(CNN) -- For most Americans, mosquitoes are pests whose bites leave behind itchy bumps. But in other parts of the world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria that kills more than a million people each year.

Mosquitoes, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, may transmit malaria to humans.

A new malaria vaccine that's about to begin human clinical trials is dependent on mosquitoes -- a whole lot of them. Bioengineers have been growing millions of mosquitoes in a sterile environment, letting them feed on malaria-infected blood, irradiating the bugs, extracting the disease-causing parasites and storing them for use in vaccines.

The announcement of the Food and Drug Administration's approval for clinical trials comes just days before World Malaria Day, which is Saturday. Check out the World Health Organization's site about malaria goals worldwide

The vaccine is unique among other candidates in that it uses the entire parasite and not just parts of it, said Dr. Stephen Hoffman, chief executive and scientific officer at Sanaria Inc., the Maryland-based biotechnology firm developing the vaccine.

This technique was first shown to be effective in the 1970s, but the technology didn't exist to mass-produce it for the millions of people who need it, said Dr.  Kirsten Lyke, principal investigator in the clinical trial site at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. At that time, people were immunized by being bitten by the irradiated mosquitoes.

"That is the only effective vaccine that anyone has ever really developed that works and does complete protection," said John Dame, chair of Infectious Diseases and Pathology at the University of Florida, who is not involved with the Sanaria trials.

The vaccine takes the same basic approach as standard vaccines in use for diseases such as measles and polio. In those vaccines against viruses, weakened bacteria is injected, creating an immune response without causing illness.

In the Sanaria vaccine, the body recognizes the malaria parasite as a foreign material, Lyke said. It goes to the liver, where a lot of the immune response is generated, but does not develop into a disease because the mosquito was irradiated, she said.

Clinical trials will begin in May, Hoffman said, and will include 80 immunized individuals and 24 controls. About 3,000 mosquitoes were used to produce the vaccines for the first clinical trials, he said. If these trials are successful, researchers will initiate trials on adults in Africa, and then children.

Among other vaccines in clinical trials currently, the one that is furthest along is RTS,S, developed by GlaxoSmithKline PLC. The company announced in December that this vaccine, based on a recombinant protein that uses part of the malaria parasite, was safely administered to African infants, with an efficacy of 65 percent in a three-month follow-up.

Both the Sanaria and the GlaxoSmithKline projects receive support from the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, a program at the nonprofit PATH established through an initial grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dame, who used to be involved with the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine, said he would guess the Sanaria vaccine will be more effective, but clinical trials will provide more information. He also noted that mass distribution to developing countries would require appropriate infrastructure, and may be more difficult depending on how long the immunization lasts.

Each year, 350 million to 500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most people who die from the disease are young children in Africa south of the Sahara.

Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills and flu-like illness, the CDC said.

Although preventive measures exist, such as insecticide-treated nets and medications, there is no licensed vaccine on the market.

Moreover, effective treatments are largely too expensive for the people who need them in poor countries. The parasite has become resistant to cheaper treatments, Lyke said.

"Individuals living on $1 or $2 a day can't even afford $8 medication," Lyke said.

The U.S. military also has a keen interest in a malaria vaccine. The antimalaria drugs available have side effects such as

What is the name of the company developing the vaccine?

Where has the vaccine already been tested?

Answer: 1970s,

Answer: University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Answer: Sanaria Inc.,

Answer: University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Summary:
Sanaria Inc. is developing a malaria vaccine that uses the whole parasite .
Concept is akin to live virus vaccines, such as those for polio and measles .
The method had been tried in the 1970s but wasn't feasible on mass scale .
The most advanced malaria vaccine, by GlaxoSmithKline, has been tested in Africa .


(CNN) -- For most Americans, mosquitoes are pests whose bites leave behind itchy bumps. But in other parts of the world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria that kills more than a million people each year. Mosquitoes, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, may transmit malaria to humans. A new malaria vaccine that's about to begin human clinical trials is dependent on mosquitoes -- a whole lot of them. Bioengineers have been growing millions of mosquitoes in a sterile environment, letting them feed on malaria-infected blood, irradiating the bugs, extracting the disease-causing parasites and storing them for use in vaccines. The announcement of the Food and Drug Administration's approval for clinical trials comes just days before World Malaria Day, which is Saturday. Check out the World Health Organization's site about malaria goals worldwide The vaccine is unique among other candidates in that it uses the entire parasite and not just parts of it, said Dr. Stephen Hoffman, chief executive and scientific officer at Sanaria Inc., the Maryland-based biotechnology firm developing the vaccine. This technique was first shown to be effective in the 1970s, but the technology didn't exist to mass-produce it for the millions of people who need it, said Dr.  Kirsten Lyke, principal investigator in the clinical trial site at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. At that time, people were immunized by being bitten by the irradiated mosquitoes. "That is the only effective vaccine that anyone has ever really developed that works and does complete protection," said John Dame, chair of Infectious Diseases and Pathology at the University of Florida, who is not involved with the Sanaria trials. The vaccine takes the same basic approach as standard vaccines in use for diseases such as measles and polio. In those vaccines against viruses, weakened bacteria is injected, creating an immune response without causing illness. In the Sanaria vaccine, the body recognizes the malaria parasite as a foreign material, Lyke said. It goes to the liver, where a lot of the immune response is generated, but does not develop into a disease because the mosquito was irradiated, she said. Clinical trials will begin in May, Hoffman said, and will include 80 immunized individuals and 24 controls. About 3,000 mosquitoes were used to produce the vaccines for the first clinical trials, he said. If these trials are successful, researchers will initiate trials on adults in Africa, and then children. Among other vaccines in clinical trials currently, the one that is furthest along is RTS,S, developed by GlaxoSmithKline PLC. The company announced in December that this vaccine, based on a recombinant protein that uses part of the malaria parasite, was safely administered to African infants, with an efficacy of 65 percent in a three-month follow-up. Both the Sanaria and the GlaxoSmithKline projects receive support from the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, a program at the nonprofit PATH established through an initial grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dame, who used to be involved with the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine, said he would guess the Sanaria vaccine will be more effective, but clinical trials will provide more information. He also noted that mass distribution to developing countries would require appropriate infrastructure, and may be more difficult depending on how long the immunization lasts. Each year, 350 million to 500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most people who die from the disease are young children in Africa south of the Sahara. Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills and flu-like illness, the CDC said. Although preventive measures exist, such as insecticide-treated nets and medications, there is no licensed vaccine on the market. Moreover, effective treatments are largely too expensive for the people who need them in poor countries. The parasite has become resistant to cheaper treatments, Lyke said. "Individuals living on $1 or $2 a day can't even afford $8 medication," Lyke said. The U.S. military also has a keen interest in a malaria vaccine. The antimalaria drugs available have side effects such as

What company is developed a malaria vaccine that uses the whole parasite?

When was the whole parasite vaccine method first tried?

Answer: 1970s,

Answer: malaria vaccine

Answer: Sanaria Inc.,

Answer: Sanaria Inc.,

Answer: 1970s,

Answer: vaccine,

Summary:
Sanaria Inc. is developing a malaria vaccine that uses the whole parasite .
Concept is akin to live virus vaccines, such as those for polio and measles .
The method had been tried in the 1970s but wasn't feasible on mass scale .
The most advanced malaria vaccine, by GlaxoSmithKline, has been tested in Africa .


