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They 're bigger , brawnier , and faster than the typical male , but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age ? Justin Bannan , who plays for the Baltimore Ravens , participated in the study on NFL players . Yes and no , according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes . The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s , and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier . However , they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who are n't professional athletes . `` It 's a step in the right direction to have this study , '' says Justin Bannan , 30 , who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research . `` I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do , the better . '' The study , published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association , is important , particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds . The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete 's heart in youth or even after retirement , and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths . Health.com : Eat right advice : Fiber , starch , fats , serving sizes . In particular , the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players . Herrion , who was 6 ' 3 '' and 330 pounds , had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005 . `` He 's sort of the prototype of the bigger , stronger linemen that populates the NFL now , as compared with 20 or 30 years ago , '' says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker , the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens . `` We have so many big , strong guys over 300 pounds . I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation . '' Other heavy players -- such as defensive end Reggie White -- have also died at an early age . White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004 . In the study , Tucker , who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health , and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007 . The researchers measured the players ' height , weight , percentage of body fat , and other factors , and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA -LRB- Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults -RRB- . Health.com : 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off . They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men -LRB- only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men -RRB- and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same . However , 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension , or borderline high blood pressure , compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men , respectively . Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it 's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure . `` But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension , '' says Tucker , who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore , Maryland . Health.com : How to eat out without getting fat . The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men -- regardless of the size of the player or his position . `` So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver , they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line , '' says Tucker . `` So there 's something that we 're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone -- there 's got to be something else . '' Health.com : Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions . That `` something else '' could be strength or resistance training , the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , sleep apnea -LRB- which is characterized by heavy snoring and a hike in blood pressure -RRB- , or diet , including excessive sodium intake . Dr. Tucker does n't think anabolic steroids are to blame . Even though he and his colleagues did n't ask players if they used steroids , he says that the NFL 's year-round testing program should have ruled out any use . '' -LSB- However -RSB- I 'm concerned about the widespread use of performance-enhancing agents , which contain stimulants that can not only increase blood pressure but of course have stimulating effects on the heart , '' says Dr. Tucker . He adds that , in the last several years , such stimulants have been linked to sporadic deaths in college and even professional athletes . Although today 's players are much more likely to weigh in excess of 300 pounds than those in the past , it does n't necessarily mean they are fat , Dr. Tucker explains . Athletes are larger nowadays due to rule changes in the 1970s and 1980s that were aimed at protecting their lower bodies ; those guidelines also gave larger players a competitive advantage . If one goes by body mass index alone -- a measure of height and weight that does n't take into account muscle mass -- more than half of players are obese , according to a 2005 study . However , Tucker and his team found that the average percentage of body fat was 14 percent , ranging from 8 percent to 10 percent in the leaner positions -- such as wide receivers and linebackers -- to 20 percent in defensive linemen and 25 percent in offensive linemen . `` Even our offensive linemen are really on the upper limits of what 's considered healthy , '' says Tucker . `` There are plenty of my regular patients who would take that . '' Health.com : Olympic swimmer discusses life with exercise-induced asthma . Overall , Tucker says he is most worried about older , retired athletes . `` I 'm concerned about whether there is a constellation of things going on that puts them at risk when they 're 45 or 55 , '' he says . More attention is being paid to detraining athletes so that they can adopt healthier lifestyles and better nutrition after they retire , says William Kraemer , Ph.D. , a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut . `` It really is tough because you 're trying to stay big in your playing days , '' says Kraemer . `` The big fear is , -LSB- after retirement -RSB- you stop exercising and you keep eating the way you used to when you were expending a lot of calories . A lot of times when kids get out of college or they get out of the pros , there is no system in place that helps them make the transition . '' The Ravens ' Bannan says the older generation is teaching younger players the importance of changing their lifestyle after retirement . `` If you 're a heavier player , a lineman that 's over 300 pounds , really what it comes down to is a lifestyle change and eating healthier , losing weight when you are done , and staying active and staying healthy , '' says Bannan , who is 6 ' 3 '' and 310 pounds . `` Make a few changes in your life ; I think that 's going to make things a lot better for you down the road . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Death of Thomas Herrion has raised worries over the heart health of big players . Researchers looked at 504 active NFL players from 12 teams in 2007 . Players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men . NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men .
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TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran said Wednesday it is investigating reports of violence at a Tehran University dormitory in the wake of rallies sparked by last week 's disputed election . The aftermath of anti-riot police actions at Tehran University shows smashed computer terminals . Tehran University students told a CNN iReporter that government forces staged a massive crackdown early Monday at the university 's dorm . Some students were detained in the raid . Students jumped out of windows to escape the Iranian police forces who threw tear gas and beat students , according to the iReporter , a former Tehran University student who now lives outside Iran . He did not want to be identified for security reasons . CNN has been unable to confirm the account because of restrictions on international media in Tehran . Parliament speaker Ali Larijani on Wednesday called for an `` unbiased report '' by the team of lawmakers appointed to look into the `` unfortunate incidents '' at the university dorm , according to Iran 's government-funded Press TV . `` There has been news of unfortunate incidents taking place in parts of the city such as the Tehran University dormitory , and it appears that hidden hands are at work to feed foreign media outlets with propaganda , '' Larijani said . The investigating lawmakers have spoken to Tehran University students and other officials and are demanding the release of the detained students , Press TV reported . The lawmakers are also calling for the arrest and punishment of those who perpetrated the violence and for students to be compensated for their loss , according to Press TV . The CNN iReporter said one Tehran University student e-mailed him as the assault on the dormitory happened between 1 and 5 a.m. Monday . `` So around 4 a.m. , he sends this very frightening e-mail . He says , ` Right now Ansaar -LSB- pro-government -RSB- forces are outside of buildings and threatening students to , ` Get out of the rooms like good boys . ' Thank God the night is going to be over soon . Please pray for us ! ' '' the iReporter told CNN . A couple hours later , the student wrote , `` Some students jumped out of windows to save themselves and got injured , but the shameless forces even beat and arrested those too . ... Some of the arrested students are released after more beating and interrogation , others are missing . '' The iReporter said he believes Iranian students have `` a very important role '' in Iranian politics , but noted that the current protests in Iran are more than just a student movement . `` At least the perspective that those forces have is that the students are at the leadership of this movement , '' he said . `` This might or might not be true especially right now because all the people are involved in this protest and it 's not only students . They have a very important role here . '' There have been reports of crackdowns on other Iranian universities . Amateur video posted on YouTube showed several injured people identified as Isfahan University students . Amnesty International said it appeared students were also targeted at Tabriz University in northwestern Iran when security forces entered dormitories there and detained 10 students . Amnesty also reported similar crackdowns on university students in the cities of Shiraz , Mashhad and Zahedan . The human rights agency called on Iranian authorities to `` end attacks on students . '' CNN 's Tricia Escobedo contributed to this report .
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Tehran University dorm raided , with tear gas and beatings alleged , iReporter says . Several students reportedly still being detained by Iranian police . Parliament speaker calls for `` unbiased report '' to reveal `` hidden hands at work '' There have been reports of crackdowns on other Iranian universities .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's a question that I have asked myself for a long time . Why ca n't Portugal produce a top golfer ? Antonio Sobrinho was the only Portuguese golfer to make the cut at the recent Portugal Masters . The weather is great , courses are popping up all over the country , and still , they do n't have a single player in the top 400 of the world rankings . On the surface , it might not make sense , but if you dig a little a deeper , like I had a chance to do during a recent Living Golf report in the Algarve , there are plenty of reasons why golf is n't taking off among the locals . The most shocking statistic of all is that in the whole country there is not a single public golf course . This means if you want to play , you have to become a member of a club or pay something in the region of 100 Euros -LRB- $ 137 -RRB- for a round of golf . Considering the minimum salary in Portugal is under 400 Euros a month , it becomes clear the vast majority of Portuguese people simply ca n't afford it . This means most of the people out on golf courses in Portugal are foreign , and while this is great for tourism , it 's doing nothing to help the grass roots of the game in the country . Another issue is that the sport is seen as elitist and is not part of the nation 's sporting culture . There is great passion among Portugal 's youngsters , as there is in many European countries , for football . And though people play other sports , and you can get lessons in sports like golf , there is an almost complete lack of interest -- no-one really talks about golf . What the country really needs is a golfing superstar to kick-start a revolution and inspire the new generation -- a Cristiano Ronaldo of golf . The Portuguese Golf Federation says the tide is turning and they claim they are doing their best to invest in young amateur players . They also have allies with some of the private investors who have built golf courses in Portugal sponsoring some of the nation 's top prospects . Oceanico is an example of this , with the company that has built seven courses in the Algarve backing three of Portugal 's five professionals . The more organizations that invest in up-and-coming golfers like this , the more chance Portugal will have in producing the next Tiger Woods . There could yet be hope for golf in the country , but it will take more investment , more time and a figure to unite an otherwise football obsessed country around a relatively neglected sport . Watch Pedro examine Portugal 's golf scene on this month 's Living Golf , which airs Thursday , November 6 , 1400 , 1830 ; Saturday , November 8 , 0800 , 1830 Sunday ; November 9 , 0400 , 0830 , 1430 -LRB- all times GMT -RRB- .
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Portugal has an ever-growing number of great golf courses . There are no Portuguese players in the world 's top 400 . Golf is too expensive and not high profile enough there . If there were a Cristiano Ronaldo of golf , children might take it up .
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[[309, 314], [317, 388], [577, 618]]
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As a child , I looked forward to nothing more than the dazzling Fourth of July laser and fireworks show in Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta , Georgia . It was family tradition to eat a hearty meal at an Indian restaurant and then watch the show on the crowded lawn of the park . One year , as I struggled to eat my melting ice cream , a man sitting near us taunted , `` What planet are y' all from ? '' I observed my family , attired in their extravagant Indian clothes and scarves from the restaurant party . For the first time , I wondered if we really did not belong in America , celebrating its Independence Day . I usually hear the friendly version of this question . When my parents are asked , `` Where are you from ? '' and answer `` Georgia , '' it is not surprising to hear the follow-up , `` I mean where are you from ? '' after which they will understandingly answer `` originally from India . '' But when the latter question is posed to me , I can only shrug helplessly and repeat , `` Georgia . '' I used to wonder if I was being facetious in offering such a simple answer , but I honestly do n't know what else to say . The same is true when I 'm occasionally told to `` go back where I came from . '' I do n't just brush these comments aside , as many immigrants to America bravely do , but really question my identity by asking myself : Where would I possibly call home except Georgia , where I was born and raised , or Massachusetts , where I have been educated ? To put it in perspective , if all of us `` went back to where we came from , '' meaning the places of our family origin , there would be nobody in America except for Native Americans , and the rest of us would be in a predicament . The popularized `` clash of civilizations '' thesis would suggest that racial and especially religious elements of my background conflict with my identity as an American . Many people genuinely believe that you have to fit a certain racial and religious archetype to be a `` real American . '' I am a Muslim and I am an American . My religion teaches me to treat others with dignity and respect , speak the truth , and accept one God as my creator and sustainer . A religious loyalty to God certainly does n't make anyone less of an American , or three of the largest religions in the United States would not belong here . But sometimes , people assume that Muslims must also have a specific loyalty to another country that precludes their patriotism to America . Contrary to this misconception , there is no such concept in Islam . A fair study of Islamic and American values would find corroboration , not contradiction . While the 2010 U.S. Census will not ask for my religion , it will ask for my racial background . When my parents came decades ago , they were alternately identified as `` Asian '' and even `` Caucasian , '' since according to United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind , South Asians are Caucasian , although not white like Europeans and Middle Easterners . They were surprised that color was a determinant of their ethnic categorization . Racial classification has become clearer since then , and I will choose the `` Asian Indian '' option on the Census , an element of my identity that influences my love for rich South Asian food , clothes and literary traditions . But I would be a stranger in my parents ' birthplace of India . Ironically , it took my being an alien in foreign lands to realize just how American I was . In Britain I was told , `` Nafees , you want to see everything , just like an American . '' Turks discovered that my odd habit of drinking cold tea came from my Georgia origins . The Dutch guessed I was American based on the way I `` carried myself . '' I could n't erase my apparently nasal American accent from my French in Paris . Indians tell me only an American can justify four years of liberal arts , as opposed to vocational , education . Of course , some comments were based on foreign exaggerations of what `` American '' means , and some I still do n't really understand . But obviously , America has shaped who I am . What was even more significant was that the speakers never saw my religion or ethnic origin in tension with my nationality . Neither do I . There are three important dimensions in my life -- my religion , my ethnicity and my country -- and they are all at peace .
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Nafees Syed and family at July 4th fireworks when a man said , `` What planet are y' all from ? '' Syed says if we all `` went back to where we came from , '' only Native Americans would be left . People mistakenly think Muslims are loyal to another country above U.S. , she says . Born in U.S.A. , Syed says it took being `` in foreign lands to realize just how American I was ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Trying to answer the question `` Who am I ? '' is a tricky undertaking . I tend to despise labels , but it 's probably helpful to have some idea of who you perceive yourself to be and how others perceive you . It seems logical that you can examine this question from many angles : where you fit in statistically , physically , economically , spiritually , geographically , educationally and in so many other ways . When I was a boy , my Cal Tech-educated father , an engineer and lawyer , used to tell me I was made up of nine dollars and 73 cents worth of chemicals and minerals . I 'm fairly certain he was joking , but I think he was also trying to get me to consider the duality of humans , as both significant and insignificant . He certainly caused me to ponder who and what I am . I grew up in many regions of the United States , and I 'm a member of that particular `` baby boomer '' generation that came of age in the 1960s , so many things define me . I 'm still guilty of believing that `` Love is all you need , '' although I usually keep that to myself . Without pretending to be all-encompassing , a few things pop to the front of my mind when I consider who I am . I 'm a human being , a presumably sentient being , living in the 21st century . I 'm one of the fortunate who lives in the United States with good health and health care , a great job , a close family , good friends and , thanks to my wife , a beautiful home . As a citizen of this country , I 'm also a taxpayer , a consumer of many things and , I hope , someone who gives back something and is n't too voracious in his consumption . I love my job acting on a TV show , and I value the people I work with . I 'm an imperfect but fairly responsive husband , father , brother , cousin , nephew , friend , co-worker and acquaintance . I 'm also a survivor and a person with a disability . I became disabled in 1978 when I lost both legs in a freeway accident . An 18-wheeler truck hit me , and my car 's gas tank blew up , leaving me burned over 60 percent of my body . I spent several months in a hospital and learned to walk on two prosthetic limbs . I 've gone on to success in my career in radio and as an actor and musician . I used to hate the word `` disability , '' but I 've come to embrace the fact that I 'm one of more than 58 million Americans with some kind of physical or learning disability . As anyone who 's been there will attest , it 's difficult at first to be `` different , '' whatever that means to you . Discrimination is usually directed at people who are seen as the `` other . '' I 've experienced that in my life , but not to an overwhelming degree . Working my way through my career and my life has been challenging but interesting . The obstacles I 've faced have helped to shape me and make me who I am today . Along with my parents and teachers , my experience with disability has been a great learning tool . It 's helped me to begin to answer the question `` Who am I ? '' So , at the risk of sounding self-absorbed , I 'm Robert David Hall , Caucasian male , early 60s , pretty strong for my age , of Irish-Welsh-Scots heritage , proud of my grandfather , Robert A. Hall , Naval Academy , class of 1912 ; my father , Robert F. Hall , very smart man and decorated WWII naval officer ; my mother , Mary Martha Davies , mother of five who encouraged me in the arts and died at 47 ; and almost all my relatives . I 'm college educated -LRB- UCLA -RRB- , a decent guitar player and songwriter , a pretty fair actor , an AK/BK double leg amputee and a guy who values his friends . I hope to use my remaining days being creative with acting and music , traveling and helping to create more opportunities for people with disabilities . All that aside , my greatest joy in life -- my `` who I am '' constant -- is being the father of Andrew and the husband of Judy .
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Robert David Hall hates to admit it , but he still believes that `` Love is all you need '' Hall says he 's a husband , father , brother , cousin , nephew , friend , co-worker . He says his disability , walking on prosthetic limbs , helped him find himself . His greatest joy is being the father of Andrew and husband of Judy .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was April 1975 when I was packed into a military transport plane with two of my siblings as the Vietnam War ended . We left Vietnam to escape communist rule and eventually , take on an additional identity . I was 8 years old , and being separated from both parents for the first time in my life was confusing and scary . My mother decided to stay behind with my five remaining siblings to wait for my father to return . An officer in the South Vietnam Army fighting alongside the Americans during the Vietnam War , my father spent the next seven years in the communist prisons , which were euphemistically called `` re-education camps . '' It was many years later when our family was reunited . The challenges I faced growing up were probably not that different from the struggles all other immigrants face when they first arrive in the United States . I suppose most immigrants , regardless of origin , would have to deal with obstacles such as the language barrier and unfamiliar customs . I vividly remember small things like missing rice as the staple in my diet and bigger challenges , including loneliness and the sense of being displaced . I never imagined that one day I would think nothing of ordering gumbo or eating burritos , much less have a career in politics as the U.S. congressman representing the 2nd District of Louisiana . Like most immigrants , my siblings and I learned to assimilate into this big melting pot called the United States of America . We worked hard on our studies and in our businesses . Along with other Vietnamese immigrants and refugees of the time , stories of successes and heartbreaks quickly spread around the community . Although the academic achievements of Vietnamese students in schools were touted in the media , we also agonized over the horrific news about the plights of the Vietnamese boat people . Facing persecution and hardship in the old country , Vietnamese refugees braved the perilous seas aboard small fishing boats to seek freedom . Many lost their lives to piracy , storm and starvation . The lucky ones who were able to land somewhere would face cold rejections by a world grown tired of having to deal with refugee problems . The boat people saga continued well into the 1990s . I volunteered with Boat People SOS , a national organization that advocates for the refugees . My experience with them shaped my path in the years to come . After graduating from Baylor University with a bachelor 's degree in physics , I joined the Jesuits for the priesthood . After working with some of the poorest communities in Third World countries , I decided that politics would bring about quicker changes for the less fortunate among us . I studied to be a lawyer , and while working as an immigration lawyer in New Orleans , Louisiana , Hurricane Katrina changed my life . The storm destroyed my home and office . Like many in my Vietnamese-American community in New Orleans , I came back to pick up the pieces after the storm . Facing one obstacle after another , we fought as a community to rebuild our homes and lives . During our efforts to close a landfill the city and state had opened right next to our community , Rep. Mike Honda came to hear our complaint and did not find anyone from within the community in public office to advocate for ourselves . He asked : `` Who among you wants to run ? '' I raised my hand and began a new course as a public servant . It has been 35 years since the first wave of Vietnamese refugees landed on American soil . Now things like Pho and spring rolls have joined the Americana mainstream . I no longer see myself as a displaced stranger ; I am a Vietnamese-American .
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Ahn `` Joseph '' Cao left Vietnam at 8 in a military transport plane at war 's end . His mother stayed with his five siblings as father spent years in communist prisons . Without parents , he faced language barrier , unfamiliar customs and loneliness . He was in New Orleans during Katrina ; decided to run for office to change things .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- His father 's death certificate , long-lost relatives and a town possibly named after an ancestor are just a few of the details John William Harris found as he researched his family tree . Harris , 62 , a sales executive and consultant from Atlanta , Georgia , had always hoped to learn more about his family , including his father , John Henry Harris , whom he said was murdered by another man when he was 5 years old . `` The man who killed my father was never tried in a court of law . In small-town Gainesville , Georgia , in 1953 , such a crime -- black on black -- was not considered important and often went unpunished , '' said Harris . Lt. Stephanie Gilbert of Hall County Sheriff 's Department said there 's no file telling exactly what happened , because records from that period were burned by a former sheriff . Gainesville police said they did not have records from that time , either . His death certificate indicates Harris died from complications after a stab wound . `` I had long put the lack of knowledge of his murder behind me , '' said Harris . `` This revelation about the lost records only rekindles the old feelings and my desire to know the truth of what happened . '' Harris ' journey to learn more about his father 's life and death and his family background took him to the internet and into U.S. census records and other online websites . Harris grew up with his mother 's family on Race Street in Gainesville -LRB- the family called it the `` Big House '' -RRB- and heard a lot about their history . But Harris said his family hid most information about his father 's death in order to protect him and they did not have a lot of recorded information about that side of his family tree . However , Harris said he was inspired to learn more about his past after recently watching the PBS special `` African American Lives . '' `` After seeing what was possible and how fulfilling it was for those who discovered their backgrounds , I felt both encouraged and a little guilty I had n't made the effort before , '' said Harris . Harris is one of millions of Americans interested in learning and researching details about family origins . A Harris Interactive poll -LRB- no relation to John Harris -RRB- found 87 percent of Americans want to know more about their family background . For his search into his father 's side of the family , Harris did n't have much information to work with when he started -- only his father 's and grandmothers ' names . When Harris began , he found it difficult to focus on his career or even eat and sleep . `` I was so engaged about learning information about my history and spent many hours researching it online . My wife joked that I spent more time on the computer than I did with her or at my job , '' Harris said with a chuckle . `` Researching family history is not hard , but it takes work being a detective , '' said Harris . `` The computer , the internet and the accumulation of databases that never existed before make it easier to get started right in your own home . '' Many subscription websites allow you to access databases for a fee and it 's a big business . For instance , ancestry.com says it has more than 1 million paying subscribers and has the largest collection of records on the internet . Subscribers can pay as little as $ 12.95 a month for access to some records . Higher fees provide greater access . Some of the other fee-based sites are onegreatfamily.com , worldvitalrecords.com and footnote.com . Familysearch.org is maintained by the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -LRB- LDS -RRB- . This site is free . It is organized by volunteers , so there is no hidden cost to join or access the vast database . LDS said it has about 50,000 hits a day on its site . Microfilm copies of original U.S. census records from 1790 through 1930 are available for research at the National Archives in Washington and its 13 regional archives . Many libraries and courthouses also store tax and property records and other documents that might help trace people through history . For Harris , his first big discovery was an unknown uncle , Ebbie Harris , listed in a 1920 census record . Harris learned his father 's brother had died as a schoolboy . `` I was shocked he ever existed , '' said Harris . Harris also said he discovered at least 50 relatives he did n't know about while using census reports from 1900 to 1930 on Gainesville , Georgia . `` It was exciting to see the names of all of my family . '' The census records opened his eyes to how big his family was . Harris was amused by some of the details revealed by the records . `` I learned my grandfather Wade Harris was 69 years old and married to my grandmother , who was only 31 when the census was taken in 1920 . I was amazed at their age difference , '' Harris said with a chuckle . Harris did n't find out a lot of new details about his father beyond the year of his birth and the exact date of his death . `` It was thrilling to see confirmation of his date of death . Though the details were minute , the joy of discovery was overwhelming for me , '' Harris said . For Harris , researching his past has been a roller-coaster ride of many emotions , but he was glad to be on the journey . One of his greatest highs was when he discovered the town of Chamblee , Georgia , may have been named after his great-great grandfather . `` Apparently Ransom Chamblee , a former slave , made such an impression on the local people that when the town applied for a post office they may have named the town after him , '' said Harris . A historian in DeKalb County , Georgia , said there is a strong possibility that the town was named after a former slave named Ransom Chamblee , but could not confirm it . Harris said investigating his family has been rewarding and has given him a sense of belonging and knowing more about his history . `` Above all , I am appreciative of the struggles so many have gone through to prepare the way for us , '' said Harris . Harris has been married to Mary Alice , his high school sweetheart , for nearly 45 years . They have three children , six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren . `` I 'm happy that our family tree is captured for them and more will be forthcoming , '' said Harris . `` I hope they will take advantage and continue the efforts . ''
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Poll finds 87 percent of Americans have interest in their family roots . John William Harris is one of millions of Americans who traced his family tree . Many free and subscription websites allow access to research genealogy in the U.S.
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar will retire from football at the end of the season , he announced Thursday . The 40-year-old former Dutch international has been at Old Trafford since 2005 , winning three English Premier League titles and helping them to their Champions League triumph in 2008 . Van der Sar began his professional career with Ajax Amsterdam , helping them to the Champions League in 1995 . He subsequently had a spell in Italy with Juventus before joining United 's fellow Premier League side Fulham . `` It 's been coming for a while , '' van der Sar told the official Manchester United website . `` After playing for so many years , you reach a point where you have to make a decision . `` There are a couple of things to consider -- whether you still have an appetite for it , your family . Van der Sar 's wife Annemarie collapsed with a brain haemorrhage in December 2009 and he admitted that retirement had been `` playing on my mind '' since that health scare . Van der Sar , whose brilliant save from Nicolas Anelka clinched their penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow , has remained in fine form during United 's unbeaten start to the season . But he said he wanted to out out at the top . `` You ca n't play Superman into your 40s , '' he added . `` It 's a mutual decision -LRB- with manager Alex Ferguson -RRB- that this season was the last . When I first came here I was just happy to sign a two-year contract . `` I wanted to win the league before I retired . I was lucky to achieve a little bit more than that . '' Van der Sar won a record 130 Dutch caps before announcing his international retirement at the end of the 2008 season .
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Edwin van der Sar to retire from football at the end of the current season . Van der Sar has helped Manchester United win three English Premier League titles . He claimed the Champions League with first club Ajax and with United in 2008 . Van der Sar won a record 130 Dutch caps .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the mug shots of the alleged killers of NFL star Sean Taylor were shown on television , I kept wondering when we were going to see their parents step forward . I saw a couple of mothers , but their dads were missing in action . Roland Martin credits two strong parents with raising him to do right by them . Dads matter , and it 's ridiculous for us to act as if all it takes is a loving mom . Now , I do n't know what it means not to have a father in your life . I 'm not familiar with a mom being strung out on a crack binge . And when my parents were called to the school when there was a discipline problem , Mom and Dad did n't go off on the teacher or principal . In fact , I can still feel the pain of my elementary school principal 's paddle being applied to my butt when I acted a fool . The principal could only pop me three times . Dad ? He had no limit . Bottom line : I can sit here today and celebrate them and enjoy a wonderful life because my parents were hell-bent on raising their children to do right by them , especially my dad . We can spend all day talking about the ills afflicting urban America -- and there are plenty that are institutional -- but the decaying value of life in inner cities clearly can be traced to the exodus of fathers from the lives of so many young men . Excuses often are tossed about as to why black men leave their children -LRB- and their children 's moms -RRB- to fend for themselves . But a lot of them are just sorry and refuse to accept the responsibility that comes with raising a child . A lot of my colleagues will suggest it 's too simplistic to assign such a high value to a dad being in the life of a child . But just take a visit to your local jail , juvenile hall or state prison . You likely will be confronted with a sea of black men -- strong , able-bodied , creative and restless -- who have spent or will spend years and years with a prison number identifying who they are . According to the U.S. Justice Department , of all the black men in the U.S. between the ages of 25 and 29 in 2002 , 10.4 percent were incarcerated . Hispanic and white men ? Just 2.4 percent and 1.2 percent respectively . If a poll were done on how many grew up without fathers , I can guarantee you the numbers would be staggering . The rampant poverty that exists has led many young blacks to a life of crime , choosing to sell drugs and involve themselves in gangs as opposed to focusing on education as a way out of the cellar of life . But you see , when nearly 70 percent of black kids are born to unmarried parents , likely to a too-young mom , that puts tremendous pressure on grandmothers -LRB- and some grandfathers -RRB- , sisters and brothers to take up the slack . But if the person who impregnated that woman were on the scene , not only helping to pay for the raising of the child but also serving as a strong influence , I just do n't believe we would see such a chronic condition . And the black men who have done their job are scared to death about what the tendency for black men to leave relationships means for their daughters . The day before leaving for vacation , I got word that a good friend , Chicago attorney Reynaldo Glover , had died of pancreatic cancer . He was 64 . In our last extensive conversation before he was diagnosed in July , Reynaldo pleaded with me to use my national media stage to be a voice to sound the alarm about what 's happening to black men in America , because he wanted to know that his daughter would have a respectable man to marry one day . -LRB- I 'm sure if she chose to marry someone who 's not black , Reynaldo would n't mind , but he realized that as a nation , we mostly marry within our race . -RRB- . I promised Reynaldo that I would do all I can , because this has been an issue for me for many years . In fact , my mom gets angry because I 'm always talking about my dad on television , radio and in my books . That 's because when you see black men who have `` made it , '' the accolades are plenty for their moms , and their dads are hardly mentioned . I just think it 's critical to show daddy some love , too . This is not an issue that black America can continue to sweep under the rug . I 've heard countless folks talk about it , such as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama , who noted that his dad left his family when he was a toddler and did n't see much of him growing up . Even in the Republican CNN-YouTube debate , GOP candidate Mitt Romney said fathers are part of the answer to addressing crime in inner cities . We should n't shame our young girls who get pregnant , but surely it should n't be seen as a blue-ribbon day . Teenage black girls and black boys should be focused on picking colleges , not the names of babies . When a young girl wants a baby christened , her pastor should be asking to meet with the father as well , even if the two do n't get along . We also should be telling black women not to lie down with any fool . A moment of pleasure could lead you to a lifetime of raising that child . Alone . A friend of mine suggested more black men need to mentor young black men . I agree . But that 's a bandage . If we get black men to handle their business in the first place , no one else would have to stand in the gap . Unless black America owns up to this problem -- and fast -- we are going to see another generation of young black men who are angry with their lot in life . And the result will be more discipline problems in school , which will lead to folks dropping out , and that is nothing but a one-way ticket to jail . Black men , it 's time to man up . Enough with the sperm donors . We need real men to stand up and accept their responsibility . The state of our boys is on us . And no one else . Roland S. Martin is a nationally award-winning journalist and CNN contributor . Martin is studying to receive his master 's degree in Christian communications at Louisiana Baptist University , and he is the author of `` Listening to the Spirit Within : 50 Perspectives on Faith . '' You can read more of his columns at www.rolandsmartin.com . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .
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Martin : Nearly 70 percent of black kids are born to unmarried parents . Martin : Black fathers need to stay on the scene , build relationships with kids . Martin : We also should be telling black women not to lie down with any fool .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If anyone 's going to be the last man on Earth , then Will Smith seems like an ideal candidate . Will Smith plays the survivor of a plague in `` I Am Legend . '' Cool and athletic , focused and unflappable , he 's not someone who 's going to give up on humanity just because the odds are stacked against him . Even at several billion to one , he 's still adamant he can fix this thing . A third movie version of Richard Matheson 's classic sci-fi novel `` I Am Legend '' has been on the table at Warner Bros. for a long time . In the '90s , Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about following in the footsteps of Vincent Price and Charlton Heston -LRB- remember `` The Omega Man '' ? -RRB- . Smith is such a different type , it 's odd to think that he 's taken over this mantle . In fact , he 's scored consistently well in sci-fi , from `` Independence Day '' through `` Men in Black '' and `` I , Robot , '' and there 's no reason to suppose the tense , scary `` I Am Legend '' wo n't continue that impressive box office run , even if the movie itself flags on the last lap . The opening could n't be sharper . A television news report hails a medical breakthrough -- a viral cure for cancer , no less . Cut to New York three years later : abandoned cars , no one in sight , grass growing waist-high around Times Square . Something has gone very , very wrong . Smith is Robert Neville . The cover of Time on his fridge door pictures a `` Soldier . Scientist . Savior ? '' but that hanging question mark is well chosen , and we divine that his immunity is pure chance . He 's not quite alone . Neville patrols Fifth Avenue in his Mustang with Sam , a German Shepherd -LRB- also immune to the airborne virus -RRB- , broadcasting into the void , then returning home to his Washington Square townhouse to put up the shutters before nightfall . That 's when the `` Dark Seekers '' venture out : feral , contaminated people with a rabid appetite for flesh but no pupil dilation reflex to protect them against sunlight . By now , anyone who caught `` 28 Days Later '' or last year 's sequel `` 28 Weeks Later '' may be experiencing deja vu -- in fact , if they called this movie `` 2.8 Years Later '' it could pass as the third installment in the series with very little tweaking . Which is not to downplay the special frisson of seeing the Brooklyn Bridge ripped across the middle , for example . Wisely dispensing with the Luddite rhetoric that bogged down `` The Omega Man , '' `` I Am Legend '' does n't have much time for Neville the soldier . While Chuck Heston dedicated himself to exterminating the albino hordes , Will Smith starts out firmly on the other end of the kill-or-cure scale . At the same time , the film suggests his self-sufficient scientific rationalism is not enough . By day 1,001 he 's on the point of suicide -- which is when the movie gets God in the comely intervention of born-again Alice Braga . If the last half-hour feels thrown together , `` Constantine '' director Francis Lawrence mostly makes a virtue of the lean script , getting in and out quick , suppressing those inevitable nagging questions -LRB- are cockroaches immune ? -RRB- , always stressing Neville 's solitary isolation . So often , sci-fi is overproduced , but `` I Am Legend '' does n't look like a CGI extravaganza . It looks like an edgy suspense movie shot on the fly in New York City after the fall . And because of that , it 's all the more effective . `` I Am Legend '' is rated PG-13 and runs 100 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's take , click here . E-mail to a friend .
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Three years after a medical breakthrough , something is wrong in New York . Will Smith is cool and unflappable as he takes on flesh-eating mutants . Version of Richard Matheson 's sci-fi novel flags at the end but mostly good .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Famous for honest self-portraits , Mexican artist Frida Kahlo said that she painted her reality and that her paintings carried a message of pain . Her life was full of it , both physical and emotional , and she used it to fuel her art . Frida Kahlo was born in this house and lived in it with her husband , Diego Rivera . Much can be learned about both her private and public life by visiting the home she shared , first with her parents and later with her painter husband , Diego Rivera . The bold blue house with red trim stands out in the quiet residential street of the Coyoacán section of Mexico City . It was painted that way because Kahlo and Rivera felt that the bright colors represented Mexican culture better than the original white paint . This home-turned-museum , known as La Casa Azul , is where Frida Kahlo was born , began to paint and died , making the house a witness to one of the most important artistic lives in Mexican history . The museum entrance leads to a large patio where pre-Columbian sculptures collected by Diego Rivera throughout his lifetime are scattered among the plants and fountains . The couple 's love for traditional Mexican art can be seen throughout the house , from the large fireplace designed by Rivera that dominates the first room , resembling a step pyramid like the ones built by the Mayas and Aztecs , to Kahlo 's paintings and the couple 's collection of smaller sculptures . Some of Kahlo 's most well-known works , such as `` Viva la Vida , '' a still life of watermelons , are on display in the museum , but it is the personal objects that tell the most interesting stories . An entire room is dedicated to communist paraphernalia . Kahlo was very politically active and did not hide her political leanings . In fact , she and Rivera invited exiled Russian communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky and his wife to live with them in the late '30s . As visitors move through the museum , it is the remnants of Kahlo and Rivera 's private life that begin to tell their story . Part of the collection is a bed with a mirror attached to it , used by Kahlo in order to create many of her celebrated self-portraits . At the age of 18 , she was left bedridden for a few months when her spine was broken in a serious bus and trolley accident . It was during those months that Kahlo began to paint , to help pass the time and keep her spirits up . Also on view are several corsets that Kahlo had to wear during her lifetime because of lasting injuries from the accident , several surgeries and a childhood bout of polio . It was because she began painting that Kahlo met Diego Rivera , who was at the time a famous Mexican muralist . Kahlo wanted to know whether she had talent enough to make art a career , so she sought out Rivera to get his opinion . That was the start of their famously tempestuous relationship . They were married for the first time in 1929 , but after infidelities on both sides -LRB- including an affair between Kahlo and Trotsky -RRB- , they divorced in 1939 . They were married again a year later . She once commented on their relationship , saying that there had been two great accidents in her life , the trolley and Diego ; Diego , she claimed , had been the worst of the two . The house , which was witness to the birth of Kahlo on July 6 , 1907 , was also witness to her death July 13 , 1954 . Rivera put her ashes in a pre-Columbian urn , which remains in the house to this day . He donated the house in 1957 , and it opened to the public as La Casa Azul , Museo Frida Kahlo in 1958 . So the blue house , which has seen so much of the history of two of Mexico 's most famous artists and was witness to so much of Kahlo 's personal suffering , is open to the public , ready to tell their story to all who are willing to listen .
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Frida Kahlo was born in La Casa Azul and lived there with Diego Rivera . The house contains the bed where an injured Kahlo started to paint . An entire room in the home is dedicated to communist paraphernalia .
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ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Taliban in Pakistan have issued a direct challenge to the legitimacy of the Pakistani government , by declaring the country 's entire legal system `` un-Islamic . '' Taliban representatives leave talks in Peshawar in February after reaching a deal on Sharia law in Swat . `` Let the judges and the lawyers go to Islamic university , '' said Muslim Khan , a Taliban spokesman in Pakistan 's Swat Valley . '' -LRB- After -RRB- they learn Islamic rules , Islamic regulation , they can continue to work . '' In a telephone interview Tuesday with CNN , Khan demanded the imposition of Islamic sharia law all across the country . He also called for the creation of jaziya , an Islamic tax , to be levied on all non-Muslims in Pakistan . And Khan denounced any Pakistanis who disagreed with his interpretation of Islam , calling them `` non-Muslims . '' The Taliban militant echoed statements made by Sufi Muhammed , an Islamist fundamentalist leader who helped broker a peace deal between the Pakistani government and the Taliban in Swat Valley . Last week , the deal led to the implementation of sharia law in Swat , an alpine region that was once one of Pakistan 's most popular destinations for foreign tourists . Speaking before an audience of tens of thousands on Sunday , Sufi Muhammed declared democracy and Pakistan 's judicial system `` un-Islamic . '' Since reaching his peace deal with the government in Islamabad , Muhammed has been appointing qazis , or clerics , to serve as judges in Islamic courts in Swat . The rise of the Taliban in Swat has alarmed and frightened some members of local civil society there . `` This is a time bomb for the country , '' said Aftab Alam , the head of the lawyers ' association in Swat district . Speaking by telephone from the town of Mingora , Alam claimed Taliban militants have kidnapped , ransomed and even killed lawyers in recent months . `` The only sane voice against the militants , the only sane voice against the criminals , is the lawyer community , '' he said . `` And this is why we have been declared by them , I mean the militants , liable to death . '' This week , some secular Pakistani political parties publicly condemned the Taliban 's strict interpretation of Islam . But many other prominent officials appear unwilling or unable to challenge the creeping Taliban conversion of Pakistani society . For example , Ali Ahmed Kurd , one of the leaders of the lawyers protest movement which helped bring down the government of military ruler Pervez Musharraf , declined to comment on Tuesday when asked by CNN about Sufi Mohammed 's comments . In recent months , videos have emerged showing what appear to be Taliban militants in Swat meting out vigilante justice . One video shows men beating a woman accused of adultery with a cane . Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan initially claimed responsibility for the public caning in interviews with Pakistani TV stations . But in his interview with CNN on Tuesday he reversed his position , accusing `` opponents of Islam '' of making fake videos to hurt his movement 's image . Meanwhile , in another Taliban-run region called Orakzai , details emerged of militants forcing a small community of Sikhs to pay a jaziya or `` minority tax '' of 10.5 million rupees , roughly 18,000 dollars earlier this month . During his interview , Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said that if his vision of an Islamic society is fulfilled in Pakistan , terror mastermind Osama Bin Laden will be welcome to travel and live openly here . `` Sure , he 's a Muslim , he can go anywhere , '' Khan said . Khan added that he would like to see sharia law implemented beyond Pakistan , even in America , a country he knows intimately . For four years , the Taliban spokesman lived in the United States , working as a painter near Boston .
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Taliban in Pakistan demand imposition of Islamic sharia law across country . Government-Taliban deal has led to implementation of sharia law in Swat Valley . Fundamentalist leader declares Pakistan 's judicial system `` un-Islamic '' Secular Pakistani political parties have condemned strict interpretation of Islam .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In-form Borussia Dortmund made it five straight wins on Sunday with a topsy-turvy 3-2 Bundesliga victory at Cologne having looked like they had thrown the three points away . Mats Hummel opened the scoring in the 28th minute and doubled Dortmund 's lead in first-half injury time . That remained the score going into the final 10 minutes and Kevin McKenna 's 82nd-minute strike looked nothing more than a consolation for the home side . Youssef Mohamad equalized with two minutes left , reacting quickest from McKenna 's header . However , Kevin Grosskreutz popped up to win it in injury time with a shot that deflected past Cologne goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon . That goal sealed victory for the visitors -- who remain fifth in the table , five points off the pace . Meanwhile , Kevin Kuranyi 's goal early in the second half was enough for Schalke to beat Nuremberg 1-0 at home to continue their good recent form . Kuranyi scored the only goal in the 48th minute and the Schalke defence held firm to seal the points . Felix Magath 's side clinched their fourth straight victory and fifth in the last six games to return to second place in the table , just one point behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen .
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Borussia Dortmund make it five straight wins with a topsy-turvy 3-2 Bundesliga victory at Cologne . Kevin Grosskreutz pops up in injury time to seal the victory for the visitors who are five points off the top . Kevin Kuranyi scores the only goal for Schalke as they beat Nuremberg 1-0 to return to second in table .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is ready to fund a third search of the Atlantic Ocean if a second search , now under way , fails to find debris from last month 's Air France crash , the company said Friday . Investigators pore over wreckage of Air France flight 447 which crashed killing 228 people on June 1 . Airbus is discussing a payment of between 12 to 20 million euros -LRB- $ 17-28 million -RRB- to help pay for a third search , but it is still too early to settle on a figure , company spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said . `` We are ready to give a significant share , whatever is needed , '' he told CNN . The company is driven by the desire to understand what caused the crash of Air France Flight 447 on June 1 , he said . All 228 people aboard were killed . `` Our priority is increasing aviation safety , '' Schaffrath said . `` The aviation community can learn from an accident . '' Airbus is already helping in the second search alongside Air France and the French accident investigations agency , the BEA . French investigators began the second phase of their search for remnants of the flight Thursday , weeks after the locator beacons of the plane 's flight recorders would have stopped working . A ship arrived in the area of the Atlantic considered the most likely location of the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder , according to the BEA . Using two submersible units and lateral scanning sonar , search teams will look for debris sites on the sea floor that could lead to finding the recorders , the BEA said . The locator beacons of flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders are designed to emit acoustic beacons , or `` pings , '' for 30 days after a crash . Flight 447 went down in stormy weather during a flight from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , to Paris , France , on the first day of June . The search for the pings ended July 10 . Investigators hope the recorders will help them determine the cause of the crash . Flight debris recovered so far is being stored in France , authorities have said . Only 51 bodies were recovered from the crash of Flight 447 , the worst accident in Air France 's 75-year history .
