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South Sudan has reportedly expelled a UN official investigating human rights in the country over "unjustified" reports. The country accuses the UN official of "reporting on human rights issues that she could not verify and has been publishing without justifications," Al Jazeera reports. "This is unethical," Barnaba Marial Benjamin, a South Sudan government spokesman, told the news agency. The official is not being named, but the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan confirmed that she has been expelled, Al Jazeera reports. "The order is in breach of the legal obligations of the government of the Republic of South Sudan under the Charter of the United Nations," Hilde Johnson, special representative of the UN to South Sudan, told Al Jazeera. Benjamin would not elaborate on what reports were considered unjustified. Click for more from Al Jazeera.

South Sudan has reportedly expelled a UN official investigating human rights in the country over unjustified reports.

New York City is always shifting, as new people arrive with suitcases stuffed with hope and ambition, replacing others who have packed up and moved on. It’s now a distant memory, but the transience of our city was once a collective experience. For some 300 years, on every May 1, practically all city dwellers would chuck their belongings onto pushcarts and horse-drawn carriages and haul them to a new home. But when housing shortages gripped the city in the 1940s and rent control as we know it was implemented, Moving Day — a Colonial holdover grounded in the English celebration of May Day — faded into oblivion. And while we no longer move en masse, the majority of New Yorkers continue to rent, and move, frequently. As many of us know, the experience is rarely enjoyable. There is the physical exertion of packing and unpacking; the disappointment of finding broken dinner china or cracked piano legs, and that feeling of dismay when you survey your worldly goods reduced to a truck full of cardboard boxes. It would certainly be a relief to simply walk out of your old house and have it replicated, down to the order of your spice rack, somewhere new. And it turns out that for those who are willing to pay, Walt Disney was right after all: Dreams do come true. In recent years, a number of companies have cropped up that promise to ease the hardships of moving, for a price. Don’t like the screeching sound of packing tape as it is forcefully unfurled from its roll? FlatRate Elite, the luxury division of FlatRate Moving, offers a “low-noise” version for up to $150 additional per move. Hate to call the cable and gas companies to inform them of a new address? The company offers a liaison that will do it for you for just $500 a day. Would you rather just decamp entirely, swapping the sweltering city for frozen margaritas on the beach? NouvelleView will act as your proxy, for $180 an hour, managing everything from taking an inventory of your home, to creating a budget and interviewing moving companies. “We oversee every aspect, from the initial strategic plan to seeing that every box is unpacked,” said Pamela Muller, a principal and an owner of NouvelleView, which charges $6,000 to $9,000 for an average-size job; its most lucrative client rang up $25,000 worth of services. To Stephanie T. Foster, an experienced mover, and a fixture on the society circuit as a trustee of the Asia Society and a managing director of the Metropolitan Opera, NouvelleView is “a godsend.” As with many of us, her moves have often been “hideous experiences,” she said. “Haven’t you heard the phrase ‘death, taxes and moving?’ “ Mrs. Foster, who worked for nearly two decades on Wall Street, began using NouvelleView in 2009, shortly after marrying the financier John Foster. The couple were relocating to a new apartment together and undertaking the complicated process of combining their furniture. “My husband had the ideal bachelor set up,” Mrs. Foster said. “He collected Ming dynasty furniture, so in his dining room he had a wooden throne,” for which he had built a special platform and even installed lighting. “I told him, ‘Darling, if you can sit on the chair comfortably then it can come with us, otherwise it has to be put in storage.’ “ The chair, which dated to the 17th century, failed to pass the comfort test and was soon placed, along with other pieces from his collection, in special temperature-controlled storage. NouvelleView, which doesn’t actually move anything but rather just coordinates the move, also itemized and cataloged all the Fosters’ belongings, providing the couple with a digital record. “It is extremely helpful, not like having boxes in a dark basement that are stuffed with 50 dining room dishes and a lamp shade,” Mrs. Foster said. “This is a complete inventory, so you know exactly what you have, and if you move to a new home, you can say to yourself, ‘Ah, I could use that piece here, it would fit perfectly.’ ” Most of NouvelleView’s clientele hire a traditional moving company to handle the bulk of the items, and then specialty movers to pack up the fine art and collectibles. Ms. Muller says she is now working with a client who is moving out of a six-bedroom home and paying $40,000 for the regular movers, $42,000 to the fine arts movers and then the additional NouvelleView fee. Fine arts movers are notoriously costly. “I always say to clients that we are the most expensive in the business,” said Michael Jaque, a director at the shipping company Gander & White. For residential moves, the company’s prices range from $15,000 up to $100,000. “Most clients think that packing and moving can be done in one day,” he said, “but the reality is that even with a small two-bedroom, the minimum is usually 5 to 10 days.” For those who want extra care taken with their property but don’t have the stomach to shell out $100,000, FlatRate Elite uses an à la carte menu: Clients can buy services like a carpenter to build custom crates, with prices starting at $120 apiece, or a car service to drive them to their new home for a minimum of $200. The company also takes photos of bookshelves and kitchen cabinets, so that when it unpacks customers’ things at the new home, it can put them back in the same exact order it found them. “It isn’t like someone who loads up a truck with delicate oil paintings and then lets it sit there moldering away,” said Sara Cassis, who hired the company several times. Frequent movers, Mrs. Cassis, who is a partner in a women’s clothing line, and her husband, John, a health care venture capitalist, are using FlatRate Elite for an upcoming move to a three-bedroom apartment near the United Nations, from their current home on Central Park South. Cassio Alves, of San Francisco, an estate manager for a celebrity author whom he declined to name, also uses FlatRate Elite for his employer’s moves. “I deal with a lot of art handlers, but they have a very specific expertise,” he said. “When I do a move, I move art pieces and antique furniture to dresses and underwear, and I need someone that can handle all of that.” Mr. Alves paid $6,500 to $9,250 when moving two- and three-bedroom apartments for his employer. It is little surprise that high-end moving companies and other ancillary services are growing in lock step with the city’s increasing stock of luxury condominiums. But while some may point to the trend as yet another sign of a frothy, overheated market, there is a practical side. Next time your lease runs out and you face a dreaded move, perk up. For just a few thousand dollars more, you can hire someone else to do all the heavy lifting and then some. A version of this article appears in print on July 13, 2014, on page RE1 of the New York edition with the headline: Your Move, Their Headache. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe

In recent years, a number of companies have cropped up that promise to ease the hardships of moving, for a price.

Unlike Ferguson, North Charleston or Baltimore, no one was killed or injured here. This is an affluent, mostly white area without a history of serious racial tension. But the expressions of anger and the demands for change on Monday night in McKinney, Texas, recalled scenes from elsewhere in the US: hundreds of demonstrators protested then marched to the spot where three days earlier a police officer shoved a teenage girl in a bathing suit to the ground, swore and pointed a gun at two unarmed boys. The officer’s response to a minor fracas at a pool party was so intense that a bystander’s video of Eric Casebolt’s actions turned the weekend event into the latest episode of the broiling controversy over police aggression in their encounters with black people. The footage posted online had only attracted significant media attention the day before, but the community moved so quickly that about 500 people attended the rally, which began at an elementary school in the city on the northern edge of Dallas. The chants demanding reform and accountability and the “Black Lives Matter” T-shirts and placards underlined the reality that this event was an heir to the outrage that had boiled up in other cities – the latest waypoint for a movement. Casebolt, who had been with the police department in McKinney for a decade, was placed on administrative leave on Sunday for his role in the incident. “It may not be Baltimore but folks are going to come out and protest when it’s blatantly wrong,” said Hillis Davis, a 52-year-old from the nearby city of Frisco. Elbert Denkins, a 44-year-old who works for the US navy, said he came “to support my neighbourhood and everybody who’s involved with it because it’s happening everywhere, it needs to stop”. He said the wave of protests against the police was empowering. “I think they’re getting some confidence to come out here and not be afraid any more. At one point in time nobody really wanted to say anything. They were like: ‘You know what, they’re going to take care of it’,” he said. “[But police are] doing it with adults a lot, now children – 14-year-old, 15-year-old celebrating that school is out, at a swimming pool party. That’s just ridiculous. Us coming out here to support this is letting the city of McKinney, north Dallas, wherever they may be, know we’re not going to tolerate it.” A handful of pro-police demonstrators turned up, one with a banner reading: “This is not a Selma audition”. Meanwhile, claims about the origins of the disturbance were propagated on social media: that dozens of uninvited guests crashed the party, drank, smoked weed, had sex and generally acted like hooligans; that residents fear more trouble; and that the large-scale police response was not an over-reaction. An interview was posted on YouTube with a woman named Tatiana, one of the party’s organisers, who said that a fight broke out after she and her friends were racially abused by a white woman. Tatiana claimed she was told to go back to her “section 8 home”, a reference to low-rent housing projects that has a particular resonance in this growing city of 150,000 people, 30 miles north of Dallas. In 2009, the city was sued by a non-profit organisation for allegedly refusing to develop low-income housing on its west side, preferring it be built on the poorer east side. The swimming pool’s location, in the Craig Ranch subdivision in the west of the city, is a good approximation of the suburban American dream: modern, spacious, immaculately manicured and with mansions even a Beverly Hills resident might deem excessively large, available for under $500,000 (£325,000). Census figures show it is about 75% white. A black teenager who said he was at the party offered the theory that a pool security guard did not realise there were two parties at the pool – one predominantly white, and one black. “He only picked on the black people, saying: ‘Where’s your keycard?’” the boy said. Jahda Bakari said she went to help Dajerria Becton after Casebolt grabbed her and wrestled her down, face-first. “After he threw the girl to the ground I tried helping her then he punched me in the face,” the 13-year-old said. “I think it was based on race mostly as he was only targeting the black people.” However, Maurice Gray, a black 41-year-old who said his wife and five children were at the party, disagreed. He said he had lived in the area for three and a half years without encountering any problems with the police and that their response spiralled out of control because of one man’s incompetence rather than any institutional racism. “These pool parties have been going on for a while. It’s not like this is not normal,” he said. “[People are] trying to make it a race thing but it’s just right and wrong … one officer just kind of went rogue,” he said. After making the 25-minute walk from the school, accompanied by police who had closed off roads, protesters massed in front of the locked entrance to the pool, which is reached through a building with an aesthetic of country-club-meets-alpine-chalet. Dozens of residents stood outside their homes taking images with their cellphones. Brian Hettish seemed taken aback by the drama. “Nothing happens here, like, ever. I mean, last year this place was voted best place to live in America. This isn’t a race thing,” the 20-year-old said. But normality was suspended on Monday night. While demonstrators stood on the grass where the video was filmed and agitated for change, there was no one in the water, save for a plastic turtle float that bobbed gently on the surface. “Pool is temporarily closed for treatment,” said a sign at the gate.

McKinney may be a largely white and affluent suburb, but residents are divided over whether that makes it immune from police racism

Oracle filed a multibillion-dollar copyright lawsuit against Google because Oracle failed in its own attempts to enter the smartphone market, a Google attorney said in closing arguments on Monday. In a retrial in federal court in San Francisco, Oracle has claimed Google’s Android smartphone operating system violated its copyright on parts of Java, a development platform. Alphabet’s Google unit said it should be able to use Java without paying a fee under the fair-use provision of copyright law. A trial in 2012 ended in a deadlocked jury, and if the current jury rules against Google on fair use, then it would consider Oracle’s request for about $9 billion in damages. Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter. The case has been closely watched by software developers, who fear an Oracle victory could spur more software copyright lawsuits. However, investors see little risk for Google because the company could afford to pay a onetime fine, and the possibility of an injunction that would force Google to pay ongoing royalties to Oracle appears remote. In court on Monday, Google attorney Robert Van Nest played a video of a speech by Oracle chairman Larry Ellison praising “our friends at Google” for building devices that use Java. Ellison then suggested Oracle should also build similar hardware. But Oracle was never able to build a smartphone of its own, Van Nest said, so it decided to accuse Google of unfair copying instead. “They now want all the credit and a whole lot of money,” Van Nest said. “That’s not fair.” But Oracle attorney Peter Bicks said it was Google that needed a quick way to build a viable smartphone, and purposefully decided to use Java without a license. Bicks presented internal Google documents, in which company executives contemplated being “out of business in 10 years” if they did not quickly enter the mobile market. “They knew they were breaking the rules, they knew they were taking short cuts, and they knew it was wrong,” Bicks said.

Yet investors see little risk for Google.

Entries are piling up for a slogan contest being held this year by the North American Manure Expo. The trade show, now in its 13th year, showcases the latest technology in manure handling, treatment and application. It's being held in July in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. An official event slogan has already been settled on: "2015 Manure Expo: Manure than you can Handle!" It will appear on the front of a T-shirt. But contestants are vying to land a spot on the back of the T-shirt, which event organizers say will display 10 of the "crappiest" also-rans. Writers of the 10 alternate slogans get a free T-shirt. Many entries, predictably, contain a vulgar substitute for "manure." Here are 10 (printable) entries from the approximately 200, that were submitted by Thursday: — Manure Expo, where nobody stands behind their product. — You provide the creek. We provide the paddle. — Keep your friends close, and your manure further. — The future of what's left behind! — We do doo. Do you? — Manure Happens (to be Nutritious!) — Been there, Spread that ... @ the North American Manure Expo — Proud survivor of North American Manure Expo ... It got deep. — Heaping piles of fun! — North American crap shoot.

Entries are piling up for a slogan contest being held this year by the North American Manure Expo.

Walk into room S-211 of the U.S. Capitol and one can imagine Lyndon Baines Johnson slung deep into an armchair, feet propped up on the desk, chain-smoking and dialing a coalition of northeast senators to cajole them to back a bill he was trying to maneuver through the Senate. S-211 of the Capitol is known today as the LBJ Room. That's the suite Johnson used when he was Senate Majority Leader and ran the chamber with an iron fist. In Johnson's day, S-211 was "backstage." This is where Johnson hatched parliamentary tactics and honed agreements with recalcitrant lawmakers far away from the public eye. But S-211 was anything but backstage Wednesday. Over the past few days, backstage has been the offices of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. That's where Democratic lawmakers and White House officials crafted a $789 billion stimulus bill to billion stimulus bill designed to resuscitate a languid economy a languid economy. The irony is that they converted what was once LBJ's sanctum into the very public space where lawmakers met Wednesday in a rare, tribal ritual exclusive to Washington: the conference committee. The House approved one version of the bill. The Senate, another. So House and Senate members must caucus in a conference committee to negotiate a definitive version of the legislation to send to the president for his signature. So for the conference committee, several hundred aides, journalists and Members of Congress squeezed into S-211, dialing through BlackBerries and sifting through large, accordion binders. In the center of the room, Congressional workers lined up five card tables side-by-side and covered them with a royal blue drop cloth They positioned ten bottles of Deer Park Water and accompanying glasses around the tables next to placards bearing the names Mr. Rangel, Mr. Camp and Mr. Baucus. The conference committee was scheduled to start at 3 p.m.. But the minutes ticked by and the room baked from the crowd. At 3:45, the head of the conference committee, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, made an announcement. "I have just been advised that the leadership of the House has gathered to be briefed on the bill. We will have to shift this to later in the day," Inouye explained in his deep baritone. Groans echoed around the room. And like they were running an evacuation drill, the aides, journalists and lawmakers emptied out of S-211. For 45 minutes, the LBJ Room was the epicenter of the Beltway universe. But in less than 30 seconds, it morphed into a backwater outpost. The card tables, placards and water bottles, relics of the most important place in Washington moments ago. Whispers raced through the Capitol. Was the stimulus bill in trouble? Was there a snag? One of the negotiators, Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., attempted to portray the Democrats as being in "disarray." "It startles me that they're having a meeting that they can't agree on in the first place," said Lewis. The Democratic leadership team wanted to brief its members on what would be in the final version of the legislation and smooth out some rough spots with lawmakers who would be unhappy with what was stripped from the package. One senior House aide confided that the 3 pm meeting time was a "huge lift." Some House Democrats weren't pleased with the bill. "They said that there was a deal that didn't exist," said Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) appeared frustrated about cuts to the Neighborhood Stabilization Fund. The House approved $4.2 billion for the fund. But the Senate zeroed that money out in its bill. CBC member Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., laughed when asked by a reporter if the Senate had "jammed" the House. "You are not going to get me to answer that one," said Cummings. But despite the misgivings, lawmakers finally started the conference committee around 5:35 p.m. And Harry Reid suggested that just holding the meeting was significant. "This is the first, open conference we've had in 15 years," Reid said. He then turned to the Republicans at the table. "You did all of your conferences in secret," Reid added. But Jerry Lewis asked Daniel Inouye whether this was a true conference or just for show. "It's astonishing to have my friend from Hawaii come and sit here for 45 minutes while others are negotiating something down the hallway," Lewis said. One by one, each negotiator spoke about the bill. But Inouye prohibited any of the conferees from offering any amendments to alter the package. The legislation was already written and wheeled in on carts as the conference committee started. The exercise was essentially a press conference where lawmakers from both sides spoke for or against the bill. Almost exactly an hour after he gaveled the meeting into session, Inouye ended it. And Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., told reporters the deal was sealed. The throng again departed the overstuffed LBJ Room. During the conference committee, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wis., remarked on the irony of meeting in the cramped quarters that once served as LBJ's office. "The Congress can spend $600 million for a visitor's center and still not have a room big enough for a conference and everyone who wants to watch this puzzle factory at work," Obey snorted. A Democratic aide volunteered this nugget: "That's because the only way to get a bill done is behind closed doors." A principle not lost on the man for whom the conference committee room was named, Lyndon Baines Johnson. Chad Pergram covers Congress for FOX News. He's won an Edward R. Murrow Award and the Joan Barone Award for his reporting on Capitol Hill.

Congressional leaders converted what was once LBJ's sanctum into the very public space where lawmakers met Wednesday in a rare, tribal ritual exclusive to Washington: the conference committee

The Army mistakenly sent letters addressed "Dear John Doe" to 7,000 family members of soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, unleashing calls from troubled relatives and prompting a formal apology yesterday from the Army's top general. "The indication that anyone would perceive that a hero is not significant, that they would not direct this personally to them, is shattering," said Merrilee Carlson, whose son, Sgt. Michael Carlson, died in Baqubah, Iraq, on Jan. 24, 2005. "While it's a simple mistake, it's a very tragic mistake," said Carlson, who learned of the letter from other families and expected to receive one yesterday. The letters, mailed late last month by the Army's Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Center in Alexandria, contained information about private organizations that assist families of the fallen. But in what the Army called a printing error by a contractor, the letters did not contain specific names and addresses; instead, they had the placeholder greeting "Dear John Doe." Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. is sending a personal apology letter to the 7,000 family members, Army spokesman Paul Boyce said yesterday. "Obviously, this is insensitive, and we wanted to apologize," said Boyce, adding that the Army became aware of what he called the "glitch" when several families began contacting the service in recent days. "There are no words to adequately apologize for this mistake or for the hurt it may have caused," Brig. Gen. Reuben D. Jones, the Army adjutant general, wrote yesterday in a statement. At the same time, he said, "it is important the original intent of the letter is not lost. The organizations mentioned are dedicated to honoring loved ones and recognizing their sacrifice and commitment." Carlson said she is contacting other Army Gold Star mothers -- a designation for mothers of troops who died in military service -- to warn them about the letter and explain that it was a mistake. "The Army treasures its heroes, and they will work hard to make sure it never happens again," said Carlson, president of Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission, a Washington-based nonprofit coalition that includes family members of fallen troops and supports the mission of building democracy in the Middle East.

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In recent weeks I have been ridiculed, derided, mocked and I believe even spit upon -- though I was very near Wall Street at the time and it might have been rain-drops -- for my prediction this past summer that Rick Perry would win the GOP nomination and beat President Obama in 2012. Last night I swear I thought my pet hound was mocking me too. Political predictions sometimes are dead on -- as I was in my 2006 prediction of Obama taking it all -- and sometimes not so much. So it was with special interest I caught some of the press tour Governor Perry did across the morning shows this today. With great humility, he was engaging, able to laugh at his own gaffe and in all sincerity he came across as likable. When I made the prediction this summer, I didn't personally realize his extremely limited experience in the debate world. I wasn't even aware that he'd only participated in four debates in the last decade. He doubled that number within less than a month of being on the trail. But being President isn't about debates; it's about discretion, discernment and decisions. The five reasons I asserted that Governor Perry would have the best shot at beating Obama were simple ones: He decisively created more jobs than Obama. He greatly respects and tries to encourage small businesses. He has a clear understanding of federalism and what states shouldn't be forced into. He has solid core convictions that replicate most of America. And he could unite the core conservative Democrats, Republicans and Independents across the nation on economic, social and defense policy. All five of those reasons remain -- even now -- solidly relevant and valid. However, he's certainly nowhere near where I thought he'd be by now. But before all the pundits completely write him off, let me proffer the four things he's got to do to get back in the game. 4. Remain humble, human and likable: Self-deprecating humor worked amazingly well for President Bush. Everyone watching politics at present (which is very few compared to the votes to be cast next year) already dislikes the fact that Mitt Romney is stiff and unflinching. Americans also don't mind a candidate being flawed. Hey... the nation elected Bill Clinton, twice! 3. Turn the gaffe into a theme: And in a way he already has. Gov. Perry had repeatedly said in stump speeches how much he wants to make Washington "inconsequential to the lives of everyday Americans." This is a red-meat applause line that gets the Tea Party, small government Democrats and Republicans charged. But there's a whole theme of "Forget Washington" ideas that could make for valid points of policy. 2. Stay on offense: The Wall Street Journal raved about both his energy and tax/economic plans. He's got tremendous skill on protecting the border and a high degree of knowledge on national security. He also represents the codes of morality, values and conscience that the nation seeks in a leader, and no divorce, sex harassment, or issue flip-flop scandals to stare down. 1. Fight like mad, for the future of America: The people of this nation will forgive many flaws. What they wish to see in their leader is an all out advocate for welfare of the nation, coupled with the discipline of constitutional roots. So give it them. Take on Obama, show them the future with job creation under a Perry economy. Pledge to keep your watchful eye on terrorists and other harmful elements. Do your best 24 hours a day to make the American PEOPLE, their economic success, and their family's safety the goal of your presidency, and do it until you drop. In the end, winning the Presidency is about winning a very long marathon. I'm not sure if my prediction about Rick Perry will come true. But the reasons I gave for his narrative being the best one to face President Obama in the general election still hold. After all, which person would you vote for in the general election: the guy who lost two million jobs for the nation, or the guy who created nearly half of all new jobs in the nation over that same period of time? And, who wants to get Washington D.C.'s influence out of your life so badly that he literally forgot part of that bureaucratic nightmare called the Federal Government? Kevin McCullough is the nationally syndicated host of "The Kevin McCullough Show" weekdays (7-9am EST) & "Baldwin/McCullough Radio" Saturdays (9-11pm EST) on 289 stations. His newest best-selling hardcover from Thomas Nelson Publishers, "No He Can't: How Barack Obama is Dismantling Hope and Change" is in stores now.

In recent weeks I have been ridiculed, derided, mocked, and I believe even spit upon for my prediction this past summer that Rick Perry would win the GOP nomination and beat President Obama in 2012.

Remember back when 4G LTE came out and we were all amazed by the super-fast Internet speeds we could get on our phones? Well just wait until you get a look at what you’re going to get with 5G connectivity. AT&T on Friday unveiled its 5G network roadmap for 2016 and if all goes according to plan, the carrier could launch services on a limited basis starting this year. 5G is the next generation of wireless data technology that will deliver speeds 100 times faster than today’s 4G LTE services by using technologies such as millimeter waves, network function virtualization (NFV), and software-defined networking (SDN). Tests will begin in AT&T labs in the second quarter this year while outdoor tests of 5G will take place over the summer. “Customers will see speeds measured in gigabits per second, not megabits,” AT&T crows. “For reference, at one gigabit per second, you can download a TV show in less than 3 seconds. Customers will also see much lower latency with 5G. Latency, for example, is how long it takes after you press play on a video app for the video to start streaming on your device. We expect 5G latency in the range of 1 to 5 milliseconds.” Of course, having a 1Gbps connection won’t be of much use if you’re only allowed to use 5GB per month before getting nailed with overage fees. It’s probably safe to assume 5G networks will have significantly higher data caps than what they have now but this is definitely something to keep an eye on when services roll out. AT&T tells us that “an early use of 5G’s underlying technology could be delivering broadband to homes and businesses” while explaining that “it’s possible that we could have limited commercial availability this year depending on the trials.” Check out the company’s full press release at this link.

Remember back when 4G LTE came out and we were all amazed by the super-fast Internet speeds we could get on our phones? Well just wait until you get a look at what you’re going to get with 5G connectivity. AT&T on Friday unveiled its 5G network roadmap for 2016 and if all goes according to plan, the carrier could launch services on a limited basis starting this year.

Dick LeBeau, one of the most revered defensive coordinators in the NFL who is regarded as the architect of the zone blitz that is copied by so many other teams, has agreed to mutually part ways with the Steelers. LeBeau just completed his 11th season in his second tour of duty with the Steelers, but he was asked to resign after meeting for several days with the Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin. “I’m resigning, I’m not retiring,” LeBeau said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after the story was first reported by the Urbana Daily Citizen. “It was a lot of great days, a lot of great years. It’s time to go in a different direction.” During his tenure with the Steelers, LeBeau’s defense ranked No1 overall in the league five times and in the top five 10 times. The likely successor to the 77-year-old is linebackers coach Keith Butler, who has been with the team since 2003 and been given several indications over the years he will be the next defensive coordinator. The Steelers have blocked opportunities for Butler to interview with other teams by increasing his pay and giving him a three-year contract when most other assistant coaches get two-year deals. “It happens,” said LeBeau, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who spent 56 years in the league as a player and coach “It’s like I’m starting brand new. In this business you can end up in that position.” LeBeau said he did not know if he will continue to coach in the NFL. “I don’t even know, but I’m not retiring,” LeBeau said. “There might not be anyone interested.”

Dick LeBeau, arguably the most revered defensive co-ordinator in the NFL, has parted ways with the Steelers

She left a broken home on the Jersey Shore at 17 and came to New York City to work the nightclubs as a rhythm and blues singer. Now, at 22, she is the unwitting, and as yet unseen, star of the seamy drama that is the downfall of Gov. Eliot Spitzer of New York. Kristen, the prostitute described in a federal affidavit as having had a rendezvous with Mr. Spitzer on Feb. 13 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, has spent the last few days in her ninth-floor apartment in the Flatiron district of Manhattan. On Monday, she made a brief appearance in federal court, where a lawyer was appointed to represent her. She is expected to be a witness in the case against four people charged with operating a prostitution ring called the Emperor’s Club V.I.P. In a series of telephone interviews on Tuesday night, she said she had slept very little over the past week, with all the stress of the case. “I just don’t want to be thought of as a monster,” the woman said as she told the tiniest tidbits of her story. Born Ashley Youmans but now known as Ashley Alexandra Dupré, she spoke softly and with good humor as she added with significant understatement: “This has been a very difficult time. It is complicated.” She has not been charged. The lawyer appointed to represent her, Don D. Buchwald, told a magistrate judge in court on Monday that she had been subpoenaed to testify in a grand jury investigation. Asked to swear that she had accurately filled out and signed a financial affidavit, she responded affirmatively. A person with knowledge of the Emperor’s Club operation confirmed that the woman interviewed by The New York Times was the woman identified as Kristen in the affidavit. Mr. Buchwald confirmed various details of Ms. Dupré’s background but would not discuss the contents of the affidavit. Ms. Dupré said by telephone Tuesday night that she was worried about how she would pay her rent since the man she was living with “walked out on me” after she discovered he had fathered two children. She said she was considering working at a friend’s restaurant or, once her apartment lease expires, moving back with her family in New Jersey “to relax.” She did not say when she had started working for the Emperor’s Club, or how often she had liaisons arranged through the ring. Asked when she met Governor Spitzer and how many times they had seen each other, Ms. Dupré said she had no comment. As of Wednesday morning, Ms. Dupré’s MySpace page recounted her “odyssey to New York from New Jersey through North Carolina, Miami, D.C., Virginia and Austin, Texas;” public records show that she lived in Monmouth County, N.J., in 2001, and in North Carolina in 2003. She owns a company, created in 2005, called Pasche New York, which her lawyer said was an entertainment business designed to further her singing career. Music is her first love, and on the MySpace page, Ms. Dupré mentions Patsy Cline, Frank Sinatra, Christina Aguilera and Lauryn Hill among a long list of influences, including her brother, Kyle. (She also lists Whitney Houston, Madonna, Mary J. Blige and Amy Winehouse as her top MySpace friends.) In the interview, she said she saw the Rolling Stones perform at Radio City Music Hall on their last tour after a friend gave her two tickets. “They were amazing,” she said. On MySpace, her page says: “I am all about my music and my music is all about me. It flows from what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen and how I feel.” She left “a broken family” at age 17, having been abused, according to the MySpace page, and has used drugs and “been broke and homeless.” “Learned what it was like to have everything and lose it, again and again,” she writes. “Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. “But I made it,” she continues. “I’m still here and I love who I am. If I never went through the hard times, I would not be able to appreciate the good ones. Cliché, yes, but I know it’s true.” Ms. Dupré’s mother, Carolyn Capalbo, 46, said that after her daughter finished sophomore year in high school, Ms. Dupré moved to North Carolina. “She was a young kid with typical teenage rebellion issues, but we are extremely close now,” Ms. Capalbo said in a telephone interview Wednesday. In 2006, Ms. Dupré changed her legal name, according to records in Monmouth County Superior Court, from Ashley R. Youmans to Ashley Rae Maika DiPietro, taking her stepfather’s surname since she regarded him as “the only father I have known.” But in the interview, she referred to herself as Ashley Alexandra Dupré, which is how she is known on MySpace. On the Web page is a recording of what she describes as her latest track, “What We Want,” a hip-hop-inflected rhythm-and-blues tune that asks, “Can you handle me, boy?” and uses some dated slang, calling someone her “boo.” “I know what you want, you got what I want,” she sings in the chorus. “I know what you need. Can you handle me?” Her MySpace biography says she started singing professionally after a musician she was living with heard her singing the Aretha Franklin hit “Respect” in the shower and burst into the bathroom with his lead guitarist. She says she toured and recorded with them, then moved to Manhattan in 2004 and “spent the first two years getting to know the music scene, networking in clubs and connecting with the industry. “Now it’s all about my music, it’s all about expressing me.” In the affidavit, the woman the Emperor’s Club called Kristen is described as “an American, petite, very pretty brunette, 5 feet 5 inches, and 105 pounds.” She apparently was booked at about $1,000 an hour, placing her in the middle of the seven-diamond scale by which the prostitutes were paid up to $4,300 an hour. Ms. Capalbo said that she was “shell-shocked” when her daughter called in the middle of last week and told her she had been working as an escort and was now in trouble with the law. She said she was not sure that Ms. Dupré realized who Mr. Spitzer was when he was her client. “She is a very bright girl who can handle someone like the governor,” Ms. Capalbo said. “But she also is a 22-year-old, not a 32-year-old or a 42-year-old, and she obviously got involved in something much larger than her.”

Ashley Alexandra Dupré, 22, the woman called Kristen in an affidavit describing her rendezvous with Eliot Spitzer, said in an interview, “I just don’t want to be thought of as a monster.”

As Americans gather with their families at Christmastime, we should pause to remember four who are not coming home for the holidays. James Foley will not be with his family in New Hampshire. Steven Sotloff will not be going home to Florida. And Peter Kassig will not be at the table in Indiana. The three men — two journalists and an aid worker — were beheaded this year by the Islamic State terror group, which had taken them hostage in Syria. A fourth American, a female aid worker, remains held by Islamic State captors. Dana Milbank writes about political theater in the nation’s capital. He joined the Post as a political reporter in 2000. Those responsible for this suffering and death are the barbarians who seized these Americans — pure and simple. But it’s also undeniable that their hope of a homecoming was set back by a well-intentioned U.S. policy that doesn’t allow their loved ones to negotiate for their safe return. Of the 23 known Islamic State hostages, the 15 who have been freed — four French, three Spaniards, two Danes, an Italian, a German, a Belgian, a Swede, a Swiss and a Peruvian — generally came from countries known to allow ransom. The six killed (a Russian and two Brits in addition to the Americans) came from countries that generally don’t. (One Briton is known to remain in captivity along with the American, whose family has requested that she not be identified.) In theory, the no-ransom policy makes sense as part of an overall strategy that says no negotiations with terrorists. But in practice, American purity in this area is neither real (the United States often cuts deals with terrorists and their sponsors) nor productive. James Foley’s mother, Diane, told ABC News after her son’s death that she had been threatened with prosecution by U.S. officials, including one on the White House’s National Security Council, if she tried to raise money to pay her son’s ransom. “I was surprised there was so little compassion,” she said. “We were told we could do nothing.” The Obama administration, which attempted a military rescue of Foley and others, expects to complete this spring a review of its hostage policy and has sent letters to hostages’ families seeking their input. An NSC spokeswoman said the review “does not include reconsideration of ransoms” but that the administration is seeking to do what it can “within the bounds of the law to assist families to bring their loved ones home.” There’s no call for the United States to go as far as European countries, which officially deny paying ransom but which quietly have paid tens of millions of dollars to free hostages. Still, the U.S. alternative — attempting rescue raids for hostages (one in Syria and two in Yemen) — has been both deadly and fruitless. What the Obama administration could do, rather, is to drop any suggestion that families and would-be donors could be turned into criminals for trying to save their kin and fellow Americans. If the government isn’t willing to pursue hostage negotiations, it could at least help families and other private parties make diplomatic connections so they could give it a try. Such an approach involving the Qatari government succeeded in winning the release of Peter Theo Curtis, an American writer who had been held in Syria by the al-Nusra Front, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda. The administration has argued that paying ransom and bargaining with terrorists would make Americans more vulnerable to hostage-taking. But the hard-line stance clearly hasn’t stopped terrorists from seizing Americans; it means only that these Americans are more likely to die. It’s also unpersuasive for the Obama administration to claim an absolute position against dealing with terrorists. The administration just traded five high-value Taliban leaders for the release of captive U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl. In Iran, the Obama administration didn’t object when three American hikers and a Canadian Iranian correspondent for Newsweek were released after paying bail of as much as $500,000. Paying bail to a state sponsor of terrorism for the release of a prisoner is not far from paying ransom to a terrorist group for the release of a hostage. Just last week, the administration agreed to release three imprisoned Cuban spies in a swap with Havana — also labeled a state sponsor of terrorism — for a U.S. intelligence agent and the “humanitarian” release of political prisoner Alan Gross. Around the same time, Sony Pictures Entertainment bowed to threats of violence made by North Korea, pulling its provocative film “The Interview” and surrendering a reported $90 million (it has since opted for a “limited release”). Sony’s buckling to terrorist threats dwarfs the modest hopes of the families of hostages to attempt to buy the freedom of their loved ones. Such efforts won’t always work, of course; the Islamic State had demanded €100 million euros for Foley, a preposterous sum that suggests it didn’t expect payment. But it would be humane to abandon a policy that compounds the suffering of hostages’ parents by punishing them for trying to help their children. Read more from Dana Milbank’s archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.

A hardline stance hasn’t stopped terrorists from seizing Americans.

It's important for swimmers to minimize the amount of contaminants in the water by showering beforehand. (CNN) -- Catherine Garceau doesn't go to the pool anymore. The former Olympic swimmer has trained at many fitness centers over the years that smelled strongly of chlorine. While most would assume that means the water is clean, Garceau now knows it's just the opposite. After winning bronze in 2000 with the Canadian synchronized swimming team in Sydney, Australia, Garceau was a "mess." Her digestive system was in turmoil, she had chronic bronchitis and she suffered from frequent migraines. Garceau retired in 2002 and began looking into holistic medicine. Experts suggested detoxifying her body to rid it of chemicals, including what fellow teammates used to jokingly refer to as "eau de chlorine -- the swimmer's perfume." "As part of my journey to determine the factors that affected my health, I delved into the possible effects of chlorine and discovered some shocking facts," Garceau writes in the appendix of her upcoming book, "Heart of Bronze." Catherine Garceau retired from competitive swimming in 2002 and began looking into holistic medicine. Outdoor pool season is ending in many parts of the country, and competitive swimmers are heading indoors for their workouts and team meets. But how safe are the waters they're diving into? Researchers are examining the longterm effects of the chemicals in pool water. Chlorine inactivates most disease-causing germs within a fraction of a second. That's why it's found in our drinking water as well as 95% of pools in the United States, said Dr. Tom Lachocki, the CEO of the National Swimming Pool Foundation. As Lachocki points out, access to clean water is what often separates first and third world countries. Without chlorine, swimmers are at risk of contracting many dangerous waterborne illnesses. But the chemical compounds formed in pools have some scientists worried. "When you open up a tap and pour yourself a glass of water, you don't normally put someone's backside in it," Lachocki said. "But in a pool there are people getting into that water. Every time a person gets in they're adding contaminants." Those contaminants -- sweat, hair, urine, makeup, sunscreen, etc. -- combine with chlorine to form chloramines, said pool consultant and researcher Alan Lewis. Chloramines are what bathers smell when they enter a pool area; a strong smell indicates too many "disinfectant byproducts," or DBPs, in the water. Indoor pools create an additional a danger because of the enclosed atmosphere. Volatile chemicals from the water are transferred, often via vigorous activity like a swim team's kicks, to the air. Without a proper ventilation system, the chemicals can hang around to be inhaled by coaches, lifeguards or spectators. Some DBPs, like chloroform, are known as trihalomethanes, and are considered carcinogenic, Lewis said. They've been linked specifically to bladder and colorectal cancer. Dr. Alfred Bernard is a professor of toxicology at the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels and one of the world's leading researchers on aquatic environments. He has published a series of studies documenting the effects of chlorine and its byproducts in swimming pools. There's an opportunity to throw the baby out with the bathwater.Tom Lachocki, CEO of NSPF In June, Bernard published a study in the International Journal of Andrology linking chlorine with testicular damage. Swimming in indoor, chlorinated pools during childhood was shown to reduce levels of serum inhibin B and total testosterone, both indicators of sperm count and mobility. Bernard notes in the study summary that the "highly permeable scrotum" allows chlorine to be absorbed into the body. Bernard has also substantiated previous studies' claims of a link between swimming in indoor chlorinated pools and the development of asthma and recurrent bronchitis in children. His 2007 study showed airway and lung permeability changes in children who had participated in an infant swimming group. Reading these studies, it's easy to forget that swimming itself is a great aerobic exercise that puts less stress on your joints than activities like running. In fact, it's a sport often recommended for children with asthma because the humid, moist environment makes it easier for athletes to inhale and the breathing techniques can improve lung function. "There's an opportunity to throw the baby out with the bathwater," Lachocki said. "Is chlorine perfect? The answer is no. [But] it's fabulous, and if anyone comes up with something better they'll be a millionaire." Dr. Ernest "Chip" Blatchley studies water disinfection systems with his team at Purdue University in Indiana. In their research, the team analyzes DBPs and other chemicals formed when chlorine and contaminants mix in pools. A swimmer himself, Blatchley believes the answer lies in finding a better system for water disinfection. "The fact that these chemicals are being formed is, to me, a cause for concern," Blatchley said. "A lot of this chemistry is just not known, and we need to do a better job at defining that chemistry." Blatchley is currently studying the effects of UV radiation on pool water. Other alternatives include ozone or salt water pools. But even salt water pools contain chlorine -- the salt is used to generate chlorine in the water instead of a pool operator adding chlorine directly. While it reduces the danger of storing chemicals in the facility, the water chemistry is very similar, he said. Perhaps the simplest solutions, Blatchley and Lachocki agree, can come from pool operators and patrons. Chlorine is effective when used in proper amounts and tested regularly. The National Swimming Pool Foundation offers training for professional and personal pool owners. It's also important for swimmers to minimize the amount of contaminants in the water. Almost 85% of the urea found on human skin can be dispelled by showering with soap before getting in the pool. "It's a public education thing," Blatchley said. "Swimmers and the general public need to recognize that there's a link between their hygiene habits and the health of everyone who uses the pool." And of course, the other preventive measure is common sense (although you'd be surprised how many people admit to doing it). "If you don't pee or poop in the pool, that's cool too," Lachocki said.

Researchers are trying to determine the longterm effects of the chemicals in pool water.