(CNN) -- For most of American history, a Supreme Court with no Protestant Christian judges would have been unthinkable. Nearly three quarters of all justices who've ever served on the nation's high court have been Protestant. And roughly half of all Americans identify themselves as Protestant today.

But since John Paul Stevens announced his retirement last month, legal and religious scholars have begun entertaining the unprecedented prospect of a Supreme Court without a single Protestant justice.

Besides Stevens, who is Protestant, the current Supreme Court counts six Catholics and two Jews.

"It's an amazing irony given how central Protestantism has been to American culture," said Stephen Prothero, a religion scholar at Boston University. "For most of the 19th century, Protestants were trying to turn America into their own heaven on Earth, which included keeping Jews and Catholics from virtually all positions of power."

Many religion scholars attribute the decline of Protestants on the high court to the breakdown of a mainline Protestant identity and to the absence of a strong tradition of lawyering among evangelical Protestants.

"Mainline Protestantism isn't a pressure group," said Prothero, "It's not like the National Council of Churches is lobbying Obama to get a Lutheran appointed to the Supreme Court."

And while Judaism and Catholicism have their own sets of religious laws that date back millennia, many branches of Protestant Christianity do not. For much of the last 150 years, evangelical Christianity has stressed an emotional theology of "heart" over "head" -- not a recipe for producing legal scholars with eyes fixed on the Supreme Court.

"Evangelicals have put more effort into getting elected than in getting onto the bench," said Michael Lindsay, a Rice University professor who has studied evangelical elites. "Electoral politics is more similar to the style of rallying of around revival campaign than it is to the arduous journey of producing intellectual giants that could be eligible for the Supreme Court."

President Obama is expected to nominate Stevens' replacement early this month. Of the three candidates who are reported to lead Obama's short list, two -- Solicitor General Elena Kagan and federal appeals judge Merrick Garland -- are Jewish, while one, federal appeals judge Diane Wood, is a Protestant.

Obama's first Supreme Court appointee, Sonia Sotomayor, is Catholic.

One explanation of Catholics' and Jews' high court hegemony is that members of both traditions have long pursued legal degrees as a way to assimilate into a majority Protestant country.

"Most American Catholic law schools were not formed to be elite institutions of lofty legal scholarship, but as way to respond to the fact that other law schools were excluding Catholics," said Richard Garnett, a professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School. "It was a vehicle to get Catholics into the middle class."

"Early on, those schools admitted a lot of Jewish students who were being discriminated against," Garnett said.

Today, Catholic law schools at Georgetown University, Fordham University, and Notre Dame are considered among the best in the country.

Evangelical Protestant colleges, meanwhile -- including Regent University and Liberty University, founded by Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, respectively -- have opened law schools only since the 1980s.

And law schools with Protestant roots -- like Harvard and Yale -- shed their religious identities a long time ago, part of the broader fading of a distinct mainline Protestant identity in the U.S..

Some legal and religious scholars say the dearth of qualified evangelical candidates for the Supreme Court came into sharp relief in 2005, when President George W. Bush nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to the high court.

An evangelical Christian who the White House promoted strenuously among evangelicals, Miers' nomination was brought down largely by conservatives -- nonevangelicals, mostly -- who said she was not qualified for the position.

In the last couple of decades, however, more evangelicals have begun pursuing legal degrees, including at elite colleges. "There are now vibrant Christian fellowships at Harvard and Yale," said Lindsay. "Ten years from now, it will be entirely possible to see an evangelical Protestant on the Supreme Court

What is the number of candidates on Obama's list?

What religions are those who make up the current Supreme Court?

What is absent among evangelical Protestants?

What have more evangelicals begun persuing in the past few decades?

Answer: three

Answer: Protestant.

Answer: counts six Catholics and two Jews.

Answer: strong tradition

Answer: six Catholics and two Jews.

Answer: legal degrees

Answer: no Protestant Christian judges

Answer: Solicitor General Elena Kagan

Summary:
Current Supreme Court has six Catholics, two Jews and one Protestant .
Absence of a strong tradition of lawyering among evangelical Protestants .
Only one of the Supreme Court candidates on Obama's short list is a Protestant .
More evangelicals have begun pursuing legal degrees in the last few decades .


(CNN) -- For most people in the world, freedom of religion is of such paramount importance and warrants all the legal and constitutional respect and protection. It is fair to say that this concept has been imbedded in numerous people's mind such that any accusation of its violation almost automatically triggers waves of condemnation. A woman reads a state media newspaper Saturday in Beijing with coverage of Tibet. That may explain why so many people, especially in the West, are so agitated if they conclude that the Tibetan question boils down to freedom of religion, or, even worse, to its violation. However, their agitation will be significantly muted if they are reminded that, while freedom of religion is of paramount importance, it is equally important to keep church and state separate, lest disasters and tragedies ensue. In this light, it is important to be reminded that what those Tibetan diaspora outside of China want to restore is a unique and anachronistic system which mixed church and state into such a lethal institution: clergy and nobles accounting for barely 5 percent of the population ruled over millions of serfs who were dealt with as chattels and animals, with no single iota of human rights. That was not ancient history, that was Tibet barely 50 years ago.  Watch a recent history of Tibet » Anyone in a major Western country advocating freedom of religion to the disregard of separation of church and state will be either marginalized or held with ultra suspicion. If a clergy does so in the United States, his church will lose tax exemption and all the other privileges of a religious institution. Mankind knows too well that mixing church and state together can be a recipe for disasters, especially in a diverse and heterogeneous society.  Watch Victor Gao discuss Tibet with CNN » Therefore, what looks as a matter of freedom of religion to many people in the West is viewed by China more importantly as a matter of separation of church and state. But why such sharp contrasts? Many people in the West eagerly embrace the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader. China would wish His Holiness were indeed nothing but a spiritual leader, otherwise many problems would have been much simpler to resolve. What looks like a spiritual leader to many in the West is viewed by China as less a spiritual leader than a political activist with dangerous political motivations.  Watch an online address by the Dalai Lama » But why such sharp contrasts? It goes without saying that religious differences need to be handled with extra care and sensitivity. Human history has been plagued with wars and conflicts either in the name of religion or in the excuse of religion with ulterior motives. Therefore, whenever religion is touched upon, normally "your religion for you and my religion for me" is a good guidance for avoiding calamities. If anyone in the West wants to convert to Tibetan Buddhism and revere the Dalai Lama, or the 14th Dalai Lama to be more accurate, as not only a spiritual leader, but as the reincarnation of all the previous 13 Dalai Lamas and, more amazingly, as the reincarnation of the great God Avalokite Svara, China, rather than having any grudges against him, probably would treat him with all the due respect as a true believer. But China views many Western sympathizers of the Dalai Lama, especially those Western politicians, as having ulterior political motives aimed at infringing upon China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. But why such sharp contrasts? The Tibetan issue has become a major divider and sensationalizer in the world today. But if reason prevails over passion, the following simple truths may be shocking to learn for those much agitated people: Therefore, let's avoid mixing apples with oranges, or oranges with apples. Let's avoid any double talk. If one is using "Free Tibet" as an expedient alternative for "Independent Tibet," then don't complain about China's wrath at his real motivation. If one is advocating freedom of religion to the disregard of the separation of church and state, then don't complain about being accused by China as a hypocrite. If one is mesmerized by the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader or even the reincarnation of

Who accuses Dalai Lama of causing conflict, seeking independent Tibet ?

