flowers at her office from Gates , according to Whalen 's attorney , Wendy Murphy . `` She described them as amazing , and appreciated them very much , '' Murphy said of the bouquet . The attorney described the flowers as being a beautiful assortment of what she believed were different colored roses . There was a note included from Gates , the details of which Murphy would not divulge . She said the note characterized Gates 's `` expression of gratitude '' for Whalen 's action . An officer responding to a report of a possible break-in at Gates ' Cambridge , Massachusetts , home arrested the professor on July 16 for disorderly conduct . The charge was later dropped . The arrest sparked a national debate about race and police relations . Whalen said an older woman with no cell phone told her that she was worried someone was trying to break into the home , and decided to call 911 . Whalen never referred to black suspects when she called authorities about the suspected break-in . On Thursday , President Barack Obama -- who had weighed in on the controversy , saying initially that police acted `` stupidly '' -- sat down for a beer at the White House with Gates and the officer who arrested him . The meeting has been called the `` beer summit . '' After the meeting , Obama said in a statement he was thankful to Gates and Cambridge police Sgt. James Crowley for joining him at for `` a friendly , thoughtful conversation . `` Even before we sat down for the beer , I learned that the two gentlemen spent some time together listening to one another , which is a testament to them , '' the president 's statement said . Obama 's initial comments on the incident drew criticism and later he softened his stance , saying , `` I could 've calibrated those words differently . '' Murphy told CNN that Whalen has been receiving other apologies and accolades from people all over the world , but so far , no beer . | Henry Gates sends flowers to office of woman who accidentally called police on him . Lucia Whalen `` appreciated them very much , '' her secretary says . Whalen called 911 after woman told her she suspected break-in at Gates ' home . Whalen drew criticism for making call ; says she 'd do it again . | [[351, 418], [473, 476], [509, 535], [180, 192], [199, 239], [870, 947], [1144, 1249], [1132, 1138], [1256, 1277], [1323, 1376]] |
-LRB- Real Simple -RRB- -- Learn how to be plugged in without being impolite . -LRB- This is one user manual worth reading . -RRB- . If you run into someone while you 're listening to your iPod , remove both earbuds to talk to her , experts say . 1 . You 're walking down the street and listening to your iPod when you run into someone you know . Do you need to remove both earbuds to talk to her ? Jodi R. R. Smith : If you 're having more than a two-minute conversation , then , yes , both buds need to come out -- whether you turn off the device or not . And that goes for your Bluetooth earpiece , too . Jodi R. R. Smith is the president of Manner-smith Consulting , in Boston , Massachusetts , and the author of `` From Clueless to Class Act : Manners for the Modern Woman . '' Joni Blecher : Yes . People want to know that the person they 're talking to is really paying attention to them . Joni Blecher is editorial director of LetsTalk.com . Her blog , Somethin' to Talk About , covers the latest technology . Sue Fox : Remember -- etiquette is all about making the other person more comfortable . How comfortable could your friend be trying to talk to you when you 've got something in your ears ? Sue Fox is the founder and president of EtiquetteSurvival.com , an etiquette consulting firm . 2 . Is it rude to check your PDA at a friend 's house ? Blecher : A little bit . But if you arrive at a friend 's home and explain that you need to check a few e-mails before you visit so you can give her your full attention , she will probably understand . Smith : It depends on how you 're using it . If you 're checking on something relevant to your visit , then no . If you find yourself perusing other e-mails , you will send the message that you 're bored . Will Schwalbe : Think of your PDA as a crossword puzzle . Anywhere it 's acceptable to work on a crossword puzzle , it 's OK to check your PDA . Will Schwalbe is a coauthor of `` Send : Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better . '' Real Simple : Tips for dealing with obnoxious co-workers . 3 . How quickly must I respond to an e-mail ? Are the standards different for work e-mails versus personal e-mails ? Schwalbe : It 's all about consistency . If you 're going to deviate from what you usually do , use your out-of-office assistant or automatic-response setting to let people know why they might not be hearing from you as quickly as they 're used to . You do n't want them to think they 've insulted you somehow or that you are ignoring them . Judith Kallos : Not responding quickly -- within hours and certainly by the end of the day -- to any e-mail might make the other side feel as though she 's being overlooked . It 's particularly important to respond promptly to business e-mails because that is professional and courteous . Judith Kallos oversees NetManners.com , a Web site dedicated to the topics of e-mail and Internet etiquette . Anna Post : The sooner you can reply properly , the better . Never leave someone hanging . Anna Post is the resident technology-etiquette expert at the Emily Post Institute , in Burlington , Vermont . 4 . If someone calls you , can you e-mail the person back or send a text message if you 're not in the mood to talk ? What if you text or e-mail someone and the person calls you back ? Pier M. Forni : Unless the person has requested something specific or you sense a tinge of urgency , there 's nothing uncivil about replying with a `` Can we talk later ? '' text message . Pier M. Forni is the author of `` The Civility Solution : What to Do When People Are Rude '' and a professor of Italian literature at Johns Hopkins University , in Baltimore , Maryland . Schwalbe : Think about what is the best way to respond . If someone called you to get directions somewhere , for instance , reply via e-mail so you can send along a map . Blecher : If you text someone because you do n't want to talk and the person calls back , do n't answer . If you do answer , the other person will sense your foul mood immediately and might get offended . Just text back that you ca n't talk now but will call later . Your friend will thank you . Real Simple : 18 common phrases to avoid in conversation . 5 . Is using BCC -LRB- blind carbon copy -RRB- on an e-mail considered sneaky ? Schwalbe : Yes , and it 's dangerous too , because your BCC can be exposed if the blind recipient hits Reply All or forwards the e-mail to someone else . To protect yourself from this , forward the message separately with an explanation . Kallos : Using it to make someone look bad or e-tattle on someone is not appropriate . BCC is best used to protect your contacts ' e-mail addresses from being exposed to strangers . Smith : BCC can be sneaky but also useful . If you feel that an e-mail discussion you had could turn into a larger issue , you could BCC your boss to make her aware of the situation . Just do n't inundate her with copies of every e-mail you send . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Remove iPod earbuds when you 're talking to someone , experts say . Author : Anywhere it 's OK to work on a crossword puzzle , you can check your PDA . The sooner you can reply to an e-mail properly , the better , an etiquette expert says . | [[233, 246], [1824, 1879], [1882, 1884], [1891, 1910]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida court has approved the divorce of the father of Haleigh Cummings , a Florida girl who disappeared in February , and the girl 's stepmother , a key witness in the case . Ronald Cummings divorced his wife , Misty , who was the last person to see his daughter , Haleigh . Ronald Cummings , 25 , cites irreconcilable differences in ending his short marriage to his 17-year-old wife , whom he married more than a month after Haleigh went missing from her father 's home in Satsuma , Florida , on February 9 . Cummings has made several public pleas for information in her disappearance . Misty Cummings , then known as Misty Croslin , was the last person known to have seen Haleigh the night she disappeared from the family 's rented mobile home . The teenager said she tucked Haleigh and her 4-year-old brother into bed about 8 p.m. and went to sleep herself two hours later , but awoke at 3 a.m. to find the girl missing and a cinder block propping open a back door . Ronald Cummings called police and reported his daughter missing when he returned from work at dawn . Investigators have said they do not feel Misty Cummings has told them everything she knows . `` The police have been telling me that I 've been keeping Misty under my wing and that 's why she has n't talked to the cops , '' Ronald Cummings told a HLN 's `` Nancy Grace '' producer earlier in October . `` So now , here you go , I divorced her . So now go find my baby . '' The Putnam County Sheriff 's office said in August that `` the evidence and investigatory effort has minimized the likelihood that Haleigh 's disappearance is the work of a stranger . '' Ronald Cummings and Crystal Sheffield , Haleigh 's mother , are not considered suspects , police said . `` Investigators believe that Misty Croslin-Cummings continues to hold important answers in the case , '' the sheriff 's office said in a written statement . `` She has failed to provide any sort of detailed accounting of the hours during the late evening and early morning of Haleigh 's disappearance . Furthermore , physical evidence at the scene contradicts Misty 's sketchy account of her evening activities . '' Croslin has not been named a person of interest or suspect in the case . In televised interviews , Croslin has said she does not know what happened to the little girl , while also saying she believed `` the other side of the family '' knows where she is . The couple lived together for about six months before marrying in March . Under the divorce settlement approved Thursday by a St. John 's County court , both sides permanently and irrevocably waive any rights to alimony and other types of financial payments . | Ronald Cummings , wife Misty finalize divorce after brief marriage . Misty Croslin was last person to see 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings . Haleigh Cummings disappeared from home in February while in Croslin 's care . | [[198, 231], [223, 231], [246, 285], [96, 110], [115, 138]] |
Editor 's note : Jeffrey Wright is a stage and screen actor who has won a Tony , Emmy and Golden Globe . Wright has appeared in `` Angels in America , '' `` Basquiat , '' `` The Manchurian Candidate , '' `` Syriana , '' `` W. '' and `` Casino Royale . '' Actor Jeffrey Wright says a nation that put a man on the moon should be able to take race out of policing . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama expressed what many Americans feel regarding the recent arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis `` Skip '' Gates -- that the Cambridge , Massachusetts , police responded `` stupidly . '' Obama is catching some flak for that , but I applaud him for having had the courage to speak his heart and mind . I wonder if the president himself has ever experienced the blunt end of racial profiling , or if he personally knows of anyone other than Professor Gates who has . Among African-American males in this country , the small minority is those who have not or do not . Did some prior experience or knowledge inform his response about the Gates incident ? I have no facts to back this up , but , to me , it seemed personal . If it was , I understand . I was arrested last July in Shreveport , Louisiana , outside a bar where dozens of members of the cast and crew of the movie `` W. '' and I had gathered to celebrate the end of filming . There was no bar brawl as widely reported -- nor even a pre-election political argument . Nine police cars and a fire engine responded ; seven people were arrested . Two of the seven suffered minor head wounds at the hands of the Shreveport police . Josh Brolin and I were pepper sprayed by cops , and while face down in the street , I was made to feel the business end of a Taser . The truth of what led to the whole morass has never been accurately reported . I was asked to leave the bar by a white female bartender who took exception to a comment I made . As with Professor Gates , the police in my case backed unquestioningly the suspicion of a white woman that the black man she accused must be guilty of something . Once that die of accusation was cast , a ghost of racial bias , misperception , and the potential abuse of police authority was set free to make mischief . The bar was one of two places in downtown Shreveport that serves food after 10 p.m. . A few nights before my arrest , I had gone there very late after work to grab a bite to eat . It was before closing , and there were a few customers and employees inside , but the door was locked . I knocked and asked , over the music streaming from inside , if I might buy a small pizza . The bartender insisted that they were closed . `` Whatever , '' I said with a shrug of resignation and walked back to my hotel room . Four nights later and in a festive mood , we gathered at this same establishment . Upon seeing the bartender who had a few nights before told me that the place was closed , I asked her for a drink , which she poured . I quipped , `` Ah you 're going to serve me tonight ! '' At that , she pulled the drink away and told me that I had to leave . I asked if she was kidding . She went on to say that if I did n't leave , she would call the police . As I stepped away to tell friends what had happened , a call was made to Shreveport police . Two cops , the first of many , arrived in minutes , and I was physically escorted outside although neither of them had the curiosity to ask what had transpired before they arrived . A mess ensued . To their credit , Josh and the others arrested followed me outside with a few others from our group . The cops physically released me and were seeming to be ready to let me go altogether when , out of the corner of my eye , I saw another member of the film crew driven headlong into the sidewalk by two newly arrived cops . Josh verbally objected to their actions , at which point a cop said to him , `` You too ! '' I moved Josh away from the fray and held him . We were then pepper sprayed to separate us , after which Josh knelt in submission and was handcuffed . Disoriented and blinded by the pepper spray , I remained standing until I was kicked in the knee and forced to the ground . I did not completely relax one of my arms as it was twisted behind me , so I was tasered in the back of my ribs repeatedly , eventually handcuffed , left to lie in the street for several minutes , then arrested and hauled off to jail , and charged with impeding police . The six others were similarly charged -- and it all began with a joke . Nearly six months later , after a good-size storm kicked up in Shreveport over the incident , prosecutors agreed to drop the charges against all of us arrested that night . New Year 's Day 2009 and the same week in which charges were dropped against us , in Oakland , California , Oscar Grant , a young father , was killed in a BART station , surrounded by cops and in the same position as I found myself down in Shreveport . It seems the BART cop may have pulled the trigger of his firearm thinking that it was his Taser . Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover is known as a law-and-order mayor . The day after the encounter , in the presence of his police chief , Glover apologized to me and privately acknowledged that while most Shreveport 's cops were good , there were some `` devils '' among them . In public meetings regarding the `` W. '' incident , however , he held fast that the responding officers acted appropriately . Either Glover 's public statement was dead wrong , or the joke was on us . Of course , public officials , particularly at the local level , are loathe to criticize law enforcement officers . On a certain level , it 's understandable . Cops answer a noble and difficult calling . The pressure must be relentless , and I imagine a cop is largely underappreciated by most except those with whom he or she serves . A political pat on the back from the executive in charge must be a comforting thing in controversial times , and politicians prefer to duck behind the political safety of the blue wall of silence than upset the men and women who , like our nation 's troops , are charged with placing themselves every day in harm 's way to keep us safe . When he was mayor of New York , Rudy Giuliani encamped himself behind that blue wall . After Amadou Diallo , living out the All-American , hard-working immigrant story , was brutally shot down on the steps of his Bronx apartment building , Giuliani refused to question the actions of the cops who fired 41 bullets in killing the unarmed young man . Is a politician 's unwavering fidelity to law enforcement officers the best approach , or does it promote a police culture of impunity and retard progress on law enforcement issues ? What if after the Diallo tragedy , political leadership in New York inspired the passage of serious legislation to keep in check the presumption of criminality that cops so often direct toward young men of color . What if that had led to similar acts nationwide around these issues ? Gates might not be headline news today ; Grant might not have died ; and New York police Officer Omar Edwards , an African-American undercover officer shot down two months ago by a white fellow officer while chasing a suspect through a Harlem street , might be alive today to toss a football again with his son . iReport.com : `` Shame '' on Gates . I 'm not presuming to blame Giuliani alone for what has become a systemic problem in our country -- that would be absurd , these issues predate him -- but when political leaders in this country express compassion only for those for whom they perceive it to be politically expedient or fail to challenge law enforcement and incarceration issues that cut to the core of the history and culture of race in America , they fail us all . They exemplify what U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder meant when he spoke of the cowardice with which we as a society approach race dialogue in this country . These are messy , even bloody issues , but the cost of not addressing them is too draining of our societal health . Among other things it fosters a society in which too many young Americans internalize the aura of criminality that 's projected onto them and handcuff themselves to self-imposed limitations that stifle us all . Going to prison rather than to college becomes a rite of passage . They wear their pants below their behinds in solidarity with their friends , brothers , uncles or fathers who are n't allowed belts while incarcerated , though perhaps the low-hanging pants are a defiant gesture to society at large for continually presuming them to be miscreant . This past week the Apollo 11 crew was at the White House welcomed by the president of a new generation of dreamers . Our great nation put a man on the moon , but it ca n't train its cops to distinguish between an ordinary brown-skinned brother and a criminal . At its least injurious , as with Gates and myself , this leads to bruised pride and reputation ; at its worst , Grant or Edwards gets killed . President Kennedy famously said , `` We choose to go the moon ... and do the other things not because they are easy , but because they are hard . '' Maybe properly educating , screening and training our nation 's police is one of `` the other things . '' My son is 7 years old . May our generation have accomplished this other thing before he 's a young man , and before we 've sent a man to Mars . The challenge is one that many Americans are willing to accept -- one , that for the sake of our children , all Americans should be unwilling to postpone . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeffrey Wright . | Jeffrey Wright : President Obama catches flak for remarks on professor 's arrest . Wright applauds Obama for having courage to speak his mind . Actor says he too was victim of arrest in which race played a part . He says political leaders need to address race and policing . | [[594, 630], [637, 677], [637, 638], [647, 707]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Author Frank McCourt , whose tragic childhood became creative grist for his first book , the Pulitzer Prize-winning `` Angela 's Ashes , '' died Sunday , according to the Web site of his publisher , Simon & Shuster . He was 78 . Frank McCourt won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award for `` Angela 's Ashes . '' McCourt taught creative writing to high school students in New York City for 30 years before achieving literary acclaim with the 1996 biography . `` Angela 's Ashes , '' named after his mother , also won the National Book Critics Circle Award . It was translated and sold throughout the world . In the book , McCourt described a desperate childhood marked by severe poverty , malnutrition , neglect , infectious disease and loss . `` When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all . It was , of course , a miserable childhood : the happy childhood is hardly worth your while . Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood , and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood , '' he wrote . EW : A tribute to Frank McCourt . McCourt wrote the two other memoirs , `` Tis '' and `` Teacher Man , '' as sequels to `` Angela 's Ashes , '' and penned the children 's book `` Angela and the Baby Jesus . '' The author was born to Angela and Malachy McCourt on August 19 , 1930 , in Brooklyn , New York , to Irish immigrants . The family fled to Limerick , Ireland , four years later , during the Great Depression era , only to become mired in even more gut-wrenching poverty . Three of the couple 's seven children died . Malachy McCourt , an alcoholic who managed to keep jobs only a few weeks at a time , left the family scrounging to survive . Yet , he also brought joy to his children , as the younger McCourt wrote in `` Angela 's Ashes '' : . `` Before bed we sit around the fire and if we say , ` Dad , tell us a story , ' he makes up one about someone in the lane and the story will take us all over the world , up in the air , under the sea and back to the lane . Everyone in the story is a different colour and everything is upside down and backward . Motor cars and planes go underwater and submarines fly through the air . Sharks sit in trees and giant salmon sport with kangaroos on the moon . Polar bears wrestle with elephants in Australia and penguins teach Zulus how to play bagpipes . '' In October 2006 , McCourt told the BBC that he saw his family 's struggles as part of the human experience , without casting his father as a villain . He also expressed sorrow about his mother . `` First of all , I feel so sorry that I did n't understand more about her life and her misery and the deaths of three children , '' McCourt said . `` I had one daughter and if she had a cold , I was up all night . If she had the sniffles , I was running to her little crib or her bed . ... When I was growing up and as I grew to manhood , I really did n't understand my mother 's pain . '' Asked about his Irish-American identity , McCourt told the BBC : `` I 'm actually a New Yorker , because that 's what I feel passionately about . ... New York is the place that gets me all excited . '' He returned to the United States at 19 and spent decades coming to grips with his youth . `` I dealt with my past , and my future and my present by writing about it . And it 's really , it 's a gift . I wish everybody had it , because it eases all kinds of distress , '' he told the BBC . McCourt is survived by his wife , Ellen , and other family members , including brother Malachy McCourt , who is an actor and writer . | Publisher Simon & Shuster says the Pulitzer Prize-winning author has dead . McCourt left the literary world riveted with his novel of growing up in poverty in Ireland . Before literary fame , he taught creative writing to high school students in New York . Despite upbringing in Ireland , he said he felt like a New Yorker . | [[356, 501]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The people who died Thursday at a spiritual resort in Arizona had spent time in a `` sweatbox '' similar to what Native Americans and other cultures have used for prayer and purification rituals throughout history . Two people died and were 19 injured after spending up to two hours inside this `` sweatbox '' at an Arizona resort . And those who use them say they can be dangerous if care is not taken . From Scandinavia to South America to Africa , people have come together in the sauna-like structures -- typically heated by pouring water on hot lava rocks -- for a variety of reasons , said Joseph Bruchac , writer and author of The Native American Sweat Lodge . He 's part Abenaki , a tribe concentrated in the northeast United Staes , and part European . `` Each tribal nation has its own traditions , so one group might do it differently from another so you can not generalize too much , '' said Bruchac , who runs an outdoor education center in Greenfield Center , New York . In North America , most Native American tribes use the term `` sweat lodge '' to refer to a dome-shaped structure where the intimate ritual of the sweat takes place , said Bruchac , who has his own sweat lodge on his property in the foothills of the Adirondacks . `` Sweat lodges are typically used for a ritual preparation , like before a hunt , or nowadays , people might do it before a wedding or dance or some kind of community event as a way of putting yourself in balance , '' he said . Bruchac noted that incidents like the one in Arizona tend to raise discussion in Native American communities over whether non-Natives should be allowed to adapt traditional ceremonies . `` It 's a very meaningful ceremony . I can understand why people find it attractive , '' Bruchac said . `` But I consider it sacrilegious and foolish to do someone else 's rituals without proper guidance or practice , especially in sweat lodges where you 're raising people 's body temperatures . With that many people , oxygen is going to be depleted , and if you have heart problems or breathing problems , you could faint or die . '' No information about the sweatbox at the Angel Valley Resort near Sedona could be found on the Web site Saturday . The two people who died and the 19 others who fell ill there were attending a program by self-help expert James Arthur Ray , authorities said Saturday . Authorities said between 50 and 60 people were in the structure for nearly two hours -- far exceeding the number who ordinarily would participate in a traditional sweat , according to Bruchac . In a typical ritual , the leader of the sweat gathers four to 12 friends , family members or guests inside the structure , usually made of willow and covered with blankets or canvas , he said . `` The person running the sweat has to be very aware of the people in the lodge because he takes control of them mentally , physically and spiritually , '' said Bruchac . `` The leader is responsible for them , so he has to be aware of their physical conditions and their motivations , their reasons for being there . '' After everyone is inside , a firekeeper heats stones , usually lava rocks , and brings them into the lodge , placing them in a hole in the ground and carefully pouring water over the stones to release steam . The technique of releasing the heat is done with great care so that no one is injured by the steam , which can burn skin or lungs if someone inhales it , said Father Raymond Bucko , Director of Native Studies at Creighton University . `` Nobody will make it so hot that no one can stand it , '' said Bucko . `` Religious leaders are very careful about people 's health in the sweat . If they 're not healthy , people can sit outside the sweat and pray and others can go in for them . '' A ritual of speaking or prayer may follow , depending on the group 's intention for gathering . `` People talk and often there 's lot of humor , but at any time if it 's too hot , some one can say so and they will immediately open the door and people are encouraged to go out , '' he said . The Jesuit priest and cultural anthropologist participated in sweats with the Crow and Lakota people for nearly 30 years , until he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago . `` It 's not about toughing it out or proving anything . It really is a beautiful experience of people coming together , of intense prayerfulness . '' | Sweat lodges are used in prayer and purification rituals across globe . Deaths raise concerns over non-Natives trying to adapt traditional ceremonies . Typical Native American sweat lodge used in ritual of prayer and purification . Firekeeper heats stones , places them in hole in lodge , pours water over them . | [[127, 234], [1268, 1327], [1497, 1682], [1611, 1682], [127, 234], [1268, 1327], [499, 524], [538, 579], [3104, 3171], [3098, 3122], [3125, 3150], [3178, 3204], [3125, 3171], [3207, 3243], [3098, 3122], [3125, 3150], [3248, 3306]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Malaysian model , who was set to become the first woman to be caned in the southeast Asian country for drinking beer in public , had her sentence postponed Monday until the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan . Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno 's punishment is unique in that she has opted to go through with it . Authorities had picked up Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno , 32 , from her father 's house Monday morning and were taking her to a prison in the eastern state of Pahang when the van turned around and brought her back . `` They sent her back to the house . They said the top official asked them not to bring her to Kuala Lumpur , '' said Kartika 's father , Shukarno Abdul Muttalib . Authorities in Pahang said the delay would run until the month of fasting ends . Monday was the third day of Ramadan . An Islamic , or sharia , court in Pahang had fined Kartika -- a Muslim -- $ 1,400 -LRB- 5,000 Malaysian ringgit -RRB- and sentenced her to six strokes with a rattan cane for drinking at a hotel bar two years ago . Kartika , a 32-year-old part-time model and mother of two , was visiting Malaysia from Singapore at the time . She pleaded guilty , paid the fine , and wanted her caning to be carried out in public . Watch more on Kartika 's release '' She said she lost her job as a nurse in Singapore and took up part-time modeling to support her husband in raising their two children . Her son has cerebral palsy ; her daughter a heart condition . `` I want to move on . This case has been hanging over me for a long time , '' she told CNN last week . On Monday morning , Kartika hugged her children , bade a tearful goodbye to the throngs of people gathered at her father 's house , and boarded the van . She was to be taken to a prison on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur . The caning would have been carried out within seven days of that , making her the first woman to be caned in Malaysia under sharia law . Kartika 's punishment is unique in that she has opted to go through with it . Two other Malaysians sentenced to the same fate have filed appeals , the Syariah -LRB- Sharia -RRB- Lawyers ' Association of Malaysia said . The case drew widespread attention and condemnation , in and outside Malaysia . The moderate Muslim country has a dual-track justice system , in which Islamic courts operate alongside civil courts . Muslims -- who make up about 60 percent of the 28 million who populate the country -- are forbidden from consuming alcohol . Other religious groups are exempt . Though caning is used as a supplementary punishment in Malaysia for at least 40 crimes , such as rape or immigration violations , it is not meted out by Malaysia 's civil court for alcohol consumption . But the country 's civil system also can not overrule a sharia court sentence . In this respect , Kartika would have been the first woman to be caned for violating the country 's religious laws . `` Regardless of whether or not such penalties fall under Syariah law or civil law , we believe that these should be repealed , as they go against the fundamental human right to be free from torture and violence , '' said Haslinah Yaacob , vice president for the All Women 's Action Society . CNN 's Anna Coren in Sungi Siput , Malaysia , contributed to this report . | NEW : Kartika Shukarno , a model , has sentence delayed until end of Ramadan . Kartika was set to be first woman to be caned in Malaysia for drinking in public . She pleaded guilty , paid a fine , and wanted her caning to be carried out in public . Islamic law dictates caning Muslims seen drinking alcohol ; case caused uproar . | [[0, 15], [150, 236], [711, 791], [733, 791], [0, 76], [0, 15], [51, 147], [1803, 1813], [1870, 1939], [1155, 1173], [1155, 1158], [1176, 1189], [1155, 1158], [1196, 1243], [2159, 2210]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Small cars continue to be hot sellers among buyers looking for fuel economy , style and all-around fun . See which cars are the winners in this list of best-selling small cars . The Honda Civic is popular for its fuel efficiency and affordability . 1 . Honda Civic * . August 2008 Sales : 30,052 Change vs. Previous Year : 5.3 % MSRP : $ 15,205 - $ 20,755 Invoice : $ 14,021 - $ 19,111 Fuel Economy : 34 mpg Hwy/26 mpg City . The Honda Civic is one of the most reliable and popular economy compact sedans/coupes in its class . For years it has set the quality and performance standard for the affordable , compact car market . * Includes Hybrid Model AOL Autos : Honda Civic . 2 . Toyota Corolla * . August 2008 Sales : 29,443 Change vs. Previous Year : -3.4 % MSRP : $ 15,350 - $ 18,860 Invoice : $ 14,198 - $ 17,067 Fuel Economy : 35 mpg Hwy/26 mpg City . The new Toyota Corolla is among the best of the compact sedans : reliable and economical yet refined and comfortable . * Includes Toyota Matrix AOL Autos : Toyota Corolla . 3 . Ford Focus . August 2008 Sales : 16,387 Change vs. Previous Year : 23.4 % MSRP : $ 14,995 - $ 17,970 Invoice : $ 14,091 - $ 16,648 Fuel Economy : 35 mpg Hwy/24 mpg City . Small , economical , and fun , the 2009 Ford Focus is a smart choice for those looking for a compact car . AOL Autos : Ford Focus . 4 . Chevrolet Cobalt . August 2008 Sales : 15,281 Change vs. Previous Year : -26.6 % MSRP : $ 15,010 - $ 22,775 Invoice : $ 14,184 - $ 21,522 Fuel Economy : 37 mpg Hwy/25 mpg City . The Chevy Cobalt is available as either a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan , each available in three trims : the LS , the LT and the SS Turbocharged . AOL Autos : Chevy Cobalt . 5 . Mazda3 * . August 2008 Sales : 10,970 Change vs. Previous Year : 4.4 % MSRP : $ 14,490 - $ 20,595 Invoice : $ 13,590 - $ 19,283 Fuel Economy : 32 mpg Hwy/24 mpg City . The Mazda3 is a premium compact car , exciting to drive and look at , and equipped with unexpected luxury features , all at a reasonable price . * Includes MazdaSpeed3 AOL Autos : Mazda3 . 6 . Hyundai Elantra . August 2008 Sales : 10,031 Change vs. Previous Year : 13.8 % MSRP : $ 13,970 - $ 16,670 Invoice : $ 13,592 - $ 16,004 Fuel Economy : 33 mpg Hwy/24 mpg City . The Elantra is an economic compact car with handsome styling and nice lines . It 's renowned in two areas , interior space and standard safety equipment . 7 . Toyota Yaris . August 2008 Sales : 9,474 Change vs. Previous Year : 20.5 % MSRP : $ 12,205 - $ 15,125 Invoice : $ 11,473 - $ 14,217 Fuel Economy : 36 mpg Hwy/29 mpg City . The Yaris manages to combine a well-tailored , roomy interior with agile performance and a fuel efficient engine in an entry-level car . 8 . Nissan Sentra . August 2008 Sales : 9,207 Change vs. Previous Year : 1.4 % MSRP : $ 16,140 - $ 20,570 Invoice : $ 15,275 - $ 19,181 Fuel Economy : 33 mpg Hwy/25 mpg City . The Sentra front-wheel drive 4-door sedan is a practical , roomy and economical car with several trims available to suit a person 's needs . 9 . Nissan Versa . August 2008 Sales : 8,015 Change vs. Previous Year : -5.2 % MSRP : $ 12,990 - $ 16,210 Invoice : $ 12,539 - $ 15,634 Fuel Economy : 31 mpg Hwy/26 mpg City . The Versa is Nissan 's entry-level car with the intention of attracting economy-minded buyers with its mileage , price and larger size than most other vehicles in its class . 10 . Hyundai Accent . August 2008 Sales : 6,455 Change vs. Previous Year : 73 % MSRP : $ 11,070 - $ 15,070 Invoice : $ 10,822 - $ 14,642 Fuel Economy : 33 mpg Hwy/27 mpg City . The Hyundai Accent sedan and hatchback are exceptional economy cars that offer attractive looks and outstanding value in a price-sensitive market segment . Best-selling small cars is based on August national sales data . | Small cars continue to be hot among buyers looking for fuel economy . Honda Civic is one of the most reliable and popular economy compact cars . Sentra front-wheel drive 4-door sedan is practical , roomy and economical . Yaris combines well-tailored , roomy interior with agile performance . | [[25, 75], [203, 273], [451, 551], [2598, 2734], [2911, 3023], [2598, 2734], [2629, 2633], [2634, 2642], [2645, 2650]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Watching the premiere of `` The Informant ! '' -- the Matt Damon movie about a high-level FBI mole at a large multinational company -- was the mole himself , Mark Whitacre . Mark Whitacre , right , at the premiere of ` The Informant ' with Matt Damon . The movie is a dark comic take on the three years Whitacre -- a former divisional president of Archer Daniels Midland , the US-based food additive giant -- spent working undercover to break a global price-fixing conspiracy . Whitacre recognized real episodes in his life on the big screen , such as trying to fix a hidden tape player during a meeting and his delusional belief he would be made CEO of the company as a reward for his undercover work . But what you wo n't see in the movie are the events of August 9 , 1995 , six weeks after an FBI raid blew the case into public attention . It was two days after ADM fired Whitacre and accused him of embezzling millions from the company . His FBI partners for the previous three years would no longer speak with him . On that day , Whitacre sat alone in his car with its engine running inside a closed garage and slowly lost consciousness . He was hoping to end his life as surely as he had ended his career . A gardener found him unconscious . Some scenes just ca n't be played for laughs . `` There was nothing comical in the reality of the story , '' said Whitacre , who eventually spent nearly nine years in prison for his role in the price-fixing scheme and revelations he siphoned off $ 9 million from the company while he was working for the FBI . For Whitacre , ` The Informant ! ' is a study in his own mental illness , as he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after hospitalization for his suicide attempt . His meeting with Damon at the premiere was the first time the pair met . Damon told him he hoped they portrayed his illness in a sensitive way , Whitacre said . `` He did n't want to talk to a 52-year-old Mark Whitacre while preparing for the role , the Mark Whitacre who went to prison , who has been treated for bipolar disorder , who is now COO of a company , '' said Whitacre , who is now an executive for a small food supplement maker . `` He wanted to portray the 35-year-old Mark Whitacre , otherwise it would make it difficult to portray the delusions I had at that time . '' The fix is in . For companies and regulators , the 1997 conviction of ADM was a landmark event , the first antitrust action in the United States since World War II and a case that has spurred price-fixing investigations around the world . `` As a result of this case , the Department of Justice and the FBI started looking around to see if they could find any other cases like this , '' said Dean Paisley , a retired FBI agent who supervised the undercover ADM work . `` This used to be relatively unusual until the -LRB- ADM -RRB- case came to light , '' said John Connor , a Purdue University researcher on cartel activity , who was an expert witness in the government 's case against ADM. `` Back in 1993 you 'd see maybe one or two global -LRB- price-fixing schemes -RRB- being discovered ... in the past three years or so , there are about 50 a year . '' Price-fixing schemes -- where a cartel of manufacturers inflate prices against market demand -- cost consumers untold millions each year . In the ADM case , it was found that in the three-year period of investigation the company 's cartel activity with manufacturers in Japan and Korea inflated prices by at least $ 200 million . The ADM case resulted in a record $ 100 million fine in 1997 -- a figure long since dwarfed . Last month Japanese company Epson agreed to pay $ 26 million for its role in price-fixing LCD panels used in mobile phones in the U.S. Several other companies , including Sharp , LG and Hitachi , have already pleaded guilty in the case and paid fines of more than $ 600 million . Just last week , the Hungarian government fined Visa Europe , MasterCard and seven commercial banks a total of $ 10.4 million for price fixing bank fees -LRB- Visa and MasterCard are appealing that decision -RRB- . Flawed heroes . A sign of cartel activity is usually a sharp and uniform increase in price with a contraction in demand . `` But , in fact , in the last 15 or 20 years -LRB- governments -RRB- have relied almost exclusively on whistle-blowers to make their cases , '' Connor said . And as Whitacre showed , whistle blowers often do n't have noble motives . `` The movie should be taken very , very seriously , '' said Sam Antar , a CPA who turned government witness against his employer in the 1980 's . `` In white-collar cases , the governments have to rely on informants ... in effect , relying on unsavory characters to make their case , '' said Antar , who now advises government agencies on white-collar crime . `` What happened in ` The Informant , ' is he had an agenda to become head honcho of the company , '' Antar said . `` The mistake the FBI agents made in the movie is they fell in love with their witness . It turned out there was a dark side they did n't know about . '' Whitacre said he began stealing millions from the company while working for the FBI , in part , as a financial backstop in case things went wrong . `` I had this sense of false entitlement , like they owe me this ... after all , the company was stealing hundreds of millions . '' The stress of his double-life undoubtedly added to his mental woes , said Paisley , the original FBI supervisor in the case . He points out that undercover FBI agents receive surveillance training and are pulled for psychological evaluation once a year -- Whitacre received none of that . `` There were no provisions for similar checks and balances with Whitacre , '' Paisley said . `` He had no ideas what he was getting into when he agreed to cooperate ... we had no idea it would last three years . '' Although Whitacre has served his time , Paisley and other agents involved in his case are seeking a presidential pardon . `` He really screwed up by stealing , '' Paisley said . `` Be that as it may , how many hundreds of millions would have been stolen if -LRB- ADM -RRB- was n't stopped by Mark Whitacre ? He is a national hero , in my eyes . '' | The ADM price-fixing case was a landmark in global antitrust prosecution . Global price-fixing investigations have skyrocketed since the ADM scam . These investigations depend on whistle-blowers who often have dark motives . | [[2341, 2369], [2372, 2419], [2489, 2499], [2505, 2563], [4245, 4314], [4327, 4365], [4634, 4649], [4693, 4742]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The incessant banging on the door finally roused Ted Jackson from a deep sleep . Floodwaters roar across the highway in Paulding County , one of the hardest-hit in Georgia . He hustled out of bed and rushed to the door . There were his neighbors , surrounded by floodwaters the neighborhood is supposed to experience only once every 100 years . Jackson raced to his basement and the water level -- submerging nine of the 13 steps to the floor -- filled him with dread . His dog , a 2-year-old pomeranian , slept in a kennel down there . `` My first initial thought was my dog is dead ... he did n't have a chance , '' said Jackson of Powder Springs , Georgia , where he and the rest of the residents in the metro Atlantan subdivision spent Monday stranded by acres and acres of water . The dog , named J.J. , died in the flooded basement . Jackson is just one of thousands of Georgia residents trying to salvage their homes after days of rain rushed deadly flood waters to their part of the world . Counties west of Atlanta , including Douglas , Paulding and Cobb , were among the worst hit . The National Guard was poised to enter the area if necessary . See photo gallery of flooding '' Aerial video of Powder Springs , near the Paulding-Douglas county line , showed scores of homes swallowed by muddy waters as the rain refused to subside . In one Powder Springs neighborhood , a fire truck floated near a cluster of two-story homes , with the charred remnants of one house smoldering a few yards from the failed response . Watch home burn , surrounded by water '' Cars , trucks , buses and campers were flung into the currents , sinking near bent signs , fallen trees and downed power lines . Rescuers started rowing through affected areas in inflatable boats . After flying over the disastrous scenes in Paulding and Douglas counties , Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in those and 15 other counties hit by floods . At least five flood-related deaths were reported across Atlanta-area counties -- three fatalities in Douglas , one in Gwinnett and one , a child , in Carrollton . A Douglas County hospital reported no running water . Just across the line , in Cobb County , the entrance of Georgia 's largest amusement park , Six Flags , was sitting in water . Watch the flooding in Georgia '' Powder Springs resident Kim Harp woke up at about 4 a.m. Monday as her brother bounded up the stairs from his basement room , reporting water spilling into the home . The family scrambled to save photo albums and other personal valuable , but the water reached a depth of 2 feet in the basement less than two hours later . `` It just came so fast , '' Harp said , adding that the water was at head-level by midday . `` It really terrified us . '' Harp , who lives next door to Jackson , said she and her husband , three children and brother went to bed Sunday after another day of Georgia rains with little worry . After all , she said , the family has a 7-foot retaining wall in the backyard , and it 's never even come close to a breach . Watch flooding victims flee '' `` It really was n't a concern , '' she said . Now , without flood insurance , Harp has only one thing on her mind : Clean up . Still , `` where do you start ? '' she asked . `` Where does the family go from here ? '' | Powder Springs resident Kim Harp : `` It just came so fast . It really terrified us '' Scores of homes swallowed by muddy waters as the rain refused to subside . Entrance to Six Flags , Georgia 's largest amusement park , sitting in water . | [[2358, 2390], [2484, 2524], [2681, 2704], [2777, 2801], [913, 979], [967, 1035], [1226, 1256], [1299, 1321], [1316, 1380], [1564, 1579], [1582, 1604], [2358, 2390], [2484, 2524], [2221, 2228], [2238, 2287], [2302, 2324]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jack Borden would like you to consider working well past retirement age . As a 101-year-old attorney , he has the credibility to encourage it . Attorney Jack Borden , 101 , says he 's never thought about not working . `` What would I do ? '' he said . Borden , who has been practicing law for the better part of 70 years , still spends about 40 hours a week at his office in Weatherford , Texas , handling estate planning , probate and real estate matters . Retire ? Not while he 's able to help folks . `` As long as you are capable , you ought to use what God gave you . He left me here for a reason , and with enough of a mind to do what it is I 'm supposed to be doing , '' said Borden , who also has been a district attorney and Weatherford 's mayor . He arrives at the practice he shares with his nephew at 6:30 a.m. . He goes home for lunch at 10:45 a.m. , rests in bed for 45 minutes -- doctor 's orders after pneumonia a few years back -- returns to work by 12:45 p.m. and stays until at least 4 . Not everyone who works past 65 does so because they want to . In a survey completed last month , 38 percent of respondents working past the age of 62 said they may have to delay retirement even further because of the recession , according to the Pew Research Center 's Social and Demographic Trends project . But in answer to another question in the same survey , 54 percent of workers 65 or older said they 're working now mainly because they want to . Seventeen percent said their main reason was money , and 27 percent said both factors motivated them . `` Some of them enjoy it , and some of them need the money . But even if they need the money , they also enjoy the work , '' said Cynthia Metzler , president of Experience Works , a nonprofit that helps low-income workers ages 55 and older acquire new job skills . The group , which operates in 30 states and also uses federal funds to pay participants a minimum wage to work community service jobs while they look for other work , last month named Borden as America 's Outstanding Oldest Worker -- a title it bestows annually to a worker over 100 . Last week , Borden was in Washington to participate in events the group was holding to mark National Employ Older Workers Week . When it comes to putting off retirement out of desire , Borden is hardly alone . Preston Brown , 70 , is a police officer in Yakima , Washington . He 's enjoying the challenges that come with patrolling streets full time , and the experiences are relatively fresh : The former marketing worker and real estate broker did n't join the force until he was 51 . He was attracted to law enforcement as a teen but was told he was too short . The height requirements eventually changed , and after some friends persuaded him to go on a patrol ride-along , he began a process that landed him a job with Yakima police in 1990 . Whatever is required , from report-taking to chases , he 's up for it . `` From time to time there will be a physical confrontation ... and we can get involved in foot chases and vehicle chases . Usually the vast quantity is on night shift more than -LSB- my daytime shift -RSB- , but still I 'm involved in those , '' Brown said . Nineteen years later and still in good shape , he has no plans to stop . He likes the pay but he does n't have to work : His wife of 53 years has a pension . He could be doing other things , such as playing racquetball and motorcycling with friends , but because he gets four days off after working five roughly 11-hour days , he already has time for that . `` When I wake up and prepare to leave for work , I 'm looking forward to it , '' he said . `` It 's challenging and exciting . '' In Anderson , South Carolina , customers at a Chick-fil-A restaurant might see 88-year-old Frank Childers fixing a door . His wife , Gertrude Childers , 88 , might be carrying a tray to a table or refreshing someone 's beverage . When Frank Childers retired from his insurance sales job in 1985 , he looked forward to free time and fishing . `` I stayed retired for five years . I got tired of sitting around , '' he said . Frank Childers , who had some mechanical experience before working in insurance , took some jobs to stay busy . In 1998 , Jon Holmes , the owner-operator of three Anderson Chick-fil-As , asked him to lead his maintenance staff , and Childers has been working there since . Gertrude Childers , a former mill worker , also was hired in 1998 to be a dining room hostess at one of the restaurants . She works 20 hours a week ; her husband works about 30 . They each said they enjoy the work and the people they 've met . They do n't have to work for the money , they said , but the pay does n't hurt . `` It 's nice to have your own money , because when I want to go shopping , I do n't have to ask nobody , '' Gertrude Childers said , laughing . Experience Works says many low-income workers 55 and older need to find jobs but ca n't , in part because of the recession . It points to the age group 's unemployment rate : It was 6.8 percent in August , up from 2.9 percent three years earlier , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . That 's still better than the rate for all age groups , 9.7 percent in August . Lynn Dusenbery , 62 , faces many more years of work out of necessity . The Ashland , Wisconsin , resident sold her floral business four years ago to cover medical bills . Once hoping to retire at 65 , she now has no savings , is uninsured , and -- living in a rural area with perennially high unemployment -- still has n't found full-time work . `` I was a florist for 40 years . I came out with no skills that would get me by in the outside world , '' Dusenbery said . Dusenbery enrolled with Experience Works three years ago and has picked up computer skills and other training and part-time jobs with the group . She 's looking for full-time work . As for Borden , work is still energizing and rewarding . `` If I were to quit , I might last a year , but probably not over six months , '' said Borden . `` I have to use a walker because of old age , so there 's not much else I could do except sit in my house . Why do that when I can not only enjoy life , but help some people ? '' | Texas attorney Jack Borden , 101 , still works 40 hours a week . Group named Borden `` America 's Outstanding Oldest Worker '' for 2009 . `` If I were to quit , I might last ... not over six months , '' Borden says . Police officer , 70 , did n't become cop until he was 51 . | [[271, 277], [342, 415], [2026, 2078], [5975, 5994], [6032, 6048], [2528, 2619]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While some criticism targeting President Obama is racially motivated , the fight over health care is n't , former President Clinton told CNN . Former President Clinton says Democrats need to win the health care debate `` on the merits . '' `` I believe that some of the right-wing extremists which oppose President Obama are also racially prejudiced and would prefer not to have an African-American president , '' Clinton told CNN 's Larry King in a wide-ranging interview that aired Monday evening . `` But I do n't believe that all the people who oppose him on health care -- and all the conservatives -- are racists . And I believe if he were white , every single person who opposes him now would be opposing him then . '' Clinton discussed a variety of issues facing the Obama administration -- from health care to the war in Afghanistan -- on the eve of the fifth annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative . Regarding race , the former president was referring to an outburst from Rep. Joe Wilson , R-South Carolina , who shouted , `` You lie ! '' at Obama during the president 's recent joint address to Congress and also former President Carter 's assessment that racism is an obstacle for the current president . `` While I have devoted my life to getting rid of racism , I think this -LSB- health care -RSB- is a fight that my president and our party -- this is one we need to win on the merits , '' Clinton said . Watch Clinton say he thinks a health care bill will pass '' On the Arab-Israeli conflict -- which Clinton tried to address while in the White House -- the former president said it 's an issue that first has to be addressed by the Palestinians and Israelis . Obama has set up meetings with leaders from both sides this week as the U.N. General Assembly meets in New York . `` First , it 's more up to them than it is to President Obama , '' Clinton said . `` I think if we can just get them to start talking again around the two-state solutions , around restoring a sense of normalcy and creating a Palestinian state ... I think you would be surprised how quickly at least they would come down to all the same issues that they were down to in 2000 when I made my proposal . '' In August , Clinton made headlines when he traveled to North Korea to gain the release of two detained U.S. journalists , Euna Lee and Laura Ling . During his visit , Clinton met with reclusive leader Kim Jong Il , whose government is under U.N. sanctions for its efforts to develop a nuclear weapons program . Asked about how it felt to help the journalists , Clinton said , `` It was humbling , and it was a wonderful feeling . They 're really fine young women . '' Clinton also discussed the conflict in Afghanistan , addressing top U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal 's report warning Obama that more troops are needed within the coming year or the nearly 8-year-old war `` will likely result in failure , '' according to a copy of a 66-page document obtained by The Washington Post . Obama has promised to ask `` tough questions '' before deciding whether to send additional troops to Afghanistan , saying it was necessary to have a clear strategy in place before deploying resources . `` My guess is that he will say , ` You may be right , general , but we still have this ongoing election count , let 's wait until that happens , let 's see what the new government 's going to be , let 's see if both the top two finishers are going to be in the government , which is a possibility , ' '' Clinton said . `` And if that means there 's going to be more broad-based support because we got everybody together right after the election was over , then it 's clear that more soldiers will be even more effective . '' Clinton , a New York resident , also touched on a New York Times report that Obama administration officials have urged New York Gov. David A. Paterson to withdraw from the 2010 race . White House officials acknowledged to CNN that aides have conveyed to Paterson 's camp they are aware of the governor 's unpopularity and the political troubles it could cause . `` Well , first of all , I have no direct knowledge of it , '' Clinton said , adding later , `` The truth is I ca n't criticize either one of them . '' `` I think Paterson is in a tough spot , but he 's done a better job than he 's gotten credit for , '' he said . `` So he 's done some good things . I think that he will do what he thinks is right for the people of New York in the end and for himself . I think the president understandably wants to hold on to the governorship of the fourth biggest state of the country . '' | Ex-President Clinton says race not behind health care opposition . But some extremists opposing President Obama racially prejudiced , Clinton says . Clinton : `` It was a wonderful feeling '' to help U.S. journalists in North Korea . | [[25, 87], [285, 310], [317, 339], [277, 310], [373, 427]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Determining the amount of troops necessary to win a war is never an easy decision for a commander in chief and his military commanders if history is any guide . The Obama administration is working on a strategic review of improving conditions in Afghanistan . And it 's a dilemma President Obama faces as pressure mounts on him to decide what strategy will improve conditions in Afghanistan . The president and his top military , national security and foreign policy advisers are conducting an intensive strategic review of the U.S. military presence in the war-torn nation . Gen. Stanley McChrystal , the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan , is calling for a counterinsurgency strategy that would add as many as 40,000 troops . But others in the administration want 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 . If the president should listen to McChrystal and adopt a troop `` surge , '' the question remains : How many is enough ? One expert said such a large number is needed to reduce violence throughout the country -- the 40,000 troops would allow the U.S. military to `` reverse the momentum of the insurgency , which has been on the rise , '' said Kimberly Kagan of the Institute for the Study of War , who has advised McChrystal on Afghanistan . That number , Kagan said , would help fill in gaps around Kandahar in the southern part of the country where Taliban forces have amassed . But she warned that eventually , troops would also be needed to tamp down the insurgency in other parts of the country . `` If we had 40,000 more troops , it is likely that the initiative would be wrested from the enemy , and the U.S. and coalition forces would be able to mount a counteroffensive that would proceed in stages over time , '' she said . Even with more troops , the fight will be a tough one if the last few weeks are any indication . Just last week , eight U.S. soldiers were killed in an intense firefight with hundreds of insurgents in Nuristan province , a remote area in northern Afghanistan . It was the second deadliest attack in a single day so far in the war , which recently entered its ninth year . Read soldiers ' accounts from the battle . The White House is getting pressure from all sides of this issue . Many on the right have said the president should take the advice of the commanders on the ground . Sen. John McCain , a staunch supporter of the 2007 troop surge in Iraq , said Sunday that any added military deployment in Afghanistan smaller than 40,000 troops `` would be an error of historic proportions . '' Asked whether he thought the war in Afghanistan could be won with fewer troops , the Arizona Republican said , `` I do not . '' `` I think the great danger now is a half-measure , sort of a -- you know , try to please all ends of the political spectrum , '' McCain told John King on `` CNN 's State of the Union . '' `` And , again , 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 . '' Democrats are split over increasing troops . Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein , chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee , said 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 on ABC 's `` This Week . '' But Rep. Jim McGovern , D-Massachusetts , who also appeared on ABC , said that enlarging the U.S. footprint in Afghanistan would be a mistake . Watch more on the varying advice Obama is receiving from lawmakers '' `` We need to come up with a strategy that includes an exit strategy , because it 'll also put pressure on the government of Afghanistan to step up to the plate , which it has not done so far . '' McGovern said adding more troops and resources will make the country go `` bankrupt . '' `` We have wars in Iraq , in Afghanistan , hundreds of billions of dollars that are all going onto our credit card . Our kids and our grandkids are paying for this . '' But the troop number argument is nothing new for presidents and their defense secretaries . Criticism surrounded then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as conditions in Iraq deteriorated and insurgents increased attacks on U.S. forces . He was largely criticized for not sending enough troops early in the Iraq war . Rumsfeld 's plan , observers have said , was to win the war in Iraq with smaller troop numbers and a large emphasis on technology , which would in turn let democracy take root . At the beginning of the war in 2003 , troops quickly filled the country , took out Saddam Hussein 's government and gained control of Baghdad , the capital . The force was small , and success came quickly . But three years later , civil war broke out , and U.S. forces struggled to maintain control of cities they had once secured . Rumsfeld admitted in a 2006 CNN interview that no one was well-prepared for what would happen after major combat ended . `` Well , I think that anyone who looks at it with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight has to say that there was not an anticipation that the level of insurgency would be anything approximating what it is , '' Rumsfeld told CNN for the 2006 documentary , `` CNN Presents Rumsfeld -- Man of War . '' CNN 's Tom Evans and Kate Bolduan contributed to this report . | The war in Afghanistan passed the 8-year mark last week . Obama and his national security team are working on a new strategy . His top commander there has reportedly called for 40,000 more troops . | [[191, 289], [683, 715], [721, 757], [1736, 1761]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson 's mother fired the lawyers helping her fight for control of her son 's estate , but her new lawyer missed a key hearing where the judge gave more power to the men she is opposing . Katherine Jackson , with Michael in 2005 , is challenging the appointment of Michael 's estate trustees . Katherine Jackson replaced lawyers Burt Levitch and Londell McMillan with Adam Streisand , a lawyer known for his expertise in Los Angeles probate cases . `` The family came to a decision before they called me , '' Streisand said . `` They felt they needed a different perspective and fresh look at how this case was being approached . '' But Streisand arrived at court Thursday minutes after Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff ended a hearing in which he granted a request from estate special administrators John Branca and John McClain for more authority to make deals on behalf of Jackson 's estate . `` I want this estate to move forward and I want these creditors to be dealt with , '' Beckloff said . `` And while we are proceeding in this posture , I want Mrs. Jackson to have information about what is going on and I do n't want to be in court all the time . '' The process of probate of Jackson 's will , which named Branca and McClain as executors , has been slowed since soon after the pop star 's June 25 death by numerous legal challenges filed by Katherine Jackson 's lawyers , led by Levitch . Howard Weitzman , lead lawyer for the estate 's administrators , expressed optimism that the two sides would be able to work better toward a settlement with Streisand in charge . The estate 's administrators were able to make a series of deals expected to bring in at least $ 100 million to the estate this year , mostly through a documentary movie that premieres next week . Katherine Jackson 's legal team has asked that a member of the Jackson family `` have a seat at the table '' as a third executor . They 've also raised questions in sealed court papers about possible conflicts of interest that might prevent Branca and McClain from controlling the estate . Streisand said the Jackson family was frustrated with the inability `` to get this case going . '' He indicated Katherine Jackson still planned to challenge Branca and McClain 's control of her son 's wealth . Under the 2002 will , Michael Jackson 's three children and his mother are the chief beneficiaries of his estate , while unnamed charities will share in 20 percent of the wealth . Streisand said when he met with Katherine Jackson and the children to discuss the case , they were united . He said Jackson patriarch Joe Jackson was not present at the meeting and he 's never talked with him . Joe Jackson appeared frustrated earlier this month when he attended his first hearing in the probate process , suggesting the lawyers should be more aggressive in court . Streisand said the three Jackson children are doing `` absolutely wonderful . '' | Katherine Jackson hires probate lawyer Adam Streisand . Jackson has been fighting for more control over her son 's estate . Michael Jackson made John Branca and John McClain his executors . Streisand misses hearing in which executors are given more control . | [[348, 436], [2238, 2348], [1260, 1275], [1284, 1321], [145, 223]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One revolutionized women 's hair in the 1960s . Another brought fear to Middle Earth . Another is a champion golfer who now designs courses all over the world . Christopher Lee is famous for playing Count Dracula and his roles in `` Lord of the Rings '' and `` Star Wars '' films . Vidal Sassoon , Christopher Lee and Nick Faldo are among those recognized this year on Queen Elizabeth 's birthday honors list . Lee and Faldo will both receive knighthoods , meaning they can now be known as `` Sir Christopher '' and `` Sir Nick . '' Lee , 87 , is famous for his portrayal of dark villains , starting with Count Dracula in a series of movies from the late 1950s until the 1970s . He gained a new generation of fans in in the past decade through is role as the bad wizard Saruman the White in the the `` Lord of the Rings '' trilogy , and as the evil Count Dooku in two `` Star Wars '' prequels . World-famous golfer Nick Faldo holds six major championship titles -- three from the British Open and three from the Masters . He has the record for the longest streak of majors played -- 48 -- dating to the 1987 British Open , according to the PGA Tour . Faldo is now almost as famous for designing golf courses as he is for playing the sport . He also serves as a television commentator . A knighthood is the highest honor , and recipients may use the title `` Sir '' before their names . The equivalent for women is to be awarded the title of `` Dame . '' They recognize a `` pre-eminent contribution '' in any field . Next come CBEs , or Commanders of the Order of the British Empire , which recognize contribution to a slightly lesser degree . Recipients may not use the title of sir or dame but may use the initials after their names . Sassoon will be awarded a CBE for his services to the British hairdressing industry . It recognizes a lifetime of achievement for Sassoon , who as a young boy spent years in a London orphanage after his father left and his mother could not afford to care for him . Later , after his mother dreamed of her son being in a barber shop , she apprenticed him to a local barber . That began a career that saw him develop two classic hairstyles of the Sixties -- the Bob and the even shorter Five-Point Cut -- along with an eponymous hair care line , range of hair care tools , and chain of salons . Also receiving a CBE is Jonathan Pryce , a Golden Globe-nominated actor who has had roles in the `` Pirates of the Caribbean '' movies , `` Ronin , '' and the James Bond film `` Tomorrow Never Dies . '' He won a best actor award in 1995 at Cannes for his part in the movie `` Carrington . '' Actor Alan Cumming will receive an OBE , or Order of the British Empire , awarded for notable achievement in any field . He was recognized for `` services to film , theater and the arts and to activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community . '' A large number of artists and others in creative fields are featured on this year 's list . Andrew Motion , who was Britain 's poet laureate until he stepped down this year , will receive a knighthood , and several names in fashion will also receive awards . Fashion designer Jeff Banks will receive a CBE ; Frances Marie Corner , the head of the London College of Fashion , will receive an OBE ; and MBEs will go to Christopher Bailey , the creative director at Burberry , and Natalie Massenet , the founder of online designer shopping site Net-a-Porter . Honors lists are published twice a year -- once on New Year 's Day and once in June , to mark the queen 's `` official '' birthday . The queen 's actual birthday is in April but she celebrates it in June because the weather is better . | Hairdresser Vidal Sassoon , golfer Nick Faldo honored by UK 's queen . `` Dracula '' star Christopher Lee knighted in Queen Elizabeth 's birthday honors list . Actors Jonathan Pryce and Alan Cumming also honored . | [[318, 380], [375, 446], [3473, 3485], [3559, 3605]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- When I asked an old friend why she had n't just broken up with her live-in boyfriend instead of beginning a messy affair with a married neighbor , she snapped , `` Do n't be stupid -- nobody leaves a relationship without having another one in place . '' Overlappers refuse to end one relationship until they have another one in progress . Oh , please , I corrected her . Of course they do . People fall out of love or get angry and leave without a safety net all the time . But as I thought back , I realized that for as long as I knew her , she never had . Even when she pretty much hated the one she was with , she stuck it out until she 'd lined up his replacement . I could never understand why . My friend is beautiful , successful and very smart ; surely being single for a little while would n't end her world . Women are n't the only ones guilty of this . I know -- and have unfortunately dated -- plenty of men who careen from one girlfriend directly into another , often with a big fat overlap ; connecting the two relationships like a murky Venn diagram . I understand that being single can be annoying and lonely sometimes , but there are plenty of good reasons not to be -- or date ! -- an Overlapper . 1 . Karma ! While overlapping is definitely cheating , the difference is these types go into it with the sole purpose of transitioning into another relationship . But however you word it , Overlappers deceive one or both parties in order to get what they want . When you begin a relationship dishonestly , it usually comes back to bite you in the butt . At the very least , you will never be fully able to trust an Overlapper . Because -- as yet another cliche based in truth goes -- if he does it with you , he 'll do it to you . 2 . Drama ! Breakups are never fun , however splits caused by infidelity are hands down the most explosive . If you 're like my friend and her man -LRB- who , against all odds , actually left his wife -RRB- , this means that instead of talking about hearts , flowers , and butterflies -- like other new couples -- you spend your nights plotting how to hide assets and whether or not your overpaid lawyer is enough of a shark . How romantic ! 3 . The Pressure ! Though they may appear independent , people who ca n't be alone are that way because they need to see themselves reflected in someone else 's adoring eyes . But when their mirror -LRB- aka , partner -RRB- develops a flaw -LRB- weight gain , job loss , etc. -RRB- , their image of themselves reflects that . Being a narcissist , nothing less than perfection is acceptable , so they start looking for the next mirror . Got that , fatty ? You 'd better stay at the top of your game if you want to hang onto an Overlapper . 4 . Not cute ! `` I met my boyfriend when his puppy peed on my foot '' is the perfect example of a meet-cute story . It has all the key elements -- chance , humor , and , best of all , a cuddly puppy ! `` I met my boyfriend because I was his kids ' nanny and then his wife found out , which is how I got this black eye , '' is definitely not a tale you 're going to want to share at parties . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Some people afraid to be alone are guilty of dating overlapping . They cheat on both partners while transitioning between relationships . Overlappers ca n't be trusted -- they might do it to you . Because they 're narcissistic , they 'll trade you in for better model . | [[1596, 1613], [1616, 1669]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski has been arrested in Switzerland on a decades-old arrest warrant stemming from a sex charge in California , Swiss police said Sunday . Roman Polanski attends a film premiere in Paris , France , in June 2009 . Polanski , 76 , was taken into custody trying to enter Switzerland on Saturday , Zurich police said . A spokesman for the Swiss Justice Ministry said Polanski was arrested upon arrival at the airport . He has lived in France for decades to avoid being arrested if he enters the United States and declined to appear in person to collect his Academy Award for Best Director for `` The Pianist '' in 2003 . The director pleaded guilty in 1977 to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor , acknowledging he had sex with a 13-year-old girl . But he fled the United States before he could be sentenced , and U.S. authorities have had a warrant for his arrest since 1978 . Watch what happens now for Polanski '' Polanski was nominated for best director Oscars for `` Tess '' and `` Chinatown , '' and for best writing for `` Rosemary 's Baby , '' which he also directed . He was en route to the Zurich Film Festival , which is holding a Polanski tribute this year , when he was arrested by Swiss authorities , the festival said . A provisional arrest warrant was issued last week out of Los Angeles , California , after authorities learned Polanski was going to be in Switzerland , Sandi Gibbons , spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney 's office , told CNN on Sunday . There have been repeated attempts to settle the case over the years , but the sticking point has always been Polanski 's refusal to return to attend hearings . Prosecutors have consistently argued that it would be a miscarriage of justice to allow a man to go free who `` drugged and raped a 13-year-old child . '' The Swiss Justice Ministry said Polanski was put `` in provisional detention . '' But whether he can be extradited to the United States `` can be established only after the extradition process judicially has been finalised , '' a ministry spokesman said in an e-mail . `` It is possible to appeal at the federal penal court of justice against an arrest warrant in view to extradition as well as against an extradition decision , '' the spokesman wrote . `` Their decisions can be taken further to the federal court of justice . '' Gibbons said the extradition process will be determined in Switzerland , but said authorities are ready to move forward with Polanski 's sentencing process , depending on what happens in Zurich . Polanski was accused of plying a 13-year-old girl with champagne and a sliver of a quaalude tablet and performing various sex acts , including intercourse , with her during a photo shoot at actor Jack Nicholson 's house . He was 43 at the time . Nicholson was not at home , but his girlfriend at the time , actress Anjelica Huston , was . According to a probation report contained in the filing , Huston described the victim as `` sullen . '' `` She appeared to be one of those kind of little chicks between -- could be any age up to 25 . She did not look like a 13-year-old scared little thing , '' Huston said . She added that Polanski did not strike her as the type of man who would force himself on a young girl . `` I do n't think he 's a bad man , '' she said in the report . `` I think he 's an unhappy man . '' Polanski pleaded guilty to a single count of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor . There have been repeated attempts to settle the case over the years , but the sticking point has always been Polanski 's refusal to return to attend hearings . Prosecutors have consistently argued that it would be a miscarriage of justice to allow a man to go free who `` drugged and raped a 13-year-old child . '' Polanski 's lawyers tried earlier this year to have the charges thrown out , but a Los Angeles judge rejected the request . In doing so , Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza left the door open to reconsider his ruling if Polanski shows up in court . Espinoza also appeared to acknowledge problems with the way Polanski 's case was handled years ago . According to court documents , Polanski , his lawyer and the prosecutor thought they 'd worked out a deal that would spare Polanski from prison and let the young victim avoid a public trial . But the original judge in the case , who is now dead , first sent the director to maximum-security prison for 42 days while he underwent psychological testing . Then , on the eve of his sentencing , the judge told attorneys he was inclined to send Polanski back to prison for another 48 days . Polanski fled the United States for France , where he was born . In the February hearing , Espinoza mentioned a documentary film that depicts backroom deals between prosecutors and a media-obsessed judge who was worried his public image would suffer if he did n't send Polanski to prison . `` It 's hard to contest some of the behavior in the documentary was misconduct , '' said Espinoza . But he declined to dismiss the case entirely . Legal experts said such a ruling would have been extremely rare . Polanski 's victim is among those calling for the case to be tossed out . Samantha Geimer filed court papers in January saying , `` I am no longer a 13-year-old child . I have dealt with the difficulties of being a victim , have surmounted and surpassed them with one exception . `` Every time this case is brought to the attention of the Court , great focus is made of me , my family , my mother and others . That attention is not pleasant to experience and is not worth maintaining over some irrelevant legal nicety , the continuation of the case . '' Geimer , now 45 , married and a mother of three , sued Polanski and received an undisclosed settlement . She long ago came forward and made her identity public -- mainly , she said , because she was disturbed by how the criminal case had been handled . Following Espinoza 's ruling earlier this year , Geimer 's lawyer , Larry Silver , said he was disappointed and that Espinoza `` did not get to the merits and consider the clear proof of both judicial and prosecutorial corruption . '' He argued in court that had `` Mr. Polanski been treated fairly '' his client would not still be suffering because of publicity almost 32 years after the crime . Polanski 's arrest Saturday came two days after one of his wife 's killers died . The director 's pregnant wife , actress Sharon Tate , and four others were butchered by members of the Manson `` family '' in August 1969 . Polanski was filming in Europe at the time . By her own admission , Susan Atkins held the eight-months-pregnant Tate down as she pleaded for mercy , stabbing the 26-year-old actress 16 times . CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen , Brooke Bowman , Karan Olson and Ann O'Neill contributed to this report . | In 1977 director Roman Polanski pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl . He has lived in France for decades to avoid arrest if he enters the U.S. Oscar winner was arrested en route to Zurich Film Festival , which was honoring him . Polanski won Oscar for best director for `` The Pianist ; '' did not collect it in person . | [[671, 727], [671, 683], [725, 775], [671, 691], [778, 828], [1857, 1884], [3434, 3528], [3434, 3442], [3476, 3528], [3813, 3840], [469, 527], [1157, 1200], [1176, 1202], [1209, 1248]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The World Health Organization cautioned that the swine flu outbreak could gain momentum in the months ahead , despite claims by the health secretary of Mexico -- the epicenter of the outbreak -- that the virus `` is in its declining phase . '' The number of confimed cases of the H1N1 virus continue to multiply . As of early Monday , Mexican health officials reported 568 cases and 22 fatalities linked to the flu . WHO says it has confirmed 506 cases and 19 deaths in Mexico . The world has 985 confirmed cases of the virus , known to scientists H1N1 virus , in a total of 20 countries , WHO said Monday . The United States has reported 226 confirmed cases in 30 states . The U.S. cases include one death -- a Mexican toddler visiting relatives in the United States . According to WHO , Canada has 85 confirmed cases ; Spain has 40 ; the United Kingdom has 15 ; Germany has 8 ; New Zealand has 4 ; Israel has 3 ; El Salvador has 2 ; France has 2 ; and Austria , China , Colombia , Costa Rica , Denmark , Ireland , Netherlands , Italy , South Korea and Switzerland each have one . The outbreak is only about 10 days old , and even if the illness is declining , it could return , said Gregory Hartl , the WHO spokesman for epidemic and pandemic diseases , at a briefing Sunday . `` I ... would like to remind people that in 1918 the Spanish flu showed a surge in the spring , and then disappeared in the summer months , only to return in the autumn of 1918 with a vengeance , '' Hartl said . `` And we know that that eventually killed 40 million to 50 million people . '' Mexican authorities believe the most active period of the virus in Mexico was between April 23 and April 28 , and Mexican Health Secretary Jose Cordova described the outbreak as being in decline in his country . In China , officials have quarantined 68 people , including 13 crew members , who were passengers of a Mexico City to Shanghai flight , which carried a passenger who tested positive for the virus , China 's state-run Xinhua news agency reported Sunday . None of the other passengers has exhibited any flu-like symptoms , one health official said . About another 110 people who were on the Aeromexico plane went on to other destinations , and may face quarantines elsewhere , the news agency said . Fifteen have been quarantined at a Beijing hotel . Shanghai 's airport is now barring other Aeromexico planes from landing there , a representative of the airline told CNN . Aeromexico is suspending flights to Shanghai until May 15 , the representative said . The airline does not fly to Hong Kong or Beijing . In the United States , New York has the most confirmed cases , with 63 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Texas has 40 ; California has 26 ; Arizona 18 ; South Carolina 15 ; Delaware 10 ; Massachusetts and New Jersey each have seven ; Colorado has four ; Florida , Illinois , Indiana , Ohio , Virginia , Wisconsin each have three ; Connecticut , Kansas and Michigan each have two ; Alabama , Iowa , Kentucky , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Mexico , Rhode Island , Tennessee and Utah each have one . California officials suspended visitation and other `` nonessential activities '' at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County after an inmate was suspected of having swine flu . The case has yet to be confirmed with lab testing . On Sunday , health officials in North Carolina and Pennsylvania announced the first confirmed cases in those states , and Louisiana 's governor said his state had seven confirmed cases . The cases from those three states were not immediately included in the CDC tally . In Washington , U.S. Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius , appearing on CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' warned that even if the flu outbreak wanes , `` it could come back with greater force in the winter and fall , when we get into flu season . '' `` So , this is no time for complacency , '' she said . `` We want to stay out ahead of this . '' Dr. Anne Schuchat , the CDC 's interim deputy director for public health , told reporters Sunday that she was `` heartened '' by Mexican authorities ' reports but still is `` very cautious . '' `` I know that influenza can be surprising , and the time course here in the United States is later . We believe we 're just on the upswing here , and in several parts of Mexico , cases began quite a while ago , '' Schuchat said . `` From what I know about influenza , I do expect more cases , more severe cases and I do expect more deaths , '' she added . `` And I 'm particularly concerned about what will happen in the fall . '' Acting CDC Director Richard Besser , also speaking on `` State of the Union , '' said U.S. health officials are examining whether people who received flu shots for the swine flu in 1976 may have some level of protection from the current swine flu . `` That 's going to play in very , very big as we move forward with our plans around vaccines , because that may help guide some of the issues around who is most at risk at getting this in the future , '' Besser said . Offering a general picture of the state of U.S. efforts to combat the virus , Besser said `` there are encouraging signs . '' `` We 're not out of the woods yet , '' he said . `` But what we 've learned about the virus itself -- it does n't contain the factors that we know are seen in much more severe flu strains . '' While the new virus strain in the recent outbreak has affected humans , Canadian officials said it has shown up at a pig farm in Alberta , Canada . Officials said the pigs may have been infected by a Canadian farmer who recently returned from a trip to Mexico , the epicenter of the outbreak . The pigs have since been quarantined . `` We have determined that the virus H1N1 , found in these pigs , is the virus which is being tracked in the human population , '' said Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency . iReport.com : How should H1N1 be handled ? Evans and other officials said it is not uncommon for flu viruses to jump from humans to animals , and that it does not pose a risk for consuming pork . The number of pigs infected was not disclosed . The infected farmer had flu-like symptoms , but he is recovering , Evans said . Learn about the virus '' | WHO has confirmed 985 cases of H1N1 virus worldwide . Mexico says illness declining there ; WHO warns it could return . Mexico has largest number of confirmed cases , followed by U.S. , WHO says . Canadian officials claim pigs at farm have been affected by virus . | [[498, 544], [0, 15], [19, 210], [789, 805], [1705, 1802], [436, 497], [789, 805], [5438, 5471], [5510, 5574], [5586, 5653]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Scientists have discovered the first confirmed Earthlike planet outside our solar system , they announced Wednesday . An artist 's impression shows what the planet may look like in close orbit with its sun . `` This is the first confirmed rocky planet in another system , '' astronomer Artie Hatzes told CNN , contrasting the solid planet with gaseous ones like Jupiter and Saturn . But `` Earthlike '' is a relative term . The planet 's composition may be similar to that of Earth , but its environment is more like a vision of hell , the project 's lead astronomer said . It is so close to the star it orbits `` that the place may well look like Dante 's Inferno , with a probable temperature on its ` day face ' above 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- 2,000 degrees Celsius -RRB- and minus-328 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- minus 200 degrees Celsius -RRB- on its night face , '' said Didier Queloz of Geneva Observatory in Switzerland , the project leader . Hatzes , explaining that one side of the body is always facing the star and the other side always faces away , said the side `` facing the sun is probably molten . The other side could actually have ice '' if there is water on the planet . `` We think it has no atmosphere to redistribute the heat , '' Hatzes told CNN from Barcelona , Spain , where he is attending the `` Pathways Towards Habitable Planets '' conference . The astronomers were stunned to find a rocky planet so near a star , he said . `` We would have never dreamed you would find a rocky planet so close , '' he said . `` Its year is less than one of our days . '' The planet , known as CoRoT-7b , was detected early last year , but it took months of observation to determine that it had a composition roughly similar to Earth 's , the European Southern Observatory said in a statement . Astronomers were able to measure the dimensions of the planet by watching as it passed in front of the star it orbits , then carried out 70 hours of study of the planet 's effect on its star to infer its weight . With that information in hand , they were able to calculate its density -- and were thrilled with what they found , Hatzes said . `` What makes this exciting is you compare the density of this planet to the planets in our solar system , it 's only Mercury , Venus and Earth that are similar , '' Hatzes , of the Thuringer observatory in Germany , told CNN . They were helped by the fact that CoRoT-7b is relatively close to Earth -- about 500 light years away , in the constellation of Monoceros , the Unicorn . `` It 's in our solar neighborhood , '' Hatzes said . `` The thing that made it easier is it 's relatively close , so it 's relatively bright . If this star was much much farther away , we would n't have been able to do these measurements . '' At about five times Earth 's mass -LRB- though not quite twice as large in circumference -RRB- , it is the smallest planet ever spotted outside our solar system . It also has the fastest orbit . The planet whizzes around its star more than seven times faster than Earth moves , and is 23 times closer to the star than Mercury is to our sun . The planet was first detected early in 2008 by the CoRoT satellite , a 30-centimeter space telescope launched by the European Space Agency in December 2006 , specifically with the mission of detecting rocky planets outside the solar system . At least 42 scientists at 17 institutions on three continents worked on the project . They are publishing their findings in a special issue of the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal on October 22 as `` The CoRoT-7 Planetary System : Two Orbiting Super-Earths . '' | The planet , known as CoRoT-7b , was detected early last year . It took months to determine that it had a composition roughly similar to Earth 's . The planet is about five times more massive than Earth . Astronomer : It is so close to the star it orbits that it may `` look like Dante 's Inferno '' | [[1606, 1636], [1639, 1667], [3140, 3160], [3170, 3206], [3140, 3150], [3155, 3206], [443, 500], [1674, 1703], [1674, 1676], [1704, 1770], [137, 226], [167, 226], [593, 619], [611, 629], [633, 798]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Facebook 's user base is nearly as large as the U.S. population and , for the first time , the site has turned a profit . Facebook now has 300 million users -- almost as many as the population of the United States . That was the double-barreled announcement Tuesday from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg , who thanked the site 's users for helping its online community cross the 300 million threshold . There are about 307 million people living in the United States , according to the U.S. Census Bureau . `` We 're just getting started on our goal of connecting everyone , '' Zuckerberg wrote on the company 's blog . `` Because we want to make it as easy and fast as possible for the world to connect , one of the things we think a lot about is how to make Facebook perform even faster and more efficiently as we grow , '' he wrote . `` We face a lot of fun and important challenges that require rethinking the current systems for enabling information flow across the Web . '' The social networking site , while popular with its exploding user base , has struggled to turn a profit . But Zuckerberg said the company became profitable last quarter , beating its goal of getting out of the red by the end of 2010 . `` This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term , '' he wrote . In July , the California startup company announced it had hit the 250 million-user mark , which indicates it has grown by 50 million users in two months . That 's more than 800,000 new users per day . About 70 percent of Facebook 's users are outside the U.S. , according to statistics posted by the company . The site started out as a portal for college students but has attracted the attention of baby boomers and older generations in recent years . Facebook says its fastest-growing demographic is people older than 35 . Watch Randi Zuckerberg of Facebook 's marketing team talk about the milestone '' Over the past year , the social network has seen a challenge from Twitter , the popular micro-blogging site . Many bloggers see recent updates to Facebook 's interface as copied from Twitter 's stripped-down design . As Facebook has grown , it also has drawn criticism from privacy groups like the American Civil Liberties Union , which says people on Facebook unwillingly give up personal information to advertisers and Facebook application developers . In a video interview with Fortune , Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said Facebook gives its users robust privacy controls . She also told Fortune that a new approach to online advertising has helped Facebook 's revenue grow throughout the recession . `` Our advertisements are very much part of the user experience , '' she said . `` So the same way you can RSVP for an event on Facebook -- you know , a party your friend might throw -- you can RSVP for a movie premiere . And that 's really a movie advertisement saying , ` Our movie is opening this weekend . Do you want to go ? ' '' After Zuckerberg 's blog post went up Tuesday , more than 500 Facebook users commented , largely cheering him on . `` i -LSB- heart -RSB- facebook . mark , you are my hero ! '' one user wrote . `` Today the Internet , tomorrow the world , '' said another . Technology blogs jumped on the news from Facebook , which was posted about 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday . MG Siegler at the blog TechCrunch wrote that it was inevitable that Facebook would pass the 300 million mark but that its finance news was more significant . New technologies probably are helping Facebook keep its computer server costs down , which is important because Facebook stores a lot of data , he wrote . The site is effectively the largest photo-sharing site online , he said . John Paczkowski , a writer for the Wall Street Journal 's AllThingsD blog , said Facebook 's financial announcement indicates the startup is n't thinking about selling out . `` It would seem then that Facebook has no interest whatsoever in selling itself off to Google or anyone else , '' he wrote . `` It would much rather go public . '' | Facebook announces it has 300 million users and has turned a profit . That makes the social network roughly the size of the U.S. in population . CEO writes Facebook will be a `` strong independent service for the long term '' | [[89, 140], [141, 234], [1105, 1163], [0, 15], [41, 82], [141, 234], [1230, 1337]] |
JAKARTA , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A baby made his way into the world this week in Indonesia at 19.2 pounds -LRB- 8.7 kg -RRB- -- about three times the weight of an average newborn . The giant baby lies next to a more typically-sized newborn . Muhammad Akbar Risuddin , born Monday , is thought to be the heaviest baby born to date in Indonesia . `` I was very surprised . I thought it was twins , '' said Binsar Sitanggang , the lead doctor in the cesarean-section delivery at Abdul Manan Hospital in North Sumatra . `` It needed a longer time than normal to deliver this baby , '' Sitanggang said . `` He was hardly breathing when we took him out . But , thank God , he is healthy . '' His parents , Hananuddin and Ani , who like many Indonesians use only one name , have two other children . Both were big at birth but were not abnormally large . Their new addition is 24.4 inches -LRB- 62 cm -RRB- long . `` We can compare this giant baby with a 9 - to 10-month-old baby , '' Sitanggang said . `` Both his parents are tall and big , so there might be a genetic cause for this . '' Sitanggang said the baby has already developed a robust appetite , requiring instant milk as well as breast milk . The boy has become somewhat of a celebrity . Curious people streamed into the hospital Friday for a glimpse . Even the mayor came by and had the honor of naming the infant after himself . The world 's heaviest baby was born in 1879 in Ohio and weighed 23.8 pounds -LRB- 10.8 kg -RRB- , but the baby died 11 hours later , according to Guinness World Records . The heaviest baby to survive was a boy born in 1955 in Aversa , Italy . He weighed 22.6 pounds -LRB- 10.2 kg -RRB- . | Baby weighing 19.2 pounds -LRB- 8.7 kg -RRB- born in Indonesia . Baby is three times the typical size of a newborn infant . Doctor who delivered baby : `` I was very surprised . I thought it was twins '' | [[10, 19], [39, 96], [354, 376], [377, 399]] |