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Aircraft manufacturer Airbus ready to fund third search of Atlantic Ocean . It wants to help find debris from the crash of Air France Flight 447 last month . All 228 people on board were killed ; plane 's flight recorders still missing .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A yellow smiley-face badge , smeared with blood , has become the trademark for `` Watchmen , '' the most critically revered of all comic books -- but it could also represent its troubled journey from page to big screen . `` Watchmen '' opens with the unexplained murder of The Comedian -LRB- Jeffrey Dean Morgan -RRB- . Note smiley badge . The subject of fervent debate in the geekosphere for more than two decades , `` Watchmen '' finally rolls out in the U.S. and other territories from the first week of March onward . But it 's not as well known to wider audiences , who may puzzle at all this heat about a superhero movie with no A-list star attached . Instead , they may simply ask : `` Watch-what ? '' `` Watchmen , '' created by the UK comic-book team of writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons , surfaced in 1986 as a monthly 12-issue series published by DC Comics -LRB- part of Time Warner , which owns CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting -RRB- . Are you looking forward to `` Watchmen ? '' Or think it 's just hype ? It was a defining year for the medium : aside from `` Watchmen , '' '86 also saw Pulitzer-prize winning holocaust drama `` Maus , '' from The New Yorker contributor Art Spielgeman ; and Frank Miller 's hyperviolent Batman reworking `` The Dark Knight Returns . '' `` Watchmen , '' which takes place in 1985 , is set in a parallel world where America never lost Vietnam , Russia is about to invade Afghanistan and Richard Nixon still holds power -LRB- Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward were murdered -RRB- . Meanwhile a superhero team -- only one of whom has special powers -- reforms after a fellow operative is mysteriously slain . But what lifts `` Watchmen '' above its superhero peers is a complex , multi-layered narrative and depth of characterization that ensured it was the only comic book to make Time 's 100 best novels since 1923 . A dark , downbeat work with a heady 11th-hour twist , it puts as much store on subsidiary characters like a newspaper seller as its does blue-skinned man-god Dr. Manhattan . Its influence can be traced to current small-screen favorites like `` Heroes '' and `` Lost . '' Watch `` Watchmen '' trailer . '' Perfect fodder , one might think , for the multiplex -- but `` Watchmen '' has been lodged in Development Hell for the best part of two decades . At various times Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel were mooted to play Manhattan ; Mickey Rourke and Ed Norton were suggested for right-wing vigilante Rorschach . Directors set to shoot have included Terry Gilliam , Darren Aronofsky , Paul Greengrass and David Hayter -LRB- whose script has been retained for much of the final film -RRB- . Several planned shoots failed to materialize due to studio fears about the budget -LRB- locations include Antarctica and Mars as well as New York -RRB- and how the ending might be perceived in a post-9 / 11 world . But film-makers such as Gilliam and Guillermo del Toro also believed that the complex material would be better treated as a TV mini-series . As the latter , the `` Pan 's Labyrinth '' filmmaker , told IGN : `` I just could n't get my head around ` Watchmen ' being two or three hours long . '' Whoever made `` Watchmen '' would also do so without Moore 's blessing . Still resident in his hometown of Northampton , central England , Moore cuts an imposing figure . At least six-and-a-half feet tall , with chest-length beard and hair , talon-like rings on his fingers and the skull of a centuries-old Buddhist monk in his study , he resembles Doctor Who as reimagined by Edgar Allan Poe . -LRB- In person he 's gracious and affable , as this writer will attest from a few years back . -RRB- . Moore has had a mixed relationship with both the mainstream comic-book industry -LRB- which he accuses of over-commercialization and exploiting creators ' rights -RRB- and Hollywood . The comic-book series `` From Hell , '' in which Moore uses the Jack the Ripper killings as a precursor to 20th-century violence , runs to about 500 pages , including 40-plus pages of footnotes . On film it became a melodramatic pad around Victorian London , gamely carried by a pre - `` Pirates '' Johnny Depp . Two other Moore adaptations also failed to translate . Stephen Norrington 's `` The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen '' -LRB- 2003 -RRB- was widely derided and the subject of a court case into which Moore was dragged ; by the time of James McTeigue 's better judged `` V For Vendetta '' -LRB- 2005 -RRB- , Moore had asked his name be taken off any movie adaptations and refused to take royalties . Enter Zack Snyder . In 2004 , Snyder came to the attention of mainstream cinemagoers with his well-regarded remake of George A. Romero 's zombie flick `` Dawn of The Dead . '' Following the $ 450m-plus taken worldwide by Snyder 's `` 300 '' -LRB- 2006 -RRB- -- a hyper-stylized take on Frank Miller 's ancient Greek suicide-mission -- it was announced that `` Watchmen '' would be his next project with Warner Bros. . Paramount , which abandoned plans for the movie in 2005 , took international rights . The $ 150-million feature went into production in Vancouver in mid-2007 , wrapping in early 2008 , and with a cast including Billy Crudup and Jackie Earle Haley . Snyder has retained `` Watchmen 's '' 1980s setting and also recruited original artist Gibbons -- who still retains friendship with Moore -- to advise on production design . Mindful that a narrative so complex could never work as a movie , Snyder has jettisoned several parallel subplots , which will surface as DVD extras and in director 's cuts . Word is that the ending has also been changed . But wary of over-tweaking , Snyder told Entertainment Weekly last year : `` You ca n't make it into something else , you really ca n't . It 's not ` Fantastic Four , ' it 's got to be hard R -LSB- cinema rating -RSB- , it 's got to challenge everyone 's ideas . '' Meanwhile Moore , who sometimes mentions that he worships a Roman snake-god , hinted in the LA Times that he had cursed the feature . `` I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come , '' he added . So was it Moore who saw `` Watchmen '' end up in the courts for a case that risked scuppering its release ? Last year Twentieth Century Fox claimed it still retained rights through an earlier deal with producer Lawrence Gordon in the 1980s ; Warners Bros. disagreed but a judge decided there was a case to answer . A settlement was eventually thrashed out last month , only weeks ahead of release . And so `` Watchmen '' ticks toward early March and a rollout in spring , the now-traditional season for edgier comic-book adaptations like `` 300 '' and `` Sin City . '' Trailers and early footage have drawn praise , with several scenes playing like detailed frames from the original artwork . But key will be whether Snyder can match `` Watchmen 's '' dramatic beats against its green-screen chicanery for more than two hours -LRB- the Internet Movie Database lists the running time at 163 minutes -RRB- . After all , successfully mixing pyrotechnics and narrative is how the most satisfying genre features of recent years -- such as Peter Jackson 's `` Lord Of The Rings '' trilogy and Christopher Nolan 's `` The Dark Knight '' -- have found artistic , as well as commercial , favor . Should Snyder pull it off then will he earn the gratitude of fan boys everywhere , as well as no small thanks from a fair few movie executives . What Alan Moore might think is another issue . ` Watchmen ' is released in the UK on 6 March .
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Comic-book movie , directed by Zack Snyder , took two decades to reach cinemas . Directors Terry Gilliam , Darren Aronofsky , Paul Greengrass , previously attached . Source material regarded by many as the best comic-book ever written . Co-creator Alan Moore has objected to the idea of story being made into movie .
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[[2527, 2637]]
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When HIV-positive Winnie Sseruma was invited to speak on the subject at the United Nations in New York last June , she never expected that her condition would prevent her from obtaining a visa . HIV positive Winnie Sseruma was repeatedly questioned before being allowed into the United States . Winnie Sseruma has been living with the disease for over 20 years . Preparing for her trip , UK-based Winnie discovered that the United States was one of 70 countries worldwide that either banned or restricted inbound travel for people with HIV . `` I was told I needed to come to the U.S. embassy for an interview and bring a doctor 's letter stating I was fit to travel , '' Sseruma , HIV coordinator for charity Christian Aid , told CNN . `` At first , the embassy told me that the first available appointment for my interview would be at a date past the U.N. High-level Meeting I was meant to attend . '' Only when the U.N. intervened on Sseruma 's behalf was she granted an earlier interview date . Sseruma was relieved when she finally received her visa on time . But the hurdles were far from over . At the airport in New York , Sseruma was detained twice for further questioning . `` It was so humiliating , '' Sseruma said . `` The immigration officers were asking me very personal questions about my health . '' A month after Sseruma 's ordeal , the U.S. Senate passed the re-authorization of President Bush 's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief -LRB- PEPFAR -RRB- , including an amendment to the ban on travel and immigration for HIV-positive non-citizens . But the United States travel ban still remains in effect , and will continue to be the law until the Department of Health and Human Services -LRB- HHS -RRB- modifies its regulations . Fifty-eight Members of Congress have sent a letter to the HHS , urging them to take action . Russia also places restrictions on travelers with HIV . Affected visitors are not permitted to stay in the country for more than three months . Anyone applying for a visa for long-term stay must present a certificate stating that they are HIV negative . The Russian embassy 's spokesperson in London told CNN no changes to the ban were currently being considered and declined to comment further . Crusading against these bans is `` Ctrl.Alt.Shift , '' a UK-based organization that attempts to engage youth to combat global and social injustices . The organization argues that there is no public health rationale for `` restricting liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV status . '' Are these laws outmoded ? What do you think ? Tell us in the Sound Off below . The fight against stigmas associated with HIV and AIDS has been widely adopted by the organization 's young members . Many are joining Ctrl.Alt.Shift 's protests across London . Last week , following two protests at the embassies of Saudi Arabia and South Korea -- both countries ban HIV positive travelers from entering their borders -- the organization launched its third protest in front of the Russian embassy in London . `` The level of proliferation of the HIV virus in countries that do not implement bans on HIV travelers is proof that these bans have no impact whatsoever , except for reinforcing the stigma , '' said Neil Boorman , Ctrl.Alt.Shift 's project manager . Boorman told CNN that the bans and restrictions further the spread of the epidemic by driving the issue underground and force people to lie about their health on visa applications . Tinchy Strider , a 22-year-old British rap artist , was also present at the protest . `` I 'm here because many young people are not aware of these issues , but if they knew these bans existed , they would want to do something about it , '' Tinchy explained . Eighteen-year-old Sian Anderson agrees . Anderson believes it is bad enough to live with HIV and that these regulations make life `` even harder . '' `` Some people are completely not at fault , they might have gotten the virus through blood transfusion and Russia does n't take that into consideration , '' Anderson said . `` Science has moved on from the days where HIV was an unknown virus . Now the world needs to move on too , '' Sseruma said . `` Stigma remains our biggest challenge . ''
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Russia is one of 11 countries worldwide that restricts HIV positive visitors . The U.S. lifted similar ban last July , but has not yet been implemented . Protesters argue that ban forces people to lie about health to gain entry .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Latino rights group and other immigrant and labor organizations called Thursday for a national boycott of Arizona over the state 's new immigration law , which allows police to ask anyone for proof of legal U.S. residency . The call for a boycott was led by the National Council of La Raza , which bills itself as the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States . Other organizations calling for the boycott include the Asian American Justice Center , the Center for Community Change , the League of United Latin American Citizens , the National Puerto Rican Coalition , the Service Employees International Union , the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , and the United Food and Commercial Workers union . The groups pledged not to hold major conventions , conferences or other special events involving significant travel to Arizona from out of state and `` asked others to consider whether their purchases of goods and services might perpetuate the unjust and discriminatory law in Arizona , '' La Raza said on its website . `` When a law so contrary to our values is passed , we must act decisively , '' said La Raza President and CEO Janet Murguia . `` We are calling for a boycott because this law will blow open the door to increased racial profiling , wrongful arrests and other discrimination . '' Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer , who signed the immigration measure April 23 , says it does not involve racial profiling or any other illegal acts . The law , known as SB 1070 , is scheduled to go into effect this summer . The measure has drawn criticism in the United States and abroad . In Arizona , the Tucson and Flagstaff city councils voted this week to file suit against the measure . The city councils said they 're taking action because of concerns over enforcement costs and negative effects on Arizona 's tourism industry . In Tucson , council member Regina Romero introduced a motion for `` the city attorney to bring a legal challenge '' because the immigration bill is `` unconstitutional '' and `` a bad law , which could cost the city millions of dollars in lawsuits . '' `` This bill opens the door to racial profiling , and it puts Latinos in Arizona in automatic suspect mode , '' Romero said . Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup said up to 38 percent of retail sales in the city come from legal Mexican visitors . The state immigration law threatens Tucson 's businesses , Walkup said , just when `` the city is just beginning to recover from the economic downturn . '' Criticism also has come from abroad , with the Mexican government issuing an advisory to its citizens last week to avoid travel to Arizona . The Organization of American States expressed its concern about the law last week , and presidents of South American countries meeting in Argentina for a gathering of the Union of South American Nations condemned the law Tuesday . Well-known Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes recommended this week that dark-skinned people , men with mustaches , women who use shawls , or anyone who does not speak English well should not go to Arizona , because the state has `` officially declared itself racist , '' the government-run Notimex news service reported Wednesday . The Phoenix Suns basketball team also criticized the new law , and wore jerseys marked `` Los Suns '' in Wednesday night 's NBA playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs . `` The frustration with the federal government 's failure to deal with the issue of illegal immigration resulted in passage of a flawed state law , '' Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said in a statement . `` However intended , the result of passing this law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question , and Arizona 's already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill-afford them . '' Arizona legislators say they passed the law because the federal government has failed to safeguard the border with Mexico , allowing more than 450,000 undocumented immigrants to settle in the state . On Thursday , Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York wrote a letter to Brewer , asking Arizona to delay implementing the law for one year `` in order to permit Congress sufficient time to enact comprehensive immigration reform to address Arizona 's security needs . ''
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Groups pledge not to hold conventions in Arizona because of new immigration law . Law allows police to ask anyone for proof of being in U.S. legally . Opponents say it will lead to racial profiling ; supporters disagree . National Council of La Raza leads rights groups ' call for boycott .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The whole world is watching how Barack Obama picks his cabinet , but he and his wife Michelle have a much more personal choice to make at home -- and it 's very political too . Sasha Obama , left , and Malia Obama will make the White House home come January 20 . When they move to Washington , will their daughters Malia , 10 , and Sasha , 7 , go to public or private school ? For many US parents , that decision is more revealing than the ones they make at the ballot box . What do you think the Obama family should do ? Americans of a certain income who choose public school are demonstrating that they trust the government to educate their children . Americans who send their children to private school are saying that the government has n't earned that trust . In some areas , it 's also been a way for white families to avoid sending their children to school with black children . Republicans tend to favor giving poor families subsidies so they can afford private schools too . Most Democrats , including Barack Obama , are opposed to the idea , because they think it undermines the public school system . It 's not an issue every president faces . George Bush 's twin daughters , Jenna and Barbara , were both college students by the time he took office . The Obamas ' two Democratic predecessors made contrasting choices . Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter 's daughter Amy went to public school . The Clintons ' daughter , Chelsea , went to a private school . In Chicago , the Obama girls have been going to a private school . But now their father is preparing to be president . All around the country , the media are reporting on the story and taking sides too . Some of them have already noted that the president-elect who opposes `` school choice '' for the poor has been able to afford it for his own children . This week , Mrs. Obama took the girls to visit some of Washington 's elite private schools , with tuition of about $ 28,000 . In an interview with CBS News , she resorted to the kind of careful phrasing that practiced politicians use to avoid controversy . `` What we have asked people to understand is that the decision that we make will be based on the best interests of the girls . We have n't made that decision yet . We want that to be a personal process , and people have been really good about respecting that . '' They ca n't avoid the decision for long . The Obama 's move to Washington in January , just in time for the second half of the school year to begin .
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U.S. President-elect Barack Obama takes office in Washington in January . Much debate about whether Obama 's daughters will attend public or private school . Where parents decide to send children often indicates their views on education . Michelle Obama : This is a personal process , we ask that people respect that .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama , who in 10 days will be sworn in using the Bible of his political hero Abraham Lincoln , visited the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Saturday night with his family . The Obama family walks down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Saturday . Obama , wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha made the unannounced stop shortly after 7 p.m. ET . The family walked up the steps of the memorial on a chilly night in Washington and then visited the museum at the site . On the way out , they stopped at the edge of the reflecting pool . The parents were seen pointing in the distance to the Capitol and the Washington Monument . The Obamas spent about a half-hour at the memorial before returning to the Hay-Adams Hotel , where they are staying . Watch the family at the memorial '' Obama will be the first president to use the Lincoln Bible for his inauguration since Lincoln used it in 1861 . Inauguration organizers have said Obama 's inaugural theme , `` A New Birth of Freedom , '' was inspired by Lincoln 's Gettysburg Address . Learn more about the Lincoln Memorial '' The president-elect also plans a train trip from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , to Washington three days before the inauguration , following the final leg of the train route taken by Lincoln .
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Obamas made unannounced stop at memorial on Saturday . They spent a half-hour at the site before returning to hotel . Barack Obama will use Lincoln 's Bible at his inauguration this month .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been in talks with high-level Taliban members , but the effort has failed to yield `` practical reconciliation '' or the `` resolution of many issues , '' a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday . `` We do n't think the Taliban believe that they 're losing to the degree that they 'd come to terms in large numbers . Without question , they 're hurting . We have it on good information that they 're feeling the pressure . Just not enough , '' the official told CNN . Karzai has been forging reconciliation efforts to seek peace with Taliban members and end the nine-year-old Afghan war . One idea his government has pushed is the Afghan Peace Council , which was formed to help negotiate with the Taliban . That group convened for the first time on Thursday , a meeting in which Karzai called for militants to seize the opportunity for peace . `` I call on them once again to use this opportunity and say ` yes ' to this endeavour . I want them to come and bring peace to this land , '' Karzai told the group , made up of about 68 Afghan clerics and elders . The senior U.S. official said the peace council and its efforts may pay off down the road . The U.S. military supports Karzai 's efforts , and that any reconciliation must be Afghan-led , the official said . Nevertheless , the official put high expectations in perspective , saying outsiders ca n't expect a `` rock solid agreement '' every time there are talks . `` It will be messy , '' the official said . The official also noted that the Taliban and al Qaeda have to be thought of , and dealt with , differently . `` While al Qaeda just wants to kill people , the Taliban have definite governing ambitions . They want Afghanistan back -- but to accomplish that , they only need to do the minimum . They do n't need to control every inch of land , just be present enough to exert influence , '' the official said . The al Qaeda terror network attacked the United States on September 11 , 2001 , when it was harbored by Afghanistan 's Taliban-led government . A month later , the United States invaded Afghanistan and toppled that government . Another effort is also under way to forge peace . This week , political figures from Pakistan and Afghanistan sat down in Kabul for talks in what one Afghan official called a `` new phase '' in building bridges and making peace with the Taliban . The meeting is part of an effort called the Abu Dhabi process . A Taliban spokesman has told CNN that the group was not interested in peace talks . Zabiuhullah Mujahed , the spokesman , said the group had no representative in the alleged negotiations in Kabul . Peace negotiations would not happen until the Afghan government met the Taliban 's precondition to withdraw foreign forces from the country , the spokesman said . Journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report .
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Karzai tells the group it can help make peace in Afghanistan . The peace council launches as Afghan leaders meet with Pakistani officials . The Taliban says it is not part of the peace talks .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Siberia 's Lake Baikal , the world 's largest and most biologically diverse lake , faces the prospect of severe ecological disruption as a result of climate change , according to team of U.S. and Russian scientists . The Baikal seal is the world 's only freshwater seal . Publishing their analysis in BioScience magazine the team found the most pressing threat came from the dependence of the lake 's food chain on microscopic algae . Lake Baikal 's algae are particularly vulnerable to expected reductions in the length of time the lake is frozen each winter . The lake is considered a treasure trove for biologists and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because a high proportion of its rich fauna and flora are found nowhere else . The report 's authors say Lake Baikal 's climate has become measurably milder over recent decades , and that annual precipitation is expected to increase . The average ice depth in the lake is believed to have decreased in recent decades , and the ice-free season to have increased . Changes in the lake 's food-chain composition have been noted , the scientists say . Shorter periods of ice cover is expected to slow the growth of the lake 's algae , the authors say ; the organisms bloom under the ice in springtime and are highly dependent on ice cover for their reproduction and growth . Algae is the principal food of tiny crustaceans abundant in the lake , which in turn are food sources for the lake 's fish . The crustaceans could also be affected by changes in the transparency of the ice , an expected result of shifting precipitation and wind patterns . Shortened periods of ice cover and changes in the ice 's transparency may also harm the Baikal seal , the lake 's top predator and the world 's only exclusively freshwater seal . Because the seals mate and give birth on the ice , premature melting forces them into the water before molting and drastically reduces their fertility , the authors say . A warmer , wetter climate may be the principal threat to Lake Baikal 's unique biological heritage , but it is not the only one , say the report 's scientists . The secondary effects of climate change , including greater nutrient inputs and industrial pollution from melting permafrost , may also exact a toll on an already-stressed ecosystem .
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Study says climate change threatens important algae in Russia 's Lake Baikal . Warmer temperatures could also affect world 's only freshwater seal . Lake Baikal is a UNESCO world heritage site for its unique flora and fauna .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- News that a British soldier died after he received the cancerous lungs of a heavy smoker has sparked intense debate as to whether organs from people with unhealthy lifestyles should be used in transplants . Surgeons `` are n't in a position in to turn down organs because they 're not absolutely perfect . '' Corporal Matthew Millington , 31 , died in 2008 , less than a year after receiving a transplant at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire , England . However a transplant surgeon has told CNN that smokers organs will continue to be used as long as medical services face a severe shortage of organs . Chris Watson , vice president of the British Transplantation Society , told CNN that 49 percent of last year 's lung donors in the UK were smokers . `` We 're not in the luxurious position in transplantation to turn down organs because they 're not absolutely perfect -- there are very few perfect organs , '' he said . What should be done to encourage organ donation ? `` In the case of Corporal Millington the donor had a chest X-ray , broncoscopy and a careful inspection of the lungs once they were removed , '' he said . `` When they found the tumor in Corporal Millington it was seven millimeters across and it was likely to have been two or three millimeters when it was transplanted . To find something that small you 'd need to chop the lungs up into fine pieces , and then you ca n't transplant . '' The UK National Health Service National Reporting and Learning Service -LRB- NRLS -RRB- recently released an alert saying it had found 11 reported incidents `` relating to the condition of an organ for transplant or other errors . '' One incident reported to the NRLS read : `` Kidney arrived completely surrounded by fat and muscle -- nothing was recognizable . After dissection , a fatty tumor appeared on the upper pole , decision was taken to transplant anyway . `` After unclamping , there was a massive bleed from the tumor leading to urgent transplantectomy -- kidney sent to the path lab -- renal cell carcinoma ... not fit for purpose . '' Watson told CNN that organs are thoroughly tested for suitability before they are transplanted . He said that once a patient has been diagnosed as brain dead and donation is a possibility , a donor coordinator will approach their family to learn more about the patient 's history . Medics ask about the donor 's medical history and lifestyle . They also take a blood test and may contact the donor 's doctor for more information . But Watson stresses that medics only have a few hours between diagnosis of brain death and organ removal . When the organs are removed the donor 's body is examined for evidence of infection , cancer , or anything else that might affect decision to use an organ . In the case of lung transplants , the donor will have a chest x-ray and broncoscopy , where an endoscope is used to examine lungs from the inside . `` The main thing is how well lungs work , '' Watson told CNN . `` We would check blood gases , taking a blood sample and seeing how much oxygen is dissolved in the blood to see how well lungs are working . `` If they work well and there 's no evidence of any problems then we would use them , regardless of if they came from a smoker . '' Watson says a biopsy is carried out on donated livers to check for any damage . He says fatty livers are common , not because the donor is overweight , but as a result of the donor having been starved in intensive care . Different organs have different tolerances to being without a blood supply . Watson says a heart does n't respond well to being out of the body for more than three or four hours . Livers can remain viable for around 12 hours and kidneys for about 24 hours . Those time constraints mean medics have to make quick judgments about the suitability of donated organs , even if it that means using imperfect organs . `` We 're happy to use the organs available knowing they 're not ideal and we 'll make the best use of them and keep them functioning as well as we can , '' said Watson . `` The alternative for recipients is to die , so there 's really not much choice for them . ''
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Surgeon says shortage of donors mean they must use imperfect organs . 49 percent of last year 's lung donors in the UK were smokers . U.S. data suggest one in 5,000 donated organs may have a tumor . Organs are thoroughly tested for suitability before transplant , says surgeon .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death of a 14-year-old girl in England after she received a vaccination for Human Papilloma virus -LRB- HPV -RRB- has prompted a widespread freeze on the country 's national vaccination program . Millions of girls have received vaccinations for HPV since 2008 , the virus that causes 99 percent of cervical cancers . More than 1.4 million girls have received the vaccination in England since the National Health Service -LRB- NHS -RRB- started administering it in September 2008 . Natalie Morton 's sudden death Monday occurred within hours after she received a shot of the vaccine Cervarix at the NHS at her school in Coventry . Three other girls at the Blue Coat Church of England school suffered mild symptoms of dizziness and nausea after receiving the vaccine , according to media reports . It remains unclear if the vaccine caused Morton 's death . Only an autopsy will be able to determine the exactly cause of death . Glaxo Smith Kline , the manufacturer of Cervarix , issued a recall of the batch of vaccine used in Coventry as a `` precautionary measure . '' Watch reaction to Natalie Morton 's death '' `` At this stage the cause of this tragic death is unknown , '' the company said in a statement posted on their Web site . `` Following immediate quarantine of the batch involved last night , we have taken the decision to voluntarily recall this batch as a further precautionary measure while the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Natalie 's death is conducted . '' On Tuesday several NHS clinics and schools indefinitely postponed immunizations . `` As a purely precautionary measure , we have asked the NHS to quarantine all stocks of HPV vaccine from the batch related to this case , '' a spokesperson for the NHS said . `` Where the local NHS has supplies of vaccine from other production batches , they should continue with the vaccination program . '' Many clinics were forced to close as they checked the numbers on their batches of the vaccine . What is HPV ? HPV stands for human Papilloma virus . Although there are more than 100 types of HPV , only a few of them are known to cause cervical cancer . Most strains of HPV are harmless or cause genital warts . HPV is a common sexually-transmitted disease . Almost half of all women who have sex will be infected at one point in their life , according to the British National Health Service . HPV infects the cells of the surface of the cervix . Infections can clear up on their own or stay for many years without any symptoms and develop into cervical cancer . Ninety-nine percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV . What is the Cervarix HPV vaccine ? The Cervarix HPV vaccine protects against the two strains of HPV -LRB- 16 and 18 -RRB- that cause cervical cancer in over 70 percent of women . The vaccine is typically injected in the upper arm , or thigh , in three doses within six months , and is recommended for teenage girls . How effective is the Cervarix vaccine ? According to the manufacturer , Glaxo Smith Kline , Cervarix is over 99 percent effective . Is Cervarix the most common vaccine for HPV ? No . Gardisil , manufactured by Merck is used by the majority of vaccine programs worldwide . Gardisil protects against four strains of HPV -LRB- 16 , 18 , 6 and 11 -RRB- . Strains 6 and 11 cause less serious conditions , such as genital warts . Gardisil proved comparatively effective in trials carried out by Merck . Of 23 million American girls who have already been vaccinated , 32 deaths were reported , though the reports do not determine if the deaths were caused by the vaccine or just a coincidence . Why was Cervarix chosen for the UK ? According to the NHS , Cervarix , `` was selected because the bid from this company scored higher than the competitor in the adjudication process against pre-agreed award criteria . The pre-agreed award criteria were shared with the manufacturers during the process so that they were fully informed of the criteria against which their bids would be evaluated . '' When was the vaccine introduced ? In September 2008 , England began a national program to vaccinate girls aged 12-13 , and a three-year catch up campaign offering the vaccine to 13-18 year old girls . Do condoms protect against HPV ? Using condoms reduces the risk of HPV transmission , but infection is still possible because HPV can be spread by contact with parts of the body that the condom does not cover . What are the known dangers associated with taking the HPV vaccine ? Cervarix has undergone rigorous safety testing as part of the licensing process required in the UK and other European countries , according to the NHS . The most commonly reported side effects are mild swelling or pain at the injection site , nausea , a mild temperature , dizziness , diarrhea and muscle aches . In rare cases allergic reactions in the form of skin rashes and in very rare cases anaphylactic shock has occurred .
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Teenage girl dies after receiving Cervarix vaccination for HPV . England 's national vaccination program freezes as batches are recalled . HPV is a sexually-transmitted virus that causes 99 percent of cervical cancers . Almost 1.4 million girls in England have already received the vaccine .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House committees will begin action on President-elect Barack Obama 's proposed economic recovery package in the next couple of weeks , with a vote in the full House slated for the week after Obama 's inauguration . Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will not go on a break until an economic recovery package is passed . Obama will take office January 20 . If that schedule slips , Pelosi , D-California , pledged to cancel the House 's planned weeklong break in mid-February for Presidents Day . `` We are not going home without an economic recovery package , '' Pelosi said . Pelosi said Obama 's plan has broad public support `` almost sight unseen , '' citing a poll from Politico that says 79 percent of Americans support the president-elect 's plan . A senior Pelosi aide said discussions about the details are ongoing between the Obama transition team and key leaders . The Ways and Means Committee will focus on the tax piece , approximately $ 300 billion in tax cuts . Obama transition aides met with Democrats on that committee Wednesday morning to discuss various proposals , according to another Democratic aide . The Appropriations Committee is tasked with drafting details on spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects , food stamps and other aid to states . Sidestepping a question on possible roadblocks for the bill , Pelosi instead touted the new muscle of the expanded Democratic majority . `` We have been so used to an uphill fight , but now we have arrived . We have a big , strong , something like an 80-vote majority in the Congress , in the House , with a Democratic president in the White House , '' she said . In a speech Thursday , Obama said it was imperative that Congress move quickly to pass the stimulus package once he takes office , warning that a failure to do so would have devastating long-term consequences to the nation 's economy . `` We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime , a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks , '' Obama said at George Mason University in Virginia . Watch Obama call for `` dramatic action '' on the economy '' `` I do n't believe it 's too late to change course , but it will be if we do n't take dramatic action as soon as possible , '' Obama continued . `` If nothing is done , this recession could linger for years . '' Key members of Obama 's own party , however , said they opposed central tax measures of the president-elect 's proposals after emerging from a closed-door meeting of the Senate Finance Committee . Watch Obama explain his tax proposals '' In particular , they do not think that giving employers a $ 3,000 tax credit for each worker they hired would work . `` I 'm not that excited about that , '' said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts . `` Having a tax credit for hiring is not going to change that dynamic ; creating a direct job will . So I 'd rather spend the money on the infrastructure , on direct investment , on energy conversion and other kinds of things , much more directly and much more rapidly and much more certainly create a real job . '' Sen. Kent Conrad agreed . `` I think it 's unlikely to be effective , '' the North Dakota senator said . `` If you think about it , businesspeople are not going to hire people to produce products that are not selling . Who is going to hire in the auto industry if you give them a $ 3,000 credit to make cars that people are not buying ? '' A second Obama tax proposal that several Democrats were down on is payroll tax credits , amounting to about $ 20 per paycheck and totaling $ 500 per person and $ 1,000 for couples earning less than $ 200,000 a year . Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said he doubted that proposal would do much to stimulate the economy . `` We have an example from the first stimulus that indicates just giving people $ 500 to $ 600 , while certainly welcome when there 's this much economic hurt , may not be the best use of stimulus , '' Wyden said . Instead , Wyden said , pumping more money into infrastructure spending would be more effective in creating jobs . Conrad agreed with Wyden . `` Twenty dollars a week ? I do n't think that will be effective , either . That is in terms of economic impact . We have got to focus on what is actually going to lift the economy , '' Conrad said . None of the senators CNN spoke with after the meeting said they thought the opposition to these provisions would derail the bill but suggested that many meetings would be needed with the Obama team to hammer out an agreement . First votes in the Finance Committee , which must approve the tax components of the stimulus plan , could come in the next two weeks , senators and aides said . CNN 's Deirdre Walsh , Dana Bash and Ted Barrett contributed to this report .
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi sets full House vote on stimulus for week of January 25 . House committees will work on Obama 's plan over the next couple of weeks . Senate Democrats balk at proposal to give employers $ 3,000 for each worker hired .
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ST. LOUIS , Missouri -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael and Steven Roberts did n't have two quarters to rub together a couple of decades ago . Now , the two African-American business leaders estimate their holdings -- from hotels to TV stations -- are worth $ 1 billion . One St. Louis hotel they own once barred black people . Steven Roberts , left , and his brother , Michael , own a St. Louis theater that once segregated African-Americans . `` Black folks need legacy . We have to have examples of successes in order for us to be able to let the generations to come know that many of the successes that occurred by African-Americans in this country can be seen and pointed out and can be emulated , '' says Michael Roberts , the chairman and CEO of The Roberts Companies . Michael and his brother Steven , who is three years younger , stroll through their office , complete with wood-paneled doors , large leather chairs and a pool table fit for a king . Their office sits along a busy street in St. Louis called Kingshighway . `` They used to call us the Kings of Kingshighway , because we own so much on this street , '' Michael Roberts says . Their office is the culmination of hard work and a can-do American business attitude to strive for greatness . They launched their business from a historically black neighborhood in north St. Louis . Roberts brothers share secrets of their success '' From a one-room office , they created an empire now made up of 76 companies and 1,100 employees , many of them minorities . They own commercial real estate , TV stations , hotels , telecommunication companies and more . The name Roberts adorns all their properties . `` We were n't rich . We were n't poor , but we just never had any money , '' Michael says of their upbringing . They like to tell their story , encouraging people with new ideas to chase their dreams . If you do n't have money , they say , do n't let that stop you . `` We tell folks , learn it , get your hands dirty -- you know , a little sweat equity , '' says Steven Roberts , the president of The Roberts Companies . `` For that college student , for that future entrepreneur ... we 're saying understand what your passion is , and understand what your product is , too . '' Michael Roberts chuckles . He notes that his younger brother has always been good at `` putting the meat on the bone . '' He says he likes to tell youths and college students : `` What would your life be like if you could eliminate the fear of failure , and where would you be at this point in life ? '' There will be times , he says , when you will stumble , but do n't let those hiccups get you down . `` If you eliminate the fear of failure and if you use every moment to its fullest extent -- a very existential concept -- then you are able to take your ideas , your dreams , your aspirations , and you can pursue them with courage and confidence and bravado . '' What are the challenges for black entrepreneurs , businesses ? The brothers operate on a simple business philosophy : You diversify or die . And they do n't believe in a full retirement . `` What other animal retires ? '' Michael Roberts says . `` If a lion retires today , tomorrow morning he becomes his brother 's breakfast . '' They point to their father as exhibit A . At 86 , he still comes to the office that his sons named after him , the Victor Roberts Building , a large complex complete with restaurants and retail stores . He worked 39 years in the Postal Service before retiring in the 1980s . He now keeps a keen eye on his now grown boys . He refuses a paycheck . `` I suggest anyone who has a father , '' Michael says with a laugh , `` please hire them , because you can get them for free . '' The two brothers also have served in public office , elected to the St. Louis Board of Alderman in the late 1970s . They recently walked through The Roberts Orpheum Theatre in downtown St. Louis . It symbolizes their quest for a legacy . Decades ago , their mother and other black people were only allowed to sit in the highest balcony . Now , the brothers own the theater . They stood on the stage and scanned the empty seats . Again , they laughed . `` Mom can sit wherever she likes , '' Michael Roberts said .
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Michael and Steven Roberts , both African-Americans , built a $ 1 billion empire . Steven Roberts to youngsters : `` Understand what your passion is '' Lack of money should n't stop you from pursuing your dreams , they say . They do n't believe in full retirement : `` What other animal retires ? ''
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SOWETO , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's late Sunday morning inside a cavernous Salvation Army Church in Soweto , South Africa . Services , complete with African and traditional music , have just finished and a catchy drum beat with a distinctly American hip-hop sound is coming from the stage . Laura DiFilippi , 12 , gets ready to board the bus in Bushwick , Brooklyn , to go to the airport . The group of teenagers dancing around the drums is 8,000 miles and an 18-hour plane ride from their New York home . They are mostly from Bushwick , Brooklyn -- a community of about 109,000 people only five miles from Manhattan . For some of these kids , it 's their first time away from home . Unfamiliar with Bushwick ? It 's mostly a working class neighborhood where families have often struggled . For years it was a community with a thriving drug trade , severely under-achieving schools , extreme poverty and a staggering rate of teenage pregnancy . It was ravaged by fires and looting during the summer of 1977 and hit hard by the crack epidemic in the 1980s . Bushwick is recovering now , but half of the children under age 18 still live below the poverty line . A quarter of the adults never make it past the ninth grade and more than half never graduate from high school . The children on this trip to South Africa are what educators and social workers call `` at-risk '' -- at risk of having babies as teenagers ; at risk of never finishing high school or achieving their dreams ; at risk of never knowing the world beyond their neighborhood . Thirty of these children , between the ages of 12 to 16 , have been paired up with college-aged mentors and brought to South Africa by Malaak Compton-Rock , the wife of comedian Chris Rock . She brought them to volunteer -- to serve the impoverished and the AIDS orphans in this country with the highest HIV-infected population in the world . Watch the kids ' video diaries from South Africa '' Compton-Rock has carved her own niche in espousing service -- giving back . She often quotes her mentor Marian Wright Edelman , founder of the Children 's Defense Fund : `` Service is the rent we pay for living . '' The South Africa trip is Compton-Rock 's brainchild -- to broaden the horizons of young teens and give them perspective on their own lives . Watch : The kids witness devastating effect of AIDS in South Africa '' `` I believe by traveling you open up your life , '' Compton-Rock tells a crowd gathered for a press conference the morning after the group has arrived . `` You do n't think locally , you start to think globally and internationally and I think it gives you a sense of confidence . '' She also wants the children to know , `` that in the United States of America , even in Bushwick , we have certain services that I want the children to understand that they need to take advantage of . '' Compton-Rock is talking about access to free public education , food , knowledge and social mobility -- elusive things for South Africa 's impoverished and particularly so for 1.4 million AIDS orphans there . One of the mentors on this trip is 20-year-old Alicia Gerald . `` I know that in my own experience , '' Alicia says . `` Just having someone put their hand out and say ' I believe that you can be great , ' has really helped me rise to those expectations . '' Photos : Meet some of the kids '' Alicia is from Bedford-Stuyvesant , a troubled community just blocks away from Bushwick . It 's also where Compton-Rock 's husband grew up . Compton-Rock has required all of the children selected for the trip to sign one-year contracts to become `` global ambassadors . '' As ambassadors they are required to tell their friends and neighbors about their experiences -- through writing , blogging , photographs and speeches . The idea , Compton-Rock explains , is that if a child is given a unique opportunity , she or he , is `` obligated to bore a hole and take someone through with you . '' Among the children on Compton-Rock 's `` Journey for Change '' mission is Laura DiFilippi , a quiet girl who 's overcome a lot of challenges in her 12 years . Constant moving and instability in her family life meant it was tough to find the documents needed for travel . For a while , it seemed as thought she would n't be able to get her U.S. passport . With the help of Compton-Rock 's assistant , Cece Falls , Laura got the paperwork done and her passport was issued just 24 hours before the kids piled onto the bus for the airport . There is also 15-year-old Jeremy Baker , with a broad smile and slight frame . He is growing up in the projects with four siblings and hits the basketball courts every morning before breakfast during the summer . His dream ? `` Senior year I 'd get a scholarship to Connecticut , UConn , play there , '' says Jeremy . `` Then , like after my sophomore year in college , go to the NBA , get drafted by Detroit . '' It 's a dream of many young black men , but a recent study suggests only .03 percent of the youngsters playing ball as seniors in high school actually make it to the NBA . Another young man , who makes magic with the drums and also smiles broadly , is 14-year-old Jonathan Severe . Compton-Rock snaps pictures while dancing to the beat and tapping on a nearby African drum . She is shaking her head in both joy and disbelief , clearly thrilled by what she sees . It 's been less than 48 hours since the group has arrived ; they have n't even begun their service yet , and already the young man is opening up in a way she had never expected . Jonathan said maybe six words during his interview for entry to the program , and despite Compton-Rock 's best mothering skills he never lifted his eyes from the floor . His grandmother came with him to the interview and kicked his leg under the table to get him to speak . It did n't work . He barely spoke and when he did , you could hardly hear him . It was n't easy for Compton-Rock to decide to take him to Africa . Her selection committee feared he did n't have the communication skills needed to be an ambassador . Two days into the trip and Jonathan is effusive . I literally have to cut him off in interviews to get a word in . To see that , so early on , has been one of the thrills of this trip for me . Two days in and I can already tell this experience will be life-changing for all of us . What will they learn and discover about themselves , and the world ? I 'll let them tell you . All the kids have been asked to blog about the joys and the challenges , the things they 're learning and the disappointments . We 're taking photos and documenting every step they take in South Africa . The Bushwick kids came to make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable kids in South Africa . It will be equally interesting to see how South Africa 's children make a difference in the lives of these children from Bushwick .