Answer: China

Summary:
Victor Gao: Important to consider church-state separation on Tibet debate .
Beijing accuses Dalai Lama of causing conflict, seeking independent Tibet .
Dalai says he seeks autonomy for region, not independence .
Tuesday marks 50th anniversary of failed uprising in Tibet against Chinese rule .


(CNN) -- For most people, Post-it Notes are disposable, ordinary office papers used for note-taking and reminders. But for 19-year-old David Alvarez of Leavenworth, Washington, they were the perfect medium for a 10-foot-tall mosaic depicting Ray Charles. David Alvarez, right, made this 10-foot-tall mosaic of Ray Charles using Post-it Notes. Using more than 2,000 of those ubiquitous brightly-colored sticky scraps, Alvarez composed a three-dimensional representation of the famous musician. The piece has just gone on display at Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, Washington, where Alvarez is in his second year of studies.   "It's something so simple. You can still see the flaps sticking out on some of them," he said. "Naturally the Post-it Note just sort of flaps out."   While learning new techniques in Adobe Photoshop in a class, he experimented with taking a photograph of Ray Charles and making it look like a mosaic on the computer screen. He then translated this idea into the Post-it work.  He spent three months constructing the mosaic, sometimes sacrificing schoolwork for his art. At least one of his papers for his summer English courses suffered, but he persevered so that he could participate in an art show July 28 at the Stanley Civic Center in Wenatchee.   Originally, the Post-it Notes stayed in this unique format only by virtue of their manufactured stickiness, which does not hold up as well as glue, Alvarez found. When he displayed his work at the show, he monitored the project for 14 hours, continuously replacing notes that were falling off.  The aspiring art teacher now uses glue to hold the notes in place. For his next project, he is considering a mosaic using 4-inch x 4-inch notes, up from the 3-inch x 3-inch size used in the Ray Charles piece.   "Part of me wants to, part of me doesn't," he said. "It was so hard to align. It took a lot of time and patience."  E-mail to a friend

Who makes the mosaic out of Post-it Notes?

What material does David Alvarez use in his mosaics?

Answer: Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee, Washington,

Answer: David Alvarez,

Answer: Post-it Notes.

Answer: Leavenworth, Washington,

Answer: Wenatchee Valley

Answer: David Alvarez,

Answer: Post-it Notes

Answer: more than 2,000

Summary:
David Alvarez makes mosaic with more than 2,000 Post-it Notes .
Mosaic on display at Wenatchee Valley College, Washington .
Artist wants to teach art .


(CNN) -- For nearly 20 years Jennifer Schuett has held onto every memory of the night she was abducted from her bedroom, raped and left for dead. Jennifer Schuett remembers small details of the night she was abducted, raped and her throat slashed at age 8. It was August 10, 1990. Schuett was 8 years old and lived alone with her mother in the first floor of an apartment complex in Dickinson, Texas. The bedroom windows faced the parking lot. Investigators were never able to identify a suspect, but new DNA testing may change that. CNN normally does not identify victims of sexual assaults. But Schuett wants to go public with her story-- and her name-- to increase the chances of finding and prosecuting her attacker. "It's not about me anymore," she explained. "It's about all the little girls that go to sleep at night. I know there are so many girls out there who have been raped and hurt. You have to fight back." For that, Schuett, 27, is relying on her voice, her memory and advances in DNA testing. "I remember everything; I've always wanted to remember everything, so I can find the person that did this," Schuett told CNN during a phone interview. "If I had blocked this out of my memory, the investigation wouldn't have come this far. I'm a fighter." Schuett says she was alone in her bed when a man came creeping in through the window. She remembers waking up in a stranger's arms as he carried her across a dark parking lot. "When I opened my eyes, his face was the first thing I saw and he covered my face and mouth," she said. "He ran with me to his car. He told me he was an undercover cop and that he knew my family. He seemed calm -- not nervous, not aggressive." After they left the parking lot, he drove her through the streets of Dickinson, Texas, pulling into a mechanic shop next to her elementary school. "Watch the moon. The moon will change colors and that is when your mom will come to get you," she recalled him saying. "Oh, it looks like she is not coming." Schuett said he drove her to an overgrown field next to the school and raped her. "He had a knife to my throat and touched my face and offered me Reese's pieces," she said. "I was scared but I knew I couldn't be fast enough to get away. Cars would drive by but I couldn't get away to get help." She believes she passed out. "I woke up to him dragging me by my ankles," she said. "I felt thorns ripping the skin off my back. I would see him turn to look at me and I would play dead." She passed out again, and awoke at daybreak. "I remember feeling dew around me and I couldn't figure out why when I screamed I couldn't hear myself," said Schuett. She lay naked on top of an ant hill with her throat slashed from ear to ear, and her voice box torn. Much later, she said, "I heard children playing hide and seek. That is when one of the kids tripped over my foot," said Schuett. She was found at 6 p.m. on a hot August day. She had been lying in the field for nearly 12 hours. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. "Three days after the attack, I started giving a description. The doctors told me I would never be able to talk again, but I proved them all wrong," said Schuett. She believes she got her voice back so she could tell her story. "I never wanted to play the victim role. I wanted to be a strong survivor," she said. But the attack left its mark. "For the first two years, I had nightmares and was scared,

From where are grabbed Jennifer Schuett?

Where was Jennifer Schuett grabbed from?

What age was Jennifer at the time of her attack?

Answer: her bedroom,

Answer: her bedroom,

Answer: from her bedroom, raped and left for dead.

Answer: she was abducted

Answer: Jennifer Schuett

Answer: 8.

Summary:
Jennifer Schuett was grabbed from her bedroom and attacked at age 8 .
She was raped, her throat was slashed and she was left for dead .
She is publicly talking about the attack in an attempt to catch the man .
The FBI is investigating and advanced DNA tests are due back any day .


(CNN) -- For pro-surfers like nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, flying from continent to continent looking for the perfect wave seems like a freewheeling lifestyle, but for amateurs, it requires careful planning. Surfing champ Kelly Slater gains altitude at Hossegor, France, in 2002. Surfers checking out unique vibes at sites in Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, Hawaii and France are driven by the buzz that comes from exhilarating swells, breaking waves and amazing barrel tubes created by truly awesome forces of nature. Unlike other travelers, surfers are interested in surfer-friendly places to crash, snagging the best airline rates for surfboards and where to hang out. Here's Slater's list of five great surfing meccas along with some hints about how to fully enjoy your search for the proverbial endless summer.  See photos of Slater surfing his five great sites » BANZAI PIPELINE, Oahu, Hawaii Event: Billabong Pipeline Masters, December 8 to December 20, 2009 "I grew up mesmerized by it, and it never lets you down," Slater said. "It's just an amazing place to be and a wave that always challenges you." The vibe: Surfers compare this event to professional golf's Master's tournament. Since the 1950s and '60s, mobs of fans have traveled to view one of the sport's great venues to watch competing surfers. How to get there: To find this quarter-mile long treasure trove of breaking waves, drive southwest of Ehukai Beach Park along the Kamehameha Highway, about seven miles northeast of Haleiwa. During competition season -- in November and December -- visitors can soak up a lot of action on the beach, said Scott Bass, editor at Surfer Magazine. "It's a unique spot because a large, crazy death-defying surf breaks only 100 yards from shore. It's very accessible as a viewer," said Bass.  See map and more photos of Slater's surfing spots » Where to stay: Keiki Beach Bungalows offers tourists the best of both worlds: proximity to the Pipeline and a break from the crowds. Located on the beach about a mile away from Pipeline, the quiet bungalows also provide convenient access to a shopping complex with food and coffee shops about a quarter mile away. One and two-bedroom cottages range from $145 to $220 per night, depending on length of stay. Searching for more elegant digs? Turtle Bay Resort offers hundreds of luxurious guest rooms, suites and cottages not far from Pipeline. On a budget? Less than an hour's drive away, campers can pitch near the Pacific at Barbers Point Beach Park. Where to hang out: Got something sweeter in mind? Matsumoto Shave Ice has become a Hawaiian institution during its 60 years, serving the namesake snow cones, candy and crack seed, an island snack of dried fruits. Where to get lunch: Locals will tell you that hanging out on the North Shore must include a stop at some of the island's tried and true mom and pop shops. Macky's Sweet Shrimp Truck is literally just that -- a brightly painted RV parked in a private lot. Macky's specializes in serving succulent shrimp, rice, fruit and veggies. CLOUDBREAK, Tavarua, Fiji Best waves: April to October "One of the great surf discoveries ever," said Slater about Cloudbreak, the name given to a surfing reef about two miles off Fiji's island of Tavarua. The South Pacific waters off Fiji offer the perfect temperature and a "really good swell window" for timing waves, Slater said. "The wave has so many different faces to it. It's challenging and perfect." The vibe: Exclusive. The Tavarua Resort on the island controls access to the reef. How to get there: Surfing Cloudbreak can cost you, both physically and monetarily because of its distance off the island and the expense of traveling to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Surfers get to the reef on local boats or jet-skis -- or by paddling on their boards, which will take a lot out of you.