In a conference call on Tuesday, 75 to 100 Republicans who had offered to back the politician better known for his acting career were urged to raise roughly $50,000 each for the financial underpinnings of a Thompson bid that has been in the making for months. Five people closely involved in the emerging campaign discussed the plans in interviews Wednesday but asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to talk publicly about the details. Participants on the call said Mr. Thompson was enthusiastic about becoming an alternative to current contenders led by former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York, Senator John McCain of Arizona and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. They said he was not ready to formally announce without evidence that he could draw the necessary financial support. “You have to raise money to be competitive even if you are Fred Thompson,” said Representative Zach Wamp, a Tennessee Republican who has led an effort to draft Mr. Thompson. In another development on Wednesday, Mr. Thompson asked to be released from his role on “Law & Order” on NBC, The Associated Press reported. The show’s executive producer, Dick Wolf, said Mr. Thompson had told him that he “has not made a firm decision about his political future” but that he was concerned about “the creative and scheduling constraints of the upcoming season.” By joining the race late, Mr. Thompson may face questions about his ability to compete against the top-tier Republican candidates who have already raised at least $10 million each. He will also not participate in the Republican debate in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster and strategist who is not working for any candidate, said he was “surprised and a little sad” that Mr. Thompson had not declared himself a full-fledged candidate. Mr. Thompson has faced questions about his political commitment stemming from his days in the Senate. “Thompson will be competing against three guys who have been running flat out for months and working their tails off for well over a year,” Mr. Fabrizio said. “If you’re not going to get in this race and double-time on work, effort and commitment, how do you expect to win? You need to send signals that say, ‘I’m here and I’m going to win.’ “ Although Mr. Thompson planned in the coming days to create what is known as a “testing the waters” committee that would allow him to raise and spend money, members of Mr. Thompson’s inner circle said that if the next few weeks were encouraging, he could officially enter the race as early as July. “Fred Thompson is doing everything he has to do to gauge support to come to a final decision in a timely manner,” said Mark Corallo, who has been acting as his spokesman. The intense interest in Mr. Thompson’s trajectory reflected concern in the rival Republican camps about his possible appeal across the South, among conservative and evangelical voters, who might be attracted to his mainstream conservative stances, like opposition to abortion and strong support for states’ rights. “There are still a lot of undecided voters in South Carolina, and Fred Thompson comes with enormous appeal — I’d call it Ronald Reagan-like appeal,” said Katon Dawson, the chairman of the Republican Party in South Carolina, which holds one of the first presidential primaries. Allies of Mr. Thompson said they were confident he would attract big-name contributors and present and former office holders now supporting other candidates. But potential competitors questioned his ability to make such inroads. Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Mr. Romney, disputed that Mr. Thompson might peel away conservative and evangelical voters whom the former Massachusetts governor has been courting. Mr. Madden noted that Mr. Romney might make his own gains in Thompson country when he appears Saturday as the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Republican Statesmen’s Dinner in Nashville. “The governor looks at these events as opportunities — it could be a Romney crowd by the end of the night,” Mr. Madden said. Anthony Carbonetti, an adviser to Mr. Giuliani, called Mr. Thompson “a good senator who was entitled to run.” But Mr. Carbonetti played down any concern in the Giuliani campaign that Mr. Thompson would run strongly among voters who are deeply concerned about national security and want a candidate who is socially conservative as well. Mr. Giuliani supports abortion rights. Mr. Thompson, who was Republican counsel to the Watergate committee, served in the Senate for eight years before retiring in 2002 and was an ally of Mr. McCain’s. Mr. Thompson’s support for the campaign finance measure authored by his colleague from Arizona has brought criticism from conservatives, who have also raised some questions about his anti-abortion credentials. For the past few months, Mr. Thompson has been running something of a shadow campaign, courting potential contributors, giving selected interviews and speeches, weighing in on conservative blogs and lining up staff members. At the same time, he has continued on the television show and as a commentator on ABC radio as a replacement for Paul Harvey. In April, he announced that he was in remission from lymphoma, a cancer he has had for more than two years. The testing-the-waters group, to be formed as Friends of Fred Thompson Inc., allows him to take his political activities to another level but does not commit him entirely. It also frees him to gauge his support while leaving time for him to sort out his lucrative acting and commentating careers, which would have to be curtailed if he became a candidate or create equal-time issues. The committee being set up does not yet fall under the Federal Election Commission reporting requirements, but if he enters the race all financial activity would have to be reported by mid-October. With that in mind, Thompson advisers said the budding campaign would follow conventional campaign rules, including a $2,300 limit per individual contribution for the primary. Allies said that on the conference call, backers were urged to collect at least $46,000, or maximum donations from 20 individuals each. Advisers said several already had larger commitments. “Money is a good test of whether the interest is as real as it seems,” one Thompson adviser said. A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Stir in G.O.P. As Ex-Senator Moves to Run. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe

Fred D. Thompson could shake up a field of candidates that has failed to strike a chord with the Republican base.

Homer Bailey tried his Texas aw-shucks darnedest to give the Giants their due. "Man," he said, "that's a tough lineup to pitch to, with a tough rotation. I'm just fortunate, I guess." That quote was Bailey's only real mistake Tuesday night. The way he was throwing 97-mph bull's-eyes in the ninth inning, the impotent Giants were an easy mark, and nobody with any baseball sense should be shocked that the 27-year-old right-hander no-hit them in a 3-0 Reds victory. "He just overpowered us," manager Bruce Bochy said after the Giants were one Gregor Blanco walk from being the victim of a perfect game at Great American Ball Park. "That was impressive. He had a great fastball. He used it and it went right through us." In 2001, Bochy's Padres were no-hit twice, by the Cardinals' Bud Smith and the Marlins' A.J. Burnett. "This one was probably the easiest," Bochy said. "We were really just overmatched all night. When you're as overpowering as he was, and the way he was locating it, you have your work cut out for you. But you still think you can find a way to get a few hits." The Giants were no-hit for the 16th time in franchise history and the first time since Kevin Millwood of Philadelphia in 2003. This was old hat for Bailey. He threw his second no-hitter in a span of 19 starts. He whitewashed the Pirates in his penultimate start of 2012. Nobody in the majors had one in between, making Bailey the first to accomplish such a repeat since another Texan did it in 1974 and 1975: Nolan Ryan. Bailey threw four 97-mph fastballs to his final hitter, Blanco, who rolled a meek groundball to third. The 27,509 fans who had grown louder than usual as early as the sixth inning went eerily silent for a few seconds as they grasped what they were about to see: a Todd Frazier throw to Joey Votto to complete the no-hitter. Bailey raised his arms as his teammates mobbed him in the kind of scene they had envisioned on this field when Bailey started Game 3 of the 2012 Division Series, the Hunter Pence speech game. Bailey allowed one hit (a Marco Scutaro single) over seven innings in that game, but the Giants won in 10 innings to start the first of their two big postseason comebacks. On Tuesday, Bailey said he began thinking no-hitter in the sixth inning, then recalled a conversation he had with Votto during spring training. "We were in the bathroom before a game," Bailey said. "Joey said, 'You think you can throw another no-hitter?' I said, 'You think you can win another MVP?' and he said, 'Yes.' " Bailey's stuff against the Giants was no joke. He struck out nine - one more than losing pitcher Tim Lincecum - and did not require one exceptional defensive play. Andres Torres had the two hardest-hit balls, a fly to right in the third inning and a liner to center in the eighth that hung in the air long enough for Shin-Soo Choo to catch it. Bailey was perfect until his 3-2 fastball to Blanco leading off the seventh inning tailed inside, drawing groans from the crowd but no complaints from Bailey, who said it was ball four and credited home-plate umpire Adrian Johnson for not expanding or contracting his strike zone all night. Scutaro bounced out, sending Blanco to second before Buster Posey plopped a ball in front of Votto well off the line. Bailey was late covering the bag, so Votto threw to Frazier, who easily tagged out Blanco. Had Blanco been safe, the official scorer would have had to judge whether Votto or Bailey could have beaten Posey to the bag. If the scorer decided neither could, it might have been ruled a hit. As the Reds celebrated the no-hitter, the Giants dressed in a deadly silent clubhouse and voiced a common theme. Hopefully, they said, this team finally hit rock-bottom. The Giants have in the NL West: The loss dropped them into sole possession of last place for the first time this year. Asked what the Giants could do now, Brandon Crawford said with no irony, "Get some hits. "If we had an answer, we'd go out and do it. We'll come back tomorrow and play another game." On Tuesday, the Reds' Homer Bailey became the 11th pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants. A look at the first 10: Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @hankschulman

The way he was throwing 97-mph bull's-eyes in the ninth inning, the impotent Giants were an easy mark, and nobody with any baseball sense should be shocked that the 27-year-old right-hander no-hit them in a 3-0 Reds victory. In 2001, Bochy's Padres were no-hit twice, by the Cardinals' Bud Smith and the Marlins' A.J. Burnett. The 27,509 fans who had grown louder than usual as early as the sixth inning went eerily silent for a few seconds as they grasped what they were about to see: a Todd Frazier throw to Joey Votto to complete the no-hitter. Bailey raised his arms as his teammates mobbed him in the kind of scene they had envisioned on this field when Bailey started Game 3 of the 2012 Division Series, the Hunter Pence speech game. Bailey allowed one hit (a Marco Scutaro single) over seven innings in that game, but the Giants won in 10 innings to start the first of their two big postseason comebacks. On Tuesday, Bailey said he began thinking no-hitter in the sixth inning, then recalled a conversation he had with Votto during spring training. Andres Torres had the two hardest-hit balls, a fly to right in the third inning and a liner to center in the eighth that hung in the air long enough for Shin-Soo Choo to catch it. Bailey was perfect until his 3-2 fastball to Blanco leading off the seventh inning tailed inside, drawing groans from the crowd but no complaints from Bailey, who said it was ball four and credited home-plate umpire Adrian Johnson for not expanding or contracting his strike zone all night. S.F. On Tuesday, the Reds' Homer Bailey became the 11th pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants.

A U.S. anti-money laundering official on Tuesday added his voice to the chorus of regulators who have voiced their desire to see individuals pursued for wrongdoing, not just the companies at which the wrongdoing occurred. Kendall Day, head of asset forfeiture and money laundering in the U.S. Department of Justice’s criminal division, said at a […]

A U.S. anti-money laundering official on Tuesday added his voice to the chorus of regulators who have voiced their desire to see individuals pursued for wrongdoing, not just the companies at which the wrongdoing occurred. Two recent cases show, however that compliance officer liability is nuanced.

Nonprofits don’t need to be complete digital masterminds to find success, but they do need to apply a digital lens to their work to stay relevant — especially if they want to rake in donations. The proof is in the 2016 M+R Benchmarks Study, an annual report published by communications agency M+R and the Nonprofit Technology Network, which will be released in full on Wednesday. The analysis of more than 100 leading nonprofits, 2.8 billion emails and 69.4 million subscribers shows that nonprofits still heavily rely on email to promote their causes, when they should be giving more attention to mobile and social media. In 2015 alone, nonprofits sent the average email subscriber a staggering 49 messages to gain their attention, but email open rates, click-through rates and response rates all declined over the past year. Though engagement via email is down for nonprofits, there is one place where email excels: raising money. Email revenue grew by 25% in 2015, accounting for 29% of all online revenue last year. About 13% of the $481 million in online donations in 2015 came from mobile. It indicates a larger shift in how younger generations are connecting with the causes they care about: through their phones. About 13% of the $481 million in online donations raised by leading organizations in 2015 came from mobile (overall giving, the study found, increased by 19%). Social media, meanwhile, remains a strong way for nonprofits to reach supporters — and while that may seem obvious, many legacy organizations can be reluctant to allocate resources to social strategies. But it's paying off for those that do. Over a 12-month period, the nonprofits surveyed — including Planned Parenthood, Oxfam America, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the U.S. Humane Society and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF — saw an average of 29% growth of support on Facebook and a 25% growth of support on Twitter. Check out more essential findings from the upcoming report in the exclusive infographic below. This piece has been updated for clarification. Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Nonprofits, take note: Email may be out, but mobile and social are in.

CLEVELAND On the floor and corridors of the basketball arena hosting the Republican National Convention, in restaurants and bars, hotel lobbies and conference rooms across Cleveland, the talk was of the rise of Donald Trump, whose unlikely presidential candidacy has caused seismic fractures in the Republican Party. While the venues changed, the question didn't: Where do we go from here? This was the week that Trump was officially nominated as the Republicans' 2016 presidential candidate and was effectively given control of a party whose leaders have criticized him for his incendiary rhetoric, personal attacks on fellow Republicans, and tendency to stray from decades-old party orthodoxy. He packed the convention hall with his grassroots army of supporters, who seemed almost completely disinterested in his policy positions, even though they could reshape the party for years to come on core issues like trade, immigration and foreign policy. Those who were interested - party veterans, lawmakers, donors and lobbyists - found little clarity in any of the speeches delivered from the convention stage or in conversations with members of the Trump campaign. Are we still a party that embraces free trade and free markets, they asked. Are we still committed to ending abortion rights? Do we want to create a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants or ship all of them out of the country? Paul Ryan, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the most powerful elected Republican, acknowledged that Trump has transformed his party. But he hedged on whether he believes Trump's impact will be lasting or simply a temporary phenomenon that will dissipate if he loses on Nov. 8. “I don’t know the answer to that question. I really have no idea,” Ryan said at an event in Cleveland. Trump had changed the party, he said, but “how specifically and in what direction, I don’t know.” Even after two days of speeches, Utah delegate Matt Throckmorton was still trying to figure out what a Trump presidency would mean for the Republican Party. "What happens next?” asked Throckmorton. In many way the uncertainty about Trump reflects the conflict within the Republican electorate. The party has struggled to find consensus on a number of key issues, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling during the 2016 campaign season. For example, when asked in March about international trade, the same number of Republicans said it “creates jobs” as said it “causes job losses.” When asked about abortion in June, the number of Republicans who wanted it to be illegal “in all cases” was matched by those who wanted it to be legal “in most cases.” Trump had his biggest stage on Thursday night, when he officially accepted the party's nomination, to spell out his vision of where he would take the Republican Party if he won the presidency. But his speech, rich in rhetoric, offered scant detail beyond sweeping promises to put "America first." “If this Trump speech - and this GOP platform - defines what a Republican is today, then it's hard to say I'm one. Hard for a lot of us,” tweeted Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman under President George W Bush. A week earlier, Republican activists were celebrating the adoption of a deeply conservative political platform that condemned gay marriage and opposed abortion with no exceptions, among other things. Trump’s lineup of speakers at the convention this week barely referenced it. "It's a little bit frightening," said Chris Herrod, another Utah delegate, explaining that the platform was one of the main ways delegates could help shape party policy. "And he seems to have an attitude of just completely disregarding it." Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said Trump was "the future of the Republican Party." Away from the floor, some anti-Trump Republicans were quietly debating whether it would be better in the long-term interests of the party to lose the White House in November. “This week we’re having some real anguished discussions,” said Vin Weber, a former congressman from Minnesota. “People are falling in line” with Trump, Weber said, “but what does this party believe?" Take trade, for example. Republicans have long been the party of free trade, but Trump has said current trade deals have impoverished American workers and wants to renegotiate them or in some cases block them altogether, like President Barack Obama's signature Trans-Pacific Partnership. Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker and a close Trump ally, worked to ease fears that a Trump administration would derail the U.S. economy by scrapping trade alliances. “He has no interest in breaking up the world market,” Gingrich told a group of diplomats, adding that Trump was, in fact, committed to free trade with some added protections for American companies. “Now how Trump will work this out, I have no idea,” Gingrich added. Some attendees at the convention expressed the hope that Trump would align himself with many of their cherished conservative values but admitted they just didn't know what he would do once he was in office. They would have found little solace in Gingrich's remarks to the diplomats. "You will not know what he’s doing every morning, because he will not know what he’s doing every morning,” Gingrich told them, suggesting a Trump presidency would be similar to his candidacy - reactive, spontaneous and centered almost entirely around Trump’s instincts. But Trump's instincts are sometimes at odds with key elements of the party. For example, he has been more accepting of gay rights and has see-sawed on abortion rights, first defending them and then saying he opposes abortion. “Conservatives are prepared to believe Trump might be wrong 20, 25, maybe 30 percent of the time,” Richard Viguerie, a veteran Republican activist, told Reuters at an anti-abortion event. But, Trump's opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, “will be wrong 100 percent of the time.” Asked if Trump supported the conservative social values espoused in the platform, he laughed. “Well, I don’t know,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see.” Some lawmakers at the convention dismissed some of Trump’s most provocative proposals, like his vow to deport an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, as unlikely to be implemented. “Full-blown deportation is not going to sell politically and I don’t think a Republican Congress, or any Congress, would stand by and watch it happen,” Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma told a group of convention attendees. Some Republicans believe should Trump lose, the party will simply return to its more traditional conservative principles. “The Republican Party is bigger than any one candidate, even a presidential candidate,” said Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster. But Trump supporters said those Republicans were in denial and that Trump had permanently wrested control of the party away from the establishment elites. “Where’s Mitt Romney, where are the Bushes?” said Mary Lou McCoy, who had traveled to Cleveland from Buffalo, New York, referring to the 2012 Republican nominee and the Bush political dynasty. “The people have spoken.” (Reporting by James Oliphant, Emily Stephenson and Michelle Conlin in Cleveland and Chris Kahn in New York; Writing by James Oliphant, editing by Paul Thomasch and Ross Colvin)

On the floor and corridors of the basketball arena hosting the Republican National Convention, in restaurants and bars, hotel lobbies and conference rooms across Cleveland, the talk was of the rise of Donald Trump, whose unlikely presidential candidacy has caused seismic fractures in the Republican Party.

Dana Cowin, who has been the editor in chief of Food & Wine magazine for 21 years, is stepping aside. But she will maintain a connection with Food & Wine. Her new post, as of mid-January, will be chief creative officer of Chefs Club International, the parent of Chefs Club by Food & Wine, a restaurant group with locations in Manhattan and Aspen, Colo. The restaurants are showcases for prominent chefs, notably those selected as “Best New Chefs” by the magazine. Ms. Cowin, 55, said she had not considered leaving the magazine until Stephane De Baets, the president of Chefs Club International, suggested she come on board. “I’m surprised that I could find something new that’s this exciting,” Ms. Cowin said. In a statement to employees of Food & Wine, Norman Pearlstine and Evelyn Webster, executive vice presidents of Time Inc., said that Ms. Cowin was staying on until she closes the March issue, in January, and that she would assist in recruiting her successor. Ms. Webster said the company was pleased to be able to continue working with Ms. Cowin at Chefs Club. Chefs Club began in Aspen in 2012. Mr. De Baets, a money manager based in Bangkok, organized it at the St. Regis hotel there, which he bought for an Asian investor. Aspen is also where Food & Wine magazine holds its annual June festival, a huge gathering of chefs and food lovers, which is where the connection among Aspen, the magazine and Chefs Club developed. The magazine, owned by Time Inc. since September 2013, receives a licensing fee from Chefs Club. At the Manhattan headquarters of Chefs Club in the Puck Building in NoLIta, which opened last year, Ms. Cowin joins Didier Elena, who worked with Alain Ducasse, the renowned chef, and is the culinary director; Matthew Aita, the executive chef who was at Le Philosophe; and Louise Vongerichten, who is in charge of business development and is a daughter of another famous chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Mr. De Baets has plans for expanding Chefs Club globally. A version of this article appears in print on November 18, 2015, on page B7 of the New York edition with the headline: Food & Wine Editor Departs for Chefs Club Restaurant Group. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe

She will retain a connection to the publication as chief creative officer of Chefs Club International.

Amanda Bynes -- My Puppy Dog is DEAD Horrible, terrible, tragic, heartbreaking news about ... she's no longer with the living. Bynes tweeted the gloomy news moments ago, saying, "Sad day....Little Angel is in heaven now. RIP I love you." This morning, Bynes announced Little Angel went missing sometime yesterday -- and begged her Twitter followers to help her locate the young pup. Get TMZ Breaking News alerts to your inbox

Horrible, terrible, tragic, heartbreaking news about Amanda Bynes missing 4-month-old Pomeranian Little Angel ... she's no longer with the living.Bynes…

STOCKHOLM—The prospect of early elections is looming again in Sweden after an uneasy truce between the minority government of Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and its main political rivals showed increasing signs of collapse. The new turbulence began last Friday when the leaders of four allied center-right parties abandoned a deal they made with Mr....

The prospect of early elections is looming again in Sweden after an uneasy truce between the minority government of Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and his main political rivals showed increasing signs of collapse.

On the Nationals’ draft board the night of June 4, 2012, the name Michael Wacha sat in the middle of their top 30 prospects. Scouting director Kris Kline had twice watched the 6-foot-6 right-hander from Texas A&M pitch in person. The first came at Pepperdine – “probably the fastest college game I ever saw,” Kline said. The second came when Wacha lost a showdown against Oklahoma State stud lefty Andrew Heaney, whom the Marlins would pick ninth. When Kline watched Wacha, he saw a big leaguer in the making. His arm angle created downward action to his high-90s fastball and devastating changeup. Wacha’s curveball was so-so and he rarely threw it. The Nationals’ area scout in Texas, Jimmy Gonzalez, had come to know Wacha and believed his makeup was first-rate. The Nationals would have been pleased to pick him. But as their pick, No. 16 overall, approached, another name remained ahead of Wacha’s. “They were almost back-to-back on our board, or at least very close,” Kline said. “We actually had Giolito higher.” The Nationals, like the other 18 teams who picked before the St. Louis Cardinals that night, passed on Wacha. They instead selected Lucas Giolito, a 17-year-old high school right-hander from California with a 100-mph fastball and an elbow injury. Three picks later, with the draft choice they gained as compensation for Albert Pujols leaving in free agency, the Cardinals took Wacha. Tonight, not even 17 months after the Cardinals drafted him, Wacha will carry a 0.43 postseason ERA into his start in Game 2 of the World Series. Before you start banging your palm into your forehead, know this first: Even as Wacha has become the most compelling figure of the postseason and earned the NLCS MVP award, the Nationals have no doubts. “If I had to make the same decision again and [General Manager Mike Rizzo] had to make the decision again,” Kline said, “we would take Lucas.” Wacha, of course, has made a more immediate impact. Wacha may have been the most impressive pitcher in the Grapefruit League this spring. Wacha toggled between Class AAA, the St. Louis rotation the bullpen all season. In September, he caught fire. In his final regular-season start, he almost no-hit the Nationals. In his first playoff start, he almost no-hit the Pirates. In 21 postseason innings, Wacha has 22 strikeouts and has allowed 12 base runners. Watching on television, Kline has seen a pitcher similar to the one he scouted at Texas A&M. Wacha’s fastball kisses 98 miles per hour now, a notch or two higher than in college. His curveball has improved – “I would call it average or maybe a tick above,” Kline said – but Wacha still uses mostly his fastball and changeup. “I don’t think anybody can say they knew Wacha would be in the big leagues this fast,” Kline said. “If they did, they were lying. It’s great for the kid. It’s great for baseball.” In Giolito, the Nationals believe a longer wait will yield a greater reward. “Lucas was going to be the first player taken in the draft if he was 100 percent healthy,” Kline said. The Nationals knew Giolito would probably need Tommy John surgery shortly after they drafted him, but they didn’t care. The Nationals had successfully rehabbed Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and others from ligament-replacement operations, and they were confident their process would allow Giolito to fulfill his vast promise. He has already started to. Giolitio underwent surgery late in the 2012 season and, after arduous rehab, made his minor league debut this year. Between the Gulf Coast League and rookie ball in Auburn, Giolito faced 147 batters and struck out 39 in 36 2/3 innings. He just turned 19, still three years younger than Wacha. “If you saw him in the instructional league, you would be saying we probably made the right choice – in the end,” Kline said. “The first three pitches he threw all came out at 100.” Those in the Nationals organization who have watched Giolito pitch speak about him as if they have found religion. Reliever Ryan Mattheus saw Giolito throw in a GCL game as he rehabbed his own injury this summer in Viera. “Big time stuff!” he wrote on Twitter. “Wow!” Kline said his fastball and curve are both above-average major league pitches. Not projected to be above-average. Right now. Kline said Giolito’s delivery is actually similar to Wacha’s in the way he uses his height – he’s 6-foot-6, too – to make life miserable on hitters. “It’s like Lucas is handing the ball to the catcher,” Kline said. “The stuff he throws out of that arm, and the body, the way he leverages the ball is exciting,” pitching coordinator Spin Williams said this summer. Before Rick Schu became the Nationals’ hitting coach, he roved around the Nationals’ farm system as their hitting coordinator. One day, he was looking at data that had been collected from a pitch-tracking device from an intrasquad game in Viera. Schu noticed a 98-mph pitch from Giolito that had moved from a hitter’s belt to his shins, and it had been labeled as a four-seam fastball. Schu called coaches to ask if there had been a glitch. Nope, came the response. That was really the pitch. Kline will watch Wacha tonight without even a twinge of regret. Regardless of how Giolito develops, this story will not be about blame. Baseball’s draft is too fickle in nature. Some picks made before No. 16 may not make it out of A ball. Time will reveal the winners and losers. But we already know the Cardinals are a winner, which makes it hard not to wonder, what if? If Wacha wins again tonight, 18 fan bases will be wishing their team had scooped up Wacha before the Cardinals had a chance. The Nationals are not worried. They believe one season, in the not-too-distant future, 15 fan bases will watch Giolito on the October stage and think the same thing about him.

The Nationals insist they have no regrets about passing up on Cardinals phenom Michael Wacha.

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Leader calls for detente, but with conditions South Korea’s new president will find hard to accept.

When Silicon Valley heard that Bravo was filming a reality show about tech start-ups, it reacted with the sort of disdain it usually reserves for government inquiries about data privacy policies. The general response to the show seemed along the lines of, “We’re serious people here working seriously hard to improve the world, and we resent any depictions that might undermine that.” The rejection of “Start-Ups: Silicon Valley,” which had as executive producer Randi Zuckerberg, carried over into the ratings. They started small and got smaller. About 700,000 viewers watched the premiere, according to Nielsen data furnished by Bravo, but instead of building from that, the audience sank. The average for the first six shows was only 517,000. By this point, with the final episodes ready to be broadcast, Bravo seems to have more or less given up. A spokeswoman for the network declined to comment. The seventh episode will appear Tuesday at 7 p.m., an hour when any self-respecting tech entrepreneur is still at work and the rest of the world is putting the kids to bed. The eighth and final episode will be shown on Wednesday, which seems to indicate a desire by Bravo to clear the decks and move on. Only one of the cast members has updated his show blog this month. Even the Twitter feed from the $15,000-a-month San Francisco crash pad inhabited by several cast members has been meager. Another Bravo series, “LOLwork,” depicting the Seattle tech entrepreneur Ben Huh and his silly-cat-photos empire, has not done very well either. But Silicon Valley has not escaped the limelight forever. HBO has reportedly picked up a Mike Judge show called — it must have taken five seconds to come up with this — “Silicon Valley.” According to Deadline.com, “Silicon Valley is set in the high tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, where the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success.” I have a feeling Silicon Valley is not going to like this one either. Last month, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Bravo was planning a new tech reality show, based this time in Manhattan. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Kim Taylor, the “Start-Ups” cast member who created a fashion company called Shonova (slogan: “What to wear everywhere that matters”) just moved to New York. Ms. Taylor didn’t confirm whether she was talking with the new show, also to be produced by Ms. Zuckerberg, but said this: “I don’t think you’ll see the unabashed hatred here that you did in Silicon Valley. I think they’ll see the bigger picture.” In any case, she noted, doing Version 2.0 is firmly in the tech tradition.

Failure is exalted in Silicon Valley as a learning experience, just so long as it's not happening right now. "Start-Ups: Silicon Valley," Bravo's much-criticized reality TV series, was a failure with viewers but that might not be the end of the story.

Nevertheless, I'm often surprised by how little people, even those supposedly within the Christian tradition, actually know about what is called Holy Week and its culmination on Easter Sunday. At a time when our culture is roiled by questions of identity and ethics (and tolerance) that have profound religious implications, it's worth pausing to explore this crucial holiday -- and the awareness of the human condition, in all its sadness and glory, that it engenders. After all, Holy Week calls mostly to those who incline their minds and hearts in its direction with seriousness of intent. Still, the fuss must puzzle those looking on, wondering what it all means. Why do Christians make so much of this springtime week, and make so much of Easter weekend? There is a phrase that many never come across, even among Christians: Easter Triduum. This refers to the three days of Easter that begin with Good Friday, proceed through Holy Saturday, and conclude with Easter Sunday. It's definitely a progression, although the word itself -- triduum -- can refer to any three days of prayer. Easter Triduum has a kind of major prologue in Maundy Thursday, the day when, by tradition, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem on the night before he was crucified. The idea of Holy Communion begins with this meal, which was a Passover meal. Jesus, of course, was Jewish, as were all his disciples. He was never trying to erase Judaism and found a new religion. His work involved modifying and extending Judaism in fresh ways. On Maundy Thursday, Christians sometimes practice the washing of feet, recalling that Jesus washed the very dusty feet of his disciples at the Last Supper as a way of demonstrating profound humility -- showing that he was himself a servant -- and modeling a kind of ideal behavior. Good Friday isn't, in fact, so good. It's the day of the crucifixion, when Jesus was scourged and beaten, forced to carry his cross to Golgotha, the "place of the skull," and nailed to the cross itself for what must have been an agonizing death. The actual scene of the Crucifixion varies from gospel to gospel, as do his last words, assembled into the so-called "seven last words" of Jesus by adding up fragments from different gospels. Some of these words are quotations, as when Jesus asked God why he has abandoned him: This is a quote from the 22nd Psalm, which opens: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Good Friday is a day of death, sacrifice, displacement, fear. Holy Saturday is probably the least understood day of the Easter Triduum. It's a passageway between the darkness of the crucifixion and the bright hope of Easter. This day occupies an anxious space in human experience, when the certain knowledge of something dreadful isn't quite erased -- can't be erased -- simply by hope. It's a day of depression, a day of suspension. Then comes Easter, with the aura of the resurrection. I'm always moved by the deep symbolism of this mythic moment, when the body of Christ becomes what is called a "glorified body." This was not, as I've said elsewhere, the Great Resuscitation, although that's part of it, too. Resurrection implies a total transformation, something beyond the physical realm. It's very important that almost nobody who encounters Jesus after the resurrection can really recognize him, know him, or understand him as the same person who was with them before he was crucified. Easter embraces the great mystery of resurrection, with its promise of transformation -- a shift from one form to another, and a change that moves well beyond any literal understanding. The three days of Easter, the Triduum, occur only once a year on the calendar. But the really interesting thing is that we all experience the pattern of the three days again and again. We find ourselves emptied out in small ways, nailed to our own trees in life, embarrassed or broken by life. It was the Buddha who famously observed that life is suffering. Good Friday embodies the Christian version of that truth. Jesus suffered in the way all of us must suffer. We must all die, perhaps less ignominiously but just as certainly. Our friends and families must die. We all experience illness, loss, sadness, a loss of confidence, darkness. This is simply part of the human experience. We dive again and again into Holy Saturday, too -- a period of transition, when the bleakness of suffering is perhaps slightly behind us but nothing restorative seems in view. We know well this in-between time; it's an anxious passage, with only a glimmer on the horizon of potential hope. And we've all been resurrected, again and again, perhaps in tiny ways. This is the joy of Easter, and it's not something reserved for one day on the calendar. It's there whenever we experience what T.S. Eliot once called the "timeless moment," which can only occur -- paradoxically -- in time itself. It's a mystical point where timelessness intersects with time. I suspect we all experience the Triduum frequently, sometimes more than once in a single day. But the ritual enactment of these three days of the Easter season reminds all of those who practice Christianity -- and perhaps those who don't -- that we should expect to move through darkness into light. It's a pattern that describes a kind of spiritual progression. It's good cause for celebration, too: and one that won't easily be co-opted by secular culture. ​Read CNNOpinion's new Flipboard magazine. Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.

At a time when religious identity, ethics and tolerance are roiling the culture, it's worth re-examining the meaning of the days leading to Easter

A Nashville detention center, from which nearly half of the inmates escaped on Monday night, has a troubled history that includes allegations of sexual abuse and a wrongful death lawsuit. Eight teenagers were still at large on Tuesday, after 32 youngsters got into the yard at Woodland Hills Youth Development Center late on Monday, then escaped through a weak spot in the facility’s fence. This breakout is the latest blemish for Woodland Hills Youth Development Center and the beleaguered agency that operates it – Tennessee’s department of children’s services (DCS). Woodland Hills, which holds 78 teen boys between the ages of 14 and 19, has in recent years been the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit, sex abuse allegations and a smaller breakout attempt earlier this year. “Right now, it’s not clear if this is a clear breakout, or if some kids just saw the opportunity to do something and did it rashly,” DCS spokesman Rob Johnson told the Guardian. Tennessee highway patrol and metro police helped the department of children’s services (DCS) with the the round-up, as did some of the escaped teens’ parents, who turned their children in. Johnson said internal affairs is looking into the circumstances of the breakout. Six or seven teenagers broke out of their bedrooms in May before staffers convinced them to return to their rooms. In May 2013, Nashville news station WSMV published videos and photos of Woodland Hills guards sleeping on the job. Tennessee agreed to pay a $250,000 settlement in May for a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the father of Kendall Oates, an 18-year-old who died in May 2012. Oates suffered from a seizure disorder and may have lain sick or dead in his room for hours before security noticed him, according to an investigation into the facility by The Tennessean. A 2010 investigation by the paper showed that sex abuse allegations have plagued the facility, which had some of the highest rates of sexual victimization of any US juvenile center, according to a Department of Justice 2010 report. State lawmakers wrote a scathing audit of the DCS in January, though new hdead Jim Henry insists the agency is making tremendous progress since the former commissioner, Kate O’Day, resigned in a wash of controversy. Attorney Everette Parrish has represented youngsters at Woodland Hills, as well as the state’s other two youth development centers, in constitutional and civil rights cases since 2008. Parrish believes DCS needs more resources to improve the juvenile justice system and said the agency is doing all it can to provide treatment and security for the teenagers. “I know what the problem is. It is the guards, and the structure in which the guards are either not trained or insufficient or not attentive – not aware,” said Parish. “That’s obvious, it doesn’t take an attorney to figure that out. They are not mistreated in the center. If they were, that’s what I hear about and what I address.” He said that the decades-old facility should have known how to keep kids secure in the facility. “Here are the facts: if you want to improve the system, give DCS more resources,” said Parrish. Woodland Hills is a level four facility, the highest level of security possible for juveniles besides adult prison or jail. Laurence Steinberg, author of Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence and a psychology professor at Temple University, said in an email that adolescents are more more focused on the immediate potential rewards of things like an escape and are less likely to think about the long-term consequences of such an act. “I think, based on our research on risky decision-making, that adolescents would generate a much shorter list of possible risks than adults would, so their assessment is more likely to be incomplete,” Steinberg said. “Adolescents also make decisions more impulsively, so they probably would not spend as much time thinking through the risks and, more important, thinking about how best to avoid them.”

Eight teenagers still at large after 32 managed to escape Woodland Hills, the latest scandal to hit the beleaguered facility

The police were searching on Friday for a man who they believed fatally shot a 21-year-old man and his mother outside their Staten Island home, the authorities said. The suspect, Anthony Morales, was a neighbor of the two victims, Anthony Rivera and Idelle Rivera, who were shot on Thursday outside the Mariner’s Harbor Houses, a public housing complex, the police said. Investigators said they believed that Mr. Morales, 49, and Mr. Rivera, who worked on cars, had had a dispute over Mr. Morales’s car and money the suspect thought he was owed. The men had a confrontation about 6 p.m. outside 14 Roxbury Street in the Mariner’s Harbor neighborhood, the police said. Mr. Rivera tried to brush off Mr. Morales, who replied that he had made a “wrong move,” law enforcement officials said. He pulled out a gun and opened fire, officials said. Mr. Rivera was struck three times, and when his mother, 47, left the family’s first-floor apartment to see what was going on, she was shot once in the forehead, officials said. They were both taken to Richmond University Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead. A third person, a 22-year-old man, was also struck multiple times, the police said. He was taken to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. “Right now, I’m hurting so bad I can’t speak,” Tony Pena, Ms. Rivera’s husband and Mr. Rivera’s father, said on Friday morning, breaking into tears. “He did nothing wrong to anyone,” he said of his son. “All he did was work on cars out here.” Mr. Pena, 56, said that he and his wife had come to New York from Puerto Rico, and they had been married for 28 years. The family has lived in the apartment on Roxbury Street for 15 years. “She was a great, great mother, a great, great grandmother,” Mr. Pena said. “She always helps people out.” Mr. Pena said that he was a truck driver and that he taught his sons, Anthony and his older brother Ariel, how to work on cars. And Anthony, he said, was passionate about it. Around the Mariner’s Houses, a complex of 22 buildings spread across 21 acres, neighbors recognized Mr. Rivera as the young man always seen tinkering on cars in the street. “Always underneath a car, this kid — every day, winter, summer,” said Eddy Mendoza, 53, whose youngest son graduated from Paul Richmond High School with him. Mr. Rivera was set to start a new job working as a security guard on Friday, his father said. But on Thursday, Mr. Rivera had spent the day working on the brakes of his Honda Civic on Roxbury Street. That is where he was when Mr. Morales approached. Investigators said they believed the two men had a dispute that was about five years old; it appeared that Mr. Morales thought Mr. Rivera owed him $15,000, law enforcement officials said. Mr. Pena said his son had complained about run-ins with Mr. Morales. “He told me, ‘This guy is always blaming me for everything that happens to his car, I have nothing to do with his car,’” Mr. Pena said. “My kids never wanted to deal with him because he was always harassing them. I told them to ignore him.” Mr. Morales was driving a black Hyundai Elantra, a compact car, with a Pennsylvania license plate. The police said that Mr. Morales had a criminal history, with most encounters in the 1980s. He was arrested on charges that included burglary, criminal possession of a controlled substance, menacing, resisting arrest and fare evasion, the police said. Mr. Pena said he struggled to understand how whatever tension existed between Mr. Morales and his son had escalated to such a devastating point. “I never spoke to that guy in my entire life,” he said. “I don’t know why he would do something like this.”

Investigators said they believed the shooting outside the Mariner’s Harbor Houses occurred after a confrontation over a car and money the suspect thought he was owed.

Bayer AG’s offer to buy Monsanto Co., on the heels of two other giant agricultural deals, would put a significant share of the corn-seed and pesticide market in the hands of just three companies, raising concerns among U.S. farmers and legislators about more expensive products and fewer choices. Germany’s Bayer on Thursday said it had approached St. Louis-based Monsanto about a possible deal. Details weren’t disclosed, but the bid would likely be above Monsanto’s current market valuation of $42 billion, making it the...

Bayer’s offer to buy Monsanto, on the heels of two other giant agricultural deals, would put a significant share of the corn-seed and pesticide market in the hands of just three companies, raising concerns among U.S. farmers and legislators about more expensive products and fewer choices.

Emily Weinstein is learning to bake with the food writer and cookbook author Dorie Greenspan. This week, Sarabeth Levine, of Sarabeth’s Kitchen, steps in as a special guest instructor, per Dorie’s suggestion. She is an expert in all things pie. Dorie will return next week. LESSON 3: PEACH OR APPLE PIE (From “Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours,” coming in October) “Don’t be afraid of it, it’s just food!” said Sarabeth Levine, owner of Sarabeth’s Kitchen, when the dough developed a hairline fracture as she rolled it out. She patched it with a scrap. “No problem.” We were standing in her big open kitchen at Chelsea Market in Manhattan, where she was teaching me how to make her rustic apple streusel pie. With folds of dough drawn up around the filling, topped off with a few handfuls of crumbs, its aesthetic was more free-spirited, forgiving, than other pies. “I want you to go home and be able to reproduce what I do,” she said. “It should look like the way I make it.” The phrase “easy as pie” must refer to eating pie, not baking it — or at least, baking it in an attractive manner. I’ve made three in a row now — three tries, three pies — one apple and two peach, each eliciting the same response from friends when I bemoan the messiness of the crust: “It’s meant to be rustic!” I realize there is such a thing as a beautifully messy pie, a top crust whose perfection lies in its bumps and uneven browns and golds. But mine just looked sort of messy, period. It was the difference between a designer taking a pair of scissors to a shirt, and me doing it myself at home. Not the same. My pies not only didn’t resemble Sarabeth’s example, they were too rustic to even really be related. They were distant cousins, maybe, from the old country. Now this was not my first try at pie making. I tried making it two years ago, with help from my father, as part of a series I wrote on this blog about learning to cook. But this was my first solo try, in my own kitchen. I stood at my counter and created the mise en place — “I still do this, even after all these years,” Sarabeth told me — and made the dough, which, to my delight, looked exactly like hers. This small victory was satisfying enough to send me sailing into Part 2 of the recipe: slicing the four pounds of tart Granny Smith apples into clean half moons while the dough chilled in the refrigerator. As I neared the end of apple slicing, I took out the dough — it had been chilling for far longer than an hour and I thought it might need to loosen up. Then I made the streusel topping and did some dishes to make room on the counter. Without thinking about it 30 minutes went by. This was not smart. But I didn’t know that until I scattered flour on the counter and rolled out the dough, which was a bit wet. After rolling it out, not too hard, not too soft, to what I thought appeared to be the prescribed 15 inches, I moved it to the pan, which it filled, but just barely. It was clear there would not be enough to fold up around the mound of apples I added next. Facing two options — bake the pie or toss the pie — I decided to just bake it, figuring the best way to salvage it was to hastily triple the streusel topping and spread it over the top. The finished pie was sweet in a way I knew was wrong — all that extra sugar topping — but tasty enough. It was not, however, Sarabeth’s pie. And so I tried again, but with peaches that had just ripened to a beautiful state of juiciness. I took care with pie No. 2 to make sure the dough was cold enough when I rolled it out. I also measured its diameter this time, making sure there would be extra to drape over the filling. The pie turned out far better than the first, but it still wasn’t quite right. I hadn’t used enough peaches, and so the top was slightly concave. Also, it lacked sweetness, which left the flavor a bit flat. This surprised me — I should have tasted the peaches first and adjusted the sugar. For the third and final pie, this time made with late-summer peaches, I used twice as many pieces of fruit. I followed every step to the letter. I even pulled out measuring tape and checked the depth of the rolled out dough. The pie had a nice, subtle domed shape, but the juice from the peaches crept up at the edges, subsuming the edge of the crust, forming a sticky, rich-hued halo. Looks-wise, it was still rustic, not as effortless and neat looking as Sarabeth’s, but I had made my peace with this pie. And flavor-wise, it was delicious, the way you intuitively expect good pie to taste. This makes a large batch of dough. Divide it in half and use both halves, or freeze one portion to use another time. Source: Adapted From “Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours” by Sarabeth Levine (Rizzoli, 2010) Be sure to slice the apples thin so that they cook in the amount of time needed to bake the crust — this isn’t a chunky filling. Source: Adapted From “Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours” by Sarabeth Levine (Rizzoli, 2010) Source: Adapted From “Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands to Yours” by Sarabeth Levine (Rizzoli, 2010)

Emily Weinstein learns how to bake a pie.