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Thirty kids from Bushwick , Brooklyn , took part in `` Journey for Change '' Malaak Compton-Rock spearheaded the mission to empower `` at-risk '' youth . Kids , ages 12 to 15 , volunteered to serve the impoverished , AIDS orphans . Kids were required to sign one-year contracts to become `` global ambassadors ''
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SAN FRANCISCO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 100-inch , high definition screen projects an intense college basketball game . Massage therapists rub the nervous tensions of men and women away . Scissors skillfully cut men 's hair . Two chandeliers adorn the main room , complimented by brick walls and a glass bar that doubles as a retail counter . Sean Heywood , right , and Kumi Walker own MR. , a barbershop and wine bar in San Francisco , California . This is not your typical barbershop . And that has always been the vision of owners Kumi Walker and Sean Heywood . `` We are literally trying to create a new version of the country club golf experience . But we 're replacing golf with haircuts , and we 're putting it in urban environments , '' says Heywood . MR. -LRB- for mister -RRB- is their first business venture . It 's an upscale barbershop , wine bar and lounge in the financial district of San Francisco where memberships cost $ 65 to $ 250 a month . In addition to the basic services , those who become members benefit from exclusive services like golf putting clinics and human resource workshops . `` We 're trying to thrive , not just survive , '' Heywood said . MR. takes the cultural aspect of the black barbershop experience and modernizes it , making it a place where businesspeople of all races can network . `` We looked at our social lives , and we had black friends , Asian friends , Latino friends , white friends . We would do a lot of things socially together , but when it came to getting our hair cut , we would all split up , '' Walker says . Watch Walker talk about the difficulty of starting and running a business '' The two entrepreneurs are bridging a cultural divide , and also giving back to the community . They offer free lifetime memberships to MR. to those in good standing with a re-entry program called Back on Track . Among other things , Back on Track offers first-time , low-level criminal offenders GED preparation , tutoring , money-management instruction and job training and placement . And that 's where MR. steps in . The membership provides them with one free haircut , trim , and shoeshine monthly . `` We 'll take care of their grooming so that they do n't have to . And they 're ready for all the different jobs that they pursue going forward , '' Walker says . Giving back is paramount for the entrepreneurs . And the story of one black business district in Tulsa , Oklahoma , inspires them . It was known as Black Wall Street , and it was destroyed in a race riot and fire 88 years ago . `` All of the businesses that we wanted to create , we wanted to encompass the culture of , if that community still existed today , what it would look like , '' says Walker , who says he read about the riot six years ago . Imagine a credit union , a barbershop , a library , and men in freshly pressed suits with top hats sauntering on sidewalks . The melodic sounds of jazz flow into the streets from several nightclubs . A thriving community of black-owned businesses serve their clientele across a 42-block area . That was the community that existed in the segregated neighborhood of Greenwood from 1830 to 1921 . But on the evening of May 31 , 1921 , white mobs entered Greenwood with torches and guns . Black residents gathered to protect a young man accused of assaulting a white woman . When the smoke from fires cleared on June 1 , more than 1,000 homes , businesses and other institutions were burned or destroyed , according to the report of the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 . `` People came and said , ` Run , they are shooting people , ' '' says Wess Young , who was 4 then . `` We evacuated . They were destroying everything . '' The death toll has been debated for years , because many victims were dumped in mass graves . An American Red Cross estimate puts the total at 300 , much higher than the 36 reported by local officials . The riot devastated the social underpinnings of the Greenwood community and leveled a black economic force . Greenwood was rebuilt , but it never recovered . `` It was a really tragic end to thriving businesses . I think we 'd be a lot further ahead had that area been able to continue to thrive , '' says Walker . Wess Young and his family rebuilt their lives in Tulsa . When asked what he thought America would be like if the Tulsa race riot had not happened , he answers without hesitation , `` We would have had a black president before now . ... He has done a good job , but we -LSB- blacks are -RSB- still in a box . '' His advice to people is to let go of the past once they 've learned from it . `` Hate will destroy your whole universe -- got to learn how to forgive , but never forget , '' Young says . Walker says these stories of black struggle and survival motivate him . `` I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors , '' he says . `` I just want to be as successful as possible so I can turn around and be mentors and sponsors to other people who come after me . ''
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Entrepreneur read about famed Black Wall Street that was destroyed in 1921 . He and partner created modern barbershop to honor memory of district . Black Wall Street burned to ground during massive race riot in Tulsa , Oklahoma . Tulsa race riot survivor : `` Learn how to forgive , but never forget ''
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ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Africa is not a country , and Africans generally do not live in trees or hunt game with spears . Nor do they all walk around in the nude among lions and zebras . Chinedu Ezeamuzie shows some of his company 's Web designs after an interview last week . African immigrants to the United States say cartoonish caricatures and a Western media penchant for reporting on Africa 's disease , hunger and war -- rather than the continent 's successes -- trivialize their cultures . They complain they have trouble dispelling the stereotypes once they arrive in the States . They concede , though , the myths run both ways and some say they were surprised to find their values more often aligned with those of white Americans than African-Americans . `` I have been laughed at because of my accent and asked all the ignorant questions , '' said iReporter Ajah-Aminata N'daw , 25 , of Fall River , Massachusetts . `` Questions like : Did I live on a tree ? Roam the jungles naked ? Have wild animals at home ? '' N'daw emigrated from Dakar , Senegal , in 2001 . She works in a hair-braiding salon and has met African-Americans who share her values of hard work and family , but in most cases , `` we are raised differently , taught different values and held up to a different moral code . '' iReport : Read why N'daw is not African-American . Gaddafi Nkosi , 18 , recently graduated from The Piney Woods School , a historically African-American boarding school about 22 miles southeast of Jackson , Mississippi . He has since returned to Pretoria , South Africa , but recalled well the misnomers he faced in the U.S. `` I came down from South Africa and so many people thought that maybe that 's a jungle or maybe I 'd go out chasing lions or something like that , '' he said . African , black students find common ground at Mississippi school '' Nkosi 's American classmates acknowledge their misconceptions . Cydney Smith , 17 , of Nashville , Tennessee , said she once believed Africa was populated with `` uncivilized tribes . '' Raphael Craig , 17 , of Hyattsville , Maryland , said the television misinformed him as well . Before Craig visited the continent in 2005 and 2006 , he thought of Africans as `` half-naked , running around with tigers in the jungle , '' Craig said , confessing he was unaware tigers roam only Asia . But in Ghana and Nigeria , Craig saw children playing the same games he and his siblings played . He saw many signs of modernity , including Mercedes and other brands of cars found in the United States . `` OK , this country is running how we 're running , just two different schools , '' Craig recalled thinking . `` It really opened my eyes to the point that everything you see on TV is not always the actual thing . '' If the Western media are doing Africans no favors , then the African media are also a disservice to African-Americans because it portrays them as criminals , some immigrants say . Sandi Litia , 19 , a Piney Woods graduate from Limulunga , Zambia , said she was initially scared of African-Americans because the African media show them `` wearing clothes like gangsters and killing each other . '' Nkosi concurred that African media `` made it seem as if they were these aggressive people that did nothing constructive with their lives except occupy prison space . '' Trying to fit in . Chinedu Ezeamuzie , 21 , of Athens , Georgia , arrived in 2003 . He had spent the majority of his life in Jabriya , Kuwait , and came to the U.S. to pursue his education . The recent Georgia Tech graduate said he considers himself Nigerian because his parents -- both from the village of Uga -- instilled in their four children strong Nigerian values of family , community , spirituality and self-betterment . Test your Africa knowledge with a quiz '' In Athens , Ezeamuzie found his ideals at odds with those who shared his skin color at Clarke Central High School , his first stint in a public school . On his first day , he donned khakis , a button-down dress shirt and nice leather shoes . He caught the African-Americans ' attention upon stepping into the cafeteria , he said . `` They give me the look , '' he said . `` Why is this guy dressed like the white folks , like the preppy guys ? '' Ezeamuzie did n't understand why so few black students were in his advanced-placement classes . He did n't understand the de facto lunchroom segregation or the accusing glances he got for eating with white classmates . One classmate called him a traitor and asked , `` Do you not like black people ? '' `` My whole life I had reaped benefits from being in different circles and bridging them , '' so he wanted to fit in , he said . iReport : What are the unique struggles of being African in America ? He found clothes akin to what he saw many African-Americans wearing -- baggy pants and an oversized T-shirt . He relaxed his British-trained tongue and tried out for the basketball team , the 6-foot-5 Ezeamuzie said . Ezeamuzie recalled finding himself more confused by his experience with some African-Americans : Why were they so cliquish ? Why did they mock students for being intelligent ? Why were they homophobic and bent on using the n-word ? Why did every conversation seem to involve drugs , girls or materialism ? `` They kind of accepted me . They saw me a little differently , but I was thinking this is a very narrow mindset , '' Ezeamuzie said . Ezeamuzie and other Africans say they feel African-Americans too often dwell on slavery and the racism that has persisted for more than a century since the Emancipation Proclamation . `` We have all been tortured , '' said iReporter Vera Ezimora , 24 , a Nigerian student living in Baltimore , Maryland . `` Now that we are free , holding on to the sins of white men who have long died and gone to meet their maker is more torture than anything we have suffered . '' iReport : Read about questions Ezimora faced when she came to the U.S. Values at core of misunderstanding ? Martin Mohammed , president of the U.S. African Chamber of Commerce , estimates there are 3 million African immigrants in the U.S. -- about twice the U.S. Census Bureau estimate . He has heard from numerous immigrants struggling to find commonalities with Americans who share their skin color . Mohammed emigrated from Somalia in 1998 and is now naturalized . He considers himself African-American , but `` it does not mean that I have already assimilated into the culture . '' Values and upbringings may lie at the center of the cultures ' misunderstanding of each other , he said . Many Africans come to the U.S. to escape dire conditions such as poverty or civil war . Their objectives are often advancing their education or finding good jobs , Mohammed said . They also strive to reunite their families , or at least support them back home . Remittances from the U.S. to Africa total about $ 20 billion annually , according to the World Bank . However , African immigrants find that education and good jobs elude their African-American brethren , and there is a perception that many African-American men are n't committed to supporting their families , Mohammed said . The two cultures have much to teach each other -- especially politically and economically -- but they must accept they have something to learn . `` Honestly , what we need to do is realize both cultures are important , '' Mohammed said . Myths thrive on ignorance . iReporter Emeka Aniukwu , 35 , hails from Ebenebe , Nigeria , and said he has heard all the American misperceptions about Africa , but the cure to ignorance is communication . He began dating Sonya Roberts , 25 , of Austin , Texas , shortly after he arrived in the U.S. in March 2005 . She taught him about African-American culture , and he taught her about Nigeria . The couple married two years ago . `` Talk to people , stop showing ugly face and do n't be shy about your accent , '' he advised African immigrants . `` Most of the media coverage about Africa is all about hunger , diseases and war , so what do you expect ? People are curious and just want to know , so calm down and educate them as much as you can . '' iReport : Read why Aniukwu loves Africa-Americans . At Piney Woods , where about 35 of the 200 students emigrate from Africa , the school 's president , Reginald Nichols , concurs that education is integral to understanding . He 's heard Africans say the African-Americans are aggressive , while the African-Americans accuse Africans of being reserved -- but the more they mingle the more they mesh , he said . `` You have the African students tell me that they have learned so much about standing up from the African-American students , and the African-American students said they 've learned how to simmer down , so it 's a wonderful thing , '' Nichols said . Mohammed , too , said he 'd like to see more African-Americans dispelling myths about Africa , which is increasingly important as Africans in the U.S. begin wielding more economic influence . The chamber estimates African immigrants have about $ 50 billion in annual purchasing power . Numbers from the University of Georgia 's Selig Center of Economic Growth indicate the number is just behind the nation 's Native American community , which had $ 61.8 billion in buying power last year . The entire African-American market was estimated at $ 913 billion and the Hispanic market at $ 951 billion . History dictates that economic power precedes political power . Mohammed said Africans can learn much about politics from African-Americans because of their `` level of influence in Washington . '' `` I 'm also interested to the extent that the black population can play a role in solving global conflict . We can help these discussions around the globe , but we must begin here in the U.S.A. , '' he said . iReporter Faraji Goredenna , 53 , of Layton , Utah , said he encourages African-Americans to learn more about Africa and lend a hand to Africans so they know `` America 's institutions and opportunities are open to them , too . '' iReport : Read how Goredenna embraces both cultures . But he 'd like a symbiotic relationship , he said , explaining , `` We African-Americans want to learn more about our history and culture as it exists in Africa , but we have also created a culture for ourselves here that we ask our brothers and sisters from Africa to respect . '' CNN 's Jackie Adams contributed to this report .
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Senegalese woman says of two cultures : We are `` taught different values '' African , African-American teenagers had myriad misconceptions of each other . Nigerian says he tried to act like African-Americans to fit in , was still confused . Key to dispelling myths about both cultures is education , dialogue , immigrants say .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama said Tuesday that U.S. intelligence has had considerable success , but that the botched Christmas Day attack shows `` the system has failed '' in a major way . `` When a suspected terrorist is able to board a plane with explosives on Christmas Day , the system has failed in a potentially disastrous way , '' Obama said at the White House in a statement to reporters . The president used even stronger language in a private meeting in the Situation Room with top aides , a senior administration official said . `` This was a screw-up that could have been disastrous , '' he said , according to the official . `` We dodged a bullet , but just barely . '' Tragedy was averted `` by brave individuals , not because the system worked , and that is not acceptable . While there will be a tendency for finger pointing , I will not tolerate it , '' the senior official quoted Obama as saying . In his public comments , the president said that U.S. intelligence had uncovered numerous `` red flags '' prior to the attack . `` The U.S. government had sufficient information to have uncovered this plot and potentially disrupt the Christmas Day attack , but our intelligence community failed to connect those dots , which would have placed the suspect on the no-fly list , '' Obama said . `` In other words , this was not a failure to collect intelligence ; it was a failure to integrate and understand the intelligence that we already had , '' the president said . `` The information was there , agencies and analysts who needed it had access to it , and our professionals were trained to look for it and to bring it all together . '' Obama said he could accept the imperfect nature of intelligence work , `` but it is increasingly clear that intelligence was not fully analyzed or fully leveraged , '' he said , adding : `` That 's not acceptable , and I will not tolerate it . '' According to authorities , Nigerian-born Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab tried to detonate explosives hidden in his underwear as a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam , Netherlands , made its approach to Detroit , Michigan , on December 25 . He faces federal charges . AbdulMutallab had a multiple-entry U.S. visa . His father , a leading banker in Nigeria , warned U.S. authorities before the attack that his son might be involved with Islamic extremists , but the information failed to prompt a response such as canceling the visa . In his address , the president listed steps so far to enhance security , including more airport screening and tighter monitoring of U.S. visa holders . In one step , senior State Department officials told CNN on Tuesday that new criteria for information collected on possible terrorists would make it easier to ban them from U.S.-bound flights . Speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the material , the officials said the United States has lowered the threshold for information considered important enough to put suspicious individuals on a no-fly list or revoke their visas . If the new criteria had been in place before Christmas , AbdulMutallab would have been added to the no-fly list , the officials said . Obama said he ordered his national security team to complete preliminary reviews of the situation this week so that suggested reforms can be implemented right way . `` Time and again we 've learned that quickly piecing together information and taking swift action is critical to staying one step ahead of a nimble adversary , '' Obama said . `` So we have to do better , and we will do better , and we have to do it quickly . American lives are on the line . '' Obama reiterated , however , his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . `` We will close Guantanamo prison , which has damaged our national security interests and become a tremendous recruiting tool for al Qaeda , '' Obama said . `` In fact , that was an explicit rationale for the formation of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula . '' Critics of the Guantanamo transfers have raised concerns over political instability in Yemen and the presence of al Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula , noting that some previous detainees released to Yemen by the Bush administration have renewed their terrorist ties . Obama repeated an earlier statement by his spokesman that transferring Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo back to Yemen would be halted for now . `` Given the unsettled situation , I 've spoken to the attorney general and we 've agreed that we will not be transferring additional detainees back to Yemen at this time , '' Obama said . Earlier in the day , the president met with FBI Director Robert Mueller , Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano , an administration official said . The group was to have discussed possible changes to terror watch lists , as well as accountability by responsible authorities . The president met with Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan for 90 minutes on Monday and was scheduled to meet with him again Tuesday , the official said . Brennan gave Obama an update on his review of the terror watch listing system . Tuesday 's meetings were held just hours after the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen . It had been closed after intelligence suggested that four al Qaeda operatives could have been planning an attack on the compound , a senior administration official said Monday . Authorities say AbdulMutallab may have received training in Yemen from the terrorist group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula . A statement posted on the Embassy 's Web site said `` successful counterterrorism operations '' conducted by Yemeni security forces Monday north of the capital , Sanaa , addressed `` a specific area of concern and have contributed to the Embassy 's decision to resume operations . '' Yemen 's state-run news agency , SABA , reported Monday that two al Qaeda suspects were killed and two others were injured in clashes with a Yemeni anti-terrorism unit . FBI investigators `` gleaned usable , actionable intelligence '' from AbdulMutallab in the hours after his arrest , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday . Gibbs declined to elaborate on the nature of the intelligence . CNN 's Dan Lothian and Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report .
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`` We dodged a bullet , but just barely , '' official quotes Obama as saying . President made comments during and after meeting with security officials on alleged terror plot . Obama calls for preliminary reviews this week , then immediate reforms .
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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Twelve-year-old Francisca Abreu was anxious . It was February 20 , 2007 , and she laid her head down on her desk in her seventh-grade science class . Trapped between two worlds , Francisca Abreu became depressed . At 12 , she says she wanted to kill herself . `` I was crying ; I was very depressed . I had written a note to myself , '' Francisca remembers . `` I just said I ca n't do this anymore . I want to kill myself . '' Francisca 's school called home , and her mother , Isabel Valdez , learned for the first time that her daughter was in serious trouble . `` I never told her , '' says Francisca . `` I never bothered her ; she probably never bothered to notice . '' Such a disconnect between mothers and daughters is what Dr. Luis Zayas , a psychologist at Washington University , suspects is leading an alarming number of Latina teenagers to want to end their lives . One out of every seven Latina teens , or 14 percent , attempts suicide according to a 2007 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey of high school students . And Latina high school students have higher attempted suicide rates than white non-Hispanic -LRB- 7.7 percent -RRB- or black non-Hispanic -LRB- 9.9 percent -RRB- girls their age , the CDC reports . Zayas has spent the last 25 years trying to find out why . He says the typical Latina teen who attempts suicide is 14 or 15 , the daughter of immigrant parents , lives in a low-income setting and is caught in an intense battle with her mother over Latino and American cultures . Research conducted by Zayas has found the girls ' parents hold strictly to traditional Latino values , while teens who grow up in America learn `` very different models about what girls should do , can do and are permitted to do . '' Zayas is nearing completion of a five-year study of more than 200 Latina teenagers who live in New York City . More than half of those studied have attempted suicide , including Francisca Abreu , who is now 15 . Francisca talks about falling into a deep depression '' In 1997 , Francisca 's mother , Isabel , left the Dominican Republic for the promise of work in the United States . Desperate to find a better life for her three children -- she left them behind . Francisca , who was 3 at the time , says she was devastated . `` I used to tell her , you always say you 're going to come but you never do . You always say you 're going to call but you never do , '' Francisca says . `` I used to be very depressed because I thought she was n't going to come . '' Four years later , Isabel went back to get Francisca and her brothers to bring them back with her to the United States . But Francisca says life with her mother in the Bronx was n't what she thought it would be . Her mother worked three jobs , and Francisca barely saw her . As she spent time with her new American friends , the distance grew between Francisca and her mother . When her mother was n't at work , Francisca says they were fighting . `` There are many girls who are well-behaved , '' Isabel says . `` But there are others who are on the wrong path . They like to flirt . They like hanging out . They like to stay out late . These are not the friends I like for my kids . '' Francisca says her mother wanted her to stay home , learn how to cook and clean the house . She says she was n't allowed to hang out with her friends . `` I did want to do what I want , be outside , not too late , but be outside period . Be able to go to the pool , regular stuff like other kids , '' Francisca recalls . The conflict between mothers and daughters is what Zayas says is driving many of the Latinas he has studied to the brink . Francisca reads her poem . `` Teenagers have certain freedoms ; they do n't need to consult with their parents to make certain decisions , '' Zayas says . `` That 's the culture that 's here , and inserted in that is the Latino family that says the family is much more important than the individual . '' Trapped between two worlds , Francisca says she fell into a deep depression . `` I would cry about my dad , not being with him . How I missed my country . How I wish I was n't like this with my mom , or my mom was n't like this with me , '' Francisca recalls . `` Like she would n't be mean to me , -LSB- she 'd -RSB- tell me mean stuff like ' I wish I could put you back in my belly . ... I wish you were n't born . ' '' Isabel says she remembers a difficult child who would n't open up . `` She would throw things , stomp her feet . When she got home , all she wanted to do was sleep . She did n't talk and was rude to her brothers and me , '' Isabel says . `` Maybe I was n't very understanding with her . I do n't know . '' Trying to escape the pain , Francisca made a desperate choice and decided to take some of her mother 's pills . `` I was tired of being another burden in my mom 's life , '' Francisca says . But the pain did n't go away . A year later , Francisca was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after a teacher found the note she wrote at school . Three days later she was released and started counseling . Several weeks later , Francisca met 15-year-old Xavier Cardona at school . She says their connection was instant . `` The first time we were ever together , he hugged me , and I felt like , ` Oh my God , that felt so good . ' I felt so safe , I felt secure , '' Francisca says . `` It felt good to have someone hug you that way with such meaning . '' Breaking all her mother 's rules , she skipped school to spend time with Xavier . Then , two days after her 14th birthday , Francisca came home with devastating news -- she was pregnant . `` I felt like I was going to die , '' Isabel remembers . `` I was embarrassed when it came to the rest of the family . What were they going to say ? That I was the one who did n't take care of her ? '' In November , Francisca gave birth to a baby girl . She named her daughter Destiny , and slowly she says she began to understand her mother better . `` All she did was be a good mother , sacrifice her life for us , '' Francisca says . `` That 's all she did . '' Today with the help of therapy , Francisca says she 's learning to cope with her depression . In June , she shared her experiences about growing up Latina at a fundraising gala for her counseling center . Before hundreds of people , she thanked her mother . `` I came to this country not knowing the language , the people or how it is here , '' Francisca told them . `` But at the end of the day , my mom was my biggest support . '' Francisca says she now understands her mother , and Isabel says she understands the struggles of growing up Latina in America . `` At least now she knows I tried to do the best I could , '' Isabel says . `` Times change . My times are different from hers , and I have to understand that . ''
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At 12 , Francisca Abreu says she was so depressed she wanted to end her life . One in seven Latina teens attempts suicide , according to the CDC . Mother-daughter conflict drives many Latinas to the brink , psychologist says . Psychologist : Typical at-risk Latina is 14 or 15 , daughter of immigrants , low-income .
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MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From the custom-made , hand-beaded white dress to silver-studded high-heeled shoes , diamond jewelry and tiara , Jenny Ferro is preparing for a day she 's dreamed about since she was 3 years old . Marlene Ferro , left , who emigrated from Cuba , says Jenny 's quinceanera was a gift to both of them . `` I 'm really excited , '' says Jenny , eagerly nodding her head . `` Really , really , a lot ! '' She is n't getting married . The 15-year-old is preparing for her quinceañera , a coming-of-age ritual in Latin culture , marking a young girl 's entrance into womanhood . The centuries-old tradition began as a ceremony to introduce girls to society on their 15th birthday and signified that they were ready for marriage . Today , many quinceañeras have become much more elaborate . Jenny and her mother , Marlene Ferro , have worked out every detail of the party well in advance , from the rehearsal to the reception to the flower girl and the music . The theme of the party is bedazzled . First , there is the dress , which Marlene had designed specially for her daughter . It cost about $ 800 . Then there are the shoes , high-heeled and silver to match the dress . During the party , the high heels will be ceremoniously slipped onto her feet to replace her flat shoes -- a symbolic transition of her journey from childhood to womanhood . Soledad O'Brien takes a look at Jenny 's dress , shoes and photos '' `` It makes her look like a princess , '' gushes Marlene Ferro . Quinceañeras are becoming increasingly popular in the United States . One reason for their popularity is a greater acceptance of Latin culture in America , according to Michele Salcedo , author of `` Quinceañera ! '' a comprehensive guide to the celebration . `` The 15th birthday , culturally , is a milestone . It does n't have to be celebrated with a party at all , but it is generally marked by something quite special , '' Salcedo says . Experts believe the quinceañera is rooted in Mayan , Aztec and European traditions . Today , many coming-of-age ceremonies resemble lavish `` Sweet 16 '' celebrations . Beyond the elaborate apparel , food and festivities , modern quinceañeras often feature a court of 15 people , typically consisting of family and friends . As the event continues to grow in popularity , the makeup of the court has also changed . `` It has gone beyond Latinos , so that a lot of Latino girls will have not only family members in court but they will reach out to non-Latino friends , '' says Salcedo . `` So it 's a way of reaching out and extending social ties and bringing people in who might not otherwise have an opportunity to know a Latino family and to know the culture . '' Family plays the largest role in the quinceañera , leading up to and during the party . Mothers , fathers , grandparents and godparents can spend years preparing a night to remember for the young girl . The tradition is just as important to the family as it is to the young woman . The large , extravagant celebrations often symbolize a family 's hard work and success . How has America changed Latinos ? Marlene Ferro , who emigrated from Cuba as a child with her parents , says Jenny 's quinceañera was a gift to both of them . The 43-year-old , single mother of three , saved for years and estimates that she spent at least $ 20,000 on her daughter 's quinceañera . `` I was able to accomplish something that I had been looking forward to for 15 years , '' says Marlene Ferro . The parties can be as big and expensive as a family can imagine and costs can escalate into the hundreds of thousands of dollars , according to Salcedo . She recommends that families manage expectations before the party planning even begins . iReporter Alexis Fernandez 's quinceañera was a big event in Alaska . `` Sometimes people go way overboard and -LSB- spend -RSB- much more on the celebration than they can afford and that 's the downside of the quinceañera , '' says Salcedo . `` Because when it 's done right it can be a beautiful family celebration and a celebration of a milestone that a young girl goes through . '' Quinceañeras have changed over the years . Even though her tiara was taller than her daughter 's , Marlene says her quinceañera was simple . It was a small gathering at her sister 's apartment with family and friends . She wore borrowed jewelry from a family member , had a homemade cake and danced with her father . Marlene Ferro 's 15th birthday present was a telephone in her bedroom . `` I did n't have a big quince party . I chose to have a small party with my friends , '' she remembers . `` My dress was really easy ... I did n't have an option . It was this one or that one . Now , we give our kids the option . '' iReporter Diamond Ramirez 's mother , grandmother never had quinceañeras . There 's a spiritual element to these celebrations as well , says Salcedo . The church plays a role in helping to prepare teenage girls for this transition to womanhood . Ceremonies and classes before the coming-of-age celebration teach the young women that with adulthood come certain responsibilities , both physical and spiritual . `` When it 's done in the spirit that it probably should be , the girl has certain responsibilities and by the end of the process , she 's met them and she has showed her mother that she can , in fact , be responsible and she does acquire ... a bit more maturity then she -LSB- had -RSB- before , '' says Salcedo . As the celebrations become more popular in the United States , they also offer an opportunity for more Americans to participate . `` It 's a way to push back a lot of the negativity that a lot of Latinos feel is directed at Latinos , '' says Salcedo . `` It is a way for people who have recently arrived , or maybe not so recently arrived , to say ' I have done well here ' ... I 'm throwing this party for my daughter and I 'm inviting all of you to partake of my generosity so that you can see exactly how well we 've done . ''
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Quinceañeras , or 15th birthday celebrations , mark a girl 's transition to womanhood . Jenny Ferro , 15 , has been preparing for her celebration since she was 3 years old . Marlene Ferro estimates she spent $ 20,000 on her daughter 's quinceañera . Expert : The elaborate parties are a way for Latinos to say ' I have done well here '
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pakistani military reported killing 40 militants Thursday near the border with Afghanistan -- the latest in a string of clashes in a frontier region rife with extremism . Pakistani soldiers carry their weapons as they patrol . On the other side of the border , however , security forces have made such gains that a top American commander said Wednesday he does not expect a Taliban offensive in eastern Afghanistan this spring . The flare-up of violence on the Pakistani side of the border , along with the commander 's comments in Washington , suggest that the Taliban and its al Qaeda allies may be focusing more on western Pakistan even as violence subsides just across the border in Afghanistan . Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently noted the increase in activity in Pakistan . `` Al Qaeda right now seems to have turned its face toward Pakistan and attacks on the Pakistani government and Pakistani people , '' he said on December 31 . In the latest clashes in Pakistan , the military said it killed 40 `` miscreants '' and detained 30 in South Waziristan , a remote tribal region on the Afghan border that is a stronghold for militants allied to the Taliban and al Qaeda . Clashes between the Pakistani armed forces and militants there have killed scores of people in recent weeks . The increasing violence on the Pakistani border comes amid security improvements just over the border , in eastern Afghanistan , according to an assessment provided Wednesday by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Rodriguez , who commands American forces in eastern Afghanistan . The general said Wednesday that he did not expect the Taliban to launch an offensive in eastern Afghanistan this spring , as some have expected . The United States recently announced plans to send about 3,000 Marines to southern Afghanistan , however , citing the possibility of a spring offensive in that region . In the eastern part of the country , Afghan and American security forces report fewer militants crossing into the country from Pakistan , Rodriguez said . Challenges remain , he said , but functioning local governments and increased commerce have boosted confidence . `` Every day in eastern Afghanistan , we see progress in security , development and governance , '' he said in a Pentagon press briefing . `` The people of Afghanistan do n't want the Taliban back , and the strength of their institutions has grown significantly in the last year . '' E-mail to a friend .
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Pakistani military reports killing 40 militants near the border with Afghanistan . This is the latest in a string of clashes in a frontier region rife with extremism . Taliban and its al Qaeda allies may be focusing more on western Pakistan .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It has taken nearly two decades and $ 8.6 billion , but London Heathrow 's Terminal Five finally opened for business Thursday morning . A general view of the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport prior to its official opening on Thursday . When British Airways Flight 26 touched down from Hong Kong at 4:42 a.m. -LRB- 12:42 a.m. ET -RRB- , passengers made their way to the 400-meter-long terminal , the largest freestanding building in Britain . With 60 aircraft stands actually attached to two new buildings , `` T5 '' can handle dozens of planes at the same time -- including the new Airbus A380 superjumbo -- and can process 12,000 bags an hour . All of this is for just one occupant : British Airways . It 's a new era for BA and the 30 million passengers who will pass through T5 each year . Both have suffered for years at the four older terminals of what 's been derided as `` Hassle Heathrow . '' `` I 've been very critical of the airport , '' BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh told CNN . '' -LRB- It 's -RRB- because of the problems we have faced as a result of poor infrastructure at the airport . `` So we now have the infrastructure . We have a state of the art baggage system ; we 've got a state of the art terminal building . We 've got lounges like you have never seen before and it will be down to us and it will be down to the people at British Airways to make it a success . '' Part of this strategy is to get passengers to the airport earlier to avoid delays . Travelers will be encouraged to check in online , and there will only be 54 of the classic check-in desks compared to 96 self-check-in kiosks . No passengers will be allowed through if they arrive less than 35 minutes before their flight . For those having to wait in the terminal , airport operator BAA built T5 with 112 shops and restaurants , including British chef Gordon Ramsey 's first airport eatery . Critics say T5 is just a massive shopping mall , but the architect says it 's a throwback to old-fashioned travel . `` We wanted to make the experience of being in an airport exciting . We wanted to capture the spirit of travel , '' architect Richard Rogers told CNN . `` The greatest stations , whether it is New York or London , the 19th century stations did exactly that . '' BA rival Virgin Atlantic calls it a gift for BA . Airport expansion protesters say it 's just the latest step in a fierce battle to enlarge the world 's busiest international airport . Heathrow sits to the west of London in a densely populated area . There are already plans for a sixth terminal and a third runway . Supporters say expansion is vital for London 's economy , but environmentalists say expanding London 's three main airports -- Heathrow , Gatwick , and Stansted -- will only add to harmful climate change . More expansion may be years away , but T5 will affect most travelers using Heathrow . Many of the other airlines will be shuffled around the other four terminals over the coming months , and next year Terminal Four is expected to undergo major renovation . `` Hassle Heathrow '' may not be an outdated criticism just yet . E-mail to a friend .
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Heathrow Airport 's $ 8.6 billion new Terminal 5 finally opens to public . The new building took more than 15 years to complete following protests . Building will carry all British Airways traffic .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On this month 's Art of Life legendary fashion designer , Tom Ford gives us unprecedented access to his life and his home . Catwalk king Tom Ford gives Art of Life exclusive access to his work and life . CNN Anchor Monita Rajpal joins him in Milan at the launch party of his men 's fragrance and in New York at his flagship menswear store on Madison Avenue before taking a tour of ` Tom 's London ' -- Ford 's favourite places to soak up some culture and relax . Ford on fashion . For many , Tom Ford 's vision of accessible luxury at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in the 90s epitomised the glamour of that decade . His latest label Tom Ford Menswear is infused with the kind of elegance he is known for and aims to revolutionise the notion of luxury he created . In Milan , he talks about why he wo n't be offering a catwalk collection and shares his plans for the future in New York . The man behind the brand . He is one of the most talked about designers in the world but who is the real Tom Ford ? Monita Rajpal gets personal with the designer considered by some to be the consummate showman but who confesses to being shy . He explains how his intuition got him where he is today and lets slip a few revelations from the past . Tom 's London . Tom Ford splits his time between his homes in LA , Santa Fe , Austin , Texas and London . He has a particular affection for London and gives Monita Rajpal a tour of his home before having a bite to eat at Scott 's , Mayfair and indulging in some art appreciation at the White Cube gallery . E-mail to a friend .
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This month on Art of Life Tom Ford gives us access to his life and work . Monital Rajpal gets to know the man behind the brand in an exclusive interview . Ford talks about his menswear label at the flagship store on Madison Ave . A guided tour of Ford 's London home and his favourite places to eat and relax .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shaquille O'Neal is fighting allegations from a former employee who says the NBA star stole his personal information and attempted to frame him for using child porn . Shawn Darling , who was O'Neal 's personal computer consultant , said the NBA center acted in retaliation because Darling had proof that O'Neal cheated on his wife with several women . O'Neal 's Florida lawyer said he will file a motion on Thursday to dismiss Shawn Darling 's lawsuit claiming privacy invasion , racketeering and intentional infliction of emotional distress on the grounds that the suit has no basis in law . `` Even if everything he was saying were true , we believe there is no basis in the law to bring the case , '' Miami attorney Ben Reid said . `` But in this case , none of it 's true . '' O'Neal , who this summer signed with the Boston Celtics , employed Darling from 2008 to 2009 , while O'Neal lived primarily in Miami . During that time , Darling performed various odd jobs that gave him access to O'Neal 's e-mail and cell phone accounts , according to the lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court in August and posted Wednesday on RadarOnline.com . The 15-page complaint describes O'Neal 's dealings with three alleged mistresses and his ex-wife , whom he was divorcing at the time . Among them are allegations that O'Neal used law enforcement contacts to obtain information about Alexis Miller , and that he hacked into a phone belonging to Vanessa Lopez , erasing messages and changing her password . The lawsuit also accuses O'Neal and an associate of throwing his computer into a lake after Darling performed a '' ` Defense Department ' type wipe '' of the computer . Darling also claims that O'Neal believes he has pictures of him with Dominica Westling . As a result , the lawsuit alleges , O'Neal has attempted to `` control '' Darling 's actions through threats of violence and attempts to frame him for possession of child pornography and to have him arrested using O'Neal 's extensive law enforcement contacts . `` O'Neal knows that Darling not only has knowledge of his bad acts that might be used against him in litigation , but O'Neal also knows that Darling has evidence that shows he cheated on his former wife -LSB- Shaunie O'Neal -RSB- with many more people than just Vanessa Lopez , '' the lawsuit states . `` Darling is in apprehension and fears for his safety , '' the lawsuit says . O'Neal 's lawyer issued a statement after the lawsuit was reported on Wednesday that described Darling as an ex-con who has served time in a federal prison in Wisconsin for misusing Social Security numbers , and said Darling failed to disclose the prison record to O'Neal . An online inmate search of the Federal Bureau of Prisons showed that a man named Shawn Darling was released on March 22 , 2002 . An attorney for Darling did not return calls seeking comment . Reid said Darling used his position to copy O'Neal 's e-mails and communications . Over the past 12 months and through three separate lawyers , he has demanded $ 12 million for their return , Reid said . When O'Neal refused to cooperate with Darling , he filed the lawsuit , Reid said . The complaint seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial . `` It does n't take much to file a suit and unfortunately , this seems pretty common in our society . People target celebrities , '' he said .
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Former computer consultant says he has proof of Shaquille O'Neal 's affairs . Shawn Darling says the NBA star tried to have him arrested , stole his personal data . Lawyer says Darling copied O'Neal 's e-mails , demanded money in exchange for them . O'Neal 's lawyer says he will file motion to dismiss lawsuit on Thursday .
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Baghdad , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Iraqi government has aired videos showing three men , who claim to be members of the ousted Baath Party , saying they were involved in last month 's devastating Baghdad attacks . In recent months the Iraqi government has played a number of such videos for reporters . Many Iraqis have voiced skepticism about their authenticity . In the videos shown Sunday , the men said they were Baath Party members who were involved in planning and executing the October 25 bombings at government buildings . The two suicide vehicle bombings that struck the Ministry of Justice and other government buildings in October killed 160 Iraqis and wounded more than 500 . It was Iraq 's deadliest attack in more than two years . The attacks mirrored a pair of bombings on August 19 at the Foreign and Finance Ministries that killed more than 100 people and wounded hundreds more . The Islamic State in Iraq , an umbrella group that includes al Qaeda in Iraq , claimed responsibility for both the August and October attacks . The Iraqi government has said both attacks were a coordinated effort by Baath loyalists and al Qaeda in Iraq . In recent weeks , the government and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have stepped up the anti-Baath rhetoric ahead of the country 's upcoming national elections , an escalation that some fear is a political ploy to keep some Sunni Arab candidates from running in the elections . Sunni Arabs -- a minority in now-Shiite-led Iraq -- dominated Saddam Hussein 's Baath Party , which ran the country for decades and persecuted majority Shiites and minority Kurds . The party is illegal in Iraq now , and most of its former mid - and high-level officials are banned from government jobs . In an interview with al-Iraqia State TV on Sunday night , which re-aired on Monday , government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the attacks originated from people in Syria . Al-Dabbagh cautioned that the Iraqi government is not accusing the Syrian government of involvement . He said a group based in Syria was planning and carrying out the attacks . He said the confessions shown Sunday were only a part of the information and confessions the government has . After the August bombings , tensions between Iraq and neighboring Syria reached an all-time high and both countries withdrew their ambassadors . Iraq accused Syria of harboring Baath Party members who , it said , were financing and planning the attacks in Iraq . Earlier in August , al-Maliki and a high-level delegation visited Damascus and asked the Syrian government to hand over a number of mid-level and senior Baathists living in Syria . Syria refused , and the Iraqis accused Syria of supporting the August attacks by providing a refuge for Baathists who were working with al Qaeda in Iraq . In late August , Syria repeated its willingness to help the Iraqis investigate the bombings and discounted the tapes the government had released as fabricated evidence . `` Syria informed the Iraqi side of its readiness to receive an Iraqi delegation to inspect the evidence available to them concerning the bombings ' perpetrators , '' a Syrian official said , according to SANA , the state-run news agency . `` Otherwise Syria considers what has been broadcast through the Iraqi media as mere fabricated evidence intended to serve internal political goals , and the conflicting and contradicting statements by the Iraqi officials are proof of that . '' The top U.S. commander in Iraq , Gen. Ray Odierno , told reporters last week that investigations into the October bombings were under way and a number of suspects were in custody . He said al Qaeda in Iraq has teamed up with remnants of the Baath Party -- a statement that gave more weight to the Iraqi government 's claims . `` We have been able to significantly reduce the capability of several groups to include al Qaeda and some of the Sunni rejectionist groups , so what I think we have seen happen over the last year or so is that these groups have started to work together . And so they have started to coalesce , especially at the local level . ... So it blurs the lines sometimes . And I think sometimes it 's semantics . Some people say al Qaeda , some people call them Baathists . I would argue that they are probably both involved , they are coordinating at the local level , '' Odierno said . When asked if there was any indication the attacks came from Syria , Odierno said : `` I think my experience is that there probably was some movement of fighters or explosives coming in from Syria . But again , we will continue to work our way through that . '' Odierno and Iraqi officials have warned that they expect more such high-profile attacks before the January national elections , the country 's second national vote since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 . `` We believe there will be attempts to conduct more attacks between now and the elections , because they want to destabilize those . We are working hard with Iraqi security force partners to come up with a comprehensive strategy to stop that , we are increasing efforts , the Iraqis are increasing efforts in the belts around Baghdad and Mosul . ... We are increasing our efforts on the borders and we are increasing our counterterrorism targeting , and the tempo of that has increased significantly over the last month or so , '' Odierno said .
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Iraqi officials air videos showing alleged confessions by Baath Party members . Men in videos say they helped in bombings that killed 160 last month . Some say government trying to discredit Sunni Muslims so they wo n't run for office . U.S. general says remnants of Baath Party have teamed up with al Qaeda in Iraq .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama wrote a personal letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il that a U.S. envoy delivered , a senior U.S. official said Wednesday . Stephen Bosworth , U.S. special envoy for North Korea , delivered the letter for the North Korean leader during a three-day visit to North Korea last week , the official said . The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue . Bosworth noted last week that , during his visit , he `` communicated President Obama 's view that complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a fundamental undertaking of the six-party process ... and that the absence of progress on denuclearization is an obstacle to improving our relations . '' As Obama `` has made it clear , the United States is prepared to work with allies -LSB- and -RSB- partners in the region to offer ... North Korea a different future , '' he said . Bosworth also said he wanted to reaffirm the goal of `` fully implementing '' a September 2005 joint statement issued by the nations in the six-party talks , declaring that North Korea had `` committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs . '' North Korea , however , has refused to return to the talks conducted by the United States , Russia , China , South Korea and Japan , insisting that it wants to talk directly with the U.S. government . In April , Pyongyang declared the talks `` dead '' in anger over international criticism of its nuclear and missile tests this year . Bosworth 's visit did not result in any promise from the North Korean government to return to the six-party negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear program . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , however , last week called the meeting `` quite positive . '' `` It does remain to be seen whether and when the North Koreans will return to the six-party talks , but the bottom line is that these were exploratory talks , not negotiations , '' she said . Clinton previously said the United States was willing to meet bilaterally with North Korea but only within the framework of the six-party talks . She also has warned the United States will not normalize ties with Pyongyang or lift sanctions unless North Korea takes irreversible steps toward dismantling its nuclear program . Some analysts said North Korea might be trying to buy time with its new outreach to the United States . Recent reports in Seoul , South Korea , have claimed North Korea is in the final stages of restoring its Yongbyon nuclear plant , which Pyongyang had begun to disable before walking away from the six-party talks . Given the secrecy of the North , those reports could not be verified . Analysts said North Korea also is desperate to break out of its diplomatic isolation and ease its economic pain , especially after the U.N. Security Council imposed tougher sanctions on the country in response to Pyongyang 's nuclear and missile tests . CNN 's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report .
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U.S. envoy delivered Obama 's letter while visiting North Korea , official says . Special envoy Stephen Bosworth went to North Korea last week . Bosworth visit called `` positive , '' although it did not win promises from Pyongyang . U.S. wants North Korea to return to six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear program .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 1 million people marked the passing of another year at the iconic ball drop in New York 's Times Square , despite an early morning dusting of snow and late-night freezing rain . With the help of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and students from 12 city high schools , the dazzling crystal ball began its descent at 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday . Revelers counted down the final seconds of a decade that many were happy to bid farewell to . Though it seemed the whole world was packed into a small portion of Manhattan , celebrations were spread across the globe . The New Year got under way with blasting horns and fireworks shot from the Sky Tower as revelers partied Friday morning in Auckland , New Zealand . Similar celebrations moved like a wave from east to west as midnight joyously struck across the globe , starting at the International Date Line in the mid-Pacific Ocean . Throngs danced to pounding rock 'n' roll music and cheered a spectacular 12-minute fireworks display over the picturesque Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia . A giant bell rang before a huge crowd in Seoul , South Korea . Crowds across Europe braved near-freezing temperatures to ring in 2010 . In London , England , people gathered along the banks of the River Thames to hear Big Ben strike midnight and watch a fireworks display at the London Eye . A multicolored light show at The Eiffel Tower dazzled crowds in Paris , France . Always up for a party , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , was among the first places in the Western Hemisphere to say hello to 2010 . In New York , security was tight for Thursday night 's iconic ball drop . After the Christmas Day attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane over Detroit , Michigan , security forces were on high alert . `` We want people to have a happy experience . But we are also concerned about a terrorist event . We have to do that after 9/11 , '' New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said . Celebrating ? Share your photos and videos . New York police estimated a million people had already filled the square by early Thursday evening . Weighing 11,875 pounds , the sparkling sphere features 2,668 crystals woven into a triangular pattern and is powered by 32,256 LED lights . It is capable of producing a kaleidoscopic array of 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns , according to the event 's official Web site . This New Year 's ball is also greener , consuming 10 to 20 percent less energy than last year 's ball and 78 percent less energy than the 2007 ball . It uses the equivalent amount of energy per hour as two traditional home ovens . The 2010 numerals are also more energy efficient , as Duracell Batteries set up a lab in which visitors ride stationary bikes to provide the power to light the numbers on the ball . Key stories in 2009 : You rank them . Times Square has served as one of the most popular sites of New Year 's festivities since 1904 , though the New Year 's Eve ball made its inaugural drop down the flagpole at One Times Square in 1907 . That first ball , built with iron and wood , featured a hundred 25-watt light bulbs and was designed by Jacob Starr , a young immigrant metalworker . The New Year 's Eve ball has beamed every year since with the exceptions of 1942 and 1943 , when America was embroiled in World War II and New York City observed a city-wide `` dimout '' to cut energy costs . As in previous years , security was tight . Police searched garages and subway tunnels for bombs , trash cans were removed and mailboxes and manhole covers were sealed . Detectives were asking hotel and restaurant personnel if they had noticed any suspicious people or activity . See images from Times Square . Law enforcement officials have a number of tools at their disposal to help combat potential crime and terrorism , including sniper teams , bomb-sniffing dogs , infrared radar-equipped helicopters , and radiation detectors on New York 's waterways , Kelly said . In the years before terrorism was a concern inside the United States , the Times Square celebration was a rowdy affair , fueled by copious amounts of alcohol , often transported via backpack . These days , alcohol and backpacks are banned from the area on New Year 's Eve , and revelers are herded into 2,500-person pens , but the mood is festive nonetheless . New Yorker Julio Ortiz-Teissonniere , a CNN iReporter , said he 's too jaded to take part in the spectacle , but that was n't always the case . `` When the ball drops , it 's like an earthquake , '' he said . `` The amount of people screaming and stomping -- it 's amazing . '' CNN 's Allan Chernoff , Jim Kavanaugh , Jesse Solomon , Jamie Guzzardo and Katie Hawkins-Gaar contributed to this report .
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In Times Square , up to 1 million people welcome 2010 with famous ball drop . Though weighing 11,875 pounds , the sparkling sphere was more energy-efficient . Crowds in London gather to hear Big Ben strike midnight , watch the London Eye fireworks . Horns blare in Auckland , New Zealand .
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SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Korea bade farewell to former President Kim Dae-Jung Sunday in a ceremony attended by thousands of citizens , dignitaries and politicians . South Korean Buddhist monks pray in front of a portrait of former president Kim Dae-jung during his funeral Sunday . The solemn Sunday afternoon ceremony was held outside parliament , with a large portrait of Kim placed on a shrine surrounded by flowers . The funeral followed six days of mourning for Kim , who died Tuesday of a heart failure . Kim 's age at the time of his death was in dispute , with some reports saying he was 85 while others placing it at 83 . Kim 's state funeral was the second such ever given in the country , South Korea 's Yonhap news agency said . Another president , Park Chung-hee , was also accorded a state funeral after his assassination while in office in 1979 . Kim -- who was president from 1998 to 2003 -- won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for trying to foster better relations with North Korea . The watershed moment of his presidency came in June 2000 when he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il , becoming the first South Korean leader to do so since the Korean War unofficially ended in 1953 . But rapproachment talks between the two sides hit a wall after conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008 with a tougher stance toward the North than Kim and his successor , Roh Moo-hyun . Ahead of the funeral , President Lee met with a visiting North Korean delegation , who delivered a message from Kim Jong Il expressing hopes for improved relations between the two countries . Lee , in turn , reiterated his government 's firm stance , presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan was quoted as saying by Yonhap . But in a possible sign that icy relations between the two rival nations are nevertheless thawing , South Korean Unification Minister Hyun In Taek met with North Korean unity leader Kim Yang Gon on Saturday . It was the first high-level , cross-border contact in nearly two years . The meetings between officials of the two Koreas are in stark contrast to the tense public statements they made about each other earlier this year . Tensions between the two were heightened in July when North Korea launched seven short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan . The launches came after North Korea conducted a nuclear test on May 25 and threatened the United States and South Korean ships near its territorial waters . South Korea condemned the action , calling the launches `` provocative '' and `` unwise . '' CNN 's Jake Perez contributed to this report .