RAJASTHAN , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some call him the River Maker , others the Rainman of Rajasthan . His real name is Rajendra Singh . His nicknames come from his self-imposed mission to solve his state 's water problems , one raindrop at a time . Rajendra Singh is trying to solve water issues in Rajasthan -- one of India 's driest states . `` Today with global warming and climate change so many things are going on . Yes , this is the global problem . This is the modern problem . The solution is indigenous water conservation , '' Singh says . Singh lives and works in Rajasthan , one of the driest states in India . It is the country 's largest state in land mass but has only about one percent of the country 's water resources . Singh has spent the last 25 years of his life practicing what he preaches there . His message is always the same . He says rainwater is a resource we can not afford to waste , instead we should capture and utilize it . `` If the drops come from the cloud , we can catch it ! '' He says with his hands stretched to the sky . `` And that drop go -LSB- es -RSB- into the under -LSB- ground -RSB- aquifer and fulfills the aquifer . If that drop comes back so -LSB- it will -RSB- make springs , make a river . '' We caught up with him in Rajasthan 's Alwar district . One of India 's so-called `` princely states '' once ruled by Indian royalty . Back in the 1980s the government declared the area a dark zone : An area villagers could no longer pump up clean water because the water table had gotten so low . `` When there was a famine there was a drought I had to leave . '' Farmer Narin Joshi told us who has lived in the area his whole life . `` I had to work as a laborer in Delhi to make ends meet . There was no way I could earn any money here . I had to go . '' That meant leaving his wife behind to raise their children and try to keep them fed . `` If there is a harvest we benefit from the farm . '' His wife Kalawati Devi his wife says . `` And if there is no harvest we get nothing . '' For 10 years Joshi worked as a snack seller in Delhi sending back money to help his family survive . He says that all changed after Singh and his organization Tarun Bharat Sangh showed up . The group came to teach the villagers something their forefathers once practiced : The building of traditional dams called Johads . The dams are made of earth and rock . They are fashioned to capture the rain so the water will trickle down and replenish the aquifer eventually giving rise to water in the wells and bringing dead rivers back to life . But the work takes a community effort . One family is not enough to get it done . Singh says his role is to teach and motivate the community . `` There are more than 10-thousand water harvesting structures we -LSB- have -RSB- made in last 25 years . And all these structures came through the community effort . I just motivate and realize to the community and -LSB- the -RSB- community joined hands with us and they made it ! '' It is easy to see the result when water becomes available again . Everything from water buffalo to majestic peacocks . Water snakes gather at the watering holes . Over the years Singh says his organization and the villagers of Rajasthan have revived seven rivers across the state helping more than a thousand villages . Now instead of traveling long distances carrying heavy vats of water , or migrating to the cities to make a living , the villagers can stay put and begin to enjoy their surroundings more . The availability of water brought the Joshi family back together again because the husband could finally make a living here . `` I have planted many kinds of trees . For my livelihood I do farming . '' He says `` My family and I are leading very peaceful lives . '' | Rajendra Singh has devoted his life to solving Rajasthan 's water problems . Rajasthan is India 's largest state and also one of the driest . Singh says rainwater is a resource we can not afford to waste . Ten thousand water harvesting structures have been made in the last 25 years . | [[250, 309], [624, 671], [854, 885], [862, 912], [2718, 2780], [2790, 2824]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez revealed a deeply personal side in an interview Thursday night , saying he loves Jesus Christ and would have liked to play Major League baseball in Yankee Stadium . Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez spoke highly of President Obama at the United Nations on Thursday . He also expressed a fondness for American people and culture , saying he likes the movie actor Charles Bronson and the poet Walt Whitman . He loves to sing , he said , though he does not do it well . And Chavez had kind words for the U.S. security detail protecting him during his visit to New York , saying he chatted with them while out walking and that they `` have been very gracious , very efficient and very attentive , very kind . '' In an exclusive interview with CNN 's Larry King , Chavez spoke at length about a host of issues : relations between Venezuela and the United States and his hopes for improved ties with President Barack Obama ; Iran , Israel and those who deny that the Holocaust existed ; efforts to overthrow him and have him assassinated ; criticism that he is power hungry and trying to silence critics . Chavez , a self-proclaimed socialist , spoke with King a few hours after giving a speech to the U.N. General Assembly , in which he praised Obama but criticized some U.S. policies . Watch Chavez speak at the U.N. General Assembly '' When asked whether he is misunderstood in the United States , Chavez seemed to turn reflective . `` I 'm a man with many defects , '' he said . `` I love . I sing . I dream . I was born in the poor countryside . I was raised in the countryside , planting corn and selling sweets made by my grandmother . My children , my two daughters are with me and I want a better world for my grandchildren , for your grandchildren . `` Now , they demonize me . But that 's the start of these world campaigns to try to defend what you can not defend -- a system that is destroying the world . ... I 'm a Christian . I want the world of justice and equality . This is the only way to achieve peace . '' Chavez then talked about his religious upbringing and current faith . `` I was an altar boy , '' he said . `` My mother wanted me to be a priest . I am very Christian and Catholic . ... I 'm very faithful . I believe in God , in Jesus Christ . I love Jesus Christ . I am a Christian . ... I cry when I see injustice , children dying of hunger . '' His comments were all the more remarkable because Chavez and the Catholic Church have been at odds since he came to power in 1999 . The church has been one of his major critics , with Pope Benedict XVI and other church leaders expressing concern over what they see as attempts by Chavez to limit the church 's influence . Chavez 's efforts to change anti-abortion laws have been at the top of those concerns . Chavez , in turn , has referred to church leadership as a `` tumor . '' Speaking of other matters , Chavez said he hopes for improved relations with Obama , but `` we want relations based on respect , relations of peoples where we are respected . '' That has not been the case so far , he said . `` Most governments in the United States in a hundred years have not respected the peoples of Latin America , '' Chavez told King . `` They have sponsored coup d'etats , assassinations . It 's enough . We want to be brothers and sisters . We want respect and equality . '' Chavez particularly criticized former President George W. Bush , whom he accused of orchestrating an assassination attempt on the Venezuelan leader during a short-lived coup in 2002 . Chavez regained power within days . Watch Chavez discuss the alleged assassination attempt '' `` The Bush government toppled me , '' he said . `` They asked for my assassination . They disrespected us . ... I saw my assassins . ... I was a prisoner in Venezuela , being a president . They took me to the seaside . I was debating with those who wanted murder me . They received the order to kill me . However , at this very moment , a group of soldiers refused . They did not kill me , but I saw those who wanted to kill me , and the order came from the White House . '' Chavez also expressed concern that the United States , which he calls `` the empire , '' still would like to topple him . As he has numerous times in recent weeks , Chavez criticized U.S. plans to begin operating out of military bases in neighboring Colombia . The United States says it needs a presence in Colombia to fight drug traffickers . Chavez sees a sinister intent . When asked what country he fears would harm him , Chavez replied , `` The empire . The empire . Seven military bases ... in Colombia , that 's a serious threat against Venezuela . '' Chavez also defended his relationship with Iran but denied having said that Iran would help Venezuela obtain nuclear technology . Iran has embarked on a nuclear program that the United States and other nations think will lead it to develop nuclear weapons before long . `` They have fooled you , '' Chavez said . `` I 've never said that Iran is going to help us to have nuclear technology . ... That 's a strategy to attack Venezuela and say that we are building an atomic bomb . That 's the next accusation . And I 'm going to say this now : Please , come on . That 's crazy . That 's crazy . '' Chavez said he does not agree with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's contention that the Holocaust , in which 6 million European Jews were killed during World War II , never existed . `` But there also was another holocaust in South America , '' Chavez said . `` I do not deny the Jewish Holocaust . And I condemn it . But in South America , when the Europeans arrived , there were close to 90 million Indians ; 200 years later , we only had four million remaining . That was a holocaust . And the Europeans denied this holocaust . '' Israel came under criticism from Chavez , who called it a `` small country with atomic bombs , and very aggressive country . ... They have massacred entire families . It is a war-mongering country . '' Turning to the situation in his own country , Chavez denied that he is trying to shut down critical media , such as the independent Globovision TV station . Government officials have levied several charges against the station , saying that it is disseminating false information and trying to foment dissatisfaction against Chavez . The Chavez government has repealed licenses for other independent TV and radio stations , and has threatened to do so against Globovision . Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter this week joined human rights groups and others who have expressed concern over what they see as Chavez becoming too authoritarian . Chavez dismissed the criticism . `` Never in Venezuela have we had so much freedom of speech as now , '' he said . Pressed by King about whether he is going to shut down Globovision , Chavez answered , `` I do not know . It depends on them . If they keep on sponsoring coup d'etats , if they keep on calling for my assassination , if they keep on breaching the law even as well , it is not Chavez that 's going to close them . I want to apply the law . We need to respect the law . It is the law . It 's out of logic , and it 's pure logic . '' As to Carter , Chavez said , `` Yes , I read that and I regret for him , because I think he 's totally confounded and lost . It 's a long time since he visited us . I respect him enormously , but I think he is wrong . He 's a victim of so much falsehood in the world . '' | Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he loves Jesus Christ , U.S. people , culture . Chavez says he hopes for improved relations with U.S. President Barack Obama . He denies he is trying to shut down critical media in Venezuela . He denies Iran would help Venezuela obtain nuclear technology . | [[318, 320], [326, 378], [2317, 2338], [2931, 2985], [1085, 1102], [1123, 1150], [6101, 6211], [4713, 4719], [4765, 4842], [5029, 5104]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Wendy Williams knows that her syndicated television show often provides fodder for jokes on E! 's `` The Soup . '' She 's more than all right with that . Wendy Williams is hoping to attract a broad audience for her daytime talk show . `` I love it , '' she said , letting out a throaty laugh . Williams is not at all bothered if people poke fun , because at least they are talking about her new show . Long known to her radio fans for her outspoken nature and sometimes controversial interviews with celebrities , she is now navigating the switch from radio to television with `` The Wendy Williams Show . '' Williams ' mix of celeb guests , `` Hot Topics '' and straight-forward advice to audience members led Entertainment Weekly 's critic-at-large Ken Tucker to headline a recent blog item `` Are you watching ` The Wendy Williams Show ' ? You should be . '' The talk show host said she is settling comfortably into her new role . `` The radio was wonderful , and for 23 wonderful years , the radio served me , and I served it , '' said Williams , who is scheduled to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame this fall . `` The transition for me seems very natural and very easy . '' Her career has not always been so . A self-described `` Jersey girl , '' Williams was reportedly dumped from New York 's Hot 97 radio station in 1998 after a run-in with a fellow on-air personality . She eventually found success with a syndicated radio show , `` The Wendy Williams Experience , '' which aired on WBLS in New York . In 2008 , she and her radio show made news after a talent booker accused Williams ' husband/manager , Kevin Hunter , of sexual harassment , accusations Williams has dismissed as false in earlier interviews . Williams has also had several high-profile feuds with celebrities , notably Whitney Houston , who have been less than enthusiastic about her dishy gossip style and what they perceived as prying questions . In a 2003 interview with Houston , she tangled on-air with the singer about Houston 's drug use in an exchange that resulted in Houston delivering an expletive-laced diatribe . But while Williams still asks the questions many fans want to know -LRB- and retains her catchphrase , `` How you doin ' ? '' -RRB- , she said , her television show is different . `` It 's more polished , '' she said . `` Four hours on the radio versus one hour on TV -- that means you that you have to have five words instead of 35 words to explain what you are talking about . '' That does n't stop her from sharing everything from her love of wigs to information about her breast implants -- without which , she recently told viewers , she was `` naturally a long , floppy A -LSB- cup -RSB- . '' Rob Dauber , executive producer of the show , said daytime television needs Williams ' bluntness . `` Wendy Williams has a really unique , honest personality who audiences really relate to , '' he said . `` The daytime viewer , I think , is hungry for a personality who is not afraid to speak the truth , to tell her own truth and to kind of let it all hang out . `` Wendy 's not hiding anything from anybody about herself , and she 's not afraid to show all of her faults . '' During a recent phone interview , Williams , mother of a 9-year old boy , chatted easily while trying to get clothes in the washing machine and dinner on the table for her family . `` After the show , it 's real life , '' she said . `` Last night was parent night at school , and I forgot to include the box of tissues , pens that erase and a few other things , '' Williams said . `` No one said anything about it , but I went back in his folder and looked and immediately started sweating and feeling inadequate . '' She thinks daytime television fans can relate to her , because ultimately she is a fan , too . She rattles off countless shows she enjoys including `` Ellen , '' `` Oprah , '' `` Judge Judy '' and `` Dr. Oz . '' Williams said she aspires to attract higher-profile guests on her talk show and hopes the audience will give her time to find her stride . `` I know that the show is messy , because I 'm messy , '' she said . `` But I have a staff of very talented people working with me . '' She said she is grateful for her radio audience but hopes to branch out to more fans via television -- including men . She said she often observes them at her show , clearly annoyed that they have been dragged there by women . `` I see their faces dragging long when I first come out , and somewhere around the end of ` Hot Topics , ' they are roaring with laughter , '' she said . `` At the end of the day , I just want people to laugh and have a good time . '' | Wendy Williams has made the transition from radio to daytime television . Former radio personality now hosts `` The Wendy Williams Show '' She says she hopes the audience gives the show a chance . Williams : `` I just want people to laugh and have a good time '' | [[533, 543], [555, 590], [173, 246], [3944, 3952], [4024, 4082], [4629, 4656]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- In yet another blow to the already ailing soap opera world , Eric Braeden , the venerable star of CBS ' `` The Young and the Restless , '' has exited the top-rated daytime drama after a nasty negotiation with Sony . Eric Braeden 's last episode as Victor Newman will air on November 2 . The production company wanted the popular actor to take a pay cut for playing mega mogul Victor Newman , but Braeden -- who 's been on the soap since 1980 -- opted to leave instead . Barring any last-minute change , Braeden 's final episode will air on November 2 . Reps for Sony and CBS had no comment , though one insider indicated that no further talks are planned . EW talked with Braeden , 68 , about Sony 's decision to exercise a draconian clause in his contract -LRB- his deal that was set to expire in November 2010 can still be renegotiated every 26 weeks -RRB- and what it means to the future of daytime dramas . EW : Where do things stand ? Did your representative counter Sony 's offer and you have yet to hear an answer ? Eric Braeden : Precisely . EW : As of today , are you willing to take what Sony offered ? Braeden : No . There is no appreciation of the fact that I 've been an important part of the show for 27 years that has been No. 1 in the ratings . That 's extraordinary . So to be dealt with in a perfunctory matter as if you had just known these people for a few months is what is most offensive . This is a certain corporate culture now that is very deleterious . EW : Is it true you offered to take a pay cut before ? Braeden : I was the first one -LSB- to offer -RSB- because I knew that if we all did it , we would insure the continuation of the show . I did it two years ago when I signed my last contract , which I thought would last until next November . EW : Did you say your on-set goodbyes ? Braeden : I said this could be a long goodbye , and I may not see you for a long time . Who knows ? I 'm not saying I 've been let go -- we 're still negotiating . But it feels like that . EW : What does this say about the state of the industry when a production company is asking the star of the No. 1 show in daytime to take a pay cut ? Should everyone be worried ? Braeden : Yes , though it depends on what the star does . All options are open right now . What can I tell you ? I know there are certain economic realities that dictate the actions they are taking right now , but the manner in which its being done is most insulting . EW : You taped your last episode on September 23 . Was that the way you wanted Victor to go ? Braeden : No . It was rushed . It was obviously meant to intimidate . It was obviously done with enormous forethought to coincide with the end of the 26-week cycle . Essentially that is what the business is doing now and has been doing for a while . And quite frankly , it 's outrageous . When I sign a three-year deal , I 'm obligated to fulfill that deal . The producers , however , can come to me after a half-year and say , `` We 've changed our minds . '' Where in the world of business does this kind of contract exist ? Do I blame the people for wanting to squeeze as much out of us as they can ? I do not . The question is , when do you squeeze too much ? EW : Would you do another daytime drama ? Braeden : I doubt that . Never say never in this business or in life , but I doubt that . EW : Can you see the genre still existing in 10 years ? Braeden : Yes I can . How many reality shows can you watch ? They 're so obviously phony . Our show deals with adult problems in a long continuous manner , and very much like the way things are dealt with in real life . In that sense I think there will always be a need for -LRB- soaps -RRB- . They 're almost novelistic in their approach . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Eric Braeden opted to leave the daytime soap instead of taking a pay cut . The actor said he 'd taken a pay cut two years ago when renewing his contract . Braeden : `` There 's no appreciation that I 've been an important part of the show '' Braeden 's last episode will air November 2 . | [[432, 439], [481, 505], [1707, 1760], [1164, 1259], [539, 588]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A North Carolina man accused of plotting to wage holy war overseas also planned to attack the U.S. Marine base at Quantico , Virginia , according to new charges announced Thursday . Daniel Boyd previously was charged with conspiracy to support terrorists and conspiracy to murder . The charge is one of three counts in a new indictment against Daniel Patrick Boyd , who authorities allege is the ringleader of a group of men charged with training in North Carolina for a `` violent jihad . '' Boyd and another man , Hysen Sherifi , are charged with conspiring to murder U.S. military personnel . `` Boyd undertook reconnaissance of the Marine Corps Base located in Quantico , Virginia , and obtained maps of the base in order to plan an attack on Quantico , '' the charges state . FBI agents found weapons , thousands of rounds of ammunition and $ 13,000 cash in Boyd 's Raleigh-area home , an FBI agent testified at an August bond hearing for the men , who were arrested in late July . The original indictment says the men practiced military tactics in a North Carolina county that borders Virginia . The latest indictment also charges Boyd , Sherifi , and Boyd 's son Zakariya with possession of weapons in furtherance of a crime of violence , while Boyd faces an additional charge of providing a rifle and ammunition to a convicted felon . Boyd and seven others already have been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to murder , kidnap , maim and injure people . One of the men is believed to have fled to Pakistan , and the remaining men are in custody . In August , a federal judge denied bail for the seven in custody , but expressed skepticism about the charges against them . Magistrate Judge William Webb said the defendants made a number statements espousing holy war , and said the statements could be interpreted in isolation as braggadocio . But he agreed to keep them in jail because some of them had amassed a large arsenal and engaged in firearms training . | Daniel Boyd , another man charged with conspiring to murder U.S. military personnel . Boyd previously was charged with conspiring to provide support to terrorists . Authorities allege Boyd led group training for holy war overseas . Boyd was arrested in July . | [[512, 532], [541, 614], [201, 288], [201, 212], [252, 300], [19, 85], [363, 382], [389, 410], [959, 972], [977, 1005]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- What did you do this summer ? Flat World Knowledge stayed busy on campus and now has 40 times as many students and more than 10 times the colleges using their freemium , open-source digital textbooks as they did spring semester . And they did it the old-fashioned way -- one professor at a time . A company is offering digital alternatives to traditional college textbooks . After a sort of beta earlier this year , Flat World was set to announce Thursday that more than 40,000 college students at 400 colleges will use their digital , DRM-free textbooks fall semester , up from 1,000 in 30 colleges in the spring . Digital textbooks remain a nascent business and a tough market to enter . At an average cost of $ 100 , textbooks command the highest cover prices in publishing , outside of only some art and coffee-table books . Demand is artificially inelastic as students are indentured to cost servitude at the whim of college professors who blithely assign titles a student must own if she hopes to do well in a given course . Now , multiply that by four , five or even six courses a semester and you are talking big bucks . By comparison , Flat World has a pricing scheme that starts at zero for online access using a browser , and $ 20 for a PDF , which they believe will be the most popular format . Printed versions of their textbooks cost up to $ 60 . Perhaps best of all : Textbooks are available a la carte , chapter by chapter . But the key buy-in has been from teachers who make the assignments and who , in my college days , could not care less how much the textbooks cost . What 's changed ? `` There has been a mind shift , '' co-founder Eric Frank told Wired.com . A tipping point came a couple of years ago when faculty began to consider the financial burden on students because many of them -LRB- Frank estimates a third -RRB- did n't bother to get the textbook at all . Perhaps more to the point , open-source textbooks -- which are Creative Commons-licensed to allow unencumbered non-commercial use -- make it possible to graft supporting material to the curriculum , rather than the other way around . `` Faculty are notorious for wanting to do things their way , '' said Frank . `` But they always had to cut the foot to fit the shoe . Now , with open source , they can cut the shoe to fit the foot . '' There is virtually no friction involved . A professor can register on Flat World 's site and let students know that the book is available there . No cooperation from a school district or college administration is required . `` Every single class is a fiefdom , and they are kings and queens of their domain , '' Frank jokes . Like any freemium retailer , Flat World depends on enough people buying something , because clearly the business can not be sustained if everyone just opts for free web access . `` What we 're counting on is that people will be willing to pay for different packaging . '' And it will come down to the price points , Frank acknowledges , even when the company develops formats for the Sony e-book reader and Amazon Kindle , as they hope to this year . It makes as much sense to equip students with a device that makes all their reference materials available on demand as to offer a casual reader a complete portable library -- perhaps more . This is a classic chicken-and-egg scenario in which a device-dependent culture needs to evolve alongside new content formats . For this and a variety of other reasons , including the cost of e-readers and for the media they serve up , Frank thinks the PDF will remain the format of choice for students for some time to come -LRB- and the ubiquitous and DRM-free Portable Document Format is readable on the Sony and Amazon devices , anyway -RRB- . `` They 'll move forward , '' Frank says of device-specific e-reader formats . `` But there is so much irrational pricing right now that they 'll move forward much more slowly than they probably should . '' For now , expect a PDF revolution . And what better back-to-school present can you think of for 40,000 hard-up college students in the midst of a recession ? Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Flat World Knowledge offers free access to digital textbooks online . The company charges $ 20 for downloadable PDF-format books . Interest in the company is rising ; the service will be at 400 colleges this year . Still , the digital textbook business remains in its infancy , author says . | [[1166, 1272], [396, 434], [437, 531], [482, 589], [637, 702]] |
ISTANBUL , Turkey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Were nine attractive young Turkish women duped and imprisoned in a villa by Internet soft-core porn peddlers ? Or did they simply call in the police to help them break their contract with an Internet contest similar to the reality TV show `` Big Brother '' ? A lawyer for the production company , Istanbul Group Electronic Trade Communications and Advertising A.S. , is arguing the latter . In a written statement on the company 's Web site , Hilmi Tufan Cakir denied reports published in the Turkish and international media , that nine women were trapped against their will in an Istanbul villa , while cameras sold their images on the Internet . `` My client organized a contest with reward money , contracts were signed with the contestant girls , '' the lawyer 's statement said . `` In accordance with the contracts signed by the nine girls , this contest was to be broadcast on the Internet live . '' But on Friday , an officer with a Turkish gendarme unit , told CNN that security forces raided the reality show 's villa earlier this week , after they received a complaint . `` We detained one person , '' said the gendarme officer , who asked not to be identified . `` There were eight or nine young girls , some younger then 18 , who were returned to their families . '' Turkish television showed footage of gendarme officers raiding the villa and detaining a suspect earlier this week . The disputed Web-site is a page of hot pink graphics and photos of scantily clad young women , accompanied by throbbing dance music and the title , `` We Are at Home . '' It shows video of the villa and its pool , and flashes photos of the nine female `` contestants '' as well as a list of ratings for viewers , who can vote for their favorite lady via cell phone text message . Audience members were also encouraged to send `` virtual gifts '' to the contestants , like pink panties , beer , chocolate and a pearl necklace . Each resident of the house had their own introductory video . The women , dressed in mini-skirts and bikinis , pose by the villa 's pool , dance around in revealing outfits , and introduce themselves to the camera . In one segment , a hostess named Zeynep Karacan , who wears a long dress with a plunging neck line , reads from cue cards , introduces viewers to the house and its residents , who enter one-by-one waving to the camera and carrying luggage . According to the Web site 's rating system , the second most popular contestant was woman from the town of Kocaeli who went by the name `` Tugce . '' Text on the web-page said she was 18-years old , born on September 14th , 1990 . But in her on-camera appearance , Tugce tells the audience `` I am 16 . '' She wears a purple bikini by the pool and goes on to say `` I came here to be discovered . My biggest dream is to be a model . '' In Turkish press reports , the women said they signed contracts requiring them to pay fines of more then $ 30,000 if they left the show before it completed filming . This is not the first time scandal has rocked the booming reality TV industry in Turkey . In 2005 , a male contestant from the hit show `` Would You Be My Bride ? '' died of an apparent drug overdose after the season wrapped up production . On that show , mothers helped their sons choose a bride . The mother of the young man who killed himself , has since gone on to host another reality match-making TV show . | Police : 8 or 9 young girls , some under 18 , were returned to their families . Turkish television showed footage of gendarme officers raiding the villa . Women were to take part in a Big Brother-style show on the Internet . Report : Women signed contracts requiring them to pay fines if they left show . | [[1211, 1250], [1251, 1275], [1280, 1313], [1317, 1371], [1354, 1433], [155, 270], [885, 933], [2854, 2878], [2881, 2967]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four police officers and a suspect were shot in a raid for firearms and narcotics early Thursday in central New Jersey , a local prosecutor 's office said . The officers from the Lakewood Police Department 's tactical unit were shot upon entering the property and returned fire , hitting suspect Jamie Gonzalez , said Ocean County Deputy Chief Prosecutor Michael Mohel . Gonzalez , 39 , received multiple gunshot wounds and is in critical but stable condition , Mohel said . One officer was shot in the face and is being treated at an undisclosed hospital , the deputy chief prosecutor said . He 's in serious but stable condition . Another officer was shot in the foot and is in stable condition . The other two officers sustained injuries after receiving gunshots to their bulletproof vests , Mohel said . Their names were not disclosed . The warrant for firearms and narcotics was served at 2:25 a.m. ET in conjunction with federal , state and local authorities . Lakewood is about 70 miles south of New York City . In July , another shootout in New Jersey left one police officer dead . Jersey City police officer Marc DiNardo died after being shot in the face in a raid . He was one of five officers injured in the shootout , and the two suspects involved were killed . CNN 's Vanessa Juarez contributed to this report . | Police officers shot in raid for firearms and narcotics in Lakewood , New Jersey . Suspect also wounded after officers return fire , official says . Lakewood is about 70 miles south of New York . | [[176, 278], [1038, 1045], [1048, 1109], [1210, 1247], [176, 241], [283, 296], [986, 1037]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Since the revolution in 1959 Cuba has been many things to many people , but the collapse of the Soviet Union meant few have seen the island state as a vision of the future . But that could be changing -- at least in one aspect . Cuba experienced a reordering of its food production in the early 1990 's . A boom for organic foods , but problems persist . As worries grow in developed nations about a future without plentiful supplies of oil , the communist republic is proving to be an increasingly popular example of how to cope when the spigots run dry , for the simple reason : they 've already been there . With the loss of supplies from oil-rich Russia in 1991 , and a U.S. embargo preventing imports from elsewhere , Cuba was plunged into a severe recession in the early 1990 's , referred to as `` the Special Period . '' Suddenly society was faced with dramatically reduced amounts of hydrocarbon energy , and the result was a fundamental reorganization of food production , leading to a boom in urban organic agriculture , which requires fewer inputs than conventional farming . Despite the increase in organic production , problems remain for Cuba 's agricultural system and ability to feed itself with local produce . `` Some estimates of the amount of food imports in Cuba go as high as 80 percent of domestic consumption , '' says CNN 's Havana Bureau Chief , Morgan Neill . `` This is n't to say that small scale organic farmers could n't learn for isolated growers , but Cuba 's overall agriculture is one of the government 's biggest problems . '' Cuba 's organic example , however , has been a source for inspiration for many outside of the country , such as the UK-based Cuban Organic Solidarity Group -LRB- COSG -RRB- . `` With the collapse of the Soviet Union Cuba was in a position where no-one thought it would survive -- they lost 80 percent of their trade overnight , '' says Wendy Emmett of COSG . `` As a result the priority given to food changed , and it was immediately seen as much more important . '' All over Havana small-scale organic gardens were started on roof-tops , backyards and in empty parking lots , spreading rapidly to other cities and urban centers . Farmer 's markets known as `` Kiosks '' sprang up providing city-dwellers with access to locally-grown fruit and vegetables , cutting the use of oil in transporting food in from the countryside . In the countryside , oxen and horses replaced tractors . Manual labor replaced machines . A huge program of land re-distribution was instigated . Many of the vast collective farms beloved by communist planners started to look inefficient , and so were broken up into units more manageable without fleets of tractors . The process is still ongoing . In February 2009 the Cuban authorities announced that 1,827 square miles of state land would be given to Cubans with agricultural experience or other citizens . But this change was n't easy . Prior to the `` Special Period '' Cuba had been a heavy user of oil-based chemical fertilizers , and much of the land was heavily degraded , requiring years of careful manuring to restore fertility . However , despite the obstacles , they did it . `` I was there in 1992 , which was one of the most difficult years , and certainly people were moaning a lot , but they worked together , they still kept the milk coming for the schoolchildren , '' says Emmett . `` Throughout it all they did n't close any hospitals , they did n't close any schools ; they kept going against the odds . In many ways they show us what is possible , what a community can achieve when they work together ; the power of co-operation . '' A blue-print to cope with problems post-peak oil ? Of course a powerful authoritarian state and strong central planning made such huge changes easier to implement ; a similar process of development might be very different , and possibly lees successful , in the West . But as an increasing number of people believe we will soon face a major social and economic crisis as oil supplies dwindle over coming decades , many believe we have a lot to learn from the Cuban experience . `` The industrialized world can learn that its dependency on oil will eventually push it through similar experiences to that which Cuba had to face in the 1990 's , and with similar outcomes , '' says Julia Wright , author of `` Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in an Era of Oil Scarcity : Lessons from Cuba . '' `` We can also learn that if we do not have the necessary capacities in place , our food production system will be caught short , as was Cuba . '' All over the world from New Zealand to the United Kingdom members of the Transition Town Movement , which aims to help communities prepare for the twin challenges of peak oil and climate change , hold regular screenings of the film , `` The Power of Community '' , an upbeat documentary that explores the Cuban experience , alongside films about our oil addiction such as `` The End of Suburbia '' and `` A Crude Awakening . '' `` Cuba inspires groups overseas wanting to develop alternative , more sustainable farming and food systems , partly based on the myth that has built up around Cuba being organic , '' says Wright . `` Organic farming in Cuba only operates in urban areas , not rural ... -LSB- but -RSB- the Cuban organic movement and the people within it are highly dedicated to their work and will continue to influence and be influenced by the organic movement overseas . '' The future is less clear . New allies are once again opening Cuba up to the outside world -- and providing fresh oil supplies . `` Hugo Chavez is supplying Cuba with increasing quantities of oil and agrochemicals , so Cuban agriculture -- and here I 'm talking about rural farms which supply 95 percent of the nation 's domestic food needs -- is becoming more industrialized , though it will not revert back to the extreme practices of the Soviet era , '' says Wright . `` Organic urban agriculture will continue and likely continue to expand out to peri-urban areas . '' But whatever the years ahead bring , Wright believes the experience of the `` Special Period '' has left its mark on Cuban society . `` The crisis that Cuba suffered has made it a better place in certain aspects , as people had to become more resilient and self-sufficient and less wasteful , '' says Wright . `` Although Cubans would certainly say that their food shortages and lack of inputs has been a hardship . '' | Cuba 's economic hardship in early 1990 's led to reorganization of agriculture . Urban and organic farming implemented plus break up of inefficient large farms . Some see Cuba 's experience as way to cope with problems of future oil crises . | [[248, 323], [740, 803], [937, 999], [937, 947], [1002, 1048], [2556, 2647], [2556, 2619], [2657, 2727], [5240, 5265], [5271, 5296], [462, 573], [462, 484], [496, 597], [3666, 3716]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 92-year-old woman with cocaine strapped to her body flew all the way from Brazil to Spain before police arrested her , in a wheelchair , at Madrid 's airport . A Civil Guard spokeswoman says the 92-year old was apprehended at Madrid 's Barajas Airport . They found 4.3 kilos , or nearly 9.5 pounds , of cocaine packets strapped to her legs and torso , and also arrested a 44-year-old female companion , who tried to escape on another plane , a Civil Guard spokeswoman told CNN Tuesday . The two women , both from Uruguay , were arrested Friday after arriving in Madrid on a flight from Sao Paolo , Brazil . But officials did not release details about the case until this week , after a judge had arraigned the two on drug trafficking charges . The judge ordered the younger woman to prison but sent the 92-year-old to a senior citizens ' home in Madrid . Due to her advanced age , `` it 's practically impossible '' that she would be tried or face jail time , said the Civil Guard spokeswoman , who by custom is not identified . Police did not identify the two women . Civil Guards became suspicious when the younger woman repeatedly told the older woman -- who had asked for an airport wheelchair in Madrid to traverse the terminal -- that if they rushed , they would make their connecting flight to Spain 's Canary Islands . The Civil Guards , who run customs controls at the airport , stopped the woman in the wheelchair . The younger woman immediately fled , first trying to make the connecting flight , which by then had closed its doors , and then attempting to leave the airport terminal for the street . But she was stuck in the `` satellite , '' or second building , of Terminal 4 , which is connected to the main building and the street by an underground train . Police caught up with her before she left the satellite terminal . The two would-be smugglers probably expected a cash payment and return flight tickets to Brazil from their drug trafficking contacts , the Civil Guard spokeswoman said . | Two women , both from Uruguay , arrested after arriving in Madrid on flight from Brazil . Judge arraigns two women , one a 92-year old wheelchair user , on drug charges . Spokeswoman : `` It 's practically impossible '' wheelchair user would be tried . | [[9, 30], [88, 152], [523, 631], [714, 779], [920, 951], [917, 918], [996, 1028]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just over a year ago , a U.S. staff sergeant in Iraq decided to practice his shooting skills . His target : the Quran , Islam 's holiest book . Pvt. Nicole Wright , 20 , learns cultural awareness by watching an interactive DVD . The military issued a formal apology , promptly dismissed the soldier from his regiment and reassigned him to stateside duty . But news of the shooting had already made its way onto YouTube , and a firestorm of outrage was ignited across the Islamic world . Protests turned deadly in Afghanistan . Back at the Army 's Intelligence and Cultural Awareness Center at Fort Huachuca , Arizona , commanders knew they had a problem . In the 21st century , the Army was sending younger soldiers into an arena they had little cultural experience in , and at the same time , new social networking sites were poised to broadcast their mistakes to the world . Maj. Gen. John Custer , the leading officer at Fort Huachuca , knew that the Army not only needed trained linguists , but it also needed a new language of its own . `` The advent of social networking has changed the world . The soldiers who I see coming from basic to the intel center , what is the first question they ask ? ` Are you Wi-Fi ? ' , '' he said . Today , a third of the men and women the Army has deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan are between the ages of 20 and 24 , and Custer believes the military has now entered the age of the `` strategic private '' -- a young soldier reared on video games . And because of social networking , that private is now armed with the ability to severely cripple a mission and spark the kinds of reactions that the world saw after the Quran shooting . So Custer decided his young recruits needed some extra training in cultural awareness . For help , he turned to a group of former military men who also saw an opportunity to engage today 's Iraq-bound soldiers . Russ Phelps spent a career in the Navy before starting a Denver , Colorado-based company called InVism , which combines live-action video and virtual-reality technology to create simulators that become learning tools for the military and other clients . `` I was watching the rise of the gaming world , and the impact and the power it was having over how people were interacting with information , and I thought there is something here , '' Phelps said . So Phelps , a trained Arabic linguist , worked with two other companies , Combat Film Productions and Quest Pictures , to help him create realistic , movie-like combat scenarios . Hollywood veterans shot the scenarios on an elaborate set in Southern California , adding real footage from Iraq whenever possible . The result : an immersive cultural simulation program that is part video game , part blockbuster Hollywood movie . Soldiers use computers to train on an interactive DVD that plunges them into a series of scenarios and presents them with choices , such as whether to accept a cooler full of drinks from an Iraqi youth . At the end of each scenario , the recruit clicks on his or her choice , then discovers whether it was the right one . -LRB- Hint : That cooler could contain a bomb . -RRB- . In this way , the DVD becomes an immersive learning tool that trains soldiers in a way that lectures and textbooks can not . Ken Robinson , an Army Ranger turned Hollywood guru , is the project 's executive producer . He 's convinced that by grabbing soldiers ' attention with stunning graphics and compelling characters , and then engaging them in the decision-making process , the project will deliver the ultimate payoff . `` They 're gon na live , '' he told CNN . `` They 're gon na make choices on the battlefield that will prevent their first choice from being to use their weapon . They 're gon na use their mind . '' Robinson believes the simulator program is more effective then a traditional video game because soldiers relate more to human characters than virtual avatars . `` Nobody cares about an avatar that gets killed . You just get another avatar , '' he said . `` It 's a ` band of brothers ' mentality , '' agreed Steve Wilson , Chief of Training at Fort Huachuca . `` You are building a camaraderie . '' Wilson hopes that the soldiers build enough of a bond with the characters onscreen that they will be able to sense the shock and stress that come with the life-or-death situations they 'll soon be immersed in for real . But can a soldier really save a life , or multiple lives , just by using more cultural sensitivity ? Does it really matter if a U.S. soldier knows the difference between a Shiite and a Sunni ? Custer thinks so . `` If an untrained soldier walks through a market , he 's gon na come back and tell you ` there are a lot of tomatoes here today , ' '' Custer said . `` The guy who has cultural training is gon na come back and say , ` All the Sunnis in the market are talking about al-Dari , a meeting tonight . ' '' Pvt. Nicole Wright , 20 , who does n't know yet when she 'll be deployed , has found the training useful . `` I 'm going to be a little more aware of what I 'm looking for , the people and the environment , '' she said . Spc. Andrew Omernick , 23 , who grew up playing video games , agrees . `` The format was a little bit different from most video games I 've seen . It was intuitive , '' he said . `` I thought this training was a significant step forward . '' Every soldier who takes the DVD immersion course is given a pre - and post-training test to measure the change in their cultural acuity . But there is an even more immediate feedback about whether the Army has achieved its mission of connecting with its young soldiers . `` If it were a video game , I 'd buy it , '' Omernick said . | The U.S. Army is using interactive videos for soldiers ' cultural sensitivity training . The videos help recruits understand and adapt to Iraq and Afghanistan . Soldiers watch DVDs that plunge them into a series of wartime scenarios . Recruits face choices , click on options , then find out how they scored . | [[196, 247], [2823, 2841], [2847, 2886], [2992, 3019], [3022, 3061], [3064, 3109]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world 's tropical forests are disappearing , and one reason is simple economics : People , companies and governments earn more by logging , mining or farming places such as the Amazon jungle than by conserving them . Global climate change treaty , scheduled for completion in December , is designed to protect tropical forests . Efforts to halt rain forest destruction date back decades , but they so far have failed to tackle the issue on a scale commensurate with the challenge . Now there may be a remedy , and the reason is climate change . Increased awareness of the threat from global warming has prompted unprecedented international focus on how to combat it , as well as new appreciation for the vital role of tropical forests in the climate change equation . On Tuesday , world leaders gather at the United Nations for a special climate change summit , intended to build momentum for a new global climate change treaty being negotiated by almost 200 countries . The new treaty is scheduled to be completed in December in Copenhagen , Denmark . If eventually enacted , the treaty will include a revolutionary but little-known provision intended to protect remaining tropical forests . Known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in developing countries , or REDD , the provision is based on the knowledge that destroying tropical forests contributes to global warming . Rain forests absorb and store huge amounts of carbon dioxide , the most prevalent of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change . Burning or clearing the forests returns that stored CO2 to the atmosphere , where it can trap heat and gradually increase temperatures . Every year , tropical forests equal to an area the size of England are destroyed , contributing about 20 percent of total annual greenhouse gas emissions -- more than all the world 's cars , trucks and airplanes combined . The idea of the proposed provision is to make the stored carbon dioxide in the forests a commodity that can be bought and sold on the global market . Polluters in the developing world would be able to offset their emissions by buying credits for stored forest carbon dioxide . The money from those purchases would go to developing world governments , international organizations , local communities and others involved in forest protection programs . For the first time , tropical forests would be worth money for simply existing . That could create an economic incentive to protect tropical forests , which also have biological value as the planet 's richest storehouses of land species and spiritual worth as pristine natural landscapes . To longtime defenders of tropical forests , the proposal represents the final stage of a long and halting journey from the fringes of the environmental movement toward the mainstream of international policy . `` Done properly , this is our No. 1 hope , '' said Randall Hayes , who founded the Rainforest Action Network in 1985 with the goal of halting tropical deforestation . `` Other strategies have been heroic but insufficient . '' The system would let nations and industries that are the biggest greenhouse-gas emitters buy carbon credits in tropical forests in South and Central America , Africa , Southeast Asia and other equatorial regions . At the same time , investors could speculate on the price of carbon dioxide through credit trading . Private and public funds could invest in projects that protect forests to generate credits . Final details of the plan remain uncertain , such as how forest carbon credits would be verified and how the money paid for them would be handled and distributed . For developing countries , the idea represents a potential new revenue source . President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana , a leading proponent of the plan , has made trading carbon credits a central element of his Low-Carbon Development Strategy . The strategy `` is more about development than about the environment and it will help us to accelerate infrastructural development and fill the budget gap , '' Jagdeo said in an August 29 speech . The World Bank and partners have set up funds to help developing countries prepare for REDD and finance forest-protection initiatives . However , both funds are not fully capitalized , pending the successful conclusion of negotiations on the new global climate change treaty . `` Right now everybody is in a wait-and-see mode , '' said Benoit Bosquet , the World Bank 's lead carbon finance specialist . `` Everybody seems interested , but the level of activity is still humble . '' Conservationists cite the environmental benefits of saving tropical forests , which provide essential resources and services -- such as fresh water , food , flood control and many others -- on which more than a billion people depend . Now , they say , conserving forests also can contribute to sustainable development , benefiting both nature and people . Yet several steps remain before the tropical-forest provision becomes reality on a large scale . First , the U.N.-led negotiations must agree on a treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol -- the world 's first global climate change agreement , which expires in 2012 . The Kyoto treaty created a global carbon market -- but only the carbon storage of newly planted or replanted forests is eligible for credits . REDD also would protect standing forests , to prevent the absorbed carbon dioxide stocks from being released back into the atmosphere . Whether a new treaty will be completed in December is unclear . Negotiators have yet to set consensus targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions , and major disputes remain between industrialized powers such as the United States and emerging and developing economies including China and Brazil . The draft under negotiation includes REDD , but negotiations continue on how broad the policy would be . Advocates of a limited scope for REDD say areas with no history of deforestation should be excluded because protecting them wo n't reduce carbon dioxide emissions . In response , conservationists and developing nations warn against leaving out nations and regions -- including Jagdeo 's Guyana , parts of Indonesia and Brazil , Democratic Republic of Congo and others -- that still have much of their tropical forest intact . They argue that halting deforestation in only some countries would cause the loggers , palm oil developers and other drivers of forest destruction to move to previously untargeted areas . `` If REDD mechanisms exclude any significant group of countries , REDD will fail , '' Jagdeo told U.N. negotiators in December . Critics , including some environmental groups , question how such a vast and complex system can be successfully implemented . A Greenpeace report issued in March said including REDD credits in carbon markets would create a glut and drastically cut the price of carbon , resulting in industrial polluters buying cheap credits for offsets instead of reducing their emissions . The report also warned of reduced investments in renewable energy technologies due to the lack of an incentive from the cheaper carbon credits . Others question whether REDD will be another scheme generated by industrialized nations to exploit resources of the developing world , and in particular , the indigenous forest peoples . Jagdeo , the president of Guyana , has said such critics should recognize the opportunity that a new climate change treaty could present . If it includes sufficiently robust commitments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions , he argues , that would create a strong demand for carbon credits . The deforestation provision of a climate change treaty could help stem deforestation while providing `` badly needed capital flows to some of the poorest countries in the world , '' he said . Yet even the idea 's most ardent supporters recognize that it could take years for a global-scale program to become effective . While local projects exist in rain forest countries such as Madagascar , it would take time and money to expand them . `` If there is a deal in Copenhagen and if there is a signaling by industrialized nations that , yes , they will make money available , then you will see developing countries scaling up their readiness , '' said the World Bank 's Bosquet . `` They will see that this is now real and it 's the time to react . '' | World leaders gather at the United Nations for special climate change summit . Treaty based on finding that destroying tropical forests adds to global warming . With proposed provision , stored carbon dioxide in forests could be bought and sold . Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation provision has critics . | [[802, 812], [815, 893], [802, 812], [815, 828], [896, 961], [1325, 1429], [1924, 2022], [2074, 2200], [2132, 2137], [2148, 2200]] |