Little Poppy Walmsley had miracle escape while feeding the ducks in her local park A TWO-year-old girl nearly drowned after plunging into a pond at a beauty spot when she mistook a thin layer of slimy aquatic fern on the water for GRASS. Little Poppy Walmsley had a lucky escape after stepping out onto the small lake which was covered in a thick blanket of green vegetation stretching across the entire water. Her terrified dad Damien Walmsley, 26, watched in horror as his daughter got into difficulty at Brough Park in Leek, Staffs., at around 2.30pm on July 22. Luckily, the quick-thinking father-of-two managed to grab Poppy’s foot and pull her out before she sank beneath the surface of the swampy waters. Now Damien, of Leek, is calling on his local council to take action to prevent a tragedy from happening at the pond. Today Damien, who works as a quality engineer at JCB, said: “We were at the park feeding the ducks. “We’ve been there a few times before. Poppy is very advanced for her age and she likes to explore different places. “She walked towards the pond and I said ‘Hang on, let me take a picture’ and I looked down for a split second to get my phone out of my pocket. “The next thing I knew, I looked up and saw Poppy step on the pond. “She must have thought it was grass. You can sort of see why because none of the water is visible. “Next thing she fell in and was fully submerged. I managed to grab her foot and pull her out. She went completely under. I was terrified. “A woman in her 50s saw the whole thing happen and she told me the same thing happened to her granddaughter a few weeks before. “She was shaking but laughed it off. I took her to the doctor and thankfully she was fine. My daughter really had a lucky escape.” Staffordshire Moorlands District Council – which owns the park – has since brought in beetles to try to remove the green fern. The authority has also put up warning signs around the pool. Damien, who lives with Poppy’s mum Hayley Porter, 33, and his stepdaughter Jaime, ten, added: “I wonder what would have happened if we had been playing hide and seek and I would not have seen her go under. “The pool needs a fence around it or draining. “Warning signs have been put up around the pond since the incident – but toddlers can’t read signs. “I went straight to the council after it happened and they told me they had received various complaints about the pond and that they had a team removing the moss everyday, which can’t be true.” The council said the authority has brought in weevils to try to combat the ‘non hazardous but nuisance aquatic fern’. Conservative councillor Brian Johnson, cabinet member for parks, said: “The water in the smaller pond looks like grass and it is an issue. “Work to combat the problem in an ecological way has begun by introducing Weevils. “I would encourage parents to keep a close eye on their children when visiting the area. “The last thing we want to do is go health and safety crazy by putting up a fence, or even worse fence off that part of the park. “If the Weevils do not work reasonably quickly then we will go back to the drawing board.”

A TWO-year-old girl nearly drowned after plunging into a pond at a beauty spot when she mistook a thin layer of slimy aquatic fern on the water for GRASS. Little Poppy Walmsley had a lucky escape a…

Dr. Kermit Gosnell (Yong Kim/Associated Press) Tim Graham absorbs his fair share of media in his job as director of media analysis at the Alexandria, Va.-based Media Research Center and as senior editor of its publishing outfit, NewsBusters. The formula goes pretty much like this: Watch, read, listen, groan—and write up lightning-quick blog posts exposing the excesses of mainstream media organizations. If Chris Matthews says something slightly excessive; if Brian Williams says something that’s not quite right; if PBS misfires — NewsBusters is there to commemorate the occasion. Yet as Graham points out, catching stupid outbursts isn’t necessarily the core of the MRC/NewsBusters mission. MRC Founder and President L. Brent Bozell III, says Graham, has instructed his staffers to tease out something else. “Brent has been insistent with us that we are to focus on omissions, which is tough,” says Graham. “Sometimes he’ll say, ‘Is this an omission?’ And we’ll say no.’…Omissions that carry the most weight is when it is total.” And that totality, argues Graham, is precisely how the media has not reacted to Kermit Gosnell, the 72-year-old abortion provider who is now on trial for murder stemming from the deaths of seven babies and a woman who was a patient at his West Philadelphia clinic. A massive grand jury report spells out the horrific nature of the case. After the release of that grand jury report—back in January 2011—Bozell was already alleging media lapses: “Apparently, just about nobody in the national media really cares about who dies at an abortion clinic, whether it’s a child or a mother. But kill a killer of babies – and that’s headline news. That’s why tens of thousands clog the streets to protest – not just the killing, but the radio silence.” And recently, with the Gosnell trial underway, Bozell & Co. continue stacking up the blog posts, lamenting how the big broadcast networks and other outlets refuse to put this story on a national pedestal. Though it’s hard to exactly “break” the media story of the Kermit Gosnell trial, MRC/NewsBusters has been at the forefront of what now looks like a journalistic upheaval. The Washington Post has gone on record lamenting that it didn’t send a reporter to the trial sooner. The Atlantic’s Conor Friedersdorf has ruled that this is a front-page story, anywhere. Twitter is exploding with talk of the case and the media. Several outlets continue in silence—at least vis-a-vis this blog—about their coverage calculus vis-a-vis Gosnell. No surprise there. Over nearly two years in this position, the Erik Wemple Blog has sampled a great deal of what comes out of the MRC/NewsBusters operation. Much of the time, it’s ticky-tack stuff — some fool misspeaks, another moron takes to Twitter, another lame-o imprudently generalizes about something. And then sometimes, it’s a bona fide media question. On those occasions, the Erik Wemple Blog brings the matter to the attention of any allegedly offending news organization or journalist. At that point, a pretty common transaction unfolds. We are not at liberty to quote news organizations or journalists, but we can say that, when presented with questions that have their origins in MRC/NewsBusters research, the typical response is something along the lines of ”Get out of my face with this agenda-driven stuff, and come back when you have a real story.” In fairness, we do get similar responses to research from the watchdog on the other end of the “mediological” spectrum – Media Matters for America. Reading through NewsBusters content yields the impression that the outfit suspects that lefty bias lies at the root of most mass-media screwups. In the Gosnell case, however, a fascinating debate has developed over whether it’s bias or, perhaps, the media’s indifference to stories about the disadvantaged and isolated people in low-income communities. Says Graham: “I am always willing to entertain, as a conservative media critic and as a former White House reporter, that there are many reasons why you don’t do a story.” But, says Graham, “our first job is to say it’s not being covered.” The first job of the media, it would appear, is to hunker down.

Complaints about the coverage of the Kermit Gosnell trial have gone mainstream, with the help of NewsBusters.

It’s a storied stereotype that women love to talk. They call each other up on the phone, go out for coffee dates, they gossip, they gab. But when it comes to talking about themselves, women are far less likely than men to speak up. According to Jessi Smith, a Montana State University psychology researcher and professor, “Men are not reluctant to talk about themselves and will sometimes exaggerate or inflate things like their grade point average or how big that fish was that they caught. Women, on the other hand, are much more modest and humble.” While modesty and humility are not the worst attributes to exhibit, the anxiety women suffer when asked to talk about themselves can hurt them in the most reasonable of circumstances — a job interview, for instance. And sadly, the women that do brag get punished for it. Smith’s findings are in a recently published study entitled ”Women’s Bragging Rights: Overcoming Modesty Norms to Facilitate Women’s Self-Promotion.” “If you say an accomplishment but you change the gender of the person saying it [to female], she’s not liked.” Smith said Thursday on The Takeaway. “Both men and women don’t like her. They think she’s smart but they don’t want to be her friend and they don’t want to allocate resources or rewards to her.” Here’s the kicker: “So, in some ways, women are smart enough to have figured out over time that when they violate the modesty norm, it doesn’t feel good and people aren’t going to respond favorably to them.” Ann Friedman in Pacific Standard magazine found similar conclusions. “It’s not that women don’t want to succeed,” she wrote. “It’s that, despite their education and experience, they’ve internalized messages about their lack of qualification.” Smith set out to reverse the anxiety that cultural norms inflict on women who try to talk about themselves. In a study she conducted with Meghan Huntoon, she found that women had no problem talking about their accomplishments if there was something else to attribute their anxiety to. Smith said this was a classic example of the misattribution paradigm where if you give people an external justification for any anxiety they’re feeling, they will blame their anxiety on that external justification. This doesn’t mean we should introduce something new for women to feel anxious about. Instead, how can we use Smith’s findings to get quiet women to talk about themselves? Especially when it’s necessary for landing a job, negotiating a salary or asking for a raise? People in authority need to implement practices that make it normal for women to promote their accomplishments, Smith said. To hiring managers, Smith added, “Instead of saying, ‘Tell us about the great work you’ve done,’ say ‘Please tell us the big projects that you’ve completed this year.’” And to those who’ve already won the job but are in pursuit of fair compensation, Friedman says confidence is necessary. “Those who are paid higher have usually negotiated harder,” Friedman wrote in the Columbia Journalism Review. “Especially if you’re at the stage in your career where you’re going to define your future earning potential, negotiation is not optional.” If negotiating a salary sounds intimidating, Smith assures that it’s going to be. “Cultural shifts take time,” she said. “So while we wait, our results also suggest that people should be proactive and promote the accomplishments of their female friends and colleagues to their bosses.”

A recently published study suggests women are much more modest than men when it comes to bragging about themselves.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans stood in silence to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11 attacks on Tuesday as Osama bin Laden resurfaced to praise the suicide hijackers who carried them out six years ago to the day. New Yorkers observed silent moments at the very times jets crashed into the World Trade Center towers and when each tower collapsed. Ceremonies took place also at the Pentagon and at a Pennsylvania field where the third and fourth planes crashed. Defense Secretary Robert Gates vowed revenge on anyone who might attack the United States. "The enemies of America, the enemies of our values and our liberty, will never again rest easy for we will hunt them down relentlessly and without reservation," he said in Washington outside the section of the Pentagon that was struck. Bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader behind the attacks, defied the United States with a new audiotape. On it, he praised "the 19 champions" who hijacked the U.S. planes and crashed them. In New York, bagpipes played, accompanied by a steady drum beat, in a park neighboring the former disaster site known as Ground Zero, which is now a busy construction zone. Church bells pealed to mark the moment. "Six years have passed, and our place is still by your side," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the gathered family and friends of those who died. Rain fell on the somber ceremony, where many wore funereal black to remember the 2,750 killed when the towers fell. Their names were read aloud, taking hours, in what has become an annual tradition. Continued...

By Edith Honan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans stood in silence to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11 attacks on Tuesday as Osama bin Laden resurfaced to praise the suicide hijackers who carried them out six years a

Natalia has found a family — a mother, father and little brother. She'll leave a life of foster care in Colombia to join them in suburban Orange County this fall. I wrote a column about Natalia in January, when the 11-year-old visited Los Angeles with Kidsave, a Culver City group that brings parent-less children here from Colombia and tries to link them with adoptive families. Natalia spent a month in Pacific Palisades with Rhona and Kenny Rosenblatt, Kidsave volunteers who ferried her to social events where prospective parents turned out to size up the visiting kids. But Natalia drew no inquiries. One family, who'd seen her photo on Kidsave's website and flown out from back East to meet her, abruptly canceled an outing and returned home after spending two days with Natalia here. "She's such a lovely and loving little girl," her host mother Rhona Rosenblatt told me then, appealing for a column. "I know there's family out there for her, if we just get the word out." Jeff Howell read that column and it struck a chord; he emailed it to his wife. They had spent years exploring ways to expand their family. He's a lawyer, his wife Valeria Pereira-Howell is a dentist, and their 6-year-old son Zen had been hankering for a sibling. "We started out thinking, like everybody else, we're going to get a newborn," Jeff Howell said. They considered open adoption, international adoption, adoption from foster care. There were risks and rewards with every option, but nothing felt just right. The column drew them to the last Kidsave outing for that winter group, a scrapbooking session at Runyon Park. They didn't have much time to spend with Natalia; several other families had shown up to meet her. "We barely even got a chance to talk," Jeff said. They left having written off adoption. "We figured we'd volunteer to host a child this summer," he said, a dry run for future prospects. But Kidsave volunteers saw the spark between the Howell family and Natalia. "You look at them and it seems like they belong. You can't exactly put it into words," Rosenblatt said, "but you can feel the connection." They arranged a string of get-togethers: a trip to Newport Beach, dinner at the Rosenblatts', an outing in Santa Monica. And by week's end, their deal was clinched. "It was just the perfect fit for us," Jeff Howell said. "We thought, why wait? If we were trying to write down exactly what we were looking for, it would be Natalia." Jeff and Valeria both speak Spanish and have lived in South America. He majored in Latin American studies in college; she was born and raised in Brazil and remembers the angst of moving to America. And Natalia's a good match for their sports-loving son. Her first time on roller blades, Jeff Howell said, she skated along the beachfront path "for miles, smiling the whole time." It wasn't just those calculations, but something deeper that moved them forward. "A feeling," he said. "Definitely a feeling.... Automatically, right away, there seemed to be this level of trust between us. Something that you don't feel every day. You know what I mean?" I don't, not really. The chemistry of creating a family has always seemed mystical to me.

Natalia has found a family — a mother, father and little brother. She'll leave a life of foster care in Colombia to join them in suburban Orange County this fall.

As I report in The Big Topic on Campus: Racial ‘Microaggressions’, “microaggressions” is a term that has long been used by race theorists and sociologists, and is now increasingly popping up in blogs, social media campaigns, art and academic papers. Young people are using the term to describe the subtle ways that racial, ethnic, gender and other stereotypes can play out painfully in an increasingly diverse culture. Even when behavior considered microaggressions is not overt, the episodes can have a lasting impact Take, for example, a multimedia project and performance that students at Harvard University produced called “I, Too, Am Harvard.” The project was based on interviews with black students who described feeling marginalized on campus, often a result of subtle or indirect comments like “You’re lucky to be black … so easy to get into college.” We interviewed several students involved in the project. Here’s Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence, a writer and director, sharing her experience. A few weeks ago, following my piece on whether American millennials were “post-racial” (*spoiler alert – it turns out they are not) we asked readers to share their experiences with race on college campuses in blog comments and on Twitter with the hashtag #TellNYT. A selection of the submissions from students included similar concerns about microaggressions: People have told me that being Latina was what got me into @Columbia. Never mind my academic or personal achievements #TellNYT — Andrea Garcia-Vargas (@AndreaGarVar) February 27, 2014 Prop 209 severely diminishes amt of minorities at @UCBerkeley, bc Cali disregards racial historical context of applicants #TellNYT — Pierce Gordon (@piercegordon1) February 26, 2014 Experiencing race on campus is not always about overt racism but even benign ways race is marked is an experience of difference #TellNYT — Edmond Chang (@edmondchang) February 27, 2014 Listening to other white students explain why it’s okay for them to use the N-word in a “nice way” #TellNYT — Bess Farris (@BessFarris) February 27, 2014 What about you? Have you experienced microaggressions at school, at work or among friends? How did you respond? Do you think young people are being too sensitive, or are they justified in pointing out how they feel? I look forward to reading your comments below. You can also follow me on Twitter @tanzinavega and use the hashtag #TellNYT to share your thoughts.

When is a question not as innocent as the questioner thought? What are the limits of tolerance and the boundaries of ignorance? Readers and students told us their stories and their perspectives.

PARIS, Jan. 3— The most obvious difference between terrorism in Italy and terrorism in Iran is that in Italy the Red Brigades are trying to destroy the power of government, while factions in the Teheran Government are trying to consolidate power by holding hostages. In both cases, however, the primary purpose of the crimes is to affect internal politics. Revenge and bargaining for the status of prisoners or for billions of dollars are only secondary points. That is why it is so difficult to deal with these situations. The point is rightly made that giving in or paying ransom will only whet appetites. But since the aim of the terrorists is to achieve something far beyond their actual reach, beyond the capacity of those who care about the victims to provide, there just isn't any basis for a deal, not even in surrender. The murder of the police general Enrico Galvaligi in Italy seems to be linked to information given by the kidnapped judge, Giovanni d'Urso. Both men have been important figures in Italy's antiterrorist campaign. Now, the Red Brigade kidnappers say they are not interested in negotiating for d'Urso's release. Whatever the Rome Government might have offered, the Brigades apparently do not want to risk revealing how many critical secrets they have already learned and may use for further attacks. It's not a matter of trying to defend their jailed comrades, a terrorist communique said, ''but of striking blows ten times harder and more terrible in the ranks of the enemy.'' But ''the enemy'' in this case is the Italian state, Italian society itself. It cannot be brought down by the small groups involved, however heinous their behavior, so long as they lack at least the passive support of large numbers of people - and it is now clear they have no chance of winning it. The most they can hope to provoke is disgust for ineffective authority, but that will not bring the revolutionary collapse they seek. In Iran, the revolution has already taken place and the issue is who will wind up in control. American hostages are not the stakes in this fight among Iranians, but the pawns. There were signs from the beginning that seizure of the U.S. Embassy in November l979 had very little to do with the admission of the late Shah to a hospital in the U.S. It came almost immediately after then Premier Mehdi Bazargan and then Foreign Minister Ibrahim Yazdi returned to Teheran from a meeting with National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski in Algiers. Brzezinski had told the Iranians that the U.S. had nothing against nationalism and religion as such, and therefore was prepared to seek conciliation with the new regime. A book on the history of American relations with Iran now provides a good deal more evidence that the motive for the embassy takeover was precisely to prevent any such improvement of relations and to bring down the Bazargan-Yazdi Government. In his study entitled ''Paved With Good Intentions,'' Barry Rubin, a Georgetown University expert on the Middle East, quotes Dr. Hadi Modaressi, described as a ''leading clergyman close to Khomeini'': ''We wish and we welcome military aggression against us because it strengthens the revolution and rallies the masses around it,'' Modaressi said in a radio interview. He added that the U.S. Embassy was seized to challenge the international order and build the struggle against counterrevolutionary forces at home. Rubin explains that three times before, the mullahs had risen in Iran only to lose power to temporary allies, and they did not intend to be squeezed out again. So it has not been in the hostage-takers' interest either to release or to kill their victims, since either move would have ended the value of the crisis in domestic infighting. Now, particularly after the destruc- tion of the Iran-Iraq war, it would be in the interest of other Iranian factions to resolve the incident, which continues to isolate the regime. But these lay factions, not necessarily moderate, have not yet been able to gain the upper hand. The swirl of revolution so far has made it unlikely that any of the competing groups will succeed in consolidating power so long as Khomeini is doing his intricate balancing act among the rivals who enshrined him. There is simply no way, with dollars or with force, that the U.S. can now settle this battle among Iranian revolutionaries. Billions, and the offer of ''nonintervention'' itself, is in fact a kind of political intervention without assurance of results. If Teheran accepts release of its blocked assets in return for release of hostages, it will be a face-saving way out of its own dilemma. If Teheran refuses, it must be accepted, however bitterly, that the U.S. can do nothing but wait for the Iranians to settle their own disputes, for no sacrifice of money, men or moral principle would advance America's cause. In Italy and in Iran, desperate people are trying to use the lives of others for political ambitions they can only dream of achieving through widespread panic and instability. There is no way to bargain with them. The only answer is continued, firm protection of social stability and international order.

The most obvious difference between terrorism in Italy and terrorism in Iran is that in Italy the Red Brigades are trying to destroy the power of government, while factions in the Teheran Government are trying to consolidate power by holding hostages. In both cases, however, the primary purpose of the crimes is to affect internal politics. Revenge and bargaining for the status of prisoners or for billions of dollars are only secondary points.

HAIFA, Israel – The increasingly volatile situation on the Israel-Syria border and the fear of many Israeli Druze that their Syrian brethren are about to be attacked by the Al Qaeda-linked forces sparked a deadly lynch mob attack on an Israeli military ambulance in the Golan Heights region this week that claimed the life of a Syrian being transported for humanitarian medical treatment. The attack, condemned by Israeli Druze leaders and across the Israeli political spectrum, was the second on an Israeli military ambulance in 24 hours. One of the two patients in the ambulance died and two Israeli soldiers were hospitalized as a result of the unprecedented violence which took place near Majdal Shams. A small number of mainly young Israeli Druze are furious that people they suspect may be injured Syrian fighters are being given medical care in Israel, even as marauding Jihadist forces look set to descend on their endangered relatives in Syria. Syria’s Druze have long backed President Assad and are therefore viewed as likely targets for revenge by the Jihadist groups. “The IDF has not assisted the al-Nusra Brigade in any way in the last four years, but rather provides medical aid for wounded Syrians that arrive at the Israeli border and will continue to do so,” a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces told FoxNews.com. Israel appears determined not to be drawn into Syria’s internal conflict fearing any action as likely to serve as a rallying point for the many disparate radical Islamic groups fighting on the other side of its northern border. “I call on the leaders of the Druze community - which is a magnificent community with which we have brotherhood - to calm things down and say to every Druze citizen in Israel, ‘Respect the law, respect the soldiers, do not take the law into their own hands’”, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at a conference on Tuesday. “This is our moment of truth,” Sheikh Muafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Israeli Druze urged his followers. “The Druze religion and tradition opposes any physical harm, especially against wounded people.” Sheikh Tarif added that incidents such as the ambulance attack “harm our interests and those of our Druze brothers over the border.” In an apparent bid to pour fuel on the flames however, pro-Assad Syrian television described those who attacked the ambulance as “our heroic countrymen”. Israel’s Druze community has made it clear it doesn’t intend to stand idly by and watch as close relatives are attacked by the Al Nusra Front, and others, in the villages on the Syrian side of the border. Only last week more than 20 Druze were massacred in a village in the Idlib province of northern Syria, while “several hundred [were] forced to convert to Sunni Islam,” according to the BBC. The Jerusalem Post suggested that Al Nusra, together with as many as seven other Jihadist terror groups, has formed a new Islamist fighting force called Jaish al-Fatah (the Army of Conquest). They have surrounded a number of Syrian Druze villages close to the Israeli border and fears are growing of a potential bloodbath since President Assad’s forces withdrew from the region leaving the Druze undefended. Significant sums have already been raised by Israeli Druze in order to help their Syrian relatives defend themselves. “The [Israeli Druze] have collected money from all our citizens in every village and have collected 10 million shekels [more than $2.65 million],” Ayoob Kara, Israel’s Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation and the country’s most senior Druze politician, told FoxNews.com. “We have good relationships inside and outside of Israel and could use the money for anything the [Syrian Druze] need. I don’t want to say what that would be though, because this could be a problem for them on the other side.” “The Lebanese Druze have managed to smuggle some light weapons,” the Jordan Times reported at the weekend, “but advanced sophisticated weaponry is needed to match that used by the Jihadi Salafists who could repeat in Syria against the Druze the same abominable atrocities that their colleagues perpetrated in Mosul against the Christians.” The Druze are seen as heretics by radical Islamists, their religion including elements of Christianity, Judaism, Ismailism, and Hinduism, as well as the teachings of Ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato. Syria is home to the biggest Druze community of around 700,000, while Israel (140,000), Lebanon (215,000) and Jordan (32,000), also have sizeable communities. “What the youths did at Majdal Shams has caused big problems for the Syrian Druze and for us in Israel as well,” Ayoob Kara conceded. “But I am sure that we will overcome this because the relationship between the Druze and the State of Israel is so strong - and will grow stronger. There isn’t a better partner for the Jews in the Middle East than the Druze nation.” Paul Alster is an Israel-based journalist. Follow him on Twitter @paul_alster and visit his website: www.paulalster.com. Paul Alster is an Israel-based journalist. Follow him on Twitter @paul_alster and visit his website: www.paulalster.com.

The increasingly volatile situation on the Israel-Syria border and the fear of many Israeli Druze that their Syrian brethren are about to be attacked by the Al Qaeda-linked forces sparked a deadly lynch mob attack on an Israeli military ambulance in the Golan Heights region this week that claimed the life of a Syrian being transported for humanitarian medical treatment.

Denver Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez, San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy and former major league hurler Roy Oswalt were cheated out of millions of dollars as part of a Ponzi-like scheme by an investment adviser, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. The adviser, Ash Narayan, gained the players’ trust after appealing to their Christian faith and interest in charitable works, according to an SEC lawsuit that’s been filed against him in a Dallas federal court. Promising low-risk, conservative investment strategies, Narayan instead put the athletes’ money into Ticket Reserve Inc., a company that allowed fans to reserve face-value tickets to sporting events in which the teams had not yet been determined. Narayan — who served on the company’s board of directors, owned more than 3 million shares of company stock and was its primary fundraiser — invested the players’ money even though he knew the company’s finances were unstable, Bloomberg writes. “To be sure our revenue sucks. Our balance sheet is a disaster,” the company’s chief executive wrote to Narayan in a May 2014 email that the SEC uncovered. According to a 2014 story in Crain’s Chicago Business, Ticket Reserve “was forced out of business when two sellers falsely claimed to be selling 250 Super Bowl tickets, resulting in a class action lawsuit against the company.” In May, the shareholders of a Texas-based investment group also sued Ticket Reserve’s executives in Chicago, alleging that the company deceived the investors about its finances. Here’s the Cook County record: The shareholders say the officers mismanaged Ticket Reserve’s finances and wasted corporate assets by taking on “excessive debt” with unreasonable terms they knew they could not manage as well as “paying undisclosed finder’s fees, issuing company stock, issuing options to purchase additional company stock and executing promissory notes to (Narayan) for procurement of investors and lenders.” Further, the complaint says directors failed to disclose or intentionally misrepresented information about the company’s finances as well as the compensation for Narayan, including a $1 million promissory note payable by Ticket Reserve. Update: Howard M. Privette, an attorney with Greenberg Gross in Costa Mesa, Calif., is the lead lawyer representing Narayan in the SEC case, and he released the following statement Tuesday evening: “Mr. Narayan has worked cooperatively with the SEC from Day 1 on this matter, and is disappointed that the SEC chose to bring this action. Mr. Narayan has always sought to act in his clients’ best interests. Accordingly, he will continue to work with the SEC to ensure that this matter is resolved in the most favorable manner for those clients.”

SEC says investor preyed upon their Christian beliefs.

If you’ve been following nutrition (or Silicon Valley) news, you’ve probably heard of Soylent, the milky meal replacement boasting all the nutrients you need—in portable, swiggable form. Soylent CEO and founder Rob Rhinehart, who I interviewed a year ago, created Soylent because he thinks eating is “inefficient” and because he’s just not that interested in food. Apparently he’s not alone: His drink has earned a fan following, with packs of Soylent selling on Ebay for $115. And it’s also earned some competition: Ambronite. What makes Ambronite different: Soylent is made of powdered supplements whereas Ambronite is an all-natural, organic meal-drink that uses pulverized real-food ingredients, says co-founder Simo Suoheimo, who lives in Finland. Ambronite’s 20 blended ingredients include oats, walnuts, apple, spirulina, and seabuckthorn, and everything is organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and with no artificial ingredients. One serving has 500 calories (you can always use just half), only four grams of natural sugar, 50% of your daily total fiber needs, and over half of your protein intake. Like the Soylent guys, Ambronite’s creators developed their product because they’re busy businessmen who were eating too much junk between meetings. “We wanted to make a product that has the best ingredients the planet has to offer,” says Suoheimo. Unlike Rhinehart, though, Suoheimo says he loves cooking and he loves food. “This is not me giving you a multivitamin and saying you’re all set,” Suoheimo says. “I am giving you the best, real ingredients out there, based on what we know about nutrition now.” Instead of regularly replacing full meals with Ambronite, Suoheimo hopes his drink will replace things like protein bars, which are full of processed ingredients and sweeteners. What it tastes like: Ambronite starts as a greenish powder, and it’s recommended you blend or shake it well. On my first try, I simply added the powder to a glass of water and attempted to blend it with a coffee stirrer. Bad idea. It was chunky, and tasted like nothing other than a hint of fishy spirulina. The second time, my editor brought me a bottle of freshly squeezed orange juice. I poured in the green powder and shook it until it looked like a smoothie. This time, it wasn’t so bad. In fact, it was really pretty good—though still a bit chewy. I had some colleagues try it too. “It tastes like a smoothie I made myself,” said my coworker Kelly Conniff, commenting on the texture. Another coworker was truly surprised it didn’t taste terrible. “This is not a chocolate smoothie,” says Suoheimo. “We are really proud of these ingredients and we want you to taste them.” Although I enjoyed it mixed in with orange juice, the sugar from juice kind of defeat the purpose of drinking something so healthy. Blending it with a frozen banana and some water might be better. Suoheimo says some customers use the powder in their baking or mixed into their curry. Where it’s available: Ambronite is still crowdfunding, although they reached their goal of $50,000 in less than a week. People pre-ordering online can get 10 meals of Ambronite for $89, which includes shipping to the United States. The bottom line: Though I am forever an advocate for eating whole, real food, I’m not turning my nose up at Ambronite just yet. Real ingredients over supplements is always the way to go, so I’m glad they’ve ditched the fake stuff. The team also relies on nutrition experts from the University of Helsinki, an institution known for it’s dedication to food science. Still, there are no studies that show drinking your daily nutrients leads to better health, and there are other reasons for sitting down and sharing a meal that matter beyond your nutritional intake. I’ll probably be sticking to food that doesn’t come in a pouch, but if you want to try Ambronite for yourself, go for it. Just make sure you blend it really well.

Drinkable nutrition is the next big thing

TIME CAPSULE A row of mid-1950s Chevys in a field in Pierce, Neb. The town is bracing for the arrival of up to 10,000 bidders and spectators for the auction of the Lambrecht collection. More Photos » PIERCE, NEB. — For decades, a 10-acre tangle of trees in the corner of a corn and soybean field did its best to hide the legends of Pierce County. But word got out. You could see a few of the cars from County Road 854 and a few more from the second green and third tee of the neighboring golf course. The sheriff lost count of how many times he was called to the farm to roust radiator thieves or chrome scavengers, and to chase away tire-kickers. “They were parked in the trees, door handle to door handle, bumper to bumper,” Deb Bruegman said as she served beers in the clubhouse of the nine-hole course. “The trees grew up in and amongst and around them.” Still, few people were prepared for what emerged from the woods in late July, when a construction crew uprooted the cottonwoods, maples and ash trees and carried their mostly hidden treasures into the sunlight. Rearranged nearby in nine neat rows, each longer than a football field, were nearly 500 cars and trucks including American classics from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s: Bel Airs and Corvairs, Apaches and Impalas, even a Corvette Pace Car model. All were the legacy of Ray Lambrecht, the local Chevrolet dealer for 50 years until he retired in 1996. Now 95, he and his wife, Mildred, 92, still live across the street. The Lambrecht collection includes about 50 so-called survivors, cars still considered new despite their age. They were never sold, never titled and, with fewer than 20 miles on their odometers, barely driven. The best of these were stored indoors. While many of these new-old cars still have shipping plastic on the seats, their windshields are layered with decades of grime and bat droppings. There’s a 1958 Chevy Cameo pickup with 1.3 miles. A ’64 Impala with 4 miles. A ’77 Vega with 6 miles. A ’78 Corvette — the Indy Pace Car — with 4 miles. Among those who buy and sell vintage cars, there is a special thrill in unearthing a “barn find” — a car tucked away in good condition and largely forgotten, only to surface years later — and the trove here is surely one of the largest such discoveries. “To a collector, it’s a field of dreams,” said Yvette VanDerBrink, the Minnesota auctioneer who plans to sell the collection on Sept. 28-29 after a day of previews. Authorities in Pierce, a town of 1,700 125 miles northwest of Omaha, are bracing for the arrival of up to 10,000 bidders and spectators whose appetites have been whetted by news reports, online chatter and tantalizing photos of dusty Chevys. Ms. VanDerBrink called the collection an urban legend — albeit a rural one — come true, the rare white buffalo of car auctions. By Thursday, over 700 bidders had registered from 50 states and several countries; more than 800 potential buyers had already bid $500,000 online. “To find untouched cars is truly the holy grail,” she said. “There’s a lot of mystery here.” But there was nothing mysterious about the origins of the collection. In 1946, Army Sgt. Ray Lambrecht returned to Nebraska from the Aleutian Islands and married Mildred Heckman. They’d met six years earlier, when his brother married her cousin, but delayed their own wedding until the end of World War II. Mr. Lambrecht went to work for his uncle, Ernest Lambrecht, at the Lambrecht Chevrolet Company in Pierce. He built the house where he and Mildred live, and he built a new dealership — its grand opening announced by elephants wearing Chevrolet banners. Not long after, when Ernest Lambrecht fell ill, the newlyweds took over, developing an unusual business model and a novel retirement plan. “He loved to sell new cars,” Ms. VanDerBrink said. “He didn’t sell his trade-ins — he wouldn’t let you buy them. You had to buy the latest and greatest Chevrolet.” Mr. Lambrecht didn’t finance his inventory; he bought cars outright from Chevrolet, according to his daughter, Jeannie Lambrecht Stillwell, who lives near Orlando, Fla., and serves as family spokeswoman. When the latest models were trucked in, her father stored the new cars he hadn’t sold and stocked up on those he thought would eventually become valuable.

The Lambrecht collection, featuring hundreds of American classics hidden for decades in a field in Pierce County, Neb., will go on sale this month.