What is one of the great surf discoveries ever?

What was Fiji's Cloudbreak wave described as?

Answer: Cloudbreak,

Answer: surfing reef

Answer: Surfing champ

Answer: Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, Hawaii and France

Answer: Kelly Slater,

Summary:
Pro-surfing champ Kelly Slater likes Australia, Tahiti, Fiji, Hawaii and France .
Fiji's Cloudbreak wave is "one of the great surf discoveries ever," said Slater .
The vibe at primo spots varies from Spring Break-like to exclusive .
Airline surfboard baggage policies range from free to pricey .


(CNN) -- For someone who seems to go to great lengths to keep his private life away from prying eyes, late-night talk show host David Letterman has seen a great deal of his personal life become public. David Letterman has mined private events in his life for very public jokes on his show. Heart problems, a troubled stalker and a plot to kidnap his son have all landed Letterman in the news and provided fodder for jokes, including some of his own. The latest, an alleged extortion attempt involving his sexual dalliances (it's been dubbed "sextortion" by pundits), was handled very much the way Letterman fans might expect: with humor and a bit of storytelling. "He told it as a story that you felt like you were living along with him, and so I think he immediately won your sympathy by telling it that way," said Hal Boedeker, TV critic for the Orlando Sentinel. "He also took the seedy factor out of it with restraint by not saying too much and trying to protect the people he was involved with."  Watch Letterman tell what happened » Letterman revealed on his show Thursday night that he'd had sexual relations with members of his staff and that he had testified about those liaisons before a New York grand jury for a case involving the alleged attempted extortion. A CBS producer, Robert "Joe" Halderman, has been charged with first-degree attempted grand larceny; officials said he threatened to go public with the 62-year-old funnyman's dalliances unless Letterman paid $2 million. Halderman pleaded not guilty Friday. The revelation, which Letterman shared with the audience of the "Late Show," seemed especially shocking given his reputation as the self-deprecating everyman. "Letterman picked up on [that shock] and played on that," said Robert Thompson, a professor and founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. "It was the weirdest 10 minutes of television I've seen in a long time, and yet I think I've concluded that it was brilliant."  Watch "Larry King Live" guest host Jim Moret talk to panel about Letterman case » Letterman has had plenty of experience dealing with awkward, and sometimes painful, episodes on television. Beginning in the 1980s, he was stalked by Margaret Ray, a woman with schizophrenia who often broke into his New Canaan, Connecticut, home, wrote him letters and once stole his Porsche. Letterman would sometimes joke about her -- without using her name -- on his show and told The New York Times that was because he joked about every public aspect of his life. Ray would refer to herself as "Mrs. David Letterman" and once watched the talk show host and his now-wife Regina Lasko from a hallway in their home as they lay in bed. Ray committed suicide in 1998; Letterman offered his condolences on-air to her family. Though Letterman was quoted as saying Ray's actions were usually more odd than frightening, a plot in 2005 to kidnap his then-toddler son proved to be more alarming. Kelly A. Frank, an ex-con who had done some work at Letterman's Deep Creek Ranch in Montana, was charged with planning to kidnap Letterman's son, Harry, and his nanny. Frank pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. In 2007, he escaped and was later captured. Thompson said Letterman has shown that he is able to rise above his troubles, including emergency bypass surgery in 2000, with a healthy dose of comedy. This latest incident was no different, Thompson observed. "The interesting thing is that he never went out of comic mode," Thompson said. "His magnum opus was when he was the first late-night comedian to come back after September 11th ... and he did it brilliantly. All of the other comics who came on in the following weeks followed him exactly." He kept Thursday's tale so light, Thompson said, that many who may not have been aware of the

What word was used by a media expert to describe how Letterman handled the alleged extortion

Answer: "sextortion"

Answer: David Letterman

Answer: David Letterman

Summary:
Alleged plot against David Letterman isn't first time private woes made public .
Letterman was once stalked and his young son targeted for kidnapping .
Media expert: Letterman handled reveal of alleged extortion brilliantly .
TV critic says he believes that fans will be "pretty forgiving"


(CNN) -- For the first time in a few years, talk about airline bankruptcies has ramped up once again, with concerns expressed this week about a certain carrier based in Texas.

Whether the reports about American Airlines are true or not doesn't really matter -- it's enough to make people anxious.

I've received a fair bit of e-mail this last week asking what happens if bankruptcy becomes a reality. In short, there's nothing to worry about with an airline like American, but I thought it would be a good idea to devote this week's column to the issue since it's at the top of mind for many travelers.

Will American go bankrupt? I'm certainly not qualified to answer that question. Only the airline itself knows its plans, but the balance sheet certainly doesn't point to bankruptcy being necessary in the short to medium term.

Yes, American has been losing money recently while others have profited, but at the end of June, it had more than $5 billion in the bank and it has been able to arrange financing since then. That doesn't sound like a company that would be filing for bankruptcy protection, which should be a last resort. Even if it does for some strategic reason, flights wouldn't be affected.

Still, it's worth talking about what to do when an airline goes bankrupt, because airlines around the world shut down every year. It's always good to know what you can do. Here is some advice.

Always pay with a credit card

When you buy a ticket, you might be paying for something (a flight, presumably) that you won't use for another year. That's a long time for an airline to hold on to your money, and that's why you should pay with a credit card.

If you buy a ticket with a credit card, then you won't be on the hook if your airline goes under. In fact, when airlines start to find themselves in financial trouble, credit card processors hold back a larger and larger percentage of the money until the flight occurs. That way, if the airline doesn't perform, the credit card company still has your money and can give it right back to you.

Periodically check in on your airline

It sounds silly when you're talking about an airline like American, because you would know instantly if it filed for bankruptcy protection. But what if you bought a ticket on Kuwait-based Wataniya Airways? Would you even know that it shut down in March of this year? Probably not.

So if you do find yourself booked on an airline that might not be very well known here in the U.S., it can't hurt to check in every so often to make sure it's still flying. Most airlines with websites are very good at letting you know when they go out of business.