ISTANBUL , Turkey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The governments of Armenia and Turkey will sign a peace agreement in Zurich on Saturday that would normalize relations after nearly a century of animosity between the neighboring nations , the Swiss government said Friday . The Swiss-mediated peace deal would also open the border between the countries , which has been shut since 1993 . The signing ceremony comes more than a month after Armenia and Turkey announced they had agreed to start six weeks of `` internal political consultations '' on two protocols aimed at establishing diplomatic and bilateral relations . The Swiss-mediated peace deal would also open the border between the countries , which has been shut since 1993 . The border was closed after Turkey objected to Armenia 's war with Turkish ally Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabagh . Neither country has an embassy in the other 's capital . Turkish-Armenian relations have often been overshadowed by the dispute over the massacre of ethnic Armenians in the final days of the Ottoman Empire , more than 90 years ago . Armenians accuse Ottoman Turks of committing genocide , killing more then a million Armenians starting in 1915 . Modern-day Turkey vehemently rejects the allegations . The proposed protocols for normalizing relations call for creating a committee of international experts to research archives and `` restore mutual confidence between the two nations . '' There is no mention of the disputed territory of Karabagh , which Armenian troops have controlled since the 1993 Armenian-Azerbaijan war . But the success of the protocols is still uncertain , as the parliaments of both countries still must ratify the agreement . A senior U.S. State Department official -- authorized to brief reporters without attribution because of diplomatic sensitivities -- said the situation remains `` difficult . '' `` There 's opposition both in Turkey and in Armenia , '' the senior official said Thursday , `` but both governments realize ultimately it 's in their interest to have normalized relations and an open border after years of tension and the economic isolation , particularly of Armenia . '' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the signing , along with dignitaries from several other countries , including the European Union , according to the Swiss government . | Swiss-mediated deal would normalize relations between rival nations . Accord also open the border , which has been closed since 1993 . Animosity dates back to Ottoman Empire and massacre of ethnic Armenians . Both countries still must ratify the protocols , and difficulties remain . | [[116, 124], [130, 223], [261, 339], [608, 686], [261, 339], [318, 374], [608, 686], [665, 721], [920, 1068], [1096, 1149], [1594, 1641], [1715, 1754], [1847, 1888]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A surveillance video of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu , missing since March 27 , shows the child in the mobile home park where she lives , skipping and happily swinging her arms on the day she disappeared in Tracy , California . A surveillance video shows Sandra Cantu skipping in the mobile home park where she lives . The grainy scene appears for about eight seconds before she disappears from view . Police Lt. Jeremy Watney showed the clip Saturday at a news conference , but offered no details . `` I ca n't get into specifics of where it came from . That 's all part of the investigation , '' he said . `` The CD will show you exactly how she looked on that particular day when she went missing . '' In the video , the girl emerges from a pathway at the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park into what appears to be an alley . To her right is the corner of what looks like a wooden deck ; there seem to be deep shadows on the left . Watney said authorities initially thought Sandra was carrying a purse or backpack , but the images turned out to be shadows . He said authorities have `` hundreds of hours of videotapes '' in the case . The day the child disappeared , she came home from school , kissed her mother and left to play with a friend who lives a couple of homes away . A short time later , she left that home to go to another friend 's home , according to a spokeswoman for her family . She was reported missing about 8 p.m. Sandra was wearing a pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings . Watney said the reward for information leading to her whereabouts has increased to $ 26,000 , and authorities are following more than 800 leads . More than 300 trained searchers from 17 agencies were out on Saturday . A door-to-door canvass moved outside of the park Saturday afternoon as police continued to collect details from residents in the area . Watney said police executed search warrants on a home , a vehicle and a person Friday , but nobody has been detained in the case . `` It 's just looking for clues and evidence '' he said of the warrants . Watney said the reward for information leading to her whereabouts has increased to $ 26,000 , and authorities are following more than 900 leads . Over 300 trained searchers from 17 agencies were out on Saturday . On Monday night , Tracy police and FBI agents searched six locations , some in the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park and some in Tracy . All of the places were connected to two men who live in the mobile home park , officials said . Authorities have not called the men suspects and have not named them publicly . They did not say how or if they might be related to the case . Police have said they do not believe Sandra ran away . The girl 's aunt , Angie Chavez , told CNN Headline News ' Nancy Grace that Sandra 's father lives in Mexico and was not around the day she disappeared . Tracy is about 60 miles east of San Francisco . | NEW : Video shows Sandra Cantu skipping near her home the day she went missing . NEW : Grainy , 8-second image of the 8-year-old was shown at a news conference . Girl had on a pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings the day she disappeared . Reward has increased to $ 26,000 , and authorities are following more than 800 leads . | [[113, 133], [140, 143], [152, 160], [242, 314], [2847, 2872], [333, 415], [427, 486], [1450, 1516], [2847, 2872], [1517, 1608], [1615, 1662], [2076, 2167], [2174, 2221]] |
BOSTON , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They were crimes born of the Internet age -- romantic solicitations on popular Web site Craigslist that police say led to the fatal shooting of one woman and the robbery of another in Boston hotels this past spring . Internet forensic expert Mark Rasch used high-tech sleuthing to help police in Boston 's Craigslist crimes . And it was high-tech , 21st-century sleuthing , along with some old-fashioned gumshoe detective work , that put police on the trail toward a suspect and eventually an arrest . On CNN 's `` AC 360 '' Randi Kaye recently took a behind-the-scenes look at how technology was used to lead police to 23-year-old medical student Philip Markoff , who has been indicted on seven counts , including first-degree murder . Prosecutors said Julissa Brisman , a model from New York who advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist , was shot three times at close range and suffered blunt head trauma at the Marriott Copley Place hotel on April 14 . And a 29-year-old Las Vegas , Nevada , woman was robbed of $ 800 in cash and $ 250 in American Express gift cards at the Westin Copley Place hotel , police reports said . Read the AC360 blog post . Investigators knew they had crimes born of the Internet on their hands , but how were they able to use that same technology to help them find a suspect who went to great lengths to hide his tracks ? `` The figures involved communicated with each other -LSB- via -RSB- text and e-mail , and they only met at the very last minute , '' said special correspondent Maureen Orth , who investigated the story for Vanity Fair magazine . `` And then the way the police were able to solve the crime was going back , using the clicks and the Internet addresses . '' In Brisman 's case , police knew she had communicated on Craigslist with a person calling himself `` Andy . '' Mark Rasch once headed the computer crimes unit at the U.S. Department of Justice . Now an Internet forensic expert , he helped Boston police track the alleged killer . `` The first thing you start with was the e-mail address . In this case , it 's an e-mail address from Live.com , which is Microsoft , '' Rasch explained to CNN 's Kaye . Watch Randi Kaye 's full report '' Rasch showed Kaye the tracer program he used to help follow the e-mails from `` Andy . '' `` Trace Back does what it says -- traces the route that the e-mail took on its way from its origin to the destination , '' Rasch said . Rasch says police got the Internet protocol address for the e-mailer 's computer . From there , investigators tracked down the company providing Internet service to the suspect , which told them that the subscriber lived in a Quincy apartment building , outside Boston . Even though police had what they believed was the killer 's real name and home address , that still was not enough , Kaye reports . `` They have to validate and actually get this guy 's fingers on the keyboard , '' Rasch said . `` So in the end , they reverted to the old gumshoe thing of a stakeout . '' Police zeroed in on Markoff . They 'd seen a tall , blond male they believed was the killer on the hotel surveillance cameras . And they did what many people do on a daily basis -- they Googled him . Police learned their prime suspect was a medical student at Boston University . He was engaged to be married . Again , the Internet helped . They got a better look at him through pictures with his fiancee online . It 's a piece of a digital trail criminals rarely think about , Kaye reported . `` As one of the law enforcement people told me , if you can see it , they can see it , '' Orth said . Markoff 's cyber footprint was growing more clear to authorities every day . On April 20 , six days after Brisman 's slaying , detectives arrested him . They said he was carrying on him a New York driver 's license with a photo of someone named Andrew or Andy Miller . Police say Markoff used that driver 's license to purchase the gun that killed Brisman and that his fingerprints were on the paperwork . In June , Markoff pleaded not guilty to Brisman 's death and the other charges against him . He remains in jail . CNN 's Randi Kaye contributed to this report . | Internet expert : Craigslist slaying suspect left a trail of clues behind in cyberspace . Mark Rasch says he used a tracer program on e-mail sent to slaying victim . Boston investigators even used a Google search to help track down suspect . Philip Markoff , a medical student , pleaded not guilty in death of Julissa Brisman . | [[259, 367], [3636, 3712], [2254, 2322], [259, 367], [300, 367], [1281, 1346], [1979, 2029], [3220, 3238], [3350, 3355], [3358, 3379], [4042, 4049], [4052, 4134]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- She refuses to dwell on the past and accepts that she ca n't control the future . Reese Witherspoon juggles her career , family and love life , yet still is able find time for herself . For Reese Witherspoon , it 's all about living in the moment . And with a thriving career , two children , and a handsome boyfriend -- Jake Gyllenhaal -- who can blame her ? On her divorce from Ryan Phillippe ... You have to keep it together for your kids and for yourself too . I 'm trying to learn from the things that have happened in my life , live more in the moment , and have more fun . Someone told me recently to live in the present but make plans and take pictures . And I am . I 'm writing more , I 'm reading more . Going to more concerts . Jake and I went to Coachella this year . On being confident ... As you get older , you know what you like and what you do n't like , and you 're not apologetic about it ... I used to judge myself so harshly . I think women in their 20s do . You 're hard on your body , you 're hard on yourself . But you start to realize that none of it is really all that important . As long as you 're comfortable , the best parts of yourself come through no matter what . Your mother can tell you that a million times , but you do n't understand it until you live it ! On if she likes to cook ... I do . And Jake is a great cook , he does a lot . We spend the weekends outside L.A , in Ojai , where I have a farmhouse . We have chickens and we grow cucumbers and tomatoes . I love it . It reminds me of where I grew up in Tennessee . On working out ... I try to exercise every day . I like to run for about an hour , and I 'm big into working out with girlfriends . It 's an acquired skill , being able to discuss your love life , children and friends , all while you 're running ! But we have mastered it . On her new perfume ... I have a lot of favorite smells from growing up in the South that I wanted to capture in this scent . As a kid , I was always outside . There was a magnolia tree in the front yard that I think I spent most of first , second and third grade in . And there was the smell of honeysuckle from the creek that ran down by our house . Gardenias were important too , because every Mother 's Day or on my birthday my father would buy small bouquets or corsages for my mother and me . While we were working on the perfume , Avon asked me if I could explore other notes , but I kept going back to white flowers ! The packaging reminds me of my grandma 's bureau , where she 'd have little perfume bottles out . I love it . On her girlfriends ... There are three of us who wear pretty much the same size , so we 'll get together on a Friday night and I 'll bring clothes I want to trade and they 'll bring theirs . We swap shoes and purses a lot . I wore my girlfriend 's dress to a wedding recently . It 's fun . On raising her kids , Ava and Deacon , far from home ... Sometimes it 's really difficult for me , being far away from home . L.A. is where my job is and I have to be close , but I never imagined that my children would n't grow up next door to my brother 's children . Or my mom and dad would n't constantly be around . You know , I had dinner every night with my grandparents as a kid , so I think missing out on that is a hard compromise . At least I have a lot of Southern friends in L.A. I gravitate toward them . I think of those people as a part of my family : They take care of me and I take care of them . On being a mom and a career woman ... I love my life without work and I love my life with work . My mom , who 's a nurse , called me the other day when I was really stressed out from working a 15-hour day . And she was like , `` Yeah , but think of it as a part-time job . '' And I thought , that 's actually right , it puts it in perspective . I work incredibly hard for three months , but then I get a break . It 's about really enjoying my time off . Where do I relax the most ? Where are my children happiest ? My ideal scenario is to do one movie a year . But as an actor , I do n't think you can do an awful lot of planning . In fact , my new philosophy in life is I 'll cross that bridge when I come to it . I used to spend a lot of time thinking about the future , as if I could magically predict it if I planned it enough . And then I realized , I ca n't . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Reese Witherspoon on divorce : `` You have to keep it together for your kids '' Actress says she exercises for an hour a day . She and boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal cook and grow cucumbers and tomatoes . | [[426, 491], [426, 429], [435, 445], [455, 472], [1605, 1634], [1493, 1525]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It seems the world of the golf cart is changing if certain industry manufacturers are to be believed . By shedding their normal surroundings , improving their dowdy image and hitting the streets -- `` pimped up '' carts may increasingly be seen away from the course . Celebrities have been queuing up to jump on the buggy-wagon . The most recent purchase was by pop star Cheryl Cole , who bought husband and Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole a `` Mini-Hummer '' buggy as a gift , spending $ 8,000 customizing the cart with gold-plated hub caps , Swarovski crystals and a trunk for his golf clubs . Dominik Jackson , owner of Mini-Hummer says demand for the vehicles has rocketed since 2006 : `` It started as a glorified golf buggy , but since adapting the look we 've had demand from all over Europe and even from royal families in the Middle East . '' The carts are already on the roads in Paris , Brussels and Amsterdam , and the company are planning to launch a new fully enclosed Mini-Hummer in London next year . While Europe is catching up with the trend , there has been a big market for `` pimped '' golf carts in the United States for some time . `` I 'd say about 99 % of our sales these days are for individual use , '' says Randy Hopper , owner of Sick 'N' Twisted Designs , one of the largest bespoke golf cart manufacturers in California . `` We build customized golf carts to the specific requirements of the customer - we pretty much do everything . '' And this really means everything . Modern carts are now built with leather seats , wooden dashboard , surround-sound systems , iPod players , lower lighting and air bags , in a variety of themes - street , lifted , off-road and even Limo carts . Sick 'N' Twisted customer Dave Johnson is having his golf cart pimped and modified to match the color of his boat : `` It 's going to be burgundy with 12-inch wheels , full sound system and air-bags that adjust the height of the cart . '' Dave insists that in his neighborhood , golf carts are more of an everyday than a luxury item : `` They 're practical , affordable and it 's nice to cruise around and see your neighbors . '' So is this a case of keeping up with the Joneses ? `` There 's no official competition on our street , but people take notice of things like that . It 's definitely seen as a status symbol . '' While the golf cart remains a staple on the fairways , the souped-up street version is no longer just par for the course . | Adapted golf carts are growing in popularity across Europe . 99 % of sales are for individual use in the USA . Modern carts built with leather seats , airbags and iPod players . ` Pimped ' golf carts are seen as status symbol . | [[1176, 1219], [1521, 1541], [1548, 1655], [1521, 1533], [1538, 1655], [1851, 1930], [2310, 2315], [2332, 2352], [2310, 2352]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The allegation is shocking : an 8-year-old girl lured to a storage shed with the promise of chewing gum , pinned down and sexually assaulted by four boys , none of them older than 14 . President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has made cracking down on sex crimes a top priority in Liberia . The response from the girl 's family sent a second and equally stunning shockwave through their Phoenix , Arizona , community : `` The parents felt that they had been shamed or embarrassed by their child , '' reported Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill . As a result , the girl was taken into custody by Arizona 's child welfare agency . The prosecutor who charged the four boys called the crime `` heartrending '' and `` deeply disturbing . '' But to those familiar with Liberia , the west African nation where the families of all of the children are from , the crime and response are both part of a sadly familiar story . `` It 's something that happens every day in every community in Liberia , '' said Tania Bernath , a researcher for the human rights group Amnesty International . The country was racked by a brutal civil war for most of 14 years . During that time , rape was used by fighters on all sides as a tool of war and a way to spread terror and demoralize enemies . A United Nations report in 2004 , the year after much of the fighting stopped , estimated that 60 to 70 percent of all women in the nation had been the victims of sexual violence . A 2006 government report said that of 1,600 women surveyed , 92 percent reported some kind of sexual violence , including rape . `` They would have cases where they would rape the wife in front of the husband -- things like that , really breaking down communities , '' said Bernath , who spent several years in Liberia working for a relief organization . While no one yet knows whether the boys charged in the case were exposed directly to violence in their homeland , advocates say they fear that harmful attitudes toward rape in Liberia have followed some members of the tight-knit immigrant community to the United States . Watch a report on the allegations and cultural conflicts '' `` Things like gang rape were used so often during the war that I think , with kids , if they saw it and heard it or heard about it -- that 's part of what you might wonder about -LSB- in the Phoenix case -RSB- , '' Bernath said . `` It was sort of normalized . '' In the Phoenix case , a 14-year-old boy who police say was the ringleader is being charged as an adult . The other boys accused are 13 , 10 and 9 and were charged as juveniles . Phone calls by CNN to the Maricopa County public defender 's office , most recently on Wednesday , have not been returned . It 's not known what , if any , exposure the boys or their parents had to the fighting in their homeland , where it was once commonplace for children as young as 7 or 8 to be forced into duty -- the boys handed rifles while the girls were made to perform chores or serve as sex slaves . A United Nations report estimates that about 70 percent of all fighters in the conflict were younger than 18 , and former fighters have told U.N. and other researchers about the rapes they say they routinely committed . After the Phoenix attack , a 23-year-old sister of the victim told a reporter that her sister was `` bringing confusion '' after the assault was discovered by a neighbor . She said that she wanted the suspects to be released from jail because `` we are the same people '' and that her sister would be ostracized by others in the Liberian community for being a rape victim . It 's a reaction that Beverly Goll-Yekeson knows all too well . A native of Liberia , Yekeson was a victim of sexual violence and now works as an advocate for other Liberian women . She says most families in Liberia condemn rape , but the crime is drastically underreported because of the stigma victims and relatives feel . `` There are a lot of social illnesses in the society ; they are ashamed to come out , '' said Yekeson , president of the Liberia Crisis Center for Women and Children . `` Rape is not something that people just come out and say . '' Yekeson , who now lives and works in Maryland , said that refugees who have resettled in other countries , including the United States , often bring those attitudes with them . Her group , which runs a shelter for abuse victims in Monrovia , Liberia , also works with refugees . `` Reintegrating them into society , changing their mind-set -- that 's where we have to go , '' she said . `` That 's a bigger challenge . It 's one thing to implement a rape law and another thing to change the mind-set of a people . '' In 2005 , Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became Africa 's first elected female head of state . Shortly afterward , the country enacted a law making rape a crime for the first time . Before that , only gang rape had been explicitly outlawed , and advocates say anarchy in the country meant any law added to the books during the civil war would n't have been enforced anyway . Johnson-Sirleaf has made cracking down on rape and changing attitudes about it a top priority . She condemned the alleged attack in Phoenix and said defending rape is not a part of the nation 's culture . `` Those parents should know that things have changed in Liberia , '' she told CNN last week . `` No longer do we tolerate this . This is not a question of shame on the family . It 's a question of the assault of a young child , and that can not be tolerated . '' Watch Liberia 's ambassador , president react to the alleged rape '' The girl was taken into custody by Arizona 's child welfare agency after the police accounts saying her parents were ashamed of her . Her father has since said he wants his daughter back and denied telling police that she brought shame to the family . A pastor working with the family has said he wants to investigate to find out if there was miscommunication between the family and police in the hours following the alleged assault . Johnson-Sirleaf said she hopes the alleged attackers will receive counseling in addition to any criminal sentence they may face if they are found guilty . Liberian refugees , and those still living in her country , need to be clear that the days of sex crimes being excused or swept under the rug are over , she said . '' -LSB- Rape is -RSB- something that is no longer acceptable in our society , '' she said . `` It is a problem , but it is -LSB- also -RSB- a crime , and people bear the brunt of the penalty for such crime . '' Under Johnson-Sirleaf 's leadership in Liberia , bail is not available to those charged with rape , and a special court system has been set up to deal specifically with sex crimes . But even that system has problems that need reform , advocates say . Yekeson said an 8-year-old girl from her crisis center in Liberia was persuaded to press charges . But in the courtroom , she was made to testify while her accused attacker sat only feet away . `` You had the rapist right there , staring in her face , '' she said . `` That child was so traumatized , she ran away from the shelter and we had to look for her for days . '' But Yekeson and others remain hopeful that as the years since the fighting stopped tick away , attitudes about sex crimes in Liberia will continue to change . `` Because of the war , the social structure in Liberia , like any other war country , was destroyed , '' she said . `` Once the proper institutions have been put back into place , you will have more parents coming out and saying they are not ashamed . '' | 8-year-old girl sexually assaulted by fellow Liberia natives , police say . During Liberia 's civil war , rape was used as a weapon by soldiers . U.N. report : 60 to 70 percent of Liberian women were assault victims . Johnson-Sirleaf , first elected female leader in Africa , makes stopping rape a priority . | [[3679, 3718], [1150, 1166], [1169, 1210], [2145, 2203], [1277, 1308], [1357, 1457], [204, 300], [4668, 4675], [4678, 4772], [5053, 5148]] |
Jakarta , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has died , his family told CNN . He was 69 . Wahid , affectionately known as Gus Dur , died Wednesday evening as a result of heart problems , his family said . A news conference was planned later . Wahid , who was also a popular religious leader , had been ill for several weeks and had been hospitalized a few days ago . He had been in frail health for many years and was partially blind and unable to walk . Before becoming Indonesia 's fourth president , Wahid was the revered leader of Nahdlatul Ulama , Indonesia 's largest Muslim organization , with more than 30 million members . No one took Wahid seriously when he contested the presidential race in October 1999 , mainly because of his poor health . He was seen , however , as a candidate of compromise , and the Central Axis , a coalition of Muslim forces , lobbied in his favor . However , Indonesians -- including his onetime supporters -- were frustrated by his erratic and chaotic leadership . He was at odds with the nation 's parliament , which eventually forced him to step down . Wahid was known for injecting humor into his religious sermons and political speeches . CNN 's Atika Shubert contributed to this report . | Wahid was a popular religious leader . He contested the 1999 presidential race . He was known for injecting humor into his religious sermons and political speeches . | [[283, 288], [295, 330], [672, 689], [700, 755], [1133, 1220], [1133, 1138], [1149, 1220]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods has changed his cell phone number and is not talking to some of his famous friends , NBA legend Charles Barkley said , following Woods ' sex scandal that erupted last month . Barkley and filmmaker Spike Lee talked about their concern for the golfer during the taping of a one-hour special -- `` With All Due Respect '' -- to air Sunday on HLN , a CNN sister network . `` I think when you have these fires in your life , as I call them , you need to talk to somebody else who is famous who -LSB- has -RSB- been through things in their life , '' Barkley said . `` I do n't think you can talk about it to your family and friends , because your family and friends , they 're not famous . '' Lee said he had hoped Barkley or retired NBA star Michael Jordan could counsel Woods on how to survive the crisis . `` He 's insulated , '' Lee said . `` If Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan ca n't get to him , and those are his boys , then other people are making bad moves . '' Woods , in a written statement that acknowledged `` my infidelity , '' announced last week that he is taking `` an indefinite break '' from professional golf . The 33-year-old golfer , who tops the sport 's world rankings , has been mired in controversy since he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion in late November . The crash prompted authorities to cite him for careless driving and fine him $ 164 . | Tiger Woods should lean on his famous friends , NBA legend and filmmaker say . But Woods has changed his number and is n't talking , Charles Barkley says . Barkley : `` You need to talk to somebody else ... famous who -LSB- has -RSB- been through things '' Golf star , who acknowledged `` infidelity , '' is taking a break from the sport . | [[224, 337], [736, 823], [777, 851], [0, 7], [10, 33], [37, 82], [486, 519], [515, 519], [524, 587], [590, 607], [1028, 1082], [1113, 1176]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Real Madrid defender Christoph Metzelder fully expects to be leaving the Spanish giants next summer . Metzelder , whose contract is up at the end of the season , has played just one Spanish Primera Liga match all campaign . And the 29-year-old admits the Bernabeu giants are unlikely to offer him a new deal . `` All us players have hope but you also have to be realistic and I do n't think the club will renew my contract , '' the Germany international told reporters . `` These have been two-and-a-half complicated years for me , but I do n't want to talk about that . It is the coach who makes these decisions and as a player I have to accept it . `` I am professional and for that reason I will work until the end of the season and we 'll see if I return to playing or not . '' Metzelder insists , however , that whatever happens he will not be leaving Madrid in the winter transfer window . `` I do n't think it 's the right date to change clubs , '' he added . `` Moreover , in Germany the teams will not pay a transfer for a player who five months later will be free . In any case , I am a player who always completes his contracts . '' Meanwhile , Real Madrid have denied they have received a mega-offer from Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan to buy them out . Reports in Spain suggested the Sheikh was set to shell out one billion euros for Madrid and was due to meet club president Florentino Perez early in the new year for discussions . However , Madrid insist the story is completely unfounded . `` Real Madrid wishes to inform that Real Madrid president Mr. Florentino Perez has had a great friendship for many years with his Highness , Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan , '' read a statement on the club 's official Web site . `` And that the so-called interest and the existence of any offer to acquire Real Madrid are false . `` His Highness has always shown tremendous respect for the club and understands that Real Madrid belongs to its members . '' Sheikh Mansour , who is reportedly a Real Madrid supporter , is president of Abu Dhabi 's Al Jazira Club , where he set up a twinning agreement with the Spanish giants in 2005 . | Real Madrid defender Christoph Metzelder fully expects to be leaving the Spanish giants next summer . Metzelder , whose contract is up at the end of the season , has played just one match all season . Real Madrid deny they have received an offer from Manchester City owner to buy them out . | [[0, 15], [60, 120], [121, 130], [172, 242], [1163, 1172], [1175, 1276]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Delaware pediatrician is facing numerous charges in the alleged sexual abuse of his patients , authorities said Wednesday , and there may be `` multiple victims . '' Dr. Earl Bradley , 56 , who has had a practice in Lewes , Delaware , for more than 10 years , is charged with eight counts of first-degree rape ; four counts of second-degree rape ; 14 counts of sexual exploitation of a child ; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child , Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden told CNN . A prosecutor in Biden 's office estimated that Bradley may have had as many as 100 victims . Biden stopped short of that , saying only authorities think there may have been multiple victims , and the investigation is ongoing . As of Wednesday , seven victims had been identified , said Jason Miller , spokesman for the Delaware Department of Justice . CNN affiliate WBOC-TV reported Bradley is being held in lieu of $ 2.9 million bond . Read local coverage from CNN affiliate WBOC-TV . He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas , but his attorney requested that it be continued until January 14 , Biden said . WBOC reported that concerns about Bradley 's mental health prompted the postponement and said the doctor is under suicide watch at Sussex Correctional Institution . The charges against Bradley , and any additional charges that are filed , will be presented to a grand jury `` at some point , '' Biden told CNN . He would not give specifics of how Bradley came to authorities ' attention `` over the course of recent months . '' Police believe the abuse goes back `` for several years , '' with victims as young as 2 , he said . Additional charges were filed earlier this week after `` preliminary forensic investigation of a computer '' seized by Delaware State Police , authorities said in a release . Police said they have seized photographic and video evidence showing Bradley abusing victims , WBOC said . Court documents provide graphic details about the evidence , the station said . Bradley also has medical licenses in Pennsylvania , New Jersey and Florida . Biden said authorities in those states have been contacted . Biden urged parents or others who have concerns regarding Bradley to contact his office , where a hot line is staffed with people who can provide information including counseling referrals . `` We 're taking this incredibly seriously , '' he said . CNN 's Devon Sayers contributed to this report . | Dr. Earl Bradley is charged with eight counts of first-degree rape . One prosecutor estimates Bradley may have had as many as 100 victims . The charges against Bradley will be presented to a grand jury . Police believe abuse goes back `` for several years , '' with victims as young as 2 . | [[19, 113], [187, 203], [281, 330], [518, 610], [560, 610], [1347, 1403], [1419, 1457], [1610, 1667]] |
-LRB- CareerBuilder.com -RRB- -- 2009 has given employers and employees a run for their money -- literally . Budgets have been cut , layoffs made and furloughs instituted , and benefits and perks have evaporated . At the beginning of the year , 38 percent of employers said the economy would force them to make administrative cuts sometime during 2009 , according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com . Sixty-five percent of those employers indicated that they would cut back company social events , 61 percent anticipated curtailing business travel , 25 percent expected to scale back on health-care benefits and 11 percent planned to reduce wellness benefits . Other areas where companies planned to cut spending included special office perks , such as coffee , ice machines or discounted vending -LRB- 34 percent -RRB- , incentive trips -LRB- 28 percent -RRB- and philanthropic activities -LRB- 21 percent -RRB- . Such perks and benefits being taken away make for a tough situation for employees . Not only are they working harder to keep their jobs , but workers have to do more for less . While some argue that it 's hard to keep employees motivated in this situation , others say that they should n't focus on incentives , but rather think about the bigger picture . `` When perks and benefits are taken away , management often does this to allocate resources where they 're needed , elsewhere . The money being saved by not buying bagels every Friday or purchasing Christmas gifts for employees may be going towards your salary , '' said Tom Gimbel , founder and CEO of LaSalle Network , a staffing and recruiting firm . `` If you had to choose between taking a salary cut and not having free coffee versus being let go , most employees would likely take the former . '' Urmil `` Tracy '' Marshall , coordinator for the Office of Diversity and International Affairs at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley , Georgia. , agrees that it 's important not to focus on what is being taken away . She said that due to budgetary constraints , furloughs were implemented at the school ; but rather than get discouraged , she focused on the positive . `` I reminded myself how blessed I was to even have a job , '' Marshall said . `` We need to remind ourselves of our priorities in life , placing a greater emphasis on what we have -- not what we do n't . '' Communication is key . Although it 's understandable for employees to be upset , frustrated and discouraged when benefits or perks are taken away , Kevin Sheridan , founder and CEO of HR Solutions , which specializes in helping organizations to keep employees engaged , said that employees are less likely to be upset if management communicates with employees . In fact , 82 percent of employees surveyed in HR Solutions ' International Normative Database say that it 's important that their organization allow them to choose from a variety of benefits to meet their individual needs . The survey consisted of more than 3.3 million responses from 2,400 organizations . `` If an organization 's leadership team simply decided amongst themselves which benefits would be best to cut , employees will commonly become upset and their engagement will be negatively affected , '' Sheridan says . `` Open communication is a key driver of engagement , and employees will immediately recognize the fact that they had no voice in the situation . If leadership had simply asked employees which benefits were important to them , this situation may be avoided . '' Attitude is everything . Despite having to deal temporarily with a few displaced benefits or perks , there are benefits to sticking around with your employer until those things are reinstated . `` It 's a good time to remember that the perks were never the reason that you liked the job . No one gets up in the morning saying , ` I 'm really excited to go to the office because there 's free coffee , ' '' said Paul Glen , author and management columnist . `` If people feel that the -LSB- cuts -RSB- are being made in a good-faith effort to save jobs , they will be even more loyal than before , since they believe that the company is working on their behalf -- not just for executives . '' Additionally , according to the HR Solutions survey , 37 percent of employees have thought of resigning in the last six months . Twenty-three percent said they thought about leaving because of pay ; 18 percent because of a supervisor or manager ; 15 percent because of career advancement ; and 5 percent because of benefits . Thirty-nine percent considered it for other reasons . `` This statistic is especially important because many organizations have cut benefits over the last six months , and it illustrates that the majority of employees have not thought of resigning as a result of adjusted benefits , '' Sheridan said . `` These employees recognize the advantages of sticking around with a company , benefits or not , for advantages such as career development and compensation . Also , as soon as the economy picks up , many benefits programs will be re-evaluated ; employees sticking around with these organizations will not remain without benefits forever . '' Workers should also remember that there could be consequences to abandoning a job just because you lost free coffee or a transportation reimbursement . If you 're thinking about leaving your job for such reasons , make sure that your missing perks outweigh any possible career advancement or opportunities you would receive if you stayed . `` In this economy , it may be very hard to find another job , and there 's no guarantee that one will have free coffee , either , '' Glen said . `` Also , at the new job , even if it is good , the employee will have less tenure and is more likely to be cut in future layoffs . '' If you 've had benefits or perks taken away in recent months and need help staying motivated , remember these five tips from our experts : . 1 . Get over it . `` The longer you talk about it to fellow employees , the longer you will have bad feelings , cause others to have bad feelings and be less productive yourself , which is not what will help the company be able to restore what has been taken away , '' said Aubrey Daniels , author of `` Oops ! 13 Management Practices That Waste Time and Money -LRB- and What to Do Instead -RRB- . '' 2 . Find motivation . Sheridan encourages employees to find motivation through career planning with supervisors , interacting with co-workers or being proud of where they work . For example , an employee could volunteer to act as a sounding board for job candidates considering employment at the organization . 3 . Create your own perks . Nancy Irwin , a motivational speaker and author , said employees can take turns bringing in coffee , bagels or potluck lunches to help fill the void of things that have been cut . 4 . Understand what 's still offered and take advantage . Darcy Eikenberg , president and chief creative officer of Coach Darcy LLC , recalls a client who did n't sign up for a course because she thought training costs had been eliminated . She realized that a co-worker was taking the course and getting it paid for from tuition reimbursement , an area that had n't been cut . `` Do a deep dive into your company 's programs , policies and even discounts because there 's probably something you can use now , '' she said . 