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South Korea bade farewell to former President Kim Dae-Jung . Kim won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for fostering better relations with the North . Report : Top unification officials of the rival nations met Saturday . North Korean delegation in Seoul to mourn the death of Kim Dae-Jung .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hailed as India 's greatest actor , he 's the legendary star of Sholay and leader of the mighty Bachchan clan . CNN talked to Amitabh Bachchan , the De Niro of Bollywood , at an International Indian Film Academy event in London ... ... . Amitabh Bachchan talks to Myleene on the green carpet at the Indian Film Awards in Yorkshire , England . CNN : Right now , it 's an exciting time for Bollywood . Amitabh Bachchan : Yes , I think it is . It 's a great progression from where we were a few years ago , where even though we were the highest-making film nation in the world , we were looked upon with a certain amount of criticism and skepticism about our content and the way we make our films . Gradually , over the years , people have come to expect and accept that this is how we make the films , and it 's all turning out to be profitable and exciting with viewers all over the world . CNN : Why do you think people had been so skeptical ? Bachchan : Well , they felt that the content was n't exciting enough , they could n't understand the song and dance routine , they did n't like the very cliched stories or formulaic storylines , but that 's the way we are . We must have song and dance in our lives ; we 've had it ever since the inception of cinema in India . Our stories are very social-based , very human-based . We are a very emotional nation . All our culture and tradition of over 5,000 years has come through a lot of heat and fire and eventually come out on top . That 's how it is , and that 's how it 's going to remain . CNN : Is Bollywood escapism for the Indian people ? Bachchan : You have to see it in a larger perspective . There are large numbers of people in India below the poverty line , there are large numbers of people who lead a meager existence . They want to find a little escape from the hardships of life , and come and watch something colorful and exciting and musical . Indian cinema provides that . So yes , the content of our television and our cinema is escapist in nature because we are there to provide entertainment . The select group of people who do make realistic cinema , who do make cinema perhaps a little more acceptable to the Western audience , is a very small percentage . CNN : What are the main differences between a Hollywood and a Bollywood actor ? Bachchan : Conceptually we are both the same . We are all human beings , we are actors , we are put in different situations and conditions and we act . Perhaps the content of the Indian cinema is a lot more varied and diverse as compared to the ones the Hollywood actors get associated with . They more or less have a very single track presence , so to say . Indian actors , because of the format of our stories , need to be good actors , and be able to perform emotional sequences , do a bit of comedy , dance and singing , action , because all of this forms just one film . In many ways I 'd say there are greater demands on Indian actors than there are on Hollywood . CNN : So do you think Hollywood actors could learn from the Bollywood actors ? Bachchan : I do n't know that we are worthy enough for learning something from us , but I do know that actors in India are very capable , very talented , and can be compared to the best anywhere in the world . CNN : What makes you the best actor in India ? Bachchan : I do n't use any techniques ; I 'm not trained to be an actor . I just enjoy working in films . It 's more instinctive rather than anything else . I do n't do the calculated rehearsed kind of approach , and I hope that I can continue that because I believe that instinct is much stronger and greater when you are performing on camera . CNN : Tell us about the upcoming remake of `` Sholay . '' Bachchan : `` Sholay '' is an extraordinary film . It 's the highest-grossing film and it had a great impact on our society . Obviously remaking it is a huge task . We are purely using the inspiration of the film . I am playing the baddie in the film , as opposed to one of the leading men in the original . It 's a great challenge for any actor to do something different in a film . I will obviously not be playing the leading man , but it 's exciting . At my age you do n't get to run after the girl and win them over and fight the baddie , but I 'm happy that I 'm doing the negative role in this film and I 'm enjoying it ! CNN : Tell us about `` Sarkar 2 '' -- it 's becoming a bit of a family affair ! Bachchan : It 's a very powerful film , it takes influences from the Godfather . It 's not exactly a remake , but it took inspiration from the Godfather and put it in `` Sarkar . '' We are now doing `` Sarkar 2 , '' which is going to have Abhishek , my son , and his wife to be , so I think it will be wonderful for the three of us to work together again . Sarkar 2 will be a much larger film , larger in concept , larger in visuals . It promises to be very exciting . CNN : Is it nice to work with your family ? Bachchan : The entire filming industry in India is one big family . We all feel that way whenever we make a film : it 's a very homely feeling ; we all live together , eat together , move around together . It 's a wonderful feeling . I do n't know how Hollywood behaves , but this is how we behave , and yes , when you have members of the family working with you it makes it all the more exciting . CNN : What 's next for you ? Bachchan : I think that it 's important that actors keep getting challenged every day . For every creative person it 's a terrible moment when they say they have done all they want to do . I like to feel the butterflies in the stomach , I like to go home and have a restless night and wonder how I 'm going to be able to accomplish this feat , get jittery . That hunger and those butterflies in the stomach are very essential for all creative people . I 'd like to believe that tomorrow is another challenge for me . I 'm sure there is lots more for me to do , because there is lots and lots of stuff still to be explored . E-mail to a friend .
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CNN talked to Amitabh Bachchan , the De Niro of Bollywood . Bachan : Indian films profitable and exciting with viewers all over the world . Bachan : Excited to be working with son and daughter-in-law .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Barack Obama 's vision of a new `` Sputnik moment '' for the United States carried echoes of a new `` New Frontier . '' If not the Kennedy-era agenda , at least the song by Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen . Or perhaps another Fagen tune , `` I.G.Y. , '' with its visions of trains of `` graphite and glitter '' and cities powered by the sun . Obama coupled his pitch with an appeal to a nation groaning under an unemployment rate over 9 percent -- a vision of new technologies , fostered in part by government investment , bringing new jobs . Hearkening back to the stunning 1957 news that the Soviet Union had beaten America into space by launching the first artificial satellite into Earth orbit , Obama said the United States `` had no idea '' how to respond at first . `` The science was n't even there yet . NASA did n't exist , '' he said in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night . `` But after investing in better research and education , we did n't just surpass the Soviets ; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs . '' Fact Check : What did the Space Race do for the economy ? -- Plenty , according to most experts . The space program helped spur the miniaturization of electronics that fueled the computer revolution and spawned the Internet . Other products whose development has been linked to the space program range from cordless drills to car navigation systems . -- The U.S. semiconductor industry grew rapidly from its origins in the late 1940s , `` greatly aided '' by NASA and similar military technology , a 1983 Rutgers University analysis of the industry noted . Today , the industry boasts U.S. sales of $ 115 billion and employs more than 200,000 people , according to the Semiconductor Industry Association . -- The commercial satellite industry , meanwhile , was nonexistent before the 1960s . By 2003 , commercial space revenue had topped $ 90 billion in businesses that employed more than 576,000 people , according to a 2005 paper for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . -- At a 2009 conference in Washington , George Washington University space policy researcher Henry Hertzfeld estimated the space economy at $ 250 billion , roughly half of which was commercial . But he said the true size was difficult to calculate . Bottom line : . Obama is correct in describing the space program as a boost to nascent U.S. industries . But the goal he set Tuesday night is just the first stage in what is likely to be a tough debate about the role of government in the economy . CNN 's Matt Smith and Katie Glaeser contributed to this report .
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Obama says the U.S. `` unleashed a wave of innovation '' after Sputnik . He called for a similar push in his State of the Union address Tuesday night .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From `` Mississippi Masala '' to `` Vanity Fair , '' Mira Nair 's movies have entranced audiences in India and the West . CNN spoke to the director of `` Monsoon Wedding '' and `` Salaam Bombay ! '' at the Bollywood Movie Awards in Long Island about filmmaking in India and America and her adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri 's novel about loss and family , `` The Namesake . '' ... . Film director Mira Nair . CNN : What inspired you to make `` The Namesake '' ? Mira Nair : I happened to read `` The Namesake '' on a plane in early 2004 , when I traveled from New York to Jo ` berg to finish the filming of `` Vanity Fair . '' I read `` Namesake '' while in huge grief with the death of a beloved person to me -LSB- Mira 's mother in law -RSB- . It was at that state of mourning that I picked up this novel , and in it Jhumpa writes really acutely of a loss of a parent in a foreign country , and I thought I had been understood by someone . It was also a story that linked the two cities in which I had grown up -- Calcutta and New York City -- and it was almost certainly the road that I had traveled . It just spoke to me and I felt compelled to do this film . A few months later we were shooting it . CNN : It 's filmed in both India and New York , such different cultures . Tell us about the universal themes involved during the film . Nair : Well , the story of movement and crossings is as old as the hills . It 's a tale of millions of us that have left one home for another , and tried to find out who we are through these places . Then when we have children , life gets more interesting . It is about growing up through our adult lives and our children 's lives . It is also equally a love story between two people who come from a culture who do n't send roses and diamonds for love ; who sit at a kitchen table and look at each other . It 's about that generation of parents who have that stillness about one another , versus the clang and hustle of young Gogol who is 15 and grows up in an American world because he wishes to be American . That flow -- that see-saw between parents and children , that 's what `` The Namesake '' is about . CNN : Tell us about casting the role of Gogol . Nair : Well , Kal Penn plays Gogol and he 's known as a comic star , but I had no idea that he existed until my 15-year-old son said , `` This has to be your Gogol . '' I did n't take him seriously at all until every night the campaign mounted at home : `` Tell me in the morning it 's Kal Penn ! '' he would say . And then Kal wrote to me and told me he became an actor because he had seen `` Mississippi Masala '' when he was eight years old and realized people on the screen could look like him , and other such seductive things . He came to my office and auditioned and he was just so appealing , and so much the real thing , that I cast him as Gogol . CNN : How have Indian audiences reacted to your heavily western-influenced films ? Nair : It 's not that different a kind of audience , that 's what pleases me . `` Salaam Bombay ! '' we really made for the children on the streets and the kids who really love that Bollywood stuff , and also with `` Deeply Alternative , '' which ran for 27 weeks . `` Monsoon Wedding '' was also a big hit in India . But no , they do n't come to my films for Bollywood fare ; it 's a completely alternative thing . In terms of audiences on both sides , I 've been blessed : the films have been really well received and highly anticipated . CNN : `` The Namesake '' was filmed in America and India . What differences were there in the two locations ? Nair : In India it is more about orchestrating chaos , and it 's about sifting the chaos , but I get especially excited about the throb and chaos on the streets and so on , and in America it 's about paying for the chaos , you know every head has to be placed there and paid for . CNN : `` The Namesake '' is about not losing the identity of Indian culture . Was that a challenge ? Nair : I am at home in many cultures . I live actively in three continents and I 've done that for most of my life , so I just make films as I see the world , and that happens to speak to people . I do things that I want to do . It so happens because I am fluent in both worlds that my films enter both worlds , perhaps . CNN : Do Indian and American audiences behave differently ? Nair : No , not really . I think films have to reach people and really grab them . That 's what I hope to do when I make a film -- to get under your skin and really make you think about something , and have a transporting time that takes you somewhere . E-mail to a friend .
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Nair directed `` Monsoon Wedding , '' `` Vanity Fair , '' `` Salaam Bombay ! '' Her film , `` The Namesake , '' is based on Jhumpa Lahiri 's novel . Nair cast character of `` Gogol '' after teenage son 's recommendation . Nair : Indian and American audiences `` not that different ''
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama announced $ 8.3 billion in loan guarantees Tuesday for two nuclear reactors to be built in Burke County , Georgia . A new nuclear power plant has not been built in the United States in three decades . The new reactors are to be part of an expansion of an existing nuclear facility near Augusta , Georgia , operated by Atlanta-based Southern Co. . The loan guarantees will help create 3,500 on-site construction jobs and 850 permanent operations jobs , administration officials claimed . The reactors will help provide power to over 550,000 homes and 1.4 million people , it said . `` This is only the beginning , '' Obama said during a visit to an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility in Lanham , Maryland . `` We 'll continue to provide financing for clean energy projects ... across America . '' The president acknowledged that construction of new nuclear facilities will meet with some political resistance . Nuclear development has traditionally been opposed by more progressive elements of the Democratic Party . But nuclear power , he said , remains the country 's largest source of fuel that produces no carbon emissions . `` To meet our growing energy needs and prevent the worst consequences of climate change , we 'll need to increase our supply of nuclear power . It 's that simple , '' he said . At the same time , the president argued , traditional Republican proponents of nuclear power should acknowledge that comprehensive energy legislation is needed to help provide incentives to make clean energy more profitable . Any new nuclear facilities , he promised , will `` be held to the highest and strictest safety standards . '' Leading congressional Republicans -- including both Georgia senators -- were quick to praise Obama 's decision . `` This announcement represents a step in the right direction , '' said Sen. Saxby Chambliss , R-Georgia . `` The power generated by -LSB- the Burke County facility -RSB- is safe , reliable , emissions-free and environmentally responsible . '' Nuclear power critics , on the other hand , slammed the administration 's decision to back the construction of new reactors . `` The last thing Americans want is another government bailout for a failing industry , but that 's exactly what they 're getting from the Obama administration , '' energy analyst Ben Schreiber said in a press release issued this past weekend . Schreiber works for the progressive group Friends of the Earth , which opposes nuclear power . `` The Department of Energy is putting taxpayers on the hook for bailing out costly and dangerous nuclear reactor projects when the loans used to finance those projects default . This is great news for Wall Street but a bad deal for Main Street . '' The risk of default is high , Schreiber argued , while nuclear power `` remains unsafe and dirty . '' Energy Secretary Steven Chu , in turn , claimed that modern nuclear reactors are far safer than those built prior to the accident at Pennsylvania 's Three Mile Island in 1979 . Chu also told reporters in a conference call that one of the reasons the Georgia facility was the first to receive a federal loan guarantee is the project 's low probability of default . He added that the administration is now considering at least a half-dozen additional loan applications for nuclear facilities . We are working `` as hard and as fast as we can '' to `` recapture the lead in nuclear technology , '' Chu said . America has been `` sitting on the sidelines ... for far too long . '' Obama 's proposed fiscal year 2011 budget triples loan guarantees for nuclear power plants to over $ 54 billion , the White House noted . CNN 's Suzanne Malveaux , Evan Glass , Deirdre Walsh and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report .
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NEW : Modern reactors far safer than pre-Three Mile Island reactors , energy secretary says . NEW : Loan applications for more nuclear facilities being considered , Steven Chu says . NEW : GOP senator from Georgia praises Obama 's decision as `` a step in the right direction '' 3,500 on-site construction jobs and 850 permanent operations jobs projected , officials say .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Microsoft had trouble solving the problems with its Vista operating system , so what are its chances of fixing climate change ? Burning issue : It 's not hip or sexy , but could greenhouse gas accounting be key to combatting climate change ? The global software firm has created an online tool called Project 2 Degrees for cities across the world to monitor their greenhouse gas -LRB- GHG -RRB- emissions and , the hope is , then do something about them . While Bill Gates ' company have tailored an online carbon accounting tool for cities , businesses are increasingly turning on to the benefits and need to track their own GHGs , opening up an area for enterprise software companies to provide the best tools for the job . `` A lot of companies are worried and interested in carbon accounting , but do n't necessarily feel an urgency to adopt it . But there is enough regulation in the pipeline , certainly in the U.S. , that makes it look real and coming in a couple of years , '' said Scott Clavenna of Greentech Media . `` It will go from a niche of a couple of hundred companies using this kind of software right now to thousands . '' The call for more carbon accounting does n't have any emotive ad campaigns or Hollywood celebrity-backing , instead it uses cold hard data to track emissions and empower those responsible to try and reduce them . Cities account for only 2 percent of the worlds land mass but produce up to 75 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions , so became the focus for Project 2 Degrees that is a collaboration with software designers Autodesk and the Clinton Climate Initiative . `` This is a long journey for our governments , be they local or national , but we could have the biggest impact by working with local governments as they have the ability to measure what 's happening locally in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and to have an effect on the local economy and the local environment first , '' Matt Miszewski , Microsoft 's general manager for Worldwide E-government , told CNN . Being one of the world 's richest and most profitable companies , Microsoft offers it 's online GHG accounting tool for free but says Miszewski , it goes further than that . `` We want to show how software can help solve some very difficult issues . A great deal of the importance of this project is to be able to share this information from city to city , region to region , '' he said . The first cities that will be comparing their CO2 high scores come from the 56 cities associated with the inaptly named C40 group that is in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative . New York and Sydney were heavily involved in beta testing of Project 2 Degrees that started last year , and once more results are in it will be offered to around 1,000 other cities . `` It is eye opening to be able to chart actual emissions against targets to see the quantum of emissions reductions required . Typically these figures are not so readily accessed and this will be a major benefit of Project 2 Degrees , '' a spokesperson for Sydney 's local government told CNN . Who accounts for what ? Even if the tool is working as well as possible , it seems more needs to be done by businesses and cities to accurately collect and measure GHG emissions . `` Higher level guidance should come in the form of advising what emissions to report and provision of data where possible , however each city needs to take responsibility for the emissions it creates , '' a spokesperson for Sydney told CNN . Knowing what needs to be reported is a challenge that is being met . The World Resources Institute 's Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the most widely used international accounting tool for both governments and businesses , covering the six greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol . `` The World Resources Institute has done a really good job in defining the protocols in the data gathering . What do you gather from where and how do you report it ? Now everyone is starting to compare apples to apples , '' Clavenna told CNN . It could be a boom area for carbon accounting software developers . As well as numerous start-ups the big players including Microsoft 's non-altruistic arm and SAP have begun their own programs aimed at businesses . `` The stakes are high for enterprise software , '' said Clavenna . `` The big players are not aggressively marketing yet , but getting ready to come out with a big product when their customers need it . '' Over 200 companies are developing accounting software , according to research by Greentech Media , and over 3,000 businesses are using their products to track their GHG emissions . Big corporations including Dell , Xerox and Pfizer have all been early adopters stretching back to 2002 . Limited carbon emissions regulations , such as the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and at state level in the U.S. , are in place , and a number of international voluntary programs also exist . Yet most of the early-adopter businesses are responding to public pressure for them to be environmentally-aware and shareholder requests for their business to be greener . `` There have been some light triggers -- stakeholder requests , even in HR , young people asking for proof that their company is green . In a down economy a company can choose to put them aside or table them for a while , '' said Clavenna . But more significant factors are on the horizon : `` The big triggers are a cap and trade regime , which -LSB- in the U.S. -RSB- would come through congress and set by the EPA who will say which companies need to report and what they need to report , '' said Clavenna . A cap and trade program would mean thousands more companies would have to account for and report their GHG emissions as a market is created to trade excess CO2 . Strict accounting of emissions can also be a means to beat some corporate ` greenwashing ' , particularly in terms of companies making claims over their carbon footprints . Ultimately however it is about reducing those footprints and aiming to limit global warming to only 2 degrees Celsius . `` There is a market out there for software that manages cap and trade , both from an intergovernmental aspect and a commercial aspect . Copenhagen will be a tipping point for those kinds of activity to move forward world wide . These folks are going to have an increased responsibility , '' said Miszewski .
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Greenhouse gas emissions software designed to track and then reduce GHGs . Microsoft developed online tool for cities ; many more designed for businesses . Worldwide over 3,000 businesses use carbon accounting software ; number to rise . Being able to quantify emissions will lead to more effective action say analysts .
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Dutch Harbor , ALASKA -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In Dutch Harbor the smell of fish wafting from the docks and the canneries is the smell of money . And lately , the town has smelled a lot less fishy . High seas high jinx : Tobias gives his shipmate Hanns a haircut at sea using a sail bag as a barber cape . Over fishing , new quota systems and changes in expected weather patterns have all played a role in changing the face of this once swashbuckling Alaskan town , fishermen say . `` Last summer we thought that pollock fishing was over for good , it was so bad . Time to turn out the lights and go home . But then they cut the quotas by 30 percent and now there are some small signs of more small fish , so maybe they are coming back , '' said Guy Collins , who coordinates with fishing captains who unload their catch at the Unisea docks in Dutch Harbor . `` The fishermen have to go further north toward Russia now to get the fish that are near the ice . It used to be the boats would go out 100 miles , now they go out 500 . It could be partly due to temperature change and weather patterns . '' Dutch Harbor saw a revival in popularity with the reality show The Deadliest Catch , but even the high-fiving enthusiasm of the deck hands on the TV show ca n't match what the town was like in the glory days . `` Those were the days , in the mid 1980 's , there was booze , drugs and partying . You had lines of coke going down the bar and no one said anything , '' says Byron Singley , captain of the 24-ton fishing boat the Nancy Allen . `` People were making big money and spending it as fast as it came in . I earned $ 78,000 as a deckhand the first year I was here but I ca n't remember where it went . Those days are long gone . '' Aboard the Silent Sound , as we sail north through the Bering Sea , we 're finding other things are not quite like they used to be . For starters , we 've been becalmed for much of the trip when we were expecting to encounter strong winds on the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea . We have motored nearly half of our 2,300 miles so far . More importantly , the ice we were bracing ourselves for may not be where we expected to find it . While this is good news for the expedition from a sailing perspective , it 's less attractive for wildlife such as polar bears , seals and walruses that use the ice as a platform for hunting , mating and migration . `` The present extent of northern sea ice is very similar to the extents at this time in 2008 and in 2007 . It is close to values seen also in 1995 and 1990 . It is about five per cent below the long-term average of 12.2 m square kilometers , '' said Dr Humfrey Melling , a research scientist with the Institute of Ocean Sciences near Victoria , British Columbia . September 2007 was the first time that the Northwest Passage was open water from end to end . An ice forecast issued by the Canadian Ice Service on July 1 showed earlier than normal break up in many key areas in the Western Arctic . `` In the Western Arctic region , the breakup pattern is one to three weeks early in many coastal areas and by as much as one month in isolated areas , '' the report said . But we 're still some 400 miles from the Arctic Circle and a month from entering the heart of the Northwest Passage , which gives the Arctic plenty of time to surprise us .
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Team aims to discover how climate change has affected Arctic and Inuit people . At Dutch Harbor , Alaska , discovered how fishing quota transforming community . Unexpected calm weather on trip so far despite sailing `` Deadliest Catch '' seas . Read the first ship 's log from the crew of the Silent Sound .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After eight years together , MSNBC and Keith Olbermann are parting ways . A statement from NBC Universal revealed the move late Friday . `` MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract , '' it read , `` The last broadcast of ` Countdown with Keith Olbermann ' will be this evening . MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC 's success and we wish him well in his future endeavors . '' At the end of his show Friday night , Olbermann announced his departure in typical deadpan style , evoking scenes from the film `` Network '' and thanking viewers for keeping him on the air for eight years . `` In the mundane world television goodbyes , reality is laughably uncooperative , '' Olbermann said before launching into a story about his exit from ESPN 13 years ago . `` As God as my witness , in the commercial break just before the emotional moment , the producer got into my earpiece and he said , ` um , can you cut it down to 15 seconds so we get in this tennis result from Stuttgart , ' '' he said , half-smiling , pausing for composure . `` So I 'm grateful I have a little more time to sign off here . Regardless this is the last edition of ` Countdown . ' '' Olbermann thanked his crew and co-workers , with special praise for the man he called `` my greatest protector and most indefatigable cheerleader , '' Tim Russert , the host of NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' who died in 2008 . Olbermann was suspended for two days in November of 2010 after the news website Politico revealed donations made to to three Democrats seeking federal office . One of them was Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords , who was wounded earlier this month in a mass shooting and attempted assassination in Tucson . He gave $ 2,400 -- the maximum individual amount allowed -- to Giffords ' campaign , and the campaigns of Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway and Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva . Conway lost his bid , while Grijalva and Giffords eked out wins . NBC said the donations violated a policy that requires employees of the news organization to obtain permission ahead of any political donations or activities that could be deemed as a conflict of interest . Olbermann complained publicly about his frustration with NBC 's management . He made it clear that he resented the insinuation that he was attempting to hide his actions . `` When a website contacted NBC about one of the donations , I immediately volunteered that there were in fact three of them ; and contrary to much of the subsequent reporting , I immediately volunteered to explain all this , on-air and off , in the fashion MSNBC desired , '' Olbermann also said in a statement released during the time . He also accused NBC of `` inconsistently `` applying its policy and suspending him without first hearing his side of the story . CNN 's Emanuella Grinberg contributed to this report .
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NEW : Olbermann was suspended in November for making political donations . MSNBC has announced in a statement the end of Keith Olbermann 's contract . Friday was the last broadcast of `` Countdown '' Olbermann discussed the situation at the end of his show Friday night .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Within the oil crisis and climate change there is the opportunity for an economic , social and cultural renaissance the likes of which we have never seen before , '' says environmentalist and perma-culture designer Rob Hopkins . Falmouth in England is one of many towns across the world that have ` transition ' initiatives . `` If only we can just unleash all the creativity and genius around us , rather than just lurching from crisis to crisis . '' Hopkins is the founder of the `` Transition Town '' movement , and the author of its bible , `` The Transition Handbook . '' The movement was founded in Totnes , Devon , and Kinsale , Ireland , in 2005 and 2006 , with the aim of helping those communities prepare for the twin challenges of peak oil output and climate change . Since then it 's spread across the United Kingdom and to towns across the world . There are now 60 other projects already in action , and nearly 700 others considering getting involved . There is even a Transition storyline on the popular BBC radio soap opera , `` The Archers . '' Fundamentally , it 's a grassroots initiative , and Hopkins believes that the move to an oil-free society is about community and individuals more than industry and government . `` We use about nine barrels of oil each per year in the UK , '' he says . `` The first three we can influence ourselves , the next three are down to our communities , and the final third are the Government 's responsibility . We try and focus on the first six barrels . '' Transition works by helping local people get together and find ways they can reduce their reliance on oil as a community , and cut their carbon footprint in the process . In Totnes , Transition have created local food guides , formed a sustainable building company , given talks and lectures to landowners and local government officials to show them how peak oil and climate change affect their management decisions . They have even created an alternative currency , the `` Totnes Pound '' , which can only be spent within the town in an attempt to localize the economy and reduce reliance on imports . The fact that so much food was brought into this rural , agricultural region from many hundreds of miles away seemed one of the crazier excesses of the cheap oil era Hopkins believes is already over . In an attempt to change this -- both to prepare for the day it becomes too expensive and increase the town 's resilience - Transition Totnes encourages everyone to grow their own food . They operate a `` garden share '' scheme that unites keen gardeners without land with those who do n't have the time , or fitness , to tend their own patch . They are also aiming to make Totnes the nut tree capital of Britain . `` We have identified unloved and derelict bits of the town , planted fruit and nut trees and trained the people living nearby how to look after them , '' says Hopkins . `` You can get more protein and carbohydrate per hectare from a hybrid nut tree than anything else . '' So far , Transition estimate between 10 and 15 per cent of the population have had some involvement with them . Ideas spreading from the fringes to the mainstream . Totnes is a town with a strong tradition of alternative lifestyles and environmental awareness , and exactly the sort of place Transition would appeal : the high street is crammed with health food shops and healers . But in the two years the program has been in operation , word has spread and the concept seems to have struck a chord with thousands of people across Britain , many in areas without such a radical precedent . `` Now the people getting involved now are n't just the usual suspects , the hard core environmentalists , '' says Hopkins . `` We have professionals , teachers , the Women 's Institute . `` The Archers '' storyline was , for me , a real indication we had reached into Middle England . `` One of the reasons why Transition has grown so fast is that it 's expanded into a vacuum . `` People have known about climate change for some time , and now the idea of peak oil is spreading fast . But there was a real lack of action , what could you do after you 'd felt bad about it all for a few days ? That 's where Transition comes in . `` It 's not about finding out whose fault it is and chaining yourself to them , it 's about rediscovering old skills , like thrift ; being practical , taking control . `` Fifty years ago we all had these skills , but now we 've become the most useless generation ever to walk this planet . One of the nice things about Transition is that it brings older people in and makes them feel valued -- because they know these things . '' Transition works by uniting local communities and forming groups to tackle individual areas -- energy , food , housing -- with the ultimate aim being the construction of an `` Energy Descent Plan '' to plot out a twenty year divorce from oil . `` The British government 's own plans for the future assumes oil will be $ 65 a barrel in 2010 . Well , it has already hit $ 136 , with many analysts predicting $ 200 soon , so it 's quite clear they are not thinking this through . `` I think -LSB- UK prime minister -RSB- Gordon Brown could really do with being honest about energy . At the moment he is n't and that 's a very dangerous situation to be in . It 's no good saying we 'll up North Sea production or going off to talk to the King of Saudi Arabia , we need leadership that takes a proper appraisal . '' Hopkins acknowledges that it 's hard for governments to take action until they know the country is behind them , but argues again , that 's where Transition comes to the rescue . `` We can help create that mandate , '' he says , `` and revitalize democracy in the process . ''
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` Transition towns ' help local people get together to work to toward an oil-free future . Harnessing creativity to prepare for oil peak and counter climate change . Part of wider plan to localize solutions and strengthen democracy . Current record oil prices help bring ` Transition Town ' ideas into mainstream .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After Denise Honeycutt sashayed down the catwalk modeling a sleek sleeveless black dress with a blue lace jacket , she felt so good she bought the outfit . A model walks the runway at the Arlington United Methodist Church fashion show in an outfit from Goodwill . `` I got those two pieces and a skirt for $ 20 , '' she said . `` How 's that for a deal ? '' Such bargains may not be haute couture , but during a recession they are a thrifty shopper 's dream . As budgets tighten during the economic crunch , buying used clothing is no longer just for fans of vintage wear . Many are discovering the hidden treasures in consignment shops , as well as thrift stores and other places once thought to be only for the destitute . That 's a message that Brendan Hurley , senior vice president of Marketing and Communications for Goodwill of Greater Washington , has been working hard to get out . Goodwill of Greater Washington provided the fashions Honeycutt modeled for the show at the Arlington United Methodist Church in Arlington , Virginia , and has been actively campaigning to spread the word that Goodwill fashion is contemporary and hot . `` Most people have a misunderstanding of Goodwill 's mission and they believe that our mission is to sell inexpensive merchandise to the poor , '' Hurley said . `` In fact , Goodwill 's mission is to provide job training and employment services to people with disadvantages and disabilities . We just happen to fund that mission through the resale of donated items at our retail stores . '' To change the negative perception , Hurley said that four years ago they started a campaign to make the stores more appealing as a source of inexpensive fashions by holding virtual and live fashion shows . See one of Goodwill 's fashion shows '' Hurley said things really took off after they launched a viral marketing campaign and the very successful DCGoodWillFashions blog . Em Hall is the retail marketing manager who blogs as the DC Goodwill Fashionista in a gig that has become so high-profile that she was invited to blog this year from Fashion Week in New York . About once a month on average , Hall and her team put together `` travel and trunk shows '' where they pull merchandise from their nine stores , put them on rolling racks and take them to events for attendees to shop . People respond to the great prices and selection as well as the opportunity to recycle by buying someone 's gently used clothing , Hall said . iReport.com : Tell us about your thrift fashions . `` The response has been tremendous , '' Hall said . `` We know that finding that treasure at Goodwill , finding that vintage piece , really resonates with people . '' Across the country , Goodwill stores have launched several creative ideas to attract divas -LRB- or divos -RRB- who may have more style than funds . Goodwill Industries of Michiana Inc. of South Bend , Indiana , has `` Boutique Days , '' where they work with local fashion reporter and consultant Kathy Friend to raise awareness that Goodwill can be an excellent resource for brand name and designer clothing . Those who donate at least 20 clothing items receive an opportunity for a private consultation with Friend at a reduced rate . `` On a trip to Goodwill I 've found Chanel handbags still in the tissue paper and in Saks Fifth Avenue bags , '' said Friend , who as part of her consultation teaches clients everything from how to spot signs of wear to how they can get pieces altered . `` I was like , are you kidding me ? '' See examples of fashionable outfits from Goodwill '' The Goodwill/Easter Seals program in Minnesota held a `` Second Runway '' fashion show in February where 30 volunteer fashion designers took existing clothes from surrounding Goodwill stores and turned them into hip new outfits . The event attracted more than 500 attendees . `` We were given $ 50 and we could create up to three looks out of things we found at the Goodwill , '' said designer Kristina Bell , who whipped up a cute little dress out of recycled T-shirts . `` I 've always been a thrifter , but now it 's a really good way to save money . '' Someone else 's hard times can be a fashionista 's gain . Denise McShane owns McShane 's Exchange , whose two locations in the Chicago , Illinois , neighborhood of Lincoln Park have seen an uptick in those unloading their Prada and St. John . `` Business has really boomed , '' McShane said . `` The bad news is that we are in a recession , but I absolutely have had a surge in consigners . '' McShane said she offers those who still have a cash stash a bit of retail therapy during hard times . They can get great buys at a reduced rate . Such shops , known in the industry as resale stores , have long attracted quality merchandise , said Barbara Nell , owner of The Daisy Shop on Oak in Chicago . Nell said women are bringing in only the best for resale . `` Women seem to be cleaning their closets of their most luxurious items , '' said Nell . `` It 's not just the bread and butter or staples of their wardrobe anymore . '' iReporter Elizabeth McElherne scored a $ 25 mink coat in August at a shop in Fredericksburg , Virginia . Check out Elizabeth 's iReport on her find . `` If you ca n't buy something new , you might as well recycle and buy someone else 's stuff , '' McElherne said . `` I saw that coat and I said ` If it 's less than $ 100 I have to get it . ' '' Nicole Mladic is the `` babe '' behind the `` Budgeting Babe '' blog for `` young , working women who want to spend like Carrie in a Jimmy Choo store but have a budget closer to Roseanne . '' Mladic said she encourages her readers to not only shop thrift , but also to be generous in their giving . `` I make sure to thin out my wardrobe every so often , '' she said . `` Any pieces that I am not wearing , I donate . '' That type of generosity is much appreciated , especially in the current economy . Melissa Temme , a national spokeswoman for the Salvation Army , said that while the need for low-cost clothing is increasing , donations for such clothing have remained consistent and that could spell trouble . `` It means that down the road we may not be able to stock our shelves , '' Temme said . `` In the long term , that 's a concern . '' Katherine Ransom , communications manager for Goodwill of Orange County , California , said that as more people turn to thrift fashions to help stretch their dollars , they are discovering the clothing is a lot more current than they might have imagined . Ransom said even Hollywood types are getting in on the act , as wardrobe consultants for television shows and movies are also perusing the racks for good buys . A recently launched coupon campaign is bringing in even more shoppers , she said . `` People are saying ` I 've never done this before , but now is a good time to start , ' '' said Ransom , whose organization launched shopgoodwill.com 10 years ago . It now includes merchandise from 77 Goodwill organizations around the country . `` They are taking advantage of the quality merchandise with really deep discounts . ''
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Buying used clothing gains popularity during a recession . Consignment and thrift stores seeing increased business . Goodwill and Salvation Army increasing visibility as fashion hot spots . Shop owner : `` Women cleaning their closets of their most luxurious items ''
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's the season of brackets , beer and , of course , basketball . Duke Blue Devils fans cheer on their team at the ACC Tournament in Atlanta , Georgia . Come mid-March , the country falls sick with college basketball fever , and the NCAA Tournament is all the talk . As men 's college basketball comes to a close with the last game April 6 , fans are anxiously watching to see who will claim victory in this year 's national championship game . More than a century after James Naismith invented basketball at a YMCA training school in Massachusetts , the sport continues to captivate millions of fans . Over the years , college basketball has sparked great dedication among its fans , from those who camp out for three months for a ticket to those who attended games before they could read . CNN , with the help of experts at the NCAA , chose a handful of basketball towns filled with great fans , rich traditions and history that make these places worth a visit . 1 . Duke University in Durham , North Carolina , and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill . College basketball is deeply rooted in North Carolina culture , thanks to the success of the men 's teams at the University of North Carolina and Duke University . The epic rivalry between Duke 's Blue Devils and North Carolina 's Tar Heels draws in so many fans that some sports experts say it is partly responsible for reviving the waning college basketball viewership in the first half of this decade . Visitors will find that Duke basketball fans do n't shower their support only on game day . At Duke University -- seeded No. 2 in the East -- student fans , dubbed the Cameron Crazies , are so eager to snare one of the 1,200 first-come-first-serve spots in the Cameron Stadium student section that they camp out for up to three months for the infamous North Carolina-Duke matchup . The grassy tenting area outside the basketball arena , known as Krzyzewskiville , is named after Coach Mike Krzyzewski , who has been named National Coach of the Year 12 times . `` It 's so easy to become enthralled with the culture of Duke basketball , '' said Joel Burrill , a senior who headed up the tenting efforts this year . Outside the stadium , visitors will discover plenty of Blue Devil spirit off-campus in Durham , a former tobacco town . Satisfaction Restaurant and Charlie 's Pub & Grille are among the favorite hot spots where visitors will discover student and local fans watching the games . About a 20-minute drive from Durham is the historic town of Chapel Hill , home to the University of North Carolina , which was seeded No. 1 in the South this year . The school has a strong record of basketball success , appearing in more than 40 NCAA tournaments . It is also the college team of professional basketball legend Michael Jordan . Adam Lucas , publisher of Tar Heel Monthly , has been decked in baby blue Carolina gear since he was a child . He even skipped school so he could attend the games with his parents , both Tar Heel alums . `` It 's not just a sport , '' he explained . `` It 's the number one thing talked about during this part of the year . You 'll have trouble holding a conversation in Chapel Hill in March if you do n't know the basics of Carolina basketball . '' If visitors ca n't get one of the coveted tickets to watch the game in the Dean E. Smith Center , aka the Dean Dome , there is plenty to do in the quaint city of Chapel Hill . Visitors can walk to Franklin Street , the heart of town , where eateries , shops and sports bars are ready to embrace UNC fans . They can also visit the 8,000-square-foot Carolina Basketball Museum , located on campus , which holds more than 450 interactive displays , memorabilia and photos documenting a basketball program that began more than a century ago . 2 . The University of Kansas in Lawrence . To understand the fan devotion for the defending national champions and a Midwest No. 3-seeded team this year , one must make a trip to Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence , Kansas . The Jayhawks ' indoor arena is old-school -- smaller than some college basketball stadiums -- built in the 1950s and named in honor of revered former Coach Forrest C. `` Phog '' Allen . In 1952 , `` Phog '' led the men 's basketball team to its first NCAA victory . The energy from thousands of fans in Allen Field House is contagious . In addition to the `` Rock Chalk Jayhawk '' chant , KU students are famous for their clever antics against the other teams , particularly their longstanding rivals at the University of Missouri . But if you ca n't get a ticket during the regular season , check out the Booth Family Hall of Athletics , a 26,000-square-foot museum adjacent to the stadium . The museum , which opened about three years ago , houses artifacts and information about the history of KU athletics , including the men 's basketball team . Visitors can head to colorful Massachusetts Street , the main drag in downtown Lawrence . The street is lined with plenty of restaurants and bars catering to Jayhawks followers on game day . When Kansas beat Memphis to clinch the national championship last year , more than 100,000 fans poured into the street , university officials say . `` People who come -LSB- to Lawrence -RSB- never want to leave , '' said Jennifer Sanner , a 1981 alumna and editor of Kansas Alumni magazine . `` And if you 're a basketball fan , that 's all the better . '' 3 . Indiana University in Bloomington , Indiana . Sure , the Hoosiers did n't have a stellar season after going 6-25 , and they did n't make it to the NCAA Tournament . After Kelvin Sampson resigned as coach in February over allegations that he had violated NCAA recruiting standards , the team lost many of its top players . Despite this , college basketball in Bloomington , Indiana , remains sacred , devout Hoosiers fans say , and they believe that the men 's team will be back in full force over the next few years . Indiana University has one of the top basketball programs in the country , winning five NCAA championships . The team was led for many years by hot-tempered but incredibly successful coach Bobby Knight . If you are lucky enough to get a ticket to see the Hoosiers play at their stadium , Assembly Hall , you will find droves of student fans . Assembly Hall holds one of the country 's largest student sections , holding more than 8,000 . Officials at Bloomington Indiana Visitors & Convention Bureau say basketball game days flood local restaurants and bars with students and local fans . The games tend to sell out , so be prepared to explore Bloomington . Most fans head to Kirkwood Avenue near campus and drop by Nick 's English Hut , where the walls are covered with Hoosiers athletic photographs and gear , or Yogi 's Grill and Bar to watch the game . `` Basketball is a religion in this state , '' said Zach Osterman , the men 's basketball columnist at the university 's student newspaper , the Indiana Daily Student . `` It goes way back before Bobby Knight . It 's what people do up here . '' 4 . Marquette University in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . There is no football team at Marquette University in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . That means students and alumni are even more dedicated to the men 's basketball team , they say . Marquette may be a Jesuit university with just over 11,000 students , but it boasts one of the highest attendance rates at basketball games in the country . Students at Marquette do n't pitch tents like at Duke , but the games are so popular , some will bring their sleeping bags 10 hours before the game to get the best seat in the house . `` It 's such a great feeling to know you can walk anywhere in the city when you have a Marquette shirt on a basketball day and people will talk to you about basketball , '' said Sarah Dembkowski , a sophomore at the university . `` It gives this city a bonding feeling . '' Although the West region No. 6-seeded Golden Eagles lost to the University of Missouri in the tournament last week , a trip to the Bradley Center , where the Marquette men 's basketball team plays -LRB- and where the NBA 's Milwaukee Bucks play -RRB- is well worth the visit . Marquette students , called the Superfans , are famous for their peculiar behavior , dressing up in costumes to support their team and distracting opponents with oversized cutouts of celebrities ' heads . On campus are several bars , including the Union Annex , that tout cheap beer pitchers and food specials for fans . Just several blocks from the university is downtown Milwaukee . On Water Street , where most of the fans crowd on game day , visitors can hang with the locals and enjoy a hub of sports bars , taverns and restaurants . 5 . Gonzaga University in Spokane , Washington . Gonzaga University officials call it the `` Gonzaga Effect '' : This small private school in Spokane , Washington , has qualified for the NCAA tournament for the 11th straight year . The Gonzaga Bulldogs men 's basketball team is an obscure team that seems to emerge from thin air each March . This year , the team entered the tournament seeded No. 4 in the South region . `` There have been a lot of one-and-done schools , who make a splash and disappear , but we 've been able to sustain it , '' said Dale Goodwin , a spokesman for the university . Fans in `` the Kennel Club '' at Gonzaga go wild for basketball despite the school 's smaller size . For more than 17 years of the Kennel Club 's existence , the Bulldogs have won more than 75 percent of their games , including over 90 percent during the past eight seasons , according to the Gonzaga athletic department . Visitors will be delighted to watch the games in the school 's arena , the $ 25 million McCarthey Athletic Center , which opened in 2004 . Before the opening , the basketball team was playing in a glorified high school gym , university officials said . On Hamilton Street near the university , visitors will want to head to Jack & Dan 's Tavern , which belongs to John Stockton , a former NBA and Gonzaga player . The Bulldog , which claims to have the best burgers in town , is also a popular hangout during the games . Meanwhile , Spokane is preparing to host the NCAA first - and second-round men 's basketball tournament next March . The town , tucked into eastern Washington , is excited to welcome visitors . A single event will probably bring in $ 2.75 million , according to the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau .
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Men 's college basketball will end with NCAA championship game April 6 . Some Duke students camp out for three months to get a game ticket . Last year , 100,000 fans poured into downtown Lawrence , Kansas , after KU 's victory . Games at these basketball towns are so popular that they usually sell out .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The White House may be the official residence of the U.S. president , but it 's only a temporary address . The former homes and libraries of presidents offer an inside look into the lives of the select few who served as the nation 's leader . Nearly 80 million visitors have toured Mount Vernon , George Washington 's home in Virginia . From simple log cabins to expansive estates , hundreds of presidential homes and historical sites are open to the public . Visitors can read the love letters between Harry Truman and his wife , Bess , examine hand-drawn maps by Herbert Hoover or eye the tintype photograph of young wife Lucy that Rutherford B. Hayes carried with him daily on Civil War battlefields and later in the White House . As we witness a new leader take office and celebrate past commanders-in-chief on President 's Day this month , CNN asked William Clotworthy , author of `` Homes and Libraries of the Presidents , '' to recommend five places for travelers to see a very human side of history 's presidents . Lincoln 's birthplace . There 's more than split rails at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville , Kentucky . The site , run by the National Park Service , offers exhibits and walking tours so the visitor can experience a little of the frontier life that shaped the nation 's 16th president . The centerpiece is the large marble and granite Lincoln Memorial Building , which houses a small and humble log cabin . The cabin is not actually Lincoln 's birth cabin -- that has been lost to history -- but it does try to replicate as closely as possible the tiny and primitive surroundings that sheltered the future commander in chief . `` There 's something about the Lincoln log cabin , '' Clotworthy said . `` I think it 's an inspiration that a man born in a log cabin ... grew up to become president of the United States . I know it 's corny , but that 's what I find inspiring . '' iReport.com : See Lincoln 's childhood home after an ice storm . This February 12 , the bicentennial of Lincoln 's birth , events are planned around the park and the Hodgenville area , including a ceremony presenting new Lincoln pennies for circulation and the dedication of a second replica log cabin . Reagan library . Ronald Reagan 's final resting place can also be an excellent starting point for those curious about his life . The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley , California , not only houses all Reagan 's official presidential papers and records , but also includes such personal objects as his college letter sweater , movie memorabilia from his film career and even a glass jelly bean jar . From his presidential life , highlights include a section of the Berlin Wall presented by the people of Germany and a walk inside Air Force One -- one of Clotworthy 's favorite experiences . `` They have built a glass-enclosed pavilion '' for the Boeing 707 used by Reagan , he said `` and you stand there and you get the impression you 're flying . It 's fabulous . '' Visitors are able to peek inside the president and first lady 's cabins , the galleys and cockpit . On the lower level , an entire pub from Ireland that Reagan visited was shipped over in 2004 and is now a snack shop . Mount Vernon . Home to George Washington for most of his adult life , Mount Vernon in Virginia has been open to a curious public since 1860 . Nearly 80 million visitors have toured the first president 's home since then , making it the most popular historic home in the United States . On Presidents ' Day , admission is free . Today , visitors can tour the meticulously restored mansion , tour the four gardens , hike the nature trail or explore personal artifacts such as the first president 's shoes or his favorite swivel chair in a vast state-of-the-art museum on the grounds . Also in the museum are new life-size models of Washington , so visitors can get a glimpse of what the future Founding Father was like as a teenager . `` There are no real pictures or ideas of what Washington looked like before he was 45 years old , so -LSB- anthropologists -RSB- made a study of existing pictures , his teeth , his hair and they 've now built these incredible figures of Washington as a younger man , '' Clotworthy said . Jackson 's Hermitage . Inspired by the success of the women 's organization that opened Mount Vernon to the public , a similar group in Nashville , Tennessee , saved Andrew Jackson 's home from ruin in 1889 . Today , Hermitage visitors can tour the mansion , stroll the formal gardens , examine slave cabins and see the original log cabin where the Jacksons lived for a time . A robust visitor 's center tells the life story of Jackson , or `` Old Hickory , '' from hell-raising youth to feisty frontier battler of the British to powerful president . Besides tours and exhibits , summer visitors can also watch excavations as Hermitage archaeologists uncover some of the estimated 100 buildings on the grounds . A standout of the Hermitage is its many educational programs for the public , including a `` hands-on-history '' class for kids . FDR 's home . When it comes to touring presidential lives , the Franklin D. Roosevelt complex of sites in Hyde Park , New York , offers travelers one-stop shopping -- the lifelong home of a president , a museum and official presidential library all within walking distance of each other . Roosevelt was born and spent most of his life at Springwood Mansion , which offers visitors a look at the personal side of the only four-term president , including wheelchair ramps installed after Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921 . On the same grounds is the FDR Presidential Library and Museum , the first presidential library and one Roosevelt designed himself . Among the museum highlights are a 1936 roadster fitted with hand controls so the president could drive himself , his White House desk as he left it -LRB- including a pack of Camel cigarettes and Roget 's thesaurus -RRB- and even objects from his childhood -LRB- the future author of the New Deal had quite the snazzy rocking horse -RRB- . Also part of the complex are a cottage designed by FDR as a retreat in 1939 , expansive gardens and grounds by the Hudson River , and a visitor center that plays an orientation film , `` A Rendezvous with History '' -- which is what travelers can plan on when visiting the nation 's presidential sites .