Don't want to miss out on the latest in politics? Start each day with The Post Politics Hour. Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team of White House and Congressional reporters answers questions about the latest in buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news. Washington Post national political reporter/Washington Sketch columnist Dana Milbank was online Friday, June 2, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest in political news. Read Dana Milbank 's Washington Sketch columns. Political analysis from Post reporters and interviews with top newsmakers. Listen live on Washington Post Radio or subscribe to a podcast of the show. Good morning, ladies, gentlemen and Michael Chertoff. As you are all no doubt now aware, this was the week in which the Department of Homeland Security decided to counterterrorism funding for New York City and the National Capital area, concluding that DC is a "low-risk" city and that there's no need for special protection for the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. The money is instead going to Omaha, Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis, and five cities in Florida. To those of you from the heartland, please write in and tell me what you intend to do with your windfall -- more than $100 million taken away from DC and NY. And for those of you who live here or in New York, please tell me what you think places like Omaha and Wyoming should do with our homeland security money. washingtonpost.com: Flash: DHS Disputes Al-Qaeda's 5-Star Rating of Two U.S. Cities , ( Post, June 2,2006 ) Washington, D.C.: I enjoyed your column this morning, although I'm feeling a certain sense of weltschmerz about living in a "low-risk city." Can you tell me how many points a jurisdiction got for voting for President Bush in the DHS assessment of terror targets? Seriously, what are the differences in the factors used by the Rand Corporation and those used by DHS in assessing the risk to various jurisdictions? I recognize "weltschmerz" as a word from the national spelling bee yesterday. In this usage I believe the proper definition is "idiotic bureaucracy." I did a little analysis of the "political risk" involved in assigning the grant money. Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) got some nice help in KC and St. Louis, while Jeb Bush got quite a bonanza in Florida. But the administration cut loose Sens. Rick Satorum (R-Pa.) with big cuts in Pittsburgh and Philly, and Mike DeWine (R), whose Ohio took a beating. The truth is the "risk" component -- supposedly 2/3 of the criteria -- was obviously swamped by the other 1/3, in which the administration decides which proposals tickle its fancy. Washington, D.C.: I'd suggest that Omaha spend that money building something worth protecting - and then protect it. Dana Milbank: That's a thought. In fairness, Omaha has an excellent stockyard. I understand they plan to build a moat around it like they did to protect the Washington Monument from truck bombs. The question now is how all the cattle are going to get past the moat so they can be auctioned. Dallas, Tex.: Morning, Dana! Can we talk a little Texas politics for just a bit? Now that we have Alito, predict the decision due in June on the Texas gerrymandering/redistricting case, please. Also, have you heard of Kinky Freedman? Don't you think he'd just be the crown jewel of Texas politicians? I attended the oral argument for that one, and the justices (not just Alito) seemed mighty skeptical of the case challenging the DeLay-led redistricting, so I'd be surprised if they knock it down. Have I HEARD of Kinky Friedman? I worship him. Any guy who forms a country band called Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys deserves to be governor of Texas. And any Texas gubernatorial candidate running on the slogan "How Hard Can It Be?" deserves to follow his predecessor to the White House. Windfall: All I know is I'm moving to D.C. where it's safe! Dana Milbank: We welcome all you hicks from the sticks, as the New York Post puts it. I expect they'll take down the barriers on Pennsylvania Ave outside the White House and get rid of the roadblocks near the Capitol now, seeing as it's so safe here. They're also likely to conclude that it's now safe to eat on the Metro. New York, N.Y.: I think Louisville and Kansas City should erect a statue to Tracy Henke. I personally will donate 5,000 pigeons to those places. Dana Milbank: This is an excellent suggestion. Henke, for those who do not know, is the DHS official who oversaw the grantmaking arrangement. Turns out KC and St. Louis, both in her native Missouri, are big winners in the terrorism sweepstakes. Who wudda thunk it? The cities can use the counterterrorism funds to screen all the pigeons for bird flu. New York, N.Y.: Found this list of what DHS might be wanting to protect (from DailyKos): Alexandria, Indiana: The World's Largest Ball of Paint ($12 million) Niland, California: Salvation Mountain ($16 million) Alamo Heights, Texas: Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum ($10 million) Dedham, Massachusetts: The Museum of Bad Art ($31 million) Key West, Florida: The Chicken Store ($7.5 million) Alliance, Nebraska: Carhenge ($25 million) And Soap Lake, Washington: The Giant Lava Lamp ($143 million) Dana Milbank: That's classified! How did you get it? I'm calling General Hayden. Or actually, could the NSC folks who are monitoring this chat just send him the transcript? Thanks. Henke and numbers: Tracy Henke has been criticized in the past for playing "funny buggers" (as the Aussies say) with statistics and forcing career bureaucrats who don't want to push her spin into early retirement. Do we need another Katrina-esque disaster to prove that good spin does not equal good governance? I don't know how you got "funny buggers" through the Post's obscenity filter. Well done. As for the extremely fair Ms. Henke, I have no wish to embarrass her further. But here's what my colleague Al Kamen wrote a couple of months ago: President Bush's recess appointment in January of Tracy A. Henke to be assistant secretary of the Office of Grants and Training (G&T) at the Department of Homeland Security irked Senate Democrats. Henke had caused a ruckus last year when she demanded that a Justice Department report on racial disparities in police treatment of blacks in traffic cases be taken out of a news release. A respected career employee was demoted after protesting the move. But indications are that Henke's working hard and handling her new post -- an important job to make sure scarce anti-terrorism money is spent effectively across the country -- with appropriate priorities. Take this e-mail she sent to staff members last week: "Another item I mentioned during the All-Hands meeting was the need to seek suggestions on how we can neatly encapsulate what we do at G&T to help others understand (inside and out of the department)," Henke wrote. She went on to say that when she was at the Justice Department her job included handing out money, being a contact beacon for states and local communities and helping victims of crime. "I used the 'Santa Claus, Batman and Mother Teresa' analogy" to sum up the functions. But here's the problem. "Mother Teresa won't work for G&T," she wrote. "I requested that you think about and submit suggestions for another analogy to fill in the blank 'Santa Claus, Batman and ______.' This analogy is not for publication, but to be used in conversation to assist individuals in understanding the great work, activities and possibilities of G&T. Several of you have sent suggestions. Thank you for your interest and great ideas. "To make certain that everyone has the opportunity to participate and to be involved," she wrote, "I have asked Anne Voigt [an aide] to chair a short-term committee to work on this for me. If you could please e-mail your suggestions to Anne . . . she will assemble the options. I ask that if you are interested in helping her, please e-mail her your name by COB on Tuesday, March 7. She will put the names in a hat (bowl or anything else we can find) and we will pick the other individuals to serve on the short-term committee with her. "This committee will narrow the options down to no more than three and we will then have an all-hands vote to select the 'Santa Claus, Batman and ?' The individual whose suggestion is selected will be invited to lunch with me," she wrote, "my treat." Feel safer already, don't you? Arlington, Va.: Now that DHS has declared DC safe, would it be possible for the White House reopen the road south of the White House that was supposedly closed for security reasons but is used for extensive staff parking? The dirty secret in Washington is security closures equal additional staff parking. Dana Milbank: Good idea. In fact, they should tear down that iron fence at the White House and let us all picnic there, as we did back in the 19th century. Also, because it is so safe, we should encourage the vice president to reduce traffic congestion by taking the bus up Mass Ave to his home at the Naval Observatory, unless he wants to borrow one of the president's bicycles. Cincinnati: A better question to ask those in the "sticks", which is worth protecting: DC where no one can get it right, nor shows any inclination to try to get it right, be they politician or MSM member; or Omaha and its great steaks. You would probably not like the answers. Dana Milbank: Ooooh, that hurts. Cincinnati lost $1.2 million, or 21% of its counterterrorism money under the new DHS plan, and based on your attitude I would support that cut. Apparently the money was being used to protect Procter & Gamble's Kibbles 'n Bits factory. Louisville, Ky.: I'll have you know that we are prime targets for terrorism here because not only do we have Churchill Downs, but we also have... Dana Milbank: Well, there is the Louisville Slugger facility. But y'all could just hit the terrorists with baseball bats, couldn't you? Rockville, Maryland: "I worship him." I could vote for him. But I don't want to go back to Texas to do it. Dana Milbank: You're not kidding. Dallas took a 43% hit under the new DHS arrangement, while Houston lost 10% and San Antonio 25%. If only Kinky were running for mayor of Charlotte (up 64%). Madison, Wis.: Since we're a Blue State, we don't expect to get much money. But, if we got some, we'd put a giant dome over Milwaukee. Then we could have Summerfest in January, if we wanted. Plus, protect ourselves from stuff falling out of the sky. Dana Milbank: I was wondering why Milwaukee got 35% for next year, or $2.2 million. This explains it. But the state has to be to heat the dome; the feds only supply the dome itself. Washington, D.C.: Froomkin cites you and your editors as unable to attach the word 'LIE' to George W. Bush in his column yesterday. Is it true that you wrote the word but your editor switched it the synonym, mendacity, less than truthful or the everlasting beauty that is 'unartful'? Dana Milbank: Here's what Dan wrote yesterday: "How hard is it for reporters to call what Bush says a lie? Consider Dana Milbank 's near-legendary front-page Washington Post story from October 2002, headlined: "For Bush, Facts Are Malleable." Milbank wrote that some of Bush's statements "were dubious, if not wrong"; that Bush's "rhetoric has taken some flights of fancy"; that he was guilty of "distortions and exaggerations"; that he had "taken some liberties," "omitted qualifiers," and made assertions that "simply outpace the facts." But you won't find the word lie in there anywhere. It just won't get by the editors." I think that's unfair to the Post's editors. The fact is the word "lie" implies that you know what's in somebody's mind. For example, if what Patrick Fitzgerald has told us is true, Scooter Libby "lied" to the grand jury, because he had to have known what he was saying was false. The president four years ago may well have known what he was saying was false, but that's not provable. I try to stick to what's demonstrably true, and leave the rest to the bloggers. Greenville, S.C.: What did a hick state like mine end up with? I ask - since we're sitting on everyone's nuclear waste. Dana Milbank: Oh, dear. I'm sorry to say South Carolina didn't even make the list! You aren't urban enough. But, as thanks for watching our nuclear waste, you get a total of $14.7 million in overall counterterrorism funds, which amounts to $3.45 per person (Virginia, at the bottom, gets $2.23). And thank you for all you do with our spent uranium. The Heartla, ND: I hear the DHS is looking into building a moat around the Grand Canyon. But the part about them setting up whitewater rafting tours is an out-and-out lie. Washington, DC: Reply to Cincinnati: And, who, may I ask, sends all these people you find worthless to Washington? Not those of us who live here and don't have voting representation in Congress. I second the idea of making the VP take the bus. It would clear up some of the traffic congestion in the neighborhood. Maybe just close up the bunker to save money. Dana Milbank: Couldn't say it any better. Tulsa, Okla.: 168 people died in the Oklahoma City bombing 11 years ago. Were they less worthy of protection from terror than New Yorkers? Dana Milbank: Oklahoma City is taking a 26% cut under the new DHS plan. And, let me see, Tulsa, Tulsa, Tulsa. Nope, didn't make the list. Is there any possibility the president will intervene and reallocate the homeland security money? The priorities are so disgraceful that it would be genuinely funny were not the stakes so serious. Are there really people at DHS who can defend these grants with a straight face? Dana Milbank: Well, Tom Davis of Northern Virginia, who chairs the House Government Reform committee, has announced he's having a hearing. And Peter King of New York, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, is mad as a hornet. So there's hope. Virginia Beach, Va.: What kind of staffer is Henke? Is she a political appointee? Or a person who actually has real life experience in the job she is doing? Dana Milbank: She has had extensive real-life experience working for John Ashcroft. Washington, D.C.: I, for one, am sleeping better, just knowing that the Wal-mart in Missouri will be safe and protected. If only the terrorists knew that they could have struck a crippling symbolic blow so powerful it would have caused the US to surrender, renounce Britney Spears' music, and join the mighty caliphate, all by blowing up one rural Wal-mart... It's just too terrible to contemplate. Thank you, DHS, for ensuring this day will never come. Sorry for being Lou Dobbesian in my obsession with the DHS story today, but even in a city accustomed to daily outrages, this one is really special. Interested citizen: Are you going to take any real questions today? Dana Milbank: I'm afraid not. Have a nice weekend, and luxuriate in your newfound sense of safety-- except for those of you in Omaha, who should put duct tape on your windows. Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.

Washington Post national political reporter and Washington Sketch columnist Dana Milbank discusses the latest buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news.

Technology companies are incorporating 3D technology into an ever-expanding array of devices, including camcorders, television sets and home cinemas. But the glasses still look nerdy and consumers have so far been reluctant to bring the technology into their homes. Toshiba's new glasses-free TV could change that. But with competing technologies and pricing still high, will 3D products ever really take off? The world's tech giants certainly think so. Sony's personal 3D viewer is undoubtedly the most futuristic-looking of the 3D products on display at the recent IFA technology fair in Berlin. Mounted on the viewer's head, it looks like it has come straight off the Star Trek set. It rests rather heavily on the nose and the device, aimed at gamers and film fans, comes with built-in surround-sound headphones. 3D TVs, made by Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Toshiba and others, come in different shapes and forms , with glasses to match. Active shutter-glass (SG) type sets compete with passive film patterned retarder (FPR) types. In SG technology, glasses contain a liquid crystal layer which becomes dark when electricity is applied. They are controlled by a transmitter that sends a signal allowing the glasses to darken alternatively over the eyes, synchronized with the screen's refresh rate. FPR technology allows only left and right images to be seen, showing a different image for each eye; both images are combined in the brain, generating a 3D effect and the technology does not use electricity. Sony uses SG technology, which it says delivers clear and crisp images. It argues there is a clear difference in picture quality with products using FPR technology, used by LG among others. For those who want to look cool watching 3D, a range of designer 3D glasses by the likes of Lacoste and Calvin Klein is available. Pricing is similar to that of a regular pair of designer glasses, but with a curved lens, the companies argue their glasses are better for 3D viewing than many of the other heavy-framed models. Toshiba's no-glasses 3D TV was one of the hottest topics of discussion at the IFA fair. Toshiba's 3D televisions, launched in Europe at IFA , create the illusion of depth without the need to wear special glasses by sending images of different perspectives to the right and others to the left eye. Two bendy gymnasts at the Panasonic stand provided a handy opportunity to test the company's full HD 3D camcorders. The 3D digital camera will shoot 2D photos and HD video, Panasonic said. With its 3D still and video capabilities, the camera will allow users to take 3D photos and 3D HD videos. Technology companies argue that the relative scarcity of 3D content is delaying its adoption. As a result, they are incorporating technology which can convert 2D images into 3D format into their TV sets LG demonstrated a 2D-to-3D game converter at the IFA fair. "Small and medium-sized game companies will be able to offer 3D versions of their existing 2D games without major investments in human resources, cost or time. Meanwhile, smartphone users will reap the benefits of being able to convert their 2D games into 3D anytime, anywhere free of charge," LG said in a statement accompanying the release. Laptops and tablets are increasingly geared towards 3D gaming as well, with Toshiba presenting a gaming notebook "to satisfy even the most demanding gamers."

3D glasses still look nerdy and consumers have so far been reluctant to bring 3D tech into their homes.

While backstage at 2013's Capital FM Summertime Ball in London, Taylor Swift told The Sun of the careers she would have chosen if she never pursued music, which include interior design, police work, or simply critiquing televised police work from the comfort of her own home. Swift backed up her claim by listing some of her favorite shows, such as "Criminal Minds," "Law and Order" and "CSI." "I’ve never seen 'The Wire' but I’ll get into that next,” she added.

Try not to commit any heinous crimes around her.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Oct. 24) - Crude prices tumbled Friday and a gallon of gasoline fell below year-ago levels for the first time in 2008, even as OPEC announced a huge production cut in an attempt to halt the declines. Crude prices have now fallen 56 percent from the highs reached in July, and more than $41 per barrel in just the last month. Gathered in Vienna, Austria, on Friday to stanch plunging oil prices, OPEC announced it would slash oil production by 1.5 million barrels a day. Oil prices plunged more than 5 percent. Investors paid little heed to OPEC attempts to limit supply, instead focusing on global demand as financial markets spiraled downward in Asia, Europe and then the United States. Light, sweet crude for December delivery fell $3.69 to settle at $64.15 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices had fallen as low as $62.85 earlier in the day. The continuing decline in oil prices, even in the face of OPEC production cuts, only cemented bearish sentiment on the oil market. "All OPEC confirmed for the market is how weak demand is," oil trader and analyst Stephen Schork said. Supporting that view was a report released Friday by the U.S. Department of Transportation that showed the largest monthly decline in miles driven in 66 years. In the month after gas prices peaked at $4.11 per gallon, Americans drove 5.6 percent less, or 15 billion fewer miles, in August 2008 compared with August 2007 — the biggest single monthly decline since the data was first collected regularly in 1942. Americans have drastically altered driving habits, if they are driving at all, amid a severe economic downturn. They have cut discretionary trips, and are carpooling and using public transportation more. A Labor Department report released this month showed that the number of people who have become unemployed over the last year has risen by 2.2 million to 9.5 million. From November through August, Americans drove 78.1 billion fewer miles than they did over the same 10-month period a year earlier. The decline is most evident in rural interstate travel where travel is down more than 4 percent compared with a 2 percent decline in urban miles traveled, according to the agency. The Transportation Department said the biggest decline in driving was in Florida where miles traveled fell by 9.7 percent. Driving in the south Atlantic region, including Florida, fell 7.4 percent, the most of any region in the country. And the latest weekly report from the U.S. Department of Energy shows that demand for crude has fallen in 38 of the past 42 weeks. U.S. demand is down nearly 10 percent during the past four weeks compared with last year. That has translated into rapidly declining prices at the pump. On Friday, for the first time this year, the average retail price of gasoline fell below what it was on the same day in 2007. A gallon of regular gas fell 4 cents overnight to a new national average of $2.78, according to auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. That's nearly a dollar less than what was paid last month and 4 cents below gas prices one year ago on Oct. 24. Gas prices are off from their July peak by about a third compared with the price of crude, which has been more than halved. There is a lag between the two prices as oil being traded now will not be delivered until next month. That oil must be refined, or turned into gasoline, and then shipped to filling stations. As for the oil being priced on markets today, oil traders are increasingly gauging future demand on dour financial markets. Gasoline prices are all but certain to follow that downward trend. Fred Rozell, retail pricing director at Oil Price Information Service, said prices have room to drop another 20 to 30 cents. Schork said he could see oil prices falling to $50 a barrel, even though he believes prices will eventually stabilize between $70 and $90. "We're still in a hangover from the $150 party," he said. The decline also has come on the back of a strengthening dollar. Investors often buy commodities like crude oil to hedge against a weakening dollar, and sell those investments when the dollar rebounds. It also means that nations with rapidly growing economies such as China and India will pay more for fuel, which could force them to cut back. On Friday, there was ample evidence of global economic volatility. Wall Street joined world stock markets in a pullback Friday, with the Dow Jones industrials dropping 175 points and all the major indexes falling more than 2 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average fell a staggering 9.60 percent. In Europe, Germany's benchmark DAX index was down 7.1 percent, France's CAC40 dropped 5.7 percent while Britain's FTSE 100 sank 6.8 percent after the government said its gross domestic product fell 0.5 percent in the third quarter, putting the country on the brink of recession. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures fell 8.32 cents to $1.95 a gallon, while gasoline futures fell 10 cents to $1.47 a gallon. Natural gas for November delivery fell 18 cents to $6.23 per 1,000 cubic feet. In London, November Brent crude fell $3.87 to $62.05 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange. AP writers Louise Watt in London, George Jahn in Vienna, Austria, and Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this report.

Crude tumbled Friday and the price for a gallon of gasoline fell below year-ago levels for the first time in 2008, even as OPEC announced a huge production cut in an attempt to halt the declines.

College GameDay signs are an essential part of college football Saturdays. The jokes! The school spirit! The meanness! The jokes! Here are some of the best from Week 4 in Tallahassee for Florida State vs. Clemson: 1. 'Not sure if serious ... or just Clemson football' 4. 'MY UNC GOAT'S A TRADER HE'S A GATOR' This make absolutely no sense and neither does Jason Kirk's attempt to explain it, but maybe read it anyway because it's funny. See a better sign? Tweet us a photo at @USATODAYsports. We'll add it below and give you credit!

College GameDay is a time to show off clever signs. Here are the best from Week 4 in Tallahassee.

HONESDALE, Pa. THE latest revolutionary innovation to jolt the world of children's magazines originated in this town of 5,500, nestled in the snowcapped hills and barn— dotted vales of the northern Poconos. After 35 years, Highlights for Children has reinvented its cover. This change might not, on its face, seem to be all that dramatic. Nevertheless, Highlights for Children - which mails 1,250,000 magazines 11 months a year to children's homes and to schools, libraries, doctors' and dentists' offices - is not given to changing things all that often, and its readers have said they like it that way. Currently there are more than 20 other national magazines for preteen-age children in America -not including religious publications, special-interest and regional magazines, as well as offerings from Canada. They have more than nine million subscribers. As many as 30 million children read them in homes, schools and libraries, according to experts in the field, and eight new national children's publications have been launched since 1975. It is a field where parents are inclined to throw up their hands in befuddlement at the receipt of each new subscription solicitation for yet another magazine. They range from the simplicity of Cobblestone, a year-old history magazine started on a shoestring by two New Hampshire grade-school teachers, to the zaniness of Wow, a magazine for 5-to 8-year-olds that self-destructs as children cut up its colorful cardboard pages and fold them into automobiles, airplanes and polar bears. Some of the magazines are still reeling from the advent of television, and others, like Sesame Street Magazine, and its sister publication, the science magazine 3-2-1 Contact, are products of the television age. In a time when some of these competitors have adopted the slickpaper graphics and the specialization techniques of adult magazines, Highlights for Children continues in content and philosophy much as it was at its founding in 1946. Intended to develop the reading and thinking skills of 3- to 12-year olds, it accepts no advertising, has no newsstand sales, has wholly separate editorial and business offices (situated, in fact, in different states) and mails its magazines at the higher for-profit postal rate, unlike many of its highcirculation, nonprofit competitors. These elements, its broad age appeal and its strong position make it as stable a starting place as any in surveying the array of offerings in the children's-magazine field. It is a genre where publishers are chasing fads, going after sales with grabby covers, and seeking circulation and advertising by resorting to specialization. Also, there is growing concern about spiraling publishing costs and postal rates. Highlights for Children, however, is the kind of magazine where editors fret over, and forbid, things that they believe will make it hard for children to learn to read. For instance, the name George Washington must always appear in its entirety on one line; words are not hyphenated at the end of lines in articles for younger children, and trendy headline type is shunned because, its editors believe, it tends to confuse young readers. The new January issue carries, for the first time in the magazine's history, a bright, six-color, illustrated cover. Inside are the same homely features that a generation of children have studied and daydreamed over: ''Hidden Pictures,'' ''The Timbertoes,'' ''Goofus and Gallant,'' ''Headwork'' and ''Tricks and Teasers.'' A recent survey taken by the magazine shows that many parents who originally read the magazine as children are now giving it to their own children. The magazine was started in June 1946 by Dr. Garry Cleveland Myers and his wife, Caroline Clark Myers; he was 62 years old at the time, and she was 58. Dr. Myers was a Columbia University-trained psychologist, a pioneer in child development. It was 15 years before they were able to pay themselves full-time salaries. ''Twice, it was only faith that kept the magazine from going out of business,'' said Kent L. Brown Jr., the magazine's editor, who is the Myerses' grandson. ''It's only by dumb luck that we stayed solvent in those days,'' said Mr. Brown, who edits the magazine in a restored 1857 Federal-style Honesdale mansion with high-columned porches, 16-foot ceilings and a central oak stairway. Highlights For Children is now the flagship of a di-versified educational-publishing enterprise that takes in $21 million a year in gross revenues, subsuming the Essential Learning Products Division, the Zaner-Bloser Company (a publisher of handwriting books and materials) and a 15,000-circulation quarterly, The Newsletter of Parenting. While some editors of the other magazines speak admiringly of Highlights for Children, others criticize what they view as its ''stodginess'' and call it ''out of pace with today's urban children.'' ''Our readers like what we are, and we know what we are, even if we're not in style,'' said Walter B. Barbe, the magazine's editor in chief. ''Life magazine forgot what it was - but we haven't.'' But what of the other children's magazines? The following is an overview of the current crop of publications. The circulation figures printed are the latest averages available from the publishers. Special-interest and regional publications are not included. Nor are religious magazines or those read by young children even though they're primarily intended for an older age group - like Mad Magazine, or Seventeen. Highlights for Children Founded: 1946. Age range: 3-12. Circulation: 1,250,000. $39.95 for three years, 11 issues per year. Highlights for Children, 2300 West Fifth Avenue, P.O. Box 269, Columbus, Ohio 43216. Cricket Founded: 1973. Age range: 6-12; most readers are 8-10. Circulation: 140,000-160,000. $15 for one year, 12 issues per year. Cricket, Box 2670, Boulder, Colo. 80302.

dotted vales of the northern Poconos. After 35 years, Highlights for Children has reinvented its cover. This change might not, on its face, seem to be all that dramatic. Nevertheless, Highlights for Children - which mails 1,250,000 magazines 11 months a year to children's homes and to schools, libraries, doctors' and dentists' offices - is not given to changing things all that often, and its readers have said they like it that way. Currently there are more than 20 other national magazines for preteen-age children in America -not including religious publications, special-interest and regional magazines, as well as offerings from Canada. They have more than nine million subscribers. As many as 30 million children read them in homes, schools and libraries, according to experts in the field, and eight new national children's publications have been launched since 1975.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes a variety of opinions from outside writers. On political and policy matters, we publish opinions from across the political spectrum. Roughly half of our columns come from our Board of Contributors, a group whose interests range from education to religion to sports to the economy. Their charge is to chronicle American culture by telling the stories, large and small, that collectively make us what we are. We also publish weekly columns by Al Neuharth, USA TODAY's founder, and DeWayne Wickham, who writes primarily on matters of race but on other subjects as well. That leaves plenty of room for other views from across the nation by well-known and lesser-known names alike. * How to submit a column After years of silently suffering claimed professional indignities, JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater grabbed two beers and slid to freedom. Or so he thought. Less than 24 hours after his headline-making exit, he was in custody on felony charges of reckless endangerment, trespassing and criminal mischief. His is scheduled for this month. But of all the conversations inspired by his actions, one is conspicuously absent: Even those who applaud him seem totally unfazed by the fact that he also is being treated as an alleged felon. For much of American history, criminal law was driven largely by what is known as the "harm principle" — the idea (inherited from John Stuart Mill) that government should interfere with people's liberty only when necessary to prevent harm to others. But in this day and age, depending on how you look at it, either every act that could conceivably injure another interest now qualifies as criminally harmful, or the criminal law has become completely unmoored from the harm principle itself. When it comes to the criminal law, the harm principle is an important restraining mechanism: It's what keeps the government from punishing aimlessly for conduct unlikely to result in any material injury or danger. Even some behaviors that might result in damage — such as school bullying or illegal downloading — might in many cases be more effectively addressed outside of the criminal justice system. Without the harm principle, we end up in a world in which 7-year-olds are reduced to tears by health inspectors shuttering their curbside lemonade stands, preteens get handcuffed for eating french fries on the Metro, or juveniles are treated like sex offenders for exchanging racy text messages. Such omnivorous criminalization is not good — not for Slater and not for society. It is bad for Slater because, by all accounts, for almost 20 years he was a solid worker, but now he faces time in prison for a "crime" that the vast majority of people find funny and harmless. Fighting criminal charges can easily deplete a defendant's finances, and a felony conviction could impair his future employability, deny him civil rights such as the ability to vote or serve on a jury, and cut off access to benefits related to health, housing and education. Slater's dramatic resignation might be Warholian entertainment now, but it will not be as funny in 10 years if he slips from being a productive member of society to an unemployable, alienated individual hardened by time in prison. The district attorney should justify the decision to take that risk, especially because Slater's employer, JetBlue, recognized the humor of the situation in a casual news release acknowledging that Slater's actions might " feed your inner Office Space." Cannibalistic criminalization is also bad for the rest of us. Because harm prevention seems an unconvincing justification for this prosecution, perhaps the district attorney is motivated by another philosophy, such as the desire to deter others from engaging in the same kind of behavior. We are, after all, in the midst of an economic crisis, and the very fact that Slater appears to have tapped such a deep vein of resentment might suggest that failure to punish him would invite others to follow suit. Disgruntled workers have become a familiar motif in the news cycle. Just a week before Slater theatrically bailed out, Omar Thornton killed eight of his co-workers in Connecticut after he was given the choice of quitting or being fired when he was allegedly caught stealing from his workplace. But does anyone really think prosecution of a Steven Slater would have stopped that? Can prosecutors really not tell the difference? If anything, maybe a few more harmless emergency exits would relieve some of the pressure that matures into genuinely horrifying emergencies borne of anger, frustration and aggression. Perhaps most significantly, Slater is not the only one who pays a price for labeling his actions criminal. Per capita expenditure on the criminal justice system increased more than 300% from 1982 to 2003, from $158 to $638, and total spending has risen fivefold. There has been a 420% increase in spending on police, a 660% increase on spending for corrections and a 503% increase in spending on the judiciary. Today, the criminal justice system is draining our local governments, which fund half of all justice system expenses, to the tune of roughly $110 billion. States and the federal government spend an impressive $70 billion and $35 billion, respectively. Adjusted for inflation, criminal justice spending at the 1982 rate would amount to $66 billion; instead, we spend three times that. At the same time, cities and localities are hemorrhaging core services — cutting public transportation, street lighting and school funding, not to mention curtailing police services for actual harm-causing offenses such as burglary or theft. Even if there is some merit in punishing Slater criminally, we should remember that every penny spent investigating, prosecuting and supervising him is a penny taken away from investigating, prosecuting and supervising more serious criminals — not to mention funding education, health, housing and other programs that might actually improve the plight of most individuals. You know the old aphorism: To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If we are going to start seeing every transgression as a crime, then, especially in this economy, we should remember that the criminal justice system isn't free. Erin Murphy is a professor at New York University School of Law. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference.

The hapless JetBlue flight attendant harmed no one. But prosecutors today seem all too eager to criminalize every bad act.

The homeless man killed by Los Angeles police officers on Sunday in a deadly incident caught on video was a convicted bank robber and a French national, according to a new report Tuesday. Identified as Charley Saturmin Robinet, he had been accused of robbing a bank and pistol-whipping a teller in 2000 before he and other suspects led police on a chase, according to the Los Angeles Times, whose report cited federal prison records and anonymous sources close to the investigation. The 39-year-old was sentenced to 15 years in prison and released last May. Officers on Sunday were responding to a suspected robbery call on Skid Row when police say a confrontation with the man turned into a struggle involving one of the officer’s weapons before shots rang out. A bystander caught the altercation on video, and L.A. Police Chief Charlie Beck said an officer and sergeant’s body cameras provided a “unique perspective,” without alluding to what is shown. Read more at The Los Angeles Times.

A new report identifies the man as a bank robber and French national

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush is “moving forward” on a potential 2016 White House run and it appears more likely he will enter the Republican field, according to his son, who is himself running for office in Texas. George P Bush, who is running for Texas land commissioner, told ABC on Sunday his father was “still assessing” a presidential bid, but suggested it was more likely that he would seek the White House this time. The ex-governor declined to run for president in 2012, despite encouragement from Republicans. “I think it’s more than likely that he’s giving this a serious thought and moving …and moving forward,” said the younger Bush. Asked if that meant it was “more than likely that he’ll run”, Bush said: “That he’ll run. If you had asked me a few years back … I would have said it was less likely.” Jeb Bush, the brother of former President George W Bush and the son of former President George HW Bush, would stand out in what could be a crowded Republican field in 2016. He has headlined fundraisers for Republican candidates and committees and helped campaigns for governor in Iowa, South Carolina and Nevada, three of the first four states to hold presidential primaries. Family considerations could play a factor in his decision. In an interview with the Associated Press this month, Jeb Bush said his wife, Columba, was “supportive” of a potential presidential campaign and his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, was now “neutral, trending in a different direction”. Barbara Bush declared last year there had been “enough Bushes” in the White House. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand the challenges that this brings,” Jeb Bush said. “This is ultimately my decision with as much consideration as I can to take into account the people that I really love.” George P Bush said his family would be “100%” behind his father if he decides to run.

George P Bush, running for Texas land commissioner, says former Florida governor ‘giving this a serious thought’

"Untitled" (1981) by Cindy Sherman sold for $3.9 million at Christie's in New York in 2011. Photograph: Metro Pictures via Bloomberg "Untitled" (1981) by Cindy Sherman sold for $3.9 million at Christie's in New York in 2011. Photograph: Metro Pictures via Bloomberg Most people buy art because they love to look at it, but there's always the hope that the payoff will go beyond aesthetics. The prices of photographer Cindy Sherman's works have risen 11-fold in 15 years, according to Artnet, while Gerhard Richter's paintings are 37 times more expensive. Damien Hirst's works are up 22-fold, while works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol have both risen 19-fold. Investing in the right artist, however, can be a crapshoot, and owning artwork can involve substantial hassles. Many collectors must worry about insurance premiums, art dealers, thieves, taxes and most of all, the fickleness of the art world. Dorit Straus knows all about these complications from three decades working with collectors at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, where she is now the insurer’s worldwide fine art manager. Bloomberg.com’s Ben Steverman spoke with Straus, an archaeologist by training, about the challenges of owning art. Edited excerpts of their interview follow. Q: Is art an asset class like stocks and bonds? A: There is some merit to that line of thought. A lot of people have a large portion of their assets in their art collections and they may not know it. It’s certainly important for financial planners to discuss this issue. There are lots of downsides to art as investment. There are costs of maintaining art. The physical condition of your stock or fund doesn’t matter, but you have to make sure your work of art is in pristine condition, particularly in today’s economy. My advice to most people: Art is not a commodity. It's an aesthetic object. If it turns out that you have made money on your initial investment, that’s great, but the most important thing is your appreciation of the art. I know that's kind of corny. Q: I imagine it's difficult to predict which artworks are going to increase in value. A: Correct, because there’s no one art market. It’s a question of fashion. That’s not to say people haven’t made a lot of money on art. I see it every day looking at the collections we insure. Whether you're buying for investment or aesthetic purposes, I recommend people get the advice of art advisers. The art market is capricious and you have to find the right buyer at the right time. A lot of our clients -- major collectors -- put works up for sale and they don’t sell. These are good works of art. Art advisers and art dealers do establish a market. I don’t know about the idea that people, on their own, are discovering new artists in the hope those artists will turn into the next Damien Hirst. You may not be able to unload it at all. Q: What do art collectors need to know when it comes to protecting their works? A: Insurance is not all about price. It’s about terms and conditions. Look at the financial strength of the companies. What is the track record of that insurance company and how do they pay claims? The insurance company can be very helpful to you. We have as much of an interest in protecting the art as the owner. It’s good for the client to have the company come in and look at how the art is protected in your home. Also, when you’re moving art between homes or selling it, improper packing can result in damage. We’d rather help you deal with that by directing people to the right packers and shippers. [Chubb and other insurers sell special art policies because basic homeowners' insurance usually covers just $1,000 to $2,000 in art, with added coverage available for up to $200,000 per item, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Homeowners' policies generally won't provide extra services offered in special policies, including advice on storage, coverage of appreciation or loss in value of the art, and damage caused by earthquakes, floods and transportation of pieces.] Water damage is something most people don't think of. You read a lot about heists. What you don’t read in the paper is when a penthouse roof is inundated with water, which seeps into the walls and a beautiful painting is turned into mush. You have all sorts of situations involving weather. The climate has changed. Fires are a big cause of loss. We have a special program for wildfire protection. Q: How have the economic disruptions of the last few years affected the art market? A: In 2009 and most of 2010, people were not buying and selling in the open market. People were afraid to put things up for auction because if it didn’t sell, it would mar the salability of the item. A lot of these deals were done more privately. Eventually things did turn around. The contemporary art market is rebounding at the top level. You’ve had an international influx of people with a lot of money -- the Russians, the Chinese and other Far Eastern people. There are still a lot of things that are not selling. The middle and lower market is still tough. Q: Owning art can complicate estate planning. Do you have any advice? A: I would suggest a really good inventory. Bring in an outside expert like an appraiser. Valuations may fluctuate. You may have three children that have gotten paintings of unequal value, and that might create a dispute within the family. The tax implications are definitely something to think about. Art is not taxed at the [low] 15 percent capital gains rate, so I'd suggest one find an estate attorney that knows about tax rules and art. See whether it's important to set up some sort of foundation or trust. The other thing to think about is whether any philanthropy should be included in the estate planning. Understand that every cultural institution has a different mission. Your painting may not be what that institution wants.

Most people buy art because they love to look at it, but there's always the hope that the payoff will go beyond aesthetics. The prices of photographer Cindy Sherman's works have risen 11-fold in 15 years, according to Artnet, while Gerhard Richter's paintings are 37 times more expensive. Damien Hirst's works are up 22-fold, while works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol have both risen 19-fold.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is skipping a gathering of politically active progressives next month that would have put her on the same stage with her Democratic challengers -- and likely set up unwelcome comparisons with liberal heroine Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Clinton sent regrets for Netroots Nation, a three-day political conference that is a draw for some of the most ardent progressive activists, because she has previously scheduled speaking events in Iowa and Arkansas, her campaign said. "Our campaign looks forward to earning the support of the Democrats participating in this conference but Hillary Clinton has scheduling conflicts which will prevent her from attending,” campaign spokesman Jesse Ferguson said. “She wishes them the best on their conference." Clinton is far and away the Democratic front-runner, with 75 percent of Democratic support in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll out this week. But she has struggled to gain the enthusiastic backing of the far left, despite running a very left-leaning campaign so far. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose strongly progressive campaign platform and straight-ahead style is drawing large crowds, will attend the conference in Phoenix. So will former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who has tried to capitalize on any far-left disaffection by campaigning as a progressive champion and calling Clinton late to the cause. Sanders and O’Malley will participate in a candidate forum that Clinton was also invited to attend, Netroots spokeswoman Mary Rickles said. Sanders captured 15 percent support in the same WSJ/NBC poll, and O'Malley 2 percent. That suggests Sanders is heir to much of the progressive fervor for Warren, who disappointed some on the left by declining to challenge Clinton for the 2016 nomination. Warren will also attend the conference. Her fire-breathing attacks on Wall Street made her one of the stars of last year’s Netroot Nations, and she draws large and enthusiastic crowds wherever she speaks. Although she has made no move to reconsider her decision to stay out of the race, Warren still poses a hazard for Clinton. The zeal of Warren's supporters points up the perception, still prevalent on the left, that Clinton is a privileged intimate of the very wealthy. “I don’t know what her schedule planning is, but I certainly hoped that she would make it,” Rickles said, noting that both Sanders and O’Malley will attend the same Iowa Democratic Party event as Clinton on July 17. Clinton, however, is committed to an Arkansas Democratic Party dinner on July 18, the day of the scheduled candidate panel. Asked whether Clinton might be staying away at least in part because she may not feel welcome, Rickles said no. Attendees include some Democrats who support Clinton and some who do not, she said. “Our people want to hear from her and ask her questions. I expect there will be some attendees who are disappointed she is not there,” Rickles said. “We would welcome her if she’s able to change her schedule.” Clinton has attended a Netroots event once in 2007. She and then-Sen. Barack Obama were among the Democratic prospects who participated in a similar candidate forum ahead of the 2008 primaries, Rickles said. About 3,000 activists are expected to attend the 2015 convention. Anne Gearan is a national politics correspondent for The Washington Post.

An appearance could have led to unwelcome comparisons, but her campaign said it was scheduling that will keep her away.

Updated: Tuesday, November 3, 2015, 3:04 PM There is controversy in the “Stars” for Demi Lovato. The indie pop group Sleigh Bells alleges that the former Disney star sampled the band's songs "Infinity Guitars" and "Riot Rhythms" in her new song off of the album, "Confident." Though Lovato has yet to respond publicly to the accusations over “Stars,” her producers deny the accusations. "We did not use any samples in Demi Lovato's song 'Stars.' Demi was also not involved with the production. She only wrote top line," producers Carl Falk and Rami told EW in a statement. This isn't the first time Lovato has been accused of ripping off other musicians. In July, the 23-year-old pop princess drew criticism from Katy Perry fans that said her "Cool for the Summer" was a knockoff of Perry's "I Kissed a Girl." The former Disney star later took to Twitter to address the comparisons. "Sounds nothing like it and with all the advances we've made in the LGBT community I think more than one female artist can kiss a girl and like it," she tweeted at the time.

Sleigh Bells alleges that the former Disney star sampled their music in her new song "Stars" off of the album, "Confident."

BY Shari Weiss DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Tuesday, June 21st 2011, 1:19 PM Nearly one year after their wedding, Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green have returned to the site of their Hawaiian nuptials. The couple, who will celebrate their first anniversary on Friday, has spent the last few days vacationing in Kona, Hawaii. Fox, 25, has been seen on the beach in several sexy bikinis, including a hot pink two-piece and one with a floral print. With just his bathing suit bottoms on, the 37-year-old actor revealed he has more tattoos than his inked up wife. '90210' STARS - WHERE ARE THEY NOW? But the trip, which also included Green's 9-year-old son, Kassius, wasn't all for pleasure. Fox was also in the Aloha State for the Maui Film Festival, which ran from last Wednesday through Sunday. At the opening night festivities, the actress told E! Online that she and Green were contemplating renewing their vows in the fall. "I didn't think that I was into it until my relationship with Brian," she said. Green and Fox traveled to New York in April. (Andrew H. Walker/Getty) Fox added that, as a Cancer, Green is "very sensitive and very emotional." "He's very all about feelings and relationships and he cries about everything," she said. "He'll want to do it so I'll do it for him." And what is he doing for her? Swimming with dolphins, just like they did as newlyweds. "My husband is terrified of sharks but we're going to do it anyway," Fox told E! "Sharks don't usually go where there are tons of dolphins so we can do it."

Nearly one year after their wedding, Megan Fox and ian Austin Green have returned to the site of their Hawaiian nuptials.

This summer, the Faceman along with a flock of other '80s icons has cometh again. As The A-Team and The Karate Kid remakes ricochet and roundhouse their way across movie screens mashing the MacGyver-spoofing MacGruber in their wake time is ripe for revisiting what made the originals so memorable: the fashions, of course. USA TODAY looks at where mullets, Mohawks and other motifs of the era are now.

Collection of all USATODAY.com coverage of Matthew Bellamy, including articles, videos, photos, and quotes.

■ Strauss’s “Salome” Boston Symphony Orchestra and vocal soloists, conducted by Andris Nelsons. ■ Frank Martin’s “Le Vin Herbé” (“The Love Potion”). BostonLyric Opera. ■ Erich Korngold’s “Die Tote Stadt” Odyssey Opera. ■ Sir John Stevenson’s “They play’d, in air the trembling music floats” Programmed for the inaugural 1815 performance of the Handel and Haydn Society and reprised by the men of the H&H Chorus at the opening concert of the Society’s bicentennial season. Conducted by Harry Christophers. ■ Georg Friedrich Haas’s Quartet No. 3, “In iij. Noct.” Performed in complete darkness by Lili Sarayrah and Lauren Cauley (violins), Alexina Hawkins (viola), and Lauren Radnofsky (cello). Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA. The year in classical music included a new BSO music director and an anniversary for the Handel and Haydn Society. ■ Shostakovich’s complete Preludes and Fugues, Part 1 Alexander Melnikov (piano). Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. ■ Bartok’s Violin Sonata No. 1 Christian Tetzlaff (violin), Lars Vogt (piano). Celebrity Series. ■ Brahms’s Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor Stefan Jackiw (violin), Anna Polonsky (piano). Rockport Chamber Music Festival. ■ Jerome Kern’s “All the Things You Are” Leon Fleisher (piano), performed in an unannounced appearance at the season finale of the Yellow Barn Music Festival. ■ Schubert’s “Arpeggione” Sonata Recorded by Lawrence Wolfe (bass), presented by Zhou Hongbin, Shanghai Oriental Art Center (see essay)

Jeremy Eichler picks 10 memorable moments from a year’s listening.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus continued to hype the potential return of imprisoned receiver Plaxico Burress to the NFL this year. Burress is expected to be freed in June after a two-year sentence for a weapons conviction. He has said he expects to return to the NFL, and Rosenhaus said Burress will be ready to thrive upon his return. Said the agent on Twitter: "He is doing great! He is running & lifting weights 5 days a week. He looks in terrific shape. He is in great spirits and is excited to be reunited with his family on June 6th. We talked at length about his future in the NFL & he can't wait to get back on the football field in 2011! He is mentally & physically strong right now and is looking forward to the future! He has set some great goals for his life on and off the field. Get ready to see him do some amazing things this year in all areas!" The MVP of Super Bowl XLII, Burress will be 34 on Aug. 12. See photos of: NFL, Plaxico Burress To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to

Agent: Plaxico Burress will 'do some amazing things this year' - The Huddle: Football News from the NFL - USATODAY.com

NATO launches its largest-ever operation in Afghanistan, Operation Achilles. British, U.S. and other coalition forces combine with elements of the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) to clear out the Taliban from Helmand province. The operation ends on May 30, 2007, with 35 NATO and ANSF forces killed. The operation also captured 28 Taliban insurgents and killed 750-1,000 insurgents. Image: British commandos withdraw after a sunrise attack on Taliban positions near Kajaki in Helmand province. By John Moore, Getty Images

The Longest War: Interactive Timeline of the Afghan conflict

John Boehner (left) and Paul Ryan Ron Sachs/CNP/Zuma; IM LO SCALZO/EPA 10/29/2015 AT 12:30 PM EDT was elected speaker of the House on Thursday, ending 's tenure in the top-ranking position. Ryan, 45, who was officially nominated for the job by House Republicans on Wednesday, earned the votes of 236 members of the House of Representatives. The former vice presidential candidate told reporters after the internal GOP vote Wednesday, "We are not going to have a House that looks like it's looked the last two years. We are going to move forward. We are going to unify. Our party has lost its vision, and we are going to replace it with a vision." Boehner, 65, announced his resignation from Congress on Sept. 25, after renewed calls for him to step down. "It had become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution," he said at the time. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced his run for House speaker shortly thereafter, and was thought to be a shoo-in before he dropped out suddenly following a he made about the Benghazi committee. Ryan at first resisted the call to run for the position, saying he would consider it only if were met, including a revamp of House rules "so that everyone can be a more effective representative." Boehner delivered his farewell address before the vote on Thursday, tissue box in hand. "I leave with no regrets, no burdens," he told his colleagues and friends, according to . "If anything, I leave the way I started: just a regular guy, humbled by the chance to do a big job." Boehner then welcomed Ryan to the job by saying, "There's a difference between being asked to do something and being called to do something. Paul is being called to serve with grace and with energy, and I wish him and his family all the best." The Ohio Republican also teared up Wednesday during his final House Leadership meeting in his office, reports during the meeting in his soon-to-be office.