Even better, you can set up an alert via Google that will send you a note anytime an airline's name pops up in the news. This is hardly necessary for the better-known airlines around the world, of course, but it's a good idea for smaller airlines that you want to keep an eye on.

Have a backup plan

If you're worried about an airline going out of business for one reason or another, have a mental backup plan waiting in case you need to spring into action. Find out what other airlines fly where you need to go, and be ready to try to pounce if something happens. If you're prepared, you'll be able to get that last seat on your alternate before someone else who was unprepared even knows what's happening. But you'll still have to pay for it.

Don't expect help from other airlines

There used to be a rule in the U.S. that other airlines had to honor tickets on failed airlines for a nominal fee. That doesn't exist anymore, so don't go looking for charity from other airlines if yours goes under. Elsewhere in the world, there can be varying levels of assistance, but it's best to just assume that

what fears swirl around American Airlines?

Answer: bankruptcies

Answer: carrier based in Texas.

Summary:
Travelers worry as bankruptcy fears swirl around American Airlines .
Snyder: Chances of a big airline failing in the U.S. are incredibly slim .
Ultimately, the best advice is to just be alert, he says .


(CNN) -- For the first time in decades, the hunting of the gray wolf is legal again in the United States. And that's a good thing for ranchers like Cindy Siddoway of Terreton, Idaho, whose sheep are threatened every day by wolves. Gray wolves were taken off the endangered species list after their population rebounded. "We have worked very hard to protect what we have, and it's not very successful," she said. "It is devastating for us to put all of the money and the time and the genetics and work to produce a great product and then just have it half-eaten and left to die." But wolf hunting isn't popular with everybody. It has become a controversy in Idaho, where the hunt began Tuesday, and in Montana, where it is scheduled to start September 15. Environmental and animal rights groups are upset by a federal decision this year to remove gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains from the endangered species list, a move that opened the door to permitting the hunts. They are seeking an injunction in U.S. District Court in Montana to stop the hunts. Judge Donald Molloy is reviewing the case, and it's unclear when he will rule. After their population dwindled in the Rockies last century, in part because of practices like trapping, gray wolves were put on the endangered species list. But the population has rebounded, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service delisted the animals and determined that the populations would be healthy enough for hunts to be permitted in Idaho and Montana, which manage the wolf populations. There are also gray wolves in Wyoming, but hunts are not permitted there because of the state's weak wildlife management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said. Opponents of the hunt say the population is not large and healthy enough to allow hunting. Melanie Stein, a Sierra Club spokeswoman, said that the wolf populations "are just on the cusp of recovery and that we are almost there." But she says the hunts represent "a step backward and away from recovery" of the wolf populations. Defenders of Wildlife, one of several groups urging the court to stop the hunt, detailed the ecological role of the wolves on its Web site. "In what is known as the cascade effect, wolves are exerting influence over a multitude of species within the park's ecosystem. Elk, wary of the reintroduced top predator, have altered their grazing behavior. "With less grazing pressure from elk, streambed vegetation such as willow and aspen is regenerating after decades of overbrowsing. As the trees are restored, they create better habitat for native birds and fish, beaver and other species." Siddoway doesn't think the hunt will make much of a difference right now because it is hard to kill the animals. But the wolf attacks take their toll. For example, the wolves will kill Great Pyrenees guard dogs used to protect the herds. When that happens, "then we're open to prey from bears and everything else," Siddoway said. "We know that it's a problem, and we want to make sure ranchers can continue on with their livelihood," Stein said. "But there has to be some co-existence between wolves and other species." Currently, ranchers and farmers can legally shoot a wolf they see attacking their livestock, said Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are also tools used to counter wolf attacks without hunting, he said. They include scare tactics, like shooting firecrackers out of a shotgun, or proper fencing. "All that stuff works for a little while in some instances for a short period of time and in some situations can be helpful. But it isn't the silver bullet for wolf depredation," he said. He said these techniques work "in conjunction with killing wolves." There are state and private programs compensating ranchers who lose livestock because of attacks, but the money represents only part of what the livestock and the time dealing with the problem is worth. "

Answer: "It is devastating for us to put all of the money and the time and the genetics and work to produce a great product and then just have it half-eaten and left to die."

Summary:
Environmentalists, animal rights groups protest decision .
Ranchers say it might help save their flocks .
Montana district court judge is considering injunction .
There are 1,600 wolves in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming; 330 may be killed .


(CNN) -- For the first time in history, slavery can be brought to an end. What's more, we already know how to do it. Even if the cost of ending slavery were astronomical, we should do it -- but in fact the cost is surprisingly low.

A number of forces have come together to create a unique moment. On one side there has been a recent rapid growth in the number of slaves worldwide. The population explosion, coupled with natural disasters, epidemic disease, civil war, grinding poverty, and especially government corruption, made millions of people vulnerable to slavery. The result is some 27 million people in slavery today.

These are real slaves, controlled by violence, paid nothing, unable to walk away, and making fat profits for criminal slaveholders.

Slaves are concentrated in South and Southeast Asia, across North and West Africa, and in South America, but virtually every country has slavery, and the U.S. is estimated to have 40,000 hidden slaves. Around the world, slaves do dirty, dangerous work, everything from agriculture to prostitution, and their lives are brutal and short.

The lives of slaves have changed little over the centuries, but the price of slaves has collapsed to an all-time low. For all of history, slaves have been expensive capital investments, costing an average $45,000 in today's dollars. Today the average price of a slave is $90. This means slaves are disposable, so cheap it is not worth giving them medical care when they are sick or injured, and it's easy to just dump them when they are used up.

It is an ugly problem, but at the same time, everything has clicked into place to make the end of slavery possible. The current number of slaves, 27 million, is the smallest percentage of the global population ever. The $40 billion they produce each year is the smallest fraction of the global economy ever represented by slave labor.

Read more about Kevin Bales at TED.com

Slavery is illegal in every country and denounced in United Nations conventions. There is no support for slavery from moral authorities, religious or political groups. And no industry or economy is dependent on slavery. In fact, if slavery ended tomorrow, consumers wouldn't see any price increases. Slavery has been pushed to the criminal edges of our global society and to the very edge of its own extinction.

There is no silver bullet that kills slavery, but over the past ten years an arsenal of effective responses has shown that you can end slavery and make communities slave-proof. One powerful vaccination against slavery is to make sure freed slaves build lives of economic stability.

This means education, skill training, micro-finance, and citizenship -- all the things denied American ex-slaves in 1865. Americans are still paying the price for their botched emancipation. Meanwhile, freed slaves given opportunities today generate economic growth through a "freedom dividend."

The modern anti-slavery movement is growing rapidly, and freedom is coming to an ever-increasing number of slaves. The end of slavery is possible, but three things have to happen.

First, governments have to keep the promises they made when they passed laws against slavery. The laws are on the books, but police are untrained and budgets are woefully inadequate.

Second, the public needs to be aware that slavery is all around us, and that it can be brought to an end.

Third, resources have to flow to those areas of the world where slavery is rife -- resources from international aid, charities, World Bank and IMF, and businesses. More funding is needed to provide for more anti-slavery workers.

When it is done right, the results are spectacular. Take the village of Azad Nagar in northern India. All the families there were hereditary slaves in a stone quarry. All children worked, there was no school, and all women risked regular sexual assault by the slaveholders. A Free the Slaves partner organization sent in a community organizer who helped the families to stand up to their masters and renounce slavery.

It was a

For the first time it's possible to end what?

what is posible for first time in history?