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The Lincoln birthplace features a replica of the log cabin where Lincoln was born . At the Reagan library , visitors can peek in the Boeing 707 used by the 40th president . Springwood Mansion shows visitors a personal side of the only four-term president .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An al Qaeda spokesman released a video message in English offering condolences to its `` unintended Muslim victims '' killed in attacks in Afghanistan , Pakistan and elsewhere . Adam Gadahn , also known as Azzam the American , appeared in a 17-minute video released on Islamist online forums late Friday . Al Qaeda `` have condemned and continue to condemn '' all attacks by Western powers or `` secular political forces , '' Gadahn said . `` We express our condolences to the families of the Muslim men , women and children killed in these criminal acts , '' he said in the video . `` And we ask Allah to have mercy on those killed and accept them as shohadaa -LRB- martyrs -RRB- . '' `` We also express the same in regard to the unintended Muslim victims of the mujahedeen 's operations against the crusaders and their allies and puppets , and to the countless faceless and nameless Muslim victims of the murderous crusades '' in Afghanistan , Pakistan 's Waziristan regions and Swat Valley , and elsewhere , he said . It is a rare example of al Qaeda offering condolences to the families of those killed in the group 's own attacks . The video comes nearly two weeks after U.S. President Barack Obama announced the deployment of 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan , as part of a strategy to reverse the Taliban 's momentum and stabilize the country 's government . Obama said he would begin sending the additional troops in early 2010 , with the goal of starting to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan by July 2011 . The additional forces , Obama said , will help accelerate the handing over of responsibility to Afghan forces . U.S. commander : We can not have endless surge . The video did not address the troop surge , but Gadahn had a general warning to any countries partnering with the United States in the region . `` Those who have made the foolish decision to stand with America and its allies in their losing war against Islam ... you have not only betrayed Islam and Muslims and left the fold of faith , but you have also caused the destabilization of nations and the displacement ... of thousands of weak and oppressed people , '' Gadahn said . `` The blood of countless Muslims is on your hands , and the security and very future of the countries you claim to defend and serve has been placed in jeopardy because your external enemies are taking advantage of your heedlessness as you fight and kill your fellow countrymen for American dollars . '' The al Qaeda member is an American-born Muslim convert who has released video and audio statements in the past . Gadahn is on the FBI 's list of most-wanted terrorists . The FBI says Gadahn was indicted in the Central District of California for treason and material support to al Qaeda , charges related to Gadahn 's alleged involvement in a number of terrorist activities , including providing `` aid and comfort '' to al Qaeda and services for al Qaeda . Pakistani news outlets reported twice in 2008 that Gadahn had been killed by a predator drone strike , but al Qaeda then released a video message by Gadahn to prove he was still alive . Al Qaeda uses Gadahn to issue messages to a wider and English-speaking audience . His whereabouts are unknown . Many analysts believe Gadahn remains in touch with al Qaeda 's second-in-command , Ayman al-Zawahiri .
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Adam Gadahn , also known as Azzam the American , appeared in video released on Internet . Appeared to offer condolences to families of innocent people killed in al Qaeda attacks . But said al Qaeda `` have condemned and continue to condemn '' all attacks by Western powers . He is an American-born Muslim convert who has released video and audio statements in past .
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This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino which led to the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross . The ICRC is using the date to launch an awareness campaign of its work in conflict-affected countries , featuring photos taken by five award-winning photojournalists . This week we 're bringing you stories from some of the world 's most troubled countries , as told by the ICRC . MONROVIA , Liberia -LRB- ICRC -RRB- -- On a dusty pitch in the middle of the capital of Monrovia limbless young men play football as though their lives depended on it . Coach Paul Tolbert says many members of Liberia 's amputee football team had lost the will to live . Football has given them hope . They are members of the Liberian National Amputee Football Team and for the most part , victims of the war . Some participated in cruel acts against civilians during the fighting and face a daily struggle to live with both their disability and the past . `` I was at church when armed men came in and killed hundreds of us , '' says 18 year old Richard Duo , who is now a star infield attacker and one of the highest goal-scorers on the team . `` I lost my mother , father and one of my brothers . My other siblings were wounded and I lost my leg . `` Now that there is peace , I have decided not to think about that anymore . I only want to look forward , to see what I can do to help myself and my family in the future . Those terrible things have already happened . I just want to focus on the future , '' he says . See photos of Richard Duo and his team mates '' Tens of thousands of people were killed or injured in Liberia 's 14-year civil war . The fighting brought rape and mutilation , children were abducted and forced to become fighters and untold numbers had to flee their homes . Since 2003 , peace has returned and while efforts are underway to rebuild the country the emotional and physical scars of war remain . Amputee football began in Liberia as a means of therapy and healing . It was an initiative of the National Commission for Disarmament , Demobilization , Reintegration and Rehabilitation , which is responsible for assisting former fighters . The team 's coach , 30 year old Paul Tolbert , began recruiting members when he worked for the commission as a counseling coordinator . `` When you ask them how they felt after they were amputated , most of them wanted to kill themselves , '' says Tolbert . `` Life no longer had meaning for them . Amputee football restores their hope . Take the example of the guy who won Most Valuable Player in the recent African Cup of Nations . He was a very good player before he was amputated , but gave up hope when he lost his leg . `` When I went to recruit him , I told him ` You can make it , there is still a chance for you . ' He since has regained a sense of hope . ' '' In 2008 , the Liberian team hosted the African Cup of Nations and won the tournament . The team has been to Russia and Turkey for international competitions and will travel to England in June for the Amputee World Cup , where they have a very good chance of making it to the final . The President of Liberia , Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf , is their number one fan , ensuring support for travel and profiling the team in her speeches . Tolbert says the healing effects go well beyond the players . `` I tell my team they are bringing a sense of victory to the country . In my eyes , they are not disabled . They are men who bring pride to this nation . '' The players themselves say they are motivated by a desire to leave the war behind and to make something of themselves for their families . They 're also looking for a sense of belonging and brotherhood among those who know what it 's like to live with the horrors of war and to struggle just to survive . `` I love the sport because I can experience friendship again , '' says Joseph Allen , 21 , who was named the best goalkeeper in the Russian tournament . `` Friendship was gone from my life for the longest time . Football brings attention to our disability and helps people better understand that we are able to contribute to society . '' For players like 32 year old Anthony Doe , amputee football has opened up a window on a world he never dreamed possible . `` I never thought that one day I would go and see Turkey or Russia but thanks to football I 've been able to travel to compete , '' says the striker . For more about this topic go to the ICRC Web Site . Have you been affected by conflict ? Send your photos and stories to iReport .
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Many members of Liberia 's amputee football team had lost the will to live . They were recruited by a counselor working to rehabilitate former fighters . Coach Paul Tolbert : `` They are men who bring pride to this nation '' Photos were taken by war photographer Christopher Morris for the ICRC .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They are football 's royalty , the marquee players whose almost super human ability on the ball wins cups and championships ; their faces adorn billboards and magazine covers from China to Colombia . Lionel Messi could miss out on the 2010 World Cup if his team Argentina fail to improve . But , amazingly , the likes of Lionel Messi , Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry may all be absent from the World Cup finals in South Africa . Qualification for next year 's tournament has thrown up a host of surprise results with a number of top teams , including Argentina , Portugal , France and Egypt all in serious danger of missing the tournament . The 2010 World Cup missing stars ? '' The highest profile strugglers are Diego Maradona 's Argentina , who were defeated by Paraguay in the last round of qualifiers and remain outside of the automatic promotion places in their group . Would you miss Argentina at the World Cup finals ? Portugal , featuring World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo , are playing catch up to Sweden and Denmark in their group and may not even make the playoffs . Add fellow-strugglers France to the mix and , suddenly , Africa 's first World Cup could be remembered more for the teams that did n't make it , rather than for those that did . But would the failure of football 's heavyweights to qualify for the World Cup necessarily be as apocalyptic as many have suggested ? Does it actually open the door for less established football nations to write their own sporting histories ? When England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup , just eight years after lifting the Jules Rimet trophy , it was a relatively unknown Polish side that benefited . The Poles went on to take the tournament by storm , losing the semifinal to eventual winners West Germany 1-0 . `` The Polish team was just as perfectly structured as our team in 1972 , '' admitted Paul Breitner , the German defender who scored the opening goal in the final against the Netherlands , to FIFA.com . Other teams have also benefited from the profligacy of more established footballing nations . Portugal were pipped to the 1982 World Cup in Spain by Northern Ireland , then the smallest national association to ever qualify for the finals . The team went onto to set the tournament alight , disposing of the hosts en route to the quarterfinals . And the great Bulgarian trio of Hristo Stoichkov , Yordan Letchkov and Trifon Ivanov would never have shone on the world stage at USA 94 if their team had not qualified at the expense of a talented France side containing the likes of Eric Cantona , Jean-Pierre Papin and David Ginola . This year a host of talented minnows like Gabon , Bosnia and Bahrain are all hoping to take advantage and make it to their first-ever finals . Whilst the likes of Argentina take qualification for granted , an appearance at the World Cup for a fledgling nation can have a dramatic social , as well as sporting , effect as qualification by Cameroon , Iran and South Africa has proved in the past . For other teams coasting towards South Africa , though , the failure of the bigger teams brings unexpected benefits . `` It 's good for England , '' explained England captain John Terry before his team 's qualifier against Croatia tonight . `` When we did n't qualify , I went back to Chelsea and the attitude of the foreign players was : ` We have a better chance of winning the World Cup . ' First and foremost , we think about ourselves . If we go there without some big teams in the competition , then it 's even better . '' What do you think ? Would the World Cup really miss Argentina , Portugal or France ? Or would a new generation of stars step in to fill the void ?
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A host of top teams are in danger of missing out on the 2010 World Cup finals . Argentina , Portugal and France are all struggling to reach South Africa . The likes of Lionel Messi , Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery could miss out . Would you miss teams like Argentina being at the World Cup ? Sound Off .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Egypt kept their World Cup hopes alive as the only goal of the game by Ahmed Hassan gave them a 1-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali . Star midfielder Ahmed Hassan scored the vital goal for Egypt in Kigali . He scored from an Ahmed Fathi pass after 58 minutes to lift them level on points at the top with Algeria in African Qualifying Group C . But Algeria , who host Zambia on Sunday , can re-open a three point lead with victory . Only the top team in each of the five African groups qualifies for the finals in South Africa next year , with the top three qualifying for the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola . South Africa , who have won the Nations Cup a record six times , have a poor record in World Cup qualifying and have only made two appearances in the final . Saturday 's win was vital as they completed the double over Rwanda , having beaten them 3-0 in Cairo two months ago . Substitute Chiukepo Msowoya scored twice after coming on at half-time as Malawi came from behind to defeat Guinea 2-1 in a Group E game between World Cup also-rans . Oumar Kalabane put the West Africans ahead seven minutes before half-time at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre , Msowoya leveled a minute after half-time and snatched the 58th-minute winner . African powerhouses Cameroon also scored a much-need qualification win as they beat Gabon 2-0 in Libreville in Group A. Achille Emana and Inter Milan 's Samuel Eto'o scored in quick succession in the second half as the ` Indomitable Lions ' climbed to second in the group , two points behind Gabon . Cameroon entertain Gabon in Yaounde on Wednesday , looking for a victory which would further boost their chances of going to South Africa . Eto'o was scoring his seventh goal of the qualifying campaign to seal the victory . Ivory Coast kept their iron grip on Group E as two goals from Chelsea striker Didier Drogba saw them beat second-placed Burkina Faso 5-0 . The star-studded Ivory Coast team need just a single point to make sure they qualify for South Africa and they were never troubled by the visitors in Abidjan . Drogba took his tally to 38 international goals with his second half double . Kader Keita and Yaya Toure also scored after the Elephants had taken the lead in the 12th minute when Saidou Panandetiguiri scored an own-goal . In the other match in Group E , Chiukepo Msowoya scored twice as Malawi beat Guinea 2-1 in Group E.
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Egypt score vital 1-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali to keep World Cup hopes alive . Veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan scores only goal of the game for Egypt . Cameroon beat Gabon in table-topping clash in African Group A . NEW : Didier Drogba scores twice as Ivory Coast beat Burkina Faso 5-0 .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Didier Drogba came off the bench to rescue a point for Ivory Coast as they drew 1-1 with Malawi on Saturday to book their place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Didier Drogba scored for Ivory Coast as they drew 1-1 with Malawi to book their place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Ivory Coast needed only a point from their match with the bottom-placed team in African qualifying Group E but found themselves a goal down in the 64th minute when Jacob Ngwira put the hosts ahead at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre . Elephants coach Vahid Halilhodzic responded by throwing on Chelsea striker Drogba who was able to level the scores in the 67th minute . Malawi pushed for a winner as the second half wore on but were unable to add to the score and Ivory Coast secured the point they required for qualification . The result brought Ivory Coast 's 100 percent run in the group to an end but ensured they will feature in the World Cup Finals for a second time following their debut appearance in 2006 . Malawi also improved their chances of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations by moving third with four points , just behind Burkina Faso who have six and Guinea who are now last with three points . Elsewhere in the African qualifying zone Egypt recorded a 1-0 win over Zambia in their Group C clash in Konkola to potentially set up a deciding match with Algeria in Cairo next month . Egypt were on the back foot in the first half and were indebted to goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary who frustrated the Zambia fans with several fine saves as the visitors struggled to get to grips with the pitch at the Konkola Stadium . But the Pharaohs were a much-improved side after the half-time break and Hosny Abd-Rabou secured all three points with the only goal of the game in the 68th minute . Egypt defender Sayed Moawad laid off the ball for Abd-Rabou to fire a powerful right-footed shot past Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and into the top corner of the net . The result means qualification will go right down to the wire even if Algeria take maximum points from their clash with bottom side Rwanda on Sunday and go three points clear of Egypt at the top of the group . Cameroon moved a step closer to qualification as they remained top of Group A with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Togo in Yaounde . The Indomitable Lions took the lead in the 32nd minute through Newcastle midfielder Geremi when he smashed home the rebound after Togo goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale had saved his initial shot from the penalty spot . Lyon 's Jean Makoun doubled the advantage two minutes after the interval after he tapped home following a mazy dribble by Samuel Eto'o and Achille Emana made the points safe in the 52nd minute with a low drive . Gabon remain a point behind Cameroon after they clinched a 3-1 win over Morocco in Libreville having taken the lead after Hicham Mahdoufi put through his own net moments before half-time . Eric Mouloungou and Daniel Cousin gave Gabon a three-goal lead before Adel Taarabt pulled one back for Morocco with a late consolation . Paul Le Guen 's Cameroon side , who had looked doubtful to qualify when he took over , are in pole position at the top of the group with 10 points ahead of Gabon on nine , Togo on five and Morocco with three .
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Striker Didier Drogba scored as Ivory Coast drew 1-1 with Malawi in Blantyre . The result ensured Ivory Cost qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Egypt kept alive their qualification hopes with a 1-0 win over Zambia in Konkola . Cameroon moved a step closer to qualification after their 3-0 win over Togo .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S Army has granted a member of a religious minority permission to keep his turban , beard and uncut hair while he serves in the military , the Pentagon and a group representing him said . Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi , a doctor , is a Sikh , a faith that calls on its adherents not to shave or cut their hair . Kalsi filed a request in the spring for an accommodation to follow the principles of his religion . This month the Army granted his request , the Sikh Coalition told CNN . The Pentagon public affairs office later confirmed that Kalsi would be allowed to keep his turban , beard and uncut hair . The civil rights group hailed the move as `` a major step toward ending a 23-year-old policy that excludes Sikhs from service . '' Kalsi said he was `` overjoyed . '' `` Like the many Sikhs who fought before me , I know I will serve America with honor and excellence , '' he said in a written statement . But the Sikh Coalition provided what it said was a copy of the letter from the Army . Maj. Gen. Gina Farrisee said in the letter that Kalsi 's `` beard , uncut hair , and turban will be neat and well maintained at all times . '' She said her ruling applies only to Kalsi 's case , and is not a change of Army policy . `` This accommodation is based solely on the facts and circumstances of your case , '' the letter said . `` This accommodation does not constitute a blanket accommodation for any other individual . '' She said the exception could be revoked `` due to changed conditions . '' Her letter was dated October 22 and released by the Sikh Coalition the next day . Kalsi is not the only Sikh asking permission to keep his hair , beard and turban while serving in the Army . Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan , a dentist , applied at the same time as Kalsi . His case has been deferred until he receives the results of his dental board examinations , the Sikh Coalition told CNN . Both were scheduled to report for active duty in July . The Sikh Coalition said Kalsi and Rattan had been assured when they were recruited to join the Army 's Health Professions Scholarship that their unshorn hair and turbans `` would not be a problem . '' `` Both are concluding their training and are slated to begin active duty in July 2009 . However , the U.S. Army is now disputing their ability to serve with their Sikh identity intact , '' the Sikh Coalition said in an April 14 letter addressed to Defense Secretary Robert Gates . `` It does n't make sense to me , especially in these hard times , '' Kalsi told CNN at the time . `` The military is hurting for professionals . They need doctors , they need nurses . '' Amardeep Singh , the head of the Sikh Coalition , told CNN in the spring that the issue affects observant Sikhs , not those Sikh-Americans who entered the military after removing their turbans and shaving their beards and hair . The issue is important for the roughly 500,000-strong American Sikh community , Singh said . Sikhs faced hostility after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks , when people associated them with al Qaeda terrorists because their turbans and beards resembled the militants ' appearance . The Sikh religion was founded in India . `` The perception is still there , '' Singh said . `` We 're sort of still feeling it . '' He said surveys chronicle the problems Sikhs face . Among them is one conducted in the Queens borough of New York City recently in which children reported being on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse , he said . `` These kids are being harassed in New York . It 's Queens , the most diverse county in the United States . If this is happening in Queens , it 's happening in other parts of the country . '' So , he said , the opportunity to serve in the U.S. Army sends the opposite message -- `` that we are part and parcel of the fabric of this country . '' CNN 's Joe Sterling in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report .
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Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi is a doctor in the U.S. Army , practicing Sikh . Army has granted his request for an accommodation to follow the principles of his religion . Sikh Coalition has letter saying ruling applies only to Kalsi 's , not a change of Army policy .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The owner of a taxidermy school in Blanco , Texas , says he 's been receiving more phone calls and attention than he 'd like over the identity of a dead roughly 30-pound , mostly hairless coyote-like creature . This strange creature has sparked a media frenzy in Blanco , Texas . `` I do n't know what it is . ... I do know that I have an odd animal , '' Jerry Ayer said Thursday . He said word spread quickly that he was in possession of an unknown animal -- often speculated in his region to be chupacabras , or mythical creatures , he said . Soon , the local , national and even international media picked up on what he said could be a `` genetically defective coyote . '' `` Chupacabra '' roughly translates from Spanish to `` goat sucker . '' Reported victims are said to have puncture wounds to their necks , supposedly where the chupacabra drained their blood . Watch people examine mystery creature '' `` I do n't believe in the chupacabra , '' Ayer said , adding that he 's been in the midst of a `` media blitz '' -- receiving 50 phone calls from media outlets and citizens , as well as death threats late at night -- since word got out about the strange beast . `` It 's been rough on me , '' he said . `` I 'm almost at the point where I 'm going to take my sign down and hide under a rock somewhere . '' He said he received the body from a former student whose cousin owns the barn where the creature succumbed to poison left for rodents . Before he knew it , he said , word spread that he had a chupacabra . Ayers , who does n't hunt and regards himself as a wildlife artist , said he intends to stuff and mount the animal . He said Texas A&M University has taken tissue samples to determine exactly what it is , and other universities have also reached out to him . `` It 'll probably end up in a museum , '' he said . He 's hopeful the attention will soon die down . `` There 's no way I could teach with this , '' he said , explaining that his school , Blanco Taxidermy School , generally gives one-on-one instruction in the town of about 1,500 people about 50 miles west of Austin . `` I 'm unable to do any of that right now just because of the media frenzy , '' he said .
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Word quickly spread about coyote-like body at Texas school . Owner says he doubts it 's a legendary chupacabra . He has gotten dozens of calls from media , residents . Body came from former student ; it was killed in barn by poison .
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LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jamie Foxx suffered through his own psychological turmoil while plunging into the role of a mentally ill musician in `` The Soloist , '' the actor said . Jamie Foxx plays mentally ill musician Nathaniel Ayers in `` The Soloist . '' Foxx , 41 , revealed that his bond with Nathaniel Ayers was close because of his own yearlong battle two decades ago -- triggered when `` somebody slipped me something in college and I lost my mind . '' `` The Soloist , '' based on a true story , tells how Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez , played by Robert Downey Jr. , discovered the homeless Ayers and helped the former music prodigy , who has schizophrenia . The movie comes out Friday . Foxx , who won an Oscar in 2005 for his portrayal of music legend Ray Charles , said he consulted a psychiatrist because he feared what would happen as he took on Ayers ' personality . `` I asked very foolishly , ` Can I catch schizophrenia ? ' and he says , ` No , you ca n't catch schizophrenia . ' '' The doctor warned him he could experience post-traumatic stress , Foxx said . The Los Angeles Times reported that Foxx suffered `` panic attacks and bouts of paranoia '' during filming . Foxx told of one early morning incident when he got so far into Ayers ' character that he called his manager and said , `` I know why Nathaniel does this and I 'm him ! '' `` I explained what I was feeling to him and he said ` Foxx , you 're not Nathaniel , ' '' he said . Foxx said he had `` a childhood fear of going crazy . '' `` There was a sanitarium in my hometown in Terrell , Texas , called the Terrell State Hospital , and when we would visit I would go , ' I hope that never happens to me , ' '' he said . He left Texas after high school to attend college on a music scholarship in San Diego , California . `` When I was 18 , somebody slipped me something in college and I lost my mind and they had to take me to the hospital , '' Foxx said . `` For 11 months it was tough . '' Another student served as his `` angel , '' just as Lopez helped Ayers , Foxx said . `` He 'd say , ` You 're good , you 're not crazy , everything is fine , I 'm here with you . ' '' Just as Ayers used a cello for comfort , Foxx would use the piano . `` I would play my music to sort of like soothe it , '' Foxx said . His `` bad trip '' subsided after almost a year , but Foxx said he drew on the experience to understand Ayers . `` We had a marriage , myself and Nathaniel , '' he said . `` Here 's a person who happened to be great playing the cello . He happened to go to Juilliard . He happened to go to L.A. , become homeless and run into his angel , Steve Lopez . '' Ayers still lives in Los Angeles and is working part-time as a janitor . The exposure to people who lived on the streets of Los Angeles taught Foxx a positive lesson , he said . `` We had a ball with them , '' he said . `` They love to dance , they love to talk trash . ... They actually had a life . People were smiling and enjoying their lives . '' The Oscar buzz is again building for Foxx , who is firmly established as master of the biopic . He said he and his management have `` carved out our own niche . '' `` They found this beautiful story , which paralleled my life a little bit , '' he said . Foxx said he 's `` got his fingers crossed '' that he will be able to someday bring the character of former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson to the big screen . `` I think there 's a beautiful story in it , not like Ali , '' he said . `` Ali was a story of yesterday when our heroes were heroes , '' he said . `` This is a different type of hero story . It 's a story of today . It 's tragedy . It 's a triumph . It 's all of it put together . '' CNN 's KJ Matthews contributed to this story .
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Jamie Foxx plays mentally ill homeless man in `` The Soloist '' Foxx was frightened by experience : He had `` childhood fear of going crazy '' When he was 18 , someone slipped him `` something '' and Foxx ended up in hospital .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Vimlendu Jha is a natural leader . Just watch him in action . Born in Bihar state in north-eastern India , 27 year-old Vimlendu founded , and now runs the organization Swechha - We for Change Foundation . It started out as his cause-celebre a few years back as he was about to graduate from university in New Delhi . Vimlendu says he was disgusted with the pitiful condition of the river Yamuna , considered the sprawling city 's lifeline . The Yamuna , which originates in the Himalayas and winds its way past the Taj Mahal , accounts for more than 70 percent of New Delhi 's water supply . Yet it is one of the most endangered waterways in India . Vimlendu decided to do something about it . `` Swechha works with young people on issues of environment and citizenship , '' he says . `` Round the year you 'll see me travel to different places outside Delhi , engage with young people ... -LRB- there will be -RRB- a lot of change-making that will happen in my story . I promise you that . '' This story promises to be rich in sound and pictures as well . Keep in mind , Vimlendu is not your average environmentalist . We challenge you to judge for yourself whether he and his organization are making a difference as Be the Change gets under way . Vimlendu lives and works in New Delhi . E-mail to a friend .
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Vimlendu Jha will be reporting on his experiences in New Delhi , India . He founded and runs the organization Swechha - We for Change Foundation . Swechha works with young people on issues of environment and citizenship .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Recent threats and attacks from militant groups have made it almost impossible for the World Food Program to get food to hungry people in southern Somaila , the aid agency said Tuesday . The actions by militant groups have led to a partial suspension food distribution in much of southern Somalia , the agency said in a statement . This has left more than 1 million people in the area in peril , the United Nations food agency said . `` WFP is deeply concerned about rising hunger and suffering among the most vulnerable due to these unprecedented and inhumane attacks on purely humanitarian operations , '' the agency said in a statement . One of the recent threats to the food agency occurred in late November when Islamist militants in Somalia warned the agency to buy food from Somali farmers or stop sending aid to the impoverished African country . That threat came from al-Shabaab , a group that has waged a bloody insurgency against the U.N.-backed government of transitional President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed . Four of the agency 's staff members were killed in Somalia between August 2008 and January 2009 . Despite difficulties in southern Somalia , the agency says it is still dispensing food in the capital city Mogadishu and several other areas . The agency says it is still able to reach more than 60 percent of those in need or about 1.8 million people .
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Recent attacks make it near impossible for aid agencies to deliver food in southern Somalia . The United Nations say more than 1 million people going hungry . The World Food Program says it is under threat from Islamist militants .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Al-Shabaab rebels attacked a town in central Somalia early Saturday , sparking an intense firefight between rival Islamic groups , according to eyewitnesses and local journalists . Al-Shabaab spokesman Sheikh Ali Dere said the Islamist rebel group took control of Dhusomareb after fighting members of Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a , a moderate Muslim group , according to Shabelle Media . However , the rival group claimed it pushed out the al-Shabaab rebels by Saturday evening . While neither side officially claimed casualties , witnesses told a journalist about 30 people died in the fighting . Al-Shabaab is made up of former allies of Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed , who once led the Islamic Courts Union -- the Islamist movement that briefly held power in Mogadishu in 2006 . But while Ahmed and other former members of the ICU accepted a U.N.-brokered peace agreement with the government they once fought , Al-Shabaab -- which the United States says has links to al Qaeda -- has rejected the peace agreement and has waged a bloody campaign against Somalia 's transitional government . The transnational Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a has maintained a strong presence in southern and central Somalia , where it has gathered powerful but small Sufi sects to counter extremist Islamist groups , especially al-Shabaab . Al-Shabaab has been trying to expand its influence farther north in Somalia , including Dhusomareb , the provincial capital of Galgaduud . A U.S. missile strike on Dhusomareb in May 2008 targeted and killed several senior members of al-Shabaab . Journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report .
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Al-Shabaab rebels ' attack sparked an intense firefight Saturday . Islamist rebel group reportedly fought members of Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a . Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a is a moderate Muslim group . Witnesses told a journalist about 30 people died in the fighting .
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CNN -- Michael Chea ca n't forget what they did to him . Though he is standing in the morning sunlight , surrounded by giggling teenagers and chirping birds , his face is twisted by grief . American John Etherton talks to a Liberian about his country 's violent past . He is reliving the moment when he escaped death in the `` land of blood and tears . '' `` In 1990 , I was a very small , and I saw so many things , '' he said . `` The war took us away in the forest , and we started running . They killed my grandmother . They killed my grandfather . They killed my auntie . '' Chea could have easily become just another anonymous victim of war in Liberia . At least 200,000 Liberians were killed in a series of conflicts between 1989 and 2003 that transformed the tiny nation on the west coast of Africa into a wasteland . But Chea found a way to preserve his pain . His story was captured on film by a skinny 27-year-old American college student who is using an interactive video system mounted on a SUV to show others how nations emerging from war can come to terms with their violent past . ` It really feels like the Wild West ' John Etherton , a graduate of Georgia Tech in Atlanta , Georgia , is a `` post-war correspondent . '' He is part of a school program called GTV , or Greater Truth through Voices , that dispatches people through Liberia to record the experiences of war victims like Chea . The Georgia Tech program is n't just concerned with the past ; it 's preparing Liberians for the future . The collected stories will be sent to Liberia 's Truth and Reconciliation Commission , a group formed to rebuild trust among Liberians by identifying war crimes and encouraging victims to come forward . The commission is holding its final hearing this month and is expected to release its final report soon . Liberia is trying to move away from its violent past . It elected Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf , Africa 's first female head of state , as president in 2006 . And the country 's former notorious warlord , Charles Taylor , is being tried for war crimes . But Etherton says the country still feels on edge . Streetlights have bullet holes in them , roads are n't paved or free from bandits , and there 's no electricity in many cities . `` It really feels like the Wild West , '' Etherton said . `` It 's an eerie , surreal feeling to know that this was a war zone five years ago , and people were dying here . '' Now Liberians are trying to learn how to live again . Part of that journey begins with listening to one another 's stories . That is part of the rationale behind Liberia 's commission : A nation that can confront its violent past will have a better shot at a stable future . `` It 's necessary for people to talk and share their stories and engage in debate , '' Mike Best said . The Georgia Tech professor says GTV uses a cartoon character who looks and speaks like a typical Liberian to show war survivors how they can record their stories on the mobile video system . `` Ultimately , some transformative truths will allow people to see themselves in a new way . '' ` Land of blood and tears ' Getting at those truths , though , may require Liberians to sift through some gruesome memories . During its civil wars , various warlords fought for control of the country . The war 's savagery turned surreal at times . It spawned thousands of child soldiers clutching AK-47 assault rifles . It featured soldiers charging into battle wearing blond wigs and amulets that they thought would protect them from bullets . And it was propelled by men like Gen. Butt Naked , a warlord who fought in the nude because he thought it would terrorize his enemies . According to Amnesty International , war crimes became routine . Various armed factions engaged in the arbitrary killings of civilians , systematic rape , forced amputations and the abduction of children . Marguerite Michaels , a journalist who took a tour of the country near the end of its last civil war , said in a Time magazine essay that the psychological damage to Liberia 's war-weary citizens `` can not be fathomed . '' She spoke of the country 's white beaches , marred by corpses sticking out the sand . She called Liberia the `` land of blood and tears . '' Etherton soon learned that that the war did n't just leave its mark on Liberia 's physical landscape . It left its mark on its people . At times , he would share a joke with an easy-going Liberian and learn later that his entire immediate family had been murdered . `` So many people have lost someone , '' he said . `` No one is unscathed . '' Yet getting Liberians to share these stories is n't easy , he says . Many wanted to know whether Etherton was going to provide them with a job when he arrived with his camera . They were n't eager to dredge up painful memories . `` They 're coming out survival mode , '' he said . `` They have n't had the luxury of sitting back and discussing the war . Their attitude is more like , what do we have to do right now to not die . '' The tangled U.S.-Liberian relationship . Violent divisions have been part of Liberia 's history . The country was founded in 1847 by freed slaves traveling from America . During the 19th century , various groups thought the best solution to slavery was returning freed slaves to Africa where they could create colonies . But when freed slaves arrived in Liberia , many recreated the slave-master relationships they experienced in America , historians say . They created a caste system where they were the masters and systematically discriminated against -- and some say enslaved -- the indigenous people of Liberia . Tribal divisions persist in Liberia today , Etherton says . He says he saw evidence of these divisions when President Obama was elected in November . Many Liberians rejoiced but were puzzled when Obama 's opponent , Republican Sen. John McCain , appeared on television to graciously concede the election . `` A lot of people thought that was amazing , '' he said . `` They said that would never happen in Africa . No one would ever gracefully bow out . '' Perhaps the stories collected by Liberia 's Truth and Reconciliation Commission will help teach Liberians how to move forward . It did seem to help Chea , the war survivor , when he shared his story with Etherton . When he speaks about his war experiences , Chea is at first so angry at losing his family that he can barely put his thoughts into words . The muscular young man waves his hands in frustration as he tries to explain what happened to him . Chea says he wishes he had a different childhood , where he did n't have hide for survival in the forest while soldiers hunted down his family . `` In the forest , nothing good I learn , '' he yelled . Then Chea begins to talk about the needs of his country and its war survivors . His voice calms as Etherton keeps the camera rolling . Once , Chea may have been a frightened boy who was hunted by strangers . At least on this day , however , a stranger was treating him like a human being . `` Just to express yourself to someone who cares and to know that your voice is important is very empowering , '' Etherton said later . `` If nothing else , just knowing that someone cares is important . ''
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Liberia is emerging from 14-year war that turned country into wasteland . New effort to collect stories from war survivors is under way . Liberia is still reeling from horrors of war . American in Liberia : ` It 's really feels like the Wild West '
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Pasadena , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Children point at the glass as a long train rounds the bend and Thomas the Tank Engine passes overhead . Outside , a flashing red signal tells neighbors it 's time to hop aboard . Welcome to John and June Sturgeon 's indoor train garden , a collection of model trains the couple have been sharing with friends and neighbors every holiday season for nearly 15 years . `` We love it , that 's why we do it , '' says June Sturgeon . The collection began with a train John 's father gave him as an infant 62 years ago . John still has the train , and many more . The garden has grown to include 11 intertwined train sets , divided into summer and winter scenes . Once the collection outgrew their house , the Sturgeons built a detached building the size of a two-car garage specifically to hold the display year round . `` I venture to say , each year I put at least a hundred hours in here , '' John says . `` That 's before Christmas and setting everything up and changing this around ... and fine-tuning , fixing anything that 's broke . '' Last year , more than 1,200 people followed the lit path to the backyard garage , including regulars like Jason Gauchier and his two children , who come at least once a week when the display is open . `` They 've been looking forward to it for about three months now , '' says Gauchier , who brought his children on opening night as he has for five years . `` And then ... when it closes -LSB- they 're -RSB- looking forward to it next year . '' Besides the regulars , there are first-time guests like Sara Dolan , who came with her granddaughter . `` It 's absolutely wonderful , '' Dolan said , `` all of the extra things that they 've added , it 's just fabulous . '' The collection can be overwhelming at first , with all of the sounds and flashing lights that fill the building . The miniature villages and communities are filled with happy people , living a peaceful life in a different time . With all the wires out of sight , it looks like magic . The Sturgeons have worked consistently to make additions to the train garden . `` Basically it is an all year thing , but the final push is from September 'til now '' June said . Adds John , `` It usually takes us a month or so to get the backyard here all decorated . ... It 's quite a bit of work . '' There 's a separate garage for repairs . `` There 's a train we added this year that has 30 cars on it . Well , it 's 29 cars plus the engine makes it 30 , '' John says . `` I 've tested it a little bit -- I 'm hoping we do n't have any problems with that , cause that 's a pretty long train . So it runs the whole length of a board , approximately 30 feet . '' This year John , a retired police officer , also added a scene with a doughnut delivery truck being robbed as a police cruiser comes to the rescue . The regular guests enjoy seeing the new details , but they also come to see Santa Claus . `` Santa Claus is here every night , every night until Christmas , and most of -LSB- the children -RSB- bring me their wish list , '' John says behind the white beard and red suit . The Sturgeons open their collection for 20 nights each year leading up to Christmas . The evening routine begins with setting up the outside lights and inflatable decorations . Visitors know they 've reached the right place when they see the brightest house on the street , complete with holiday music . The front window of the house has a replica of the leg-shaped lamp from the classic holiday movie `` A Christmas Story '' . `` It does my heart good to see the little sparkle in their eyes when they come around and see Santa or see the trains , and it lights my heart up . ''
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Maryland couple open their indoor train garden to the public each holiday season . Model train collection started with a train given to John Sturgeon as an infant . The collection has grown to 11 intertwined train sets divided into summer and winter scenes . The Sturgeons built a detached garage for the display , which drew 1,200 visitors last year .
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Scotia , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Christina Powell folds the red , white and blue quilt before it is packed up and sent to Andrews Air Force Base , some 400 miles away in Maryland . `` I do n't like seeing so many young people go away and come back wounded , '' Powell says . `` Unfortunately right now it 's just a fact of life and I try to do what I can . `` Our servicemen need to know that it 's not just their family and friends that are supporting them . There 's a whole country rooting for them , and I 'm one . '' The quilt is one of several that Powell and her fellow members of QUILTS -- Quilters United in Learning Together , Schenectady -- have made as part of the Quilts for Injured Soldiers project . `` Several years ago , '' says Powell , `` I heard at our quilting guild meeting that somebody wanted to organize this and get it started in our area , and I thought ' I can do that . ' I can just change the fabrics and make it more patriotic . The more I did the more I wanted to do , and now , I just do it . This is my 27th quilt for this project . '' The quilt Powell recently made for the project is a large bed quilt . `` We have the red , white and the blue , and the stars and the stripes , '' Powell says as she holds up the quilt top . `` It 's perfect , do n't you think ? '' Powell has been quilting for 25 years , and her sewing room is filled with a wide variety of colorful threads and a seemingly endless supply of yard lengths and squares of fabrics she has collected over the years . `` I 've probably made 20 to 30 bed quilts , more than 100 baby quilts for another charity event , and innumerable amounts of wall hangings that I make and give away , '' she says . `` It 's my pleasure to make it and to give it . It just makes me feel good . '' Finished quilts for soldiers are boxed up and sent to Maryland , where the Quilts for Injured Soldiers project began in 2003 . Pat Baker is the project 's chairwoman , and the quilts are delivered directly to her front door in Hughesville , Maryland . `` It 's like Christmas every day when a box comes in , '' Baker says . `` Especially if you 're a quilter . You do n't know what you 're going to get when you open that box . '' As the number of wounded soldiers increased , so did the need for more quilts . Baker and other members of the Quilters Guild of Southern Maryland could n't handle the need , so they put an ad in a national quilting magazine . `` Now , '' Baker says , `` people from all over the United States , Canada and even Australia have donated quilts . '' In her bedroom hallway , several large bags are stuffed full of more than 70 quilts and blankets to be brought to Andrews Air Force Base and handed to the soldiers as they arrive back in the United States . `` Some of our quilts are separated because of the military affiliation . You do n't necessarily want to give an Army guy a Marine-themed quilt , '' Baker says , laughing . `` It 's all one military , but they each love their specific branch . '' A letter is attached to each quilt telling soldiers about the project and thanking them for their service , Baker says . At Andrews , American Red Cross volunteers take over the operation , delivering the quilts to soldiers . Powell 's quilt found its new home with Pfc. Jonathan Winker of the Wisconsin National Guard . Winker returned from Iraq with a crushed foot and bruising on his leg . `` When I was passing through all the hospitals and medical centers on my way home , I noticed all these quilts on pretty much all of the hospital beds , '' Winker says . `` Every one was different , and all of them are really beautiful . I think it 's awesome that they put their time and effort into making these . It 's a great way to say ` thank you ' to the wounded soldiers . '' Winker , whose father and uncle served in the Marines , said he 'll probably put the quilt in his bedroom `` so that it 's close to me all the time . '' On the back edge of Winker 's quilt is a patch sewn in by Powell that reads : `` Thank you for your service to our country . This is a small token of appreciation for all that you have been through . My prayers for you are contained in this quilt . ''
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Group of quilters in New York sends quilts to project helping injured soldiers . Quilts for Injured Soldiers project began in 2003 to help soldiers returning from war . Quilts from around the world are sorted by military affiliation and sent to Andrews Air Force Base . American Red Cross volunteers distribute the quilts to soldiers .
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Boston , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A white van sits at a warehouse loading dock in Boston . Buckled in the front passenger seat is Eeyore , the donkey friend of Winnie the Pooh . `` This is the back seat driver , '' says one of several volunteers removing the stuffed animal and other donated children 's items for the local Toys for Tots campaign . The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve program , which began 62 years ago in Los Angeles , California , now gives Christmas presents to underprivileged children in nearly 700 cities and towns across the country . `` We 're filling orders like crazy , '' says Kay Carpenter , a volunteer and former Marine . She says that while the local campaign seems to be getting more donations this year , the demand also has risen . `` They go out as fast as they come in . '' As large boxes of toys make their way from the loading dock to the warehouse office , volunteers sort the toys by gender and age group and then fill orders they 've received from various charitable organizations in the greater Boston area . `` It 's been tough for everybody with the economic climate the way it is , '' says Betty Whalen , a volunteer who works sorting the toys . She points out the empty bins normally used to store the toys . Volunteers wo n't bother putting new donations in the bins , she says , `` because as soon as we sort all of this and start making up orders , it 'll be gone . '' Last year the economy made it tough for many people , and Toys for Tots was hit hard as well . The Boston office did not have enough toys to fill its orders until some last-minute donations arrived . For 2009 , Carpenter says , `` We 've run out of some toys , but overall , we 're doing better than last year . '' Maj. Allen Porter , who runs the Toys for Tots program in the Dallas-Fort Worth , Texas , area , also sees an increased demand this year . But unlike Boston , donations in his area are down . `` Compared to where we were at last year , '' he said , `` we are a little bit below . '' Nationally , corporate cash donations are down significantly , about $ 1.5 million below where they were this time last year , according to Bill Grein , senior vice president of marketing for Toys for Tots . `` That 's a lot of presents that we would sure like to have , '' he said . Last year , Toys for Tots collected or bought 16.2 million toys , books and gifts , down from 16.6 million the year before , Grein said . Most donations to the campaign are toys , but the organization raised about $ 30 million last year through corporate donations , direct mail , individual contributions and online donations . As an indicator , online donations in November were down 10 to 15 percent from the same time last year , he said . Though the program runs year round , this is the season when larger contributions typically come in . `` Every year we count on getting a few Christmas miracles , '' he said , `` So we 're hoping that things will pick up now . '' For some children , getting a toy has an effect on them that carries through after Christmas morning , Grein said . `` We think that it 's important for children to be able to go back to school and enter into conversation about what they got for Christmas , '' he said . `` It 's a self esteem and self confidence issue that we think is very important . '' Back in Boston , volunteers are taking packaged orders down to the loading dock . Mara Voukidys , from Cambridge Cares About AIDS , watches as her van is loaded with toys . She says for the struggling families who will receive these toys , there is a huge impact . `` At least on Christmas they can give their children a Christmas like any child , '' she said . `` So it 's been a huge help . ''
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Bins used to store toy donations remain empty at Boston Toys for Tots warehouse . Like many charities , the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve program was hit hard by economy . Volunteers say that while donations appear to be up in some areas , demand also has risen . Nationally , corporate cash donations are down by about $ 1.5 million over last year .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a warm , fluorescent-lit clay studio at the Corcoran College of Art + Design , students , faculty and a soft-spoken priest are embarking on a mission . Their goal : Create 500 bowls for a fundraiser to help feed the hungry . `` There are over 9,000 homeless people in the nation 's capital , '' says the Rev. John Adams , who has been trying to break the cycle of homelessness and hunger in Washington for more than 30 years as president of So Others Might Eat . The interfaith , community-based organization , which is in its 40th year , serves more than 1,000 meals a day and provides nearly 300 housing units to homeless and hungry people in Washington . `` We are in sight of the Capitol and still we have many , many homeless people who need our help , '' Adams said . `` We 've seen over a 10 percent increase in the meals we are serving this past year . We 've seen a 17 percent increase in the people coming to our medical clinic . Our housing we provide is 100 percent full . '' -LSB- The recession -RSB- is really affecting the poor . '' Each year , So Others Might Eat hosts an Empty Bowls event where , for a $ 20 donation , guests are served a soup supper and given a handmade clay bowl . The events raise thousands of dollars for the organization , with local potters , studios and schools making and donating the bowls , and restaurants and shops donating the food . This year , for the first time , the group is partnering with the Corcoran to help supply bowls for the fundraiser in March 2010 . The bowls are intended as symbols of hunger . `` It 's a wonderful event to have these artists come here today to help feed the needy in our city , '' Adams says . However , making bowls is no easy task . `` We are working on a collaborative effort with So Other Might Eat , '' says Bob Devers , coordinator of ceramics at the Corcoran College of Art + Design . `` We promised to produce 500 bowls for their charity fundraiser . '' The studio is busy at work , with students and faculty -- and even Adams -- cutting , kneading and spinning the clay into works of art . Corcoran student Jeff Herrity has been working with clay for 10 years , but he 's still excited to sit down and create bowls that someone will put to use . `` It 's great to spend an entire day making bowls and thinking about what they will be used for , Herrity said . `` We get to sit next to our fellow students and learn their techniques . It 's a fun activity for us at the clay program . '' Herrity sits on his stool contently , gazing at the clay shape as it opens up into a bowl , thinking about what will go inside . `` It 's going to have a life after it comes off this wheel , after it gets fired and glazed , it will be used for something . '' As Adams takes a break from designing his first bowl , he looks around and talks with students and faculty . He ca n't help but be impressed . `` We have great artists and great people here who are interested in helping people in the city , '' he says . Taking time to donate their creative energies , especially during the holiday season , means a lot to Adams . `` The holidays remind us of giving thanks for what we have , but also the opportunities we have for reaching out to others that do n't have , '' he says .