"I leave the way I started: just a regular guy, humbled by the chance to do a big job," John Boehner said on his final day as House speaker

On one of those cold late-March afternoons, we found ourselves at a mostly empty Salvadoran restaurant across the street from the African American Museum of Nassau County. The green team and the red team were going at it in a thrilling game of barefoot beach-sand soccer on the two flat-screen televisions. Sitting above the liquor bottles on the bar were various figurines — a Buddha, an elephant, Shrek. There were a few male customers conversing in Spanish who seemed more interested in the two waitresses in form-fitting black outfits than the soccer on Fox Deportes. It felt like a thoroughly agreeable place to decamp and hang around for a while, but there’s never enough time. So there was shrimp and rice stew for lunch, much shouting from the announcer on Fox Deportes, and then it was time to move on. Salvadoran Buddha aside, it felt like a fairly representative scene on Long Island today. It’s not as if suburbia began on Long Island. Kenneth T. Jackson’s classic “Crabgrass Frontier” traces it back to the king of Persia in 539 B.C. But if the modern, automobile-centric, mass-produced suburb was defined by Levittown, the largest development built by a single builder, Long Island still looms large in the landscape that now defines America. Of course, once you think you know that landscape, it’s gone or changed. In the 1870s, these general environs were the site of the most ambitiously planned suburb of the 19th century, designed for a population “desirable in every respect as neighbors, taxpayers and citizens.” It ended up as one of the great real estate failures of its time. The notion of some perfectible suburban-exurban idyll persists, but whatever simplistic, monochromatic image lingers from the 19th or 20th century becomes ever less relevant. In 2000, minorities made up almost a quarter of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Just 10 years later, they represented almost a third of the population of 2.8 million. Hispanics were 15.5 percent. Long Island’s vitality is inseparable from its immigrants. In some ways, there is not much new under the sun. As early as the 1940s, existing communities were bracing against invasions of uncouth suburban hordes certain to undermine their way of life. Much is made of the suddenly tenuous economics of once-comfortable suburbs, but John Cheever, the bard of the most genteel suburban good life, described his fictional suburban village of Shady Hill in 1954 as hanging “morally and economically from a thread.” If you’re looking for really desperate housewives (and house husbands), try looking there. But images die hard, and in our corner of the world, New York City sucks up so much of the light that what is outside can fade almost to black — the burbs, upstate, Jersey, as if that tells us much. Sometimes — Indian Point, possible gas drilling anywhere near the New York City watershed, Chris Christie’s surly star power — it all feels as if it’s one story. Usually, it’s the city here, everyone else there. For almost seven years, doing this column twice weekly has been both a blissful and a hectic mad dash from the Jersey Shore to the Litchfield Hills, from Trenton to Hartford, from Bound Brook, N.J., to Point Lookout, N.Y., trying to reflect the places and people at the near and distant edges of the city’s orbit, who increasingly fall off the screen in the winner-take-all news lottery. Charlie Sheen, sure. Flooded Catskill villages, probably not. It has felt like a thoroughly agreeable place to decamp and hang around, but there’s never enough time, so this is my last column. In our dwindling journalistic universe, it’s been a chance to try to make sense of the last great fisherman of the Hamptons, the most noble pit bull in Hoboken, graduation night at Sing Sing, kosher gasoline in Teaneck and the struggles of New York’s farmers. So a fond shout-out to the critters of our realm: moose! wild parakeets! Champ, the sea serpent of Lake Champlain! Heartfelt thanks to humble purveyors of chili, burgers and dogs: Hubba’s in Port Chester! the Red Rooster in Brewster! Rutt’s Hut in Clifton! Best wishes to the rebbe of Woodstock, to the Tims and Rocky the Horse in Montclair, Lydia Alcock’s $23 quadrillion Visa bill, the Greenwich Wiffle Ball War and Nina Sankovitch of Westport, Conn., who read a whole book every day from Oct. 28, 2008, to Oct. 28, 2009, and now, of course, has written one about it. I’m going to keep covering similar turf at a less frenzied pace and often at greater length, so if you have ideas, please continue to send them on. And remember: Whatever happens, we’ll always have Xanadu.

A Salvadoran restaurant in Nassau County seemed pretty representative for Long Island, where, as so many places, the idea of life outside the big city is fluid.

Job interviews are mysterious things. You go on one and are convinced you nailed it. And then you hear . . . crickets. But you and the interviewers got along so well! You thought you had a connection! And yet they ride off into the sunset, never to be heard from again. Now, interview-ghosting is rude, inconsiderate and totally unprofessional, but there isn’t much you can do about it. You can, however, make sure your interview game is on point and avoid some of the most common (but not necessarily the most predictable) mistakes. We spoke to human resources executive Greg Giangrande (a k a Go to Greg, who answers your most pressing work-related questions here in The Post each week). He gave us five interview missteps to avoid like the plague. You were inflexible when scheduling the interview. The actual interview is only a small part of the larger interview process: Every interaction leading up to it counts, and speaks volumes about what type of person you are. So when you’re actually scheduling the interview, make sure you’re demonstrating that you’re flexible and available. “It’s really annoying if you’re not gracious and accommodating,” says Giangrande. “If you’re unable to accommodate the times that they’re suggesting, you need to be responsive and flexible in suggesting other times.” You showed up too early. Hey, wait, showing up early is a good thing, right? Sure — unless you’re really early (a half-hour to an hour) and having the reception desk call your interviewer repeatedly, as if your interviewer has nothing else at all planned that day. If you’re super-early, it’s better to just go sit in a nearby coffee shop with a book, then head back to the reception desk five to 10 minutes before the appointment. Obviously, the opposite of this is true too. “If you’re more than five minutes late, and there isn’t a phone call before you were late with some explanation about why the tardiness is beyond your control — that’s a killer,” says Giangrande. You acted like a jerk in the reception area. Everyone knows it’s important to be polite to receptionists; they are the gatekeepers to the company. But the need for good behavior extends to the reception area in general. “When you’re in the reception area, you’re on the interview,” says Giangrande. “You could walk in and be cheerful [to the receptionist] and then act like an idiot, talking on the phone loudly with your friends and slouching in your seat. That’s going to make a very poor impression. How you conduct yourself in this area is how you should conduct the interview.” You parroted your resume. In an actual interview, your resume should be considered a conversation starter, but definitely not a script. The meeting is an opportunity for the interviewer to learn more about you than the bullet points on a piece of paper, and if you’re unable to give them anything more than that, it will set off alarms. “If you don’t engage in a conversation — an interaction — and you make it difficult to extract information from you, I’ll shut down an interview after 10 minutes,” says Giangrande. You didn’t ask any questions. “Do you have any questions?” might seem like a mere formality to wrap up the interview, but this isn’t the case. A smart question should be seen as a must, not a maybe. “If you ask a question or two, it demonstrates curiosity, preparation, and that you were listening during the conversation,” says Giangrande. “There’s no way everything you could want to know about the company was answered. This is an opportunity for you to extend the interview and take it wherever you want to go. Ask something that demonstrates you’ve done your research.” Just don’t go nuts with the questions — one or two is great, anything more than three is pushing it.

Job interviews are mysterious things. You go on one and are convinced you nailed it. And then you hear . . . crickets. But you and the interviewers got along so well! You thought you had a connecti…

Matthew Keys, the journalist convicted of giving Anonymous access to the Los Angeles Times website, has been sentenced to two years in prison. Heading into the trial, prosecutors had initially asked for five years. The maximum sentence for all three counts he was found guilty of was 25 years behind bars. MORE FROM VOCATIV: CDC Confirms Zika Virus Causes Rare Birth Defects In 2010, Keys either left or was fired from Sacramento's Fox 40 news, whose parent company, now known as Tribune Media, also owned the LA Times. The FBI says he then gave credentials for the site's content management system to self-designated Anonymous hacktivists, one of whom changed one story, headlined "Pressure builds in House to pass tax-cut package," to "Pressure builds in House to elect CHIPPY 1337," an inside joke. The story's subhead was similarly altered, and the byline, instead of naming Times reporter Lisa Mascaro, read "CHIPPYS NO 1 FAN." Photos related to the case: Anonymous-linked journalist sentenced to 2 years in prison Matthew Keys, deputy social media editor for Reuters.com, is seen in his online profile in this undated photo. A federal grand jury has indicted Keys for conspiring with members of the Anonymous hacking collective to break into the computers of his former employer, Tribune Co. The alleged incident occurred before he joined Thomson Reuters Corp, the indictment filed on Thursday indicated. REUTERS/Staff (UNITED STATES - Tags: MEDIA BUSINESS LAW) A quick note on today, and a special thank you to all of you who have tirelessly supported me - https://t.co/l3WNg3NmWP This whole process has been exhausting. 2 years. We plan on filing a motion to stay the sentence. Still here. Still going to work hard to bring you important stories that matter -- as long as I can. When we do appea, we're not only going to work to reverse the conviction but try to change this absurd computer law, as best we can. An aside, I was not expecting to be called a terrorist in court. But it happened! What has happened to @matthewkeyslive today is not justice. 2 years is absurd & accomplishes nothing. Does punishment fit crime? No. In retrospect, perhaps affluenza would have been a better defense than innocence. In any case, the sentence is what it is. I’m innocent, and I hope that we can make some headway in the appeals process. What you won’t see in the DOJ press release: That same judge praised my contributions to the journalism industry. Read the record. Interesting how @MatthewKeysLive was sentenced to prison, but the actual hackers never were. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Imagine if Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had experimented with Blue Boxes in Sacramento circa 2011. Felony convictions. No Apple. @MatthewKeysLive really sorry to hear about this. This is not what justice is supposed to be about. That defacement lasted only about 40 minutes. According to an FBI report, Keys' actions cost the Tribune an estimated 333 work hours and $17,650.40 to repair, though the Tribune later estimated it experienced nearly $1 million in damages. MORE FROM VOCATIV: ISIS: Brothers Were Behind Attacks In Both Brussels And France On Oct. 7, 2015, Keys was found guilty of violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a controversial 1986 anti-hacking law that broadly criminalizes "unauthorized access" of a computer, over the Times defacement. Keys, an active Twitter user, was quick to voice his displeasure. The person who actually altered the Times article, who used the username "Sharpie," has never been charged. A few hours before his sentencing, Keys posted on Medium that he was "innocent" and called the CFAA an "antiquated and draconian computer law that governs us all." MORE FROM VOCATIV: How STIs May Have Forced Cavemen To Be Monogamous At the sentencing, Dan Gaines, former senior deputy online editor at the Times, referred to the defaced website as an attack on the Fourth Estate, and painted news sites' credibility as a vital public service, according to Motherboard contributing editor Sarah Jeong, who attended. The post Anonymous-Linked Journalist Sentenced To Two Years In Prison appeared first on Vocativ.​ More from AOL.com: Sources: At least 4 sexually abused by Dennis Hastert America's poor die much younger than its rich, but the gap is smaller in New York City Memphis homicide rate nearly doubles that of Chicago this year

Heading into the trial, prosecutors had asked for five years. The maximum sentence for all three counts he was found guilty of was 25 years behind bars.

Inside a shipping container apartment in Amsterdam. 2007 AFP "A lot of us young professionals in the area would stuff as many people as possible in for lower rent – so that was the goal," said Davies as she walked through the site pointing out features designed to satisfy the needs of twenty-somethings. "Everyone has their own bathroom, takes care of their own space, but they [also] have their kitchen, living, dining, [and] common area to hang out in at night." Each floor has a six-bedroom apartment. When SeaUA is complete it will house 18 people, one person per container. "If I built the same traditional brick building with this many units, I'd be in the $200 per square foot [price range] now I am in the $100s.” said Price, who is the principal architect. “That's a big game-changer because that can offset costs over time and keep rents stable." Shipping containers are cheaper than traditional building materials. Second-hand, they can cost as little as $2,000. There is also a glut of inventory: more than 700,000 containers are sitting empty across the country. "It is cheaper to actually build a new one in China and ship new things [to the USA] than to send it back empty," said Price.

Innovative architects turn to shipping containers for affordable housing solutions.

At the first public opportunity to comment on the Smithsonian’s plan to reimagine the area around its iconic Castle, more than 80 people offered ideas, ranging from emotional pleas to preserve Haupt Garden to questions about how the institution will pay for the project. Smithsonian employees, staff from the National Capital Planning Commission and architects from Bjarke Ingels Group gathered Tuesday in the red-stone administration building for the start of a 45-day public comment period. The meeting, required by the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, allowed the Smithsonian to outline its preferred design – the $2 billion proposal unveiled last month by Ingels – as well as three alternatives. The preferred version, which could take as long as 20 years to complete, includes long-delayed renovations to the administration building (known as the Castle), as well as the addition of two underground levels of visitor amenities, including a cafe, a store, an auditorium and restrooms. The new spaces would connect to the S. Dillon Ripley Center, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the National Museum of African Art, which are underground. In addition, the Sackler and African Art Museum would get new mall-facing entrances, making it easier for visitors to find them. Many in the audience seemed skeptical of the project and worried that its modern design would destroy the beautiful Victorian garden behind the Castle. “I love the Victorian garden,” Smithsonian employee Russell Cashdollar said to applause from the audience. “Surrounded by the Arts and Industries Building and the Castle, it is perfection. It is a national treasure.” Ann Trowbridge, the Smithsonian’s associate director of facilities and master planning who served as the program’s emcee, said the details about the garden – its exact design, the type of plantings it will feature, and more – have yet to be decided. “If we don’t have a spectacular garden at the end of this project, we will not have been successful,” she said. As required by law, the Smithsonian offered three variations of its plan. The first would include only basic repair and maintenance to the Castle’s mechanical systems. That alternative is meant to serve as a baseline to compare the effects of the other versions. The second option – described as offering “minimal improvements” – includes replacing the Castle’s mechanical infrastructure and providing some seismic upgrades and renovations to the historic building. It would also repair the garden roof of the underground Sackler and African Art Museum galleries, but not dramatically improve the visibility of their entrances or connect them to the Castle and other buildings. The third option closely resembles the Smithsonian’s preferred choice, but it does not include the sloping garden roof that would allow for visitors in the new underground space to see views of the expanded garden. It also does not include new gallery space for the Hirshhorn Museum. Trowbridge said that the Smithsonian is not asking members of the public to choose the design they like, but instead to comment on the ideas outlined in all of them. “We welcome all comments, not just about one (alternative) or the other,” she said. “We are looking for feedback.” While the potential loss of the contemplative garden was a recurring theme, several members of the audience questioned the need to connect the various facilities. Alex Liebowitz asked what the institution meant by “improving access.” “The hidden agenda here, or maybe not so hidden, is they don’t think the Sackler and African Art Museum get enough visitors,” he said after the two-hour session ended. “They think if you have a more visible entrance, maybe they will attract more people.” Judy Scott Feldman, president of the National Coalition to Save Our Mall, asked officials to consider their plan in the context of the entire Mall and to not turn their backs on that important public space. “I’m all for comprehensive planning,” Feldman said. “The design seems introspective … and concerned with the buildings to the south of the Mall but not really looking north. Can you open up the options to include the mall itself?” Trowbridge said that with about 70 percent of visitors coming from the Mall, that was not an issue. “We are always oriented to the mall,” she said. The public has until Jan. 30 to submit comments via the website that the Smithsonian has created for the project (www.southmallcampus.si.edu) or by writing to the institution. The Smithsonian and the National Capital Planning Commission will use the feedback to focus their analysis of the project — from its effects on traffic and storm-water management to views and visitor experiences. An environmental assessment will be made public in the spring, giving people a second opportunity to comment on the project. The Smithsonian would like to present a final plan to the NCPC for approval next fall. Although some of the smaller components might begin shortly, major construction on the Castle is not expected to begin until 2021 at the earliest. Peggy McGlone joined the Washington Post in 2014 as its local arts reporter. Prior to that, she covered the arts for The Star-Ledger in New Jersey for more than a decade.

The first public meeting included three alternatives plans for the Smithsonian's museums and gardens along Independence Avenue. The public has until Jan. 30 to submit comments.

In their 1999 book, “The Trust: The Private and Powerful Family Behind The New York Times,” Susan E. Tifft and Alex S. Jones said that Mr. Sulzberger had long had his eye on Mr. Mattson as president of the company. “He liked Mattson’s straightforward approach to problems, his encyclopedic grasp of business and production details, his stability and dedication, and his firm, decisive manner,” the authors wrote. “He also knew that Mattson had the hands-on operational experience he considered essential to lead a company of growing complexity.” Mr. Mattson’s first major coup as The Times’s executive vice president and general manager was to negotiate a landmark 1974 agreement with the printers’ union. It was the death knell for 19th-century Linotype machines, which cast type in hot lead, and opened a new era of computerized-electronic typesetting at the paper. In exchange, The Times guaranteed lifetime employment for 800 printers, whose jobs disappeared through attrition. The 11-year agreement, with Local 6 of the International Typographical Union — it also covered The Daily News and its 600 printers — gradually ended restrictive and wasteful union work rules that duplicated many printing tasks, and it enabled The Times to cut costs sharply at a time of stagnant circulation and advertising revenues in a national recession, which had hit New York City particularly hard. In the mid-1970s Mr. Mattson, working closely with Mr. Sulzberger and Mr. Rosenthal, introduced striking and profitable changes in the newspaper’s appearance and content, switching from eight news columns on a page to six, and expanding the weekday Times from two sections to four. The six-column measure gave the paper an airier, more open and modern look, making it easier to read. But the changes were not just cosmetic. The four-section paper was a radical transformation. The first part carried foreign and national news, while two sections were given to metropolitan and business-financial news. The fourth inaugurated a cornucopia of feature sections that were different for each weekday: Sports on Mondays; Science on Tuesdays; Living on Wednesdays; a Home section on Thursdays; and Weekend, an arts and entertainment section, on Fridays. The Times also introduced four Sunday regional sections aimed at New York City’s affluent suburbs in New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester County and Connecticut. The changes spurred advertising and feature articles on suburban localities, and on food, gardening, entertaining and other topics. Some critics said pieces on penthouse deck furniture and high-end cooking undercut the paper’s reputation for serious journalism, but defenders said they took no space away from regular news and brightened the tone of The Times. In any case, the sections proved popular with readers and advertisers, and some media historians called them collectively the most important redesign of the paper since its purchase by Adolph Ochs in 1896. In 1976, Mr. Mattson announced plans to computerize The Times’s newsroom, and over the next two years writers and editors surrendered typewriters for bulky computer terminals that sped the processing of news. The last major labor-management dispute negotiated by Mr. Mattson was an 88-day pressmen’s strike in 1978 over demands by The Times, The News and The New York Post to cut the number of workers operating their presses. It ended with smaller staff reductions than the newspapers had sought and cost $150 million in advertising and circulation revenues. But the papers won concessions that insured long-term profitability and eventual control over their own pressroom operations. Mr. Mattson brought another long-planned project to fruition in 1980: a national edition of The Times, edited in New York and transmitted by satellite to Chicago for same-day distribution in the Midwest. Two years later, The Times began beaming its national edition to California for same-day distribution to major cities in 13 Western states. Two decades later, the national edition accounted for more than half the print paper’s circulation. Mr. Mattson was named president when Mr. Sulzberger gave up the title in 1979 and formally took over the chief operating officer’s duties that he had been handling for years. He went on to diversify company holdings with dozens of broadcast, newspaper and magazine properties in the 1980s. Before retiring, he was a forceful advocate of The Times’s purchase of The Boston Globe in 1993 for $1.1 billion, a transaction much criticized in leaner years. (In 2013, The Times sold The Globe and its other New England media properties to John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox, for $70 million.) “Walt was a wonderful business partner for my father,” Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., The Times’s current publisher and chairman, said in an email on Friday. “He was kind and always straightforward, which Dad greatly valued, as did I in the few years we overlapped in management at The Times.” Walter Edward Mattson Jr. was born in Erie, Pa., on June 6, 1932, to Walter Mattson and the former Florence Anderson. As a boy, he delivered papers for an uncle’s weekly in Erie. His father worked for the National Biscuit Company and was transferred to various cities, including Portland, Me., where Walter Jr. graduated from Deering High School in 1949. After two years in the Marine Corps, he worked nights as a printer at The Portland Press Herald while attending Portland Junior College and then Portland University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting in 1955. He married Geraldine Anne Horsman in 1953. Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Stephen and William; a daughter, Carol Heylmun; a sister, Norene Hastings; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. In the mid-1950s Mr. Mattson was an advertising manager for a newspaper in Oakmont, Pa., and a production assistant at The Boston Herald Traveler. After earning an electrical engineering degree from Northeastern University in 1959, he joined The Times in 1960 as an assistant production manager. He became a vice president in 1970, attended summer advanced management programs at Harvard Business School and within three years was general manager, in charge of all business, marketing, circulation, personnel and production operations. Mr. Mattson oversaw years of solid profit growth in the 1980s, although The Times’s financial performance weakened late in the decade. In 1992, seven months after Arthur Sulzberger Jr. succeeded his father as publisher of The Times, Mr. Mattson stepped down as president and was named vice chairman. He worked with the younger Mr. Sulzberger on strategic planning before retiring in 1993. Mr. Mattson had a home in Sarasota and had for many years lived in Stamford, Conn. Since 2013, he and his wife had lived at the Plymouth Harbor retirement community in Sarasota. He was a member of the Times company’s board of directors in the 1980s and early 1990s. A version of this article appears in print on December 31, 2016, on Page A21 of the New York edition with the headline: Walter E. Mattson, Former Times President, Dies at 84. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe

Mr. Mattson, a production executive who had once been a printer, helped transform the newspaper with innovative labor agreements and new technologies.

The French law, introduced in 2010, also covers balaclavas and hoods but has been criticised as targeting Muslim women. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters Judges at the European court of human rights (ECHR) have upheld France's burqa ban, accepting Paris's argument that it encouraged citizens to "live together". The law, introduced in 2010, makes it illegal for anyone to cover their face in a public place. While it also covers balaclavas and hoods, the ban has been criticised as targeting Muslim women. The case was brought by an unnamed 24-year-old French citizen of Pakistani origin, who wears both the burqa, covering her entire head and body, and the niqab, leaving only her eyes uncovered. She was represented by solicitors from Birmingham in the UK, who claimed the outlawing of the full-face veil was contrary to six articles of the European convention. They argued it was "inhumane and degrading, against the right of respect for family and private life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of speech and discriminatory". The French government asked the court to throw out the case, claiming that the law was not aimed at the burqa or veil but any covering of the face in a public place, and also applied to hoods and helmets when not worn on a motor vehicle. The court heard that out of an estimated five million Muslims living in France – the exact figure is unknown as it is illegal to gather data by religion or ethnic group – only about 1,900 women were estimated to be affected by the ban, according to 2009 research. French officials told the judges this figure had since dropped by half "thanks to a major public information campaign". The complainant, named only by the initials SAS, was described as a "perfect French citizen with an university education …who speaks of her republic with passion". Her lawyer Tony Muman told the ECHR last November: "She's a patriot" adding that she had suffered "absolutely no pressure" from her family or relatives to cover herself. While she was prepared to uncover her face for identity checks, she insisted on the right to wear the full-face veil, Muman said. The European judges decided otherwise, declaring that the preservation of a certain idea of "living together" was the "legitimate aim" of the French authorities. Isabelle Niedlispacher, representing the Belgian government, which introduced a similar ban in 2011 and which was party to the French defence, declared both the burqa and niqab "incompatible" with the rule of law. Aside from questions of security and equality, she added: "It's about social communication, the right to interact with someone by looking them in the face and about not disappearing under a piece of clothing." The French and Belgian laws were aimed at "helping everyone to integrate", Niedlispacher added. The ECHR has already upheld France's ban on headscarves in educational establishments, and its regulation requiring the removal of scarves, veils and turbans for security checks. Tuesday's legal decision came a few days after France's highest court, the cour de cassation, upheld the firing of a creche worker for "serious misconduct" after she arrived for work wearing a veil. The woman has said she will appeal to the ECHR.

European judges declare that preservation of a certain idea of 'living together' was legitimate aim of French authorities.

The lecture at the Norman, Okla., high school was intended to heal the racial divides, a student said. The discussion’s premise: White people are racist. All of them. Following that discussion, an Oklahoma teacher is under fire and a high school is mired in the debate about how teachers should inject themselves into controversial conversations about race in the United States. NBC affiliate KFOR reported on the controversy last week after receiving a recording from an offended student at Norman North High School. In the recording, the teacher shows a YouTube clip about imperialism. A man in the video uses white-out on a globe to illustrate how European influence spread across the world. In the recording, the teacher asks: “Am I racist? And I say yeah. I don’t want to be. It’s not like I choose to be racist, but do I do things because of the way I was raised.” “To be white is to be racist, period,” the teacher says. [Yesterday’s Ku Klux Klan members are today’s police officers, councilwoman says] The offended student told KFOR in an interview that she felt picked on because she is white. The station didn’t name the student or the teacher. “Half of my family is Hispanic, so I just felt like, you know, him calling me racist just because I’m white. … I mean, where’s your proof in that,” she said. “I felt like he was encouraging people to kind of pick on people for being white.” “You start telling someone something over and over again that’s an opinion, and they start taking it as fact,” she said. As word of the lecture spread, some have criticized the teacher’s tactics. “Why is it okay to demonize one race to children that you are supposed to be teaching a curriculum to,” the girl’s father asked in an interview with KFOR. Students who support the teacher walked out of the high school in protest on Tuesday. Student organizers released a statement that the school district shared with media outlets. “What has been reported in the news doesn’t accurately portray what happened in our philosophy class, nor does it reflect what we believe in at our school,” said a student who organized the demonstration and participated in the lecture but was not identified by the school district. “The information was taken out of context and we believe it is important to have serious and thoughtful discussions about institutional racism in order to change history and promote inclusivity.” The school district has not said whether the teacher is facing disciplinary action. In a statement, Superintendent Joe Siano said the conversation, while important, could have been handled better. [A black pedestrian was stopped by police. A bystander recorded his ‘humiliating’ arrest.] “Racism is an important topic that we discuss in our schools,” Siano said in the statement emailed to The Washington Post. “While discussing a variety of philosophical perspectives on culture, race and ethics, a teacher was attempting to convey to students in an elective philosophy course a perspective that had been shared at a university lecture he had attended. “We regret that the discussion was poorly handled. When the district was notified of this concern it was immediately addressed. We are committed to ensuring inclusiveness in our schools.” Scott Rogers, a former blogger for Conservative Voice, suggested the teacher went too far and told his Twitter followers the educator should be fired. The incident illustrates the tightrope teachers walk between engaging students in the important issues of the day and staying neutral in a room filled with impressionable youths. Implicit bias — the belief that we all have unconscious opinions about race, gender and ethnicity that subtly affect our actions — has been discussed in police stations, school rooms and on CNN. The nation has been grappling with the issue as it debates whether officers are more likely to use deadly force against minorities and whether teachers discipline black students more severely. For teachers, racial bias can be an engaging, relevant civics lesson as much as it is a prescient social issue, educators and experts say. But conversations about race in an educational setting are delicate. Still, the conversations are happening in schools whether teachers are involved or not. Over the summer, students at a private school in Florida drew scorn when they had an Instagram debate about which was a more respectful way to use a racial slur for black people. Last month in Montana, two students made national headlines when one wore a shirt that said “White Power” on the front and another’s had the word “Redneck” and a picture of the Confederate battle flag. [‘Learn your manners,’ a white man wrote to his black neighbor. This was the response.] For Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, teacher Kathleen Melville wrote a blog post titled “Talking With Students About Ferguson and Racism” about the difficulty — and the necessity — of discussing race in U.S. high schools. “Talking about race is not entirely new to my ninth-grade students, but it’s definitely not a comfortable topic, at least not at school. As I get to know my students at the beginning of the year, I notice how they tiptoe around the issue. One student uses the term “white people” and then immediately apologizes to me: “Sorry, Miss. No offense. I mean Caucasian.” Another student mentions the demographics of a neighborhood, saying there are a lot of white people, and someone else responds, ‘Oooh! Don’t say that! That’s racist!’ … “This work with students does not come easily. The sanctioned curriculum avoids it and many administrators frown on it. But we need schools that give teachers wide latitude to tailor curricula to students’ needs.” A teen was brutally beaten after making pro-police statements. His mom says it’s a hate crime. Why this white pastor is not saying ‘all lives matter’ ‘I’m going to hit him’: Dash-cam video shows officers tried to run over man before shooting him 14 times The first thing cancer patients saw when they got to this hospital: An ad for a funeral home

An offended student who recorded the lecture said she felt picked on because she's white.

She was one of a kind, Janet Reno. The first woman to serve as Attorney General of the United States has died at age 78, suffering the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s Disease. Only one person in the nation’s history occupied the office longer, and that was back in the days of wooden whaling ships. Reno held the top law enforcement post through the Clinton administration, 1993 to 2001, which is quite remarkable when you realize that the president and his inner circle had little use for her. I had a feeling that might be the case when she was appointed, for I knew Reno better than the folks I was covering at the White House. They had stumbled onto her as the answer to a big mess they had created. After letting it be known in Washington that they intended to name the first woman A.G., they were forced to withdraw the nomination of Zoe Baird over her failure to pay taxes on household help. The so-called “Nannygate” scandal deepened when Clinton’s second choice, Judge Kimba Wood, turned out to have similar problems. Reno was the veteran State Attorney for Miami-Dade County in South Florida, and one thing you could be sure about was that Janet Reno was scandal-free. But that did not mean she was uninteresting. Reno came from one of South Florida’s most memorable families, which is saying something. Henry Reno covered the cops for the Miami Herald back in the days when Miami was openly mobbed up, but unlike some later figures from the cops beat—Gene Miller, for instance, and Edna Buchanan—Henry Olaf Reno, a Danish immigrant, was never more colorful than the stories he covered. His wife, Jane Wood Reno, was the flamboyant one. While Henry was at work, Jane built a house for the family with her bare hands at the edge of the Everglades, on a homestead where she raised peacocks—the louder and more annoying to neighbors, the better. Janet, one of four Reno children, never married and never left that house, except to go to college and to run the Department of Justice. It was still home when she passed away. Her keen intellect and organizational skills brought her to the attention of Miami’s top lawyers, beginning with Talbot “Sandy” D’Allemberte, a friend and mentor who recommended her for the role of deputy to Dade County State Attorney Richard Gerstein. When Gerstein stepped down after a long reign, Reno moved into the role, a job known in most places as District Attorney, where she became known for her awkward demeanor, complete honesty, and sphinx-like silence. When I was hired as a new reporter at the Miami Herald in 1985, my editor ordered me on Day Two to call Janet Reno for a comment on a story. “And don’t let her get off the phone without giving us a quote!” he said sternly. I dialed the phone. As she always did, Reno came on the line. “No comment,” she barked. “Um, can you tell me if your office is pursuing the case?” “Could you say what factors would go into a decision to go forward?” Panicking as I tried to think of another question, I could feel her impatience through the line. “Is that it?” she asked. “Uh, erm, are there any reasons why you would not go forward?” “I’m not going to answer that.” “Do you have any other questions?” “Well,” I said in desperation, “is there anything I could ask you that you would answer?” I hung up the phone and steeled myself to look over at the city desk. There was my editor, smiling broadly at the prank he had played. No one ever got Janet Reno to do or say anything that she didn’t want to do or say. That could be her best quality, as when she amazed the country by stepping up after the disaster at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco and taking full responsibility for a raid gone horribly, tragically wrong. It could be galling, too, as it was to the Clinton loyalists who seethed as she first appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the president, then doubled down by continuing the inquiry under the relentless Kenneth Starr. Washington would have been glad to see her go before she did. But she was as immoveable as that limestone house her mom built almost a century ago. The last time I saw her she was running a lonely campaign for governor of Florida, driving herself around the state in a red pickup truck. I interviewed her for a story about the race. I think she knew she wouldn’t win; she was up against a Clintonesque glad-hander and slick talker with the entire Democratic establishment lined up behind him. If she cared, she didn’t show it. I told about the time my editor hazed me by calling her for a quote. She smiled.

The attorney general has died at the age of 78

New York Police Department officers wait in line to enter the wake of officer Rafael Ramos at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. New York Police Department officers wait in line to enter the wake... New York City police officers carry the casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos at his wake at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was a member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. New York City police officers carry the casket of New York Police... Pei Xia Chen, right, widow of slain New York City police officer Wenjian Liu, is comforted by family member Kevin Lee at the Stephen Siller Tunnels to Towers Foundation headquarters on the Staten Island borough of New York, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014. The Tunnels to Towers Foundation announced they will raise money to pay off the home mortgages for the widows of Liu and Ramos. The officers were killed in Brooklyn by Ismaaiyl Brinsley on Saturday. NYC LOCALS OUT Pei Xia Chen, right, widow of slain New York City police officer... Mourners stand at a barricade near Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, as the casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives for his wake, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. Mourners stand at a barricade near Christ Tabernacle Church, in the... Mourners stand at a barricade near Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, as the casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives for his wake, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. Mourners stand at a barricade near Christ Tabernacle Church, in the... The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives to his wake at Christ Tabernacle Church in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos... The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives to his wake at Christ Tabernacle Church in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos... New York Police Department officers stand guard at the wake of officer Rafael Ramos at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was a longstanding and deeply committed member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. New York Police Department officers stand guard at the wake of... The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives to his wake at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos... The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives to his wake at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos... The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos arrives to his wake at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, where he was member, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. The casket of New York Police Department officer Rafael Ramos... FILE - This combination made from photos provided by the New York Police Department shows officers Rafael Ramos, left, and Wenjian Liu. Authorities say Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who vowed online to shoot two "pigs" in retaliation for the police chokehold death of Eric Garner, ambushed Ramos and Liu in a patrol car Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014, and fatally shot them in broad daylight before running to a subway station and killing himself. The killing of the officers highlighted shortcomings in the warning systems that were used. FILE - This combination made from photos provided by the New York... Patrolman's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch shakes the hand of an officer outside the wake of officer Rafael Ramos at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. Patrolman's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch shakes... New York Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton departs from the wake of officer Rafael Ramos at Christ Tabernacle Church, in the Glendale section of Queens, Friday, Dec. 26, 2014, in New York. Ramos was killed Dec. 20 along with his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. New York Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton departs from...

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of uniformed police officers from New York City and around the country gathered Friday at the solemn, eight-hour wake of a city policeman who was killed along with his partner in a brazen daytime shooting a week ago. "Dad, I'm forever grateful of the sacrifices you made to provide for me and Jaden," Ramos' son, Justin, said during the wake, referring to his younger brother, as officers gathered in the street watched on giant television screens. Gunman Ismaaiyl Brinsley, before he attacked Ramos and Liu, had referenced in online posts the high-profile killings by white police officers of unarmed black men, specifically Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner on Staten Island. Since the deaths, police in New York say they have arrested seven people accused of threatening officers.

Saturday, July 14th 2001, 2:22AM Ah, summer, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of blueberries, fireflies, and guest preachers in the pulpit - like the Rev. John Galloway, making his annual appearance at the storied Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. "I've been doing this for several years now," he said after batting last Sunday for the vacationing senior pastor, the Rev. Tom Tewell, a longtime friend. Galloway, who once was an associate pastor at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, now is the senior pastor of the Wayne (Pa.) Presbyterian Church. "I enjoy it enormously," Galloway said, "and I like to think I'm doing Tom a favor." For sure. All over the city, pastors, priests and rabbis count on stand-ins - either from their own sanctuaries or from out of town - to fill the pulpit while they are away. But more and more at larger churches and synagogues, they don't need to look farther than their own ordained aides. Some pastors, among them the Rev. Anthony Trufant of Emmanuel Baptist Church, in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, use guest preachers only on special occasions. During the summer, he calls on his inhouse talent. "I've got seven associates champing at the bit," Trufant says. "They like to preach and they're good." The same is true at famed Marble Collegiate, the Reform Church landmark in midtown Manhattan, where senior pastor Arthur Caliandro - in Maine this week - calls on aides. One is a resident Catholic nun, Sister Carole Perry, who will preach Sept. 2, the last summer speaker. Rabbi Ronald Sobel at Temple Emanu-El, on Fifth Ave., goes with a strict summer rotation among his three associates - officiating today is Rabbi Amy Ehrlich. "It's their chance to star, and they're not about to blow it," an official said. "They don't get that many chances to shine, and they spend a lot of time preparing. You hear some great sermons." Sermons are not the big deal in Catholic churches, where the liturgical focus is on the Eucharist. But because only a priest can celebrate the Mass, and because of a shortage of priests in many neighborhoods, vacation scheduling can get tricky. "In some cases, priests double up on duty or ask friends from other parishes, even from other countries," says one Bronx priest, who added that he has been so desperate in past years that he has asked worshipers to help him recruit stand-ins. Pope John Paul, incidentally, does not take a full month, although he does spend his summers at the papal villa in Castelgandolfo, outside Rome. But he spends a lot of it working. (Actually, he is midway through his real vacation, in a chalet in the Italian Alps, where he has gone for several summers and where he always stays 12 days.) Guidelines for priests in the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens suggest one month's vacation, which generally is the rule for all faiths. "Believe me, pastors need it," says Caliandro, who gets 13 Sundays off every year. "You need the time to think, write, read, rest - just get away from the pressure and demands." Even so, some clergy accept speaking engagements even on their Sundays off - Caliandro just preached in Ludington, Mich., and Tewell spoke in Ocean Grove, N.J. Sometimes, there are unexpected bonuses. Galloway provides one of them. "The first time I spoke [at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian]," he says, "I realized there was no air conditioning. It was so hot that I gave one of the associate ministers $1 and told him to start an air conditioning fund." Every year since then, he has handed $1 to every church official at his summer service. "There were 10 last Sunday, and I gave each of them $1," he said. One result: Inspired by him, Fifth Avenue began a real air conditioning fund. "I'm going to keep coming back," Galloway said, "until I feel comfortable in the pulpit." He means climatically - he already feels comfortable in every other respect.

Ah, summer, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of blueberries, fireflies, and guest preachers in the pulpit - like the Rev. John Galloway, making his annual appearance at the storied Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. "I've been doing this for several years now,"he said after batting last Sunday for the vacationing senior pastor, the Rev. Tom Tewell, a longtime friend. Galloway, who once was an associate pastor at Madison

The planet now harbors a strain of the famous bacterium Escherichia coli (e. coli) that can chew up plants and excrete biodiesel. It's a step on a long road to create organisms like algae, bacteria or yeasts that more directly turn energy inputs--sunlight, sugars, carbon dioxide, oxygen--into fuels and chemicals. Scientists with the Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) recently published a paper in the journal Nature explaining how they engineered the e. coli strain to spit out fatty esters (basically biodiesel), alcohols and waxes from sugar. They tweaked the e. coli so that it produces more fat than it normally would in a form it normally wouldn't, and they also made sure the bugs didn't eat their own fatty production. Then they engineered the bugs so they produced enzymes that break down the tough sugars found in cell walls that traditional biofuel production can't get to at all. Cellulosic approaches are having only moderate success with this process. Ideally, this new discovery would lead to a tiny, self-contained oil well: In comes plants, out comes fuels or chemicals. The JBEI scientists teamed with scientists from LS9, the company founded by Harvard geneticist George Church (see "Going To Church") that is hoping to make a business out of this kind of thing. That's the hard part. These stunning benchtop biofuels breakthroughs are published with some regularity. But no one has been able yet to turn these breakthroughs into industrial processes that can produce something useful on a large scale at reasonable cost. LS9 and others argue this simplified process is the way to do it. Maybe. But while these bugs will do amazing tricks when coddled in a cozy lab, they can get extremely uncooperative when put in a giant factory. Two years ago numerous cellulosic biofuel companies trumpeted their breakthroughs to the world. For the most part, these companies haven't had as much to brag about since then, as they move toward pilot-scale production and their processes and bugs go from a lab to scaled-down factory. The industry pushed for and got a federal mandate for advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol, but so far it hasn't been able to meet it. This year the U.S. was supposed to produce 100 million gallons of the stuff. But with no hope of hitting the target--there are no commercial facilities up and running--the mandate was recently lifted. To read more of Jonathan Fahey's stories, click here. Contact the writer at [email protected]. Biofuels Battle: Chemistry Vs. Biology A Cagey Bet On Cleantech

Scientists have engineered a new bacteria strain that spits out biodiesel.