5 . Focus on the solution , not the problem . Concentrate on actions today that will affect your organization 's success and growth tomorrow , said Jonathan Berger , director of human resources at Direct Agents , an interactive advertising company . `` Take this time as an opportunity to offer new ideas to your managers and take an active and entrepreneurial role in helping your company overcome straining times . If you do a good job , you may be rewarded for your efforts when things improve , '' he said . `` In addition , by taking on new challenges and opportunities , you can further develop your skills and make yourself a more valuable asset to any organization . '' & copy CareerBuilder.com 2009 . All rights reserved . The information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority . | In a survey , many businesses said they would have to make large cuts in employee benefits . Management should communicate these issues to help employees adjust said , Kevin Sheridan . Darcy Eikenberg recommends for employees to dig deep and and find benefits still available . Concentrate on actions today that will help your organization succeed , said Jonathan Berger . | [[214, 242], [245, 398], [2360, 2382], [2508, 2556], [2630, 2721], [6860, 6913], [7426, 7448], [7523, 7583]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Veteran sports anchor George Michael died early Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer , according to his former TV station . Michael , 70 , was known nationally for `` The George Michael Sports Machine , '' a syndicated TV show that ran nationwide for 27 years . He was a sports anchor on WRC-TV -- NBC 's channel 4 in Washington , D.C. -- for more than 25 years . `` Michael was a prominent fixture , providing the most accurate and spirited sports news and highlights , '' Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said . `` He truly captured the hearts and minds of sports fans in the District and around the country . '' A statement issued by the station said `` George was a pioneer in sports broadcasting . '' `` He was a gifted interviewer , a master storyteller , and one of the hardest working journalists out there , '' the station said . Michael retired from broadcasting in March 2007 . He is survived by his wife , Pat , and his daughter , Michelle Allen , the station said . | `` The George Michael Sports Machine , '' a syndicated TV show , ran for 27 years . He was a sports anchor for Washington 's NBC affiliate for more than 25 years . Station : `` He was a gifted interviewer , a master storyteller '' Survivors include his wife , Pat , and daughter Michelle . | [[162, 169], [172, 174], [177, 238], [244, 259], [270, 299], [300, 332], [744, 819], [852, 873], [995, 1013], [924, 950]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Of all things , it was surfing that first led Sandow Birk to Islam . Illustration of Sura -LRB- chapter -RRB- 57 of the Quran is described by Sandow Birk as a triptych . The southern California artist rode the waves in Indonesia , India and Morocco , and on dry land , his curiosity piqued about the religion practiced there . He visited mosques and eventually , acquired a translated copy of the Quran , Islam 's holy book . Then came the chilling attacks of September 11 , 2001 , and Birk realized that Americans knew very little about the teachings of the Quran . He embarked on a project to paint all 114 suras -LRB- chapters -RRB- -- but in a way that no one had done before . The 46-year-old painter re-imagined God 's 7th-century revelation to the Prophet Mohammed in contemporary American context . Birk began transcribing the chapters , relating each to the things he knew best . So far , he has completed 60 chapters . `` American Quran '' is currently on display in two California galleries . `` The simple goal was to take text and make it more familiar , '' he said . So , the Quran 's opening chapter , seven verses asking for God 's guidance , often found displayed in Muslim homes , is bordered with arabesqing shapes that on closer inspection reveal objects essential to American home life -- spatulas , forks , toothbrushes , glasses , ladders , egg beaters , flip-flops . To illustrate a verse that speaks metaphorically about the thundering hooves of camels , Birk painted a stock-car race . How would Americans , after all , relate to camels ? The red , white and blue hues of a political convention accompany verses on hypocrisy . Other scenes unfold in offices , suburban lawns and sushi bars . They show funerals , weddings and holidays . And then there is sura 44 , called ad-dukhan -LRB- smoke -RRB- . `` Therefore , watch for the day when the sky brings a profound smoke . It will envelope the people ; this is a painful retribution , '' chapter 44 says . Birk pushes buttons with his interpretation : a diptych of a Manhattan street scene , smoke billowing from the World Trade Center . `` I knew I would have to bring up the Trade Center . Otherwise this project would have been disingenuous , '' Birk said . `` It was the crux of understanding of Islam for Americans . '' And the impetus for Birk 's undertaking . San Francisco gallery owner Catharine Clark knew the Sura 44 panel had the greatest potential to offend . She said she worried about reaction to the piece , but said there was nothing malicious about Birk 's intent . `` It was a tough piece , '' she said . `` But he 's not intending to upset anyone . '' Birk says he is not a deeply religious person . He has , however , established a reputation for tackling projects of epic proportions , including work that explored the Iraq war and Dante 's `` Divine Comedy . '' Clark said some Christian blogs have accused the artist of being an apologist for Islam . And Muslim reaction to his latest work has been mixed . Half of `` American Quran '' is at Clark 's gallery . The other 30 chapters are on display at the Koplin del Rio gallery in Culver City . But four miles down Washington Boulevard , the reviews are not good . Usman Madha , a spokesman for the King Fahad Mosque , the largest in Los Angeles County , said he had no plans to see Birk 's work . Madha could not even get past the title . `` American Quran is very misleading , '' Madha said . `` There is no such thing as an American Quran just as there is no European Quran or Asian Quran or Middle Eastern Quran . There is only one Quran . `` I am disheartened , '' he continued . `` It gives a wrong impression . '' Madha has heard about Birk 's vivid imagery . He said he understood the artist had good intentions and he respected freedom of expression . But he could not accept the idea of an illustrated Quran . That , he said , goes against the grain of of his religion . `` In Islam , we do n't have pictures . That becomes idolizing . And that is what we avoid , '' Madha said . Birk , however , does not plan to abandon his personal Quran project . He hopes to complete all 114 chapters by 2011 , painstakingly transcribing by hand each chapter taken from a 1861 English translation of the Quran and painting with gouache on 16-by-24-inch paper . He said his panels are not literal illustrations but highly personal meditations on the messages in the Quran . It was important to him that Americans recognized that Islamic scripture was no more strange , poetic , violent or beautiful than any other religious text ; that it was telling similar stories that are in the Bible . That 's a message people expect from scholars , peacemakers , even theologians but not necessarily from a California surfer dude . | Surfing waves in Indonesia , India , Morocco inspired Sandow Birk 's interest in Islam . 9/11 attacks led Birk to realize Americans knew very little about the Quran . He embarked on a project to paint all 114 suras -LRB- chapters -RRB- . So far , he has completed 60 chapters of `` American Quran '' | [[35, 87], [189, 267], [505, 585], [586, 610], [601, 654], [917, 947]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The new leader of the Pakistani Taliban vowed revenge on Pakistan , the United States and NATO forces for drone attacks along the Afghan border , two local journalists who attended a meeting with him told CNN . File picture taken on November 26 , 2008 of Pakistani Taliban commander Hakimullah Mehsud . Leader Hakimullah Mehsud met reporters Sunday in South Waziristan , according to the journalists , who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the news media . Taliban commanders Wali-Ur Rehman and Qari Hussein , and spokesman Aazam Tariq , were at the meeting as well , the journalists said . Mehsud also vowed to avenge the recent death of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud , they said . Officials think he was killed by a drone attack in August . The leader said the Taliban would not disarm as a condition for talks , and added that the militants ' withdrawal from the Swat Valley was a strategic move and not a retreat or a defeat , the journalists said . South Waziristan is one of seven districts in Pakistan 's tribal region along the Afghan border . The Pakistani military is fighting Taliban militants in the country 's north , and missile attacks from suspected U.S. drones have targeted militant leaders . The United States is the only country in the region known to have the ability to launch missiles from drones , which are controlled remotely . U.S. officials do not comment on suspected drone strikes , which have caused tension between Pakistan and the United States . | Hakimullah Mehsud met reporters Sunday in South Waziristan . Mehsud also vowed to avenge recent death of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud . U.S. the only country known to have ability to launch missiles from drones . | [[186, 207], [212, 250], [343, 408], [12, 36], [80, 105], [672, 678], [684, 734]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- Fantastique France continues to make its heritage and culture easier for travelers to appreciate . Being up-to-date on changes for 2009 will help your visit go smoothly . The Eiffel Tower is planning to offer online reservations , allowing visitors to book an entry time and avoid a long wait . Due to a smoking ban , you 'll enjoy fresh air in bars , cafes and restaurants throughout France . The smokers have scurried outdoors to sidewalk tables ; many of those seats now come with space heaters in winter . If you 're traveling in France by railpass , it 's increasingly important to book trips on the TGV bullet trains in advance , as there 's a strict limit on the number of seats allowed for railpass holders . And with high gas prices -- and the recognition among Europeans that rail travel is about as green as you can go -- trains are more crowded than ever . In Paris , the transit system has introduced a chip-card called the Passe Navigo Decouverte , but for most tourists , the `` carnets '' -LRB- packs of 10 individual tickets -RRB- are still the better deal . The new Passe costs about $ 27 , runs strictly from Monday through Sunday , and requires a photo , which means it 's not shareable . In contrast , a 10-ticket pack costs about $ 14 , is shareable , and has no expiration date . Paris ' Notre-Dame Cathedral has a new modest-dress rule . The `` no shorts '' code is not strictly enforced , but inside you 're expected to be quiet and respectful . A new online reservation system for the Eiffel Tower may debut in 2009 , allowing Tour-Eiffel-ists to book a half-hour time slot and avoid the notorious lines . At the Army Museum nearby , the section on 19th-century French military history -LRB- `` Revolution to Napoleon III '' -RRB- should reopen in the spring . The museum also has a new Charles de Gaulle wing , offering a 25-minute film , plus a high-tech display of photos tracing the life of France 's towering 20th-century figure . Paris ' market streets delight many visitors . While rue Cler -LRB- near the Eiffel Tower -RRB- has become quite touristy , rue des Martyrs -LRB- at the foot of Montmartre -RRB- is edgier and a great way to connect with workaday Paris . If you 'd like to `` do the Time Warp again '' while ducking airborne `` French '' toast , you can enjoy the cult movie `` Rocky Horror Picture Show '' with a Parisian crowd Friday and Saturday nights in the Latin Quarter -LRB- www.rocky.fr -RRB- . Travel Snapshots : Paris . The Palace of Versailles is undergoing extensive renovation so expect some closures . Repair projects may close its Opera House through June ; the Petit Trianon may be closed or only partially open . Busy sightseers can save both time and money by visiting Versailles with the Paris Museum Pass . The pass covers most major sights in and around Paris , pays for itself in about three entries , and allows you to walk right by the long ticket-buying lines at places like the Louvre , the Orsay Museum , the Sainte-Chapelle chapel , and Versailles -LRB- www.parismuseumpass.com -RRB- . However , everyone needs to wait through any bag-check security line . The charming city of Reims , rebuilt after World War I when Art Deco was the prevailing style , is now served by a speedy TGV train , making it an easy day trip from Paris . Reims is known for its champagne tours -LRB- Mumm , Taittinger and Martel -RRB- , giant cathedral -LRB- with Chagall stained glass -RRB- , and fascinating Museum of the Surrender -LRB- General Eisenhower 's final World War II headquarters with stirring artifacts and the document of surrender that was signed by German generals right there -RRB- . This year is the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy ; prepare for big crowds -- especially from June 1 to 10 . Also in Normandy , a museum has opened at Dead Man 's Corner , a critical crossroads between Omaha and Utah beaches that saw five torrid days of fighting in 1944 . This museum , south of Ste. Mere-Eglise , is a hit with enthusiasts as every display case shows incredible attention to detail . It also has a remarkable selection of D-Day paraphernalia for sale -- both original items and replicas . In Chinon -LRB- in the Loire Valley -RRB- the massive renovation project has nearly been completed at the medieval castle where Joan of Arc implored French King Charles VII to `` act like a man and fight the English . '' The castle is now connected to the old town by a snazzy glass elevator . Farther west , at Mont St. Michel , the first stage is under way of an ambitious project to make it a true island once again . On the French Riviera , Nice has dropped the entry fee for all city museums . Basically every sight in town -- except the Chagall Museum and the Russian Cathedral -- is free to enter . That 's nice . Antibes , just a short hop away by train , has finally reopened its prized Picasso Museum after extensive renovation . No matter what changes , visiting France is always a pleasure , which is why it remains the No. 1 tourist destination in Europe . Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio . E-mail him at [email protected], or write to him c/o P.O. Box 2009 , Edmonds , Wash. 98020 . Copyright 2009 RICK STEVES , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows . His TV series , `` Rick Steves ' Europe , '' airs on PBS stations . Steves ' company , Europe Through the Back Door , conducts European tours . | [[5085, 5147], [5135, 5153]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Roger Federer exclusively told CNN that the stunning shot he executed in his U.S. Open semifinal against Novak Djokovic was the best of his career . Roger Federer hailed his stunning shot against Novak Djokovic as the best of his career . The world number one produced a near-faultless performance to defeat fourth seed Djokovic in straight sets to reach his sixth consecutive U.S. Open Final at Flushing Meadows , but it was an outrageous shot to set up match point that will be most remembered . It came with Djokovic serving at 6-5 down in the third set . At love 30-0 up Federer dashed back to the baseline and hit a winner through his legs that flew over the net and past Djokovic into the corner for match point . `` I think it was the greatest shot I have ever hit in my life , '' Federer told CNN . `` I have hit some good ones over all the matches I have played , but I think this one , especially under the circumstances at love 30-up and with having chance to maybe clinch the match , was amazing . `` I got a standing ovation and people went crazy -- here in New York the crowds are fantastic -- as it was the perfect shot to hit , at exactly the right time , and I ca n't believe I pulled it off . '' Federer also revealed he is producing his best tennis because he is under less pressure than perhaps he was at the same time last year . At this stage in 2008 Federer had not won a grand slam but after winning the French Open and a historic 15th major at Wimbledon this time round he admitted he is more relaxed . `` I have a little bit less pressure to prove myself after reaching the 15 Grand Slams everyone was talking about and I also I won in Paris , '' he added . `` Getting through the pregnancy with my wife Mirka and having two beautiful daughters is also something that relaxes you for sure . But at the same time when you walk out on center court there will always be a certain type of pressure which will be there for the rest of my career . `` I just have to make sure I handle it correctly . I always play my best tennis towards the end of a tournament and I am happy that it is continued in this match after everything that has already happened this year . '' Federer will play Argentina 's Juan Del Potro who reached his first grand slam final after he crushed Rafael Nadal in the other semifinal . The sixth seed blew Nadal away at the Arthur Ashe Stadium , taking two hours and 20 minutes to take a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 6-2 victory . | Roger Federer hailed a shot against Novak Djokovic as the best of his career . The Swiss world number one hit a stunning baseline winner through his legs . Federer is going in search of his sixth U.S. Open title at Flushing Meadows . Argentina 's Juan Del Potro faces Federer in what will be a first grand slam final . | [[19, 138], [59, 76], [139, 167], [168, 257], [742, 774], [750, 801], [634, 663], [258, 274], [365, 431], [2208, 2253], [2226, 2253], [2258, 2347]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Barack Obama was elected U.S. president he probably did not realize it would give him a chance to pick up tips on his backswing from the world 's elite golfers . U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden make use of the White House putting green . Obama is the honorary chairman for the 2009 Presidents Cup which will be contested at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco this week where the top U.S. golfers take on the best players from around the world outside of Europe . As a golf enthusiast , and keen amateur player , the president will get the chance to pick the brains of Tiger Woods , Phil Mickelson , Ernie Els and Vijay Singh on how to improve his game . But he is not the first to take to the greens while occupying the Oval Office with 15 of the last 18 U.S. presidents said to have played the sport while in power . Living Golf 's gallery of presidential putters . '' Dwight Eisenhower is recognized as probably the most dedicated to the sport , and was often criticized by Democrats for spending too much time on the golf course . Eisenhower 's solution ? In 1954 he had a putting green installed at the White House a short stroll from the Oval Office to enable him to practice while at work which was regularly used by subsequent presidents and still exists to this day . The former five-star general was also a member at the Augusta National Golf Club where a overhanging tree on the 17th hole proved such an obstacle to the leader that it was dubbed the `` Eisenhower Tree . '' There is little doubt though that John F. Kennedy was the most talented presidential golfer , although he was reluctant to associate with the game . During his run for president in 1960 , Kennedy did everything possible to keep his fellow Americans from discovering that he not only loved the game but was nearly as good as a club professional and was said to have had a beautiful natural swing . Throughout Eisenhower 's two terms Kennedy had portrayed him as someone who cared more about lowering his handicap than improving the lives of ordinary Americans , so information about his passion for the links only really came out later . Lyndon Johnson is at the opposite end of the spectrum on the talent stakes and is reported to have taken up to 400 swings to get round an 18-hole course while Gerald Ford , who served as honorary chairman for the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994 , had a reputation for accidentally hitting the ball at spectators . In terms of sheer number of matches though even Eisenhower could not match Woodrow Wilson who was said to have played almost every day , apart from on Sundays , and even had golf balls painted red so he could play in the snow . Ronald Reagan was only an occasional player but Bill Clinton was renowned for an entourage featuring Secret Service agents , a police sniper , a man carrying U.S. nuclear codes , various aides and someone with a secure telephone so he could speak to world leaders on a typical round . George W. Bush still plays regularly with his father , and fellow former president , but Bush junior 's contribution to golf will forever be immortalized in a short press briefing he gave from the course after being questioned on violence in the Middle East . `` I call upon all nations to do everything they can to stop these terrorist killers . Thank you . '' Bush said before he paused and told reporters : `` Now watch this drive ! '' Obama therefore follows a healthy tradition of golfing presidents and he can relax safe in the knowledge that even if he can not solve the world 's problems while in the White House at least he can improve his short game . | President Barack Obama is honorary chairman for the 2009 Presidents Cup . Obama follows a tradition of recent U.S. presidents who are keen golfers . Dwight Eisenhower had a putting green installed at the White House in 1954 . George W. Bush and his father George H.W. are both enthusiastic golfers . | [[287, 345], [318, 424], [796, 873], [3444, 3449], [3460, 3509], [255, 286], [1115, 1210], [1130, 1236]] |
Editor 's note : Steve Clemons directs the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and publishes The Washington Note , a popular political blog . Steve Clemons says the Nobel panel correctly decided Obama 's approach to diplomacy holds great promise . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cynics will say that Oslo was jealous that Copenhagen , Denmark , scored a visit from President Obama , and giving him a Nobel was the only way to get him to Norway . But the Nobel Committee 's decision to make Obama the only sitting U.S. president since Woodrow Wilson to receive the Nobel Peace Prize shows the committee 's clear-headed assessment that Obama 's `` unclenched fist '' approach to dealing with the world 's most thuggish leaders has had a constructive , systemic impact on the world 's expectations of itself . Obama has helped citizens all around the world -- including in the United States -- to want a world beyond the mess we have today in the Middle East and South Asia . They want a world where America is benign and positive , and where other leaders help in supporting the struggles of their people for better lives rather than securing themselves through crude power . Obama has found a way in this interconnected world of cell phones , Twitter , Facebook and other social networking to reach a majority of the world 's citizens with his message of hope for a better world . He speaks past the dictators to regular people and has , on the whole , raised global political expectations about everything from climate change to nuclear nonproliferation in ways that no one in history has done before . Americans tend to look at everything from a U.S.-centric lens , and many woke up this morning shocked that Obama , who just saw a lot of his political capital wasted on trying to secure the 2016 Olympics for his hometown of Chicago , has gotten a fresh injection of sizzle to fill the Obama bubble . The world has been mesmerized by Obama since he started to run for the presidency . The battle between Hillary Clinton and Obama for the Democratic nomination did more to educate the rest of the world about real political choice -- and about a system in which no candidates had an automatic lock on victory -- than any USAID program could have achieved . Obama 's decision to make the ulcerous Israeli-Palestinian negotiations one of the first foreign policy challenges of his administration , rather than the last , defied most seasoned analysts ' expectations . His message to Iran 's citizens , marking the Persian new year holiday of Nowruz , and his powerful and captivating speech in Cairo , Egypt , communicated to Muslims all around the world that their lives and their faith and their expectations for a better world were vital and as valid as any others . From his perch in the White House , Barack Obama affirmed the humanity of Muslims and told them that America does value Muslim lives . Obama 's posture and rhetoric have reversed the collapse of hope and trust that the world 's citizens had in America and stopped the degradation of America 's image during the tenure of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney . Should a U.S. president get the Nobel Peace Prize if he 's about to send more U.S. troops , armed drones , bombs , tanks and other military hardware into the war-ripped zones in Afghanistan ? Or should Obama get the prize if he has n't even succeeded in getting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations going ? Or if he has n't gotten Iran to drop its nuclear ambitions and to re-enter the international system on constructive terms ? The answer is yes . I think that given how the odds were already so stacked against Obama on the global economic and security fronts , one can only be amazed at what this unlikely and fascinating president has done with `` optics . '' The night before Obama 's inauguration , White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel accepted my congratulations and responded , `` It 's going to be tough , and right now we can only change the optics , '' meaning that political perceptions and appearances could be changed more quickly than hard realities . What is brilliant about Obama and why he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize is that he is a global leader who clearly saw the gains that could be made in changing `` the optics '' of the global order , upgrading the level of respect between the United States and other nations , making a point of listening to other leaders . Obama saw that before the world could move to a more stable and better global equilibrium , it had to believe it could -- and this is what Obama has done in ways that no other leader has in memory . Obama will still make mistakes . Leaders will still wrestle with him . Hard choices and the gravity of war will still generate challenges for Obama 's leadership . But the Nobel Prize Committee has shrewdly given a key down payment for a kind of leadership it wants to see from the U.S. for many more years and given Obama another tool to help craft a new global social contract between the United States and other responsible stakeholders in the international system . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Steve Clemons . | Steve Clemons : Many Americans shocked that Obama won Peace Prize . He says the rest of the world sees how Obama has changed international tone . He says Obama 's rhetoric has `` reversed the collapse of hope '' in the world . | [[2923, 3144]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was one of the greatest humanitarian acts in history . Pondering an imaginary Yiddish-speaking place produced `` The Yiddish Policemen 's Union , '' says Michael Chabon . At the beginning of World War II , as the Nazis tightened their grip on Europe , the U.S. government allowed millions of Jews to resettle from their homes in Poland and Russia to southeastern Alaska , along the panhandle . Two million Jews had died at the hands of the Nazi scourge , but millions more were saved as the Federal District of Sitka , Alaska , became the new Jewish homeland -- all the more important when the fledgling State of Israel went down to defeat in 1948 . However , 60 years later , Sitka is about to be returned to local jurisdiction , and the island 's Jews -- including a noted detective , Meyer Landsman -- are wondering where to go next . The Jewish people , forever rootless , will have to wander some more . Landsman 's got other problems , too . He 's rootless himself , biding his time in a seedy hotel . There 's the body that turned up in a nearby room , a onetime chess prodigy who appears to have major connections with some big shots -- machers , in the local Yiddish lingo . There 's his ex-wife , now his boss -- at least until the department is disbanded -- and his partner , a half-Jewish , half-Tlingit named Berko who 's far more responsible than Landsman . And there are a host of old enemies with long memories , particularly when Landsman decides to root around the dead chess player 's case . Landsman 's world is fiction , of course , a product of Michael Chabon 's imagination . Chabon 's new book , `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' -LRB- HarperCollins -RRB- , combines Landsman 's hard-boiled detective 's terrain with the landscape of alternate history , one in which world events take a startling turn . The story is rooted in fact , the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Chabon -LRB- `` The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay '' -RRB- observes . Chabon had written an article about the decline of Yiddish , and the reaction to the piece -- some of it very negative -- `` got me thinking about ... a possible , but nonexistent , imaginary Yiddish-speaking place in the modern world , '' he says in an interview at CNN Center . In the article , he noted an actual plan by Franklin Roosevelt 's Interior secretary , Harold Ickes , to create a refuge for European Jews in Alaska , still 20 years from statehood . In reality , the plan was squelched thanks to the opposition of Alaska delegate Anthony Dimond , but in the `` Yiddish Policemen 's '' world , Dimond is conveniently killed off and the plan goes forward . Chabon 's Federal District of Sitka is a land of tall apartment blocks and grimy streets , as if `` Hong Kong had moved to the other side of the Pacific Ocean , '' he says . The novel is peppered with clever conceits . The book 's black hats , as in villains , are actual `` black hats , '' a slang term for ultra-Orthodox Jews . The characters are fond of Filipino doughnuts , a twist on the Jewish taste for Chinese food . The place names of Russian Alaska are an apt companion to the Eastern European surnames of Chabon 's Jews , and then there are throwaway bits -- such as in the Sitka of 2001 , Orson Welles did release a version of `` Heart of Darkness . '' Doing a genre novel -- or several at once , as `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' is part detective story , part alt-history , part modern Jewish folktale -- is n't considered the natural turf for a so-called literary writer like Chabon , but the author -- who has been vocal in support of genre fiction -- makes no apologies for the work . `` I only ever try to write in genres that I love ... I love hard-boiled detective novels , I love fantasy , I love science fiction , '' he says . `` It feels like a natural impulse to want to integrate that passion that I have as a reader into my writing . I did n't see a good reason not to . ... And to say that there 's something inherently inferior about the mystery genre is just silly . '' In writing `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union , '' Chabon says , the key was re-reading Raymond Chandler , creator of L.A. detective Philip Marlowe and a distinctive tough-guy style , as well as the Russian-Jewish short story writer Isaac Babel , `` whose use of simile and metaphor strangely echoed Chandler , '' he says . Babel also had a `` clear-eyed view of violence . ... There 's a kinship there between Chandler and Babel , and that 's what helped me kind-of forge the voice for this novel , '' Chabon says . But , he adds , `` the whole novel is itself a simile . It 's setting up a series of semblances and mirrorings of the world we live in , so it seemed almost necessary , not just from a stylistic point of view but from a thematic point of view . '' Chabon 's layered themes include reason 's conflict with religious extremism , an idea that comes to the fore as the novel progresses . Holding a mirror to our world is a common theme of alternate histories , and Chabon says he is fond of the type in general . The noted comic-book fan -- he co-wrote `` Spider-Man 2 '' -- cites two favorites : the `` what-if '' scenarios often proposed in the Superman comics , and an issue of National Lampoon that celebrated John F. Kennedy 's fifth inaugural with the cover line , `` JFK 's First 6,000 Days . '' `` I read and re-read that a dozen times , '' he says . `` It had an undertone of poignance . ... It was like a perpetual November 21 , 1963 . America never went through any of the turbulence of the '60s . ... It was the opposite of most counterfactual fiction , which tends to present the catastrophic -- what if the bad things happened . ... This was presenting an ` if only , ' not a ` what if . ' '' Which is not to say `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' is presenting a better -- or worse -- future . There is a darkness in the book , Chabon observes . But there 's also the idea that millions of people were saved from the death camps . `` I 'm certainly not presenting the world of this novel as ` it would have been better this way . ' It 's a dark world , and the Jews of Sitka are on the brink of the abyss , '' he says . `` But there is a certain ` if only ' quality . '' `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' has earned mostly admiring reviews . '' ` The Yiddish Policemen 's Union ' builds upon the achievement of ` Kavalier & Clay , ' '' wrote the notoriously hard-to-please Michiko Kakutani in The New York Times . Reaction from the public has been positive and even put him on The New York Times ' hardcover bestseller list , a rarified place for any author . `` I feel like the book has been embraced , '' says Chabon . Perhaps the only people concerned about the book 's subject matter are some Jews , who have asked Chabon if the book is n't , well , `` too Jewish . '' `` It reminds me of when my first novel , ` The Mysteries of Pittsburgh , ' came out ... and everybody in Pittsburgh said , ` Are you crazy ? Why would you set a novel in Pittsburgh ? Who 's going to want to read a novel about Pittsburgh ? ' '' he laughs . `` The reason we read fiction is know what it would be like to really be someone else . ... That kind of transport across time and place is the magic of fiction . '' E-mail to a friend . | `` Yiddish Policemen 's Union '' posits Alaskan Jewish homeland . Author Michael Chabon won Pulitzer for earlier novel . New book inspired by thoughts of Yiddish , love of genres . | [[95, 183], [1901, 1934], [2002, 2012]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- When Eileen Mather lands in Mexico City on her way to Tapachula , Mexico , she learns her airline ticket is n't valid . Her airline forces her to buy a new one . Mather asks her online agency , Cheapoair.com , for a refund , but more than six months later , she 's still out $ 879 . Is she also out of options ? Q : I need your help getting my money back for a plane ticket I had to pay for twice . Here 's my story : I bought tickets online through Cheapoair.com from Philadelphia to Tapachula , Mexico . When we arrived in Mexico City , Aviacsa Airlines representatives told us that Cheapoair had n't paid for the last leg of our trip . So I had to buy new tickets . Two members of our group also had to pay again . After I returned home , I faxed all of my documents to a supervisor at Cheapoair . That was six months ago . I 've called her repeatedly and left messages , but no one has contacted me , and I 'm out $ 879 . Is there anything you can do ? -- Eileen Mather , Glenside , Pennsylvania . A : You should n't have to pay twice for your airline tickets . But you also should n't be too quick to blame Cheapoair for the mix-up . A lot can go wrong when you 're dealing with a flight schedule that involves multiple carriers . Reservations can be lost , paper tickets and boarding passes can be misread . And , of course , there 's the language issue . When you 're traveling internationally , something can easily get lost in the translation . Cheapoair may -- or may not -- have been responsible for your non-working tickets . But as your online travel agent , it was responsible for helping you fix it . That 's why you buy from an intermediary and pay a booking fee : so there 's someone to turn to when something goes wrong . The online agency should n't have kept you in a holding pattern for more than six months . Cheapoair 's `` Golden Guarantee '' promises `` to provide all our customers with 24/7 toll-free number support because we understand the importance of critical last-minute client/traveler needs and requirements for changes to trips . '' I guess offering a toll-free number around the clock does n't necessarily mean your questions will be answered quickly , but you ca n't blame me if I 'm left with that impression . You could have avoided a lengthy dance with Cheapoair by taking this up with Aviacsa either when you were flying to Tapachula or returning home . If you had arrived at the airport a half-hour earlier , you might have been able to speak with a supervisor and straightened this out . Once you were home , and were running into a brick wall with Cheapoair 's supervisor , I would have tried knocking on the front door again . Normally , starting a new query through an online form means your complaint will get reviewed again and may be assigned a new case number . A phone call does n't work the same way . After you hang up , your case is basically closed . I contacted Cheapoair on your behalf . It apologized for the delay and said it contacted Aviasca , but could n't determine why your ticket was n't accepted . An airline representative told Cheapoair it would have to speak to the agent who was working at the ticket counter when you checked in , which was impossible . Cheapoair refunded the $ 879 you spent on your second ticket . Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine . E-mail him at [email protected] . Copyright 2009 CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | Customer booked an international flight through Cheapoair.com . Ticket for one leg of her flight was not accepted , and she had to buy a new one . The online agency did not know why her ticket was rejected . Troubleshooter contacted Cheapoair , and it refunded the customer 's money . | [[456, 519], [158, 199], [177, 199], [544, 574], [577, 676], [2984, 2986], [3048, 3102], [2945, 2983], [3263, 3325]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- When you have beach on the brain , who wants to bother with a layover ? Budget Travel has prepared the ultimate insider 's guide to seven resort towns south of the border that are just one quick flight away . The Pacific-coast resort of Puerto Vallarta has attracted artists in recent years with its natural beauty and well-preserved colonial architecture . MAZATLÁN . As resort towns go , Mazatlán is one of Mexico 's prettiest , with an assortment of 19th-century neoclassical , republican , and French baroque buildings in pastel colors . The best place for wandering is Old Mazatlán , particularly the tree-lined streets around Plazuela Machado , where guitarists and singers roam from one sidewalk café to the next . Eat Sample traditional Sinaloan dishes at Pedro & Lola , a restaurant with seating on the square that 's known for its Mexican Molcajete , grilled beef served with cactus and onions -LRB- 011-52/669 -982 -2589 , restaurantpedroylola.com , beef $ 14 -RRB- . Drink On nearby Belisario Domínguez street , locals gather nightly for tequila and Pacifico beers at La Tertulia , a bullfighting-themed bar that 's owned and staffed by actual bullfighters and has posters , costumes , and pictures of the sport 's greats all over the walls -LRB- no phone , tequila from $ 2 -RRB- . BudgetTravel.com : Find a nonstop route to Mexico . Stay Among the hotel options in the area , the 72-room Best Western Posada Freeman Express has the most character -- it 's in a renovated 1940s high-rise and has a rooftop pool with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean -LRB- 011-52/669 -985 -6060 , book.bestwestern.com , from $ 80 -RRB- . Detour To lose the crowds , jump on one of Aqua Sport Center 's boats to tiny , uninhabited Deer Island just off the coast . It has a white-sand beach , trails for hiking , and clear waters that are perfect for snorkeling -LRB- 011-52/669 -913 -3333 , $ 12 -RRB- . IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO . The twin cities of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are separated by just three miles , but despite that proximity , they do n't have a lot in common . Zihuatanejo , which dates back to precolonial times , is a relaxed fishing town set on an enclosed bay with not a single high-rise hotel . Stay The 30 rooms at the Hotel Brisas del Mar are accented with Mexican tiles and have hammocks on the balconies -LRB- 011-52/755 -554 -2142 , hotelbrisasdelmar.com , from $ 102 -RRB- . Ixtapa , in contrast , was built 36 years ago as part of a government effort to spur tourism development on the coast . Today , it has a gleaming strip of beachfront hotels , manicured lawns , and a wide range of restaurants , from local spots to large Mexican chains . Eat El Arbolito serves fresh seafood dishes , such as camaronillas -- shrimp and cheese in a fried tortilla -- and creative cocktails like the Black Banana , a mixture of Kahlua , coconut liqueur , and orange juice -LRB- 011-52/755 -553 -3700 , entrées from $ 8 -RRB- . Drink At Barceló Ixtapa Beach Hotel 's Sanca Bar , bands play salsa and Cuban music on weekend nights -LRB- 011-52/755 -555 -2000 , barcelo.com , beer from $ 3 -RRB- . Do Ixtapa has no shortage of beaches , but if you 're in the mood for something more active , rent a bike at Xplora Adventours -LRB- 011-52/755 -553 -3584 , $ 3 per half hour -RRB- and take a ride through Parque Ecológico Aztlán , a forest teeming with native birds , turtles , and iguanas . BudgetTravel.com : Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo photos . ACAPULCO . Acapulco got its glamorous start in the 1950s and '60s , when celebrities like Frank Sinatra , Elizabeth Taylor , and Judy Garland turned the exclusive hotels on the rugged cliffs over the bay into their playground . Drink One of these spots , the 78-year-old Hotel el Mirador , is the place to go for a quintessential Acapulco experience : Watching cliff divers plunge 130 feet into the bay while having a watermelon daiquiri on the patio at the on-site La Perla bar -LRB- 011-52/744 -483 -1155 , hotelelmiradoracapulco.com.mx , $ 24 drink minimum -RRB- . For another side of the city 's nightlife , find a dance partner and head to Ninas , a salsa and merengue club where bands play nightly -LRB- 011-52/744 -484 -2400 , cover $ 24 , with open bar -RRB- . Stay Close to the city center , One Hotel Acapulco Costera has 126 rooms with simple , Scandinavian-style furniture -LRB- 800/343 -7821 , onehotels.com , from $ 75 -RRB- . Eat The open-air restaurant El Zorrito offers a wide range of regional Guerrero dishes , such as posole , hominy stew with chicken -LRB- 011-52/744 -485 -3735 , posole $ 6 -RRB- . Detour Eight miles south of downtown Acapulco is one of the most secluded beaches around : Playa Majahua . Swim in the bay and then try the ceviche at one of the tiny shacks set up near the sand . BudgetTravel.com : Acapulco photos . PUERTO VALLARTA . Puerto Vallarta 's art scene does n't yet rival that of San Miguel de Allende , but it 's well on its way : Painters , sculptors , and other artisans have moved to the Pacific-coast resort town in recent years , drawn by the natural beauty of the mountainous coast and the well-preserved colonial architecture in Old Vallarta . Shop The old town has a number of galleries and boutiques , such as Joyería Yoler , which sells handcrafted silver jewelry -LRB- 011-52/322 -222 -8713 -RRB- , and Peyote People , a purveyor of Huichol Indian art -LRB- 011-52/322 -222 -2302 -RRB- . See Large bronze sculptures by Mexican artists adorn the city 's Malecón , the oceanfront boardwalk lined with dozens of restaurants and shops . Stay One of the best hotel options in the area is the Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Spa , which has more than 200 newly renovated rooms -- some with beamed ceilings -- and a pool overlooking Playa Camarones -LRB- 011-52/322 -226 -7000 , hotelbuenaventura.com.mx , from $ 120 -RRB- . Eat Dine on a patio overlooking the beach at nearby El Barracuda , which specializes in seafood dishes like the Dynamite : shrimp , octopus , and tilapia served over rice -LRB- 011-52/322 -222 -4034 , entrées from $ 13 -RRB- . LOS CABOS . Wedged between granite peaks and the water on the tip of Baja California , Los Cabos has one of Mexico 's most dramatic settings . But a less-than-thrilling 20-mile-long tourist corridor connects the towns of San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas , making it all the more appealing to choose a town and stick with it . See In San José del Cabo 's downtown arts district , galleries like Old Town show works by Mexican artists -LRB- 011-52/624 -142 -3662 , oldtowngallery.net -RRB- . Stay El Encanto Inn & Suites is decorated in Spanish-colonial style , with chandeliers in the entryway and a fountain in the courtyard -- plus , the 28 rooms all have balconies -LRB- 011-52/624 -142 -0388 , elencantoinn.com , from $ 95 -RRB- . Eat Set in a hacienda in Cabo San Lucas , La Fonda serves dishes that chef Christopher Chong 's grandmother used to cook , like empanadas with a red chili sauce -LRB- 011-52/624 -143 -6926 , empanadas $ 11 -RRB- . Do At Playa Médano in Cabo San Lucas , Andromeda Divers y Mas offers water sports such as sea kayaking and parasailing -LRB- 011-52/624 -143 -2765 , scubadivecabo.com -RRB- . Detour An hour 's drive north of Los Cabos , eclectic shops and galleries have opened in artist-friendly Todos Santos , including the bookstore El Tecolote Libros -LRB- 011-52/612 -145 -0295 -RRB- and Galería de Todos Santos -LRB- 011-52/612 -145 -0500 , galeriadetodossantos.com -RRB- . BudgetTravel.com : Los Cabos photos . CANCÚN . Cancún may never shake its reputation as a rowdy college-party destination , but outside of spring-break season , the city is a surprisingly subdued place . The peninsula is where most of the major resorts are located , so if you 're looking for character , it 's best to head downtown on the mainland . Stay The boutique hotel Sol y Luna has 11 brightly painted rooms , mosaic-trimmed baths , and balconies overlooking Parque de las Palapas -LRB- 011-52/998 -887 -5579 , solylunahotel.com , from $ 48 -RRB- . Eat The park is a popular gathering spot for musicians in the evenings ; it 's also where you 'll find one of the city 's best restaurants , Labná , which serves Yucatecan dishes such as pibil , achiote-flavored pork wrapped in a banana leaf -LRB- 011-52/998 -892 -3056 , labna.com , pibil $ 9 -RRB- . Drink The aptly named Bling Resto Bar , on the resort peninsula , is just what it sounds like ; lounge on the patio with a grape mojito and watch the sun go down over the lagoon -LRB- 011-52/998 -840 -6014 , blingcancun.com , drinks from $ 5 -RRB- . Detour Xcaret , a sprawling ecological and adventure theme park about 45 minutes south of Cancún , is an ideal spot for families . Activities here range from swimming through caves in an underground river to walking through a butterfly pavilion and watching monkeys , manatees , pumas , and jaguars in their natural environments -LRB- 011-52/998 -883 -0470 , www.xcaret.com , from $ 69 -RRB- . BudgetTravel.com : Cancun photos . COZUMEL . Surrounded by vibrantly colored coral reefs , the island of Cozumel , 11 miles off the Yucatán coast , has been attracting divers since Jacques Cousteau popularized it in the 1960s . The most central place to be situated for day trips around the island is the town of San Miguel , which has a number of reasonably priced guesthouses . Stay Las Anclas gets high marks not only for its seven bi-level suites and beautiful garden , but also for owners Pedro and Eyal , who are eager to offer up restaurant recommendations -LRB- 011-52/987 -872 -5476 , lasanclas.com , from $ 95 -RRB- . Eat A local favorite is La Candela , which serves hearty dishes like chicken stuffed with ham and cheese , and jamaica , a cold tea made from hibiscus flowers -LRB- 011-52/987 -878 -4471 , chicken $ 8 -RRB- . Do The tour operator Deep Blue arranges dive trips to some of the hardest-to-reach reefs around the island -LRB- 011-52/987 -872 -5653 , deepbluecozumel.com , from $ 68 -RRB- . Or , you can take a boat ride through the mangroves in the Faro Celarain Eco Park for an adventure of a different sort : crocodile spotting -LRB- 011-52/987 -872 -1680 , cozumelparks.com , $ 11 -RRB- . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2008 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip . | The island of Cozumel , 11 miles off the Yucatán coast , is a diving hot spot . Puerto Vallarta has attracted painters , sculptors and other artisans in recent years . Los Cabos , on the tip of Baja California , has one of Mexico 's most dramatic settings . | [[9078, 9099], [9127, 9214], [238, 386], [4925, 5050], [6156, 6211]] |
-LRB- Southern Living -RRB- -- For a heady dose of holiday spirit , dive into Opryland . Fifteen miles of green garland and 10 miles of hand-tied red ribbon festoon the property . I 've heard that you can see the Great Wall of China from outer space . At Christmastime , I bet you can also see Gaylord Opryland . It sparkles with megawatts of lights , fun , and merriment . But you do n't have to be shot into orbit to enjoy the view of this Nashville treasure . Make the easy drive to Middle Tennessee and delight in this perfectly luminous getaway . The one must-see . Many holiday activities raise your spirits ; one really promises to chill you out . Most of you have read or seen `` How the Grinch Stole Christmas ! '' But you have n't had the ultimate Dr. Seuss experience until you meet the green grump carved in ice . Put on a parka -- loaned to you upon admission -- and enter ICE ! , a frozen world located in the Gaslight Theater . The attraction will be back next year , but this is the last time you 'll see the Grinch and Who-ville , carved by Chinese craftsmen from huge , brilliantly hued blocks of ice . There are even frigid sliding boards to try . Afterward , leave the 18-degree area , and grab a cup of hot chocolate in the adjoining gift shop . Are you smiling yet ? Special happenings . It 's the 25th year the resort has provided a Santa 's bagful of activities and entertainment . The decorations begin going up in July for A Country Christmas , and the festivities run from mid-November until the holidays end . During that time , enjoy delights such as carriage rides , photos with Santa , the Hall of Trees , and the Treasures for the Holidays Craft Show . Just admiring all the lights , poinsettias , and `` faux-piaries '' -- animal-shaped topiaries -- will get your inner Rudolph aglow . Southern Living : Tips from a repeat Oprylander . The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes high-kick from the Grand Ole Opry stage . Wear your Christmas sweater and jeans while you watch them -- everyone else does . For a memento of your visit , add glitter and sparkle to a fragrant miniature holiday house at Gingerbread Corner . Special events also include Louise Mandrell 's `` Joy to the World Christmas Dinner & Show , '' as well as a Winter Wonderland that includes a train ride for little ones . Near the hotel , board the General Jackson showboat for a dinner cruise on the Cumberland River . SouthernLiving.com : Hot Spots for the New Year . Dining and shopping . You have many options for meals in the huge Gaylord Opryland complex . For a fine-dining experience , try Old Hickory Steakhouse . Indulge in a rich lobster bisque , perfectly cooked filet mignon , and crème brûlée . Water 's Edge Marketplace Buffet , located in the Delta Atrium , is a more casual venue . Graze among 60 different stations , filled with everything from pasta and salads to meats and vegetables . You can also grab a quick meal at Stax Burgers or Paisano 's Pizzaria & Vino , both on the Delta Island . For a nighttime dose of high-octane fun , go directly to the new Fuse nightclub , with rave reviews and visiting luminaries such as Kid Rock and Kim Kardashian . If you need festive duds , check out the shopping at Gaylord Opryland , such as Amelia 's or Savannah 's , both featuring dressy and casual women 's clothing . Opry Mills , the outlet mall just down the road , offers some of the best shopping opportunities , with winning Tennessee stores such as The Gibson Showcase and The Apple Barn Cider Bar & General Store . The Disney Store Outlet and Build-A-Bear Workshop also mesmerize , while standbys such as Nike , Gap Outlet , and Tommy Hilfiger Company Store are perennial favorites . The on-premises Rainforest Cafe or Johnny Rockets are ever popular refueling spots . If you go ... Gaylord Opryland Resort : www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland or 1-888-999-6779 . Special holiday packages , including accommodations and tickets to several attractions , begin at $ 335 for a two-night stay . Try 2 FREE TRIAL issues of Southern Living - CLICK HERE ! Submit your favorite places to visit , stay , and dine in the South and enter to win a Caribbean Getaway - click here ! Copyright SOUTHERN LIVING Magazine . All rights reserved . This material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . | ICE ! in the Gaslight Theater includes an ice sculpture of the Grinch . The decorations began going up in July for A Country Christmas . Opry Mills , the outlet mall just down the road , offers great shopping . | [[785, 825], [1406, 1468], [3330, 3340], [3380, 3426]] |