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Washington organization sells bowls to raise funds to help the hungry , homeless . Bowls are donated to So Others Might Eat by local potters , studios and schools . For the first time , group is partnering with the Corcoran College of Art + Design . Students and faculty are making 500 bowls for the Empty Bowls fundraiser .
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EL PASO , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- El Paso native Maria Ruiz knows firsthand how different life can be a mere 30-minute drive south of her Texas home . The sight of families living in homes made of wooden pallets pushed Maria Ruiz into action . `` Just by crossing the border , you 're in a Third World country , '' Ruiz said . For 12 years , she 's traveled several times a week to the outskirts of Juarez , Mexico , bringing aid to hundreds of impoverished children and their families . Ruiz 's family has roots in Juarez , but it was n't until 1996 that she ventured outside the city . There , for the first time , she saw poverty in the extreme . People lived in homes made of wooden pallets . The elementary school was built of makeshift materials and had no running water or electricity . Teachers told her that many children were failing because they were hungry . `` My heart went out to those kids , '' Ruiz recalled . `` I could n't just cross my arms and turn away from it . I needed to do something . '' Ruiz got donations from El Paso businesses , and within one week , she was running a food program out of her home . She cooked meals in her kitchen and drove the food south to the Juarez school . She fed approximately 1,200 children every day for three and a half years , until the businesses she depended on for donations shut down in 1999 . But that did n't stop Ruiz from helping the children in Juarez . Now , working with her husband and two children , she gathers donations from around El Paso -- food , clothing , toys , even furniture -- and distributes them at local `` giveaways '' a couple of times a month . This is no easy task . The Mexican government charges customs fees when large amounts of goods are brought across the border . To avoid this , Ruiz makes several trips every week . `` You bring the stuff little by little , like the ants , '' she said . Although the trip south can be just 30 minutes , long lines coming back into the U.S. mean the return trip can take a couple of hours . On top of that , Juarez is at the center of a drug war , so Ruiz needs to take precautions to ensure her safety . But for her , helping kids in need is worth the effort . Watch Ruiz describe why she takes risks to help kids '' `` When you make a child smile , '' she said , `` it 's awesome . '' Although conditions have improved , most families that Ruiz helps still live in poverty , so the Ruiz family has plans to do even more . They 're building a community kitchen with space to feed 500 , an orphanage for 100 residents and a trade school . They work on the complex every weekend , and although there 's more to do , they 're hoping to be open this summer . The very thought of seeing the orphanage up and running makes Ruiz smile . Watch Ruiz describe how she 's helping turn a hill into a haven '' `` It 'll be a dream come true when it happens , '' she said . `` I pray that it is soon . '' Strong religious beliefs help keep Ruiz motivated , and her family 's efforts are part of their ministry , called JEM -LRB- Jesus es Mana -RRB- Ministries . Their Juarez complex even includes a small sanctuary where her husband preaches every Sunday . But Ruiz stresses that they 're happy to help anyone , regardless of their beliefs . `` We are open to the community as a whole , '' she said . `` It 's equal for everybody . '' Watch Ruiz talk about bringing aid across the border '' Ruiz says the children have kept her coming back to Juarez . When she reflects on her work , she does n't consider herself a hero . `` I know I can do much more . ''
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El Paso native Maria Ruiz brings aid to hundreds of impoverished Mexicans . She crosses the border several times a week to the outskirts of Juarez . Her family 's ministry is building community kitchen , orphanage and trade school .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anna Tsuchiya is one of Japan 's most recognized young stars . Model , mother , actress and singer : Tsuchiya is living her life her own way . Born in Tokyo in 1984 to a Japanese mother and an American father , as a teenager , Anna started modeling , gracing the pages of fashion magazines . That later led to an acting career , starring in such movies as `` Kamikaze Girls '' and `` Sakuran . '' Taking on non-traditional female roles is something Tsuchiya enjoys , as mush because it fits in with here own self image as a bit of an outsider . `` It 's fun to act that kind of character who is said by others to be a ` bad girl ' but in fact she has a good heart , and that fits me , '' she told CNN 's Kyung Lah . `` It would be good if many people could establish good relations in their dealings with others by pure and genuine relations rather than what is on the surface . That is the reason I am fond of acting such characters . '' More recently , Anna been taking to the stage , as a punk rock singer . `` My music might have an image of being ` hard ' but in fact it expresses human emotions . So it is different from the surface image and it expresses deeper messages which have emerged from inside , '' she said . With her twin career as actress and singer , she has become something of a role model for young Japanese , especially as her life and work are far removed from the traditional role for Japanese women . `` There is an image of women by which someone dictates how it should be . Nobody could say ` yes ' to that image as the right model . We only get one life . I am a woman but I am doing and want to do things that I feel are cool , '' she told CNN . Since becoming a mother three years ago , Tsuchiya has developed a more mature attitude to life : `` What has changed very much is that I before I had my baby I lived just for myself . But now the child is more important than myself . '' Her more sanguine attitude was compounded by tragedy when her ex-husband died in May 2008 . `` Death is a sad thing but it has to happen and time can never be reversed . I happen to think that when I die I do n't want to see people around weeping forever . I think he would have felt the same way , '' she told CNN . `` So if I had been caught up with sorrow he would have been upset . Rather than being overcome , I say I accept the reality . '' Despite the setback and tragedies , with Tsuchiya 's unique career in the ascendancy , her future looks bright .
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Anna Tsuchiya is one of Japan 's most recognizable actresses and singers . Born and raised in Tokyo by Japanese mother and Polish-American father . Started as a model and moved into acting before launching musical career .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jero is making old , new again in Japan . African-American Jero is famous for singing Japanese enka . The 27-year-old American has made a name for himself singing enka , a traditional form of lounge music that flourished in 1940 's Japan . It seems an unlikely musical style for the Pittsburgh native to pursue . Enka 's fan based comes generally from an older generation and is practically unknown outside of Japan , with simple song themes about love and loss . But Jero , real name Jerome White , with his youth , hip-hop look and fine singing voice has propelled enka into the 21st century and captured a new audience . It was the influence of his Japanese grandmother that first led him on the path to enka . She ensured that Jero was aware of his connection to the culture of Japan and sang enka songs in Japanese with him when he was young . He went on to study Japanese at high school and spent time in Japan while on an exchange with the University of Pittsburgh . After he graduated he moved to Japan , working as a computer scientist and teaching English . His big break came when he appeared on an amateur singer TV show . On the back of that success he released his first single in early 2008 , promoting it with live appearances in record stores and the odd impromptu street performances . It shot up the Japanese singles chart , reaching No 4 , the highest ever position for a first time enka release . Watch the show on CNN as we spend time with him in a karaoke spot in Tokyo and find out how he 's dealing with sudden fame in a foreign country .
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Jero has made traditional Japanese enka songs hip and found new audience . He sang enka with his Japanese grandmother when he was a young boy . Found success on talent show and first single made No. 4 in charts .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the 20th anniversary of the reunification between East and West Germany approaches , the country 's leader says Germany has become `` culturally richer '' as a result . `` We 're pleased that the Eastern states have become much stronger , that a lot has been put into action and that Germany has become culturally richer , '' German Chancellor Angela Merkel told CNNI 's `` Connect the World '' on Monday . `` I think it 's a wonderful story . '' The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 paved the way for reunification a year later with the collapse of Soviet-backed communist governments across Eastern Europe . Germany will officially mark the reunification milestone on Sunday . Merkel , the first former East German to lead the reunified country , praised Germany 's strides toward accepting multiculturalism , despite tense relations with the Muslim community across Europe . `` We 've taken a remarkable step forward here in Germany , '' she said . `` Before we spoke of multiculturalism , of parallel societies or even in my own party there were those who spoke about guest workers who would soon leave Germany . We 've all understood now that immigrants are a part of our country . They have to speak our language , they have to receive an education here . '' Merkel also expressed optimism for Germany 's economic future . `` It 's not guaranteed that the growth we 're experiencing now will continue over the years , but I think overall we 've acted smartly , G20 worked together well and I 'm definitely optimistic that we can get through it , if we regulate the markets prudently and when we find the correct exit strategy after this expensive stimulus program , '' she said . CNN 's Becky Anderson contributed to this report .
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The country will mark the 20th anniversary of reunification on Sunday . Merkel is the first former East German to lead the reunified country . She praises strides made since the West and East merged in 1990 .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sim Van der Ryn has been a leader in sustainable architecture for over 40 years . As well as creating a portfolio of inspiring green designs -- notably the 1977 Bateson Building in Sacramento -- he is also a teacher and an author . His most recent book `` Design for Life '' traces his ancestral and ecological design roots . Principal Voices talked to Van der Ryn about the passion which continues to consume his life . Sim Van der Ryn has dedicated his working life to integrating nature 's principals into his designs . CNN : What inspired you to become an architect ? Sim Van der Ryn : Probably was when I was 14 , I worked out on a farm helping a handyman build a Cape Cod cottage from a set of ten dollar magazine plans . I just thought the whole process of translating from a two-dimensional set of drawings to a three-dimensional reality was exciting . CNN : At that time , was there anything that you were interested in pursuing ? SVdR : Let 's see . I had a tendency towards art -- painting , drawing and sculpture . But my parents were really practical and told me that was n't a suitable profession ! CNN : Was ecological architecture always something you wanted to pursue ? SVdR : My first interest was really in what we called Post-Occupancy Evaluation -LRB- POE -RRB- . I was interested in the social side of architecture , because it seemed to me that you read architectural criticism and , you know , there was no criteria other than subjective , especially when you consider how a building works for people . I helped found POE which never really went very far . Later on I was the Chief Architect for the State of California and I had money to do that -LSB- POE -RSB- but none of my client agencies wanted to do that . CNN : What is/was POE ? SVdR : There is an international association called the Environmental Design Research Association which kind of grew out of POE . I started it together with this English woman called Clare Cooper Marcus who was teaching at Berkeley -LSB- University of California -RSB- . She did an evaluation of public housing projects . And at the same time a fellow called Oscar Newman wrote a book called `` Defensible Space '' , which was an attack on what was then the standard -- Corbu -LSB- Le Corbusier -RSB- , high rise public housing -- which turned out to actually dynamite a number of projects in this country -- in Chicago , St Louis . CNN : When you were starting out who did you look up to in the architectural world ? SVdR : The biggest influence on me was Buckminster Fuller who was a peripatetic character who would show up at schools . He really provided a larger vision that was far more than just designing a building . And that for me was the kind of Satori moment -- learning from him that the issue was much larger than the building . I never forgot that . He was thinking in `` whole systems '' terms and I have been ever since . And then my work was always involved in socially orientated architecture -- when we still cared about that in this country . I worked on migrant farm labor housing , I built a lot of prefab systems based on Fuller 's work . I was a refugee from Holland and as I say in my book -LSB- Design for Life -RSB- I found who I was just kind of being in the leftover pieces of nature that were in New York city -- during the war construction stopped . So that was a huge influence in shaping my life . I lived in New York but I left as soon as I could . I really not much of an urbanist . I believe in cities , but basically , my work is n't very urban . I like to build in places where nature is . CNN : After the 1973 oil crisis did you notice a change in mood ? Was n't there more of a push towards sustainable architecture during that period ? SVdR : No , that was n't really true of most places . I was fortunate to hook up with Jerry Brown . He liked the outsiders . His great genius , when he was Governor -LSB- of California -RSB- , was bringing all these outsiders to run these agencies that had always been run by insiders . That was a great gift . The oil embargo of 1973 did wake some people up . -LSB- President -RSB- Carter got it but was n't able to sell it . We did have some federal initiatives and in California we have some very strong state initiatives that I 'm proud to say that I had a role in creating . That did make a huge difference . But then of course Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980 and we just went to sleep for the next twenty-eight years . CNN : Of all the buildings you 've created , do you have a favorite ? SVdR : Some of them are very process related . The early work where I had this class in 1971 and we built this little village out of reclaimed materials . That was a huge huge learning experience and that was a kind of a rehearsal for then doing this Farallones Institute -- Integral Urban House at Berkeley -- which Fine Homebuilding magazine called `` the birth of green '' , which was a nice thing to say because it was n't particularly pretty ! We were just fooling around , figuring stuff out . So those are some of the process/learning projects . Of that early period I think the Bateson Building has held up really well for 30 years . It created quite a bit of change and awareness in the building and architectural community . The fact that you could reduce energy consumption not just by 40 percent -- which was mandated by the laws we passed -- but by 80 percent . That 's a landmark favorite for me . Of a recent one , I would say the Kirsch Center -LSB- for Environmental Studies -RSB- . Another is the Solar Living Center in Hopland . I talk about second generation ecological design where we have a much higher level of integration . A lot of the first experiments were just trying to maximize one thing like the sun and then the more we learned we realized we could integrate everything . In terms of experimentation , craftsmanship and beauty the Klein house -LSB- more commonly known as The Guitar House -RSB- is a kind of favorite . We worked on it for five or six years . I think of it as an experimental project because it 's crazy in terms of four people living in that much space , but just in terms of an exercise and working with new materials like rammed earth it is quite beautiful . CNN : Are you still teaching ? SVdR : No , I have no formal associations with an institution . That part of my life is over . CNN : But students must contact you all the time wanting advice though . What do you tell them ? SVdR : Well , I have an association with down in Arizona called the Eco-Institute . I go there once or twice a year . It 's good because it 's a community -- 15-20 students -- who work on real projects . I tell them to go there . CNN : What 's your view on architecture education being taught now ? SVdR : I think that architectural education is pretty broken in terms of what we need to be dealing with today . They may have a few courses on sustainability , one or two people on a faculty in a large school who care about this stuff , but they are marginalized . CNN : Who , out of the current crop of big name architects , do you admire ? SVdR : Of the British , Norman Foster ... CNN : Richard Rogers ? SVdR : And Rogers . I think they 're both really good most of the time . I like Frank Gehry because I think he 's a real person . He 's made huge breakthroughs in terms of using computers to design complex surfaces . CNN : Calatrava ? SVdR : Incredible . Maybe more as an engineer than an architect . I like the people who are organic and he 's actually very organic particularly as an engineer . The architecture maybe a little less so . He did this bridge -LSB- Sundial Bridge -RSB- up in northern California . I think his bridges are remarkable . People like Cameron Sinclair , I really admire what he is doing . If I were 40 years younger I 'd be doing that . And also Ken Yeang . I think he 's good because of anyone doing larger buildings he 's one of the ecological pioneers who 's really thinking about them in a climatic sense . There are a lot of good architects who do n't ever get a lot of attention . But , you know , architecture still operates with this fountainhead mystique which is such garbage . CNN : How do your methods of engagement with a project differ from the `` normal '' processes an architect would go through ? SVdR : I focus a lot on process and on collaboration . We do n't try and sell anybody anything . I spend more time interviewing clients than I do trying to sell them something . I 'm not sure what the normal architectural process is , but currently it 's bureaucratic . It 's all governed by metrics . What it seldom gets at is ; what are your aspirations ? What are you trying to do ? The real questions do n't get answered very much . Now we have LEED and that 's become the new excuse not to think . And it 's not that it is bad . It is an incremental improvement but given what 's happening on the planet right now it 's not enough . And the sad thing is that we 've wasted 30 years . We 're gon na pay big time for that . Maybe we can play catch up but it 's going to take a huge shift .
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Pioneer of sustainable architecture Sim Van der Ryn talks to CNN about his work . The Bateson Building in Sacramento still regarded as an a icon of ecological design . Former Chief Architect for California worried that LEED regulations are n't enough .
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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It may look like an air mattress you might see lying around next to a swimming pool but in reality its function could n't be less trivial . The Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin could play a major role in saving lives in the developing world . The Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin -LRB- SWDT -RRB- -- a new portable water purifier -- could be a major step forward in the fight against disease and mortality in the Third World . Eric Olsen , a San Francisco-based architect and the inventor of the SWDT believes the product could help eradicate the scourge of polluted water which the World Health Organization -LRB- WHO -RRB- estimate claims over 1.5 million lives every year . Not only does it purify water -- up to 20 liters -- it makes it more portable in large quantities -- a vital dual role in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Central Asia where access to clean water is often scarce . `` There are lots of products that do one or the other , '' Olsen told CNN . `` There 's a really interesting product that 's been around for 10 or 12 years called the Hippo Water Roller -- a 20 gallon drum with a handle attached that allows people -- mostly women -- to transport a week 's worth of water back home '' . Olsen also points to another product developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology -LRB- Eawag -RRB- that has successfully tackled water impurities . According to Eawag SODIS -LRB- Solar Water Disinfection Process -RRB- is already used by more than two million in over 30 countries . `` The idea of SWDT , '' he says , `` is to combine these two products and make them into something that can do both roles effectively '' . Made out of a top layer of recycled low-density polyethylene -LRB- LDPE -RRB- and a bottom layer of durable rubberized nylon , the SWDT is both flexible and robust . Its design was morphologically inspired by the saguaro cactus and is adaptable to a variety of situations -- as a wrap to carry or placed on the roof of a mud hut -- and is easy to store . The SWDT uses passive solar radiation -- a water sterilizing method approved by WHO -- which disrupts the reproduction of microorganisms . Heat and UVA radiation from the sun pass through the LDPE layer and into the water cavity and are reflected back by the bottom layer of nylon . On a sunny day purification takes five hours . Olsen admits that its performance is hampered by its low density -- scratches to the surface mean it does n't transmit the sun 's rays as effectively -- but he is confident that this can be overcome with more research . Production using a Radio Frequency Welding equipment may be relatively expensive but Olsen says that the raw materials are cheap and the labor is inexpensive . `` We are trying to imagine ways that this thing can be made and repaired by people where it is most needed , '' he said . `` We are working on a sheet welding process which is much lower tech , inexpensive and also capitalizes on the handcraft skills of local people '' . What started out as a solo effort a little over a year ago has gradually grown into a collaborative project . Olsen 's students at the California College of Arts , where he currently teaches -- he moves to a new post at Woodbury University this fall -- have lent their enthusiasm and experts from the bioscience and textile industries are increasingly coming on board . Olsen 's efforts have already been recognized . The SWDT won first prize in the 2008 Next Generation Design Competition run by Metropolis Magazine -- netting him $ 10,000 -- and he is waiting for conformation that the invention has been selected for Wired Magazine 's Next Fest show which takes place in Chicago later this year . So what next for Olsen and his invention ? The aim is to adapt the original design and turn it from a water carrying wrap into a fully fledged coat and he 's also looking at ways the material might be redrawn as a tent . He 's currently in the process of trying to qualify for non-profit status . And with the likes of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other institutions out there , he thinks the prospects for funding development and deployment look promising .
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The Solar Water Disinfecting Tarpaulin aims to reduces disease and death . The award-winning design by Eric Olsen is portable as well as a being a purifier . Flexible and robust the design is morphologically inspired by the saguaro cactus .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A middle-of-the-night fight , a surprise pullout from the Grammy Awards , leaked photos , a police investigation -- new pieces of the puzzle of the alleged assault of pop singer Rihanna by her boyfriend Chris Brown have been emerging since early February . Singers Rihanna and Chris Brown , shown performing in December , are rumored to be back together . Then , nearly three weeks after the alleged battery , the couple was reportedly together again . The reconciliation was reported just days before Brown 's arraignment , which is expected Thursday in Los Angeles , California . Update : Chris Brown charged with two felonies . Brown , 19 , has issued an apology for `` what transpired '' but neither he nor Rihanna , who just turned 21 , has directly addressed the allegations . Many would ask why anyone would return to an abusive partner after leaving , but therapists who treat both abusers and victims say it 's common . The effect is like a `` pendulum of pain , '' said Steven Stosny , counselor and founder of the anger and violence management program CompassionPower , which treats people convicted of abuse in the home . Abuse victims will `` leave out of either fear , anger or resentment , '' he said . `` But then , after the fear , anger or resentment begins to subside , they feel guilt , shame , anxiety , and that takes them back . '' After a violent incident , there is often a `` honeymoon period '' during which the abuser may apologize profusely , give the victim gifts and persuade the victim to stay , experts say . But when that period is over , the abuser may once again become violent . Blog : The tangles of domestic abuse . The reasons for returning to an abusive partner may relate to the days of early humans , who had to fend for themselves in the wild . The powerful psychological mechanisms that lead people to stay in abusive relationships may have developed for survival reasons , Stosny said . `` To leave an attachment relationship -- a relationship where there 's an emotional bond -- meant certain death by starvation or saber-tooth tiger , '' he said . Abuse happens in both low-income and high-income couples , said Joanna Snawder , who counsels students and community members at the Metropolitan State College of Denver in Colorado . A wealthy woman who has never worked may not want to change her lifestyle , while a poor woman may be financially dependent on her boyfriend or husband . Regardless , women may not want to break off an abusive relationship because they are afraid to be independent , do n't know how to take care of themselves or do n't want to face shame from friends and family , she said . Sometimes the abuser can get his partner to stay with him through manipulation , for instance , telling a woman that he will kill himself if she leaves him , said Mark Crawford , a clinical psychologist based in Roswell , Georgia . Crawford has seen many women stay in relationships because they could n't bear the guilt of an outcome such as this . `` There are some women who need to be needed so badly they 'll put up with anything , '' Crawford said . `` Even if the guy beats the crap out of them , they just feel that responsible for the other person . '' The term `` the cycle of abuse '' is often used to describe how coming from an abusive family is believed to make an individual more likely to be an abuser or to stay in an abusive relationship . `` Unless we do a lot of psychological work , we often repeat family structures and dynamics that seem normal to us , '' Snawder said . On the other hand , some people who grow up in abusive households do not repeat the behavior they saw at home , she said . One student Snawder advises voluntarily went back to her abusive boyfriend after having a restraining order placed against him . They are together , but the man is assaulting the young woman again . `` It 's really important that a woman reach out and get support from friends , family or a counselor who can help her see that she does n't have to go back to that relationship , '' she said . Men are n't always the abusers . There are relationships in which the woman is the abuser and the man is the victim , and all of the behavioral patterns happen in reverse . For instance , the woman makes the man feel like it 's his fault for being beaten , Crawford said . `` Those men just do n't have the sense of self to say ` This is not acceptable , ' '' he said . Stosny 's celebrity clients who have been abusive to their romantic partners may have been negatively affected by their rise to fame early in life , he said . They see themselves as above others , and feel they are entitled to punch someone whenever they feel like it . `` I had one professional basketball player who sexually assaulted a girl . He really in his heart did n't believe that she did n't want to have sex with him , '' Stosny said . Can there ever be a happy ending for an abusive relationship ? Experts agree that it 's unusual , but a relationship in which a partner has been violent can become healthy again if , and only if , the abusive person seeks counseling to change his or her mindset . `` If you do n't believe that you have a problem , and you believe the person drove you to it , you 're going to have a really hard time seeing that you have a problem , '' Snawder said . In practice , however , the victim usually just needs to move on to someone else , she said .
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Chris Brown and Rihanna are reportedly back together despite rumors he beat her . A victim 's return to her abuser is common , therapists who treat both say . Women who are beaten often feel overwhelming guilt , shame and anxiety . Abuser may try to psychologically manipulate victim into thinking it 's her fault .
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-LRB- Health.com -RRB- -- More than one in 10 women develops depression during pregnancy . Now , a new study suggests that women who are treated with antidepressants are more likely to give birth early or to have newborns that need to spend time in a neonatal intensive care unit . Babies of women taking SSRIs were born earlier and were more likely to have been admitted to intensive care . Depression itself can have ill effects for both mom and baby . Therefore , the benefits of the antidepressants -- known as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors -- may still outweigh the risks for some women , researchers say . `` There is no easy way out of this , '' says Dr. Tim Oberlander , a developmental pediatrician at BC Children 's Hospital , in Vancouver , Canada , who has studied the effects of SSRIs on children exposed in the womb , but was not involved in the current study . `` Depression needs to be managed , and for some women , the use of these medications is appropriate and necessary . '' Health.com : 3 Signs you should stop , adjust , or switch antidepressants . The new study , led by Dr. Najaaraq Lund , of Aarhus University , in Denmark , found that babies whose mothers had taken SSRIs were born earlier and were more likely to require treatment in an NICU . Women have been using SSRIs during pregnancy since the early 1990s , Lund and her colleagues point out in the report , which is published in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine . These drugs , which include Zoloft , Prozac , and others , are widely considered to be the safest type of antidepressant medication to take during pregnancy . It 's been difficult to confirm their safety , however , especially since investigators have to find a way to distinguish between the effects of depression itself -- and habits that depressed women may be more likely to engage in , like drinking and smoking -- and the drug on the newborn . Health.com : Do pregnancy and bipolar disorder mix ? Lund and her colleagues tackled this issue by including a group of women who reported a history of some type of psychiatric illness but were n't taking SSRIs . Some , but not all , of these women had suffered from depression . `` Using this group as a comparison group takes into account possible genetic or lifestyle factors associated with present or previous psychiatric disorders , '' the researcher notes . The analysis included 329 women who took SSRIs in pregnancy , 4,902 with a history of psychiatric illness who were n't taking the drugs , and 51,770 women who reported no history of psychiatric illness and were n't taking SSRIs . All had received prenatal care at Aarhus University Hospital between 1989 and 2006 . Babies of women taking SSRIs were born an average of five days earlier than those born to women who had no mental illness , and were twice as likely to be born preterm . The babies whose mothers took SSRIs were 2.4 times as likely to have been admitted to the NICU than infants who had n't been exposed to the drugs in utero . They were also more than four times as likely to have Apgar scores below eight , just five minutes after birth . -LRB- Apgar scores measure an infant 's health at birth by looking at his or her breathing , heartbeat , reflexes , muscle tone , and skin color ; scores of seven and above are considered normal , and a newborn 's Apgar score has no influence on how he or she will fare later in life . -RRB- . There was no difference between SSRI-exposed babies and unexposed babies in head circumference or birth weight . Antidepressant medication is just one part of the equation in addressing women 's mental health during pregnancy , notes Oberlander , who says depression in pregnancy is a `` huge public health issue '' with lasting implications for women and their children . Helping ensure that women are getting enough social support and adequate nutrition is essential , he adds , while alternative treatments for depression -- such as exercise , light therapy , and omega-3 fatty acids -- ought to be explored further . `` In general , optimizing non-pharmacological treatment would be a really important step , '' he says . He explains that it is essential to follow SSRI-exposed babies as they grow up , to identify any problems and intervene as necessary . However , he and Lund agree that it 's still unclear whether the differences seen at birth will have lasting effects on a child 's development and health . Health.com : 6 Rules for a healthy postpartum slim-down . `` As depression itself can influence birth outcome in a negative direction , treatment is warranted in some cases based on the existing body of evidence , '' Lund says . `` In cases with mild or moderate symptoms , psychotherapy can be used as an alternative treatment . In severe cases and in patients with a history of recurrent , severe depression , continuation or initiation of treatment might be the best option . `` Every single case should be considered individually , and the decision should be made by the woman and her ob-gyn and psychiatrist , '' she says . Health.com : Why you can not wait to treat postpartum depression . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Danish study finds babies whose mothers took antidepressants were born earlier . Babies of mothers who took SSRIs were 2.4 times likely to be in intensive care . It 's unclear whether differences seen at birth will have lasting effects on child .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Sometimes you can forget about the preciousness of life , '' hospital spokesman Allen Poston thumbed onto his Blackberry after peering into an operating room where a team of 15 doctors and medical staff separated conjoined twins in six hours in surgery . Two-month-old twins Preslee and Kylee Wells required surgical separation . `` I 'm standing here in the operating room looking at the exposed beating heart of Preslee Wells , '' he wrote as he walked the halls at the Children 's Hospital of Oklahoma University Medical Center . On Monday afternoon , 2-month-old Preslee and her conjoined sister , Kylee , rolled onto their own backs for the first time , he said . Poston , who updated friends and relatives on the surgery with constant posts from his hospital blog , snapped photos of each girl and showed them to friends and family who had been in the hospital waiting room since early Monday . The news of the operation 's success prompted a gush of emotion , breaking the silence that had once filled the room , Poston said . After two months of waiting , the two girls were surgically separated . `` We waited because we wanted the organs to get a little bigger , a little stronger , '' Poston had told CNN over the phone earlier Monday . `` The primary concern was cardiac connection . '' After cardiac imaging , doctors determined there was `` very little -LSB- cardiac -RSB- connection , '' but they remained concerned about a `` liver bridge '' connecting the twins . That bridge , Poston said , posed the greatest operational risk because of its dual use by the twins . Born October 25 in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , to Stevie Stewart and Kylie Wells , the twins are being monitored in the hospital 's neonatal intensive care unit . They are listed in critical condition . `` Today , they leave the OR in two different cribs , one following the other , still close in proximity , but might as well have been a mile apart , '' Poston wrote . `` And that is exactly what everybody was hoping for . ''
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2-month-old Preslee and her conjoined sister , Kylee , were in surgery for 6 hours . They rolled onto their own backs for the first time Monday , spokesman said . Twins are currently being monitored in a hospital 's neonatal intensive care unit .
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Louisville , Kentucky -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Detective Steve Watts is locking up another accused pain pill addict . But he 's seen this suspect before . She 's back in handcuffs for the second time in less than a week . The charge this time , like it was just four days ago , is fraudulently obtaining prescription medication . For Watts and the other detectives of the Louisville Police Department Prescription Drug Diversion Squad , it will be one of 500 to 600 arrests they make each year . Even with arrests nearly every day , `` We 're just scratching the surface , '' according to Watts . The number of investigations the unit initiates is up 148 percent compared with a year ago . It can be surprisingly easy to get prescription narcotics that are highly addictive , and they 're highly profitable on the street . But detectives in Louisville say most of the people they arrest are n't in it for the money . Instead , they get pills to support their own habit , and police say they have a variety of methods for feeding their addiction . A former nurse will use her medical training to impersonate a doctor to call in fake prescriptions to a pharmacy and simply go in and pick up her drug of choice . Others use prescription pads stolen from physicians or `` doctor shop '' by getting legitimate prescriptions from multiple doctors who are unaware of what other drugs their patients are already taking . Watts sees his job as giving those he arrests a wake-up call . `` If I can make this the worst day of her life so that tomorrow she will seek treatment , then I 've won , '' he said . Kentucky is among the top states in the country for prescription pill abuse , according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health . `` People think that , well , it 's authorized by my doctor , we can pick it up at any of the local retailers on the corner , and that prescription abuse is not really a problem , '' Watts said . The vast majority of those Watts and his fellow detectives arrest start their addiction with legitimate needs for pain medication from something such as a car accident . But then they ca n't stop . That 's what worries physicians such as Dr. David Greene . `` We know that narcotics are potentially addictive -- we do n't know who might become addicted and who might not , '' he said . Greene practices in eastern Kentucky , where he says prescription pill abuse is rampant . `` It 's come to the point where there are few people who do n't have someone in their family or know someone who 's had problems with addiction , overdose or abuse , '' Greene said . When patients come looking for a prescription for powerful pain medication , doctors like him are forced to determine whether the need is real or whether the patient might be an addict . `` There 's no test for pain , '' Greene said . `` The only thing we have to go on is what they tell us , and I generally believe my patients . But most people who are going to lie to you are much better liars than you are at detecting . '' One of those patients who Greene says fooled him was a 79-year-old grandmother who was selling her pills out of her nursing home . If the patient is an addict , doctors refuse them at their own peril . In December , a man came into Dr. Dennis Sandlin 's rural clinic in Perry County , Kentucky , looking for a prescription . Sandlin demanded that he take a urinalysis test to check for drugs in his system . Later that morning , the patient returned and shot and killed Sandlin . `` My dad was writing in a chart at the nurse 's station . Someone heard my dad say , ` You do n't want to do this . I take care of a lot of elderly people . ' And he said , ` well you did n't help me ' and that 's when he shot him , '' Sandlin 's daughter Danielle said . Danielle is now working to raise awareness of the dilemma doctors face in prescribing pain medication . Her father , she said , was rigorous about prescribing pain medication . `` He would drug test the pope if he came in asking for something . '' Greene has encountered intimidating patients in his clinic as well . `` Physical violence is a real fear . We have people who come in who are threatening and abusive , '' he said . After having one patient impersonate him , Greene no longer calls in controlled substances prescriptions into local pharmacies . Some doctors , fearing either physical violence or contributing to addiction , have stopped prescribing pain medication altogether . That puts doctors such as Greene , who do prescribe , in a difficult position . `` No matter what you do , you 're going to have an unintended consequence , '' Greene said . `` If you refuse to prescribe , you 'll end up with people suffering . And if you do prescribe , you 'll find patients diverting them , selling them , using them for recreation . '' The solutions , police and doctors say , range from electronic prescriptions that would be difficult to forge to a national prescription database that would allow doctors to see what other drugs a pill-seeking patient is already taking . Danielle Sandlin is pushing for some kind of reform in the wake of her father 's death . `` He lost his life for something as silly as a pill . ''
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Louisville Police 's drug squad arrests 500-600 people annually . Detective : Most people get prescription narcotics to support their own habits . Many patients `` doctor shop '' and try to intimidate physicians into writing out prescriptions .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Christina Pearson was half-bald at age 13 . She just could n't stop pulling her hair , and ended up taking out every lock from the tops of her ears to the crown of her head . Trichotillomania is such a stigmatizing disorder that people will go to great length to hide it , experts say . `` It was absolutely terrifying because I was a very bright child , and doing great in school , '' she said . `` The doctor had no idea what it was . '' Pearson continued pulling her hair throughout her teens , 20s , and early 30s . It was n't until she was 33 that she learned her condition had a name : trichotillomania . She became inspired to start an organization , called the Trichotillomania Learning Center , to help other sufferers of the disorder . It turns out that this condition , characterized by the urge to pull hair from one 's body , affects about 2 to 4 percent of the population , according to the Trichotillomania Learning Center . A new study published this week in the Archives of General Psychiatry may hold promise for those who compulsively pull their hair . Researchers say participants who took an antioxidant called N-acetylcysteine , sold over the counter at vitamin stores , had significant improvement over patients who took placebos . The dietary supplement used in the study is known for its benefits to the kidneys and liver , said lead author Dr. John Grant at the University of Minnesota Medical Center , who is on the advisory board of the Trichotillomania Learning Center . More recently it has been shown to affect glutamate , a chemical messenger in the brain that seems to be involved in compulsive repetitive behaviors , he said . The sample size was small -- 50 people -- but the study has generated enthusiasm among trichotillomania researchers . `` This is one of the bigger advances we 've had within this field in a long time , '' said Doug Woods , associate professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin , Milwaukee . Psychologists are still debating how to categorize trichotillomania , Woods said . Many believe it is related to obsessive compulsive disorder , but others liken it to addictions or impulse control disorders . Researchers are unsure of exactly what goes on in the brain with this disorder . Some people with trichotillomania feel pleasure in pulling hair , while others describe it as `` calming , '' and still others have no idea why they do it , Grant said . There may be differences in the brain pathways among people with the condition , he said . For Pearson , pulling hair up made her feel as if her whole nervous system lit up , she said . `` Basically my fingers would search for a texture , a certain type of hair , when I found it , I would pull it out , '' she said . `` I would feel like I had found gold . '' The condition affects primarily women and usually begins in childhood or adolescence , Woods said . The term , coined in 1889 by a Greek physician , comes from the Greek words for its features : `` tricho '' means `` hair , '' `` till '' means `` to pull , '' and `` mania '' means `` frenzy . '' Long before the disorder had a name , the idea of compulsive hair-pulling had been known for hundreds of years , Woods said . The two main kinds of medications that have been used for trichotillomania are selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors -- SSRIs , used for depression -- and the OCD drug chlorimipramine , Woods said . The antidepressants may help patients ' anxiety and depression but do n't actually help the pulling , whereas chlorimipramine has been shown to dampen the pulling impulse somewhat . But the treatment that has demonstrated the most effectiveness so far is behavior therapy , Woods said . The dietary supplement probably will not replace the need for behavioral therapy , but future research may find that they two approaches work well together , Grant said . Before trying N-acetylcysteine , people should consult their physicians , particularly to determine whether there are interactions that the supplement could have with other medications the patient already takes , Grant said . Experts say there are still many people who compulsively pull their hair and do n't know that they are not the only ones . Trichotillomania is such a stigmatizing disorder that people will go to great lengths to hide it -- to explain bald spots to acquaintances , some patients will lie and say they had cancer , Woods said . `` I have talked to patients who have pulled for 25 years , and their husbands do n't even know it , they hide it so well , '' he said . People with the disorder do n't just pull from their heads -- they also pull hair from their eyebrows , eyelashes , and pubic regions , Woods said . Living with the disease , Pearson at times felt suicidal . She dropped out of high school because she was terrified of her friends finding out . `` There was a time in my early 20s when I really , seriously considered , could I cut my hands off and live my life ? '' she said . `` My hands were my enemies , because they pulled my hair . '' To manage her condition 18 years ago , Pearson tried relaxation techniques for the situations that led to her pulling . For example , she tended to pull her hair while driving , so she bought thin leather gloves and told herself that she could not remove them -- or pull her hair -- until she turned the car off . Today , there are many more strategies available to help people identify the triggers for hair-pulling and figure out the best way to control the impulses in those situations , Pearson said . The Trichotillomania Learning Center has assisted more than 100,000 people in some way since 1991 , Pearson said . The organization holds conferences , retreats , professional training sessions , and other programs to help people manage the disorder . The center also helps health care professionals learn about treating people for the condition . `` To experience the entrapment of this type of compulsion , and then to experience the freedom of living without it is a gift I wish for everyone , '' Pearson said . For more information on getting help for trichotillomania , visit the Trichotillomania Learning Center .
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People with trichotillomania uncontrollably pull their head and body hair out . Study : Dietary supplement may help people with trichotillomania . In the past it has been treated with antidepressants and OCD medication . There are also behavioral strategies available .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mike Loverde was 29 when his family intervened in his addiction to prescription painkillers . He remembers his parents driving him from Chicago , Illinois , to a rehab center in rural Indiana . He was crying because he wanted to get high . Be honest and nonjudgmental when you confront someone about dangerous behavior , experts say . Eight years later , Loverde is a counselor and director of program services at the Intervention Services Inc. branch outside Chicago . When someone seems to have lost control of life , or has become a danger to himself or herself , family members or friends often try to intervene . Addictions to alcohol or drugs , or an untreated mental illness , are all reasons for concern . Janet Jackson had reportedly tried in 2007 to stage an intervention for her brother Michael Jackson , who died of cardiac arrest June 25 , two sources close to the Jackson family told CNN Wednesday . Britney Spears ' family intervened in 2008 through the courts , after a judge in her custody case cited her for `` habitual , frequent , and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol . '' Her father , Jamie Spears , was granted temporary conservatorship over her . How to intervene . Interventions can take many forms . Simply suggesting that a drug addict make an appointment for professional help may work , experts say . Speaking openly , in a compassionate tone and without judgment , is an effective way to approach these conversations , said Patrick Hart , an intervention specialist in Seattle , Washington . The addiction or other problem should be viewed as an illness that deserves professional care , he said . `` Do not expect an addicted loved one to simply stop within their own right , '' Hart said . `` Offer specified help . '' A more formal , direct intervention involves family members confronting the person and encouraging the addict to seek help . Before this meeting , a professional interventionist typically meets with family members or friends of the addict to get a history of what 's happened , said Dr. Marvin Seppala , chief medical officer at Hazelden Foundation . Letters are a typical component of a direct intervention : The family members or friends will explain in writing that they are doing the intervention because they love the addict , and that they have observed specific troubling behaviors , as described in the letter , Seppala said . Beforehand , the professional interventionist will try to prepare for the possibility that the addict will run away and , along with the family , create specific consequences if the person does not agree to go into treatment , Seppala said . For example , if the person is married , an addict 's spouse may not permit him or her back into the home , Seppala said . If the person is living with family , the relatives may kick that person out of the house , Loverde said . The direct intervention model is not always the best method , experts say . Dr. Bankole Johnson , chairman of psychiatric medicine at the University of Virginia , said this confrontational approach leaves the addict somewhat humiliated and may reduce the benefits of rehab treatment for the person . If the intervention does not work , it creates a chasm between the family members and the addict , he said . Instead , it 's best to treat the addiction as a medical problem and stress the physical consequences of it , Johnson said . Simply telling a person that he or she has a problem with alcohol or drugs is often not as effective as saying , `` You seem to be having difficulties with your sleeping , or you seem to be having difficulties with your breathing , '' he said . Recognizing enablers . Often there are people in the addict 's life known as `` enablers '' who do n't necessarily see the addiction as a problem , Seppala said . These may include friends , family members , doctors and , in the case celebrities , an entourage . Some celebrities become surrounded by enablers because greed and money taint the decision-making of people they know , Seppala said . '' -LSB- If -RSB- their only real claim to fame is proximity to the celebrity , or getting money out of that situation , they 're going to say whatever the wealthy person wants them to say , '' he said . This may lead a well-known person with a drug problem to feel isolated , despite having a lot of people around , because he or she is n't getting the truth from anyone , Seppala said . `` You 've got to count on family and friends who may have known you before you became famous , '' he said . For well-known people with drug problems , it 's especially difficult to get the treatment they need because the celebrity factor may cloud doctors ' care , Johnson said . `` The practitioner is saying , ` If I do n't give the person what they want , they 'll go and see someone else , ' '' Johnson said . Sometimes people , especially family members , enable out of misguided love . For example , Loverde said that while family members do not intentionally make an addict get worse , they may not know what to do except love the person in need . But by not acting they enable that person . `` You set up a family system , '' Loverde said . `` You create the enabler , you create the punisher , you create these unhealthy family roles and people kind of mold into them based on the addiction itself . '' Legal action . In most states treatment for addiction can not be forced by family members or friends , Seppala said . That 's where the legal system comes in . But it 's very difficult to prove in court that a person is not able to manage his or her own life because of an addiction , experts say . Different states have different laws , but generally a conservatorship -- when someone takes legal charge of another person 's decisions -- is only granted if a person is a danger to other people or to himself , Johnson said . Generally , the person has to commit a crime , such as driving while intoxicated , before the legal system gets involved in ordering treatment , Johnson said . In California , for example , a probate conservatorship involves a family member or other interested party taking over part or all decision making for an adult whose decision-making ability is impaired . It must be shown that the person can not provide food , clothing or shelter for himself . But sometimes the very threat of police intervention is enough to prompt an addict to consent to treatment , Seppala said . The bottom line . Experts stressed that family members and friends should not wait until the person they 're concerned about `` hits rock bottom '' before attempting to get help from a professional . `` Very rarely does someone wake up in the morning and say , ' I want to change , ' '' Loverde said .