Answer: slavery

Answer: price of slaves

Answer: slavery can be brought to an end.

Answer: education, skill training, micro-finance, and citizenship

Answer: end.

Answer: economic stability.

Summary:
For the first time in history, it's possible to end slavery, says Kevin Bales .
Economic trends have reduced the value of slaves and limited their usefulness, he says .
Bales: Education and skills training for freed slaves is crucial .


(CNN) -- For the past decade, Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell has been moving the data from his brain onto computers -- where he knows it will be safe. Gordon Bell wearing a SenseCam, which automatically records photos throughout the day. Sure, you could say all of us do this to some extent. We save digital pictures from family events and keep tons of e-mail. But Bell, who is 75 years old, takes the idea of digital memory to a sci-fi-esque extreme. He carries around video equipment, cameras and audio recorders to capture his conversations, commutes, trips and experiences. Microsoft is working on a SenseCam that would hang around a person's neck and automatically capture every detail of life in photo form. Bell has given that a whirl. He also saves everything -- from restaurant receipts (he takes pictures of them) to correspondence, bills and medical records. He makes PDF files out of every Web page he views. In sum, this mountain of data -- more than 350 gigabytes worth, not including the streaming audio and video -- is a replica of Bell's biological memory. It's actually better, he says, because, if you back up your data in enough places, this digitized "e-memory" never forgets. It's like having a multimedia transcript of your life. By about 2020, he says, our entire life histories will be online and searchable. Location-aware smartphones and inexpensive digital memory storage in the "cloud" of the Internet make the transition possible and inevitable. No one will have to fret about storing the details of their lives in their heads anymore. We'll have computers for that. And this revolution will "change what it means to be human," he writes. Bell, who, along with fellow researcher Jim Gemmell, is the author of a new book called "Total Recall," talked with CNN about the advantages and drawbacks of recording one's life in painstaking digital detail. The following is an edited transcript. CNN: What have you learned about yourself through this process? That's been a really hard question to answer. ... The main driver of the recall turns out to be a [computer] screensaver or something where I go looking for [a digital memory] and I find something else. I guess it's the rich set of connections and people that I've been involved with. CNN: What do you use to record your memories? In a way, most of what happens during the day is sort of routine -- what you've done before. So I carry the SenseCam only when I think there's an episode or a sequence or a certain set of events that I want to capture and have automatically photographed. But I tend to always carry a camera with me. I live next to a fire station and I've got lots of photos of the hook and ladder coming out of the house. And I like food so I tend to photograph wonderfully presented food all the time. To me those are very pleasant memories. CNN: If we rely on computers instead of our brains, will humans become mentally sluggish? That's certainly one of the concerns. I tend to counter that theory. To me, I feel a lot freer. In a way I feel like I still remember all that stuff, but I generally remember that [the computer is] remembering something for me so I can find it. People have no memory of phone numbers now because of the cell phone -- their address book is in a cell phone. So I don't think they're getting any worse or any less facile about that. What an e-memory does, to me, is gives me a really wonderful free feeling. CNN: If we all record audio of our lives, do you think conversations will become stilted and fake? I think there will be a lot of court cases and lawyering around all of that. I'm personally less hung up about that. Certainly, people my age and Baby Boomers are. But the current X

how long has bell been recording his life

what did gordon bell say we will soon have

Answer: onto computers

Answer: Gordon Bell

Answer: "Total Recall,"

Answer: the past decade,

Answer: Jim Gemmell,

Answer: Microsoft researcher

Answer: our entire life histories

Answer: "Total Recall,"

Answer: "Total Recall,"

Summary:
Microsoft researcher Gordon Bell argues we will soon have searchable memories .
Bell details his ideas in a new co-authored book called "Total Recall"
Bell has been recording almost every detail of his life digitally for a decade .


(CNN) -- For those of us who remember a time when many families didn't have color TV, a remote control or even video games, hearing the theme song from "The Patty Duke Show" -- "They're cousins / Identical cousins, all the way" -- takes us back to black-and-white television sets and split-screen special effects. Patty Duke says she has many fond memories of working on "The Patty Duke Show." "Back then it was very crude, how we did split-screen," star Patty Duke said of playing the dual roles of Patty and Cathy Lane in the show, which was developed specifically for her. "Now with all-digital applications, it looks antique. But the show's values are still what we want to impart on our children." The first complete season of "The Patty Duke Show," from 1963 to 1964, is now out on DVD. Duke told CNN that she's excited her five granddaughters will finally be able to see what "Nana did when she was a teenager." "I am tickled, just tickled," she said. In the sitcom, which ran for three seasons on ABC, Patty was a rambunctious teenager who always managed to find herself in some kind of trouble; cousin Cathy was a demure, worldly Scottish teenager who came to New York to live with the Lane family to finish her schooling. Duke, who was not quite 17 when the series began, says it took a lot of energy to play two different characters. She preferred the quieter Cathy, "because I thought she was dignified and gentle and rational. When it was time to be Patty, I would have to deal with my embarrassment of her stupidity." Duke was already a successful actor by the time the sitcom debuted, winning an Oscar for 1962's "The Miracle Worker" just months before the show premiered. But she describes herself as sheltered. "I was a very isolated teenager. When it came time to do some of the school dances [on the show], they had to bring in real teenagers to teach me how," she says. "I didn't know the dances, didn't know the music." She says, however, the show was a relief during what were troubled times for her. She wrote about her tormented childhood in her autobiography, "Call Me Anna," discussing her struggles with mental abuse at the hands of her managers, which she says led to alcohol and drug addiction. She was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and she now helps others who have the disease. "I believe that show [gave me] the tools that helped me survive through my youth until I got my diagnosis," Duke said. "I think 'tormenting' is one of the most perfect words for what you feel [with bipolar disorder], because you have no control over it. I did occasionally, very occasionally, hear voices, but mostly my instincts were messed up: If it was dangerous, then I should do it." The show, she said, "was where I went for safety." "It was a troubled time on the personal level, but the show was never troubled," she said. She speaks fondly of her co-stars, especially William Schallert, who played her father, Martin Lane. "He has always been able to make me laugh until I had to spit up," she said of the now 87-year-old actor. "He was also a solid, solid figure to me and still is. To this day, the relationship has grown, and he is always there for me." She remains close to the other surviving members of the cast, including Paul O'Keefe, who played her brother. Jean Byron, who played mother Natalie Lane, died three years ago. Duke was able to transition from child star to adult actor of stage and screen, and she even had a hit single, 1965's "Don't Just Stand There

What kind of show it it?
What was the actress diagnosed as?
How long did the show run for?
Duke played identical cousins Patty and
Who played the identical cousins?
The first season of what is out on DVD?

Answer: sitcom,

Answer: bipolar

Answer: from 1963 to 1964,

Answer: Cathy Lane

Answer: Patty Duke

Answer: "The Patty Duke Show,"

Summary:
First season of "The Patty Duke Show" out on DVD .
In program, Duke played identical cousins Patty and Cathy Lane .
Duke remembers show as haven during tough times as teenager .
Actress later was diagnosed as bipolar; she now helps people who have disease .