Fort Hood , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The call came over the radio . `` Shots fired . '' And then , even worse : `` Officer down . '' Billy Rhoads , chief of the Fort Hood Fire Department , grabbed a radio and donned his flak jacket . He jumped into his SUV and tore down the road . A dozen or so blocks away , at the Soldier Readiness Center , a gunman had opened fire on soldiers . Rhoads stepped from his truck . His department 's motto is `` Protecting those who protect us . '' He hoped he was not too late for that . The scene was chaotic . Wounded and dead soldiers were everywhere . `` I was listening to people hollering for help , and I was trying to get in there to see what we had , '' Rhoads recalled three days after the November 5 attack . `` I assumed that we would have maybe several victims . I had no idea , I just could not fathom what we were going to encounter . '' Amid all the army uniforms , one dark blue uniform stuck out . It was Fort Hood police Sgt. Kimberly Munley , who , officials say , shot the alleged gunman , Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan , to end the rampage . She suffered three gunshot wounds . `` I broke and ran over to her , '' Rhoads said . `` I got over to her and began trying to talk to her . '' Rhoads and Munley had worked closely in the past . He considers her a friend . Army medics had fashioned a makeshift tourniquet on her leg . He bent down to comfort her . She was extremely weak and unable to speak loudly . `` I just kept reminding her of her daughter and that she needed to stay with us for the baby 's sake , '' he said . `` She 's a very tough cookie . '' Munley , 34 , had served in the Army herself before becoming a police officer at Fort Hood . Her husband is a staff sergeant in the Army , and their daughter is 3 years old . Munley 's neighbors have said she is so tough , she stopped burglars from entering her house last year . Said Rhoads of Munley : `` The old saying that dynamite comes in small packages is very true . '' Emergency personnel were flooding the scene , and helicopters were en route to evacuate the injured . Rhoads , who began as a volunteer firefighter 26 years ago when he was just a teen , took over the scene as incident commander . But first , he paused for a quick prayer . `` I just asked the Lord to be with me , to give me the strength and the courage I need to do my job wisely and keep my people safe . '' Even as the first responders worked on the dozens of wounded soldiers , they were n't certain whether there were other shooters on the post . `` The thought 's always there on your mind that there could be another suspect in the area , '' Rhoads said . As for Hasan , the fire chief says that discussing the shooting suspect is too emotional . `` I saw the suspect from a distance , but I never got a look at him . '' Rhoads ' prayers remain with the soldiers he tries to keep safe . `` It 's very emotional for everybody when we lose our soldiers . But when we lose them here at home like this , it takes it to a different level . '' He says the department has arranged for counselors to be available for the firefighters as they process all they have endured . They 've received phone and text messages from fire and police departments all across the country , offering support and prayer . But the main thing his firefighters have relied on , he says , is each other . `` Afterward , everyone started to console each other and talk to each other . It 's a brotherhood . '' | Fire chief came across officer , told her she `` needed to stay '' for her daughter . Chief says people were hollering all over the scene : `` I had no idea '' Billy Rhoads began firefighting when he was a teen . | [[1461, 1559], [522, 545], [612, 637], [810, 823], [2154, 2172]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A key congressional committee opened its investigation Thursday into the November 5 Fort Hood shootings with a pledge to find out if authorities failed to `` connect the dots '' and could have prevented the attack . The head of the committee promised the inquiry would not interfere with a separate investigation into the shootings being conducted by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Attorney General Eric Holder . `` Their investigation looks backward and is punitive . Ours looks forward and is preventive , '' said Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman , I-Connecticut , . Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan , a U.S. Army psychiatrist , is accused of opening fire at a military processing center at Fort Hood Army Post , killing 13 people . Dozens of others were wounded . Hasan was shot and paralyzed during the attack and remains in a military hospital . Lieberman said the committee will carry out its investigation `` with respect for the thousands of Muslim-Americans who are serving in the American military with honor and the millions of other patriotic , law-abiding Muslims who live in our country . '' But , he added , `` we do no favor to all our fellow Americans who are Muslim by ignoring real evidence that a small number of their community have , in fact , become violent Islamists and extremists . '' Lieberman said the committee 's investigation will focus on whether concerns raised by Hasan 's colleagues about his `` mental stability and political extremism '' were dealt with appropriately by senior Army officials . Among other things , a memo reportedly written two years ago by Hasan 's supervisor at Walter Reed Army Medical Center says Hasan demonstrated `` a pattern of poor judgment and a lack of professionalism '' during his residency at the hospital . CNN could not corroborate the authenticity of the memo , which was obtained by National Public Radio . Lieberman also said the committee will examine a lack of response by federal authorities after uncovering an exchange of e-mails between Hasan and a radical cleric accused of having ties to al Qaeda . The FBI has said it was aware of communication between Hasan and Anwar al-Awlaki , a Yemeni-American cleric who has promoted jihad against the United States and other Western countries . But investigators determined that those contacts were `` consistent with research being conducted by Maj. Hasan . '' Also , Lieberman noted , the committee will look into whether information on Hasan gathered by a joint terrorism task force was shared with officials in the Army , the Defense Department or elsewhere . Maine Sen. Susan Collins , the ranking Republican on the committee , said Hasan 's case `` raises questions about whether or not restrictive rules have a chilling effect on the legitimate dissemination of information , making it too difficult to connect the dots that would have allowed a clear picture of the threat to emerge . '' But a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CNN that when Hasan first came to the attention of investigators because of his communications with al-Awlaki , officials looked at his military personnel file and nothing was found that raised suspicion . None of the items that have been reported since the shootings -- including the reported memo from his Walter Reed supervisor or a Power Point presentation arguing that Muslims in the Army should be given conscientious objector status -- were part of the file , the official said , but it was noted that Hasan had done research about Muslims in the military . Thursday 's hearing included testimony from former Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Keane , Rand Corp. consultant Brian Jenkins and New York City Police Department intelligence analyst Mitchell Silber . `` At a glance , Maj. Hasan 's rampage at Fort Hood looks a lot like what used to be called ` going postal , ' '' Jenkins said . It was `` a deepening sense of personal grievance culminating in a homicidal rampage directed against co-workers -- in this case , fellow soldiers . `` For Hasan , ` going jihad ' reflects the channeling of obvious personality problems into a deadly fanaticism , '' he said . The committee launched its investigation only hours before Gates announced a 45-day review of Pentagon policies to see if the Defense Department has fallen short in identifying service members `` who could potentially pose credible threats to others . '' The review will be led by former Army Secretary Togo West and retired Adm. Vern Clark , a former Navy chief . At the same time , the Army will conduct its own , more detailed review of its policies and whether they could have prevented the shootings at the post in Texas . And those will be followed by a four - to six-month study of `` systemic institutional shortcomings '' conducted by each of the armed services . The Fort Hood shooting has `` broader implications for society ... particularly in these lone wolf cases , which are the hardest , '' Lieberman said . `` When people hear people saying things that seem extreme ... respecting First Amendment rights , you 've got to begin to reach out and see if you can stop somebody before they do something very harmful . '' | Incident has `` broader implications for society , '' Sen. Joe Lieberman says . Congressional committee opens inquiry into massacre at Fort Hood , Texas . Lieberman : Feds ' lack of response after uncovering e-mails will be examined . Also to be investigated is whether task force information about suspect was shared . | [[542, 623], [4884, 4988], [5015, 5034], [0, 26], [60, 133], [1929, 1938], [1944, 2129], [2441, 2456], [2459, 2557]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- Mindy Perlmutter was having a birthday party , but this was not just your garden variety , chocolate cake , two kinds of ice cream , balloons , and a piñata type soiree . No , this would be an affair to remember . Lisa Kogan has learned the hard way about when it 's important to listen to loved ones . This would be even more fabulous than Alicia Mittenthal 's tie-dye-your-own-pillowcase gala or Daisy Feng 's macramé-your-own-bracelet bash . This was to be a build-your-own-terrarium shindig , complete with colored sand and plastic stones and an incredibly classy assortment of glass goldfish bowls . At the time -LRB- the time being about 34 years ago -RRB- , it seemed like a very big deal -- I mean , let 's be honest here , it would still be a big deal to go to a party where you get to build your own terrarium ... in , you know , a kind of retro , '70s , ironic , hipster way . So there I sat , looking out the den window , which gave me a clear view to the driveway while I waited for my ride to come spirit me away . Actually , it had n't been our den since my grandparents returned from their life in Miami Beach and my folks rented a hospital bed to turn the den into my grandmother 's bedroom . I loved my grandmother , but I ca n't say I ever really got to know her . She was the lady who played bingo and walked with a cane and kept a plump red tomato pincushion next to the creaky old foot-pedal-powered Singer sewing machine . I remember that she put up her own pickles and draped strudel dough across the kitchen table , and I know that she learned to reupholster her own furniture and got her first driver 's license when she was deep into her 50s , and I 'm acutely aware that she spoke to my grandfather in a very stern Yiddish whenever he tried to convince me to watch `` The Lawrence Welk Show . '' My grandmother endured an awful lot from the man , but no grandchild of hers was going to be forced to watch Lawrence Welk so long as she still had breath in her body . Anyway , the sun was going down and my ride was running late and my grandmother started to talk . I thought she was going to warn me to be careful of something or other , because she was from the generation who believed that pigeons carry polio and she worried a lot , but if she was anxious about anything that night , she did n't show it . `` I used to love to go to parties , '' she told me . She might as well have said that she used to enjoy scaling Mount Everest in flip-flops and a tutu . I was pretty sure I 'd heard all the stories from my grandmother 's life -- and none of them involved a party . Oprah.com : How to write your own memoir . The talk I 'd heard was always the same : She and her mother and her five brothers and sisters starving through the bitter Russian winters in a little village whose name sounded like a sneeze . I knew about the malnutrition , the crippling rickets , the father who slaved away for years in Detroit trying to earn enough money to bring his wife and children to America and how when he finally did manage to save enough , the man he entrusted with the job of bringing the family over disappeared with the money -LRB- was he killed ? did he steal it ? -RRB- , leaving my great-grandfather to start all over again . I 'd heard how my great-uncles Sam and Isadore would scrounge through fields looking for anything edible while my grandmother supported everyone with her job as a maid to the butcher 's wife , and I knew by heart the story of how she lost that job because the woman caught her taking a sip of milk . I also knew how she met Arthur Levy , the love of her life , who my great-aunt Molly swore looked `` exactly like a young Perry Como , '' and that he died a few weeks after she married him , though she never stopped wearing his ring . I knew that the first son she had with my grandfather had died , and that on a Friday afternoon in 1939 , her father , the man who worked so hard to bring the family here , died , too , after being pushed off the roof of a building in an anti-Semitic attack . And , of course , I knew that she worked nonstop to build a better life for her children . But I realize now that I only knew those stories because they were told to me by other people . The night of Mindy Perlmutter 's terrarium party , my grandmother was telling me the things she wanted me to know . She talked about dances and boys and a silvery blue dress she 'd sewn with her sisters . She told me about a time when all her friends were doubled over with laughter because ... well , I 'm not really sure what it was they found so funny . There was a honk and the glare of headlights , so I gave my grandmother a fast peck on the cheek and flew straight out the door . She went into the hospital the next morning , and she never came out . I sit playing Candy Land with the great-granddaughter Rose Kogan never got to meet . Julia Claire closes her eyes , blows on the dice , and whispers , `` C'mon , c'mon , Mama needs a pair of deuces . '' I have no idea why my 6-year-old sounds like Edward G. Robinson , but I make a mental note to quit letting her play blackjack with the doormen . She rolls `` snake eyes '' and becomes my little girl again . `` I want a do-over , Mommy . '' I start to explain that we do n't really get do-overs in this world , that you kind of have to play it as it lays . I believe the parenting books call this a `` teachable moment , '' but my follow-through leaves much to be desired . I hand Jules the dice and say , `` Go for it , kid . '' The truth is , I want a do-over , too . I have ignored my instincts , I have embraced my neuroses , and there have been more than a few serious lapses in judgment over the years -- hell , I once painted my bathroom aubergine . But if I could get just one night back , it would be a chilly October evening when nothing mattered more to me than hanging with my friends in Mindy Perlmutter 's basement . Oprah.com : One thing Lisa Kogan would never change . I would have taken off my coat and sat back down , only this time I 'd have faced my grandmother instead of the driveway . I would have asked her if the good times outweighed the bad , if there were nights she 'd do differently , if she 'd ever felt like giving up -- or if that was even an option . I never told her how smart and talented and brave and lovely I thought she was . I never heard what was so great about Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon in Mrs. Miniver . I never found out what she did to make her skin so soft and her matzo balls so firm or if she 'd have preferred it the other way around . And I never thanked her for being my go-to grandma in the unconditional goodness department . Julia and I finish the game and say our goodnights . I am eager to return a couple of calls , get her lunch packed for school , and watch the episode of `` Mad Men '' I 've got waiting on our DVR . But my daughter is feeling chatty . `` Mommy , '' she begins , `` do you know why the Princess Barbie Musketeers have swords that match their ball gowns ? '' Before I can answer , she announces , `` It 's because they 're royal squashbucklers . '' I tell her I 'm pretty sure the word is swashbucklers , and she tells me she 's pretty sure I 'm wrong and goes on talking . She does n't want to let go of the night , and so I nudge away two stuffed poodles and curl up beside her . The calls and the lunch and even Don Draper can wait , because I have learned the hard way that my job is to sit quietly in the dark and listen to whatever my daughter has to say . Oprah.com : What your children need the most . By Lisa Kogan from O , The Oprah Magazine , November 2009 . 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 . | Grandmother wanted to talk about dances , boys , silvery blue dress . But Lisa Kogan had a party to got to and ran out the door . Now she wants that chilly October evening back to talk with her grandmother . So when daughter wants to talk funny stuff , Lisa knows enough to listen . | [[2083, 2115], [4379, 4436], [4416, 4467], [7484, 7490], [7525, 7568]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Poet and punk rocker Jim Carroll has died at age 60 . Funeral arrangements are pending . Poet , punk rocker and author Jim Carroll performs at a 2002 benefit in New York . A respected poet and musician , Carroll also was the author of `` The Basketball Diaries , '' which was adapted into a 1995 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio . Carroll died Friday at his home in Manhattan after suffering a heart attack , said his former wife , Rosemary Carroll . In 1980 , he released the popular album `` Catholic Boy , '' which , according to his fan Web site , expressed the '' -LSB- b -RSB- omb-fear anticipation , the optimistic nihilism and glittering darkness of the 1980s . '' The track `` People Who Died '' was one of the most-requested songs on FM radio at the time , and as Newsweek 's Barbara Graustark noted then , `` it propelled -LSB- Carroll -RSB- from underground status to national attention as a contender for the title of rock 's new poet laureate . '' The release of the song coincided with the death of John Lennon . The success of the album was attributed to the powerful combination of pure rock 'n' roll with Carroll 's poetic sensibility and ability to write from his own experience . The fan Web site Catholicboy.com sums up Carroll 's approach to music by quoting him as saying , `` There ai n't much time left , you 're born out of this insane abyss and you 're going to fall back into it , so while you 're alive you might as well show your bare ass . '' In addition to two follow-up albums , Carroll was a best-selling author of six books . `` He was a sweet , sweet man , and I 'm going to really miss him , '' said Cassie Carter , a close friend for more than 20 years who operates Catholicboy.com . Carroll was born in New York in 1949 and spent his childhood living on the city 's Lower East Side , attending Catholic schools , said Rosemary Carroll , whom he met in 1973 . At 12 , he began keeping a journal that eventually was published as `` The Basketball Diaries '' in 1978 . In it , he recorded the highs and lows of his youth . He first experimented with drugs at 12 and soon was addicted to heroin , but he was able to kick that habit in the 1970s , his former wife said . He had just completed a novel , tentatively titled `` The Petting Zoo , '' which is about a young painter who experiences spiritual crises . The date of its release has not been set . Carroll is survived by a brother , according to his ex-wife . | Poet and punk rocker Jim Carroll dies after heart attack at 60 , ex-wife says . Drug addiction as teen chronicled in `` The Basketball Diaries '' Book made into 1995 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio . Carroll 's 1980 album `` Catholic Boy '' featured popular `` People Who Died '' track . | [[0, 81], [359, 434], [359, 366], [437, 457], [2210, 2232], [2417, 2424], [2452, 2478], [291, 293], [300, 329], [317, 358], [479, 486], [489, 534]] |
GAZA CITY , Gaza -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A radical Muslim sheikh 's call for the creation of an Islamic emirate in Gaza sparked clashes with Hamas forces that left 21 people dead and injured at least 121 others . Members of Jund Ansar Allah surround Sheikh Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi in Rafah on Friday . Hamas forces blew up the home of Sheikh Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi , leader of the radical group Jund Ansar Allah , or Soldiers of the Partisans of God , Hamas sources said . Al-Maqdessi , also known as Abdel Latif Musa , was among the 21 dead , a hospital spokesman told CNN . Friday 's clashes were the latest between Gaza 's Hamas rulers , who have said they are moderate Muslims pledged to the Palestinian cause , and more extremist Islamic groups . Jund Ansar Allah is part of the radical Islamist movement that follows the doctrines of the `` Salaf , '' or the predecessors -- referring to the early generations of Muslims . They reject all modern influences such as politics and government . In a televised statement , Hamas ministry spokesman Taher Nunu called al-Maqdessi 's group `` outlaws '' and said they have been `` terrorizing the country and attacking civilians . '' `` We hold the group and its leader fully responsible for what is happening in Gaza and we offer our condolences to everyone who was killed during the clashes , '' Nunu said . `` No one is above the law and we urge everyone who is a member of this group to surrender himself to the authorities or they will be accountable for all of their actions . '' The gunfight erupted near a mosque in the southern Gaza city of Rafah , where the cleric delivered his sermon , the sources said . Hamas militants raided the mosque and seized control of it . Later , the fighting spread to al-Maqdessi 's home , the sources said . Al-Maqdessi also called for a public meeting at the mosque , posting on the Jund Ansar Allah 's Web site an invitation dubbed `` the golden advice to the government of -LRB- Hamas leader -RRB- Ismail Haniya . '' The group posted a statement on the Web site announcing the establishment of the Islamic emirate in Gaza and proclaiming al-Maqdessi `` the commander of the faithful . '' The statement declared that armed forces in Gaza should unite under him . It urged Muslims everywhere to support the `` young emirate '' by providing money , weapons and men because `` this is the hope of the Muslim nation in raising the banner of monotheism in Palestine and to liberate all the lands and purify Al-Aqsa mosque from the filth of the damned Jews . '' Al-Aqsa mosque is in Jerusalem . The group accused Hamas of not being Islamic enough , saying they care more about pleasing `` tyrants '' than `` obeying God . '' But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zahri dismissed statements about the establishment of an Islamic emirate as `` theoretical . '' `` It is not permitted to any party or individual to enforce their own laws because this is the responsibility of the security forces , '' he said . CNN 's Talal Abu-Rahman in Gaza City , Gaza , contributed to this report . | Sheikh Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi killed in battle with Hamas forces , officials say . Al-Maqdessi was leader of Islamist movement that rejects politics , government . Al-Maqdessi had sought creation of Islamic emirate in Gaza . | [[925, 992]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. State Department said Sunday it was `` deeply disturbed '' at the deportation of 20 Uyghur asylum seekers from Cambodia back to China . The deportation `` will affect Cambodia 's relationship with the U.S. and its international standing , '' said acting State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid in a statement . It occurred on Saturday at the request of China , the U.S. said . `` The United States is deeply concerned about the welfare of these individuals , who had sought protection under international law , '' Duguid said . `` We are also deeply disturbed that the Cambodian government decided to forcibly remove the group without the benefit of a credible process for determining refugee status and without appropriate participation by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees . '' Kitty McKinsey , a coordinator with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees agency in Asia , told CNN on Saturday that the refugees had been seeking asylum . China 's northwestern region was wracked by ethnic violence between Han Chinese and Uyghur Muslims earlier this year , and the Uyghurs fled to Cambodia to escape the unrest . McKinsey said the UNHCR considers the deportation a breach of international law , and Uyghur human rights activists have expressed concern about the move . The Uyghur American Association also expressed concern in a statement . The 20 were held in handcuffs and leg shackles and were not given any food to eat on Friday , according to the association . They were part of a group of 22 Uyghurs seeking refuge in Cambodia , all of whom were under UNHCR protection when taken into custody . `` The United States strongly opposed Cambodia 's involuntary return of these asylum seekers before their claims have been heard , '' the State Department said . Duguid urged the Chinese government to `` uphold international norms and to ensure transparency , due process and proper treatment of persons in its territory '' now that the Uyghurs have been returned . Cambodian and Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for a response . But a Cambodian state media outlet , Agence Kampuchea Presse , reported that Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is to arrive in Cambodia on Sunday for a three-day visit . | U.S. condemns deportation of 20 Uyghur asylum-seekers from Cambodia back to China . Uyghurs fled to Cambodia to escape ethnic violence in China 's northwestern region earlier this year . The 20 refugees were held in handcuffs and leg shackles and not given food , said Uyghur American Association . | [[0, 15], [45, 163], [1653, 1742], [987, 1103], [1110, 1161], [1544, 1581], [1318, 1349], [1355, 1389], [1390, 1436], [1390, 1396], [1441, 1481], [1390, 1396], [1484, 1514]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar is free to travel outside the country , Pakistan 's government said Friday a day after blocking his departure and sparking a national incident . There are 53 Pakistani individuals reinstated to an Exit Control List this week which prevents them from leaving the country -- but Mukhtar is not one of them , the National Accountability Bureau said . The confusion stems from a list , dating back several years , that prevented some government officials facing corruption charges from leaving the country . In October 2007 , the country passed the National Reconciliation Ordinance , which provided amnesty to about 8,000 people facing various offenses , said Mohammed Afzl Sindhu , Pakistan 's minister of state for law and justice . Among them were about 30 politicians . Those who had been on the Exit Control List were given amnesty and could travel . On Wednesday , Pakistan 's Supreme Court struck down the ordinance . The 17-judge court said the amnesty `` seems to be against the national interest '' and `` violates various provisions of the Constitution . '' Following that decision , the government restored the names of 53 people to the Exit Control List , said National Accountability Bureau spokesman Ghazni Khan . Mukhtar was among the officials protected by the ordinance -- but Pakistani officials say he was not among the 53 people on the Exit Control List . He was about to leave on an official trip to China on Thursday when immigration authorities told him he was on the Exit Control List . He said he raised the issue with the offices of the president and prime minister . `` It is clarified that the name of Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was not included in that list of 53 persons , '' Khan said Friday . The National Reconciliation Ordinance , passed under then-President Pervez Musharraf , covered alleged wrongdoing between 1986 and 1999 . Among those protected by the order -- which expired last month -- were Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and his wife , former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto . Also on the list were bureaucrats , bankers , retired military officials , and low ranking government officials , Sindhu said Friday . With the order lifted , corruption charges against some officials will now proceed , Pakistani authorities said . An accountability court in Karachi summoned Interior Minister Rehman Malik to appear on January 8 , 2010 regarding an outstanding corruption case against him , said Malik 's attorney , Khawaja Naveed Ahmed . Ahmed added that 51 others have been summoned to court in Karachi . Atiq ur Rehman , spokesman for the National Accountability Bureau in Lahore , said the cases of 80 people accused of corruption and misuse of power have been reopened and sent to accountability court for further processing . They include include Jahamgir Badar , who is the secretary general of the Pakistan People 's Party , and Nusrat Bhutto , mother of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto . CNN 's Samson Desta contributed to this report . | Defence Minister Mukhtar is free to leave Pakistan after initally being denied . Mukhtar was wrongly put on an exit control list which prevented him from leaving the country . Confusion stems from a list that prevented officials facing corruption charges from leaving . | [[0, 9], [12, 127], [305, 314], [321, 359], [1532, 1598], [305, 314], [321, 359], [438, 469], [438, 451], [463, 469], [472, 497], [484, 497], [505, 593]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was blocked from leaving the country Thursday after Pakistan 's Supreme Court struck down an amnesty that had protected politicians from corruption charges , state media reported . Nearly 280 government officials and ministers have been placed on an exit control list by the high court , said Wajid Hasan , Pakistan 's high commissioner in Britain . The 17-judge court invalidated the National Reconciliation Order on Wednesday , saying in its ruling that the amnesty `` seems to be against the national interest '' and `` violates various provisions of the Constitution . '' The order , passed in October 2007 under then-President Pervez Musharraf , only covered alleged wrongdoing that occurred between 1986 through 1999 . The order , which expired last month , protected thousands of bureaucrats and politicians , including President Asif Ali Zardari and his wife , former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto , from corruption and criminal charges . Mukhtar , among the officials once protected by the order , was on an official trip to China when he was stopped at the Islamabad airport . Pakistan 's Supreme Court said its ruling revived all cases that had been suspended or withdrawn under the amnesty . Zardari 's government released a brief statement Thursday saying : `` The government respects the judgment of the Supreme Court and is awaiting the detailed judgment . However , the government has already started consulting the legal experts for its implementation . '' CNN 's Nic Robertson and Arwa Damon contributed to this report . | Supreme Court kills an amnesty protecting politicians from corruption charges . Pakistani court rules amnesty `` seems to be against the national interest '' Nearly 280 government officials , including defense minister , are on the court 's exit control list . Defense minister taking official trip to China when he is stopped at Islamabad airport . | [[0, 9], [12, 167], [12, 36], [102, 190], [142, 245], [440, 517], [12, 36], [102, 190], [142, 245], [440, 458], [520, 612], [0, 9], [12, 167], [271, 375], [271, 316], [378, 394], [1037, 1044], [1097, 1176]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An explosion outside the home of Afghanistan 's former vice president killed at least eight people Tuesday , government officials have said . The explosion was near the Kabul residence of former vice-president Ahmad Zia Massoud , Afghan President Hamid Karzai told reporters . Massoud was not harmed in the attack . Among those killed were one of Massoud 's guards and an assistant , the former vice president 's aide said . Forty others were wounded in the blast . The explosion broke windows in a hotel a few blocks away . Tuesday morning 's explosion occurred as the Afghan president was at a nearby anti-corruption convention . Karzai issued a statement condemning the attack , calling it inhumane and cowardly . The president called for a full scale investigation . Massoud is a notable figure in Afghan politics . Not only was he a vice president of the county under Karzai , but his brother the late Ahmed Shah Massoud was heralded as a leader in the fight against the Taliban . Ahmed Shah Massoud , the leader of the Northern Alliance , the Taliban 's main opposition , was killed September 9 , 2001 , by a bomb inside a video camera during an interview at his headquarters with Tunisian al Qaeda operatives posing as journalists . Meanwhile the International Committee of the Red Cross visited three Afghan security forces being held captive by the Taliban for the first time , the agency said Tuesday . The two visits occurred in late November in Badghis province in northwestern Afghanistan , the agency said . `` This is the first time since the beginning of the current conflict that the ICRC has visited people detained by the armed opposition , '' said Reto Stocker , head of the ICRC 's delegation in Kabul . `` We plan to conduct and repeat visits in other regions , and hope to visit people held by other armed opposition groups , with the aim of ensuring that everyone detained in relation to the armed conflict is treated humanely . '' The ICRC says it regularly visits detained people in conflict zones to assess their conditions and treatment . The agency say it currently currently visits 136 places of detention in Afghanistan . -- CNN 's Tim Schwarz and Fred Pleitgen contributed to this report . | Dead included one of former Afghan VP 's guards and an assistant . Blast hit as Afghan President Hamid Karzai at nearby anti-corruption convention . Former Vice President Ahmad Zia Massoud not harmed in the attack . Red Cross says it visited three captives of the Taliban in November . | [[355, 420], [355, 373], [423, 463], [564, 670], [605, 670], [316, 354], [1636, 1696]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death toll from an explosion in the central Pakistani city of Dera Ghazi Khan climbed to at least 25 on Wednesday , a senior government official said . Another 56 people were wounded in Tuesday 's attack , according to Hassan Iqbal Khan . The blast ripped through a market located near the house of a senior adviser to the chief minister of Punjab province , said Mohammed Hasnain , a rescue official . The adviser , Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa , is a former provincial governor and a senior opposition party politician . He said he was the target of the attack , though police initially said he was not the intended target . Khosa told CNN that none of his family members were in the house when the attack occurred . He also said that he had never before received any threats against his life . The attacker detonated his car in front of the main gate at Khosa 's house , said Hassan Iqbal , a senior government official . About 20 shops in the market were reduced to rubble . CNN 's Samson Desta and journalist Umar Aziz Khan contributed to this report . | NEW : Attack on market in Dera Ghazi Khan leaves 25 dead , 60 wounded . Attacker detonated car in front of Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa 's home . Former provincial governor claims he was intended target of attack . | [[12, 36], [122, 157], [196, 247], [843, 917]] |
SANTO DOMINGO , Dominican Republic -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You 've got your spot on a lounge chair angled into the hot Caribbean sun , with tall , slender palm trees jutting out over your head . As you gaze at the calm turquoise waters and sip that refreshing rum drink , you may ask yourself , `` What more could I possibly want ? '' Visitors can climb the tower at Fortaleza Ozama for a view over the rooftops and out to sea . For many travelers to the Dominican Republic , that chair -- usually secluded inside a mega all-inclusive resort complex -- is the sole destination . And do n't get me wrong , it 's a great one . The Dominican Republic 's stretches of sand are some of the best on the planet . But if you never leave the high walls of your tourist compound , you 're missing out on a gem of a capital city . Santo Domingo is the New World 's first city , with 16th-century buildings , quaint colonial streets , romantic ruins and a lively atmosphere . All you need is a full day to experience the city 's architecture , culture and food . Plus , it 's only a $ 9 coach bus ride from Punta Cana . So when you begin to tire of the antics of the `` animation team '' at the resort , and the color of your skin starts to resemble the papaya or watermelon you 're eating , consider a short trip to Santo Domingo . Founded soon after Christopher Columbus set foot in the New World , and run by his son Diego , the city became the colonial capital of the Americas and launch pad for further Spanish expeditions . Despite several raids by pirates , the oldest section of town remains largely intact . Known as the Zona Colonial , it contains many European `` firsts '' in the Western Hemisphere including the first street , cathedral , hospital and university . How to see it all in a day . Start at the heart of the zone , Parque Colón , a square that borders the cathedral and is always full of life . You can sit and watch children chase pigeons as you gaze up at the simple beauty of the oldest cathedral in the Americas . Next , head over to the oldest fortress in the New World , Fortaleza Ozama , built in the early 1500s . There you can climb the tower for a view over the rooftops and out to sea . Back on street level , walk up a couple blocks to the expansive Plaza España , site of two museums and a hangout for locals , especially in the evening , when kids crisscross the square on scooters or fly kites , and couples sit quietly together . The Museo de las Casas Reales and the Alcázar de Colón -- Diego Columbus ' palace -- show you how the wealthy Spanish lived when they came to the early colonies and provide some history of the island 's colonization -- all for a buck or two . Next , head over to a pair of impressive ruins . Gaze up at the towering walls and arches of the Americas ' first hospital , Hospital de San Nicolás de Bari . Then , just up a picturesque bend in the road lined with colorful houses , you 'll find the large ruins of Monasterio de San Francisco . Pirate attacks and earthquakes brought down the monastery . The hospital was merely abandoned in the 18th century , and later dismantled for safety . Now let yourself wander a bit through the streets , checking out the colorful surprises around every colonial corner . You 'll discover the varied architecture of people 's homes , and get a view into Dominican city life . In just a few blocks , I ran across a pickup game of baseball , the national sport and passion , in the middle of the street , with adults using just a broom handle and roll of tape ; several `` kiddie '' pools in the streets , where both children and adults were cooling off in the afternoon heat ; and a handful of corner parks alive with activity . After exploring , your final destination is the zone 's main drag , Calle El Conde . This pedestrian-only street is the place to shop . You 'll find street sellers hawking colorful artwork ; music stores to pick up that merengue and bachata music you 've heard blaring out of everyone 's stereos ; and jewelry shops featuring native amber and the sky-blue stone larimar found only in the Dominican Republic . By now , you 've certainly worked up an appetite walking in the hot sun . Parque Colón and Plaza España each have a row of chic sidewalk cafés , although they 're a bit pricey and touristy . Consider wandering a bit through some side streets to find a more local establishment , where you can feast on typical cuisine such as la bandera dominicana -LRB- a red beans and rice dish -RRB- , several stews , fried plantains or yucca and delicious tropical fruits . And if you still feel like dancing the night away , hop in a taxi to the Malecón , Santo Domingo 's seafront boulevard , where the large hotels have popular dance clubs pumping merengue until the wee hours of the morning . The bus ride . Getting to the capital city from the beach areas is cheap and relatively easy . Expreso Bávaro runs from the Punta Cana area for $ 9 in an air-conditioned and comfy coach bus . On your four-hour ride , you 'll get a glimpse of some smaller Dominican towns , a towering modern cathedral , distant mountains and vast sugarcane fields . Metro and Caribe Tours provide similar services from the beaches on the north coast around Puerto Plata . The buses to/from Punta Cana do n't run long into the evening -LRB- they leave each side at 7 a.m. , 10 a.m. , 2 p.m. , and 4 p.m. -RRB- , so you 'll want to make this an overnight trip . The Zona Colonial has several boutique hotels that are quaint , clean and reasonably priced . You could even arrange to fly out of Santo Domingo 's Las Americas airport , rather than Punta Cana . | Santo Domingo , the Dominican Republic 's capital , was the New World 's first city . Explore 16th-century buildings , colonial streets , romantic ruins and Dominican city life . Cheap , comfortable buses connect to the city from beach areas . | [[815, 958], [815, 958], [867, 889], [892, 958], [2697, 2701], [2704, 2745], [3143, 3192], [3262, 3265], [3328, 3365], [1046, 1050], [1053, 1102], [4826, 4874], [4826, 4905], [4906, 5002]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Refugees at a settlement in southwestern Uganda have barricaded all roads into the camp to protest a food-aid disruption they say has caused the deaths of several children , refugee leaders said Tuesday . `` We have spent three months without any food supplies from government nor from any food relief or humanitarian agency , '' Congolese refugee leader Serugendo Sekalinda said by telephone . The protest began Tuesday after the deaths of three children Monday night , refugees said . Those were the latest of dozens of children who have died in the past two weeks due to hunger , refugee leaders said . But Needa Jehu Hoyah , a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency , known as the UNHCR , told CNN by telephone from the Ugandan capital , Kampala , that no children have died in the Nakivale settlement , which has tens of thousands of refugees . `` We have a malnutrition program -LSB- in Nakivale -RSB- for children , -LSB- but -RSB- no children have died of hunger there , '' she said . The UNHCR , along with the U.N. 