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Janet Jackson reportedly tried to stage an intervention for her brother Michael . Even family members may become enablers in the life of an addict , experts say . Do n't wait until the person you 're concerned about `` hits rock bottom '' In most states treatment for addiction can not be forced by family members or friends .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's a snapshot meant to shock : a bloodied woman hunched over with this caption underneath , `` My mother knew I 'd never hurt her , then she got in the way . '' Graphic ads about the dangers of meth addiction are trying to tackle what 's a top drug problem in small towns . The Meth Project has made a name for itself with graphic , disturbing print and broadcast ads meant to wake up kids to the dangers of methamphetamine addiction . Another ad shows a filthy urinal with the caption , `` No one thinks they 'll lose their virginity here . Meth will change that . '' The nonprofit organization said it 's baring the ugly truth about what the Drug Enforcement Administration calls the most dangerous drug problem of small-town America . Now the Meth Project is targeting a new audience : the growing population of Spanish-speaking teens in the Western United States . It 's releasing television commercials in Spanish in Arizona and radio ads throughout the West featuring young Latino addicts sharing real-life meth nightmares . Nothing is lost in translation . In Idaho , one of the Spanish radio voices belongs to recovering addict Aucensio Flores . In his ad , Flores said he first tried meth at 15 and headed on a downward spiral , adding : `` I think it affected my brain . I have bad thoughts and I only want to do bad things , such as hurt people . I think I am going crazy . '' Flores said meth deadened his conscience , emboldened him and kept him up all night with an edgy high . Meth made it easier , he said , to become sucked into a world of crime and gangs . Flores remembers beating up and robbing people just walking down the street and taking part in drive-by shootings , including one in which `` I shot 17 shots into the house and then I walked around the block and back into the car and just left . '' Meth made him feel `` big and bad , '' said Flores , who never imagined being locked up . He 's serving time at the Nampa Juvenile Correction Center in Idaho for grand theft , possession of a weapon by a minor , and drug possession . Flores ' drug rehabilitation counselor , Colleen Foster , said that up to 40 percent of juveniles in the Nampa facility have a history of meth addiction . She said meth takes over their lives . `` It starts to destroy their value system . It eats away at every aspect of their life : family , responsibility to community , responsibility to education , responsibility to themselves even , '' Foster said . `` It just eats away at all that until they have no value system left , that the only thing they 're doing is seeking for that high . '' Foster supports the Meth Project 's Spanish ad campaign because , she said , denial of the problem extends to teenagers and parents in all populations -- including Latinos . She said she thinks outreach needs to be better tailored for the growing Latino community in Idaho . Foster also counsels Yair Perez , a recovering meth addict who served time for robbery and was released recently from the juvenile detention center . `` When I was coming down from meth , I would feel bad . You know , I threw up and I could n't eat . Even if I was hungry , I could n't eat , '' Perez said . `` You know , I would just stay in my room and not talk to anyone , because they would make me mad when they talked to me . '' While on meth , Perez said , he also developed frightening ulcerlike sores on his body and suffered from an erratic heartbeat . Still , he said , his cravings for the drug persist and he knows staying clean wo n't be easy . He 's gotten a job at a fast-food restaurant , is reconnecting with his family and has recorded a Spanish radio ad for the Meth Project . Perez said he hopes to reach young Latinos who are n't getting the message about meth in English . `` They might understand a little bit of it or half of it , '' he said . `` But if they hear it ... in their own language ... the way they were born and they were raised , you know , speaking Spanish , then maybe they will pay a little more attention to it and maybe think about it , instead of doing it . '' Idaho Meth Project volunteer Miguel Mouw agrees , saying that `` in the Hispanic community , there 's just a lack of education , a lack of treatment and resources , there 's a lack of support , because there are some communication gaps . '' Mouw , also a recovering meth addict , speaks in classrooms throughout Idaho and at community events . He said he thinks the graphic nature of the ads is needed to drive home the dangers of meth . `` I 've seen people lose everything , you know , from their toes to the top of the head , either through death or maybe it 's the sores or the scabs -LSB- affecting -RSB- the teeth or the eyes , '' he said . `` The list is endless . It really is . '' Drug officials say meth -- also known as chalk , crank , crystal , glass , ice or speed -- has been a major threat in rural America because it is cheap and easy to make . Traffickers mix drugs bought over the counter with common ingredients , according to the DEA . Twelve - to 14-year-olds who live in small towns are more than twice as likely to use meth than those who live in larger cities , the agency said . The Meth Project began in 2005 in what was then the heartland of meth : Montana . Government leaders there credit the effort with large declines in meth use , including a 45 percent drop in teen use since its ads first appeared . The ad campaign has since spread to a half-dozen other states , including Arizona , Colorado , Hawaii , Idaho , Illinois and Wyoming . Program organizers said they research and tailor their campaigns for each new state . But not everyone is convinced of the program 's effectiveness . David Erceg-Hurn , a researcher and critic of the Meth Project , said : `` There is the potential for boomerang effects with these ads . Some teenagers react negatively to graphic advertising . These people do n't like ` being told how to behave ' by the ads and may rebel against them . '' The Meth Project is funded through private donations and receives millions of dollars in federal and state grants . Erceg-Hurn said he thinks those dollars could be put to better use . As for the Spanish ad campaign , he said : `` I prefer the radio ads to the print and television ads . They 're not so over the top . I like that the radio ads feature real former users rather than actors . This makes them seem more realistic . A problem is still that they do n't provide any information about how to quit or avoid using meth . Teenagers need practical skills and information . '' The Spanish ad campaign in Idaho is too new for analysis of widespread impact . Organizers said they hope for more reactions such as that of high school student Cindy Rodriguez . Rodriguez , who moved to Idaho from Guatemala , said she and her parents have been listening to the radio ads together . `` My parents , we did n't see a lot of drugs during my time in Guatemala . So we did n't know what the drugs are and what they do , '' she said . `` So what my parents would do , like when they would listen to the radio , they were like , ` Oh , you should listen to this , because this is what I want you to learn . ' '' Rodriguez said she was prepared when peers offered her meth . `` They were like , ` Oh , you should do this , so that way you could be a little bit cooler or you 're with us . You need to do this . ' I 'm like , no ... you know , cause I 'd heard about it . ''
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Meth Project has disturbing ads to wake up kids to the dangers of meth . Spanish ads in the West feature young Latinos sharing meth nightmares . Meth called a major threat in rural America because it is cheap and easy to make .
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Adults who were exposed to large amounts of secondhand smoke during childhood have lungs that look different on CT scans from those of people who grew up in a smoke-free environment , a new study suggests . The harmful short-term effects of secondhand smoke are well known ; the long-term consequences are n't as clear . Specifically , their lungs have slightly more , and larger , emphysema-like `` holes '' than those with less smoke exposure , says Gina Lovasi , M.P.H. , Ph.D. , of Columbia University , and her colleagues . Although breathing tests showed that the smoke-exposed lungs were functioning just fine , Lovasi said the changes could signal an increased vulnerability to developing emphysema and other lung problems down the road . Health.com : Should smoking around kids be illegal ? Emphysema is a progressive lung disease characterized by shortness of breath , coughing , fatigue , and weight loss . About 24 million people in the United States have emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis , which together are known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -LRB- COPD -RRB- ; however about half of those people do n't realize they have COPD . The lung condition is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States , and smoking is a major cause of COPD . Health.com : I 'm a nonsmoker , but I have emphysema due to a rare genetic condition . `` The interesting part about this is that we do n't know a lot about how the lungs change over time and whether they heal completely after being exposed to tobacco , '' says Lovasi , who is scheduled to present her findings on Tuesday at the American Thoracic Society 's 105th International Conference in San Diego . `` We can still see a difference even decades later . '' The harmful short-term effects of breathing other people 's cigarette smoke are well known , but the long-term consequences are n't as clear . To investigate , Lovasi and her team looked at CT scans of the lungs of 1,781 nonsmoking 45 - to 84-year-olds taking part in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis -LRB- MESA -RRB- trial . Health.com : 5 celebrities who had -- or are at risk of -- the lung disease COPD . About half of the study participants said that no one with whom they lived during childhood smoked cigarettes at home , 31 percent lived with one person who smoked at home , and 17 percent lived with two or more smokers . Lovasi and her team checked the lung CT scans for large areas where the density was similar to air -LRB- lung tissue is naturally denser than air -RRB- , and also calculated what percentage of their lungs was made up of these `` holes . '' Health.com : My smoker 's cough turned out to be emphysema . `` The lungs are supposed to have air in them , but it 's important that the air is interspersed with blood vessels so that we can get the oxygen out of the air , '' she says . `` Small holes can expand over time and merge to form larger holes . '' For people who had n't grown up with smokers , 17 percent of their lung tissue had this air-like density , while `` holes '' made up 20 percent of the lung area of people who had lived with at least two smokers during childhood . The more heavily smoke-exposed study participants also had more relatively large holes in their lungs . In comparison , `` someone with emphysema would typically have between 30 percent and 60 percent of the lungs classified as air-like -LRB- or emphysema-like -RRB- using the threshold we used for our study , '' says Lovasi . Health.com : 1 in 3 smokers would kick habit to protect pet . Lovasi says she and her colleagues will be following the MESA participants over time to see how their lungs change , and whether people with more early smoke exposure are indeed more vulnerable to lung problems later on . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Lungs of adults who had grown up with secondhand smoke had more `` holes '' Many `` holes '' -- less dense areas of lung -- are characteristic of emphysema . Even though smoke-exposed lungs functioned fine , there 's concern for future health . About 24 million people in the United States have emphysema , chronic bronchitis .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A third of military children surveyed who have a parent deployed in a war zone are at `` high risk '' for psychological problems , according to a new study by military doctors and researchers . The study concludes there 's a greater chance of family problems upon a military parent 's return . The study , published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics , surveyed military spouses of deployed Army soldiers with school-age children , aged 5 to 12 . The questionnaire appraised the strain on the family of dealing with a parent deployed to the war zone . Results found that stress levels were high for children and spouses of deployed troops but also that support networks from military to religious helped mitigate the problems . The number of children found to be high-risk is more than 2 1/2 times the national level and higher than historical military samples . The authors surveyed 101 families in what they said was the first such evaluation since September 11 , 2001 , and the start of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars . Overall , there are more than 2 million U.S. military children , many of whom have parents who have deployed multiple times -- deployments that , for the first time since the Vietnam War , can occur as little as 12 months after returning from a previous deployment . The study focused on families of active-duty soldiers living on base at Fort Lewis , Washington , and is just a `` small snapshot , '' said one of the authors , Col. Beth Ellen Davis . She is the chief of Developmental Services at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma , Washington . Davis said that more studies would have to be done to understand the impact on military children in other circumstances , like those with parents in other services , living off-base or in the National Guard , but that the results point to a problem nobody could deny . `` Children struggle when their parents deploy . I do n't think anyone will struggle with that , '' Davis said . The survey quantified what Davis had seen anecdotally in her work at the hospital . `` My perception in the school-age range and pre-school-age range was that how the at-home parent is doing is most predictive of how the child is coping , '' Davis said . Almost half of the spouses surveyed were found to have a high level of stress , which the authors say has a significant impact on their child 's ability to cope . Parents surveyed said their children experienced a number of symptoms including `` internalizing symptoms '' like anxiety , frequent crying and worrying . Interestingly , it is the return from deployment that is most stressful , according to three-quarters of those surveyed . `` On reunification , there is excitement , anticipation and relief , occasionally followed by emotional conflict as the service member reintegrates back into the family , '' wrote the surveyors . Effects of deployment on families can be seen beyond the Fort Lewis survey . At Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina , Gia Ellis ' husband is deployed to Afghanistan for the second time . The mother of two said the return home is as stressful as the deployment itself . `` Trying to relinquish some of the responsibilities that we 've had to take on and give it back to them , '' Ellis said last month . She was not a participant in the stress survey . `` Letting go is very difficult . Very difficult to share the responsibility with your spouse and , ` Oh , yeah , you 're in this family ? I forgot . ' '' Ellis said that this deployment has been easier on her in part because she is living on the base and has access to a support network of wives and staff . The strain on families during the reintegration has parallels to families with spouses who travel a lot for business , said Frederic Medway , distinguished professor emeritus of psychology at the University of South Carolina . Medway , who has studied the effects of family integration in military and non-military families , agreed with the new study 's conclusion that there is a greater chance of family problems when the spouse comes back . `` That is when the husband and wife actually fight and talk about stuff , '' Medway said . `` The service member comes back and does n't feel a part of it and returns with his own baggage . '' Much work still needs to be done to assess how these psychological effects play out over time , Medway said . His studies on families of the first Gulf War found that reintegration problems played out in a period lasting around six months to year . Medway said that it is hard to compare studies from different wars but that duration does point to a key problem in the current conflicts , since many troops are redeploying after a year , meaning the family never really gets a chance to settle back down . One surprising result of the new study was what factors were predictors of high-risk impact . Parents with a college education were less likely to have children at risk , and younger parents fared worse . Those with college education who were also employed had significantly less stress , which the study authors suggested could be a result of having access to additional support networks , adult interactions and income to relieve stress . Length of deployment , military rank and children 's age did not have an impact . Medway said that one reason for the effect of education could be that those in lower social classes tend to deal with more mental health and marital issues in general . `` How far is the rubber band going to stretch ? '' Medway asked . Pre-existing problems are compounded by deployment . Davis , co-author of the Fort Lewis-based survey , said that what the study revealed was that those feeling the brunt of the stress were younger families , which are the bulk of enlisted soldiers . `` What comes with enlistment is usually junior-ranking high-school graduates getting by enough to support a family but often times not -LRB- to -RRB- support child care outside the home , '' Davis explained . That demographic has higher stress because they lack support networks . Davis said the study highlights the need to understand the impact of deployment on these at risk groups and make sure they have the support they need and `` not assuming that everyone has the same needs . '' She noted that there are resources for families and that more effort is being made to reach out to those who most need help `` whether they ask for it or not . ''
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Study : Third of kids with a deployed parent at `` high risk '' for psychological problems . Families with older parents and those with college degrees fared better . Survey looked at 101 families ; researchers say it 's the first evaluation since 9/11 . More than 2 million U.S. kids have a deployed parent .
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About 1 in 7 , or 13.5 percent of adults who encountered intense dust clouds after the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11 were later found to have asthma , compared with just 8.4 percent who had no dust cloud exposure , researchers in Atlanta and New York City reported on Tuesday . Among rescue workers , the asthma risk was highest for those who worked on the pile on September 11 . Likewise , among various groups of people connected to the Twin Tower collapse , rescue and recovery workers were more likely to have a diagnosis of asthma -LRB- 12.2 percent -RRB- than passers-by -LRB- 8.4 percent -RRB- . The results are from a survey , conducted from November 2006 through December 2007 , to assess the health status of more than 46,000 adults five to six years after the disaster . Health.com : Bad air day ? Here 's how to survive . That such a horrific event left lasting physical and emotional scars is , perhaps , no great surprise . Among adults with no prior diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder -LRB- PTSD -RRB- , 23.8 percent have reported symptoms after September 11 , and the prevalence of symptoms has increased over time , researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association . The mental health effects , which can be debilitating and often chronic , `` seem to be the largest health problem coming out of 9/11 '' says Lorna Thorpe , Ph.D. , the deputy commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Division of Epidemiology and one of the coauthors of the study . `` But immediately after the 9/11 event , I do n't think there was a clear understanding of what the physical impacts would be . '' Health.com : Is your child 's asthma under control ? Take this test . People in the vicinity of the collapse had `` the potential to inhale huge amounts of particulate matter , '' observes Joan Reibman , M.D. , an associate professor of medicine and environmental medicine at the New York University School of Medicine and the director of the school 's Bellevue Asthma Center , who was not involved in the study . `` We think that could act as a real irritant to the airways . '' Some 23 million Americans have asthma , a lung condition that causes airway swelling and inflammation . People with asthma may experience repeated bouts of coughing , wheezing , shortness of breath , and tightness in the chest . Anthony M. Szema , M.D. , an assistant professor of medicine and surgery and the head of the allergy diagnostic unit at SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine , has studied the effects of the World Trade Center collapse on children living in Manhattan 's Chinatown . His team 's most recent study , accepted for publication in Allergy & Asthma Proceedings , will show that the rate of asthma at the closest elementary school to the World Trade Center -LRB- 29 percent -RRB- is high compared with the rate of asthma in children in the general population . According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -LRB- CDC -RRB- , 9.3 percent of U.S. children have asthma . '' -LSB- The new study -RSB- is entirely congruous with our findings , '' he says . Health.com : As a new mom , I struggled with my daughter 's chronic cough . The CDC 's Robert M. Brackbill , Ph.D. , M.P.H. , led the team of New York City and Columbia University researchers whose study examined the longer-term health impact of exposure to Ground Zero and its varying effect across groups of people . The analysis is based on data from the World Trade Center Health Registry , described as the largest post-disaster-exposure registry in U.S. history . More than 71,000 rescue and recovery workers , lower Manhattan office workers , nearby residents , and passers-by enrolled in the registry . Participants were interviewed from September 2003 through November 2004 to record their exposure to the disaster and document their pre - and post-event health status , and again in 2006-2007 . Health.com : Diabetes plus stress can equal high blood sugar . For each group followed , intense exposure to the dust plume was associated with new asthma diagnoses . Among rescue and recovery workers , for example , the asthma risk was highest for those who worked on the pile on September 11 . The risk diminished with later start dates . However , even downtown office workers and lower Manhattan residents were affected . Among these people , the risk of asthma was highest if there was a heavy coating of dust in their home or office , compared with no such damage . `` It shows that people who had heavy dust exposure in the initial period , that this was a risk to developing asthma but not the only risk , '' says Reibman , who also serves as the director of New York City 's World Trade Center Environmental Health Center , one of three centers dedicated to treating September 11-related conditions . Reibman says the new study is important because , in addition to corroborating previous studies , it should help people with September 11-related asthma realize that their symptoms are real . Health.com : Managing the highs and lows of manic depression . `` I think it helps us understand that there 's a cause for many of these symptoms , '' she says . She encourages people to recognize their symptoms and seek a proper diagnosis and treatment . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Health survey looked at 46,000 adults five to six years after 9/11 attacks . Adults who were expose to intense dust clouds developed asthma at higher rates . 23 million Americans have asthma , which causes airway swelling and inflammation .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two popular anti-smoking drugs will now carry warnings about the risk of severe mental health problems , the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday . `` Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease , disability and death , '' an FDA official said . The FDA said Chantix and Zyban will carry the warnings to alert consumers to the risks of depression and suicidal thoughts when using the drugs . The drugs also have been reported to cause changes in behavior , hostility and agitation in users , whether users had a history of psychiatric illness or not . In many cases , side effects started shortly after use began and ended when the medication was stopped . The FDA does not know what is causing the changes and said people taking these products should be monitored by their doctor . `` The risk of serious adverse events while taking these products must be weighed against the significant health benefits of quitting smoking , '' said Dr. Janet Woodcock , director of the FDA 's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research . `` Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease , disability and death in the United States , and we know these products are effective aids in helping people quit . '' The agency also is requiring Pfizer Inc. , which makes Chantix , and GlaxoSmithKline , maker of Zyban , to conduct a study looking at how often these serious symptoms occur . Pfizer says it updated its label in 2007 to include information of neuropsychiatric symptoms and has revised the label again to reflect Wednesday 's warning . `` The labeling update underscores the important role of health care providers in treating smokers attempting to quit and provides specific information about Chantix and instructions that physicians and patients should follow closely , '' said Dr. Briggs W. Morrison , senior vice president of the primary care development group at Pfizer . `` Quitting smoking is one of the best things people can do for their health , but the quitting process is both difficult and complex . '' The FDA says that since Chantix was approved in 2006 , the agency has had reports of 98 suicides and 188 attempted suicides . Zyban has had reports of 14 suicides and 17 attempts . Zyban contains the same active ingredient as the antidepressant Wellbutrin and already carried a box warning about the increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior . Neither Chantix nor Zyban contains nicotine , and the FDA said some symptoms could be the result of nicotine withdrawal . Still , the agency said , people using these drugs experienced some of these symptoms while they were still smoking . In a review of side effects in patients using the nicotine patch , the agency said it did n't find a clear link between those products and suicidal events .
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FDA : Chantix and Zyban will carry warnings about mental health risks . Risks include depression and suicidal thoughts when using the drugs . Drug makers must conduct study how often these serious symptoms occur . Some symptoms could be the result of nicotine withdrawal .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just days after giving birth to her second child , Dr. Jane Dimer drove herself home from the hospital to find her then-husband in bed with another woman . He threw Dimer down the stairs , and she never saw him again until court . Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend , singer Chris Brown , before the Grammys on February 8 . Dimer , now an obstetrician-gynecologist at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle , Washington , had been in an abusive relationship with her husband in Germany for 4 1/2 years until he pushed her out 11 years ago . `` Emotionally , the remnants of that stay for a long time , '' she said . Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44 , according to the National Institutes of Health . With the entertainment world buzzing about pop sensation Rihanna , whose boyfriend Chris Brown has been formally charged with assaulting her , public interest in domestic violence has been reinvigorated . Abuse can influence a victim 's future behavior in relationships and even in friendships , depending on whether the victim stays or leaves , said Mark Crawford , a clinical psychologist based in Roswell , Georgia . Those who stay are likely to stop trusting their own perceptions and become passive in both romantic and nonromantic relationships . Victims who do leave -- which is the healthier choice , Crawford said -- often become over-accommodating because they want to avoid conflict , even verbal disputes , at all costs . Some women wo n't trust people easily , if at all , and wo n't be able to handle even normal expressions of anger . Visit CNNHealth.com , your connection to better living . `` What they need to do when they get out of the relationship is make sure they 're aware of their own anger , and then they can learn how to freely express it in a healthy , normal way , '' he said . `` If somebody 's still having issues 10 years later , they just have n't worked through it . They have n't healed ; they need to do that . '' New research shows that abuse victims feel the impact of violence long after it occurred . A recent study in the Journal of Women 's Health found that older African-American women who were exposed to high levels of family violence at some point in their lifetimes -- whether by a partner or family member -- are at a greater risk of poor mental and physical health status . `` Not just ongoing violence , which everybody thinks about , but even when it 's over , there 's something about what happens that seems to have a lingering effect that we do n't quite understand yet , '' said Dr. Anuradha Paranjape , co-author of the study and associate professor at Temple University School of Medicine . It makes sense that abused women would report worse health , given that people in stressful situations have higher levels of stress hormones , which interfere with immune function , Crawford said . Other studies show a clear connection between depression and abuse . Adult women who have been abused in a relationship in the past five years have rates of depression 2 1/2 times greater than women who have never been abused , according to a different study of more than 3,000 women . They are also more likely to be socially isolated , said author Amy Bonomi , associate professor at The Ohio State University . Women who have been abused prior to , but not during , the past five years had depression rates 1 1/2 times greater than those without abuse experience , said Bonomi , who has collaborated with Dimer on research on abused women . `` People like to sort of think that , ` Well , abuse is just when you have a black eye , you sustain a broken bone , ' '' Bonomi said . `` But we see lots of different effects in other areas , like depression and social isolation , and we 've actually proven that with the data . '' Women who have suffered violence also seem to have a greater likelihood of substance abuse , but it 's unclear how the two are related -- one does n't necessarily cause the other , and there could be other factors involved , Bonomi said . A 2008 study of 3,333 women , which Bonomi worked on , found that middle-aged women who suffered child abuse , sexual or other physical abuse , had a greater likelihood of depression , as well as a higher body mass index . These women also spend up to one-third more than average on health care costs . About 34 percent of women in the sample said they had been abused . While Paranjape 's study found that women with the highest levels of abuse reported having poor health , the same number of diseases were reported among those women as the women in the sample who had less or no abuse . This indicates that there is something else that makes abused women report feeling unwell , she said . `` When your patient says they do n't feel so good , you might want to think about asking what other issues may be going on , '' she said . People who have gotten out of a relationship should go through the work of learning what issues set them up in that situation , and reflect on the warning signs , Crawford said . Experts recommend finding a counselor and other means of support , but people who have been abused should think twice about revealing too much in online support groups , because their abusers could discover what they 're saying , Dimer said . Research has also shown that violence escalates in abusive relationships among couples who go to marriage counseling , she said . Some women do feel stronger having been through the experience of abuse , Dimer said . She herself found healing through advocacy and research on the subject , she said . Calling a domestic violence hot line is a good first step for anyone who is experiencing abuse , Dimer said . `` Whether you 're a pop star or somebody that 's working front lines -- an employee at a grocery store selling the pop star magazine -- you 're at equal risk for having this , '' she said .
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NIH : Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44 . Study : Abused women more likely to have depression , anxiety , joint pain . Calling a domestic violence hot line is a good first step for a victim .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death of Mark Madoff , the son of convicted Ponzi-schemer Bernard Madoff , was ruled a suicide by the New York City medical examiner 's officer on Sunday , a day after the victim 's body was discovered hanging from a ceiling pipe in his SoHo apartment . Ellen Borakove , a spokeswoman for the medical examiner , said the autopsy was completed around 1 p.m. Sunday . Borakove said medical examiners will conduct toxicology and tissue tests on the body . The result , she said , will not be made public unless Madoff 's next of kin asks for the case file . Madoff killed himself two years to the day after his father was arrested for swindling $ 50 billion from investors in the largest Ponzi-scheme in U.S. history . None of Madoff 's immediate family members have commented on his death . However , the attorney who represents the victim 's mother , Ruth , said she `` is heartbroken . '' The attorney , Peter Chavkin , responded by e-mail and said Ruth Madoff would not provide additional information . Mark Madoff killed himself while his wife was out of town and his 2-year-old son was asleep in a nearby bedroom , early Saturday morning , authorities said . Madoff 's body , fully clothed and hanging from a living room pipe , was discovered by his father-in-law around 7:30 a.m. . The boy was not harmed . Mark Madoff 's attorney , Martin Flumenbaum , on Saturday called his client 's death . `` a terrible and unnecessary tragedy . '' `` Mark was an innocent victim of his father 's monstrous crime who succumbed to two years of unrelenting pressure from false accusations and innuendo , '' Flumenbaum said . `` We are all deeply saddened by this shocking turn of events . '' Bernard Madoff is currently serving a 150-year prison sentence for masterminding the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history . Madoff bilked investors out of $ 50 billion by masquerading his investment firm as legitimate when it was nothing more than a front . He used funds from new investors to send payments to his earlier investors , falsely portraying them as proceeds from investments , when they were actually stolen money , prosecutors said . The 71-year-old Madoff pleaded guilty to the charges in 2009 and is now incarcerated at the Butner Federal Correction Complex , a medium-security prison in eastern North Carolina . Bernard Madoff 's criminal activities have spawned a tidal wave of civil actions against Mark Madoff , his mother , siblings and hundreds of other defendants , accused of profiting off the Ponzi scheme by withdrawing more money from Madoff 's fund than they invested , money they presumably thought was investment income . A person familiar with the Madoffs says Mark Madoff has not been in touch with his extended family for the past two years . Irving Picard , the court-appointed trustee in charge of recovering and distributing Madoff 's assets , has filed a slew of lawsuits in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan over the past week on behalf of some of Madoff 's victims . One filed on December 8 named Mark Madoff -- as well as his brother Andrew Madoff and uncle Peter Madoff -- as one of several defendants in a civil lawsuit . On Saturday , Picard issued a brief statement expressing his condolences . `` This is a tragic development , and my sympathy goes out to Mark Madoff 's family , '' he said . The other defendants include JPMorgan Chase , HSBC , UBS , an Austrian banker , and two accountants who are accused of knowing about the fraud but covering it up and profiting from it . The majority of Madoff 's victims did not invest directly in his firm . They invested in third-party feeder funds , and therefore do n't qualify for the financial protections extended to direct investors . So far , 16,394 claims have been filed by investors who say they lost money . The majority of the claims -- 13,054 , or nearly 80 % of the total -- have been denied , because the investors were invested through feeder funds . From CNN 's Miguel Susana in New York .
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Mark Madoff 's death is ruled a suicide . His attorney says Madoff was `` an innocent victim of his father 's monstrous crime '' His mother is `` heartbroken , '' her attorney says . A person familiar with the Madoffs says Mark Madoff had fallen out of touch with his family .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The most notable women in technology probably do n't spend all day thinking about hairstyles and dinner parties . But according to a bright pink infographic making its way around the web , you can tell a lot about some of the world 's most tech-savvy women based on their hairdos and extracurriculars . In hopes of inspiring people , Wpromote , a search-engine marketing firm located south of Los Angeles , created `` Which Female Tech Influencer Are You ? '' -- an infographic reminiscent of a teen magazine quiz . The flow chart comes complete with arrows , cartoons and five possible answers in the form of female tech influencers . The women ? Marissa Mayer , Google VP ; Sheryl Sandberg , COO of Facebook ; Natalie Massenet , Net-A-Porter . com founder ; Caroline McCarthy , CNET.com journalist and Sarah Evans , a public-relations professional . `` They are all unique , '' Maria Sass of Wpromote wrote . `` However , they all share one common theme : they inspire women at Wpromote on a daily basis and hopefully now they can inspire you , too . '' The infographic , which was created in response the lack of female representation in `` The Evolution of the Geek '' -- a flowchart that was passed around the web last year -- caught some flak from sites like TechCrunch and ComputerWeekly.com . `` Female success has been reduced to a series of key decisions concerning shoes ... and white wine spritzers , '' Jenny Williams of ComputerWeekly.com wrote . But Sarah Evans , `` PR pro and Twitter sweetheart , '' as the infographic calls her , says the quiz is doing exactly what it 's supposed to do -- getting our attention . It 's light-hearted and brings visibility to women in technology , Evans told CNN . `` If women are a little turned off by it , that 's awesome , '' she added . `` Create your own . Offer up another discussion . '' Though Evans ended up picking herself the one time she took the quiz , she said , `` I can see how easy it is not to . '' One of the final questions asks , `` Who is your dream man ? '' The last option , `` Chicago Cubs fan , '' points directly to Evans , who , ironically , supports the rival St. Louis Cardinals . But , other than that , she said , it 's obvious the creators `` pay attention to what I do . '' So gals -LRB- and , OK , guys -RRB- ... which female tech influencer are you ?
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Wpromote created `` Which Female Tech Influencer Are You ? '' to inspire people . Marissa Mayer , Sheryl Sandberg and three other women were included in the infographic . The quiz is drawing attention to notable women in tech , Evans said .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Joanne Branham lost her husband , Frank , to a brain tumor , she was devastated . But it was n't until she visited her old neighbors in McCullom Lake , Illinois , that she began to question the cause of his death . Back in the community where she and Frank had lived for almost 40 years , Branham learned two of her former neighbors also had brain tumors . `` It was like a light bulb went off , '' Branham recalls . `` How can that many have cancer living right next door to each other ? '' Since then , more brain cancer cases have turned up , 30 in all , among current and former residents of McCullom Lake , a community of about 1,000 residents in northern Illinois , not far from the Wisconsin state line . Branham and others in McCullom Lake are now pointing the finger at a chemical plant a mile up the road in Ringwood , Illinois . For decades , they say , the Rohm and Haas plant dumped , spilled and leaked thousands of pounds of vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals , poisoning the water and air around McCullom Lake . `` I do n't think there 's been a bigger brain cancer cluster outside the workplace -- ever , '' says Aaron Freiwald , attorney for 31 McCullom Lake Village plaintiffs now suing Rohm and Haas . In addition to the brain cancer cases , there is one plaintiff alleging her liver damage resulted from environmental pollution . The company denies making anyone sick . Branham 's case is the first to go to trial , with jury selection set to begin Wednesday in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . ` Frank did n't have a chance ' Frank Branham died in June 2004 , a month after learning that he had a deadly glioblastoma brain tumor . He was 63 . `` Frank did n't have a chance , '' Joanne Branham says . `` What they did was very wrong . They played with people 's lives . I lost a husband , who was my best friend . The kids lost their father . The grandkids lost their grandfather , '' she added , barely able to get her words out through her tears . Rohm and Haas says even though the cancer cases are close together , they are random . `` There is no cluster in McCullom Lake Village , '' says Kevin Van Wart , attorney for Rohm and Haas . `` If you draw circles around selected cases , you can always draw the conclusion of something unusual . '' Brain and central nervous system cancers strike 7.6 per 100,000 people in the United States , according to the National Cancer Institute . An estimated 22,020 men and women in the United States will get diagnosed with these cancers this year . A month after the lawsuit was filed in 2006 , the McHenry County Health Department in Illinois concluded there was no cluster of cancer cases in McCullom Lake . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did its own analysis and agreed . Originally a dairy . The Rohm and Haas site produces polymers , adhesives , resins and sealants on a 120-acre site originally built as a dairy operation in 1916 and converted to chemical manufacturing in the early 1940s . The facility has disposed its waste off site since 1978 , but vinyl chloride , trichloroethylene , or TCE , and vinylidene chloride have all been found in nearby groundwater , according to the CDC . The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services calls vinyl chloride `` a known carcinogen . '' Long-term exposure to vinyl chloride on the job increases workers ' risk of cancers of the liver , brain , lung and blood , according to the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry . Breathing or drinking high levels of TCE can damage the central nervous system , liver and lungs and also cause an abnormal heartbeat , according to the agency . Breathing high levels of vinylidene chloride can affect the central nervous system , liver and kidneys , the agency says . But Van Wart , the Rohm and Haas attorney , says the plume of contaminated groundwater is moving away from McCullom Lake and does not affect any homes or residential wells . `` Nobody disputes that it exists . But that is not going anywhere near McCullom Lake Village , '' Van Wart says . `` No agency has ever concluded any resident was exposed to dangerous chemicals . '' To put residents ' fears at ease , Rohm and Haas has offered to pay up to $ 50,000 to test residents ' wells . There are about 400 homes with private wells in the village . The company has also offered to pay $ 5,000 to monitor the air for vinyl chloride and $ 50,000 for an independent analysis of theories of possible vinyl chloride exposure . ' A beautiful place to live ' When Joanne and Frank Branham moved to McCullom Lake in August 1960 , they saw a picturesque community with other young families . `` It was a beautiful place to live . We lived by a beach . We had such close neighbors . The whole subdivision was like a family , '' says Branham , who raised five children there . Frank Branham worked as general manager at a die cast plant in nearby Woodstock , Illinois . On Sundays , the husbands would go down to the beach to play baseball . The wives would pack picnic baskets and watch . Looking back , Joanne Branham says there were warning signs . In the summer , a terrible odor would sometimes force them to close their windows , she says . `` We did n't put two and two together until we found there were so many other neighbors with cancers , '' Branham says . After her husband died , Joanne Branham 's children bought her a plane ticket to return to Illinois , from Phoenix , Arizona , where she and her husband had retired . Visiting old friends , she learned former next-door neighbor Bryan Freund also has a brain tumor , an oligodendroglioma . So does Kurt Weisenberger , who lives on the other side of the Freunds , two doors down from the Branhams ' former home . Freund , 49 , a truck driver and jewelry store owner , says he never gave the Rohm and Haas plant a second thought until Joanne Branham came back to town . `` It was really just a place I drove past , '' says Freund , who now suffers from headaches , seizures and memory loss . `` I had dreams and aspirations , '' he adds . `` Now when I look to the future it 's really sort of a blank . I ca n't really expect to have one . That 's a daily struggle . '' Weisenberger , 69 , a retired general contractor , says he hopes the lawsuit will bring out the truth of what happened to the people of McCullom Lake . `` It was a cover-up from the get-go as far as I 'm concerned , '' says Weisenberger , who also suffers from seizures . Joanne Branham says she hopes the lawsuit , which asks for unspecified compensatory and punitive compensation , will make companies think twice . `` What they did was wrong , and if this will save one person 's life and they wo n't do this again , it will be worth it , '' she says . The trial is expected to last 10 to 12 weeks .
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McCullom Lake , a small community in Illinois , has seen 30 brain cancer cases . Some residents point finger at Rohm and Haas plant , which denies making anyone sick . No agency has concluded any resident was exposed to dangerous chemicals . Joanne Branham 's case is the first to go to trial , with jury selection set to begin this week .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor Patrick Swayze 's achievements include several feature films such as `` Dirty Dancing '' and `` Ghost , '' as well as living with advanced pancreatic cancer for longer than most patients . Patrick Swayze died at age 57 of pancreatic cancer . He fought the disease for nearly two years . That Swayze , who died Monday at age 57 , survived nearly two years with the condition is `` quite an accomplishment , '' Dr. George Fisher , an oncologist who treated the star at Stanford Hospitals and Clinics , told CNN 's Larry King on Tuesday . Fisher revealed in early March 2008 that the actor was fighting pancreatic cancer . Swayze participated in a clinical trial at Stanford and took an experimental drug there , Fisher said . Fewer than one in four patients who have the disease that has spread outside the pancreas , as Swayze did , are alive a year later , he said . Watch Fisher talk to King about Swayze 's case '' `` Patients can survive two years -- even longer , even with standard treatment , '' Fisher said . `` It 's just sad that not as many do . '' Pancreatic cancer has affected several other prominent figures , including National Collegiate Athletic Association President Myles Brand , who died of the disease Wednesday . Apple Inc. 's Steve Jobs and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have also undergone treatment for the disease . The American Cancer Society puts pancreatic cancer as the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in the United States . Lung , colon and breast cancer are the first three . Experts say that about 95 percent of those with pancreatic cancer die from the disease . Symptoms such as abdominal pain , jaundice or sudden weight loss may lead doctors to look for pancreatic cancer , said Dr. Steven Cohen , acting chief for gastrointestinal medical oncology at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Cohen was not involved in Swayze 's care . Doctors say early detection carries a better chance of curing the cancer , but often a patient 's disease is diagnosed after it has spread . CAT scans may detect the disease early , but that does not mean everyone should have a scan with their physical , Fisher said . `` We 're developing algorithms for trying to identify people at risk , and then less invasive ... tests to try to figure out who 's got it and who does n't , '' he said . Despite his illness , Swayze went forward with plans to star in A&E network 's `` The Beast . '' After the actor responded well to cancer treatment , the network agreed to shoot an entire season of the show . Working on the show while undergoing treatment was `` a great idea , '' Fisher said on `` Larry King Live . '' `` I had my doubts as to whether he could actually do it or not , and we had many conversations around that fact , '' Fisher said . Swayze understood `` how difficult the treatment could be , and he understood how difficult the disease could be . But it 's just like Patrick to just say he 's going to do it and damn it , nobody should get in his way . '' `` The Beast '' was canceled in June because of Swayze 's illness , after doctors told him the cancer had spread to his liver . For pancreatic cancer patients , doctors are not as concerned with what happens with the pancreas as they are with how the disease spreads elsewhere , often to the liver or abdominal cavity , Cohen said . Failure of other organs that the cancer affects may ultimately cause death . Swayze 's participation in the Stanford clinical trial is an important take-away point , Cohen said . Only about 5 percent of cancer patients participate in clinical trials , he said . `` Particularly for a disease like pancreatic cancer , where the standard treatments help some patients but not the majority , the ability to look at new treatments that are promising in the context and controlled setting of clinical trials , I think , is really important , '' he said . Dozens of drugs are in development or being tested in trials for pancreatic cancer , Cohen said . One such medication is paclitaxel , which is currently only approved for breast cancer but has shown promise experimentally in pancreatic tumors , he said . Cohen said he and his colleagues encourage patients to continue their daily activities and live their lives normally as best they can while undergoing treatment . A chemotherapy drug commonly used in patients , called gemcitabine , does not have the harsh symptoms of nausea , vomiting and hair loss seen in other cancer drugs . But sometimes , patients are too ill from their underlying cancer to do much , he said . `` Toward the end , they can get increasing abdominal pain , nausea , loss of appetite , very low energy , sort of a wasting syndrome , and there , a lot of patients just do n't feel up to do anything , '' he said .
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Patrick Swayze battled pancreatic cancer for nearly two years . About 95 percent of those with pancreatic cancer die from it , experts say . Dozens of drugs are in development or being tested in trials for the disease . Doctors encourage patients to try to live their lives normally while in treatment .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Tiffany Wilson noticed a small growth on her left hip , she did n't think much of it . Tiffany Wilson , 41 , found a bump on her hip that she thought was a pimple . It turned out to be skin cancer . `` It was bizarre , '' recalled the 41-year-old salon owner from Minneapolis , Minnesota . `` I just thought it was a pimple . '' Wilson , who is African-American , ca n't say exactly what prompted her to point out the bump to her physician , but she said she remembered thinking the diagnosis would n't be anything serious . `` It never occurred to me that it was skin cancer , '' she said . But it was . She had basal cell carcinoma , the most common skin cancer . Wilson spent long hours as a child in the summer sun at Lake Nokomis in Minnesota and went to the tanning bed before visiting relatives in the Caribbean , she said . She also said she never wore sunscreen . `` Back then , I just do n't think people were aware of the effects -LSB- of the sun -RSB- , '' she said . Those may seem like obvious red flags to people who are sun-conscious , but they were foreign concepts to Wilson , which is why her diagnosis came as a shock . `` I just assumed , ` I 'm a person of color , I 'll be OK , ' '' she said . Dermatologists say they are concerned because skin cancer rates are increasing among minority groups in the United States . Like Wilson , many people of color often mistakenly believe skin cancer is not something they should be worried about . Pigmentation is no ` free pass ' The reasoning is not completely far-fetched : Darker-skinned people do benefit from the protective effects of skin pigmentation . In fact , some studies suggest that for the darkest skin tones , pigmentation cells provide a natural sun protection factor , or SPF , of about 13 . The problem is many dark-skinned people believe that means they are born with a natural immunity to skin cancer . `` Pigmentation does n't give you a free pass , '' said Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III , a dermatologist specializing in ethnic skin and the doctor who treated Tiffany Wilson . `` It does n't matter what color your skin is , everyone can get skin cancer . '' Bob Marley , for example , died of malignant melanoma , the most lethal type of skin cancer , that spread to his lungs and brain . All types of skin cancer are increasing among blacks and Hispanics , and their melanomas are more often fatal because they are usually caught later , according to the American Academy of Dermatology . Crutchfield pointed out that pigmentation may have sun-protective qualities but even for the darkest skin it falls short of the AAD 's recommendation of a daily SPF of at least 15 for everyone . Crutchfield feels many ethnic groups are missing that key part of the message , if they are getting the message at all . Blog : How to pick the right sunscreen . Researchers acknowledge that many of the messages regarding skin cancer prevention have traditionally targeted fair-skinned people , a group 10 times more likely to develop melanoma . Now , dermatologists say , more needs to be done to encourage all groups to take precautions against sun damage . A Consumer Reports survey found only 27 percent of people with self-described darker skin applied sunscreen when they were in the sun for four hours or more , compared with 64 percent of people with self-described light skin . The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009 there will be more than 1 million unreported cases of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer -- most of them curable -- and that more than 68,000 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed . For melanoma , the key to a cure is early detection . That 's why dermatologists caution everyone to be vigilant and learn the risks for their skin type . `` Race is very important because not all skin is the same , '' said Dr. Susan Taylor of The Skin of Color Center , a dermatology group focusing on the needs of patients of color . According to Taylor , people with darker skin often get diagnosed at later stages because the cancers often appear in atypical locations . Melanomas in African-Americans and darker-skinned Hispanics and Asians develop more commonly on the palms , soles of the feet , toenails , fingernails and in mucus membranes like around the mouth and genitals , she said . In Caucasian and lighter-skinned Hispanics , melanomas more frequently appear on the back in men and on the legs in women . Also , the signs of melanoma may vary depending on skin tone . `` Skin hue can affect the way lesions look , '' Crutchfield said . `` Things that appear red in white skin often look completely different in skin of color . '' Historically , research and teaching was done on fairer-skinned people , making it more challenging for physicians to recognize suspicious moles on darker skin . While these differences present challenges , they are certainly not barriers . Experts say , the best thing to do is keep it simple . `` If you have any lesion or mole change at all , or if you have a spot that bleeds and does n't heal in three weeks , see a physician or a dermatologist , '' Dr. Crutchfield recommended . `` That 's something everyone can do . '' Visit the American Academy of Dermatology Web site to find free screening locations in your state . Another piece of simple advice : `` All racial groups need to use sunscreens , '' Taylor stresses . The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both deep-penetrating UVA rays and burn-causing UVB rays . Not all sunscreens protect against both . Visit the Environmental Working Group 's Skin Deep cosmetic safety database . Tiffany Wilson is heeding that advice . She said she 's learned that when it comes to prevention , the worst thing you can possibly do is nothing . `` I use extreme caution in the sun and make certain that I use a sunscreen , even on a cloudy day , '' she said . `` You should n't underestimate the rays of the sun . ''
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Dermatologists report increased incidence of skin cancer among people of color . Minorities often believe pigmentation makes them immune to skin cancer . More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer are estimated in 2009 . Every 62 minutes , one American dies of melanoma .