Certain business catchphrases become so commonplace that they seem as if they must be true. But how do you measure the cultural signals behind such truisms? For insight into whether data may now have more cultural currency than oil, I turned to a tool from Google that charts the yearly frequency of words and phrases contained in millions of books. Called the Google Books Ngram Viewer, it is an outgrowth of the company’s efforts to scan the world’s books. (Ngram is a technical term in which “N” stands for the number of words in a sequence; a single word like “America” is a one-gram while “the United States of America” is a five-gram.) I started my data-versus-oil quest with casual one-gram queries about the two words. The tool produced a chart showing that the word “data” appeared more often than “oil” in English-language texts as far back as 1953, and that its frequency followed a steep upward trajectory into the late 1980s. Of course, in the world of actual commerce, oil may have greater value than raw data. But in terms of book mentions, at least, the word-use graph suggests that data isn’t simply the new oil. It’s more like a decades-old front-runner. “The appreciation of the importance of data has been emerging for decades, hand in hand with the computers that allow us to analyze it,” says Erez Aiden, a computer scientist who helped create the word-frequency tool and is now an assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Maybe data has been the new oil for a little longer than we think.” The analysis of large, complex data sets — or “Big Data” — to predict phenomena is becoming ubiquitous. But Google’s tool is an example of data analysis over a much larger time scale — an approach called “Long Data” — to find and follow cultural shifts. And it is ushering in a quantitative approach to understanding human history. Now Mr. Aiden and his data science co-researcher, Jean-Baptiste Michel, have written a book, “Uncharted: Big Data as a Lens on Human Culture” (Riverhead Books), scheduled to be published this month. It recounts how, as graduate students at Harvard, they came up with the idea for measuring historical shifts in language and then took the concept to Google. The two have since used this system to analyze centuries of word use, examining the spread of scientific concepts, technological innovations, political repression and even celebrity fame. To detect censorship in Germany under the Nazis, for instance, they tracked the mentions and omissions of well-known artists — reporting that Marc Chagall’s full name surfaced only once from 1936 to 1943 in the German book records, even as this Jewish painter’s name appeared with increasing frequency in English texts. “Digitized data is really powerful when it becomes long enough over time so you can see trends in society and culture that you could not see before,” says Mr. Michel, who recently started a data science company, Quantified Labs. “You are getting a whole new vantage point on something.” Of course, computational analysis of word frequency isn’t meant as a replacement for primary sources and records. It’s simply an instrument to allow researchers to more easily investigate panoramic views of history. Mr. Michel and Mr. Aiden began seriously contemplating the idea of an automated word-frequency calculator in 2006, while working on a laborious analysis of changes to English grammar; that involved a research team painstakingly analyzing and quantifying how irregular verbs changed over time in Old and Middle English texts. It led them to imagine a kind of “robot historian” that could make the process more efficient by reading millions of books at once and tabulating the occurrence of words and phrases. “We wanted to create a scientific measuring instrument, something like a telescope, but instead of pointing it at a star, you point it at human culture,” Mr. Michel recalls. The pair approached Peter Norvig, the director of research at Google, with a pie-in-the-sky proposal: to mine Google’s library of digital books so they could apply automated quantitative analysis to the typically qualitative study of history. According to the book, Mr. Norvig was intrigued. But he challenged the graduate students by asking how such a system could work without violating copyright. After some thought, Mr. Aiden and Mr. Michel proposed creating a kind of “shadow data set” that would contain frequency statistics on the most common words or phrases in the digitized books — but would not contain the books’ actual texts. The pair developed a prototype interface, called Bookworm, to prove their idea. Soon after, engineers at Google, including Jon Orwant and Will Brockman, built a public, web-based version of the tool. “We were in,” Mr. Aiden and Mr. Michel write in the book. “Suddenly we had access to the biggest collection of words in history.” Today, the Ngram Viewer contains words taken from about 7.5 million books, representing an estimated 6 percent of all books ever published. Academic researchers can tap into the data to conduct rigorous studies of linguistic shifts across decades or centuries. Members of the public may simply have fun watching how certain lingo rises and falls over time. The system can also conduct quantitative checks on popular perceptions. Consider our current notion that we live in a time when technology is evolving faster than ever. Mr. Aiden and Mr. Michel tested this belief by comparing the dates of invention of 147 technologies with the rates at which those innovations spread through English texts. They found that early 19th-century inventions, for instance, took 65 years to begin making a cultural impact, while turn-of-the-20th-century innovations took only 26 years. Their conclusion: the time it takes for society to learn about an invention has been shrinking by about 2.5 years every decade. “You see it very quantitatively, going back centuries, the increasing speed with which technology is adopted,” Mr. Aiden says. Still, they caution armchair linguists that the Ngram Viewer is a scientific tool whose results can be misinterpreted. Witness a simple two-gram query for “fax machine.” Their book describes how the fax seems to pop up, “almost instantaneously, in the 1980s, soaring immediately to peak popularity.” But the machine was actually invented in the 1840s, the book reports. Back then it was called the “telefax.” Certain concepts may persevere, even as the names for technologies change to suit the lexicon of their time.

How often have certain words or phrases appeared in books over time? A web tool offers answers, and insights into human history.

Last January, when Kurdish forces ended the Islamic State’s five-month siege of Kobani, a contested town in Rojava, a semi-autonomous region on the Syrian and Turkish border, the local population rejoiced. The scene today is very different, says photographer Lorenzo Meloni, who, alongside his Magnum Photos colleague Moises Saman, photographed the region earlier this month. “During the war, the enthusiasm for every victory over the Islamic State generated widespread satisfaction and gratification,” he explains. “Today, however, the city is mostly destroyed. Many people have lost their homes. The unemployment rate is abysmal and although the reconstruction process has already began, it will take a long time and a lot of money before the city returns to a semblance of normality.” As a result, many residents, especially younger people and families, are now contemplating leaving their homes behind for the chance of a new and better life in Europe. As Kobani has mostly disappeared from the headlines – despite a renewed ISIS offensive to retake the city – the impact of the war in Syria and parts of Iraq is being felt on European shores, as thousands of displaced people are looking to start over. “We seem to forget that what will happen in this part of the world will be decisive for the whole of the Middle East and the Mediterranean area,” says Meloni. Both photographers had a desire to document the conditions on the ground six months after Kobani’s liberation. “This is a topic that’s usually forgotten,” says Meloni. “The idea was to give two points of view, each using our own language.” For Saman, the project was an opportunity to gauge the impact of a collaboration on a news story, which he usually covers alone. It was also a chance for him to continue four years’ worth of work on the Arab Spring. “I felt that the Kurdish story was a natural continuation of my work in the region,” he says. “Although the Arab Spring was predominantly an Arab phenomenon, its fallout — namely the civil war in Syria and the rise of the Islamic State in both Syria and Iraq — has profoundly affected Kurdish populations.” The Kurdish pushback against ISIS forces is deeply linked to the Kurds’ dream of autonomy, with many Kurds of Iraq and Turkey speaking of this battle “as if it were part of their own struggle,” says Saman. And while it remains one of the few success stories against the totalitarian so-called Islamic Caliphate, it’s also a source of tension in the region. In Serekaniye (the Kurdish name for Ras al-Ayn), both photographers could sense increasing Arab-Kurdish tensions. “[We] began to see emptied Arab villages, some of which showed signs of having burned down,” says Saman. “This only increased as we approached Tell Abyad, a predominately Arab town that the [Kurdish People’s Protection Units] recently won back from ISIS. That Arab-Kurdish tension was noticeable all the way until we reached Kobani.” Both photographers hope that their work will shed light on the Kurds’ growing sense of transnational identity, which is set against the backdrop of a ruinous civil war. And, more importantly, it may help the rest of the world realize that “what happens in Rojava affects us directly,” says Meloni. “Or, at least, it should.” Moises Saman and Lorenzo Meloni are photographers represented by Magnum Photos. Alice Gabriner, who edited this photo essay, is TIME’s International Photo Editor. Olivier Laurent is the editor of TIME LightBox. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @olivierclaurent Follow TIME LightBox on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Moises Saman, Lorenzo Meloni document the Kurds' sense of transnational identity

By John Kiesewetter, The Cincinnati Enquirer The musician filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 15 years on Tuesday, citing irreconcilable differences. By Barrett J. Brunsman, The Cincinnati Enquirer Randall Ralston, who coached basketball at five local high schools and in a youth league, was sentenced to nine years in prison Monday morning on charges he had unlawful sex with several girls. By Joe Milicia, Associated Press Writer Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said more than one person has whispered in her ear in Ohio that John McCain needs "to take the gloves off" in his campaign against Democrat Barack Obama. Before a friendly crowd of Republican fundraisers Friday, the Alaska governor did that herself. By Joe Milicia, Associated Press Writer Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said more than one person has whispered in her ear in Ohio that John McCain needs "to take the gloves off" in his campaign against Democrat Barack Obama. Before a friendly crowd of Republican fundraisers Friday, the Alaska governor did that herself.

Collection of all USATODAY.com coverage of Indian Hill, including articles, videos, photos, and quotes.

(CNN) – Republican legislators on Sunday questioned the motives behind the Obama administration’s initial description of the September attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, after Friday briefings on Capitol Hill from the former CIA director. Asked whether the Obama administration’s initial description of the attacks as “spontaneous” was an attempt to avoid a discussion about terrorist groups being involved, Sen. Roy Blunt said, “Until you hear a better explanation, that's the only conclusion you could reach.” – Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker “You have to have a really good reason why you don't give the American people the information you had, unless you think you're somehow going to really endanger the people that are in other parts of the world,” the Missouri Republican said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” The attacks resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya. David Petraeus, who recently resigned as director of the CIA, said in closed-door congressional briefings on Friday that the attack was planned and launched by terrorists affiliated with al Qaeda, according to lawmakers and those who attended. He downplayed the use of the word “spontaneous,” according to these accounts. Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has faced sharp criticism from Republicans for describing the attack as “spontaneous” in appearances on Sunday talk shows the week of the attack. The questions have included why she was the administration’s spokesperson on the matter and why references to terrorism were removed - and by whom - from the declassified talking points she used in her appearances. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has joined with fellow Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona in saying he would not support a promotion for Rice. They say they don’t buy the suggestion that the “spontaneous protest” explanation was part of the public narrative so that al Qaeda would be unaware of the U.S. intelligence community’s suspicions. “Isn't it kind of off - if the reason is to take al Qaeda out of the equation to make sure that al Qaeda doesn't know that we're onto them - that the story they told helps the president enormously three weeks before the election?” he asked on NBC. “Because I don't buy that for one bit, that doesn't make sense to me.” Graham and McCain have said they would block Rice’s nomination to serve as secretary of state, should she be nominated. Rice is seen to be a possible successor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has said she does not want to serve through President Barack Obama’s second term but will stay in her post until a candidate is ready. Obama fiercely defended Rice at a news conference on Wednesday but did not say who his top choices for the position are. "If Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham and others want to go after someone, they should go after me," Obama said. "When they go after the U.N. ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me." Graham has said that there are “a lot of other qualified people” who could be chosen and that Rice’s comments following the Benghazi attacks cause him to distrust her. "The reason I don't trust her is that I think she knew better, and if she didn't know better, she shouldn't be the voice of America," Graham said. Sunday on “Meet The Press,” he said that if her name is advanced, “I'm going to listen to what Susan Rice has to say, put her entire record in context - but I’m not going to give her a plus for passing on a narrative that was misleading to the American people, whether she knew it was misleading or not.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, said on NBC, “I don't know who we were protecting” by removing references to terrorism from the talking points. “I do know that the answer given to us is we didn't want to name a group until we had some certainty,” Feinstein, a Democrat, continued. “Well, where this went awry is, anybody that brings weapons and mortars and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and breaks into an asset of the United States is a terrorist in my view.” Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, echoed Blunt’s sentiment. “I know the narrative was wrong and the intelligence was right,” he said, also on NBC. “The narrative as it went, from at least the CIA and other intelligence agencies, was accurate, as we know today, was an act of terrorism.” Rogers, a Republican, said it appears references to terrorism were removed from the talking points, but not by the intelligence community. “When asked, there was no one in the professional intelligence community (who) could tell us who changed what,” he said. Rogers added, “This isn't just about parsing words and who was right. There was some policy decisions made based on the narrative that was not consistent with the intelligence that we had. That's my concern.”

(CNN) -- Republican legislators on Sunday questioned the motives behind the Obama administration’s initial description of the September attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, after Friday briefings on Capitol Hill from the former CIA director.

Occupy protests turn violent in Oakland Are you there? Share your photos and videos. (CNN) -- Authorities made a series of arrests at Occupy Wall Street protests in California and Georgia on Tuesday and Wednesday, with clashes in one city that involved tear gas being used on demonstrators. Police said they fired the tear gas on protesters in Oakland, California, after the crowd threw paint and other objects at officers. Plumes of smoke could be seen in the city as about 500 people defied calls to leave an area of downtown Oakland on Tuesday, according to police. Protesters had camped for weeks in several areas in the city, including near City Hall, police said. "The city remains committed to respecting free speech as well as maintaining the city's responsibility to protect public health and safety," Oakland police said in a statement. Oakland resident Andrew Johnson said he decided to leave when police threatened arrests, soon after hearing explosions as tear gas canisters were fired into the air. "I think at first it was a pretty inspiring sight," he said of the protesters. "It was inspiring to see people so impassioned. But when the police action began, it was a pretty unnerving sight. Just to see that energy turn into panic and anger was unsettling." In Atlanta, police arrested demonstrators at a downtown park overnight. The arrests came after Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said he sent ministers to the park "to see if we can find a way to resolve this amicably." Reed told CNN affiliate WSB that concerns were increased when a man in the park was seen with an assault rifle. "We could not determine whether the weapon was loaded and could not get additional information on the weapon," he said. Authorities ordered people to leave the park around midnight Tuesday, WSB said, going from tent to tent with flashlights. Arrests began taking place about 12:45 a.m. Organizers had asked protesters to be peaceful if police took action, and most were, WSB said. Many gathered in the center of the park, locked arms and sang "We Shall Overcome," as police led them one by one to waiting buses. A protester at the park said he was scared. "It's very intimidating," said Malcolm McKenzie. "I believe what we're doing is right, but we're going to jail. It hurts to see America do this to people who want change." It was unclear how many people were arrested in the two cities. CNN affiliate KGO reported that at least 85 people were arrested during an early morning raid in one part of Oakland and there were other arrests throughout the day. In Atlanta, WSB reported 53 were arrested. In Oakland early Tuesday, police dismantled a tent camp set up by protesters in a city park. The overnight camping had to end because of health and safety concerns, Oakland police said in a statement. "There were a series of safety conditions, including numerous reports of fighting, assault and threatening/intimidating behavior" at the camp, police said in a statement. Medical responders could not get to the scene to provide medical care on at least two occasions, and fire and police also could not get through. "Sanitation conditions worsened with frequent instances of public urination and defecation, as well as improper food storage," the police statement said. "The existing rodent problem in the park was exacerbated, and authorities were unable to control it because of the campers' presence. Graffiti, litter and vandalism also posed problems, police said. After the camp was dispersed, the protesters reconvened for demonstrations later in the day, the affiliates said, prompting the new clashes. Video from the Oakland clashes showed a chaotic scene, with protesters running from clouds of tear gas. Oakland and Atlanta are two of many cities worldwide dealing with the Occupy Wall Street protests, the leaderless movement that started in New York in September. Demonstrators have typically railed against what they describe as corporate greed, arrogance and power, as well as repeatedly stated their assertion that the nation's wealthiest 1% hold inordinate sway over the remaining 99% of the population. CNN's Nick Valencia, Jessica Jordan and Rich Phillips contributed to this report

Authorities made a series of arrests at Occupy protests in California and Georgia overnight, with clashes in one city that involved tear gas being used.

California head coach Sonny Dykes, center, runs off the field with his team at the end of an NCAA college football game against Southern California Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015, in Berkeley, Calif. USC won the game 27-21. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) With one regular-season game left, Cal’s bowl picture is becoming clearer. The Cactus Bowl, which is contracted with the No. 7 Pac-12 team and the No. 6 Big 12 team, remains the Bears’ lone option among their conference’s seven tie-in games. If the Cactus Bowl doesn’t select Cal, Sonny Dykes’ program could earn an at-large berth to a wide range of games. It is important to note that the conference’s top four four bowls — Rose, Alamo, Holiday and Foster Farms — have the right to dip down a slot it they’d prefer that team to the one aligned with them. But the final three — Sun, Las Vegas and Cactus — must then pick the teams slated to them based on conference order of finish. Cal’s regular-season finale Saturday against Arizona State will help dictate which team will play in Phoenix on Jan. 2. If the Sun Devils win, the Cactus Bowl must take them. But a Bears victory would leave the programs with identical conference records and fourth in their respective divisions. The selection committee would have an intriguing decision to make. Would it go with Arizona State, the safe pick for ticket sales considering the Sun Devils are local? Or would it opt for a Cal team that could bring in tourism revenue? If the Bears don’t make the Cactus Bowl, they could go to any of these eight bowls: Dec. 19, Cure Bowl (Orlando) Dec. 19, New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque) Dec. 23, Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego) Dec. 24, Hawaii Bowl (Honolulu) Dec. 26, Heart of Dallas Bowl (Dallas) Dec. 26, Independence Bowl (Shreveport, La.) Dec. 29, Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth) Dec. 29, Arizona Bowl (Tucson) Figuring out where Cal would land among those eight is difficult to project, given that there are no guidelines for the order of their selections. But the Bears are almost certain to find a spot with 41 bowl games. Take a look at where Cal (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) was picked in the latest projections. With the Bears bowl eligible, we’ll continue to keep you updated until selections are announced Dec. 6. Camping World Independence Bowl (Dec. 26, Shreveport, Louisiana): Cal vs. Buffalo Cactus Bowl (Jan. 2, Phoenix): Cal vs. Air Force Cactus Bowl (Jan. 2, Phoenix): Cal vs. Texas Tech Cactus Bowl (Jan. 2, Phoenix): Cal vs. Kansas State Cactus Bowl (Jan. 2, Phoenix): Cal vs. New Mexico Camping World Independence Bowl (Dec. 26, Shreveport, Louisiana): Cal vs. Duke Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Dec. 29, Fort Worth, Texas): Cal vs. Air Force Camping World Independence Bowl (Dec. 26, Shreveport, Louisiana): Cal vs. Duke Here is a stats comparison for Cal-ASU. Cal’s freshmen powered their Monday night rout of Sam Houston State. You could’ve found everything you needed to know about that Cal-Sam Houston State matchup here. Cal is banged up entering its regular-season finale. Can the Bears clean things up for ASU? Cal is pursuing three-star guard Jordan Schakel hard. Jared Goff came in at No. 3 in ESPN’s latest Pac-12 quarterback power rankings. ESPN reviewed last weekend’s Pac-12 results. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: [email protected] . Twitter: @Con_Chron

With one regular-season game left, Cal’s bowl picture is becoming clearer. The Cactus Bowl, which is contracted with the No. 7 Pac-12 team and the No. 6 Big 12 team, remains the Bears’ lone option ...

The Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que., has officially become the Canadian Museum of History Thursday. The legislation rebranding the museum passed third reading in the Senate Wednesday. On Thursday, it received royal assent, Heritage Minister Shelly Glover announced on Twitter. Very happy that the Canadian Museum of History Act just received Royal Assent. Thanks to @JamesMoore_org for all your work on this project. The federal government has tied the rebranding to its plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. While the name change is official, the changes to the museum itself and its promotional material are not expected to happen overnight. The Canadian Museum of Civilization opened in Gatineau, Que., across from Ottawa, in 1989. (CBC) The museum is expected to include displays on major milestones since Confederation, including the Last Spike from construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice (Rocket) Richard's hockey jersey and items from Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. But the main exhibit isn't expected to be ready until closer to 2017. The Museum of Civilization's First Peoples Hall, a permanent exhibit of aboriginal artifacts from across Canada, is expected to remain where it is, as will areas such as the children's museum and the IMAX theatre.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que., has become the Canadian Museum of History today after receiving royal assent Thursday.

The gilded opulence of a Buenos Aires ballroom, the hidden tunnels beneath Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, and the cavernous innards of the biggest gasometers in Europe are some of the off-limits sites that can be glimpsed around the world this autumn, thanks to the growing phenomenon of the Open House weekend. The initiative, which began in London in 1992 and celebrates its 22nd edition this week, has since spawned a global network of over 20 cities, from Barcelona to Brisbane, Tel Aviv to Thessaloniki, joined in the last couple years by Gdynia in Poland and the Cypriot capital of Nicosia. The combined programme now includes thousands of buildings and locations, from the lavish halls of embassies and parliaments, to the industrial heft of cement factories and sewage treatment plants, as well as micro-flats and self-build housing schemes, with the number of participating cities expanding year upon year. “They’re like feral cats, they just keep on arriving,” says Victoria Thornton, who founded the initiative as a “mad idea” to get people more interested in their surroundings, beginning by knocking on doors and pestering building owners herself. The London weekend has since ballooned into a city-wide festival of more than 800 locations, manned by an enthusiastic army of 2,000 volunteers. This year, the old crowd-drawing favourites of the Foreign Office, Bank of England and Gherkin are joined by the Cheesegrater tower by Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners. Each are expected to attract over 5,000 visitors, lured by the thrill of waltzing past security barriers and peering behind locked doors. For architectural anoraks, the international programme offers new excuses for far-flung pilgrimages, including some rarely opened buildings by Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago and an Alvar Aalto-themed jog across Helsinki – a 10km route for design disciples that ended up with a rewarding steam in the Finnish maestro’s home sauna. Vienna staged a particularly diverse line-up, including a trio of gargantuan 1940s grain stores shaped like scaled-up houses and stuffed with a tangled network of pipes and chutes, along with a luxurious apartment designed by Adolf Loos in 1913, now home to a popular pensioners’ bridge club. The socialist slab of the Karl-Marx-Hof tenement complex also opened its doors, alongside more recent Baugruppen co-housing schemes. “In Austria we are very nosey,” says organiser Iris Kaltenegger. “We really like to see how our neighbours live.” Rome’s weekend, which was held in May, offered a rare glimpse inside the imposing Palazzo della Civiltà Romana, a cubic Colosseum of sparkling white arches in the fascist satellite city of EUR, as well as a group of majestic 1930s gasometers in Testaccio. New York’s annual highlight, meanwhile, is Eero Saarinen’s defunct TWA Terminal at JFK airport, a long abandoned 1960s concrete hymn to the drama of flight, which its owners are threatening to turn into a hotel. It’s the discussion of such issues that Open House aims to bring to the fore. “It’s not supposed to be aimed at tourists or cultural promotion,” says Thornton. The event must be run by an independent organisation in each city, and not be affiliated to municipal departments or tourist boards. “It’s about getting residents back out on their streets and looking at their own city. It should prompt these conversations and make people start demanding something better.” It is a politicised call to arms taken up by some of the more divided cities to stage the event, including Jerusalem and Nicosia. Aviva Levinson founded Houses From Within, the Israeli version of Open House, in 2007, with her architect husband, Alon Bin Nun. “We see it as a great model for encouraging a debate about the city in a secular, civilian way of thinking, against the volume of religious extremism here,” she says. The programme ranges from Moshe Safdie-designed housing in the Jewish quarter to Palestinian sites in the east of the capital. In Nicosia, which held its first Open House weekend in May last year, the event treads carefully between the desires of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. “We try to promote the reunion of the two communities,” says co-ordinator Andreas Kourouklaris, “by opening up the historic buildings that were constructed when Nicosia was one, and the people lived in harmony.” Enrapt in the ethereal light of the 14th-century Hamam Omerye or the Saint John chapel, it might be easy to find a momentary salve for contemporary political turmoil. Next year will see the event extended to Prague and Cork, Belfast and Monterrey. The organiser of the latter, Daniel Fernández, was inspired by visiting the event in Barcelona while studying there. “I thought it was a great idea, not just for locals to visit their city’s buildings,” he says, “but as a tool to show real estate developers, politicians, business people and citizens what architecture is – and why we should protect those architectural gems that we have.”

From London to Brisbane to Buenos Aires, architecture enthusiasts all over the globe get set to nose around in the world’s greatest buildings for free, writes Oliver Wainwright

Derrick Rose isn’t saying the Knicks can go 82-0. But the point guard’s rosy view of the new-look roster is he’s now part of a team equipped to go toe to toe with any opponent in the NBA. “I just love the group,” Rose told Slam Magazine. “I think we have a chance to win every game, and in the league, that is rare.” Rose, 27, acquired from the Bulls in a stunning mid-June trade, excitedly reeled off the teammates whose offseason prep has impressed him: Carmelo Anthony, Courtney Lee, his Los Angeles workout partners Kristaps Porzingis, Brandon Jennings and Sasha Vujacic, as well as Chicago-reunion center Joakim Noah. “I don’t think Jo touched the ball yet. He’s the only 7-footer that really worries about his body like that,” Rose joked. Rose also shared his enthusiasm for Phil Jackson’s entire Garden renaissance project, even if he forgot to name-drop new coach Jeff Hornacek. “I think everybody’s on the same page,” Rose told the magazine. “I love the culture that Phil is creating. Just the organization, the franchise. I love everybody that works for them. They seem like they’re very excited, their spirits are up, and I think that rubs off on people.”

Derrick Rose isn’t saying the Knicks can go 82-0. But the point guard’s rosy view of the new-look roster is he’s now part of a team equipped to go toe to toe with any opponent in …

Designer Marc Jacobs calls her 'rare'; Vogue's executive fashion director Candy Pratts Price says she is 'one cool girl', while fashion photographer and former flame Mario Sorrenti describes how her career 'exploded'. Kate Moss on her John Galliano wedding dress In this exclusive video by American Vogue, fashion insiders share their favourite thoughts about the British supermodel to the setting of her wedding to The Kills guitarist Jamie Hince, which took place in July this year. Behind-the-scenes footage reveals the laughter and poses maintained during the special photoshoots for the spread on Moss's wedding in US Vogue's September issue, all under the expert eye of Kate's close friend and revered photographer, Mario Testino. See more on the American Vogue site

Sit back as American Vogue asked some of Kate Moss's closest collaborators to share what they love most about the model, and go behind the scenes on the wedding photo shoot with Mario Testino.

New drugs that boost the immune system’s ability to fight tumors may be one of the greatest medical advances in years, cancer doctors say, pulling some patients from death’s door and keeping them in remission for years. But the truth is that this happens for only a minority of patients. Now, doctors say, there is a new imperative to develop a test that will identify in advance which patients will benefit, sparing others the cost and possible side effects. The drugs currently cost about $150,000 a year per patient — even more for higher doses used in some cases — and the health system is eventually expected to spend billions or even tens of billions of dollars on the drugs each year. “We don’t want to give these to 100 percent of the patients if only 59 percent or 20 percent will benefit,” said Dr. David R. Gandara, a professor and lung cancer specialist at the University of California, Davis. Being able to test for a biomarker that could predict the drugs’ efficacy “would make this new class of drugs easier on the wallet, the national health wallet,” he said. But developing such a test has proved tricky so far, for ethical as well as scientific reasons. Some doctors said it would be unfair to withhold the new drugs from patients based on a test if there was still even a slight chance that the drugs would help. “We don’t want to be wrong, because these medicines have an effect that, in some cases, is durable for years,” said Dr. Jedd D. Wolchok, chief of the melanoma and immunotherapeutics service at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “We don’t want to have an imperfect biomarker.” The need for such biomarkers is illustrated in a study led by Dr. Wolchok that is to be presented on Sunday in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The study is being published online by the New England Journal of Medicine. The 945-patient study shows that the combination of two immune-boosting drugs from Bristol-Myers Squibb — Opdivo and Yervoy — is more effective than either drug alone in treating advanced melanoma. Patients treated with both drugs went a median of 11.5 months before their disease worsened, a longer reprieve than the 6.9 months for those who received only Opdivo and 2.9 months for those who took Yervoy. But the combination also caused serious side effects like diarrhea and colitis in 55 percent of patients, compared with only 16.3 percent for Opdivo alone and 27.3 percent for Yervoy alone. Dr. Antoni Ribas, a melanoma specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study, said Opdivo alone might be just as good as the combination for many patients, with far fewer side effects, but that a biomarker test was needed. “The combination is outstanding, but we have to figure out who needs the combination as opposed to the single agent,” he said. The main test being explored is for PD-L1, a protein produced by cancer cells that, in effect, orders the immune system to stand down and not attack. The Merck drug Keytruda, Opdivo and other similar treatments work by keeping this “stand down” order from being received by the immune cells. So it makes sense that the drugs work best against tumors that are issuing such an order and that it may not work at all against tumors that are not issuing the order. Studies by Bristol-Myers and Merck as well as Roche, which is also developing such a drug, have shown that there was a much greater success rate using the drugs to treat tumors that were positive for PD-L1. Still, at least a small number of patients whose tumors do not produce meaningful amounts of PD-L1 also seem to benefit from these drugs. So some doctors say it is wrong to withhold the drugs from patients whose tumors test negative for PD-L1. In the melanoma study, patients whose tumors were positive for PD-L1 did as well on Opdivo alone as with the combination, as measured by the delay before their cancer worsened. One implication might be that those patients should get only Opdivo, while others should get the combination. But Dr. Michael B. Atkins, deputy director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, said that even for PD-L1-positive tumors, the combination was better at shrinking the abnormalities. “The biomarker isn’t good enough to make any decisions on it,” said Dr. Atkins, who was not involved in the study. PD-L1 is not the only possible biomarker. Scientists are finding that the drugs work best against tumors with lots of mutations. Researchers reported on Friday that a genetic signature could identify a small subset of patients with colorectal and other types of cancer who would be likely to benefit from Keytruda. Dr. Ribas and colleagues suggest examining tumor samples to see if immune cells are present. The drugs appear to work best when immune cells are already in or near the tumor, ready to attack when the “stand down” order is lifted by a drug. If the immune cells are not present, then merely lifting the order may not be enough. Merck is working with a diagnostic company, NanoString Technologies, to develop a test that measures activity levels in genes associated with immune response. A downside for drug companies is that a test can narrow the market for a drug. Shares of Bristol-Myers fell nearly 7 percent on Friday based on what would seem to be positive clinical trial results showing that Opdivo could prolong the lives of patients with the most common form of lung cancer. But there was a big survival difference in patients with PD-L1-positive tumors and patients whose tumors test negative for the protein. For those with PD-L1-negative tumors, there was no real difference between Opdivo and the generic chemotherapy drug docetaxel. This information dashed investors’ hopes that Opdivo might be used by all patients with that form of lung cancer. Opdivo did cause fewer side effects than docetaxel, but insurers might not be willing to pay so much more for that reason alone. Docetaxel costs $6,000 for six cycles of treatment; Opdivo used for the same length of time costs about $60,000, said Dr. Patrick W. Cobb, an oncologist in Billings, Mont. “The cost of treating these patients will be far higher than in the past,” Dr. Cobb said on a webinar sponsored by Kantar Health, a consulting firm. “We really need a way of determining which patients are likely to benefit from these agents.”

Identifying which patients are likely to benefit from expensive treatments such as Opdivo, Yervoy and Keytruda could save money and prevent side effects.

Big columns of ice are ideal for keeping drinks cold after they have already been stirred or shaken and are at their ideal level of dilution. The spear is an aesthetically pleasing option if you want a single piece of ice, in lieu of a stack of cubes, in a tall glass. How to make them: Break out the scissors. Mr. Joly and Mr. Solomon suggest modifying an existing ice-cube mold, like the easy-to-cut silicone Tovolo Perfect Cube trays ($13 for two, tovolo.com). Measure the glass you're using against the tray and cut out the ribs to create one long spear. Finely crushed ice is great for creating frosty tiki drinks, swizzles and smashes—and creates a pretty drink when packed high in a julep cup or double Old-Fashioned glass. How to make them: Get what's known as a Lewis bag, a canvas sack that you pack with ice and then hit with an accompanying wooden mallet or muddler ($20 for bag, muddler and shaker, after5catalog.com). The canvas should wick away some of the wetness, producing a drier ice. Don't get too aggressive—crush to the point where you still have some irregular chunks, like the size of rock sugar, but not Sno Cone-fine. This shape is the backbone of a great cocktail—stir or shake with these. Drop one or two large cubes in a rocks glass or double Old-Fashioned glass if you're sipping a spirit like whiskey or drinking something like an Old Fashioned or a Negroni. Stack a few in a highball glass or slighter narrower Collins glass for long drinks. How to make them: Buy a set of Tovolo King Cube Extra Large Silicone Ice Cube Trays, which make two-inch cubes ($9, tovolo.com). These fit well in rocks glasses. Or try the smaller Tovolo Perfect Cube trays, which produce cubes that are just over 1 inch square. Like a large cube, a sphere also melts slower than most ice. If you take your Scotch over rocks, try pouring it over a sphere. "If you want a slight bit of dilution and temperature drop, [large cubes and spheres] do the trick without washing out and ruining your spirit," Mr. Joly said. How to make them: The Taisin ice-ball maker melts and molds ice into seamless globes; molds range from 30mm to 80mm (from $200, japantrendshop.com). A cheaper option is Muji's ice-ball maker, which consists of two conjoining silicone semi-spherical halves, with a hole at the top for pouring in water ($12, muji.us). A large chunk of ice is like a blank canvas. With the right tools you can shape them into large cubes, spheres or spears to fit different size glasses. And unlike premade molds, having a piece carved from a large block will convey a more natural, organic feeling. How to make them: If you have enough room in your freezer, fill a small cooler with water, pop the lid on and freeze the entire thing. Take the cooler out before the water freezes all the way to the bottom—as the ice expands it should force the air bubbles and impurities down. Once out of the freezer, let your ice rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature. Otherwise it will be brittle and prone to shattering. Get your tools: try the Heavy Duty Pitchfork Ice Pick ($52, cocktailkingdom.com), and a rubber mallet. Carve on a stable surface lined with a polyethylene cutting board to prevent punching holes in what's underneath. Start by scoring the surface of the block with an ice pick marking the cuts you'd like to make. Then using a rubber mallet, slowly drive the ice pick into the ice at various points along the scored line. The ice will start to separate along the line the more holes you make, and the deeper you go.

From shards to spheres, using the right shape can turn great drinks into extraordinary ones.