's World Food Program and the Ugandan government , will deliver a food shipment to the settlement Wednesday , Hoyah said . Uganda 's disaster preparedness and refugees minister , professor Tarsis Kabwejyere , told CNN that the refugees living in that camp -- most of whom fled fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo -- would have their full rations Wednesday . For a time they 've been getting half rations , he said . `` By tomorrow there will be no food crisis at that settlement , '' Kabwejyere said . `` We do our best to make sure humanity survives , even in the hardships in refugee settlements , so people have a reasonable existence . '' The food shortage came about as a result of a disruption in the food supply chain and a shortage of money for food , the minister said . Hoyah agreed that there `` were issues with the food pipeline . '' Protesters at the Nakivale settlement , about 400 kilometers -LRB- 248 miles -RRB- southwest of Kampala and 6 kilometers -LRB- 3.7 miles -RRB- north of the Ugandan border with Tanzania , gathered at the homes where the most recent deaths of children have occurred , Sekalinda said . `` We are demanding to be relocated to another country where we can be protected from death caused by hunger , '' he said . While the settlement 's population is composed mainly of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo , it also houses refugees from conflicts in Rwanda , Ethiopia , Somalia , Eritrea and Kenya . Nakivale is the largest and oldest of the five refugee settlements in Uganda , having opened more than two decades ago . People living there are provided small plots of land on which to grow crops , and they often build huts made of mud , water and thatched grass . As many as 155,000 refugees live in all the camps in Uganda , according to the UNHCR . As of January of this year , there were also an estimated 853,000 internally displaced persons , or IDPs , the UNHCR says on its Web site . The IDPs were forced from their villages in the past decade by attacks from the Lord 's Resistance Army , which wants to create a democratic government in Uganda based on the Bible 's Ten Commandments . Last week , an African Union summit in Kampala endorsed a declaration to end the forceful displacement of people in all of Africa . Delegates to the poorly attended summit also pledged to aid refugees and IDPs by training them in vocational skills so they could find work during and after their forced displacement . Journalist Samson Ntale in Kampala , Uganda , contributed to this report . | Lack of food causing deaths of children , refugees at Ugandan settlement say . Protest began after three children died Monday , refugee leader says . United Nations refugee agency denies any child has died of hunger at Nakivale . But agency acknowledges supply problem , says food coming Wednesday . | [[140, 190], [538, 549], [554, 599], [2280, 2302], [414, 474], [782, 835], [953, 1006], [1023, 1103], [1106, 1162]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On the last episode of reality ... `` Guiding Light , '' a mainstay of CBS ' daytime schedule for decades , airs its final episode Friday . Jon left Kate and his eight children and took up with the party girl Hailey . Audrina got a restraining order against an alleged stalker . NeNe got into an argument with Kim during a photo shoot . And Rachel was attacked -- yet again -- by one of the city tabloids . With plot points like this , who needs soap operas ? Certainly not most of America . In the past decade , the audience for soap operas has dwindled , as has the number of what broadcasters call `` daytime dramas . '' Younger viewers , in particular , have gravitated toward reality shows , which feature the melodrama and outsized characters of soaps ; it 's perhaps no coincidence that the co-creator of MTV 's `` The Real World '' and several other reality shows , Mary-Ellis Bunim , started as a soap writer and producer . The latest soap victim , CBS ' `` Guiding Light '' -- a show that began on NBC Radio in 1937 -- went out Friday after 72 years on the air . Watch how `` Guiding Light '' became an institution '' On the final episode , long-entwined characters Reva Shayne and Josh Lewis decided to `` go on an adventure '' together , in Lewis ' words . Other characters also received their moments . Fans have lamented the passing of the show , which has followed the Springfield clans of the Bauers , Spauldings , Coopers and Lewises for decades . `` I 've been watching ` Guiding Light ' for the past 20 years , '' says Ashley Dos Santos , an account executive and pop culture expert with the Washington-based public relations firm Crosby-Volmer . `` I think it 's really , really sad . '' Gallery : Stars who started on soaps '' But , as a -LRB- well -RRB- realist , she adds , `` not surprising . '' She knows the trends , and the trend for soap operas is going in the wrong direction . Read a short history of soap operas . `` It 's very difficult to see how it could have survived , '' she says , noting that even she 's ceased to follow `` GL '' in the past few years . With the multichannel universe , particularly the alternatives of talk shows , judge shows and reality shows , `` I feel that a lot people , if they have to make a choice , they 'd rather see ` Ellen . ' '' Michael Sands , a Southern California-based media consultant , is blunter . `` Soaps are passe ... old-fashioned , '' he says . `` They 're boring and stale . The public thrives on real-life drama . I 'm surprised soaps lasted this long . '' Not so long ago , such a dismissal would have been unfathomable . In the three-network arrangement that dominated for decades , soaps ruled daytime -- there were 19 in 1969-70 -- and even spawned prime-time variations , such as `` Peyton Place '' and `` Dallas . '' `` The 1960s and '70s were an unmatched era for soaps , with women at home and just three or four -LSB- network -RSB- choices , '' says Sam Ford , an analyst with the communications firm Peppercom . He has a book on the genre due out next year . Soaps developed a formula : slow-moving , multiple plotlines ; multigenerational casts , gathered in seaside towns or local hospitals . Some even broke ground , airing taboo subjects -- abortions , homosexuality , marital rape -- before prime-time shows . But events have conspired to kill off daytime dramas . With more women in the workplace , there are fewer at home to watch the soaps . The genre was slow to adjust to new technologies ; even now , with the SoapNet cable channel and Internet streaming , effective promotion is lacking , says Dos Santos , who observes that soaps fly under the radar compared to reality shows . `` The networks are n't trying hard enough to make -LSB- soaps -RSB- relevant , '' she says . There 's also the loss of family watching , a handoff from mother to daughter to granddaughter , that used to assure a continuity of viewers . Dos Santos watched with her mother ; Ford 's mother and grandmother were fans . But the fall-off in soaps tends to boil down to two limited resources : time and money . `` We do n't have the time to invest in soaps as they exist now , '' says Mimi Torchin , a TV columnist and the founding editor of Soap Opera Weekly . `` Even with alternatives to TV viewing ... it 's still five hours a week . In the old days , you could miss two or three days and it was easy to catch up . They do n't do that anymore . '' Moreover , a soap opera is a big investment , like any scripted show . Bob Boden , now the vice president of programming for the Fox Reality Channel , was at CBS ' daytime division in the '80s and '90s . `` The decline of the soap opera as is much a factor of the business model as it is of the creative , '' he says . `` It was designed to be 52 weeks a year of original product , no repeats . In today 's business model for network television , that 's not an efficient model anymore . '' To begin a soap , a producer has to put together performers , a writing staff , a bible of characters and plots -- and has to plan things out for months or years , as opposed to a handful of weeks . `` That 's not really the mentality of network programming anymore , '' Boden says . `` I think a lot of it is about quick fixes , and about maintaining an ever-shrinking audience , and giving them something unique , and attracting a younger demo -LSB- graphic -RSB- . '' Increasingly , the `` quick fix '' -- particularly for cable channels looking to hook viewers -- comes in the form of reality programming . There are a number of similarities in the forms : melodrama , over-the-top characters , extreme situations . But reality shows can have a limited run -- soaps are open-ended by design -- and offer a voyeuristic thrill soaps ca n't provide , creating new celebrities in the process , something the news media has seized upon eagerly . `` People like to emulate people on TV , '' says Sands , who has advised some reality stars . And , he adds , `` people get to feel superior '' to misbehaving reality show stars . Torchin , however , ca n't stand reality shows . `` They 're voyeurism of the lowest order , '' she says . Soaps , she believes , offer some of the art that writing and acting can provide : `` They have adventure and heart , '' she says , singling out `` GL 's '' `` compelling characters . '' `` They 're more real than what reality shows can do . '' She 's aware that soaps have been criticized for far-out plot devices , such as evil twins , long-lost children and bizarre coincidences . On `` Guiding Light , '' a character drove her car off a bridge ; a few years later , she turned up alive , little worse for the wear . `` Some of those outlandish things hurt the genre , '' she says , noting that bringing back characters was a way to placate upset audience members , who were known to fire off angry letters to networks and sponsors . `` I always felt that convention -LSB- of restoring `` dead '' characters -RSB- always hurt soaps , because you were never invested in an event that should have been of great poignancy . '' Soaps are n't dead , of course . Even with `` GL 's '' demise , there are still seven soaps on the air , each with passionate fans . Also , the elements of the genre are plainly visible in prime-time dramas such as `` Grey 's Anatomy '' and `` Desperate Housewives . '' `` Everything is a soap now , '' says Torchin . `` The secret of a show that works is that you 're involved with the characters , you 're in their lives . Everything else is just diversion . '' Dos Santos believes that shrewder marketing -- helped by new media -- can help the genre make a comeback . And , indeed , Torchin observes that a `` GL '' star , Crystal Chappell , is launching a Web soap , `` Venice , '' in November . The Internet program is an outgrowth of the popularity of a `` GL '' storyline featuring Chappell 's character in a lesbian relationship -- a relationship that many fans felt was handled poorly by the broadcasters . Watch Chappell go over her plans '' `` I think the ratings will be better than cable , '' says Torchin . Is she correct ? Will soaps live to rise again ? Will reality shows conquer daytime and nighttime ? Tune in tomorrow . | `` Guiding Light '' goes off the air Friday after 72 years on radio and TV . Soaps in general are declining ; other genres , such as reality shows , have taken over . Some observers hopeful soaps will cross to the Web and have success . | [[73, 75], [127, 158], [952, 993], [1048, 1091], [643, 674], [677, 713], [1866, 1925], [5429, 5483], [5511, 5553]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- There are certain families -- like , say , the Coppolas and the Gyllenhaals -- where coolness seems to be infused in the DNA . I 'd like to add another to the list : the Reitmans . Papa Ivan is the producer behind flicks like `` Ghostbusters '' and `` Animal House , '' and son Jason grew up on his sets . `` I was on the set of ` Animal House ' when I was 11 days old . It had a profound effect on me , '' Jason joked this week on `` Late Night With Jimmy Fallon . '' When he was in his early teens , Jason started working as a production assistant and his dad even cast him in a few small roles . `` I was 13 and my dad gave me a scene in ` Kindergarten Cop ' kissing a girl -- and that was in fact my first kiss , '' said Jason . `` My first kiss was directed by my father . You do n't know what it 's like to have to do eight takes of your first kiss while Arnold Schwarzenegger 's pointing a gun at you and your dad 's like , ` Grab her a little more . ' '' While Jason probably could have busted into filmmaking by birthright , he decided against directing `` Dude , Where 's My Car ? '' which he was offered , and instead worked on short films to gain clout . `` It 's interesting because I avoided working with my dad for a while because I was so sensitive of being accused of the idea of nepotism , '' he said . `` I remember when I was 19 years old I started a desk calendar company to pay for my first short film just so I could say one day my daddy did n't pay for my first short film . And I really established myself through the film festival world , starting at Sundance and lots of film festivals and really took on a different style of film from my father . '' Soon , Jason directed `` Thank You For Smoking . '' Then the amazingness that was `` Juno . '' And now , of course , he is the Best Director/Best Picture forerunner with his movie `` Up In The Air , '' which is getting all sorts of critical acclaim . `` Up in the Air '' is the first project the two worked on together . `` I love my father and we have such a strong bond and I look up to him as a filmmaker and a storyteller , '' said Jason . `` So it was great and when I see the credits and it says produced by Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman , my heart swells . It 's really , really cool . '' Ivan echoes that sentiment . `` It 's great to be the producer of this kind of movie and sort of share in its success and the goodwill that comes with it , '' he said . `` But as a parent it 's kind of this remarkable emotional moment that 's kind of hard to describe . '' And it 's not like Ivan 's career is over -- he has a script in the works for `` Ghostbusters 3 '' and the word on the street is that Bill Murray will be making a cameo in it as a ghost himself . Could this family be any cooler ? TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Ivan and Jason Reitman are the father/son tandem behind award darling `` Up in the Air '' The father , Ivan was the producer behind `` Ghostbusters '' and `` Animal House '' The son , Jason grew up on sets and directed `` Thank You for Smoking '' and `` Juno '' `` Up in the Air '' is the first movie the pair has worked on together . | [[2171, 2175], [2198, 2248], [207, 290], [293, 331], [1704, 1708], [1711, 1752], [1955, 2024], [1978, 2024]] |
TEGUCIGALPA , Honduras -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. State Department is calling on Honduras ' de facto president to immediately rescind an emergency decree that limits constitutional rights such as freedoms of expression , travel and public congregation . Robert Micheletti , de facto president of Honduras , says he 'll repeal an emergency decree , but not immediately . `` The freedoms inherent in the suspended rights are inalienable and can not be limited or restricted without seriously damaging the democratic aspirations of the Honduran people , '' said State Department spokesman Ian Kelly in a statement late Monday night . Earlier Monday , Roberto Micheletti announced he would repeal the law , but it would not be immediately . The decree will undergo a legal review , he said . Still , Micheletti 's announcement was an about-face . He had announced the policy less than 24 hours earlier in response to unrest that increased significantly after ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya secretly returned to Honduras on September 20 and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy . The 45-day decree announced Sunday night forbids any unauthorized public gatherings , allows officials to make arrests without a judicial order and lets the government close down news media that threaten `` peace and order . '' Micheletti said he would consult with the supreme court to repeal the decree , after a meeting with the leading presidential candidates . `` This decision was made because -LRB- Zelaya -RRB- was calling for insurrection ... but I 'm going to listen to the other powers of the state and we 're going to make the most wise decision in the interests of Honduras , '' Micheletti said , according to the newspaper La Prensa . Monday marked the three-month anniversary of Zelaya 's ouster in a military-led coup on June 28 . In the wake of Micheletti 's decree , Jose Miguel Insulza , secretary general of the OAS , said the Canal 36 TV station and Radio Globo were reported closed . The owner of Canal 36 , Esdras Amado Lopez , told CNN that 60 soldiers entered his station Monday morning to shut it down . They removed all of the equipment , he said . `` They say that we offended the dignity of the president of Honduras , Roberto Micheletti , '' Lopez said , adding that he sees his station not as pro-Zelaya , but `` pro-people . '' Honduran soldiers were stationed in front of the shuttered TV and radio stations and would not allow anyone to enter . The United Nations , the OAS and the European Union have condemned the coup and demanded that Zelaya be reinstated . Micheletti has vowed that Zelaya will never return to power and has said the deposed president will be arrested if he comes out of the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa , the nation 's capital . Micheletti has accused Zelaya of using the embassy to instigate an insurrection and this weekend gave the Brazilian embassy 10 days to decide the ousted president 's status . Brazil rejected the Honduran ultimatum . On Monday night , Zelaya addressed the United Nations General Assembly via a mobile phone that his foreign minister held up at the podium . A `` serious crime is taking place when the voice of the people is silenced and when the people who are being repressed are likewise silenced , '' Zelaya said . CNN 's John Zarrella , Kim Segal and journalist Elvin Sandoval contributed to this report . | Roberto Micheletti said he would repeal decree but not be immediately . Decree clamps down on public gatherings , lets government close news media . Jose Manuel Zelaya was ousted as president of Honduras three months ago . Zelaya has returned to Tegucigalpa and is holed up in Brazilian Embassy . | [[255, 272], [308, 370], [649, 701], [708, 737], [14, 38], [127, 254], [1081, 1164], [1081, 1098], [1167, 1270], [1828, 1863], [1866, 1885], [1919, 1986], [1730, 1827], [844, 846], [911, 1037], [1042, 1080]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five more defendants were sentenced to death for their roles in summer riots that killed around 200 people in western China , officials said Thursday . The five sentenced to death were among 22 defendants that went on trial this week by the Intermediate People 's Court of Urumqi , according to a local government statement . Along with the five people to be executed , another five were sentenced to death but the execution will be postponed for two years , the statement said . The others received sentences ranging from 10 years in prison to life in prison . This group is part of dozens of people who have put on trial for the alleged role in the violent ethnic clashes in China 's Xinjiang autonomous region that broke out this summer . More than 20 people have received death sentences after being convicted of crimes related to the unrest . The riots in July were prompted by long-simmering resentment between minority Uyghurs and majority Han Chinese . The Uyghurs are mostly Muslims in Xinjiang . Some Islamists refer to the region as East Turkistan . Around 200 people were believed to have been killed in the riots . The unrest continued in August when Uyghurs were accused of attacking Han Chinese with syringes filled with different substances . In September , China sent 7,000 security personnel to Urumqi to ease tensions after Han Chinese protested the syringe attacks . China 's constitution guarantees ethnic minorities equal rights . However , minority groups such as the Uyghurs say the Han discriminate and ethnic tensions run deep . | More than 20 people have received death sentences after being convicted following riots . July riots prompted by long-simmering resentment between minority Uyghurs and majority Han . Unrest continued in August when Uyghurs were accused of attacking Han with syringes . | [[10, 31], [35, 105], [777, 858], [883, 995], [918, 922], [923, 995], [1498, 1589], [712, 747], [753, 776], [1163, 1258]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He was a cold , calculating , `` morally depraved '' man who spent the last years of his socialite and megaphilanthropist mother 's life bilking her fortune to line his pockets . That 's one way to see Anthony Marshall -- and it 's the only way , according to the prosecutors who secured a conviction against him for grand larceny and scheming to defraud his mother , Brooke Astor . Now as the 85-year-old son prepares to be sentenced Monday for his crimes , another portrait of him has emerged -- thanks to close friends and celebrity acquaintances -LRB- including Al Roker and Whoopi Goldberg -RRB- who sent letters to the court in hopes of saving him from a lengthy prison sentence . The man prosecutors described during the trial is apparently unrecognizable to many of Marshall 's friends and acquaintances . He was a loyal churchgoing man , a Purple Heart recipient wounded in Iwo Jima during World War II and a son who tried mightily but could never live up to the high ideals of his socialite mother , according to letters friends submitted to the court . And now , they say he is a frail and sickly man who has faced extreme humiliation and would essentially be given a death sentence if a judge hands down the maximum sentence allowed . It will be up to Judge A. Kirke Bartley Jr. to decide how to reconcile the two portraits of Tony Marshall . He faces a minimum 1 to 3 years , or as much as 8 to 25 years in state prison . The drastically differing views have only further heightened interest in the case , which during the trial stage was a tabloid feeding frenzy , fostering headlines such as `` Bad heir day , '' `` Mrs. Astor 's disaster '' and `` DA 's kick in the Astor . '' The witness list was a virtual `` Who 's Who '' of New York 's social elite -- including Henry Kissinger , Graydon Carter , Barbara Walters , Vartan Gregorian and Annette de la Renta . During the case , prosecutors and witnesses portrayed Marshall as an only son preying on his physically and mentally ill 101-year-old mother . Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann called the case `` disturbing , '' and said the trial told the story of `` how a son , an only son , would stoop so low to steal from his own mother in the sunset years of her life in order to line his own pockets and the pockets of his wife . '' His only goal , they said , was to selfishly tap her fortune -- money that prosecutors said Astor intended to donate to ordinary New Yorkers who needed help after she died . He was convicted of the most serious charges against him -- first-degree grand larceny and scheming to defraud . One of the most serious convictions involved Marshall giving himself a $ 1 million-a-year raise for handling his mother 's affairs , Seidemann said . During trial testimony , Marshall 's lawyers called no character witnesses to come to his defense . So the new letters from friends are the first attempts by those who know him to share what they believe is his true character . Whoopi Goldberg told a judge in her letter that she met Tony Marshall and his wife Charlene 10 years ago when Goldberg moved into a building on the Upper East Side with Frank Langella . Unlike other residents who turned their nose up at her , Goldberg said she became quick friends with the Marshalls . Her interactions with Tony , she wrote , gave her an insight into his relationship with his mother , and in turn taught her about how fame can affect family dynamics . `` I also understand what it must be like for my own daughter to be around my fame , '' she wrote . `` I am not comparing myself to Mrs. Astor , but I 've seen how you can be dismissed as not being good enough , or hip enough , and seeing it happen to Tony made me make sure that it did n't happen to my own daughter . '' The humiliation and ugliness of the trial was punishment enough and a prison sentence would be unjust , friends argued in the letters . Marshall 's cardiologist , Kenneth W. Franklin , also wrote to urge the judge to consider his age and health in sentencing . A prison sentence `` will accelerate his deterioration from cardiac and neurologic disease and would result in his premature death due to medical complications , '' he wrote . NBC 's Today show weatherman Al Roker came to Marshall 's defense too , having met him at his church 10 years ago . He argued Marshall had suffered enough , paying a price greater than any sentence a judge could hand down -- seeing his son turn on him during the trial and being portrayed in a negative light each day . `` Given his advanced age and deteriorating health , justice may be better served by turning a compassionate eye towards this good son , father and patriot and finding it in your heart not to add ` prisoner ' to Anthony Marshall 's otherwise unblemished resume , '' Roker wrote in his letter to the court . Goldberg too , believed `` breaking this man '' by putting him in prison , was not the right punishment . `` Please do n't put him in jail , '' she writes at the end of her letter . `` It would only amount to an unnecessary cruelty that would serve no real purpose . Has n't Tony been through enough ? '' CNN 's Jessica Ravitz contributed to this report . | Whoopi Goldberg , Al Roker among those asking for a compassionate sentence . Tony Marshall convicted of bilking mom Brooke Astor of money before her death . He faces a minimum 1 to 3 years , or as much as 8 to 25 years in state prison . Friends cite Marshall 's age of 85 , deteriorating health , among reasons for light sentence . | [[52, 75], [80, 163], [122, 197], [363, 384], [1374, 1405], [1083, 1090], [1093, 1130], [3924, 3948], [3978, 4048], [4049, 4069], [4144, 4208], [4546, 4595]] |
Melissa Harris-Lacewell is associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton University . She is the author of the award-winning book , `` Barbershops , Bibles , and BET : Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought '' and writes a daily blog titled The Kitchen Table . Melissa Harris-Lacewell says Eric Holder 's speech fell short of calling for real action against racism . PRINCETON , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On Wednesday , Attorney General Eric Holder marked Black History Month with an address at the Department of Justice . Holder clearly and courageously acknowledged the history of American racism . He forthrightly argued that , `` to get to the heart of this country , one must examine its racial soul . '' Because public officials so rarely discuss race , Holder 's was an unusually bold statement . But ultimately , Eric Holder 's discussion of race in America was a failure . It failed because Holder spoke more like a grade school principal than like the attorney general of the United States . He framed our nation 's continuing racial work as a struggle to feel comfortable , be tolerant , and have `` frank conversations about racial matters . '' I appreciate the sentiment , but I would prefer Holder use the Department of Justice to sue those who illegally discriminate against racial minorities rather than holding encounter sessions in the lunchroom . February 's celebration of black history is important because it reminds us that America 's bitter racial legacy is not about name calling and hurt feelings ; it is about structures of inequality codified in law and supported by government action . Black men and women risked their lives to gain the right to vote , to live where they chose , to educate their children in the best public schools , and to end segregation in transportation and public places . Black political history is the story of a battle against structures . Unfortunately , too many of those structures still exist . As attorney general , Eric Holder is charged , in part , with eliminating those violations of law that still create systematic racial inequality . In Holder 's optimistic portrayal of modern America , we are a nation fundamentally altered by Brown v. Board of Education ; a country that has `` done a pretty good job melding the races in the workplace ; '' and a nation whose biggest racial obstacle is making our weekend socializing as congenial as our workweek happy hours . Maybe Holder does n't realize that in many cities and towns the public schools are more segregated today than they were 40 years ago . A recent report from the Chicago Urban League found that African-American children in the city are almost exclusively educated in schools that are more than 85 percent black . These vastly predominantly black schools have fewer resources , fewer extracurricular activities and fewer experienced teachers than their white counterparts . Children from these schools are more likely to drop out or end up incarcerated than to enroll in college . Segregation is no longer the law of the land , but America 's children continue to be educated in separate and unequal schools . We ca n't talk our way out of unequal schools . Holder 's perspective that black and white workers get along easily in the workplace reflects a shocking disregard for contemporary employment realities . African-Americans continue to suffer from extraordinary employment discrimination at every stage of hiring and promotion and in every sector of the job market . For example , my Princeton University colleague , sociologist Devah Pager , has demonstrated that white men with criminal records are more likely to be considered for a job than black men with no criminal past . I am deeply concerned that the leader of the Department of Justice seems to believe that our workplaces need dialogue , discourse , and understanding rather than fair hiring practices , equal pay , and transparent promotion procedures . We ca n't talk our way out of employers who refuse to interview a job candidate if the name on the résumé `` sounds black . '' Holder discussed weekend segregation as if it is just a matter of personal recreational choice : White folks go off to NASCAR and black people prefer to watch basketball . But the reason Americans do not share racial vocabulary or opportunities for interracial dialogue is because of deeply entrenched racial residential segregation . We do n't spend our weekends together because we do n't live in the same neighborhoods . Housing segregation is not just a matter of personal choice . Some real estate agents steer black families away from predominantly white neighborhoods . Some property owners refuse to rent to black families . Both of these acts are illegal . In fact , the National Fair Housing Alliance documents hundred of thousands of acts of housing discrimination each year and has repeatedly criticized the Department of Justice for failing to adequately pursue and prosecute the vast majority of these cases . We ca n't talk our way out of residential segregation . As a teacher , I am deeply committed to interracial dialogue . I try to use my classroom as a site of conversation , deliberation , and debate about race . I do this because , as a teacher , dialogue is the most powerful weapon I have in the fight to build a better America . Eric Holder has something more . He has the law . I do n't want my attorney general to scold me about having conversations ; I want him to tell me the lawsuits he plans to file against those who continue to practice educational , employment , and housing discrimination . I appreciate Attorney General Holder for taking up a conversation on race , but it is not enough . The time for talking may come , but today is a day for action . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Melissa Harris-Lacewell . | Melissa Harris-Lacewell : Eric Holder 's speech was ultimately a failure . She says it was courageous for the attorney general to talk about race . Rather than seek racial dialogue , she says , Holder should have called for action . Harris-Lacewell : Discrimination is rampant and needs to be addressed . | [[292, 397], [843, 853], [856, 916], [5641, 5714], [292, 397], [321, 397]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Back in his native South Korea , the Korean Foreign Ministry nicknamed him `` Ban-chusa , '' meaning `` the Bureaucrat '' or `` the administrative clerk . '' U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has focused on global warming policy by world governments . While Ban Ki-moon was known for his attention to detail and administrative skill , he was also seen by some as lacking in charisma and subservient to his superiors , while the Korean press called him `` the slippery eel '' for his ability to dodge questions . But on October 13 , 2006 , South Korea 's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon was elected to be the eighth Secretary-General by the United Nations General Assembly . Following up on a campaign aiming to bring out his charismatic side , Ban surprised the audience of a UN Correspondents ' dinner that December by singing `` Ban Ki-moon is coming to town '' on the melody of `` Santa Claus Is Coming to Town . '' Ban was born on 13 June 1944 . He received a bachelor 's degree in international relations from Seoul National University in 1970 , and a master 's degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1985 . He and his wife , Yoo -LRB- Ban -RRB- Soon-taek , whom he met in high school in 1962 , have one son and two daughters . In addition to Korean , Ban speaks fluent English and is studying French . Ban was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea from January 2004 to November 2006 . His tenure included postings in New Delhi , Washington D.C. and Vienna , while he was responsible for a variety of portfolios such as Foreign Policy Advisor to the President , Chief National Security Adviser to the President , Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and Director-General of American Affairs . Throughout this service , his guiding vision was that of a peaceful Korean peninsula , playing an expanding role for peace and prosperity in the region and the wider world . Ban had long been actively involved in issues relating to inter-Korean relations . In 1992 , as Special Advisor to the Foreign Minister , he served as Vice Chair of the South-North Joint Nuclear Control Commission following the adoption of the historic Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula . In September 2005 , as Foreign Minister , he played a leading role in bringing about another landmark agreement aimed at promoting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula with the adoption at the Six Party Talks of the Joint Statement on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue . In January 2007 Ban succeeded Kofi Annan and has since pushed the Sudanese government to allow peacekeeping troops in Darfur and focused on global warming policy by world governments . | Ban Ki-moon elected eighth U.N. Secretary-General in October 2006 . Ban has pushed Sudan on peacekeepers in Darfur and focused on climate change . Ban was Ban was South Korea 's Foreign Minister from Jan. 2004 to Nov. 2006 . He has long been actively involved in issues relating to inter-Korean relations . | [[536, 556], [559, 679], [559, 602], [615, 690], [177, 271], [2579, 2598], [2624, 2633], [2641, 2763], [2579, 2598], [2634, 2763], [559, 602], [615, 690], [1381, 1492], [1973, 2018], [2012, 2055]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic intends to skip the start of his war crimes trial because he says he has had too little time to prepare , a spokeswoman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said Thursday . Radovan Karadzic wrote to the court to say he would not attend the trial . The trial is still expected to begin on Monday despite Karadzic 's intended absence , which he announced in a letter to the court , the spokeswoman said . `` The tribunal judges control court proceedings . They are the only relevant body that can make a decision about the readiness of the case for trial , '' she said . Karadzic , who is defending himself , faces genocide charges and nine other counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Bosnian Muslims , Bosnian Croats and other non-Serbian civilians during the brutal and bloody dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s . The conflict introduced the phrase `` ethnic cleansing '' into the lexicon describing war crimes , as different factions in multi-ethnic Yugoslavia sought to kill or drive out other groups . Karadzic was arrested last year after more than a decade on the run and was found to have been living in Belgrade , the capital of Serbia , and practicing alternative medicine in disguise . In a letter dated Wednesday and made public Thursday , Karadzic complains that he has not been given the relevant case material on time -- and he says the volume of material would have been too much to go through even if he had received it promptly . `` I ask Your Excellencies -- why and how is it possible that the prosecution is allowed to literally bury me under a million of pages , only to start disclosing relevant material many months after my arrest ? '' he writes . `` Why and how is it possible that the prosecution is allowed to file its final indictment against me on the eve of the planned trial date ? '' Karadzic says he should not be penalized for representing himself . `` No lawyer in this world could prepare defense within this period of time , '' he writes . `` I hereby inform you that my defense is not ready for my trial that is supposed to begin as scheduled , on the 26th of October , and that therefore I shall not appear before you on that date . '' He promised to continue his preparations in `` the most intensive way '' and inform the court when he is ready . The genocide charges against him stem partly from the most notorious massacre of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina , once a part of Yugoslavia . More than 7,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed at Srebrenica when ethnic Serb troops overran a U.N. `` safe area '' in July 1995 . It was the worst European massacre since World War II . Prosecutors at the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague accuse Karadzic of responsibility . `` On 8 March 1995 , Karadzic instructed Bosnian Serb forces under his command to create an unbearable situation of total insecurity with no hope of further survival for the inhabitants of Srebrenica , amongst other places , '' the tribunal said in a statement this month . The Hague indictment also says Karadzic committed genocide when forces under his command killed non-Serbs during and after attacks in more than a dozen Bosnian municipalities in the early stages of the war . Karadzic , who faces life in prison if he is convicted , denies the charges . The court can not impose the death penalty . When he was arrested in July 2008 , Karadzic had grown a large white beard and let his famous steel-gray hair grow long and turn white . He had spent more than 13 years in hiding , during which he practiced alternative medicine at a Belgrade clinic . Karadzic 's arrest leaves his former military commander , Ratko Mladic , as the highest-ranking fugitive still being sought by the war crimes tribunal . Prosecutor Alan Tieger told the court in July that the case against Karadzic would take approximately 490 hours . That means prosecutors are likely to need more than a year to lay out their evidence , a court spokeswoman said . The 1992-95 Bosnian war was the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s . Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic , Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations . Karadzic was removed from power in 1995 , when the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war barred anyone accused of war crimes from holding office . Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague . | Karadzic says he is skipping the start of his war crimes and genocide trial . Former Bosnian Serb leader accused over atrocities during Balkans conflict . Thousands died during the bloody dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1990s . | [[0, 15], [63, 166], [265, 339], [291, 294], [301, 339], [4116, 4182]] |
-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]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican and Colombian officials working with U.S. agents have seized about $ 41 million in cash hidden in shipping containers , the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency announced Monday . Colombian authorities seized $ 11.2 million in U.S. currency in Buenaventura , Colombia , on September 9 . The U.S. agency , commonly called ICE , says the seizures were made September 9-18 . It called them the largest seizure of cash ever found in shipping containers destined for Colombia and the largest for the agency since its inception . According to ICE : . • On September 9 , Colombian customs inspectors and Colombian national police , acting on intelligence reports , seized $ 11.2 million in U.S. currency hidden in two shipping containers . The containers were aboard a vessel that sailed from the Port of Manzanillo , Mexico , and was headed to Buenaventura , Colombia . Colombian customs inspectors said it was the most cash ever seized by police at a port in the nation . • On September 10 , a second seizure of U.S. currency estimated at $ 11.2 million also was made at the Buenaventura port . • On September 11 , a shipment of $ 11 million was discovered hidden inside two shipping containers at the Port of Manzanillo . • On September 14 , ICE special agents , along with Colombian authorities , discovered three additional shipping containers in Buenaventura containing about $ 5 million in $ 100 and $ 50 bills . These shipping containers also originated in Manzanillo . • On September 18 , authorities seized $ 2.15 million in $ 100 bills concealed inside two containers aboard a vessel that arrived in Manzanillo . `` This seizure represents a bad day for organized crime , '' ICE Director John Morton said at a Monday news conference in Washington . `` Forty-one million dollars is not a rounding error . The loss of that kind of money hurts . '' All of the money was concealed in sacks of fertilizer chemicals in containers transported on commercial ships , Morton said . Watch investigators uncover cash '' `` When it 's packed in very large containers , it 's extremely difficult to probe ; it 's extremely difficult to X-ray . And so it was a very good means of concealing currency , '' he said . The ports of Buenaventura and Manzanillo are key points along a well-known route used for smuggling cocaine northward to Mexico and then on to the United States , and for sending cash back into Colombia , where most of the cocaine originates , ICE said in a news release . Morton called the smugglers `` very , very sophisticated , '' saying they were using the lawful shipping trade to send drug profits from the U.S. through Mexico to Colombia . Morton said the money will be forfeited in accordance with the laws of the nations where it was seized , with Colombia keeping $ 28 million and Mexico getting $ 13 million . `` None of these monies will be forfeited to the United States , '' he said . While large , this month 's cash seizure is not a record . In March of 2007 , officials in Mexico officials confiscated $ 207 million in cash in what was then called the largest drug-related cash seizure in history . ICE is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security , investigating financial crime , trade fraud , narcotics smuggling and cash smuggling , the agency said . ICE was established in 2003 after the Homeland Security Act of 2002 . CNN 's Mike M. Ahlers and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report . | Joint operation nets about $ 41 million in cash hidden in shipping containers . Mexican , Colombian authorities working with U.S. agents seize money in 2 ports . U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement calls ports key points in drug trade route . | [[0, 69], [75, 132], [121, 155], [2069, 2071], [2075, 2106], [42, 86], [0, 69], [75, 132], [158, 228]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Public Utility Commission of Texas will review the case of a cancer patient fighting to keep her electricity on to power her oxygen machine , the commission told CNN on Wednesday . Mable Randon , who has stage 4 cancer , was denied help paying for electricity , which she needs to power her oxygen tank . CNN affiliate KHOU of Houston , Texas , said calls poured in from as far away as Connecticut after the station aired its story on Mable Randon , a stage 4 cancer patient who received a cutoff notice after she fell behind on her bills . `` I 'm on a set income , '' she told KHOU . `` My husband lost his job . He finds a little work every now and then , but it 's hard . '' She applied to CenterPoint Energy 's Critical Care Program which helps maintain service for people who depend on electric-powered life support systems , but she was rejected . `` I 'm fighting for my life , and I thought people at the power company would help me , '' said Randon , who uses a wheelchair . `` I just thought they 'd make some kind of exception for me . '' Randon 's power will stay on until the commission examines the facts in the case , said Terry Hadley , spokesman for the commission . CenterPoint told Randon she failed to meet the criteria . Spokeswoman Alicia Dixon told KHOU that Randon could have bought a battery-powered oxygen machine . The critical care program has thousands of applicants , and only 300 of them have been accepted , she said . `` This program is a communication program , not a guarantee of uninterrupted power , even to customers who are on the list , '' she said . Since the rejection , Randon said she is `` up and down all night , '' partly because she is worried about whether the power will be on when she wakes up . `` They have no consideration for life , '' she said . `` It 's just like they do n't care . '' CenterPoint spokeswoman Leticia Lowe said the company does not send electric bills ; it merely owns the wires and poles and is directed to disconnect power by retail electric providers . Randon 's electric company is Freedom Power , she said . CNN 's attempts to contact Freedom Power were unsuccessful Wednesday . As of Tuesday , CenterPoint had not received a notice from Freedom Power to disconnect Randon 's service , Lowe said . Following the KHOU report , CenterPoint received calls from viewers , she said . But the company can do nothing since they do n't bill Randon . CNN 's Divina Mims contributed to this report . | Mable Randon , a stage 4 cancer patient , got a cutoff notice after falling behind on bill . She applied for critical care program , was told to buy battery-operated oxygen tank . `` I 'm fighting for my life , and I thought people at the power company would help me '' Public Utility Commission of Texas reviewing Randon 's case . | [[204, 216], [223, 241], [473, 497], [502, 563], [702, 760], [1266, 1365], [1301, 1365], [881, 906], [913, 950], [923, 964], [0, 15], [49, 98]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the man in the Dodgers jersey walked quickly around the perimeter of the infield , fans poured down from the bleachers begging for autographs . Pitbull says he learns from setbacks : `` Usually the negatives turned out to be the most positive for me . '' No , it was n't home run king Manny Ramirez . It was Armando Christian Perez , the Cuban-American rapper better known as Pitbull . In five years , he 's gone from a mouthy Miami street hustler to a chart-topping hip-hop star whose infectious Caribbean beats have enticed crossover audiences to swing their hips and sing along -- even taking on some of the words in Spanish . His fourth studio album , `` Rebelution , '' debuted in the Top 10 on the mainstream Billboard chart . But Pitbull 's growing profile means nada as he takes the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game . `` I 'm the only Cuban who never picked up a baseball in his life , '' he said , preparing . He awkwardly winds up and releases the pitch . It falls short , bouncing on the ground before reaching the plate . `` One more try ! '' he signals . The second attempt is closer to the mark . It 's symbolic of Pit 's career . `` It 's not how you start . It 's how you finish it , '' he likes to say . Watch how Pitbull leads his `` Rebelution '' '' Tommy Lasorda , the legendary Dodgers manager , is waiting to bust his chops as he leaves the infield . Later , we get the scoop on the conversation . -LRB- By the way , the Dodgers won that game . -RRB- . CNN : Tommy Lasorda was out there giving you a little bit of grief . Pitbull : Tommy Lasorda told me , `` It was the worst throw I 've ever seen in my life ! '' I said , `` Well , I 'll throw you in the studio . You rap , I 'll play baseball . '' He goes , `` I 'll rap a whole lot better than that throw ! '' -LRB- Laughs -RRB- . CNN : How much do you deflect things with humor ? Pitbull : -LSB- Humor is -RSB- everything . Everything . Usually the negatives turned out to be the most positive for me . In the music industry , any other artist would have looked at the situation I was in and thought , `` Oh man , this is not for me . '' I looked at it more like -LSB- Darwin exploring -RSB- the Galápagos Islands . You know -- survival of the fittest . CNN : Were you a troublemaker growing up ? Pitbull : Not a troublemaker . I 'm sharp . Slick , if you want to call it . What the street taught me how to do is how to hustle . How to make something out of nothing . CNN : In the music industry , street cred may help an artist . Pitbull : Anybody who 's made it out of the street -- they want to do this -LRB- places index finger over his lips -RRB- . Shh . CNN : Even though some of the struggles are similar , there does n't seem to be a lot of crossover between African-American hip-hop artists and Latin-American hip-hop artists . Pitbull : You ca n't get a Diddy or Jay-Z to speak to the Latins . It 's not gon na happen . There 's a force field where they said , `` OK , we 're going to let you here -- but that 's it . '' Diddy got the closest . Why ? Because he had J. Lo . The only reason my grandmother knows Puff Daddy is because of J. Lo . But he could n't cross that barrier . So as far as myself -- I guess I 'm their role model . CNN : How much do you want to cross over ? Pitbull : I have respect for Jay-Z and Diddy for what they did in the hip-hop game . But I want to be Celia Cruz . I want to be Gloria Estefan -LSB- both were born in Cuba -RSB- . I want to enterprise -- open clubs and restaurants . They 've done it also -- but those are who I look up to . CNN : Your parents were both born in Cuba . Pitbull : They did n't want to leave Cuba ! They would have stayed in Cuba . They did n't want to get out of there . There were forced out of that country . CNN : How did they come to Miami ? Pitbull : My grandmother fought in the -LSB- Cuban -RSB- revolutionary war actually with Castro , because everybody thought that Batista was corrupt . I 'm not saying that he was n't , but it 's almost like the lesser of two evils . -LSB- When she became disillusioned with the Castro government -RSB- , my mother and my aunt got sent off in an operation called Peter Pan without their parents . She did n't see her mother for seven years . As far as my father -- he came over also . He did n't come in the Peter Pan , but they fled the country . CNN : Would you ever go to Cuba and play a concert there ? Pitbull : No way . I 'd never go to Cuba and play a concert . -LSB- I 'd consider playing there -RSB- as soon as I know that it 's confirmed that Castro 's out of there . I mean , if you ask me , I think Castro 's been dead for years . He handed power to Raúl , and he slips pictures here and there . He keeps giving these pictures to the media with the same shirt on -- same jacket , same everything . CNN : How do you feel about other artists of your generation who feel compelled to go and perform in Cuba as kind of an olive branch ? Pitbull : Juanes just did it . Papa , you ca n't change Cuba . History will tell you that you ca n't change Cuba . I respect him as an artist -- he 's like U2 , the Bono of Spanish . I do n't respect his decision . Maybe he does n't really understand it at the end of the day because he 's not Cuban . -LSB- Juanes is Colombian . -RSB- . But to each his own . There 's too much suffering , too much pain from people who left that island , that have come over here and tried to change their life . CNN : Even though you were born in America , how much are you influenced by your Cuban roots ? Pitbull : My mother , she 's like , `` Look , you 're American , son . You were born here in the States . '' My father ? My father said , `` You 're Cuban-American . '' My mother would call me Chris , because my middle name 's Christian . My father would say , `` No , your name 's Armando . '' But in my blood , what it tells me is , `` You 're Cuban-American . '' The music is what makes you , the food is what makes you , the way you 've been taught mentally . | Pitbull has had some crossover success ; his new album debuted in Top 10 . Hip-hop artist has Cuban heritage , has balanced that with American upbringing . He says he 's not fazed by failure : negatives can lead to positives , he says . | [[719, 779], [241, 298], [1985, 2050], [1993, 2006], [2018, 2050]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rules governing air traffic over New York 's Hudson River need to be rewritten to prevent another mishap like this month 's fatal collision of a small plane and a sightseeing helicopter , federal safety investigators said Thursday . The wreckage of a plane that collided with a helicopter is lifted this month from the Hudson River . The recommendation comes three weeks after nine people were killed when the two aircraft collided in the congested airspace bordering Manhattan . The recommendation is noteworthy both because of its sweeping nature and its timing . Ordinarily , the National Transportation Safety Board makes recommendations at the conclusion of its investigation , which typically take a year . But in a letter to FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt , NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said that based on preliminary findings , the safety board is concerned about the `` safety of flight '' over the Hudson River . She outlined a series of changes , among them requiring that helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft fly at different altitudes over the river . She made specific reference to `` the performance of air traffic controllers '' at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey , who were monitoring the plane 's flight during the August 8 collision . `` The NTSB is concerned with the complacency and inattention to duty evidenced by the actions of the -LSB- Teterboro -RSB- controller and the supervisor during the events surrounding this accident , '' Hersman wrote . Hersman said the pilot of the aircraft requested permission to climb to 3,500 feet minutes before the crash . But because there was no coordination between controllers at Teterboro and Newark airports , controllers did not grant the request , increasing the risk of a collision in Hudson River low-altitude airspace known as the `` exclusionary zone , '' she said . Pilots in the exclusionary zone are not separated by air traffic controllers , and instead use visual `` see and avoid '' tactics . The Teterboro controller was making a personal phone call and `` was not fully engaged in his duties '' in the minutes leading up to the accident , Hersman said . His supervisor , meanwhile , had left the building on a personal errand without informing the controller . The air traffic controller 's inappropriate phone call `` likely would not have been permitted '' if the supervisor had been in the tower , Hersman said . The FAA on Thursday did not comment on the NTSB recommendation , but said a task force studying flight operations above the Hudson River will soon submit its findings . And the air traffic controllers union defended its member , saying he had handed off the plane 's pilot to another radar tower before the helicopter appeared on his radar scope . `` The NTSB again has rushed to wrongly blame the air traffic controller in this incident , '' said Patrick Forrey , president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association . `` The bottom line here is that the controller is not responsible for contributing to this tragic accident . ... We can not provide traffic advisories to aircraft we are not talking to , can not see on radar or are not a factor at all . '' Forrey said the NTSB `` inexplicably '' made its recommendations before the FAA task force had finished its job . `` The task force is due to release its report next week . So why the rush ? '' Forrey said . In its letter , the NTSB asks the FAA to establish a special flight rules area , or SFRA , for the class B exclusion areas near New York City ; require vertical separation between helicopters and airplanes in these SFRAs ; require pilots to complete specific training on the SFRA requirements before flight within the area ; and conduct a review of other airspace configurations where specific pilot training and familiarization would improve safety . | NTSB advises rule changes over Hudson River after August 8 crash . Nine people were killed when helicopter , small plane collided . One proposal : Make helicopters , fixed-wing aircraft fly at different altitudes over river . NTSB makes recommendation before end of crash probe -- a rare move . | [[0, 26], [92, 219], [283, 290], [296, 322], [368, 456], [405, 513], [1000, 1099], [3200, 3290]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of the Internet 's great promises is that it 's the ultimate democratizer . It 's open to everyone and allows all people to communicate . Facebook and Google have added new translation tools , but they take different approaches . But , so far , there have been several hitches in that plan . Not everyone has access to a computer and a broadband connection . Some governments still censor the Internet . And of course , we do n't all speak the same language . For the World Wide Web to be truly global , should n't Chinese speakers be able to chat online with people who only speak Spanish ? And why should an English speaker be barred from reading blogs written in Malagasy or Zulu ? Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. are two Web companies trying particularly hard to make this happen , and they 've released a number of updates to their translation services in recent weeks . The two online giants are going about the process in different ways . Facebook aims to translate the Web using an army of volunteers and some hired professional translators . Meanwhile , Google plans to let computers do most of the work . Which method will ultimately prevail remains to be seen . But for now , here 's a look at the latest language features from both companies , and some background on how their translation services work . -LRB- Feel free to add your own Internet translation tips -- and fun translation bloopers -- in the comments section at the bottom of the story -RRB- : . Facebook 's human translation . Many tech bloggers think Facebook 's method of human translation seems promising . After all , the American-born social networking site introduced non-English languages for the first time only in January 2008 . Now about 70 percent of Facebook 's 300 million users are outside of the United States . How it works : Real people are at the heart of Facebook translation plan . They suggest translated phrases and vote on translations that others have submitted . These crowd-sourced edits -- which work kind of like Wikipedia -- make Facebook 's translation service smarter over time . Go to Facebook 's translation page to check it out or to participate . Size : More than 65 languages function on Facebook now , according to Facebook 's statistics . At least another 30 languages are in the works , meaning Facebook needs help working out the kinks on those languages before they 're put to use . What 's new ? Facebook announced in a blog post on September 30 that the social network has made its crowd-sourced translation technology available to other sites on the Web . The update allows sites to install a translation gadget on their sites through Facebook Connect , a service that lets Facebook users sign in on other Web pages . Facebook also added some new languages , including Latin and `` Pirate , '' which translates the Facebooky word `` share '' as `` blabber t ` yer mates ! '' Pros and cons : People are good at knowing idioms and slang , so Facebook tends to get these right , but there are limited numbers of multi-lingual volunteers who want to spend time helping Facebook translate things . Also , Facebook 's site is available in many languages , but its human translators do n't touch wall posts , photo comments and other user-submitted items , which is a big con if you want to have friends who do n't share a common language with you . People who use Facebook Connect to translate their sites can choose which text they want users to help translate , according to Facebook spokeswoman Malorie Lucich . Craig Ulliott , founder of whereivebeen.com , said he 's excited about Facebook 's translation application , but it would be too much to ask his site 's users to translate user-submitted material . Google 's ` mechanical ' translation . Google uses mathematical equations to try to translate the Web 's content . This fits in line with the company 's mission , which is to organize the world 's information and make it useful and accessible to all . How it works : Google 's computers learn how to be translators by examining text that 's already on the Web , and from professional Web translations posted online , said Franz Och , a principal scientist at Google . The more text is out there , the more Google learns and the better its translations become . The search-engine company currently translates documents , search results and full Web pages . Size : Google claims to be the largest free language translation service online . It covers 51 languages and more than 2,500 language pairs . The site 's interface has been translated , with the help of Google users , into 130 languages . What 's new ? : Google recently created a widget that any Web developer can put on his or her page to offer up Google translations . So , say you 're a blogger who writes about music . You might get some Brazilian readers if you offered up a button to translate your site into Portuguese . Google also recently unveiled a translation service for Google Docs , which lets anyone upload a document to the Web and have it translated into a number of languages for free . And there 's a new Firefox add-on from Google to help people translate the Web more quickly . Och said real-time translation of Internet chats is on the horizon , as are more languages and increased quality as Google 's computers get smarter . Pros and cons : Google 's computerized approach means it can translate tons of content -- and fast . But computers are n't quite up to speed with ever-evolving modern speech , so reports of translation errors are fairly common . On the plus side , the service has been vastly improved in the last five years , Och said . Also , Google lets people spot translation errors , suggest new wordings and translate its interface into languages Google 's computers do n't speak just yet . | Facebook and Google are finding new ways to translate the Web . Facebook favors human translation ; Google leans on its computers . Google claims to be the largest translation service online , with 51 languages . Facebook announces a new service to let Internet users help translate sites . | [[161, 213], [1072, 1081], [1084, 1135], [1839, 1898], [5683, 5689], [5753, 5811], [4411, 4485], [4486, 4545], [2485, 2596], [3663, 3665], [3684, 3747]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Going to the beach has become a lot like looking for hotel accommodations : If it has a one-star ranking , you know you 're in for nothing but trouble . A new report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council ranked the water quality of 200 U.S. coastal beaches using a five-star guide , and the results are far from a day at the beach . Laguna Beach in Orange County , California , is one of the NRDC 's five-star beaches for water quality . `` Nationwide , 7 percent of beach water samples are so contaminated with human or animal waste that they 're not conducive for swimming , '' said Nancy Stoner , co-director of the NRDC 's water program and lead author for the report . `` For the fourth year in a row , NRDC found that there were more than 20,000 beach closings last year because of human or animal waste in the water . '' Pollutants found in beach water are frequently the result of storm water or sewage overflow , and it 's not something to take lightly , especially if small children , pregnant women or the elderly are spending time in the surf . Swimming in polluted water can lead to ear infections and stomach viruses , as well as more serious diseases like meningitis and hepatitis , Stoner said . The Environmental Protection Agency sets a standard for beach water quality , and when water quality tests reveal that pollution has exceeded that standard , the beach is closed . `` The problem , '' Stoner said , `` is that it does take 24 hours or longer to produce test results , '' meaning if the beach was contaminated on Thursday , you wo n't know about it until Friday . And once those results are produced , there 's no guarantee that the cause is identifiable . While storm water and sewage are often the culprit for closures , for 62 percent of the 20,000 beach closures that occurred last year , the cause of the pollution was unknown . But with precious few weeks of beach season left , now is not the time to avoid sand and surf like the plague . Thankfully , not all beaches are polluted equally -- the NRDC hands out five stars to beaches that meet health standards more than 95 per cent of the time and quickly notify beach goers with signs and Internet alerts when there 's a potential problem . Standout states include Delaware , New Hampshire and Virginia , which boast having pristine , nearly pollution-free shores . Virginians however should take note : Fairview Beach in King George County is certainly not one of those . According to Stoner , this beach is considered to be one of the worst offenders , particularly because it consistently fails more than 25 percent of its water quality tests . Hands down , one of the best beaches is Ocean City , Maryland , which does well year after year because of its clean water and strict water quality monitoring , two factors that earned the popular East Coast beach five stars . In nearby Delaware , Dewey and Bethany beaches also earned a stamp of approval from the NRDC . Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are two of California 's five-star beaches , but stay away from Doheny Beach and Avalon Beach , which both failed more than 25 percent of their water quality tests in 2008 . If you 're in the Great Lakes region and looking for quality beach time , strongly consider booking a trip to one of the coasts . `` From 2005 to 2008 , the Great Lakes consistently tested the dirtiest . In 2008 , 13 percent of beach water samples violated public health standards , '' Stoner said . But no matter which beach you frequent , five-star or not , you should always take precautions by avoiding beaches with obvious sources of pollution , like nearby open pipes and trash . Wait at least 24 hours after a heavy rain before hitting the waves again , allowing potential pollutants to dissipate . To see how your closest beach stacks up , visit http://www.nrdc.org/ . | New study ranked 200 U.S. beaches according to water quality tests . Delaware , New Hampshire and Virginia have the cleanest beach water . Ocean City , Maryland , consistently ranks as one of the best for water quality . Fairview Beach in Virginia consistently ranks as one of the worst . | [[172, 293], [2262, 2323], [2315, 2323], [2332, 2386], [2709, 2719], [2739, 2816], [2425, 2474], [2479, 2493], [2516, 2573]] |
YORK , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The city of York is steeped in history . The central Pennsylvania town was a stop on the Underground Railroad , and it was even , briefly , the nation 's capital . A week of race riots in York , Pennsylvania , left two dead 39 years ago . Sen. Hillary Clinton 's rally here Saturday , on the corner of Market and Beaver Streets , was down the block from a local landmark that touches on a less-heralded chapter in the city 's history : the site of the monument that was n't . A few months ago , Mayor John Brenner and others pushed for a memorial at the corner of George and Market Streets , in the center of town , that would remind York residents of a deadly week of race riots 39 years ago . The violence claimed two victims : police officer Henry Schaad , and minister 's daughter Lillie Belle Allen , in murders that went unsolved for decades . Schaad was white , Allen black . But disputes over nearly every aspect of the project brought emotional responses that seemed to split along racial lines , including disagreements over inspiration , location and design . The process stalled entirely a few weeks ago , as organizers went back to the drawing board . This dispute is emblematic of the divide facing both Democratic candidates in next Tuesday 's Pennsylvania primary . `` The issue of race has touched this community , much more deeply than it has in other places . It 's not in the forefront , it 's not usually discussed , but that issue has been very important to people here , '' said local NAACP chapter president Eric Kirkland , in a row house just off George St. , the main drag that bisects the city 's downtown . `` Historically , this has been a very racially hostile area . Race relations have always been strained here . There 's an old guard , and they have those old ideas , '' he said . But the face of York itself has changed . A decade ago , the town was 70 percent white . City officials say black and Latino residents now make up roughly 45 percent of the population of 41,000 . Sen. Barack Obama is expected to win the overwhelmingly Democratic town , locals say , and Clinton has the edge in York County , an area dominated by white , working-class , conservative voters -- a group that has largely backed the New York senator this year . But presidential loyalties here this primary season do n't fall neatly along racial lines -- York 's residents are split between the two candidates in patterns that defy traditional assumptions . Neatly manicured lawns in some of the city 's mostly white suburbs are dotted with Obama signs . In the city , a restaurant window near Newberry Street -- where Allen was killed nearly four decades ago -- has a Clinton sign taped to the inside glass . Seven years ago , the town 's mayor and several other white men were arrested for Allen 's 1969 murder . In the shadow of a pending indictment , Mayor Charlie Robertson -- up for re-election -- won the Democratic primary in 2001 . He later stepped down . Eventually , he was acquitted by a local jury . Two others were convicted of murder and others took plea deals . In the wake of the trials , the city became a magnet for outside hate groups , who clashed with anti-racist demonstrators in the center of town . In the years since , the most public division in York has been the measure of progress . Some , including Kirkland , say race is still a central issue here . Others -- including many resentful of the city 's national notoriety after Robertson 's arrest -- say it is not . But most residents fall somewhere in between , caught in a decades-long conversation that moves in fits and starts , spurred along by activists and city officials . The national dialogue may have turned to race this campaign season -- but in York , where the discussion has been on the agenda for years , many say they 're all talked out . `` Race is here . It 's an undercurrent , '' said York Mayor John Brenner , an Obama supporter . `` I do think in places like York that actually had civil unrest in the 1960s , I think we have more work to do . And we 've done a lot of work in recent years . Most of our voters , I think , have moved on . '' Many of those voters -- among them Harley-Davidson factory workers , waitresses and home health aides -- echoed Brenner , saying their top concern had nothing to do with race , but with how they were going to pay their rent or afford health care . `` A few years ago , all those satellite trucks were parked out front for the trial , all those outsiders came to town for a week , and they had the story in their heads before they even got here , '' said mechanic Mike Davis , just outside the city 's Central Market . `` You did n't see anyone from around here at the courthouse , except the families . But that case is all most people know about York . I know that 's what they care about . But I have bigger things to worry about . Like my next mortgage payment . '' York has been slightly better off than many of Pennsylvania 's hard-hit industrial areas , thanks to a more diverse local economy and an influx of new residents from neighboring Maryland that have made it one of the commonwealth 's fastest-growing counties . But residents say that thousands of jobs have disappeared -- and with them , a way of life . `` I know we had that working-class tradition . I 'm a product of it , '' said Brenner , whose father was a union electrician . `` I think York County has changed . That whole blue-collar model of the past just does n't work anymore . It 's still here , but it 's not as strong as it used to be . '' Kirkland , who opposed Brenner 's favored proposal for a race riot memorial , agrees with the assessment . `` There should be a memorial -LSB- to the victims of the riots -RSB- . But those are symbols . The reality is , the fundamental standard of living for people in this city has gotten worse , it 's gotten much worse , since the trials . There are not enough jobs for people who need jobs . A monument is n't going to change that , '' he said . Kirkland is skeptical the city has truly moved beyond its headline-grabbing past . But he says the campaign , no matter who wins , has revealed a level of local progress on that front that has surprised many York residents . `` You travel the county , you travel the city , you travel the townships and most of the people want the same thing , '' he said . `` They want good jobs , a good education . They want to make sure they have decent health care . There 's not a whole lot of difference there in terms of what people 's needs are and wants are and desires are . `` I think things may be changing here , in the process of changing . It 's like a lightbulb going on . '' E-mail to a friend . | York , Pennsylvania , was the site of deadly race riots in 1969 . Issue of race has touched the community , says local NAACP president . Presidential loyalties in York do n't fall neatly along racial lines . Some skeptical the city has truly moved beyond its headline-grabbing past . | [[203, 231], [249, 277], [534, 539], [648, 733], [1321, 1368], [1477, 1530], [1533, 1584], [2316, 2401], [3432, 3526], [3530, 3545], [6066, 6148], [6078, 6148]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What appears to be the outline of a child in a fetal position can be seen in a photograph of the trunk liner from the car driven by Casey Anthony , a Florida woman charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter , according to documents released in the case . Caylee Anthony 's skeletal remains were found near her family 's home in December . `` A very interesting photo exists of the trunk liner ... which highlights the very large stain , '' FBI Intelligence Analyst Karen Cowan writes to a colleague in a September 2008 e-mail contained among nearly 1,000 pages of documents released Tuesday . `` If you look closely at this photo , there appears to be the outline or silhouette of a child in the fetal position . You can make out what may be the back , bottom and legs most clearly . '' An FBI supervisory photographic technologist replied in a later e-mail , `` We do not report conclusions about what may or may not have left any marks or impressions in cases like this -- it is too speculative . Others can draw their own conclusions about that . '' Watch Nancy Grace report on the documents '' Anthony , 23 , is charged with first-degree murder in the 2008 death of her daughter , Caylee Anthony . Prosecutors have said they are seeking the death penalty against her . The child 's skeletal remains were found in December in a wooded area about a half-mile from the home where Caylee and her mother lived with Casey Anthony 's parents . The cause of Caylee 's death is homicide by undetermined means , authorities have said . Police released documents this year showing they believed that Caylee was slain within days of the time she was last seen and that her body was in the trunk of her mother 's car for `` a period of time . '' An attorney for Casey Anthony 's parents , Brad Conway , released more documents Wednesday , according to CNN affiliate WESH . Among them were results of an FBI test that show fibers taken from duct tape found across Caylee 's mouth do not match similar fibers from tape that was found on a gas can in the Anthonys ' garage , the station reported . `` It was easy in the beginning to say , ` Well , you know , the duct tape on the gas can and the duct tape at the crime scene , they 're similar , ' and people draw conclusions from that , '' Conway said . `` Now we have an FBI report that says they 're dissimilar , that they 're not matched . Now I think the view of the land is a little bit more accurate than it was six months ago . '' In a May interview on CNN 's `` Larry King Live , '' George and Cindy Anthony said they believe that their daughter is innocent . Other documents released Tuesday by authorities show that : . • Unidentified female DNA found on the duct tape on Caylee 's mouth was matched to a female FBI agent involved in processing the site where the remains were found . • A hair found in the trunk of the car is consistent with that being from a dead body , although authorities can not say that for sure . The hair is also consistent with that taken from Caylee 's hairbrush and is different from Casey Anthony 's hair . An FBI agent says in an e-mail that it would be good to have more than one hair showing decomposition , if others are found , because there could be some `` random possibility of why one hair would look like that . '' CNN 's Natisha Lance contributed to this report . | FBI intelligence analyst speculated on photo in September 2008 e-mail . `` We do not report conclusions ... in cases like this , '' supervisor replied . Casey Anthony is charged with murder in death of 3-year-old daughter . Police believe that Caylee 's body was in mother 's car trunk . | [[458, 546], [3107, 3208], [881, 992], [1119, 1126], [1129, 1131], [1134, 1203], [1682, 1734]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A huge water main burst under a road in the suburban Baltimore community of Dundalk , Maryland , Friday , sending muddy water erupting over neighborhood streets and down highway ramps , officials said . Muddy water envelops the community of Dundalk , Maryland , on Friday . Many were left without power . The 72-inch main was shut about two hours after it ruptured , Baltimore County Chief Executive Jim Smith told CNN . No injuries were reported , Smith said , but he urged residents to `` shelter in place '' and not to go into the knee - to chest-high water under any circumstances . `` This is not a game , '' Smith warned . Authorities set up a command center near the site of the break and swift-water boat rescue teams were standing by , he added . See water main break damage '' Resident David Johnson said he felt helpless as he stood outside his house and watched the dirty brown water creep up his lawn and approach his front door . It stopped inches away and his basement stayed dry . The worst part now , Johnson said , is the smell . `` Like sewage , '' he said . Shannon Woerner was at home in nearby Essex , Maryland , when he heard the news about the water main break -- and the call for boats . He loaded his kayak in his truck and headed to the scene . `` I just wanted to see if I could help , '' he said . Woerner said he assisted by ferrying car keys and other items across flooded streets to people who were cut off from their homes by the water . Standing at the corner of Court and McShane streets , Mike Pell , 34 , watched the water slowly recede after the main was shut . Water covered the wheels of his pickup truck . `` My basement 's done , '' he said , pointing to his shoulder to show the height of the water inside , where he and his fiancée had their bedroom . `` All of our clothes are ruined , '' he said . He managed to get his two children , ages 2 and 3 , to a dry area on the first floor of the house . `` Now I wonder who 's going to pay for this . We do n't have flood insurance -- this area does n't flood , '' Pell said , shaking his head . Samantha Hansley , 21 , could only watch from a dry hill and wonder if her truck would survive the deluge . It sat a block away in 2 feet of water . Hansley and her boyfriend had been driving out of the floodwaters when they stopped to try to help some stranded drivers . `` Our truck just died , '' she said . A manager at the Box and Save grocery store not far from the break site said the entire parking lot was flooded . Cathy Geisler said customers were still in the store Friday afternoon when police came to tell everyone to evacuate , except for essential personnel . `` We had customers , we were still doing business , then the electricity went out and we escorted everyone out of the store , '' Geisler said . She and another manager stayed behind in a building with no power . As she spoke on the phone with CNN , Geisler said police had come back to tell them to leave immediately and she abruptly hung up the phone . Aerial video from CNN affiliates WMAR and WBAL showed a collapsed roadway with massive amounts of water exploding over the area . Entire neighborhoods had flooded streets , and many residents were evacuated , authorities said . Eric Braughman , who lives on one of the flooded streets , told CNN he had `` thought something was up '' with the water Thursday when his faucets discharged brownish-orange water . `` My wife did n't give the baby a bath because it did n't look safe , '' Braughman said . Nearly 1,000 customers were without power , according to Baltimore Gas and Electric Company 's Web site . The main break is part of a larger issue with failing infrastructure in many U.S. cities , said Kurt Kocher , a spokesman for Baltimore 's Department of Public Works . Kocher cited two other huge main breaks in the Maryland and Washington D.C. area that were started from the same type of pipe that burst in Friday 's incident . `` This is a national infrastructure crisis , '' Kocher said . CNN 's Alec Miran in Dundalk , Maryland , contributed to this report . | NEW : Residents say water has damaged vehicles , homes and left sewage smell . 72-inch main shut down after about two hours , county official says . CNN affiliate video shows collapsed roadway , massive amounts of water . Nearly 1,000 were without power , according to Baltimore Gas and Electric . | [[324, 383], [0, 15], [125, 144], [133, 202], [222, 292], [3036, 3165], [3090, 3165], [293, 323], [3537, 3578], [3537, 3559], [3581, 3642]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An employee of a luxurious New York hotel has been arrested in connection with the slaying of a woman in one of the hotel 's residential condominiums , police say . The Jumeirah Essex House is a landmark on Central Park South in New York . Derrick Praileau , 29 , faces second-degree murder charges in connection with the death of Andree Bejjani , 44 . Police said Bejjani , who was originally from Lebanon , had moved to New York from Dubai , United Arab Emirates , and had been staying in a residential condominium at the Jumeirah Essex House since August . Bejjani 's nude body was found Saturday afternoon on the 10th floor of the hotel on Central Park South . Her throat was slashed , authorities said . Police have not revealed a suspected motive for the slaying . `` This incident occurred in one of the private condominiums at The Essex House complex , '' the hotel said in a statement provided to CNN . `` Our sincere condolences go out to the victim 's family and we have offered our full support during this difficult time . '' The statement continued : `` We understand that a hotel employee has been arrested pending charges in conjunction with this incident . We continue to fully cooperate with the police throughout their investigation . '' A message left with Praileau 's defense attorney was not returned . The hotel referred to Praileau only as an employee , but the New York Daily News said he was its housekeeping manager , citing Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly . The 44-story Essex House opened in 1931 , a landmark Art Deco building . It recently underwent a $ 90 million renovation . The hotel has more than 500 luxury rooms and suites , along with several privately-owned residences . One six-room unit is currently on the market for $ 8.25 million . | Lebanese native Andree Bejjani , 44 , found dead in condo Saturday . Derrick Praileau , 29 , faces second-degree murder charges . Police commissioner tells newspaper that Praileau was housekeeping manager . Authorities have not revealed suspected motive . | [[381, 436], [268, 284], [292, 373], [1410, 1470], [1410, 1433], [1473, 1515], [737, 798]] |
DUBLIN , Ireland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Irish voters are going to the polls again Friday -- to vote on a treaty they rejected just over a year ago . Prime Minister Brian Cowen gets out the ` vote yes ' message in Tullamore . But this time round , opinion polls indicate the `` yes '' campaign to adopt the Lisbon Treaty and its rules for governing an expanded European Union will be successful . The EU has made assurances to Ireland that the Lisbon Treaty will not affect the country 's abortion laws or its neutrality and that Ireland will keep a European Commissioner . In the weeks leading up to the vote , Dublin was awash with posters for both sides of the emotional argument . `` Yes '' posters reminded voters how much Ireland has benefited financially from being inside the European Union . `` No '' placards questioned whether Ireland will lose its military neutrality , its anti-abortion laws and its minimum wage despite the EU assurances . Just more than half -- 53 percent -- of Irish voters said `` No '' to the Lisbon Treaty in June 2008 , throwing the future structure of the European Union into doubt as all member states have to ratify the treaty before it can be adopted . Lisbon is the plan to modernize the EU 's structure after it expanded to 27 members , with most of the new member states coming from Eastern Europe . Ireland has just one percent of the EU 's population but its `` no '' vote effectively stopped adoption of the Lisbon Treaty across the continent . So , the Dublin government is holding another referendum Friday in the hope of this time getting a `` yes '' vote . No other EU citizens have been allowed to vote on the treaty as national parliaments have ratified the treaty . And to date only Poland and the Czech Republic governments have held up the final passage of the treaty in their own countries . But Ireland 's constitution mandates citizens must be allowed to vote on any major changes to its own governmental structure . A handful of Dublin taxi drivers told CNN they would vote no because they see no reason to give to Brussels the powers that Ireland fought hard to wrestle away from Britain . `` No '' campaigner Brendan Young , from a group called People Before Profit , put it bluntly : `` People having had experience of benign British presence do n't want to be going fighting Britain 's wars , or anybody else 's . '' But the `` no '' campaign is a rag bag of groups that have little in common . Young says he is pro-Europe but does not want Irish tax money to pay for Europe 's military structure . To illustrate the diverging political viewpoints in the `` no '' campaign , Young was not happy that the United Kingdom Independence Party was in Dublin and on his side . UKIP is an anti-European Union , British party and it finds itself on the same side as Sinn Fein , the anti-British , nationalist party . Conservative anti-abortion catholic groups also press the `` no '' case . `` When I see the UK Independence Party join up with Sinn Fein and religious extremists , I must be on the right side , '' laughed Michael Wall , a `` yes '' campaigner . He said he volunteered to hand out leaflets because he says last year the pro-Lisbon Treaty lobby took a `` yes '' for granted . He says by talking about what is actually in the treaty -- a document most people last time round admitted they had not read -- he has changed minds . `` I have met a lot of people on the campaign who voted no the last time . Voted no out of anger , voted no because of the arrogance of politicians who put their faces on the posters when the issue was n't about , say , local elections , '' Wall said . `` A lot of people have changed their mind and I think they should be given that opportunity '' by getting to vote a second time . But Ireland is going through one of the worst recessions of any developed nation since the 1930s . There are no green shoots on the emerald island . Property prices have collapsed , unemployment doubled in a year and for the first time in nearly 20 years , emigration is back . The government is very unpopular and the business community worries this will influence voting . `` The biggest concern is that it will be a `` no '' on the basis of people 's anger about domestic policy issues rather than the treaty itself , '' says Patricia Callan , of the Small Firms Association . Business is at the fore of the `` yes '' vote this time around . At the U.S. tech giant Intel , Jim O'Hara , its General Manager of Ireland , said he had to persuade his boss this vote was critical . `` I had to go and convince the Intel Corporation , '' he said . `` And quite frankly Paul Otellini , when I spoke to him , the CEO , was n't that particularly interested in the issues . I convinced him that it was good for Ireland and good for our business in Ireland . '' Results are not expected until Saturday . | Ireland votes on treaty covering expansion of European Union . Voters rejected treaty in 2008 but have new EU assurances this time . A ` no ' vote would delay , and possibly kill , implementation of the treaty EU-wide . Opinion polls indicate the ` yes ' campaign will succeed this time . | [[99, 107], [113, 144], [392, 429], [949, 1049], [1396, 1486], [225, 240], [243, 343]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman put on trial for wearing clothing deemed indecent by Sudanese authorities was jailed Monday for refusing to pay a court-ordered fine , her lawyer said . Sudanese journalist Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein was facing 40 lashes for wearing trousers . Lubna al-Hussein had faced 40 lashes for wearing pants deemed too tight and a blouse considered too sheer . The threat of lashes was dropped when a court found her guilty but ordered instead that she pay a fine . `` She is now in jail , '' her attorney Nabil Adib told CNN . `` She refused to pay the fine as a matter of principal . '' Al-Hussein will appeal her verdict in an effort to have the conservative Muslim government 's decency law declared unconstitutional , Adib said by phone from Khartoum . Watch what outfit brought the charges '' `` We intend to file an appeal within the next three days , but we do not know how long it will take the court of appeals to decide on the case , '' Adib said . `` We expect it will happen in the next two to three weeks . '' He said al-Hussein could be in jail for a month unless her verdict is overturned . Al-Hussein , who was arrested in July , pleaded not guilty during her one-day trial Monday , he said . She was not allowed to call defense witnesses or present a defense case , he added . She was sentenced to pay 500 Sudanese pounds -LRB- $ 209 -RRB- or face a month in prison , starting immediately , the lawyer said . `` She thinks that she did not have fair trial and a conviction was wrong so she did not want to pay the fine nor let anyone else pay on her behalf , '' Nadib said . Al-Hussein , a journalist who worked in the media department of the United Nations mission in Sudan , resigned from her U.N. position in order to waive her immunity as an international worker and face trial . Police lobbed tear gas at people outside the courthouse Monday , and closed roads leading to the courthouse before the trial began , al-Hussein told CNN before the hearing . Sudanese security forces roughly handled scores of al-Hussein supporters , injuring some and detaining 47 women , according to an eyewitness who spoke to CNN by phone . A Sudanese official accused `` the West '' of interfering in the case . Mohammed Khair , the information attaché at the Sudan Consulate in Dubai , said the international campaign surrounding the case `` proves the West contributes only toward deepening -LRB- the -RRB- crisis . '' The human rights organization Amnesty International had previously called for the charges to be dropped . `` The manner in which this law has been used against women is unacceptable , and the penalty called for by the law -- up to 40 lashes -- abhorrent , '' Tawanda Hondora , deputy director of Amnesty International 's Africa program , said in a statement . Al-Hussein was arrested along with 18 other women on July 3 at a Khartoum restaurant when police burst in and checked women for their clothing . `` I do n't think she was targeted specifically , '' Adib said . `` They attack public and private parties and groups . They are called ` morality police ' and she was just a victim of a round-up . '' Put your questions to Dutch activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali here . At the time of her arrest , she said , she was wearing pants , a blouse and a hijab , or a headscarf worn by Muslim women . Scores of protesters gathered outside the courtroom in Khartoum to support al-Hussein in early August , when she was last scheduled to be tried . The demonstrators carried banners and wore headbands with the messages , `` No return to the dark ages '' and `` No to suppressing women . '' Others demanded an amendment to the country 's public order law that human rights activists say is vague on what constitutes indecent dress . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he is concerned about al-Hussein 's case . `` The United Nations will make every effort to ensure that the rights of its staff members are protected , '' Ban said in July . `` The flogging is against the international human rights standards . I call on all parties to live up to their obligations under all relevant international instruments . '' In addition to the group of lawyers defending her , al-Hussein was also represented by two Egyptian defense attorneys , she said . CNN 's Raja Razek and Elham Nakhlawi contributed to this report . | Woman tried for wearing clothing deemed indecent jailed for refusing to pay fine . Sudanese court spared female journalist lashing for wearing tight trousers . She faced up to 40 lashes for wearing pants considered too tight . Resigned U.N. position to avoid immunity afforded international workers . | [[19, 76], [0, 15], [40, 100], [0, 15], [101, 159], [180, 266], [234, 236], [244, 266], [267, 351], [1607, 1617], [1709, 1749]] |
CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 17-year-old said Tuesday he is `` blessed '' that prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him in the beating death last month of a Chicago honors student . Derrion Albert , 16 , was beaten to death September 24 . His death was captured on video . `` I 'm just happy to be out , '' Eugene Bailey said , a day after authorities announced they were dismissing the charge against him in the September 24 death of Derrion Albert . Police said Albert , a 16-year-old honors student , was an innocent bystander who ended up in the middle of a street fight between two factions of students from Christian Fenger Academy High School . His beating death was captured on video , which shows him being hit by a person wielding a piece of a railroad tie . Bailey said he considered Albert a `` good friend '' and approached police offering to help in their investigation . When police told him he appeared on the video , he said , he told them , `` No , that ca n't be me . '' Authorities searched his mother 's home and found he did not own clothing and shoes like that seen on the participant thought to be him , he said . `` I 'm just blessed to have my freedom , '' he said , adding that what happened to Albert `` should n't happen to anyone . '' Cook County prosecutors issued a statement Monday saying , `` While the charge against Bailey was brought in good faith based on witness accounts and identifications , additional information has developed during the ongoing investigation that warranted dismissal of the murder charge against Bailey at this time . '' `` I was kind of overwhelmed , '' said Bailey 's mother , Ava Greyer . `` They would n't listen to me . '' She said she received an eviction notice after her son 's arrest , but has since received a letter of apology . She said she did n't think that was right , however : `` You are innocent until proven guilty . '' `` I did n't raise no murderer , '' she said . `` He did n't murder nobody . '' `` We all talk about what is what out here and point fingers at one another . ... These kids need something to do , '' Greyer said . `` It 's not gang-related . They get out of school -- once they 're in school it 's cool . Once they get out of school , the school says ` Forget 'em . ' That 's wrong . Get them some after-schooling programs , some recreation centers 20 hours a week . '' She said , `` That was sad , that was wrong what happened to Derrion . I wish that upon no one . But at the same time , we need to sweep around our doorsteps and see what we can do as a community to keep this from happening to somebody else 's child . '' Prosecutors said that when school let out on September 24 , Albert was on his way to a bus stop when two groups of students converged on the street and began fighting . Albert was approached by two members of one faction and struck in the head with a long piece of a wooden railroad tie , and then punched in the face , Tandra Simonton , spokeswoman for the Cook County prosecutors , has said . After being knocked out for a brief period , Albert regained consciousness and tried to move from the fight , but was then attacked by members of the opposing faction , Simonton said . He was pronounced dead at a hospital . Albert 's death remains under investigation , prosecutors said Monday . Three other individuals still face murder charges : Silvanus Shannon , 19 , Eric Carson , 16 , and Eugene Riley , 18 . All three appeared in court for a preliminary hearing Monday , but their cases were continued to Friday . Albert 's death prompted President Obama , a former Chicago resident and Illinois senator , to send Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder to Chicago earlier this month . The two met with the city 's mayor and community leaders to discuss possible remedies for violent youth crime . Albert 's death was not an isolated incident : More than 30 youths suffered violent deaths in Chicago last year . `` We should n't have to worry about walking down the streets , '' Bailey said . `` We all live amongst each other . '' | Eugene Bailey , 17 , freed of charge in Derrion Albert 's beating death . Bailey says he was Albert 's friend , approached police with offer of help . Police say Albert was bystander who was caught in middle of gang fight . Beating was videotaped and police thought Bailey was in video . | [[322, 343], [346, 469], [787, 903], [787, 793], [844, 903], [470, 476], [482, 488], [522, 669], [257, 290], [670, 709]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- For the past three weeks in a row , Michael Jackson 's `` Number Ones '' has been the biggest-selling album in the country . For the first time in a month , the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 is actually the No. 1 selling album . Each time , it 's been disqualified from Billboard 's flagship Billboard 200 chart , along with all Jackson 's other releases , due to its age . That unusual run of asterisked Billboard 200 chart-toppers is now over . Which artist put an end to Jackson 's posthumous flummoxing of the Billboard rules , you ask ? The answer is Chris Daughtry , whose `` Leave This Town '' bows atop the chart with a very nice 269,000 copies sold , according to Nielsen SoundScan . That 's actually a bit of a drop-off from the 304,000 that the first album from American Idol alum Chris Daughtry 's band sold when it hit shelves in 2006 , but it 's more than anyone else could muster in this sales frame -- yes , even Michael . And so for the first time in a month , the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 is actually the No. 1 selling album in the U.S. , no tricks , no fooling . -LRB- `` Number Ones , '' meanwhile , sold another 192,000 this week , landing it handily atop the Top Comprehensive Albums chart , which counts catalog albums alongside new ones . So do n't think that MJ 's sales have dried up just yet . -RRB- . Other Billboard 200 debuts this week came from the Dead Weather 's `` Horehound '' at No. 6 , demonstrating that at least 51,000 devotees can be counted on to buy any side project Jack White dreams up . R&B singer Joe , shows up at No. 7 after signing over 49,000 units of his `` Signature '' ; Twista fast-talked his way into 45,000 sales and a No. 8 bow ; and Christian power-pop teens pureNRG squeak in at No. 20 with 22,000 copies sold . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Daughtry 's `` Leave This Town '' tops chart with 269,000 copies sold . In past weeks , Michael Jackson 's `` Number Ones '' has been biggest-selling album . Daughtry 's first album sold 304,000 when it was released in 2006 . Other top albums this week are from Dead Weather , Joe and Twista . | [[581, 684], [665, 696], [665, 684], [699, 731], [72, 160], [791, 886], [1376, 1444], [1459, 1461]] |
-LRB- WASHINGTON -RRB- -- The Federal Aviation Administration ordered U.S. airlines Thursday to replace a part that has come under suspicion in the crash of Air France Flight 447 . U.S. air safety authorities have ordered the replacement of a part on A330 planes following the crash of Air France Flight 447 . The FAA gave airlines 120 days to replace devices that could be giving false airspeed indications . All 228 people on Air France Flight 447 were killed when the Airbus A330 plane crashed June 1 en route to Paris , France , from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . The U.S. air safety watchdog agency bypassed the usual process which allows for public comment on its orders . It said it could expedite the process because of the limited number of planes involved -- only 43 in the United States -- and because they say it is prudent to make the change as quickly as possible . At the same time , it said it did not feel the risk warranted grounding the fleet of aircraft . US Airways , one of only two American carriers who fly planes affected by the order , said Thursday they had already replaced the part . `` The work was completed last week . We are scheduled to take delivery of three new ... A330s by year 's end and those three will not require any ... changes , '' a US Airways spokesman told CNN via e-mail . Northwest is the other U.S. carrier that operates A330s , the FAA said . A spokeswoman for Delta airlines , Northwest 's parent company , said affected Northwest planes are getting new parts . `` We are well under way working closely with Airbus and Goodrich to install the Goodrich pitot tubes within the required timelines , '' Ashley Black told CNN . The devices under suspicion are the Thales Avionics pitot probes on some Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft . They measure `` ram air pressure , '' the pressure exerted on the plane as it flies through the air , and are part of a system used to determine air speed . The FAA order requires aircraft operators to replace certain Thales pitot probes with certain Goodrich or newer-design Thales pitot probes . The FAA says the order is intended to `` prevent airspeed discrepancies , which could lead to disconnect of the autopilot and/or auto-thrust functions and consequent increased pilot workload . '' French authorities are still investigating the cause of the Air France crash . But tests conducted since the crash have brought into question the performance of the pitot tubes and authorities say there have been reports of other malfunctions on flights . No U.S. operator flies A340s . There are 302 of the aircraft worldwide . The FAA action follows an announcement by European air safety authorities earlier this week to require pitot tube replacements by September 7 . | NEW : Work `` well under way , '' Northwest parent company spokeswoman says . FAA orders U.S. airlines to replace part under suspicion in Air France crash . The devices could be giving false airspeed indications . Northwest and US Airways are only U.S. carriers that fly affected planes . | [[0, 22], [62, 110], [70, 180], [181, 309], [323, 335], [341, 409], [992, 1018], [1023, 1055], [1318, 1373]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Postal Service has just entered `` The Twilight Zone . '' `` The Honeymooners '' is one of 20 classic TV stamps that will soon find its way on the corner of envelopes . The classic show appears on one of 20 stamps released this week , featuring 1950s hit television shows . The first-class stamps include images of `` Dragnet , '' `` The Ed Sullivan Show , '' `` The Honeymooners , '' `` I Love Lucy , '' `` Lassie , '' `` The Lone Ranger , '' `` Ozzie and Harriet '' and `` Perry Mason . '' `` All of the classic television shows represented on these stamps represent the collective memory of a generation well deserving of entertainment , '' said James C. Miller III , a Postal Service board member . `` It was a generation that survived the Great Depression and fought World War II . They were pioneers -- creative geniuses -- who brought television shows of the 1950s into our homes , breaking new ground to provide entertainment for everyone . '' The retro-style stamps , featuring black-and-white images of the shows , were designed by Carl Herrman , an artist from Las Vegas , Nevada . The Postal Service releases several commemorative stamps annually . This year 's releases have included civil rights pioneers , President Abraham Lincoln and author Edgar Allan Poe . | New postage stamps will commemorate `` Golden Age of TV '' `` The Honeymooners , '' `` I Love Lucy '' among 20 classic TV shows honored . Retro-style stamps were designed by artist Carl Herrman . | [[86, 139], [197, 241], [530, 586], [980, 1050], [1053, 1082]] |
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