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Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Food and Drug Administration committee delivered a split verdict on the diabetes drug Avandia on Wednesday , with most members voting to leave it on the market but recommending different changes in how it 's prescribed . Twelve of the committee 's 33 members voted to pull Avandia off the market altogether , while only three supported leaving it on the market with its current labeling . Seven voted to add stiffer warnings to the current label , and 10 wanted both stiffer language and restrictions on its use . The vote came on the second day of hearings into the safety of the drug , which studies since 2007 have linked to an increased risk of heart failure . One member abstained , and several said their votes easily could have gone another way . `` I think the evidence of potential harm is stronger now than it was in 2007 , '' said Dr. Peter Savage , the director of the National Institutes of Health 's epidemiology division , who voted for stronger warnings and restrictions . `` I think if the drug is to remain on the market , we need to consider whether there would be some specific indications in which it would be reserved for use . It seems to me that simply putting a warning , a black-box warning , in the labeling is probably not sufficient to really protect patients . '' FDA officials will make a decison on what to do with the medication `` as soon as possible , '' said Janet Woodcock , director of the agency 's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research . Avandia manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline has insisted on the safety of the medication , which is used to control blood sugar levels in diabetics . But a company-sponsored study that Glaxo said showed there was no higher risk of heart problems came under heavy fire from FDA researchers during proceedings Tuesday and Wednesday . In a statement issued after the vote , Glaxo reiterated its belief in the safety of the drug and said Avandia `` remains available to physicians and appropriate patients '' to treat type 2 diabetes . `` Following today 's recommendations , we will , of course , continue to work with the FDA in the best interest of diabetes patients who face this chronic and serious disease , '' Dr. Ellen Strahlman , the company 's chief medical officer , said in the statement . `` Patients taking Avandia should speak with their physician about their treatment and any questions they may have regarding the safety of the medicine . '' But Dr. Daniel Einhorn , president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists , said the decision was `` hardly a ringing endorsement '' of the drug . In two preliminary votes , the FDA panel found that Avandia has an increased risk of heart problems compared with other drugs -- but it made the same determination in 2007 without voting to pull the drug , recommending stronger warnings instead . The committee would not conclude the drug poses an increased risk of death , with most calling the data before them insufficient . `` Until we have a longer-term follow-up we just ca n't say much about mortality , '' said committee member Dale Hammerschmidt , a University of Minnesota medical professor . Before the vote , Chuck Keyserling , who suffers from type 2 diabetes , told the panel he has been taking Avandia for 10 years and ca n't take an alternative drug because of his physical limits on exercise . `` In making this plea to keep Avandia on the market , I believe I am pleading for my life , '' Keyserling said . For people in his position , he said , `` a negative position on Avandia may be a death sentence . '' A strongly worded FDA report last week called Glaxo 's RECORD study , which the company cites as evidence of the drug 's safety , `` inappropriate and biased . '' It accused Glaxo of repeatedly submitting sloppy data and failing to follow up on reports of problems among patients , including deaths . And Dr. David Graham , the author of a June study that also found higher risk of heart problems among Avandia users , said the RECORD study would have been dismissed as `` garbage '' if it had been used to seek the drug 's original approval . But Dr. Murray Stewart , Glaxo 's vice president for clinical development , said Tuesday that the company 's studies `` provide the most robust and reliable data '' to assess Avandia 's safety -- and those studies have found `` no evidence to suggest '' the drug increases the risk of heart problems . Stewart defended the RECORD study again Wednesday . Glaxo says several trials have shown Avandia is safe , but its usage has fallen sharply since a 2007 study that linked it to an increased risk of heart attacks and other related problems . Published estimates indicate annual sales of Avandia have dropped from about $ 3 billion in 2006 to about $ 1 billion . A Senate committee added to the controversy Tuesday . Its leaders released documents they said show Glaxo `` failed to publish studies that found serious health risks associated with Avandia in a timely manner and actively promoted the drug despite the known safety concerns . '' The documents , which the Senate Finance Committee provided to the FDA , include studies that date back to 2000 , the committee 's Democratic chairman and ranking Republican said . But in an e-mail , Glaxo spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne told CNN the new documents were `` a small subset '' of millions of pages the company released in connection with lawsuits over the drugs . `` They include drafts and other documents taken out of context , which therefore are incomplete and misleading , '' Rhyne said . `` The documents do not offer new clinically relevant scientific information , and do not provide the full extent of GSK 's studies and evaluation of Avandia . ''
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NEW : The decision is `` hardly a ringing endorsement , '' doctor says . Most panelists recommend Avandia stay on the market with restrictions . Glaxo says Avandia remains available to `` appropriate '' patients . FDA promises to issue a decision `` as soon as possible ''
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-LRB- Health.com -RRB- -- An antibiotic widely used to treat diarrhea in travelers may also provide some relief to people with the common and difficult-to-treat condition known as irritable bowel syndrome , according to a pair of new studies in the New England Journal of Medicine . The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved the antibiotic , rifaximin , for use in IBS , which affects as many as 1 in 5 U.S. adults . The agency is currently reviewing the drug for that purpose and is expected to make a decision in March . In the studies , 1,200 IBS patients took rifaximin or a placebo pill three times a day for two weeks . Roughly 40 percent of the patients who took the antibiotic reported substantial relief from symptoms such as bloating , abdominal pain , and loose stools for at least two weeks during the subsequent month , compared with a little under one-third of the patients taking placebo . All of the patients in the studies had a form of IBS that does not involve constipation . Health.com : 12 surprising causes of constipation . `` It made all the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome better , which we do n't see too often in studies , '' says the lead researcher , Mark Pimentel , M.D. , a gastroenterologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , in Los Angeles . The studies were funded by the maker of rifaximin , Salix Pharmaceuticals , which was also involved in collecting and analyzing the data . -LRB- This arrangement is n't unusual in these types of studies , which are known as phase 3 trials and are generally the last research step in the FDA approval process . -RRB- In addition , Pimentel and several of his co-authors report financial relationships with Salix , including receiving consulting fees from the company . Health.com : Quick cures for stomach troubles . Rifaximin , sold under the brand name Xifaxan for travelers ' diarrhea , appears to be safe and does n't seem to foster resistance among gut bacteria , meaning it can be used over and over , Pimentel says . That could be important , because the number of study participants who reported lasting relief from their two-week rifaximin regimen gradually declined in the 10 weeks following treatment . Despite the relatively small percentage of patients who responded to the drug , doctors who have been frustrated by the lack of effective IBS treatments say they would welcome another option . Charlene Prather , M.D. , a professor of internal medicine at Saint Louis University , in Missouri , says that while she 'd hoped to see a `` more robust effect '' from rifaximin in the studies , she nevertheless would like the FDA to approve the drug for IBS . `` It still provides me with something I can offer my patients , '' says Prather , who was not involved in the new research . Health.com : 10 things that can make incontinence worse . Currently , `` there are no good options '' for treating IBS , says Timothy Pfanner , M.D. , a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center , in Temple . Rifaximin may benefit a subgroup of patients with IBS , Pfanner says , although he stresses that most people in the study did not experience relief from their symptoms . `` As a doctor , I 'd need to treat 10 patients for one to improve , '' he adds . Rifaximin would be the first antibiotic approved by the FDA for the treatment of IBS . Aside from providing evidence of the drug 's effectiveness , the study findings -- especially with regard to bloating -- support the theory that bacteria may be partially responsible for IBS . Health.com : Alternative therapies for irritable bowel syndrome -LRB- IBS -RRB- . Bloating is sometimes thought to be related to bacterial imbalances in the gut , and antibiotics are a class of drugs that work only against bacteria . `` That suggests that we hit upon a cause of IBS , '' Pimentel says . This theory is still controversial . Prather says that while there is some evidence to suggest that bacteria plays a role in IBS , it 's unclear whether changes in gut bacteria are a cause or an effect of the syndrome . Copyright Health Magazine 2010 .
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New studies show that an antibiotic may provide relief to people with IBS . About 40 percent of the patients who took the antibiotic reported relief from symptoms . The FDA has not yet approved the antibiotic , rifaximin , for use in IBS .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities have shut down a Texas food processing plant , saying it was contaminated by bacteria linked to the deaths of four people , state health officials said . The Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday ordered Sangar Produce and Processing to immediately stop processing food and recall all products shipped from its San Antonio plant since January . This comes after state laboratory results showed Listeria monocytogenes , a bacteria that can cause severe illness , in chopped celery at the plant . Four people died after contracting listeriosis after consuming celery that had been processed at the Sangar plant , said Carrie Williams , a department spokeswoman . State health authorities came to this determination while investigating 10 cases in which people with serious underlying health problems contracted listeriosis over an 8-month period . Six of those cases -- in Bexar , Travis and Hidalgo counties -- were linked to chopped celery processed at the SanGar plant , the state health services department said . Four of those people died , as did one other person who authorities believe got listeriosis from another source not connected with Sangar products . Sangar , however , sharply questioned the state 's findings and strongly denied wrongdoing , saying it has had `` an excellent record of safety and health '' over the past three years . Its president said outside tests `` directly contradict '' the state 's conclusion . `` The independent testing shows our produce to be absolutely safe , and we are aggressively fighting the state 's erroneous findings , '' said Kenneth Sanquist , president of Sangar . State health inspectors said they believe the bacteria found in the chopped celery may have contaminated other products at the company 's plant . Sangar processes a wide variety of products -- including three varieties of lettuce , peppers , carrots , cucumbers and various cut-up fruit , as well as salad , fruit and soup mixes , according to the company 's website . They are distributed primarily in sealed packages to restaurants , hospitals , schools and other large institutions that serve food . Besides the bacteria , inspectors found a condensation leak above a food product area , dirt on a food-preparation table , and hand-washing problems at the San Antonio plant , the state health department said . The state said that it is contacting distributors , restaurants and others who may have received Sangar products . Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium found in the soil , in water , and in animals that carry it without showing signs they are sick , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . It can get into vegetables from soil or manure that is used as fertilizer . The strain of bacteria is relatively resilient -- with an incubation period of three to 70 days , Williams said -- and some foods can be contaminated after cooking but prior to packaging . The bacteria have been tied to listeriosis , which sickens about 2,500 Americans and contributes to the death of 500 people annually , the CDC reports . People with weakened immune systems , including newborns and the elderly , are especially susceptible to listeriosis . Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other adults to contract the disease . In August , Sanquist told CNN affiliate KENS5 that food-safety measures were not tough enough , saying the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should be more involved in inspections . At the time , the SanGar president said that his company had never had a high bacteria count or had anything recalled . `` Ultimately , you can get someone very sick , '' Sanquist told KENS5 , criticizing city health inspections as insufficient . `` We 're talking about fresh-cut fruits and vegetables that need to be sanitized . '' The Texas health department is taking the lead in the investigation , with assistance from the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC . The state justified its closure of the Sangar plant , citing Texas law that authorizes such actions if conditions pose `` an immediate and serious threat to human life or health . '' `` At this point , the order prohibits the plant from reopening without our approval , '' said Williams . `` We will work with the company about setting up some guidelines before it can -LSB- reopen -RSB- . ''
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NEW : Four people died after eating celery processed at Sangar plant , officials say . NEW : The company 's president previously called for tougher food-safety measures . The Sangar produce plant has been closed and all its food products recalled . The company disputes the state 's findings and insists its products are safe .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some heartburn medications could increase the risk of hip , wrist and spine fractures in high doses or with long-term use , the Food and Drug Administration warned . Such so-called proton pump inhibitors are used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease , stomach and small intestine ulcers and inflammation of the esophagus , along with frequent heartburn . They include esomeprazole , sold under the brand name Nexium , dexlansoprazole -LRB- Dexilant -RRB- . lansoprazole -LRB- Prevacid -RRB- , omeprazole -LRB- Prilosec , Zegerid -RRB- , pantoprazole -LRB- Protonix -RRB- and rabeprazole -LRB- Aciphex -RRB- . Over-the-counter versions include omeprazole -LRB- Prilosec OTC , Zegerid OTC -RRB- and lansoprazole -LRB- Prevacid 24HR -RRB- . The product labeling will be changed to describe the possible increased risk , the FDA said in a statement Tuesday . `` Epidemiology studies suggest a possible increased risk of bone fractures with the use of proton pump inhibitors for one year or longer , or at high doses , '' said Dr. Joyce Korvick , deputy director for safety in FDA 's Division of Gastroenterology Products . `` Because these products are used by a great number of people , it 's important for the public to be aware of this possible increased risk and , when prescribing proton pump inhibitors , health care professionals should consider whether a lower dose or shorter duration of therapy would adequately treat the patient 's condition . '' The warning and revised labeling stems from the FDA 's review of several studies that reported an increased risk of hip , wrist and spine fractures in people using proton pump inhibitors . The warnings and precaution sections of prescription labels and the drug facts label on over-the-counter medications will address the findings , the agency said .
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Some heartburn , ulcer medications carry risk of fractures , FDA warns . Increased risk comes with high doses , long-term use . Warning includes both prescription and over-the-counter medications . Drugs include some forms of popular medications Prilosec , Nexium , Prevacid , Protonix .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Retirement has n't been full of lazy days , rounds of golf and luxury vacations for Gary Terry . When this former telecommunications executive called it quits after a 32-year career , he took up an equally time-consuming volunteer job as chairman of the American Heart Association 's Texas chapter . Gary Terry says his being saved by a public defibrillator he 'd pressed for was `` divine intervention . '' `` I believe the Lord chose me to lead that group , '' said Terry , who lives in Hurst , Texas . But his `` sign from the Lord '' came , not in the form of a dream or a mysterious figure in his morning toast . Instead , it came in the form of a cardiac arrest by the security checkpoint at the Austin airport . `` I was trying to get back to the metroplex because I had a meeting the next morning . I reached down to pick up my briefcase , and I kept going . '' Here 's where the story takes an ironic twist : Gary Terry collapsed just 18 feet from an automated external defibrillator AED that he and his group -- the American Heart Association -- helped to install just eight months earlier . `` A lot of people say there 's a lot of circumstances in your situation that really are unique , '' said Terry , `` and I say no , they 're not unique circumstances -- they 're divine intervention . And I truly believe that . '' But the circumstances of Terry 's experience are unique , because there was a defibrillator nearby , and somebody knew how to use it . Watch more on the heart official saved by a defibrillator he pushed for '' `` When somebody stops breathing and they hit the ground , for all intents and purposes , they 're dead , '' says Dr. Art Kellermann , noted defibrillator advocate and professor of emergency medicine at Emory University . `` There are a few minutes where you can reach through the door and pull them back from death if you act decisively . '' And acting decisively , says Kellermann , means following the four links in the `` chain of survival . '' Visit CNNhealth , your connection for better living . The first link , according to the American Heart Association , is to recognize there 's a problem , and call 911 . Next , begin doing CPR , employ the use of a defibrillator and get the victim into the hands of capable medical professionals like the paramedics . `` Research has shown time and time again that you win or lose in a cardiac arrest on the scene , '' says Dr. Kellermann . `` If you do n't get -LSB- the victim -RSB- started before you start transport , the likelihood they 'll survive to leave the hospital is less than one-half of 1 percent . '' And statistics also show that if the chain of survival is initiated within 4 minutes , the chances of survival can be as high as 60 percent . The good news is , CPR is easy to learn -LRB- local classes can be found here -RRB- and the automated external defibrillator is remarkably simple to use , even without significant training . According to several device manufacturers , you simply place the pads on a victim 's chest , and turn the unit on . Complex algorithms inside the unit 's computer determine whether a shock from the machine will help restart a victim 's heart . Once the machine determines that a shock should in fact be delivered , it tells the user to clear their hands from the patient 's body , and press the `` shock '' button . It 's far less complicated than your average VCR , and almost impossible to screw up . It 's for these reasons , and the relatively low cost of a defibrillator that Gary Terry continues his crusade . `` I think this is part of the plan , and I think he wants me to keep telling people what a great piece of equipment the AED is . '' And Terry says he wo n't stop until the defibrillator is as ubiquitous in public places as a sprinkler system . `` I 'm gon na try to put AEDs in every building and in every house , and then I 'm gon na hang them on trees . ''
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Heart association official suffered cardiac arrest in a Texas airport . His life was saved by an automated external defibrillator . His group pressed to have the AEDs place in the airport months earlier .
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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it has stopped reviewing drug applications from an India-based pharmaceutical plant , alleging that officials there falsified data and test results in applications , some of which the agency has already approved . In its second action in six months against Ranbaxy 's Paonta Sahib plant , the FDA invoked its Application Integrity Policy , which is usually invoked over concerns about the integrity of data in drug applications . In September , the FDA issued an import alert barring entry of generic drugs produced at the plant in northeastern India and two others owned by Ranbaxy . That order remains in effect . A man who answered the phone at the company 's offices in Gurgaon , Haryana , India , said no one was available for comment . No one immediately answered an e-mail sent Wednesday to the company 's U.S. corporate offices in Princeton , New Jersey . Under the Application Integrity Policy , the most recent action , the FDA has stopped all scientific review of any new or pending drug approval applications containing data from the Paonta Sahib plant . In a letter sent Wednesday to the company , the agency alleged that data submitted from the Ranbaxy plant contained falsified information -- including lies that safety tests were conducted , lies that drugs had been kept at room temperature when in fact they had been stored in refrigerators , and lies about the shelf life of some drugs . `` Companies must provide truthful and accurate information in their marketing applications , '' said Dr. Janet Woodcock , director of the FDA 's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research , in a statement on the FDA Web site . `` The American public expects and deserves no less . '' An investigation is under way , but the FDA said it has no evidence that drugs manufactured at the plant do not meet quality specifications . In a written statement e-mailed to CNN , a spokesperson said the company had just been notified of the action . `` Ranbaxy will analyze the letter and other information fully and respond appropriately in a timely manner , '' it said . `` The FDA has said it has no evidence the drugs on the market are substandard and also that they comply with specifications upon testing , '' it added . Deborah Autor , director of the drug evaluation center 's Office of Compliance , said there is no reason to believe Ranbaxy drugs on U.S. shelves pose any safety threat . She said all 80 samples tested met application specifications . `` We feel comfortable leaving those products on the U.S. market at this time , '' she said . The FDA said it has approved some 25 drug applications that contain data from Paonta Sahib . The applications affected by Wednesday 's announcement are for approved drugs made for the U.S. market , drugs pending approval but not yet on the market , and certain drugs manufactured in Ranbaxy 's Ohm Laboratories in New Jersey , which relied on data from the Paonta Sahib plant . Three generic drugs were produced at Ohm Laboratories : simvastatin -LRB- Zocor -RRB- and pravastatin -LRB- Pravachol -RRB- , both cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins , and the antihistamine loratadine -LRB- Claritin -RRB- . The four plants in India that make drugs approved for distribution in the United States have been inspected more than 20 times since 2005 , the FDA said . The FDA advised patients to talk with their doctor before considering stopping any medications .
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FDA stops drug applications from India-based drug plant . Plant officials falsified data on applications , agency says . Official : No reason to believe company 's drugs on U.S. shelves pose any safety threat .
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You could blame weeds , trees , and grasses if you start itching , sneezing , coughing , and wheezing this fall . But the usual suspects are n't the only triggers . A host of household items -- candles , chemicals , stuffed animals , and spices -- may be the real culprits . From blue jeans buttons to limes to teddybears , allergy triggers come in many ways , shapes and forms . `` Many homes are filled with irritants , and if there 's a high enough count of an irritant , you 'll react , '' says Christopher Randolph , M.D. , an allergy expert and professor of pediatric immunology at Yale University . Here , a rundown of 11 sneaky suspects -- and how to stop them from bothering you . Candles . You ca n't be allergic to essential oils -- which make candles smell like autumn leaves or dune grass -- but their odors can inflame your nasal cavities , according to James Wedner , M.D. , chief of allergy and immunology at the Washington University School of Medicine . `` People with nasal allergies have a natural increased sensitivity , so they 're likely to get a runny nose or watery eyes around candles , '' he says . `` To the person with the sensitive nose , it 's no different than cigarette smoke . '' What to do : If you 're very sensitive , avoid candles altogether . But if you love the smell and want to use them at home , buy candles that have few ingredients and feature just one scent , such as pumpkin . By a process of elimination you may be able to pinpoint which scent or ingredient bothers you . -LRB- Smoke from candles can also be an irritant , though that usually comes from snuffing it out ; open a window or blow out the flame outside . -RRB- . If you have a bad reaction to a scented candle , getting some fresh air should make you feel better . Perfume . Fragrances can contain hundreds of chemicals that are mostly untested on humans , Wedner says . When those chemicals bond with the essential oils in perfumes and are then sprayed into the air , sensitive people may take offense . Sneezing , congestion , and headaches can be the result . What to do : Kindly ask your colleagues to go easy on their favorite fragrances , and bring a portable fan to keep your area as scent-free as possible . If the thought of not wearing a fragrance leaves you blue , stick with body creams and moisturizers that have light scents . These are less likely to irritate you . Soaps and detergents . You think it 's the chemicals in cleaning products that make you itch ? Surprise : `` The majority of skin sensitivities are caused not by the cleaning agent but by a perfume additive , '' Wedner says . `` And nearly every soap now has some sort of plant in it to make it fancy -- roses , elderberries , etc. . The skin can respond with irritation , and give you a rash . '' Read more on how to identify a rash . What to do : Buy organic or specially marked soaps ; look for `` no additives , '' `` nonscented , '' or `` phthalate-free '' on the label . Phthalates are chemicals that help improve texture , but they 've been linked to allergic reactions ; products that contain them may have `` diethylphthalate '' or something similar on the label . Dove , Tide , and Ivory all offer low-irritant products , as do many organic brands . If fabric softener seems to be giving your skin fits , try using a sheet of aluminum foil in your dryer instead ; this trick will get rid of static cling . Or use a scent-free , no-additive version , like Seventh Generation Free & Clear Natural Fabric Softener . If you 're in a public laundromat , wash and dry towels first , which will soak up the residue left behind by previous users . Then be sure to use that same washer and dryer to clean and dry your clothes . Stuffed animals . Dust mites living in mattresses and pillows are a huge allergy trigger . Roughly 15 percent of the population is allergic to these microscopic bugs . Encasing mattresses and pillows with impenetrable covers and cases is a useful step , but it 's not enough . The mites also love kids ' favorite furry toys . What to do : Wash , dry , then repeat ... and use very hot water . `` Toys should be washed at 140 degrees , which will ensure that the mites are killed , '' Randolph says . After they 're clean store them on a shelf , not on the bed . What to do with the nonwashable toys ? Every two to three weeks put them in a plastic bag in the freezer for a couple of hours , which will also kill the mites . Carpeting . You may love the feel of carpeting under your feet , but mites find it just as attractive . `` Even if you vacuum constantly , you 've still got mites , '' Wedner warns . What to do : Remove wall-to-wall carpeting -- who does n't like a beautiful wood floor ? -- and use small rugs that can be washed in hot water monthly . `` And keep the humidity below 50 percent '' with your central air system or a dehumidifier , Randolph says . `` Dust mites thrive in humidity . '' Read more on how to allergy-proof your house . Spices . They add nuance and zing to a variety of dishes , but there 's no getting around spices ' origin : pungent plants . For some people , eating the spices made from these plants leads to a just little sniffling . For others , it may cause itching , swelling , and even burning of the lips . What to do : Avoid the spices more likely to cause trouble : coriander , poppy seeds , pepper , dill , paprika , cumin , and saffron -- which , in broad strokes , means Indian and Middle Eastern food . If you 're not sure which spices bother you , record what you 've been exposed to each time you have symptoms and look for the common denominator . Need help planning an allergen-free Halloween ? Read on for some tips . Christmas trees . A word to the wise before the holidays : Mold grows fast on Christmas trees . `` When you put that tree in a bucket of water , invisible mold grows almost immediately , '' Wedner says . `` Most people are allergic to or irritated by mold spores . '' What to do : Try a fake tree . Ca n't live without a real one ? Ask when it was cut down before you buy it ; trees that were cut weeks in advance are already ripe with mold . Then , starve it of water and keep it for as short a period as possible . Mold grows on houseplants , too , so keep them on the dry side . Wall paint . The solvents and synthetic resins used in paint often lead to itchy eyes and headaches . Oil-based paints are a particular problem because they can continue releasing chemicals even after they dry . What to do : Keep windows open as often as possible and allow fresh air to circulate for four weeks after painting , no matter what kind of paint you use . `` Once it has dried -- and I mean really dried , weeks later -- the odor goes away , and you wo n't have a problem , '' Wedner says . If possible , use latex paint , which emits less gas than oil-based kinds due to its water base . By the way , there is n't any real latex in latex paint , so if you 're allergic to latex gloves the same wo n't apply to the paint . What about paint with low levels of VOCs -LRB- volatile organic compounds -RRB- ? They spew fewer chemicals into the air and are less smelly than regular paints . But that does n't mean they wo n't bother you . To find these paints , look for the `` Green Seal '' certification mark on the label . Alcohol . An actual allergy to alcohol is quite rare , but being allergic to the grains and additives used in liquor is not : wheat or the preservative sulfur dioxide could cause a rash or a stuffy nose . New York City allergist Wellington Tichenor , MD , founder of the information site Sinuses.com , also blames grains like corn , barley , and rye , as well as fruit flavorings . Wine and beer may create problems , too . What to do : Stick with grain-free liquors like potato vodka , rum -LRB- made from sugar -RRB- , and tequila -LRB- the agave plant -RRB- . Skip all flavored liquers . And if sulfite preservatives in wine bother you , red wine tends to have fewer preservatives than white . Also , look for wine labeled `` sulfite-free '' -LRB- it wo n't stay fresh for long -RRB- . And remember that anything with carbonation -LRB- like a wine cooler -RRB- increases the likelihood of an allergic reaction , Tichenor adds . Blue jeans buttons . The buttons on your jeans are probably made with the metal nickel -- a rash trigger for up to 20 percent of women . A nickel rash near your waistline is usually itchy , red , and sometimes blistery . What to do : Take your pants to a tailor and have her replace the nickel buttons with plastic ones -LRB- another metal might also cause irritation -RRB- . A second option : Coat the button with clear nail polish , a remedy found to be effective in a recent St. Louis University study . Just be aware that nail polish itself may lead to a rash if you 're sensitive to it . Lemons and limes . Limonene , a zesty compound in lime and other citrus fruits , gives many people watery eyes and a burning sensation in the nose , Wedner says . It might even irritate your skin , whether you touch it or eat or drink products containing limonene . What to do : If you get a rash , treat it with topical hydrocortisone creams used for bug bites and poison ivy . Skip the lemon or lime wedge with your drink or salad , and look out for lime in salad dressings , desserts , and marinades -LRB- it 's used in numerous dishes -RRB- . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Household items such as candles , wall paint , carpet may cause allergy symptoms . Dust mites live in bedding and stuffed animals , irritating 15 percent of Americans . Mold can grow on Christmas trees , household plants causing allergic reaction .
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Thanks to the flu , a broken ankle , a staph infection , and bronchitis , plus several school cancellations , my three children were at home -- hurting , vomiting , coughing , or tracking muddy water into our house -- all but seven days last February . -LRB- Shall I pause to let the horror of that number sink in ? All but seven . -RRB- I 'm normally an efficient , organized person who thrives on plans and checklists , but by the end of that month , I 'd accomplished almost nothing beyond reading aloud the entire fifth book of Harry Potter . I felt so anxious that I was on the verge of hyperventilation . Originally a form of self-defense , the ancient Chinese art of tai chi promotes serenity through gentle movement . `` You need to close your eyes , take a deep breath , and imagine yourself surrounded by an egg of light , '' a Buddhist friend said . But when I closed my eyes and took a breath , I was surrounded by used tissues and dirty laundry . Obviously , I was in need of some inner peace . Studies have shown that learning to still the mind , if only for a few minutes , can lower blood pressure , reduce heart rate , limit stress hormones , and enhance immune function . But traditional forms of meditation do n't work for me . If I sit still and close my eyes , I fall asleep or think about my to-do list . So , I gave myself a new task : Find an activity that calms my mind without giving my weary body a chance to nod off . Does such a thing exist ? Health.com : Making time for me . Tai chi . This ancient Chinese practice -- believed to offer all the health benefits of silent meditation while giving you something to do with your hands and feet -- seemed like an obvious place to start for an antsy , toe-tapping sort like me . The thing is , I have a poor sense of balance and tai chi often requires standing on one foot . To avoid the not-so-peaceful experience of looking like a dork in front of a group of total strangers , I opted for a DVD , with only the tiniest hope of success . I surprised myself . The quiet music and the calm voice of the middle-aged woman demonstrating the moves were so reassuring that I forgot I looked like an idiot . The effort it took to follow along in what resembles the slow-motion version of a beautiful dance was literally mesmerizing . If I did n't feel peaceful , exactly , at least I was filled with quiet concentration , the kind that banishes all thoughts of picky eaters , mortgage payments , and unreliable co-workers . I emerged from the first lesson feeling refreshed and rested . Health.com : A new prescription for happiness . Knitting . I have friends who are passionate about knitting . Do n't they know that it 's possible to buy an immediately wearable sweater for less than the cost of the yarn it takes to knit one ? Nonetheless , stressed-out 21st-century workingwomen are returning in droves to the craft . It made no sense to me ... until I tried it , that is . Knitting , it turns out , is the perfect example of active stillness . In fact , 20 minutes of knitting can lower your heart rate and blood pressure -- the same physical response triggered by yoga , Tai Chi , or meditation . Some hospitals have even begun to offer knitting courses for stress release . The secret seems to lie in the soothing combination of rhythm and repetition . By the end of my first lesson , I 'd become proficient enough that my hands could make the motions almost automatically . The sound of the needles had a metronomic quality , a calming pace that automatically slowed my thoughts . And the feel of the wool sliding through my fingers was almost like a caress . Health.com : Boost your mood with color . Walking in the woods . I 'd read somewhere that exposure to nature can boost a person 's general well-being and sense of calm -- and I certainly needed a dose of that . So I headed to some nearby woods where the redbuds and crab apples were in full bloom . Birds called piercingly , squirrels quarreled , and high branches clattered together in the wind . In other words , nothing about the forest was still or quiet or remotely peaceful , but somehow it made me feel peaceful . I stopped thinking about my family and work deadlines and all that laundry . In fact , I stopped thinking altogether . Back at my car , I checked the clock and was shocked to learn that more than an hour had passed . Now , I ca n't realistically give up an hour every day to nature . But studies have shown that even small doses of nature can be healing , so I 've tried a few smaller-scale nature interactions , as well . I started a small aquarium , planted a windowsill bean garden , and hung a bird feeder where I can see it from my desk . Health.com : Make time to play . OK , so the fish are n't as interesting as I 'd hoped for : Watching them swim aimlessly in their small tank , in constant motion but getting absolutely nowhere , hits a little too close to home for me . But the sight of tiny leaves unfurling on the bean vines and the scent of soil filling the room when I water them have been surprisingly gratifying . As for the bird feeder ? It 's the best minidose of nature I 've found so far . All spring I watched goldfinches and cardinals courting right outside my window . Watching them hop from branch to branch as they get their fill and move out of the way for others to feed may not be meditation , per se , but it 's something similar -- a reminder that the world can offer peace and stillness , even in the midst of mayhem . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 .
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Stilling your mind can lower blood pressure , reduce heart rate , limit stress hormones . If traditional meditation leaves you sleepy , try mind-calming activities . Tai chi believed to offer benefits of silent meditation but with movement . 20 minutes of knitting can lower your heart rate and blood pressure .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dr Yves Jean-Bart , President of the Haiti Football Federation , tells CNN about the day that the earthquake struck , the devastating aftermath and his hope for the future of soccer in the country . What happened on the day of the earthquake ? I went to the federation around 1pm to meet the President of the Women 's league and the members of the commission of the league - we had to discuss a lot of matters . Also present at the meeting were Hancy Lescouflair -LRB- wife of the Minister of Sports and the Women 's League President -RRB- and the national head coach Jean Yves Labaze . The meeting was over and I was getting ready to leave when I felt the house shaking . I ran towards the back exit of the house . While going downstairs it was shaking really badly , I lost my balance and fell and blocks of debris fell on my hand . I got up and fell again with a huge amount of debris falling on my body . I was scared but I got up again to move away from the house that I then saw collapse in a white cloud . With the few that were able to escape this tragedy , and also the friends of the football family , we started helping people trapped under the rubble . During the whole night , even in darkness and with their lives in danger , those young friends of football saved and removed a few injured colleagues under the rubble . Unfortunately , more than 30 perished and even more saddening , we were not able to recover their body for days . Every day we go to the ruins of our office , and we had a memorial ceremony for all our colleagues that perished . We were helpless , beside three cases , to remove their bodies and return them to their families . What was going through your mind after the earthquake ? I had many thoughts going through my head for many days after and not having communication , we were unable to obtain information . When some friends were able to recover my Blackberry , I started working and trying to reorganize . I started by contacting the parents of the young boys and girls , miraculously saved because they were practicing at the National Stadium , and helped those that were in need . I was also deeply in pain with my injuries and the loss of some of my family . Psychologically , I had a lot of questions . I was terribly choked . What was left of the Haiti Football Federation ? From the headquarters there was nothing left . All our office equipment , all of what we were able to acquire throughout the years in order to put together a decent office - our efforts to have a nice archive , our trophies and distinctions during the last years - we lost everything . But most of all we lost a lot of colleagues including our best coach for the past years , all the equipment of our national teams , thousands of balls recently purchased everything ... everything . How did you cope in those days after the earthquake ? It 's hard to adapt yourself to this , it 's a whole different ball game . I did not have any meds and my injured fingers started to get infected . We were sleeping on the ground with the mosquitoes , the wind , the cold and the loud noises of airplanes coming in and out of the airport . Fortunately some colleagues were able to recover my Blackberry -- it was damaged but functional . We were able to get together , us members of the federation , and we all did our best to get back to work progressively . My kids were fabulous - they were able to send me meds , tents , sleeping bags and some money to cover every day expenses . Physically things got better but it has been a horrible misery up to now . What help did you receive from your neighboring countries and from FIFA itself ? The support we received was the most comforting . Less than four days after the earthquake , Captain Burrell , the President of the Jamaican Football Federation , arrived in two helicopters sent by the Presidents of FIFA & CONCACAF . We accompanied him on a small tour of the town and met leaders in the stadium and on the ruins of our headquarters . The very emotional report that he wrote touched the world football family even more on the hugeness of the tragedy . The president of the Dominican Football Federation sent colleagues to check on us and find out about our needs . He also sent me some meds that were very precious . President Blatter and a lot of his colleagues called me and assured me that we were not alone . About two weeks ago , with a lot of difficulties , FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner made it to Port-au-Prince in a private plane and brought us meds , foods and water . He promised to motivate the FIFA committee about our needs , promised that FIFA would help our national teams to keep competing , all in all helping us rebuild our soccer . At FIFA , last Tuesday , during the meeting of the associations , a lot of Presidents of Federations were present . A minute 's silence was observed for all the victims of the earthquake and during a special meeting , President Blatter announced to me that a special fund was created for the reconstruction of our football . FIFA experts will come to Haiti soon to evaluate our needs , build projects that FIFA will finance from this newly created fund . This is a big solidarity move . On February 26 with the help of the Venezuelan government we will play a charity game in Caracas . On March 7th , with the help of a German TV station , our men 's national team will play a game to raise funds that will be used to rebuild the stadium of Leogane that was completely destroyed . Some former world athletes have agreed to participate in this game . The Germans have already visited this stadium and plan to help us for a while with this project . Soccer federations of the whole world - Qatar , Switzerland , Honduras , Nicaragua and Mexico -- offered their help and we are deeply touched by this move . How many of Haiti 's players were affected by the earthquake ? The number of dead and injured announced , is really , really far from reality . The very bad construction of the country , the lack of organization in general , the fact that the first response help got on the ground days after , will make the final numbers very high , higher than the official numbers given . Fortunately with the fact the earthquake happened at 4:53 pm , the players of Divisions 1 and 2 were unharmed . The players lost immediate families : parents , wives , children . A lot of young players are orphans . When communication is fully restored and obviously when teams start training again , we will have an idea but the numbers will never be exact . How does Haiti as a country feel about football ? There is not one Haitian that has not touched a soccer ball . Football is part of the everyday life of Haiti , even with the scary living conditions in Port-au-Prince , even with the fields being occupied , they still play soccer . It is the only entertainment reserved for everybody . At the federation we had the great idea of distributing in the temporary shelters the few soccer balls we were able to recover and it was an explosion of joy . I think it is necessary and mandatory , to help with the psychological recovery of a major part of the population , to free the fields and allow the people to release some stress . In times of crisis like this does it help having something like football help to focus you ? It is a big challenge that motivates us better , gives us the desire to live . My biggest objective is for the soccer family to become more united every day , because until recently the soccer family was disunited . We feel that we have more responsibility than before . With all this solidarity coming from all around the world , with the situation of the youth , with this cruel misery and this sudden loss for everybody , we feel that soccer has an important role to play in the reconstruction of this country . How will you rebuild the federation and how long will it take ? It will be difficult - the conditions are impossible for us . My colleagues at the federation are aware that every time we try to restart the soccer world in Haiti an unfortunate situation puts us back to square one . In 2003 we had to stop everything during a political crisis . In 2003 we had Hurricane Jeanne . In 2005 there was the security crisis with the departure of President Aristide . In 2008 there were the four hurricanes of the summer . Every time it is an exodus of talent , the loss of the buying power of the population and each time we have to start from scratch . Fortunately with new players , the work that we maintain with the young players , with the heavy support of FIFA , we climbed back up the ladder because in all age categories our teams are some of the best in the region . Do you think the federation will grow strong again in the future ? I want to talk about construction and reconstruction at the same time . Haitian soccer has existed for more than 100 years . Soccer is a tradition deeply involved in the culture , the life of the country . The misery of the country affected its international evolvement but not its creativity , its popularity , its power and national weight . In this domain , with no doubt , everything exists , we will have to motivate - sensibly , because the human factor exists - in order to create an elite of players , to allow young talents to use soccer to get out of the misery , with the goal of obtaining a major professional contract and bringing money back to the country , or attending school abroad . We need to take charge of the most talented and ask for the resources that we need . We ask for infrastructures in the reconstruction process that the government will start to put at the service of these young talents and sports associations . The Latin American countries insisted on sports infrastructures that did n't exist for the youth . FIFA will help to rebuild our headquarters . It should be a reality before the end of this year . For the destroyed fields at Leoganea and Petit Goave , this should not take time . Destroyed or not by the earthquake , all the soccer fields are only by name , all of them need to be rebuilt because they were n't really existent before . With the lack of resources we had in the past we were able to accomplish so much , now with all the support that we will get , we will come back stronger than before .
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January 's earthquake killed 30 of Haiti 's Football Federation officials . Haiti 's Football President Dr Yves Jean-Bart was injured in the quake . Dr Jean-Bart is trying to rebuild the federation with help from FIFA . He tells CNN about the earthquake and the enormous challenges ahead .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.N. investigator accused Kenyan police of widespread extrajudicial killings , and called Wednesday for the removal of the East African nation 's police commissioner and its attorney general . Philip Alston called for Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki -LRB- pictured -RRB- to fire the police commissioner . `` Killings by the police in Kenya are systematic , widespread and carefully planned . They are committed at will and with utter impunity , '' U.N. Special Rapporteur Philip Alston said in a written statement on his preliminary findings after his visit to the country . The Kenyan government said it rejected Alston 's findings . `` The government finds it inconceivable that someone who has been in the country for less than ten days can purport to have conducted comprehensive and accurate research on such a serious matter , as to arrive at the recommendations he made , '' government spokesman Alfred Matua said in a written statement . He said the government was concerned Alston made `` such far-reaching conclusions and recommendations on the basis of his interim report , '' and said the findings were released without government response . Alston said he heard `` overwhelming '' testimony of the killings , which he said occurred regularly . The police commissioner and other senior Kenyan police officials denied the accusations , he said . The police may kill for personal reasons , for extortion or for ransom , Alston said . He added , `` Often they kill in the name of crime control , but in circumstances where they could readily make an arrest . He cited as an example James Ng ` ang ' a Kariuki Muiruri , 29 , whom he said police shot and killed last month in the capital , Nairobi . `` After a disagreement at a hotel , a police officer stopped the car James and his brother were in , and ordered James to handcuff himself . When he asked why he was being arrested , James was shot three times , '' Alson said in the news release . `` The only exceptional things about the case were that James was the son of a former Member of Parliament , and the incident had been witnessed , '' he said . Alston said there was no accountability for the alleged police killings ; there is no independent police internal affairs unit . He called for Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki to fire the police commissioner . `` Any serious commitment to ending the impunity that currently reigns in relation to the widespread and systematic killings by the police should begin with the immediate dismissal of the police commissioner . In the absence of such a step it will be impossible to conclude that there is a strong commitment at the very top to deal with this problem . '' As for Attorney General Amos Wako , Alston 's comments were severe , and he called for his resignation . `` Mr. Wako is the embodiment in Kenya of the phenomenon of impunity . '' Alston also accused government security forces of torturing and killing hundreds of men in a March 2008 crackdown on a militia in the Mt. Elgon district , in western Kenya . And he said there was compelling evidence that what he called police death squads were operating in Nairobi and Central Province with a mandate to `` exterminate '' suspected Mungiki gang members . `` These are not ` rogue ' squads , but police who are acting on the explicit orders of their superiors , '' he said . The Mungiki militia , which are loyal to Kibaki 's Kikuyu tribe , began as a religious sect , but over the years has morphed into a gang that runs protection rackets -- particularly in the slums . The U.N. investigator suggested Kibaki acknowledge the alleged police killings and commit to stop them . He also advocated that an independent civilian police oversight body be created , and said the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court should investigate violence after the 2007 election . He also said the government should create a witness protection program . Alston traveled to Kenya after the government invited him , staying from February 15 until Wednesday . He will issue a final report of his findings , but it was not immediately clear when it would be released .
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U.N. investigator alleges widespread killings by police . Investigator says there is no accountability for alleged killings . Calls for resignation of attorney general , police commissioner . Police , military deny accusations .
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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A recent study on global wellbeing showed the Danes to be the happiest people on the planet and with about a fifth of them living in their capital it stands to reason that Copenhagen must be a little bit special . The Amalienborg palaces are the royal family 's winter residence . So what are they so happy about ? Well , lifestyle magazine Monocle recently named Copenhagen as being the world 's most livable city , highlighting the quality of its infrastructure , transport system and contemporary buildings . It 's true that the city is well planned and well managed ; it boasts a new metro system , the main arteries in the centre are pedestrianized and the other streets are filled with cyclists rather than exhaust fumes . But Copenhagen is not some soulless exercise in sterile urban planning . There are the winding medieval streets of Indre By and the Latin Quarter , the picture-postcard houses of Nyhavn , the canals of Christanshavn , and the palaces and parks of Fredericksstaden and Rosenborg . The city is , simply , charming . If you spend some time in Copenhagen you 'll quickly come to understand the Danish concept of `` hygge '' , a word with multiple meanings that is best translated as something between `` cozy '' and `` relaxed '' . But if that suggests a city of bygone cuteness it does n't take into account the sleek modernism of Danish design . Arne Jacobsen 's legacy can be seen throughout the city -LRB- check out the Radisson SAS Royal and Café Stelling -RRB- but no less visionary are recent structures such as Henning Larsen 's futuristic Opera House or the dramatic new Royal Library , known as the `` Black Diamond '' . The clean lines and minimalism that characterize Danish design are evident in the interiors of the city 's stylish bars , restaurants and hotels and perhaps their influence can even be detected in the trend away from bland , stodgy cooking to a cleaner , healthier style that is earning the city 's restaurants acclaim and Michelin stars . The alternative side of Copenhagen can be seen in places like Christiania , the ` free city ' founded in 1971 by a collection of dropouts , hippies and social visionaries . The fact that this semi-autonomous experiment in communal living has survived for so long is testament to the open-mindedness of the Danish ; but the very existence of Christiania has always been controversial and government plans to ` normalize ' the area suggest it may not be ` free ' much longer . Like any city of its size , Copenhagen has its share of social problems . Nørrebro has been the scene of a riots in recent years , with some commentators blaming social deprivation and others blaming boredom among young people . But it is working class areas like Nørrebro and Vesterbro , away from the tourist trail , that are the beating heart of the city . They are home to many of Copenhagen 's trendiest bars and clubs and they have a sense of community that is difficult to convey ; it is something Danes might describe as `` hygge '' . So why are the Danish so happy ? Go to Copenhagen and you 'll understand .
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Copenhagen has been described as the world 's most livable city . The city is charming , with medieval streets , canals and royal palaces . Sleek Danish design is evident everywhere and gives the city a modern edge . The ` free city ' of Christiania is testimony to Danish open-mindedness .
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