In recent columns: Scientology gets a congressman to help christen its new D.C. church. Sasha and Malia at the Miley Cyrus show. OMG, Andre Agassi did meth AND wore a toupee? Looks like January Jones is maybe dating a Hill staffer. White House florist accidentally leaks news of her new job on Facebook. Elizabeth Kucinich has a new job, still looks great. Mel Gibson welcomes eighth child (first by his new Russian girlfriend). Amy Argetsinger: Good morning everyone. Ever have one of those days when you suddenly feel (1) old and (2) unsuccessful? That's what it's like when you wake up to find that a college classmate is the new attorney general of Virginia. But enough about me... Jungle land: One of my friends was directly across from Rahm Emanuel at Monday's Springsteen concert. He and his fam were on one side of the stage, she was on the other, so whenever she looked at the stage he was in the background. According to her, he dances a lot like a demented three year old -- her description was something like "he kept his hands in his pockets most of the night, but was still twitching his upper body side to side or sometimes twisting at the waist and knees." I've been to Springsteen shows before, and people dance badly, but she'd used the word "violently" somewhere in there and that sounds a little amazing. Roxanne Roberts: You know, even if he's a really bad dancer, I have to give him credit for at least trying. So many D.C. types sit on their hands and barely move, so I like a Chief of Staff who even TRIES to dance. Baltimore, Md. : Use of the word "starlet:" That's the noun you employed to describe January Jones in an item earlier this week. Frankly, I think that's quite demeaning, given that Ms. Jones is the female lead in Mad Men, the most critically acclaimed TV series of past three years. "Starlet," to me, conjures up images of those wannabe movie stars who, in the old days, would shed their tops at the Cannes Film Festival and run up and down on the beach. I think "actor" is the word that applies to Jones. Thanks. Amy Argetsinger: Okay. Fair enough. I don't think "starlet" is pejorative, but what does anyone else think? Anyone see her on the cover of GQ? For all her impressive acting credentials, those were kind of starlety photos. Washington, D.C.: Hello ladies, Not sure if you have any influence over this, but can you please, please, please ask whoever is in charge of your new page 2 home to either move Doonesbury farther up on the page, or back to the comics section? Even running in color, and knowing to look for it, I consistently miss it. I read your column, scan the other articles on the page, and then jump straight to page 3. I think my brain sees it as one of those little ads or something. Please, welcome Doonesbury back into your fold! Amy Argetsinger: Thanks for your thoughts. For starters, we have no control over this. I know a lot of readers aren't pleased to find Doonesbury lower on the page. However, I can't say that it ever really made sense to have it within the confines of our column. It suggested that we were somehow responsible for the comic, and it also constrained our space. But please take your thoughts to the email set up for editors to receive feedback on the paper's redesign -- [email protected]. Vienna, Va.: Hey ladies... I was watching the news the other day and saw Chris Cooley featured, and since he's injured and all, did you know he was into the arts? He showed some of his own paintings and even the equipment for his own pottery-making in his garage. What a dreamy guy. Will you ladies be in town for Tgiving? Amy Argetsinger: Cooley -- what a guy! I just saw his twitpic of him on his pottery wheel. Link to follow. Washington, D.C.: Okay, I don't get how someone like Mel's Russian GF goes from Timothy Dalton to him to. . .whoever's next. How do some women do it? What is their secret and why don't I know it? Roxanne Roberts: You know it and have probably passed without realizing it's the key to....lots of child support. You zero on a wealthy/famous man, pretend to find him fascinating and sexy, and stroke his ego. You decide you love the life he can give you, put up with a fair amount of crap until he marries you/fathers your child, and don't get caught up in messy emotions. It's a job, and some women do it very, very well. washingtonpost.com: Twitpic: Chris Cooley has plenty of time to throw pots. Arlington, Va.: I've lived in the D.C. area for 15 years and my list of celebrity/slightly-famous people that I've met is pretty short: Fred Gandy, Bill Clinton (after he was president), David Gergen, and Fran Drescher (I heard her laugh while dining at Galileo before I noticed her). That's not a very long list. Am I hangin' out at very un-hip places, or is my list about average? Amy Argetsinger: I don't know. That's about average, I'd say. You say you're living in the "DC area," which suggests some time in the suburbs, which removes you from the high-density star neighborhoods. It's also possible that you're like me -- completely unobservant. I lived in Venice/Santa Monica for a year, while working just adjacent to Beverly Hills, and I never noticed anyone (except Zach Braff that one time in the grocery store) unless someone nudged me and said, "Look, Jon Lovitz!" or whatever. Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: "Ever have one of those days when you suddenly feel (1) old and (2) unsuccessful? That's what it's like when you wake up to find that a college classmate is the new attorney general of Virginia." Would it make you feel any better if I told you that a guy a few years behind me in high school was an astronaut? Roxanne Roberts: That's how I felt when I realized Condoleezza Rice was born the EXACT day as I was. Her resume: presidential adviser, university provost, Secretary of State, concert pianist. Mine: Reporter, cookie decorator, crazy cat lady. Washington, D.C.: While Andre Agassi's drug revelations are bizarre, why is crystal meth even be a tested drug? Isn't the whole point to test for drugs that might enhance a player's performance? No one can seriously argue that crystal meth, pot, heroin, or most other street drugs could boost a top athlete's performance, can they? Amy Argetsinger: Crystal meth is a form of amphetamine -- really revs you up and can definitely affect one's performance. I've heard of people who got into it specifically because it was supposed to give them more energy for their work-outs. Amy Argetsinger: Waaaayyyy down at the bottom of page two. A college classmate is the new attorney general of Virginia.: Only in Bizarro World Virginia. The guy is a nut. Nothing to be proud of. Sorry. Bethesda, Md.: The word "starlet" does have a pejorative connotation. Young, essentially talentless, and almost famous. I don't know if Ms. Jones fits that description. Amy Argetsinger: Official definition: Young actress being coached and promoted as a future star. Wait ...: So January Jones hits it off with a senate staffer and dines with him in D.C.? How can a lowly lawyer at an agency hit it off with a star? I don't even need January Jones caliber. I'll take that cute dorky guy from Big Bang Theory. 2. Guts. He asked, she rewarded his nerve. 3. Novelty. She gets hit on by everyone in Hollywood, toys with political type until she gets bored. college classmate is the new attorney general of Virginia. : You think you feel bad? I went to college with Eric Heiden. My chances of being elected Attorney General of Virginia are infinitely higher than winning an Olympic Speedskating gold medal. Amy Argetsinger: That's a good one. Hey, you going to run in 2013? Starlet: Cleavage-y cover of GQ definitely = starlet. Jennifer Aniston would qualify also, except that she's too old to be a starlet. Roxanne Roberts: Oh, I forgot that Ms. Jones's breasts starred on the cover of this month's GQ. Another definition of starlet: An actress starring on a hit TV show called "that girl on 'Mad Men' " because most people don't know her name. Serial Celebrity Significant Others: Washington DC does ask an interesting question. There is that very strange phenomenon of non-famous women who serially date/marry famous people. Case in point, I noted the passing this week of Michelle "Palimony" Triola, who sued Lee Marvin after he dumped her and established the legal concept of out of wedlock alimony. In her obit it said she had been the long time girlfriend of Dick Van Dyke. Amy Argetsinger: I'm very sorry for the passing of Michelle Triola Marvin and for the sadness of her loved ones -- but I was delighted to read the obituaries, which took us back to an odd little bit of '70s pop culture. As a little kid, that was a pretty eye-opening story to follow -- Michelle with her totally unglamorous aviator-frame glasses, suing an actor I had never heard of at that point (so in later years, watching "Cat Ballou" or "The Dirty Dozen," I'm always thinking, "hey, he's THAT guy..."), and this thing called "palimony"! And the idea of unmarried people living together! Totally new to me at the time. And she took his name! And her quote about how from now on, "if a man wants to leave his toothbrush at my house, he bloody well better marry me." And yet in an incredible coda, she then goes to shack up with another famous guy -- Dick Van Dyke -- for 30 years! Fascinating. Hey, you going to run in 2013? : I'd like to, but first I have to convince my husband to move to Dixie (we're east coast lefty Jews) and then I'd have to clean up my sex-drugs-rock and roll past. At least my bar membership is up to date. Amy Argetsinger: All right. Clock is ticking, so get on it. Jon Stewart was a couple of years behind me at W&M: I was at least as funny as him at parties! Amy Argetsinger: That's a good one too. At U-Va., Tina Fey was two years behind me. No One Knew Her. We've all scoured our brains and everyone else's. Falls Church, Va.: Did you ladies catch "This Is It"? I loved it and would like to Thank the people that put it out there for us to see. Three generations of my family saw the movie (together) over the weekend. What a bargain! There is no way we could have afforded concert tickets. I might go see it again, if I can find time in my busy schedule. Amy Argetsinger: Really? Chris Richards' review of it -- a total pan -- convinced me I don't need to bother. (link to follow).... Anyone else? How do some women do it? What is their secret and why don't I know it?: Pamela Harriman was well-known for this, in spite of having a dumpy figure as a young woman and zero interest in sex, apparently. She just had an amazing way of making a man, even a powerful one, feel special and really understood. Your colleague Richard Cohen wrote about this aspect of her some years ago when she was ambassador to France, possibly shortly after her death. Roxanne Roberts: No great courtesan has "zero" interest in sex. They are great students of what their men like and become expert at it. Harriman's genius was her ability to do the same thing outside the bedroom. washingtonpost.com: 'This Is It' doesn't do justice to M.J.'s magic (Washington Post, Oct. 29) washingtonpost.com: Wale and D.C. Hip-Hop: Can it Break the Hold of Go-Go? (Washington Post, Oct. 18) Beautiful Silver Spring, Md.: Amy and Roxanne, you have a highly respected gossip column in a print publication that remains relatively healthy (compared to the rest of them), no doubt due in part to the interest you drum up in its pages. This is no small achievement. Seriously. Now please give us a Wale update in advance of the release of "Attention Deficit" next Tuesday. Amy Argetsinger: Chris Richards (again!) did a fine job with that three weeks ago. Link to his Wale story to follow... Meanwhile, here's what Allison Stewart said about his new single, "The Letter," in yesterday's paper: "This 'Attention: Deficit' outtake begins as an open letter to the president, in which Wale lectures Obama on his smoking habit and tries to wangle an invitation to the White House. It inexplicably devolves into a séance with Tupac, in which Wale wonders how the Biggie feud is going. Equally inexplicably, John Mayer is on it." Washington, DC: I was also at the Springsteen show, four people back from the stage, in the pit. Clarence pointed and winked at me once and I was so over-the-moon about it, I didn't even notice Rahm. Does this make me a hopelessly inadequate celeb sighter? Amy Argetsinger: You'll have many other opportunities to see Rahm, so, no. Washington, D.C.;: My guess is that January Jones does not get hit on often. She's gorgeous and so men are probably intimidated. Only in D.C. land of "If I told you I'd have to kill you" boasters would a guy probably have the cojones to ask her out. And even then, I still bet the guy was super nervous. Rahm Emanuel studied ballet: So he should bust a pretty good move. Springfield, Va.: I'm seriously messed up. I found Andre's toupee revelation far more startling than the crystal meth. It seems like every athlete, actor, musician, model, etc. has experimented or done - some - kind of drug but the toupee thing really threw me. Not to mention that he looked worlds better after shaving his head (I even thought so at the time!). Roxanne Roberts: What did you do when you discovered the truth? Shampoo? Shave? Washington, D.C.: "Starlet" does seem like something left over from the Hollywood studio days. You know, when our grandmothers were going to the cinema and the WP classifieds listed "Help Wanted: Female" and "Help Wanted: Male" entries. But with what do we replace "starlet"? (Please, let's do.) And what is the male equivalent? Amy Argetsinger: "Red carpet luminary"? Or something like that? Because it seems the red carpet scene tells us more about the star system these days than anything else. (Link to follow to my Deep Thoughts about red carpet.) Good question, though, what is the male equivalent? If there isn't one, can we devise one? Can we use "starlet" to describe a guy? Why not? washingtonpost.com: Arriving Stars Play Sought-After Role (Washington Post, Feb. 23) Starlet: I think Starlet has always been slightly pejorative, unless applied to someone completely new to the acting biz. A quick perusal of IMDb reveals no serious dramatic actresses named "January," although someone named "January Darling" did star in "Strip for Pain." Amy Argetsinger: I think it's been noted already that "January Jones" is the most porny name ever given to someone not working in porn. Star-let it be: I'm fine with "starlet," but I wonder when actresses became actors? What's wrong with the word actress? "Actor in a Female Role" or whatever the Academy calls it is just too much and makes me think if Hoffman in Tootsie or Travolta in Hairspray. Amy Argetsinger: I know. It's interesting to me that everyone in Hollywood got really snippy a few years ago about the term "actress," wanting to call everyone "actor" -- and yet no one blinks at the fact that we've still got separate-but-equal categories for awards. What's that about? Falls Church, Va. - Again: I just read the review and disagree. I didn't expect to see a concert. I expected to see a glimpse of what he and his crew were planning for the concert. It was great to see him dance and hear him sing. The revamped Thriller tease was incredible. MJ talking about saving our planet and the accompanying video were very moving. Will it win an Oscar? I don't know and don't care. It was just a great stroll down memory lane with the family. Sarasota, Fla.: re: old and unsuccessful My brother, who is only 18 months older, never graduated high school. Got the old GED and joined the Army. Turns out he's brilliant but was just lazy. He now makes more money each year than I will see in a lifetime. I have a degree and my task today is picking up the dog poo in the back yard. Amy Argetsinger: There's dignity in every job. Serial Celebrity Girlfriends: Loree Rodkin (Hollywood jewelry designer) is another. She was gf to a bunch of actors and rock stars, there were even songs written about her! Then she became a manager of young struggling actors, then she started designing jewelry. I think Michelle O. likes her work. She's another person who could give lessons. Roxanne Roberts: Ambition is the key, I think. Fmr. Ballerina Here: Most of the ballet dancers I knew were horrible club dancers. Two different skill sets ... you can learn both, but there is a reason there aren't many Ballet dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance." The one ballet dancer they had was not a great ballet dancer by any stretch of the imagination. celebrity classmates: I went to college with Vince Flynn, and had him in a couple of English classes. Really nice guy, with an incredible memory (he has dyslexia so things had to be read to him--it was amazing to sit in a writing workshop with the guy and have him recite back to me something I wrote on page 2 of a 10 page paper). Can't stand his books, frankly, but I don't begrudge him his fame. He worked his butt off for it. Amy Argetsinger: Okay, I just had to Google Vince Flynn... Anyway, that's interesting. Roxanne Roberts' Resume: What, you omitted "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me"? the greatest show on broadcast media? Madam, please don't sell yourself short! Roxanne Roberts: Yeah, that's awesome but a group effort of which I play a small but very happy role. Not Secretary of State on the resume caliber, but awesome. Starlet: is condescending as heck. How about actor? Roxanne Roberts: Only if they can act. Many starlets cannot. January can. Classmates, Washington, D.C.: One of my Harvard Law School classmates was Michelle Robinson Obama. Personally, I wouldn't want her or Barack's jobs right now! Judge Smails: re: "There's dignity in every job." Yes, and the world needs ditch diggers, too. Albany, N.Y.: In Response to: In recent columns: Scientology gets a congressman to help christen its new D.C. church. I am pretty excited about this. Thank you for mentioning it. Amy Argetsinger: That was a pretty huge event. Shut down 16th Street. To Michelle's Harvard Classmate: Hang on - details, details. Your fellow chatters need details. Was she impressive then? Did you see a bright future for her? Did you ever hang out? Get drunk in a bar? Who was she dating then? Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, come on! Reston, Va.: Regardless of whether 'starlet' is pejorative, I hardly think January Jones is a 'star'. She has the potential to be a star, but being the lead on a critically acclaimed show that hardly anyone watches, doesn't really qualify. Amy Argetsinger: Fair point. Everyone you know watches "Mad Men" -- but only about 2 million people across the country. That's about one tenth the drawing power of "NCIS: Los Angeles," actually. starlet ... aka ...: asterisk? from Latin asteriscus, from Greek asterikos "little star". most starlets do end up as asterisks eventually, in any case ... Amy Argetsinger: Hmmm, let's keep playing with this. January: Maybe she just really liked the guy. I don't think she's been high-profile long enough to fully realize that how/who she dates is now part of her job description and her romantic life will be arranged by her PR firm. Amy Argetsinger: Well, she did date Ashton Kutcher when he was already a big deal. "Ambition is the key": I would argue that willingness to sell yourself out is the key. How many of these women dated these guys and weren't into them at all...or were treated like crap, but put up with it because the guys were famous/rich? I'm guessing that these same women wouldn't date a grocery store cashier, even if he was the best guy around -- considerate and good looking and totally compatible in every way. It's all about the money and the power these women are searching for. And that's my cranky answer for the day...see what too much cough medicine does? Roxanne Roberts: Well, that's between the woman and the wallet, isn't it? Many folks consider it a fair exchange of goods and services. One of my favorite lines on the subject: "Women who marry for money earn every penny of it." Born same day as Condi: I was born the day Dulles Airport opened. So, I constantly compare myself to IAD. Makes me feel better when they add terminals/buildings - like I'm allowed to gain weight. Plus, it explains my difficulty in meeting schedules and finding parking. Most porn-y name: I expect we're all familiar with the sleep-over game of "name of your first pet" + "street you grew up on" = your "porn star name," right? Signed: Pixie Demarest. Amy Argetsinger: Be careful playing this game, everyone -- I'm convinced it's a trick to make you cough up your bank account password. Starlets: Recently I watched two movies. One was "The Princess Bride" in which the opening credits read "And introducing Robin Wright" and "Star Trek: Wrath of Kahn" introducing "Kirstie Alley as Savak". Does that mean at the time they were starlets? Roxanne Roberts: My porn name: Vanilla Thomas. I always considered it a missed opportunity. Kensington, Md: I'm a little confused about the combo of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin cohosting the Oscars this year. It seems to me there comedy styles are very different. Any thoughts? Amy Argetsinger: Oh, I don't think so. They'll dovetail pretty well. They've each hosted Saturday Night Live, like, a dozen times. It will be a total mind meld. High School: A girl I went to school with from elementary school through high school played in the WNBA and is now a sportscaster for ESPN. I am unemployed. Actually, I think I like my life better. Amy Argetsinger: As the Steve Phillips story taught us: Parents, don't let your daughters go work for ESPN. A solution to the D.C. School Problems: While reading the latest, I was struck by an answer to all of Michelle Rhee's problems - HIRE TONY DANZA! Since we've heard nothing about his stint teaching for the reality show, he must be doing a great job! Amy Argetsinger: Oh my lord. That's brilliant! I have to assume he's lying low right now, waiting to step in when she leaves the job. Ballet dancers: Ballet dancers are, nine times out of 10, horrible dancers when it comes to non-choreographed stuff. It's a sliding scale, too. The better they are at ballet, the worse they are are just busting a move. Roxanne Roberts: Then Rahm must have been great at ballet. But I don't know if I really buy that: I've been at parties with ballet dancers off duty, and they are magical on the dance floor to almost any song. Agassi: While drug use was interesting, so too was the toupee/hairpiece revelations. Kudos to Bruce Willis who goes without. Who are some other favorite hairpiece-wearing men and why, why, why do we love them? Amy Argetsinger: Um, yeah, let's name all the incredibly attractive men with hairpieces. Here's the thing: If you know it's a hairpiece, then it's not really attractive. Classmates: : Meryl Streep. I saw her first college dramatic performance in Strindberg's "Miss Julie" -- obvious even then that she had "it." Amy Argetsinger: Wow. That's pretty enviable. re success & etc: I'd rather hang out with y'all then Condi or the AG. Y'all would be a lot more fun. How's Mr. Modhi doing? Inquiring (yet non-stalker-ing) minds want to know. Amy Argetsinger: We've actually had some sightings of Mr. Kalpen Modi reported to us in recent weeks -- out at restaurants with friends -- but at this point, the guy lives here, works here, so we're giving him some space; no real news in him going out unless he's dancing on the tables or making out in the corner or punching someone out at the bar(and you all will let us know if that happens, right? [email protected]) Born same day as IAD opened: How did you feel when the TSA set up shop and started frisking airline passengers? Do you require your guests to remove their shoes? HLSA again: I didn't really know Michelle well at the time, but yes, even then she was a very impressive figure. A stunning, nearly-six-foot tall woman stands out in a crowd, especially in a crowd of Harvard Law wonks. But more than that, she was quite well-known as an activist for the poor and very engaged - and public - about her passion for public interest law. Sarasota, Fla.: The marrying/dating up thing doesn't just apply to women. Ivana Trump married that nobody Italian model. Even my public defender friend married a senior VP/board member of a major company he met while she was picking up some classes at the same university. But my friend is really nice, so he has that going for him. But guess who paid for law school ... Amy Argetsinger: Hey, well, well done, then. Brooklyn, N.Y.: "old and unsuccessful?" How about finding yourself living in a foreign country, unemployed and seeing a former high school classmate on the cover of a cereal box in a super market. Amy Argetsinger: Okay, break this down for us. This is an overseas brand of cereal? Is your classmate famous in the U.S.? Or only famous overseas? (Or is Brooklyn a foreign country to you?) Why don't you just tell us who this is? Re Dulles: But does everyone hate you? Like, they have to deal with you, so they do it begrudgingly and then complain about you to everyone? (Though they'll reluctantly concede that you have ONE nice feature (like the access road), but they still hate you.) Roxanne Roberts: And they don't understand why you insist on using stupid little buses that somehow seem to take FOREVER? Not that they bother me, or anything. Ted Danson = hairpiece: He's been pretty open about it over the years, which is why I even know about it. A fine looking man, with or without hair. Amy Argetsinger: True. But he doesn't wear a rug anymore, does he? Forget Baldwin and Martin: I read that the original request was for Ben Stiller and Robert Downey, Jr. Now that would have been a show! Of course, Ricky Gervais says he will never be asked because they want everything rehearsed and scripted, while he thinks you should just drink a lot and show up. Amy Argetsinger: Or so claims Deadline Hollywood. It would have been good. former high school classmate on the cover of a cereal box in a super market: I thought the missing kids' pictures were on milk cartons. Men marrying up: Larry Fortensky and Liz Taylor. Danny Moder and Julia Roberts. Amy Argetsinger: Yes. It happens. Good toupees: Sean Connery must have worn a hair piece in the Hunt for Red October. He even made that look good. Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, good point. Speaking of hairpieces and Alec Baldwin: His rug looks pretty good. Amy Argetsinger: You talking about that chest rug? Old and unsuccessful: My dad went to high school with Stanley Kubrick. My mother went to high school with Beverly Sills. I went to law school a few years BEFORE President Obama. Beat that, folks! Amy Argetsinger: No, only counts if you were in school with him. Try Swarthmore: Oh, don't get me started. My alumni magazine makes me depressed every time I get it. The accomplishments of people who went to my school are Onion-level things: "Joe won a Nobel Prize in Physics this year, and he also started a nonprofit to feed AIDS orphans, and won the Bloondin Prize for best professor at Harvard." Seriously, at least two of three of those in every class. Sigh. New York, N.Y.: Regarding Brad Sherman at the Scientology DC opening: Brad Sherman said through a rep that he has appeared at events for "over 100" religious groups, and "this does not give me the time to evaluate each of their organizational structures or doctrines because I am also showing up at hundreds of events for nonreligious organizations." But he praised Scientology as a positive force for human rights and religious freedom. That's big praise. Doesn't he have a staff? Besides the France case, there are many civil cases going on in the U.S. right now, and criminal cases are currently going ahead in Belgium and Italy. Is Sherman just gullible, or what? Amy Argetsinger: Just putting it out there... There has indeed been a lot of prominent investigative journalism about Scientology. Star sightings: I have lived in Venice/Santa Monica for three years and I have only seen a handful of stars. This is star-central so I think seeing any celebs in the D.C. area is pretty good. I did serve Pink and her husband once. It wasn't as exciting as my rapidly pumping heart thought it would be when I gave them their menus. They didn't even tip well. Gosh! Amy Argetsinger: Sorry about that! Most accomplished serial relationship-ist: The great Tom Lehrer introduced his song "Alma" thusly: "Last December 13th, there appeared in the newspapers the juiciest, spiciest, raciest obituary that has ever been my pleasure to read. It was that of a lady name Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel who had, in her lifetime, managed to acquire as lovers practically all of the top creative men in central Europe.." Wikipedia says she was a Viennese-born socialite well known in her youth for her beauty and vivacity(1879-1964). Roxanne Roberts: I bet she had moves. Celebrity Sightings, Boston: Hey all -- I had the luck of nearly running into (LITERALLY RUNNING, I WAS RUNNING) into Justin Timberlake last week. They're filming a movie about the founders of Facebook (sounds laaaame), so he and Jesse Eisenberg have been around the area. They've been filming at the Thirsty Scholar, a pub 2 blocks from my house, and in Medford, MA (3 blocks from my sister's house)... apparently Medford is dirt cheap to rent space, so they're trying to make it look like Harvard. (And to explain, I'm training for a marathon and was wearing all black running at night... woops. No one saw me coming and I was distracted by the set and just kept going until I was 5 feel from JT!) ALSO -- Bruce Willis was in my office building a while back filming for the Surrogates, and he's HOT in person. YEAH to bald men. Amy Argetsinger: But... you didn't actually see Timberlake, did you? The local stories I'm seeing say he wasn't involved in the shoot up there; I think his character didn't get involved until after Facebook's Harvard years. Baldwin/Martin: I'm excited about this. Not Daniel Craig level excited, but still. As long as they are allowed to be their quirky selves it could work. Amy Argetsinger: I have high hopes. Old and unsuccessful: The great Tom Lehrer said it best: "It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age he had been dead for two years." Amy Argetsinger: Some of you have been asking about an incident that happened at the Post last week. I'll refer you to Gene Weingarten's very lucid thoughts on the topic. Link to follow. Men Marrying Up...: Barack Obama for one? Sure, he looks like the catch now, but it is clear when they met that she was kind of out of his league. Fellow Swattie!: That chatter is not kidding about the Swarthmore alumni magazine. Sheesh -- those class notes are not to be read on a low self-esteem day. Mr. Modhi: A perfect gentleman. I had the opportunity to meet and photograph him at a professional event last week. He was quite cordial. Amy Argetsinger: Glad to hear it. Mel : All this coverage of Crazy Mel's new baby and his Morticia Adams doppleganger girlfriend has me nostalgic for the days when he was hot. I must've watched "Tequila Sunrise" a billion times. Amy Argetsinger: That movie is something else, huh? Just saw it last year. Star/Starlet: Star, Mandy Moore/Starlett, LiLo Star, Jessica Simpleton/Starlett, Ashlee, I mean, come on, how do you get fired from Melrose place? Roxanne Roberts: Oh, you are far too generous. New York : Grammar school with Sean Combs, High School with "Mikey" from the life cereal commercials and college with Chris O'Donnell. All were in my class(s) at the time. Amy Argetsinger: Oh, that is a trifecta. Well done. But I guess that's what it's like growing up in New York. ARGHHH: Are you saying that the hottie I saw was NOT JT? I did also see Jesse Eisenberg, but was more excited about my supposed JT-sighting. UGHHHHHHHHH. Amy Argetsinger: I could be wrong but... it's sounding like it probably wasn't him. Mark Sanford brush: My sister attended Furman University with (now) governor Mark Sanford. She said he was a schmoozy kind of guy, involved in campus government, but definitely not a womanizer -- she's convinced the affair is an indication of fatigue and possibly mental illness. I think it's interesting that he looks much, much older than her -- the cost of a public life and public scandal. Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, politics ages you. Scandal ages you even more. Cleopatra slept with Caesar and Marc Antony: The gold standard for moves! Roxanne Roberts: And with that thought, ladies and gentlemen, we will have to sign off for today. Send you tips, moves and hairpiece sightings to [email protected]. Same time, next week. E-mail and bookmark Reliable Source Blog. Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.

Washington Post columnists Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts discuss your favorite gossip, recent celebrity sightings and their recent columns.

Alex Wong / Getty Images Senate majority leader Harry Reid speaks at a press conference in Washington on Sept. 26, 2011 Stepping back from the brink, Senate leaders on Monday night struck a deal to avert a government shutdown, passing a measure that will fund the government through mid-November and keep money flowing to the cash-strapped Federal Emergency Management Agency, enabling it to continue providing relief to disaster-stricken regions and sparing the public from another drawn-out budget battle. To everyone’s dismay, but few people’s surprise, Congress had stumbled into yet another showdown that could have partially shuttered the federal government and deprived disaster-wracked regions of federal aid if the Republican-controlled House and Democratic Senate were unable to resist inflicting a disaster of their own making. But FEMA on Monday indicated that it had sufficient cash reserves to sustain itself through the end of the fiscal year, on Friday. The revelation broke an impasse over whether an emergency cash injection to the agency should be offset by spending cuts, as House Republicans insisted, and paved the way for Senate leaders to sidestep the looming crisis. Hours later, in a 79-to-12 vote, the Senate approved a stopgap bill to fund the government through Nov. 18. “It’s a win for everybody,” Democratic leader Harry Reid said. Mitch McConnell, Reid’s Republican counterpart, called the agreement “a reasonable way to keep the government operational.” The deal includes a short-term continuing resolution to fund the government into next week to buy time for the House — whose members are on recess this week — to approve the deal. The lower chamber could elect to pass the shorter-term bill without forcing its members to return to Washington early. After a weekend that yielded no tangible progress, the Senate returned on Monday for a planned cloture vote on a Democratic bill that would apportion enough money for emergency disaster relief without offsetting spending cuts. But it was unclear whether Reid had the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation. A symbolic vote on Reid’s plan failed 54 to 35 on Monday night. In some ways, the crisis wasn’t resolved so much as postponed. The latest round of budget brinkmanship — the third in six months — underscored the depths of congressional dysfunction. It was a low-speed, low-stakes train wreck over how to fund the government for the first seven weeks of the new fiscal year, which starts this weekend. Disaster-relief funding is a nonpartisan topic, and the money at issue was paltry. The money the two sides were squabbling over represents just 0.04 % of the federal budget. The dispute followed a familiar pattern. Late last week, House Republican leaders passed a measure with some $1.5 billion in cuts to green-technology programs. Weary of being steamrolled by Speaker John Boehner and his intransigent Tea Party hard-liners, Senate Democrats balked at the cuts and tabled the House bill in a 59-to-36 vote. The House, apparently satisfied that it had done its part, bolted for a planned break, leaving Reid to try to thread through his competing measure. Moderates in both parties urged compromise on what should have been a relatively simple procedural vote to keep the government running. “It is embarrassing,” Virginia Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, said of the impasse on Sunday. Republican Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, who is likely to back Reid’s bill, said in a statement, “The gridlock and partisanship in Washington right now is disgusting. With economic instability in the United States and around the world, it’s unacceptable for Congress to add more uncertainty to the marketplace by threatening another government shutdown.” He continued, “This latest episode of partisan politics threatens to hold back relief from those who need it most. It’s time for people on both sides to stop bickering and work together on policies that will get our economy going.” On Monday, Democrats blistered Republicans for arguing that disaster relief should be offset by spending cuts — an idea that Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu dubbed the “Cantor doctrine.” On the Senate floor, Democratic majority whip Dick Durbin lamented yet another “cussing match over shutting down the government.” House Republicans argued that their way was fiscally prudent and blamed Democrats for casting doubt over whether cities and states slammed by natural disasters would be afforded the resources to heal themselves. And despite the damage a shutdown could wreak on the already tarnished reputations of both parties, it was hardly a given that it could be averted. After a Tea Party mutiny derailed the House’s first attempt at the bill, Boehner opted to placate his right flank by inserting additional cuts. Meanwhile, Democrats suggested that they viewed the skirmish as a chance to show some spine. Liberals have been itching for a confrontation, President Obama has adopted a tougher tone in recent weeks, and disaster aid is an issue with which the party feels it can paint Republicans as extremists in the throes of a spending-cut spasm that most economists consider damaging to the fragile economy. Amid stubbornly high unemployment and wildly fluctuating financial markets, the saber rattling was in some respects a new nadir for Capitol Hill. The veneer of comity and cooperation ushered in after the debt-ceiling fiasco has vanished — and with it the fleeting hopes that the so-called deficit-reduction supercommittee would seize the moment to forge a bipartisan agreement to put the U.S. on a path toward fiscal sustainability. If Congress descends into hysterics over nonpartisan issues like disaster relief, it’s hard to see how it can tackle contentious topics like tax and entitlement reform. As the latest round of budget brinkmanship shows, Congress has a 12% approval rating for a reason.

Updated: 8:40 p.m. E.T. Stepping back from the brink, Senate leaders on Monday night struck a deal to avert a government shutdown, passing a measure that will fund the government through mid-November and keep money flowing to the cash-strapped Federal Emergency Management Agency, enabling it to ...

Susan Cameron Age: 55 (born Oct. 31, 1958) Hometown: Born in Schenectady, N.Y., raised in Fort Lauderdale Education: University of Florida, BS in business, 1980. Bellamine University, MBA, 1984 Boards: RR Donnelley, Tupperware Happily retired and in full R&R mode, Susan Cameron was the last person anyone imagined would go back to work and lead a colossal acquisition. After seven years at the helm of the second-largest U.S. tobacco company, Reynolds American RAI , Cameron had moved on to a new life, a new husband, and even a new name. (She had been Susan Ivey before taking husband Russell’s surname.) But one day last October she answered her phone and found an old colleague on the line. It was Tom Wajnert, Reynolds’s chairman of the board. “We’re about to go through some interesting times,” Wajnert (pronounced WY-nert) said. “Oh, Tom, I’m having a great time in retirement,” Cameron replied. “Russell and I are traveling, seeing the kids, and we’re fully deployed.” Cameron had quit for good, she thought. But like a smoker who forgoes a healthier life for a short-term fix, she caved in to temptation. After rejoining Reynolds’s board of directors in January, Cameron, 55, returned to the CEO position on May 1. She replaced her successor, Daan Delen, who had spent more than a year trying to buy Lorillard LO , the No. 3 U.S. cigarette manufacturer, and failed to get the job done. In mid-July, 10 weeks after her return, Reynolds announced its plan to buy Lorillard for $27.4 billion. The deal is history-making, and not just for its size: It is the largest acquisition ever led by a female CEO. It’s also an extraordinarily complex transaction: Britain’s British American Tobacco (BAT), which owns 42% of Reynolds, is providing $4.7 billion in financing, and U.K.-based Imperial Tobacco—also led by a female CEO, Alison Cooper—is acquiring three famous Reynolds brands: Winston, Salem, and Kool. The sale of those brands is intended to help get the Lorillard deal approved by antitrust authorities. CAMERON AND NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR PAT MCCRORY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING 200 NEW JOBS TO PRODUCE VUSE E-CIGARETTES.PHOTO: WALT UNKS–AP Sitting in her office in Winston-Salem, N.C. (yes, Reynolds is selling its hometown’s namesake brands to the Brits), Cameron seems nothing like other tobacco bosses. Back in 2001, when she became CEO of Brown & Williamson, BAT’s U.S. division, she was the first woman to lead a major cigarette business; in 2004, when Reynolds and B&W combined, she was tapped to take charge. She’s also nothing like those Big Tobacco CEOs who 20 years ago testified before Congress about the hazards of smoking and came across as chief executive deniers. “Smoking harms people,” says Cameron, articulating the word as she draws on a Vuse, Reynolds’s new electronic cigarette. Today’s tobacco chiefs are more candid about the dangers of the products they sell, but, says Wajnert, “Susan has been more open and aggressive than most people in the industry.” He adds, “We all feel the same way. Cigarettes are deadly. They kill people. But at the same time, it’s a legal product.” Cameron is no fool about her own health. She kicked her habit of smoking conventional cigarettes a decade ago, and then she switched to a Reynolds product called Eclipse, which heats tobacco without burning. Now she is a champion of “vaping”—a term that has not yet made it into Merriam-Webster but means “inhaling with a vaporizer.” It is what people do with those battery-operated e-cigarettes, like Vuse, that heat nicotine-laced liquid into vapor. Without toxic tobacco or tar, they are still addictive and not necessarily safe—conflicting research comes out daily. Yet e-cigarettes have taken the market by storm and already add up to a $2.5 billion industry. As she rolls out Vuse nationally this year, Cameron wants Reynolds to become, she says, “the vaper authority.” If e-cigarettes are “a game changer,” as Cameron says, in the long-declining cigarette industry, why is she doubling down on tobacco by buying Lorillard? “It’s transformational,” the CEO says about the deal. In addition to Newport, Lorillard sells Blu eCigs, currently the No. 1 e-cigarette in U.S. sales. Cameron plans to sell Blu to Imperial in order to clear antitrust scrutiny. But, she contends, the rich cash flow from Newport, America’s top menthol brand, will help Reynolds ramp up in the e-cigarette category and compete more effectively against Marlboro maker Altria, which is moving into the e-cigarette business this year. After Reynolds buys Lorillard, Altria (formerly Philip Morris) will remain the world’s largest cigarette seller, with 52% of U.S. sales. Reynolds’s share will go from 27% to 33% of the $112 billion U.S. market; Imperial’s will rise from 3% to 10%. “For seven years in London, I had no line authority. Influence without line authority is an excellent skill. But it’ even better with authority.” It’s certainly a rare breed of leader who can run a tobacco company and feel good about it. Cameron describes her career choice as “philosophical.” When she graduated from the University of Florida in 1980, she recalls, “I liked cigarettes, alcohol, and cosmetics,” and she wanted a job relating to one of those things. Instead, she got stuck selling office products in Louisville. “I hated it.” There, in Louisville, she had trouble finding her favorite cigarettes, Barclay Menthol, in stores. “I called up the company and said, ‘You need a sales rep, and I would like to work for you.’” A couple of weeks later Brown & Williamson hired her. Cameron was a natural—one of the few women on the B&W sales force. To buddy up to customers, she changed her preppy style of dress, permed her hair, and learned all about basketball, Kentucky’s favorite sport. She rose quickly, moved into brand management, and oversaw the launch of ultraslim Capri cigarettes, and she got an offer to move abroad to work for BAT, the parent company. She jumped at the opportunity and ended up spending nine years in London and Hong Kong. “My dream was to be the global marketing director,” she says. Cameron was living in London, loving her work, and hoping to stay abroad when BAT brass asked her to return home to fix B&W’s portfolio of declining U.S. brands. “I went back to the U.S. in a downward move,” says Cameron, whose globetrotting has bestowed upon her a way of speaking that’s peculiar, particularly in North Carolina. “My pronunciation is in the middle of the Atlantic,” she says, adding that Russell, the former BAT executive she wed in 2009, is a Brit, and with him came three British stepsons. (When Wajnert first met Cameron in 2004, her accent reminded him of “some sort of film star,” he says.) Cameron had no desire to stay in the U.S. or to ever move up to CEO. (This is a stunningly common trait on the Fortune Most Powerful Women list; CEOs Ginni Rometty of IBM IBM and Ellen Kullman of DuPont DD , among others, almost passed on promotions early in their careers, only to be pushed to lean in by their bosses or husbands.) But then BAT asked her to take command of B&W, the U.S. unit, as CEO. She accepted, and to her surprise, she liked being in charge. “For seven years in London, I had no line authority,” she says. “Influence without line authority is an excellent skill. But it’s even better with authority.” Two years later BAT decided to sell its U.S. business to Reynolds, which had spun off from Nabisco, and making Cameron CEO of the combined company was part of the deal. So again she took the promotion, this time with a mandate to improve profits. “Anybody can get the costs out,” says Cameron, who set a bigger goal to transform the business. She replaced the senior team, changed the pay system, and focused the investment. She poured marketing and R&D dollars into Camel, Pall Mall, and Natural American Spirit, while eliminating 700 SKUs, or stock-keeping units (much as Procter & Gamble PG CEO A.G. Lafley is doing as he cleans up his brand pantry). “Moving beyond cigarettes was important,” says Cameron, who bought American Snuff, which makes Grizzly and Kodiak smokeless tobacco. She expanded Camel into snus (smokeless tobacco pouches) and dissolvable tobacco strips and lozenges. Cameron is the only Big Tobacco boss who has bought a nicotine-replacement-therapy company. By the time her seven-year run as CEO ended in 2011, Reynolds’s revenues were flat, at $8.5 billion, but growing brands had replaced losers. And operating profits had nearly doubled. Cameron was feeling pretty good when, in late 2009, she told the Reynolds board she wanted to retire in a year or so. The board looked outside for succession candidates but decided on Daan Delen, an industry veteran who was leading Reynolds’s core tobacco business. Only now do we know that when Cameron passed the baton to him in 2011, she left one big piece of unfinished business: She and the Reynolds board had talked for years about wanting to acquire Lorillard but never got around to acting on it. Murray Kessler, Lorillard’s CEO, recalls Delen coming to him in the fall of 2012 with an approach that was, he says, “very conceptual.” A second visit by another Reynolds executive left Kessler frustrated—the Reynolds team had no clear plan to execute such a deal. Reynolds chairman Wajnert insists that Delen decided on his own to retire, but clearly Wajnert and his fellow directors decided they needed someone who could sell the dream of combining America’s No. 2 and No. 3 tobacco companies. So Wajnert called Cameron. Returning to Reynolds after three years of sleeping eight hours a night and doing Pilates three times weekly was a shock for Cameron. “I was drinking from a fire hose,” she says—living out of suitcases and buying a new house in her few spare hours. With no time to waste, Cameron focused on the Lorillard deal and her mission to persuade Kessler, Lorillard’s chief, to sell his company to Reynolds. “There was a step change,” says Kessler, as soon as Cameron was back in charge. What changed? “Value and certainty,” he says. “The value was different, and the structure was different. For me, it was a much more compelling proposition.” Getting Kessler’s buy-in was only one piece of the acquisition challenge. Cameron also wanted to secure financing from BAT, whose CEO, conveniently, she had known for more than 20 years. She and Nicandro Durante had worked side by side in London, and he says he considered her “the ideal person to navigate through this deal.” Still, to make the deal palatable to antitrust regulators, she had to get Imperial to buy several major brands. “It was tough, tough, tough,” says Kessler, who watched Cameron skillfully unite disparate parties. One weekend in early July, Cameron’s CFO, Tom Adams, was in the office for 14 hours straight, stymied by the difficult negotiations with Imperial, and he emailed the boss at 1:30 a.m. Cameron was in bed with the TV on and her phone’s text-message alert turned up loud. She promptly popped an email to Imperial CEO Alison Cooper as the sun was rising in England. “We’ve got to get this done,” Cameron recalls writing. “We’re quite tough negotiators,” says Cooper, who is No. 2 on Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She talked with Cameron a half-dozen or so times en route to a $7.1 billion purchase, and says she found Cameron always “focused” and “constructive.” IMPERIAL TOBACCO CEO ALISON COOPERPHOTO: CHRIS RATCLIFFE—GETTY IMAGES So Cameron’s and Cooper’s companies will be facing off on several fronts—Newport vs. Kool, Camel vs. Winston, Vuse vs. Blu—if regulators approve the deal for Reynolds to buy Lorillard. Getting this intricate transaction through Federal Trade Commission scrutiny figures to be more difficult than the Reynolds-B&W deal 10 years ago. That combination involved two weak players with declining brands in a market with declining cigarette prices. By contrast, Reynolds and Lorillard are two strong companies with growing brands in an environment of rising cigarette prices. And even though Altria will remain No. 1 with Marlboro, buying Lorillard would make Reynolds the owner of two of America’s three top premium cigarette brands. And those two brands, Camel and Newport, are particularly popular among twentysomethings. Cameron is hoping to get a regulatory greenlight on the deal by mid-2015. But she’s already devising her new plan for Reynolds to transform the industry. She wants to invest aggressively in products “that have the potential to reduce harm,” she says. Since she doesn’t know if e-cigarettes are harmless (and the extent of FDA regulation is so far unclear), she says Reynolds will not behave like the category’s upstarts—she won’t sell bubblegum- and fruit-flavored Vuse products that might attract kids. “There is no upside in selling anything to consumers under age 18,” she says. What about pot? Is she tempted to experiment in the burgeoning marijuana market? “Smoking pot,” she says, “is potentially worse than smoking tobacco.” Really? “Yes, it’s dreadful. You’re combusting marijuana leaves.” (She smoked pot, she admits, but hasn’t in 35 years. “I did inhale.”) But she is open to opportunities. “If marijuana becomes legal on a national basis, we’d evaluate it.” Being open to opportunities is something that has worked well for Cameron throughout her rollicking career. Upon her return to Reynolds in May, she signed a contract for two years, at an annual salary of $1.3 million—plus a bonus tied to her finding a successor—but she’s willing to stay three years if the board needs her. “Obviously, I want to complete the transaction,” she says, meaning that she will make sure that Reynolds and Lorillard are fully integrated. “My husband calls this a detour on our way to our retirement,” she says, no doubt hoping that he is as adaptable as she is. This story is from the October 6, 2014 issue of Fortune.

The Reynolds CEO came out of retirement to lead the largest acquisition ever by a woman. Now she's betting on cigarettes without tobacco.

By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY Gatorade said Friday it was ending its sponsorship relationship with embattled golf star . That makes Gatorade the third sponsor to drop Woods since revelations of his marital infidelity. The others: "We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship," Gatorade spokeswoman Jennifer Schmit said in a statement. "However, our partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation will continue. We wish him all the best." Gatorade previously discontinued its Gatorade Tiger Focus sports drink. The company said at the time the decision had nothing to do with the sex scandal swirling around Woods. Sponsors have moved unusually fast to distance themselves from the former endorsement king of Madison Avenue since Woods crashed his SUV in the wee hours of Nov. 27 setting off a media frenzy involving his admissions involving extramarital affairs. Accenture was the first to drop Woods on Dec. 13, stating he was no longer the "right representative" for the company. AT&T followed suit on New Year's Eve saying it will remove its corporate logo from his golf bag if and when he returns to competition. Other sponsors such as Nike, EA Sports, Upper Deck, NetJets, TLC Vision and the planned Tiger Woods resort in Dubai have stood by him. Procter & Gamble's Gillette and Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer have played it safe by putting image on ice in their ad campaigns. Most of Woods' remaining corporate sponsors seem to be laying low until he emerges from rehabilitation and rejoins the PGA Tour. Not a single sponsor has run a prime-time commercial starring Woods since Nov. 29, according to Aaron Lewis of Nielsen. "Our advertising strategy with Tiger really hasn't changed. When he returns to competitive play and starts winning tournaments again, we will run advertisements touting new products featuring Tiger and some of his significant victories," says Upper Deck spokesman Terry Melia. "If he is not playing, we won't." CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell tweeted Friday that Gillette would be the "odds-on favorite" to drop Woods next followed by Tag Heuer. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference.

Gatorade said Friday it was ending its sponsorship relationship with embattled golf star Tiger Woods. That makes Gatorade the third sponsor to drop Woods since since revelations of his marital infidelity. The others: Accenture and AT&T.

NEW YORK — Re-electrifying a show in its dying days, ballet sensation Misty Copeland brings considerable charisma and elegant physicality to her Broadway debut as a gamine beauty queen in the 1944 musical “On the Town.” As you might expect of a theater novice, Copeland’s acting abilities conform to only a narrow range of accomplishment, oscillating between charm and vivacity. And judging from the few bars she’s called on to sing in one number, “Do Do Re Do,” the voice is most assuredly still a work in progress. Peter Marks joined the Washington Post as its chief theater critic in 2002. Prior to that he worked for nine years at the New York Times, on the culture, metropolitan and national desks, and spent about four years as its off-Broadway drama critic. But as for the real skill that landed her for a fortnight on the stage of the Lyric Theatre on West 42nd Street, well, on that count we’re in far more scintillating territory. Dancing up a gymnastic storm in the first-act number introducing her as the New York City subway system’s “Miss Turnstiles,” and executing a sultry pas-de-deux in Act 2 with the evening’s romantic lead, Tony Yazbeck, Copeland merges her technique seamlessly with Leonard Bernstein’s stylishly jazzy music. Her radiant appeal is a match for a musical, with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, that’s all about the vitality of a city and the young people who make sure it never sleeps. This richly melodic if overly manic revival of “On the Town,” directed by John Rando and choreographed, lusciously, by Joshua Bergasse, had its official opening on Broadway in October in the 1,900-seat Lyric — a house that has proven to be far too big for it — and has been struggling to find an audience ever since. (Its producers have been a patient lot.) Copeland, whose recent promotion to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre makes her the first African American woman to achieve that distinction, signed on to replace the New York City Ballet’s Megan Fairchild as Ivy Smith, the Miss Turnstiles who is pursued by a sailor on a one-day shore leave with two of his buddies. As it turns out, her participation will be short-lived, as “On the Town” has announced that it will close Sept. 6. It’s too bad the dancer won’t have time to explore more deeply the matrix of elements that go into inhabiting a character in musical theater. The Lyric audience was more than happy to be in her presence, and you suspect that more ticketbuyers would line up to see her; the occupancy rate in the auditorium Tuesday night was far higher than when I saw the production last fall. Copeland could put the additional experience to good use, because her portrayal at this point exhibits some of the limitations shared by other ballet stars who have taken to theater stages. In the work of Copeland, like that of Fairchild in “On the Town” and Tiler Peck in the Kennedy Center’s world premiere of “Little Dancer” last year, you tend to get a sustained projection of one emotion, rather than a more textured embodiment of a human. (These dancer-actresses seem to wear sunny stage personas as a kind of self-protection.) This, for all I know, has to do with the rigors of ballet training and an ingraining emphasis on other aspects of performance. One ballet star who has managed of late to more successfully balance the technical and emotional demands of musical theater is Robert Fairchild, Tiler’s husband and Megan’s brother. In “An American in Paris,” currently at the Palace Theatre, he creates a suave character who moves with athletic grace, but also conveys a winning measure of vulnerability. Let’s hope Copeland ventures into this new terrain again. An enthusiastic cheering section is primed for it to happen. Music by Leonard Bernstein, book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Directed by John Rando. Choreography, Joshua Bergasse; sets and projections, Beowulf Boritt; costumes, Jess Goldstein; music direction, James Moore; sound, Kai Harada. With Alysha Umphress, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Clyde Alves and Elizabeth Stanley. Through Sept. 6 at Lyric Theatre, 213 W. 42nd St. Call 877-250-2929 or visit ticketmaster.com.

Of course, the dancing is terrific, but the singing? A work in progress.

The four-month manhunt for one of the most wanted men in the world ended Friday in gunfire and explosions as police captured the sole surviving suspect involved in the Paris terror attacks. Islamic extremist Salah Abdeslam was shot in the leg and caught alive during a harrowing police raid in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek, officials said. As the dramatic capture unfolded, helmeted police with riot shields cordoned off the area, and two explosions were heard. EVIDENCE OF PARIS ATTACK SUSPECT FOUND IN RAIDED APARTMENT A spokesman for the Belgium federal prosecutor’s office said three members of a family that sheltered Abdeslam were also detained and other arrests could follow. “This evening is a huge success in the battle against terrorism,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said at a news conference with President François Hollande of France, saying the arrest was the product of a joint operation. RIFLE-WIELDING SUSPECT KILLED IN BELGIAN RAID WAS ALGERIAN Hollande said France will seek the extradition of Abdeslam and believes Belgium will respond quickly. Video from Belgian network VTM showed heavily armed police picking a man wearing a white hoodie off the ground and dragging him into an unmarked car. It was unclear whether it is Abdeslam. Abdeslam, who was not armed, did not surrender and was shot in the leg, federal prosecutors said. The 26-year-old was a childhood friend of the suspected ringleader of the ISIS-orchestrated Nov. 13 massacre in the French capital, in which heavily armed attackers targeted cafes, a concert and a soccer stadium — killing 130 people. The Belgian-born French citizen is suspected of helping plan the attack, buying detonators, and driving a car carrying a group of gunmen who took part in the attack. After the bloodbath, Abdeslam shed his suicide vest and fled. He slipped through a police dragnet to return to Brussels and eluded capture for months, despite being the target of an international manhunt. Most of the attackers died in Paris, including Abdeslam’s brother Brahim, who blew himself up. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the group’s suspected leader, was killed in an intense pre-dawn gun battle with French police five days after the carnage. Dozens of people in Brussels have been arrested in connection to terrorist activities since the attack, according to the federal prosecutor’s office. Belgian authorities found Abdeslam’s fingerprints in an apartment raided earlier this week. During a shootout with police at that site, one of the fugitive’s suspected accomplices, Mohamed Belkaid, was killed, Belgian prosecutors said. But two men escaped from the apartment, one of whom appears to have been Abdeslam. President Obama congratulated the leaders of Belgium and France for the arrest, in phone calls with both men, the White House said in a statement. French and Belgian authorities said Friday that “there will be more arrests in the future” to combat European terrorism linked to ISIS in Syria. One person was killed during Tuesday's raid in anothe apartment in Brussels, where they later found fingerprints and DNA belonging to Salah Abdeslam. “We are dealing with extensive networks in several countries,” Hollande said.

“Europe’s most wanted man” Salah Abdeslam was captured in a raid outside of Brussels.

Ryan Palmer can't imagine the emotions if he were to win The Barclays a week after his father died. Bae Sang-moon would love nothing more than to play in the Presidents Cup at home in South Korea before he starts his mandatory military service. Jason Day is one round away from being in the race for No. 1 in the world. The FedEx Cup playoffs suddenly are about a lot more than a $10 million bonus at the end. Bae and Day traded birdies through the third round Saturday at Plainfield Country Club. Their best-ball score would have been 56. On their own, each had a 7-under 63 and were tied for the lead going at 11-under 199, one shot ahead of Bubba Watson (67). Bae has to start his two-year military stint when he returns to South Korea. With a victory on Sunday, he would be assured a spot on the International team for the Presidents Cup, which is being held in his home country for the first time and will be the biggest golf event in South Korea. "I have a really tough situation right now, but I don't think about it anymore, actually," he said. "I have to go back. So that is a few weeks later. So I just want to play good golf this week and really want to play Presidents Cup in my country." The emotion comes from Palmer, who hasn't had a top 10 in the last three months. He is playing a week after his 71-year-old father died just north of Amarillo, Texas, when his SUV overturned. Palmer has found peaceful moments on the golf course, and while dropping two shots late in his round Saturday, he had a 65 and was two shots behind. At times, Palmer caught himself wondering what it would mean to win with a family grieving at home. "But then I just kind of come back saying, `OK, let's just hit this shot, let's not get too ahead of ourselves yet.' I don't know what it's going to be like if it happens," Palmer said after a 65. "I can't put into words what it would mean for sure." Day, just like he did on the par 5s at Whistling Straits when he won his first major two weeks ago, cracked a 343-yard drive down the middle on the 601-yard 16th hole, and then hit a 4-iron to 18 feet and holed it for eagle to tie for the lead. Day and Bae made bogey from the rough on the 17th, and both got up-and-down for birdie on the reachable 18th. A victory by the 27-year-old Australian would be his fourth win of the year, tying him with Jordan Spieth for most on the PGA Tour this year, and allow him to join the race for No. 1 going into the final month of the tour season. Spieth, who missed the cut, will lose the No. 1 spot to Rory McIlroy. "I'm shooting for my fourth win of the season, so I can't really get ahead of myself," Day said. "I've just got to not be satisfied with the score that I'm at. I've just got to keep pushing, because the moment that you're satisfied with a score is the moment that you mentally kind of take a break and you start making mistakes." Still, Bae might have the most at stake. He had been able to avoid his mandatory military service through his PGA Tour career until it was determined that he spent too much time in South Korea last year. He appealed the decision at the start of the year, and the military courts ruled a month ago that he had to serve. Bae accepted the decision, though he remains in America to finish out the FedEx Cup. It was not clear when the military service starts, or if he could even play Oct. 8-11 in the Presidents Cup. And if Bae gets to the Tour Championship and captures the FedEx Cup, the $10 million might be a secondary award. Bae also would receive a five-year exemption, which would come in handy when he returns from the military. The FedEx Cup trophy is a long way off. So is the trophy for The Barclays. British Open champion Zach Johnson and Henrik Stenson each had 67 and joined Palmer at 9-under 201. Former PGA champion Jason Dufner had a 69 and was four shots behind. Ten players were separated by five shots going into the final round. Palmer can only hope for the same soothing feeling golf has given him this week. The problems he has had driving the ball seem to have gone away. So has the irritation from hitting bad shots. Golf has been a refuge this week. His caddie, James Edmondson, also was close to Palmer's father. Edmondson and Palmer's agent, Mike Chisum, were with him in Amarillo and all week in New Jersey. "Them being here this week has been huge for me to just kind of keep my mind off of it," Palmer said. "When I get inside the ropes, I get those four hours to not thin a whole lot about it and really try to play golf with some peace and comfort."

Bae Sang-moon is making the most of his final weeks before he starts mandatory military service in South Korea.

(CNN) -- We all know the Schoolhouse Rock song about how a bill becomes a law. You know, "I'm just a bill, yes, I'm only a bill, and I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill"? If Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell, can come up with a deal Tuesday to end this governmental gridlock, a number of things will have to happen in fast forward to beat the Thursday deadline to lift the debt ceiling. 1. The Senate has to pass a bill -- quickly Conservatives might oppose it -- and another filibuster-type stall tactic could drag the process on for days. Sixty ayes are needed to end floor debate. 2. The House has to pass the same bill No matter what the Senate agrees to, the House also must agree for this to get to the finish line. It's not at all clear that conservatives in the House will sign onto a proposal they dislike. Some still want to pass a bill with major changes to Obamacare, not merely the minor ones reportedly included in the Senate plan under discussion, and many are committed to spending reforms and are looking for a long-term deal to lock in those changes. "One thing we don't want to see is another patch where in a couple weeks later we're in the same spot again," Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, said Tuesday on CNN's "New Day." "The President will have to agree to sit at the table and start negotiating on the long-term issues," he said. "We've been saying this for two weeks. We're ready to do it." It's possible that a compromise bill could pass with a coalition of moderate Republicans and the House's Democratic minority, which has happened before on compromise deals on the so-called "fiscal cliff" tax increases and spending cuts and emergency aid to Superstorm Sandy victims. But House Speaker John Boehner would have to allow a vote first. He's under intense pressure from the right not to make concessions to Democrats. And while he has said he will not allow the nation to default on its debts, it's less clear he would sidestep his party's more conservative wing to bring a shutdown-ending deal to a floor vote. Finally, if we do have a vote, we could see the House and Senate batting amendments back and forth, much as they did before the shutdown, and that could push approval of the legislation past the debt ceiling deadline. For Senate leaders, bitter history morphs into working relationship on deal 3. The President has to sign it Once the chambers sign off, whenever that might happen, there's still that other question: Will President Obama accept the concessions made by both sides? Yeah, they didn't teach you this verse in the "'I'm just a bill" song. Obama has signaled that he is willing to accept a short-term debt-ceiling deal and to negotiate on issues important to Republicans, but not without an agreement to reopen the government. But before it gets to that, Tuesday will bring: As if there have not been enough meetings or rumors of meetings or postponed meetings, Tuesday will start off with, you guessed it: more meetings. House parties will meet first, followed by lunch meetings by Senate parties. A good clue on early progress will come first from House Republicans. They should be the first to get in front of cameras. The President is expected to pop up on several local TV stations Tuesday, no doubt with markets in key congressional districts. Also, there's a midday White House media briefing that may give hints on how Obama feels about developments. If both parties get close to a deal, expect the White House to give definitive word on whether or not the President would sign off on it. Whatever happens Tuesday, expect the markets to react. Economists say the closer we get to the debt ceiling deadline, the more this uncertainty can affect the markets. Early reports indicate that the Asian markets are responding positively to the news of progress. But domestic banks are reportedly coming up with contingency plans in case Congress goes past the deadline. Any news Tuesday is bound to change things. CNN's Steve Almasy contributed to this report.

Shutdown showdown: If there's a deal, what next?

Welcome back to The Bachelorette, where Desiree Hartsock has narrowed the field of suitor-contestants from 25 to three. Drew, Brooks and Chris are still in the running to be America’s Next Top Bachelor and, perhaps, Des’ future fiancé. But before we can watch a young man propose to a woman he barely knows — because he signed up for a reality show on a drunken whim (guessing!) — we must first survive the gauntlet known as The Men Tell All. Tonight, we will see the Jilted Lover, the Confronted Cheater, the Scorned Single Father — and more of the various species that populate The Bachelorette. There will be tears, jeers and protestations of guilt and innocence, but mostly there will be a lot of sighing and watch-checking, because this is a two hour show with 20 minutes of content. We watched, so you could watch Royal Baby news. Here’s what happened when The Men Tell All: The Creepiest: Chris Harrison and Des decided to crash a Bachelorett-viewing party, but instead of knocking on the door, they lurk outside and stare in the windows. Least Realistic: Chris and Des crash two more parties. None of which involve people watching the show alone in the dark, pants-less, eating Pringles with one hand and drinking merlot with the other. Which, I assume, is how the majority of Americans in my living room watch this show. (MORE: The Bachelorette Watch: Hometown Dates) Most Proven Results: To continue their party-crashing, Chris (the host, not the contestant) and Des head to New York City to prove to viewers that this show’s meat grinder-like process has a track record of occasionally ending up in marriages. They meet up with all three couples that have emerged from the show’s many, many, many seasons. First, they meet Ashley and JP; then Jason and Molly from Season Three, with their new baby; and, finally, Trista (without Ryan in sight) from way back in Season One. Worst Advice: Former Bachelorettes Emily Maynard and Ali Fedotowsky return to the show that made them (in)famous to give Des some tips for surviving the dreaded Men Tell All firing line. Don’t listen to them Des: one chose Jef and the other dumped Roberto. Biggest Duh Moment: Federal prosecutor Michael tells the gathered audience that the men actually get along great, and for some reason the cameras focused on the conflicts. Most Impressive: James is able to laugh off an entire clip reel featuring him getting slammed by pretty much everyone in the house for five minutes straight. Probably safest to assume he’s drunk. Truest Line: Jonathan – who you may remember as the clearly drunk dude who kept trying to take Des to the Fantasy Suite during the first episode – thanked the audience for not booing him. And Michael zinged, “They didn’t remember you.” Least Shocking Moment: Strangely, Bryan – who was ousted from the show when it turned out that he had a secret girlfriend at home – didn’t show up to get yelled at on national television some more. First in the Hot Seat: Ben, the single dad who trotted his adorable son out of the limo and immediately made everyone hate him. He rightly gets booed. The Men Tell All Milestone Reached #1: Ben is the first to remind us that he wasn’t on the show to make friends. The Men Tell All Milestone Reached #2: Brandon told Ben that he didn’t belong on the show because he wasn’t there for the right reasons. Biggest Reveal: Ben’s baby mama approached one of the other contestants in Vegas (where all 100 percent completely legitimate things happen) and told him that Ben was a terrible father who cheated on his girlfriend. Ben denied it all, though. Most Impressive Camera Work: While sitting in the hot seat, professing his attempted love of Des and defending his actions on the show, James claims he was being “prosecuted” — and the camera never cut to Michael. Most Tedious Exchange: With James on the hot seat, the conversation naturally turned to his ouster in a heated and monotonous exchange between Kasey, Mikey and James. Here’s the recap: Blah-blah integrity, blah-blah character, blah-blah eyebrow waxing, blah-blah right reasons, blah-blah sincerity, blah-blah The Bachelor. It went on for approximately ten hours with Emily Maynard even breaking ranks to tweet about how incredibly long the argument went on. Hottest Hot Seat: The Venezuelan soccer player Juan Pablo took the title of Fan Favorite despite rarely being on camera. The audience is also stacked with women wearing “I HEART JUAN PABLO” shirts. Should we start our campaign now to make Juan Pablo the next Bachelor? Worst Use Of Bronzer: Zak was spray-tanned to one degree shy of Oompa Loompa, setting off his white teeth to the point that Chris Harrison almost had to put on sunglasses to interview him. If you’ve seen that episode of Friends where Ross gets his teeth whitened you will have a general idea of the effect. (MORE: When Worlds Collide: 10 Classic TV Crossovers) Weirdest Keepsake: Zak wrote Des a poem in invisible ink. Biggest Missed Opportunity: Chris gets Zak in the hot seat and fails to ask him some pressing questions: What is a drilling-fluid engineer? And what does it have to do with sno-cones? Best Roll: Des called Jonathan a disgrace to all men and no one called her out for unnecessary roughness. Then Jonathan apologized for starting her journey off on the wrong foot. Des then called out Ben for his arrogance. And he apologized. Then she accused James of manipulating her. And he apologized (sort of). Most Awkward Moment: Zak announces that he wrote a song and Des blurts, “Oh no!” and then has to sit there awkwardly as he sings a mournful tune about moving on while surrounded by candles. Several women in the audience tear up. Which is embarrassing for everyone involved. Truest Statement: Des said that Zak has “always been a positive light.” She’s talking about his teeth, right? Best Reason To Come Back Next Week: The most dramatic finale in Bachelorette history, a line even Chris Harrison couldn’t say with a straight face, while swearing it to be true …this time. For real. He really means it. Stop laughing. MORE: Emmys 2013: The Complete List of Nominees MORE: The Best TV Shows of 2013 (So Far)

We watched because we had to

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is following her daughter’s lead in criticizing Obama’s invitation to a Texas teen detained for bringing a kit clock to school. A homemade clock crafted by 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed looked nothing like a clock, the one-time vice president candidate said on Facebook sharing a photo of its jumbled parts. “That’s a clock, and I’m the queen of England,” Palin wrote Saturday. While a world of scientists and engineers rallied around the MacArthur High School student, Palin dismissed the Irving teenager as only “an evidently obstinate-answering student” who deserved to be arrested by authorities — unlike kids who accidently bring squirt guns to school or leave ammo in their vehicles after hunting. "Kids humiliated and intimidated for innocent actions like those real examples are often marked the rest of their lives and made to feel really rotten," she wrote. Formal charges were not filed against Mohamed after teachers called police upon seeing Mohamed’s DIY clock. The clock “obviously could be seen by conscientious teachers as a dangerous wired-up bomb-looking contraption,” Palin wrote. She compared an image of Mohamed’s hard case pencil box stuffed with tangled clock parts to a pile of pencil pouches and said the two looked nothing alike. Palin’s rant follows Bristol Palin’s own blog post Friday recommending Obama stay clear of Mohamed’s ordeal to avoid stirring up “racial strife.” Bristol’s mom then accused Obama of playing the “cool savior” card by chiming in to Twitter to invite the teen to the White House. "Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House?" Obama tweeted Wednesday. "We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great." “President Obama's practice of jumping in cases prematurely to interject himself as the cool savior, wanting so badly to attach himself to the issue-of-the-day, got old years ago,” Palin added. Mohamed accepted Obama’s invitation and plans to visit the White House in October.

Ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is following her daughter’s lead in criticizing Obama’s White House invitation to a Texas teen.

Michael Turner Strikes Deal in DUI Case ... Avoids Jail struck a pretty sweet deal in his DUI case -- and if he stays out of trouble, he won't have to spend a single minute behind bars ... TMZ has learned. We broke the story ... the former in Georgia hours after a Monday Night Football game back in September. Now, we've learned ... he hammered out a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to plead guilty to reckless driving and speeding ... and in exchange, the DUI was dropped. Turner was sentenced to 1 year probation and 30 days of community service. He was also ordered to complete a risk reduction program and submit to random drug testing. Turner's rep, Michael Goldman, tells TMZ, "Michael is glad we can finally put this matter behind us. He's also very excited for the next chapter of his football career and remaining a pillar in his community."

NFL running back Michael Turner struck a pretty sweet deal in his DUI case -- and if he stays out of trouble, he won't have to spend a single minute…

June 18, 2014: Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden, left, talks with wide receiver DeSean Jackson, right, during NFL football minicamp in Ashburn, Va. (AP)The Associated Press FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2012, file photo, Washington Redskins punter Sav Rocca carries a football in his helmet before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Landover, Md. The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday, June 18, 2014, that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled. The ruling comes after a campaign to change the name has gained momentum over the past year. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)The Associated Press FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2012, file photo, the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals face off during the first half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md. The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday, June 18, 2014, that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled. The ruling comes after a campaign to change the name has gained momentum over the past year. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)The Associated Press FILE - In this June 17, 2014, file photo, Washington Redskins helmets sit on the field during an NFL football minicamp in Ashburn, Va. The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday, June 18, 2014, that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled. The ruling comes after a campaign to change the name has gained momentum over the past year. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)The Associated Press Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III speaks with the media after NFL football minicamp, Wednesday, June 18, 2014, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)The Associated Press WASHINGTON – From an immediate, practical viewpoint, the ruling by a trademark board that the Washington Redskins have a "disparaging" nickname doesn't mean much. The team doesn't have to change a thing, and the matter will likely be tied up in courts for years. From an emotional, intangible standpoint, however, the decision issued Wednesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is another boost for those who have been advocating change, increasing the financial and political pressure for a movement that has gained significant momentum over the last year and a half. "I am a huge fan of the Washington football team, and I am also a huge fan of changing the name of the Washington football team," D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray said. "This is yet another step in that direction." By a 2-1 vote, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board sided with five Native Americans in a dispute that has been working its way through legal channels for more than two decades. It's a cascade in what has become a steady, almost daily, stream of developments that have called the name into question, with political, religious and sports figures -- including President Barack Obama -- weighing in on the topic. "Even though it doesn't have a practical effect right now for the team, the timing is right in the middle of when this tide of different players and Senators and people are talking about it," said Brad Newberg, a copyright law expert in Virginia. "It's probably not the best timing from the team's perspective." The Redskins quickly announced they will appeal, and the team's name will continue to have trademark protection while the matter makes its way through the courts. A similar ruling by the board in 1999 was overturned on a technicality in 2003. "We've seen this story before," Redskins attorney Bob Raskopf said. "And just like last time, today's ruling will have no effect at all on the team's ownership of and right to use the Redskins name and logo. We are confident we will prevail once again." Raskopf also cited polls and anecdotal evidence that suggest most Native Americans support the name. Team owner Dan Snyder has long argued that the name is used with respect and honor, and is a source of pride among many American Indians. "There's no momentum in the place that momentum matters," Raskopf said. "And that's in Native America." The ruling involves six uses of the Redskins name trademarked by the team from 1967 to 1990. It does not apply to the team's American Indian head logo. If it stands, the team still will be free to use the name, but it will be more difficult for the team to go after others who print the Redskins name on sweatshirts, jerseys or other gear without permission. "Joe in Peoria is going to have a pretty good argument that he could put the `Redskins' name on some T-shirt," Newberg said. Newberg estimated that the ruling, if upheld, could cost the team tens of millions of dollars per year. Forbes magazine puts the value of the Redskins franchise at $1.7 billion and says $145 million of that is attributable to the team's brand. The board exercised its authority under a section of the Trademark Act of 1946 that disallows trademarks that may disparage others or bring them into contempt or disrepute. Over the years, the courts have rejected arguments that the First Amendment guarantees the right to register any name as a trademark. In reaching its decision, the board drew on the testimony of three experts in linguistics and lexicography, and combed through old dictionaries, books, newspapers, magazines and even vintage movie quotes to examine the history of "redskin," looking specifically at whether it was considered disparaging at the time the trademarks were issued. Earlier this year, the agency rejected trademark requests for "Redskins Hog Rinds" and "Washington Redskin Potatoes." It also turned down an Asian-American rock band called The Slants and the Jewish humor magazine Heeb. Courts overturned the board's 1999 ruling in part because the plaintiffs waited too long to voice their objections after the original trademarks were issued. The case was relaunched in 2006 by a younger group of Native Americans who only recently became adults and would not have been able to file a case earlier. Until recently, the trademark case often stood alone in the campaign to draw attention to the issue. Now it's just part of an ongoing narrative. On Saturday, a major sector of the United Church of Christ voted to urge its 40,000 members to boycott the Redskins. On Capitol Hill, half the Senate recently wrote letters to the NFL urging a change because "racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports." Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman spoke out against the name in the context of the NBA's decision to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life for making racial comments. Obama said last year that he would think about changing the name if he owned the team. Mayor Gray suggested Wednesday that the name will almost certainly have to change if the team ever wants to build a new stadium in the city. Snyder, who has vowed repeatedly never to abandon the name, declined to comment as he walked off the field after a practice Wednesday. He recently created a foundation to give financial support to American Indian tribes, but that failed to mollify his critics. "If the most basic sense of morality, decency and civility has not yet convinced the Washington team and the NFL to stop using this hateful slur, then hopefully today's patent ruling will, if only because it imperils the ability of the team's billionaire owner to keep profiting off the denigration and dehumanization of Native Americans," Oneida Indian representative Ray Halbritter and National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Pata, two of the leading voices in the campaign to change the name, said in a statement.

From an immediate, practical viewpoint, the ruling by a trademark board that the Washington Redskins have a disparaging nickname doesn't mean much.

Whether at Detroit, Delhi, Chicago or Toronto, the 2014 motor show season has served up its share of delectable designs. Call it all a prelude, however, to the Geneva motor show, the industry’s traditional platform for flexing its most outré styling instincts. Geneva is where tiny hypercar companies trot out their latest unobtanium, boutique design consultancies drum up commissions and major carmakers try to prove they’re not lumbering leviathans, but rather hotbeds of imagination. Herewith, a catalogue of some of the metal making its way to Geneva, where press previews take place on 3 and 4 March. (Photo: Jaguar Land Rover)

An early look at some of the metal making its way to Switzerland next month.

Blind, a stunning Norwegian film about complete loss of vision, immediately cottons on to its rich paradox of subject and medium. How do you visualise not seeing? Ingrid, the character played by the pale, ghostly and beautiful Ellen Dorrit Petersen, has been suddenly afflicted in adulthood, and is too stricken with fear to step outside her sparsely furnished flat. What she can remember is the experience of knowing the world visually. And she has an imagination that runs riot, even before we discover that she’s a writer, given to flights of fancy which the film brings into gradual, ticklish focus. For starters, she’s often unsure if her husband, Morten (Henrik Rafaelson) is present or not – hiding silently in her proximity or sneaking around. The insecurities of any newly blind person, her susceptibility to being tricked, ignored, injured by everyday objects or even cheated on by a spouse, are the key themes in this radically first-person view of being not-sighted. Eskil Vogt makes his feature debut here, and even outdoes his ingenious work as a screenwriter on Reprise (2006) and Oslo, August 31st (2011), where he was something like Charlie Kaufman to Joachim Trier’s Spike Jonze. He has that Kaufman knack of dreaming up conceits that are witty and unsettling at once, playful and profound. The images in his film, coolly shot by Dogtooth's Thimios Bakatakis and outstandingly edited, are unstable, unreliable, and shift without warning – not just images, in fact, but whole characters. A Swedish single mother called Elin, played with moving confusion by Vera Vitali, and her sad, porn-obsessed neighbour (Marius Kolbenstvedt) certainly seem like autonomous people, at least until Elin finds herself in the grip of sudden, inexplicable blackouts which feel like Ingrid’s malicious doing. We have no idea, at this point, how she’s pulling the strings, or why. Ingrid's husband and Elin initiate an online chat, or rather, Ingrid imagines that they do. We realise that the main couple’s childlessness is a factor. Is this why Elin has a son? Or is it a daughter? The film literally changes its mind, oscillating between the possibilities. Ingrid is clearly grappling with a fear of being left without family, but also the daunting responsibility of being a blind parent. She sends Elin, her very possible figment, out into the world, to be ridiculous on her behalf, with badly applied make-up and grotesque combinations of party frocks, and to suffer humiliations at the hands of men. Vogt gives us a brilliantly slippery handle on the rules of this rather twisted game, but also makes it real, in that it’s coming from a place of authentic terror, anxiety and loneliness in Ingrid’s head. Intellectually exciting though his film’s gambits are, they feel like acts of tremendous imaginative empathy – lightbulbs in the dark.

This twisty Norwegian thriller about a newly blind woman is an enthralling exercise in imaginative empathy

For eight years, Parks, a working-class woman, toiled at the Stockton Sewing Co. in Michigan, making dishrags, for low wages. But on March 1, 1965, she abruptly quit to join U.S. Rep. John Conyers' staff in Detroit. The voting rights movement in the South, led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., coupled with the assassination of Malcolm X that February, had re-energized her appetite for direct political action. On Sunday, March 7, Parks was at home in Detroit watching the ABC television premiere of "Judgment at Nuremberg" when the broadcast was suddenly interrupted by a news flash from Selma, Alabama. A peaceful throng of voting rights activists had marched onto the steel-arched Edmund Pettus Bridge that spanned the Alabama River, only to be brutally assaulted by police and Alabama state troopers, most of them wearing gas masks. Before being arrested and beaten these protesters had been headed to the state capital in Montgomery, a distance of 54 miles, to demand federal protection of blacks' right to vote. That Sunday afternoon, 25-year-old John Lewis, then chairman of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and today a U.S. congressman from Georgia's 5th District, had been tear-gassed and billy clubbed as he tried to cross the bridge. The sight of him being beaten sickened Parks. Troopers attack during the first Selma march on March 7, 1965. John Lewis, in the foreground, was among those beaten. Lewis had emerged as the bravest and youngest of the major civil rights leaders of the Kennedy-Johnson era, even speaking at the March on Washington in 1963. As a Freedom Rider in the South, he was arrested 24 times, and proud of it. Therefore on March 9, to protest "Bloody Sunday," as the incident became known, Parks walked down Detroit's wide Woodward Avenue in full solidarity with Brother Lewis and the others arrested in Selma. "The Edmund Pettus Bridge for me was wrought in symbolism," Parks recalled years later. "The photos taken that day made me think of the bridge as a battlefield, like at Lexington and Concord. It was the start of a turning point." So when King -- who had been in Atlanta for "Bloody Sunday" -- telegrammed Parks about returning to Alabama to take part in a third mass march from Selma to Montgomery, her immediate answer was "Why, of course." Once back in Montgomery in late March at King's request, Parks looked around to see what had changed since the '50s. "One of the first things I did was look at the buses," she told me in 1997. "And yes -- they were integrated. ... That felt good." On March 25, Parks, the "Mother of the Movement," spoke eloquently in Montgomery though her soft voice was barely audible over the crackling speakers. Per usual, King stole the show that day with a rousing piece of oratory. "We are on the move," the Nobel Peace Prize-winning preacher shouted, "and no wave of racism will stop us!" That evening King flew back to Atlanta in high spirits, deeming the third Selma-to-Montgomery march an unqualified success. Yet Parks, near broke, took a bus back to Atlanta the next day, deeply depressed. There was too much white hatred still in Montgomery to feel victorious. Her great fear was that Selma was only a stride forward, in basketball parlance, not a slam-dunk. America was still poisoned by the curse of institutional racism. The fight for voting rights was just beginning. True ballot-box equality was still a long way off. Even after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that summer, Parks remained somewhat skeptical. She knew Southern white bigots would concoct evil new ways to disenfranchise black people. As America reflects on the significance of the 50th anniversary of Selma this weekend, it's important to honor the martyrs of "Bloody Sunday" in a lasting way. Certainly, the fact that Barack Obama, an African-American, is U.S. President proves that Lewis didn't get his head dented in vain. But the recent egregious findings of the Department of Justice following the Michael Brown case as well as other incidents resulting in the deaths of unarmed men of color still give us reason to pause. "I remember feeling something was not right," Parks recalled shortly after the third Selma march. "Even though the march was over, I felt that everything was not right." One thing "not right" on the 50th anniversary of the Selma marches is the sad fact that the Edmund Pettus Bridge hasn't been renamed the John Lewis Bridge. Continuing to honor Pettus -- a Confederate general, U.S. senator and white supremacist -- is insulting to America's civil rights heroes. When the bridge was built in 1940, Jim Crow ruled Alabama. Dallas County blacks had no say in the bridge being named to honor a Reconstruction-era white supremacist. Thankfully a group of conscientious students has recently started a petition drive to rid the iconic bridge of Pettus' name. But let's go further than just removing Pettus' name; let's rename the bridge for someone who deserves our admiration. I'm not a historian who thinks Confederate memorials should be boarded up. Places such as Jefferson Davis' Beauvoir estate along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the pedestaled statue of Robert E. Lee in New Orleans (turning his back to the North) need historic preservation. But the Edmund Pettus Bridge -- which in 2013 was declared a National Historic Landmark -- isn't symbolic of the Civil War in a meaningful way. It is, however, the modern-day battlefield where the voting rights movement was born. There is no more fitting tribute to the death of Jim Crow than to rename the "Bloody Sunday" bridge after Lewis. I urge President Barack Obama, the National Park Service, the state of Alabama and the city of Selma to "do the right thing." Like the Statue of Liberty, the John Lewis Bridge would become a sacred place for visitors to reflect on noble American traditions -- in this case, peaceful protest and voting rights. The "We Shall Overcome" year of 1965 would, at last, be given its historical due in Selma. "I'm with the kids," the Rev. Joseph Lowery, a close associate of King's, recently said in supporting the Edmund Pettus Bridge being redesignated. "Let's change it." Read CNNOpinion's new Flipboard magazine. Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. ​

The site where the battle for voting rights was fought should be named for John Lewis, Douglas Brinkley says.

HONG KONG — Hillary Clinton's message of support for five women detained in China after campaigning against sexual harassment and domestic violence has buoyed the beleaguered movement, a friend of those imprisoned told NBC News Thursday. "As one of our members said, '[Clinton] should say something or she should stop calling herself a feminist'," the fellow campaigner said on condition of anonymity. "I feel a strong power now inspiring us to move on, her words are really important for us." On Monday, the likely 2016 U.S. presidential candidate called the detentions "inexcusable" in a tweet. The plight of the five imprisoned women — Li Tingting, 25, Wu Rongrong, 30, Zheng Churan, 25, Wei Tingting, 26, and Wang Man, 33 — has become a source of international outrage. The five, all members of China Feminist Action League, were arrested March 6, two days before International Women's Day. On Wednesday, police in Beijing recommended that charges be brought against five activists who had been planning national campaigns against sexual harassment and domestic violence. The pro-government Global Times newspaper blasted the former U.S. secretary of state in a Thursday editorial entitled: "Defending women's rights is no excuse to hold street protests at will." It described her tweet a "a typical Western intervention" and accused her and Western countries of "trying to make the case political." Calls by NBC News to the Haidian prosecutor's office and Public Security Bureau went unanswered. However, Wei Zhili, the boyfriend of Zheng Churan confirmed to NBC News that the charges of "disturbing order" had been submitted to the prosecutor's office. "It's really a hard time for us these days," Wei added. NBC News' Eric Baculinao and researcher Julia Zhou contributed to this report. First published April 9 2015, 6:34 AM

HONG KONG — Hillary Clinton's message of support for five women detained in China after campaigning against sexual harassment and domestic violence has buoye...

Demonstrators in Amman, the capital, and elsewhere protested a government proposal to raise fuel prices at the pump and for gas used in cooking. JERUSALEM — Violent protests broke out across Jordan on Tuesday night after the government announced an increase in fuel prices, inciting what appeared to be an unparalleled show of anger directed at the king after months of mounting tension in the strategically important and politically fragile kingdom. Demonstrators burned tires, smashed traffic lights and blocked roads in several Jordanian cities. Riot police officers tried to quell some of the crowds with tear gas. There were calls for a general strike on Wednesday. In Dhiban, a city of 15,000 south of the capital, Amman, protesters burned pictures of King Abdullah II, witnesses said. In Salt, which has been a site of popular discontent, protesters destroyed two cars outside the prime minister’s home, which was empty. And in Amman, thousands of demonstrators filled the circle outside the Interior Ministry near midnight, chanting, “The people want the fall of the regime,” echoing similar chants in Egypt and Tunisia, where the Arab Spring began. “The anger and frustration from the people is at its peak all over the kingship,” Murad Adailah, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, Islamic Action Front, said from outside the Interior Ministry. “This is unprecedented. The level of the slogans are the highest. This is the highest peak of tension that I’ve seen since the beginning of the Arab Spring.” The eruption comes as King Abdullah has struggled to contain a growing and increasingly diverse opposition by introducing electoral reforms ahead of balloting scheduled for January and by establishing a constitutional court. Critics have rejected these initiatives as half steps — they complain that the court, for example, is neutered because the king appoints its judges — and the monarchy has jailed dozens of activists on charges including incitement to change the Constitution and to overthrow the government, which can carry the death penalty. In October, the king dissolved Parliament and appointed Jordan’s fourth prime minister in a year. Facing a $3 billion deficit, attributed largely to the disappearance of financial aid from gulf states, the government tried to reduce fuel subsidies — effectively raising prices — by 10 percent in September, only to reverse itself a day later after thousands took to the streets. Late Tuesday, the cabinet again announced a drop in subsidies that would result in increases of 14 percent on prices at the pump and more than 50 percent in gas used for cooking, leading to what Mr. Adailah said were more than 100 demonstrations across the kingdom. Jordan is an important ally of the United States, helping to preserve its peace treaty with Israel and offering crucial intelligence support in Iraq and on terrorism. But its stability has long been precarious, with its population of six million divided between Palestinian refugees and natives, known as East Bankers, and frequent spillover from the fighting across its borders in Iraq and Syria. About 200,000 refugees from the civil war in Syria have flooded into the country in recent months, further taxing economic and natural resources. Jordan’s divisions had for some time shielded it from the kind of unified opposition that brought down leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, but now, activists are saying, frustration has become a unifying force. Nathan Thrall, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, a research organization that works to prevent conflicts, said that when the Arab Spring revolutions began in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, he considered the chance of something similar happening in Jordan to be remote. Now, Mr. Thrall said, he and other experts see it as far more likely, if still a long shot. “If people realize that things will develop in a negative way and they will not be able to make ends meet, they will take matters into their own hands,” said Labib Kamhawi, a political activist and analyst who is scheduled to appear in court this month on charges of sedition, defamation, threatening national unity and disrespecting government institutions, based on comments he made on television in July. “As things become more crucial and more challenging for the regime, the measures used will be tougher and more sinister.” Zaki Bani Irsheid, vice chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood, long Jordan’s leading opposition force, said in an interview before the latest flare of discontent that throughout the past two years his faction had expanded alliances with the extremists known as Salafists, unions and the loose-knit, largely secular protest movement known as the Hirak. An employee of The New York Times contributed reporting from Amman, Jordan.

Demonstrators burned tires, smashed traffic lights and blocked roads in an unparalleled show of anger at a government proposal to increase fuel prices.

Part of complete coverage on Connector of the Day: Ringo Starr London, England (CNN) -- The Vatican may have forgiven the Beatles over the weekend for their "satanic" messages -- but Ringo Starr, the legendary band's drummer, says he couldn't care less. In a tribute published to mark the 40th anniversary of the breakup of the band, who singer John Lennon once claimed were "more popular than Jesus," the Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano" said it had forgiven them and called them a "precious jewel." But Starr told CNN: "Didn't the Vatican say we were satanic or possibly satanic -- and they've still forgiven us? I think the Vatican, they've got more to talk about than the Beatles." Starr was speaking to CNN's Becky Anderson about the launch of his latest solo album called "Y Not," which was released in January. Did you know McCartney had trouble learning the guitar? Find out why in our interactive "I was sitting around in LA and I went on the synth and just got some rhythm patterns with some chords I enjoyed and then drummed to that," Starr said. "We had no song and we just played something and kept it moving and that's how it all happened." Take the CNN Challenge: Beatles quiz The album is Starr's 15th album as a solo artist. Starr also responded to allegations that he had asked his fans to "back off" and explained why he no longer signs autographs. "I just said to fans that I'm not signing anymore," Starr said. "That what it was, it wasn't back off, I'm not a vicious man. I don't sign anymore, people say sign this and I just say no." Most popular stories right now

The Vatican may have forgiven the Beatles over the weekend for their "satanic" messages -- but Ringo Starr, the legendary band's drummer, says he couldn't care less.