(CNN) -- For three years, the thieves crept into some of the poshest homes in the most exclusive enclaves in the nation. The gated community of Bel Air was one  of several enclaves targeted by the so-called "Hillside Burglars." Police said they finally have a break in the case, and wealthy residents of Los Angeles, California, are breathing a sigh of relief. "These guys were real good," said L.A. City Councilman Jack Weiss, who oversees Bel Air where some of the burglaries were committed. "They were professionals." The thieves hauled away more than $10 million worth of valuables and cash from 150 homes in upscale neighborhoods such as Bel Air, Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills, police said. Homes of Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and multimillionaires were hit. According to CNN affiliate KABC, country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and former Paramount Pictures CEO Sherry Lansing were among the victims. DNA evidence led the LAPD to suspected ringleader Troy Corsby Thomas, 45, of Los Angeles. He was arrested near L.A. International Airport last weekend. Police say Thomas led a gang dubbed the "Hillside Burglars" that targeted the neighborhoods overlooking Sunset Boulevard. "It's a very euphoric, satisfying feeling that we got this person," said the police Lt. David McGill. "It's a very frustrating feeling to tell the victims, 'I'm sorry I don't have any news for you.' Finally when we got some good detective work and breaks, things started lining up." Police are looking for more suspects linked to the three-year spree but are not naming them. Thomas is being held on $2 million bail, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. He is likely to stay in custody because he must reveal the origin of any funds used to pay the bail, authorities said. At a court appearance Tuesday, Thomas pleaded not guilty to two charges of residential burglary, one in January 2006 and another in March 2008. The preliminary court date for Thomas will be set on January 29 and additional charges are expected to be filed, according to CNN affiliates KABC and KTLA. Police will not comment on Thomas' background. The Los Angeles Times reported that Thomas told police he had been working as an auto broker. The Hillside Burglars have not struck since Thomas' arrest, police said. "Hallelujah!" said L.A. Councilman Bill Rosendahl, whose district includes Brentwood and Pacific Palisades. "Even a crafty crook does make his mistake and that's what happened to this one." Some residents are cautiously optimistic. "We're delighted," said Robert René, president of Brentwood Homeowners Association, which represents about 800 homes. "We are very fortunate to have the due diligence of the Westside LAPD." Harvey I. Saferstein, president of the Bel Air Association, agreed, "We are all obviously thankful and relieved." The financially strapped LAPD created a Hillside Burglars task force. People donated cameras and other equipment and police stepped up patrols. The outlay amounted to "millions of dollars," Rosendahl said. Neighborhood watch groups formed. One in Bel Air donated $8,000 for infrared cameras that can spot burglars in the dark. Robert Ringler, president of the Bel Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council, hosted a community meeting with the LAPD at the five-star Bel Air Hotel a year and a half ago. As swans swam in ponds in the background, about 150 Westside residents sipped Perrier and vented their fears. "It had gotten to be such an epidemic," Ringler said. The impressive mansions -- usually gated and hidden by walls and hedges -- dot the lush hillsides and canyons between the coast and the mountains. The qualities that make them so desirable also make them vulnerable. The seclusion that appeals to upscale homeowners also appeals to thieves. Because many of the homes are tucked into the sides of mountains and canyons, behind gates, it's easy for a thief to escape unseen and hard for police to get there quickly. "

What  did Thomas plead to felony burglary charges?

Answer: likely to stay in custody

Answer: not guilty

Answer: Troy Corsby Thomas,

Answer: "It's a very euphoric, satisfying feeling that we got this person,"

Answer: not guilty

Summary:
Wealthy Bel Air, Beverly Hills residents feel cautious relief .
Police say Troy Thomas led gang that stole $10M from 150 upscale homes .
Thomas in custody, pleads not guilty to felony burglary .


(CNN) -- For two weeks in 1976, Nadia Comaneci was probably the most recognizable person on the planet. Comaneci scored seven perfect 10s in Montreal in 1976. Just 14-years-old and standing less than five feet tall, the elfin Romanian was the undisputed star of that year's Games in Montreal after becoming the first gymnast in history to score a perfect 10. Comaneci finished up with three gold medals and -- just to prove that her initial effort had been no fluke -- seven perfect scores. Her initial performance on the uneven parallel bars was greeted with uproar as the three-digit scoreboard, struggling to cope with what had been considered an unachievable feat, flashed up 1.00. Comaneci finished with four perfect 10s and the gold medal on the bars, but it was on the balance beam, one of gymnastics' most dangerous disciplines, that Comaneci truly dazzled. Seemingly fearless, Comaneci pirouetted and back-flipped her way to two more perfect 10s and her second gold. Her final perfect score came in the floor routine as she also collected first place in the overall competition. Comaneci's transformation into an international celebrity -- she appeared on the front covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated in the same week -- had been as unexpected as it was sudden. Yet Comaneci had been working towards the Olympics ever since she had been picked out as a gymnast of rare talents as a six-year-old growing up in the industrial town of Onesti. The reality of life as an Olympic champion at home in Nicolae Ceausescu's Romania however, was not easy. Constant surveillance Comaneci was honored as a Hero of Socialist Labor on her return home, yet the regime -- terrified that Comaneci would defect after enjoying her taste of western celebrity -- kept its greatest star under constant surveillance. Four years later, a very different Comaneci returned to Olympic competition in Moscow. As an 18-year-old, she was four inches taller, 20 pounds heavier and suffering from sciatica -- a teenage starlet already starting to fade. Still, Comaneci was able to retain her gold medal on the balance beam, and collected another one in the floor exercises. But she was also involved in one of the bitterest incidents of the Games when she was controversially beaten in the all-round competition by the Soviet gymnast Yelena Davydova. It took the judges 28 minutes to decide the result and, ultimately, it was a lower score from the Soviet judge -- perhaps reflecting the worsening relations between the Soviet Union and its formerly loyal satellite -- that denied Comaneci her second straight gold in the event. Comaneci retired in 1984, traveling to Los Angeles that year as a team coach, yet she found it difficult to adjust to a life out of the spotlight. In 1989, a few weeks before the collapse of the Ceausescu regime, she defected to the United States, finally settling in Norman, Oklahoma to run a gymnastics school after marrying U.S. gymnastics star Bart Conner in 1996. In 2000 Comaneci was named as one of the athletes of the century by the Laureus World Sports Academy. E-mail to a friend

Answer: perfect 10.

Answer: Nadia Comaneci

Answer: Nadia Comaneci

Answer: with three gold

Answer: seven perfect 10s

Answer: three

Answer: Nadia Comaneci

Summary:
Olympic gymnast record: 5 gold medals, 3 silver medals, 1 bronze medal .
The first gymnast in history to score a perfect 10 .
Comaneci was honored as a Hero of Socialist Labor .
Gymnast born on November 12, 1961 in Onesti, Romania .


(CNN) -- For video game fans, many of the gadgets and accessories designed to support today's games are as unique and imaginative as the games themselves.

From inflatable Wii racing karts to iPad joysticks and plastic assault rifles tailor-made for living room juntas, there's no shortage of weird, wild and occasionally even useful peripherals for handheld and set-top systems alike.

Among the hundreds of available gaming gizmos and add-ons are a  coffin-shaped guitar instrument case and  blinged-out chrome plating for consoles. They're great to look at, but they won't enhance your gameplay much.

Here are five recent accessories designed to improve your gaming experience:

G155 ($299.99, http://www.projectgaems.com/) -- A portable game room to go, this carrying case unpacks to reveal a built-in 15.5-inch LED HD screen, stereo speakers and dual 3.5mm headphone jacks that let you annihilate friends or save the universe anywhere you travel.

Pop an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 Slim in, hook up the HDMI cable, and assuming you don't mind a little heavy lifting, voila. You can spend family vacations with your head happily buried in "WWE All Stars" or "Killzone 3."

Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition ($159.99, www.madcatz.com) -- Pricey, but infinitely cheaper than springing for an arcade machine, this PS3 and Xbox 360 joystick controller and eight-button pad delivers authentic coin-operated control and precision.

Designed for use with popular fighting games such as "Marvel vs. Capcom 3," it lets you plug in its 13-foot USB connector cable to enjoy customizable button mappings, turbo functionality and that classic quarter-munching feel.

Charge Base for 3DS ($29.99, www.nyko.com) -- Given the Nintendo 3DS handheld 3-D gaming system's anemic 3- to 4- hour battery life, this useful combo charging dock and capacity-boosting rechargeable battery comes in especially handy by offering double the juice.

It's not the most convenient accessory to carry around. But if you're planning on marathon play sessions, it can keep you happily splattering aliens or downing submarines twice as long as usual.

PlayStation Move SharpShooter ($39.99) -- This plastic attachment lets you turn your PlayStation Move motion controller into a full-fledged rifle, theoretically providing greater accuracy and atmosphere in shooter games like the suddenly timely "SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs."

Go ahead -- screw up your face and do your best "Terminator" impression. There's no denying the temptation to want to place your fingers on its pump-action grip.

Harley Davidson: Road Trip with Accessory Bar ($29.99, www.eagl3.com) -- Of all the goofy gewgaws (e.g. plastic sword, shield, fishing rod, machine gun and jet-ski inserts) offered for Wii and PlayStation 3, we're partial to these motorcycle handlebars from InterWorks Unlimited, Inc.

Crank up "Born to Be Wild," twist the Wii remote to rev up, and you too can join the ranks of balding middle managers who spend their Sundays hitting the road on their virtual hog -- while reclining in a well-worn La-Z-Boy.

What will extend the life of Nintendo's 3DS device?

What will extend life of Nintendo's 3DS device?

What does the G155 portable game room pack?

What are the number of suggestions for cool accessories?

What is the name of the portable game room?

Answer: A portable game room to go,

Answer: Charge Base for

Answer: charging dock and capacity-boosting rechargeable battery

Answer: your gaming experience:

Answer: a built-in 15.5-inch LED HD screen, stereo speakers and dual 3.5mm headphone jacks

Answer: five

Answer: G155

Answer: G155

Answer: handheld 3-D gaming system's

Summary:
Here are 5 suggestions for cool accessories to enhance your gaming experience .
The G155 portable game room packs speakers and a built-in 15.5-inch LED HD screen .
A combo charging dock and rechargeable battery will extend life of Nintendo's 3DS device .


(CNN) -- For years, Alfonso Torress-Cook followed the rules in his quest to eliminate hospital-acquired infections. Patients at his hospital received large doses of antibiotics and were scrubbed down with alcohol-based soaps, as he and his colleagues aimed to kill every bacterium possible. Search and destroy was the mantra. By upending conventional wisdom, Alfonso Torress-Cook was able to slash hospital-acquired infection rates. Still, patients became sick with bacterial infections after checking in. Some died. "I never saw anything change. I saw things getting worse," Torress-Cook said. Torress-Cook eventually joined Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, in California, where as director of epidemiology and patient safety, he changed the rules and slashed the number of patients who become infected. Torress-Cook is part of a growing movement in medicine that no longer accepts hospital-acquired infections as inevitable complications. Every year, such infections sicken 1.7 million and kill 99,000 people in the United States. At Pacific Hospital, Torress-Cook doesn't go after all bacteria, just the dangerous ones. The staff members at the 184-bed hospital use antibiotics sparingly, feed patients yogurt to replenish healthy bacteria in the gut and bathe patients daily, using a soap that maintains the natural pH of the patient's skin, killing only bacteria that don't belong there. Meet some of the people fighting hospital-acquired infections » Torress-Cook is also obsessive about hygiene: Nurses clean under patients' fingernails and brush their teeth daily. He also enlisted the hospital's cleaning crew as part of the infection-fighting team. Rooms receive a thorough cleaning every day -- more than simply emptying the trash and mopping the floor, he says. Under Torress-Cook, Pacific Hospital's infection rate for the so-called superbug MRSA is down to 0.01 per 1,000 discharges, 430 times better than the national average. Approximately one out of every 22 patients who checks into a U.S. hospital acquires a bacterial infection, adding more than $28 billion to health care costs, according to a 2009 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But there are signs of improvement. Pennsylvania, which requires the most extensive reporting of hospital-acquired infections, saw the annual rate for all infections drop 8 percent, according to the most recent figures available from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. And there are other signs of progress. The development and use of a simple checklist for a common procedure that threads a so-called central line to supply medicine directly to the bloodstream has been extraordinarily effective. The checklist made central line infections almost nonexistent at the 108 intensive care units in Michigan that adopted it. More than 1,700 lives -- and $246 million -- were saved in the first three years the checklist was adopted, according to the state hospital association. The checklist is now being adopted in all 50 states and three countries: the United Kingdom, Spain and Peru, says checklist designer Dr. Peter Pronovost, from Johns Hopkins University and Hospitals. At hospitals large and small, raising the head of the bed for patients on ventilators, brushing patients' teeth and taking other precautions have dramatically reduced ventilator-associated pneumonia, another common and costly infection. Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, has used these techniques to cut its ventilator-associated pneumonia rate by more than half, to 2.7 cases per 1,000 ventilator days. "Our goal is zero," says Michelle Farber, a registered nurse who is Mercy's senior infection preventionist. Simply requiring hospitals to report their infections has forced them to be more accountable to their patients, says Lisa McGiffert, who heads Consumers Union's Stop Hospital Infections campaign, which among other things has pushed for more transparency. Twenty-six states now have laws requiring hospitals to report rates for urinary tract and other infections. Paul Levy, CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, is a big fan of publishing infection rates. He puts the hospital's rates on its Web site and on his blog. Simply putting the spotlight on hospital

What amount of patients dies from hospital-acquired infections?

The infections add how much to annual costs?

What amount do hospital-acquired infections add to health care annually?

Answer: 99,000

Answer: more than $28 billion

Answer: hospital-acquired infections

Answer: more than $28 billion

Summary:
Every year, hospital-acquired infections sicken 1.7 million, kill 99,000 in U.S.
They add more than $28 billion to health care costs annually .
Small changes -- using a checklist and brushing patients' teeth -- can lower rates .
Expert: Attitude is slowly shifting away from accepting infections as inevitable .


(CNN) -- Forbes' list of the world's wealthy has named Warren Buffett the richest person on the planet, surpassing his friend and philanthropic partner Bill Gates who had held the title for 13 consecutive years. American investor Warren Buffett has been named world's richest person. The American investor and philanthropist is worth an estimated $62 billion, up $10 billion from a year ago thanks to surging prices of Berkshire Hathaway stock, according to Forbes magazine's annual ranking of the world's billionaires. Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, is now ranked as the world's third richest person. At $58 billion, his net worth is up $2 billion from a year ago. Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu was named the world's second richest man, with a net worth of around $60 billion, up $11 billion since last March. For the first time, Forbes' rich list named more than 1,000 billionaires from around the world, with 226 newcomers. The total net worth of the group is $4.4 trillion, up $900 billion from 2007.  Watch who's up and who's down » This year's survey finds an increasing number of the world's richest coming from emerging markets, including China, India and Russia. Two years ago, 10 of the top 20 billionaires were from the United States. This year, there are only four. India is now home to four of the 10 richest people in the world, the highest number for a single country. But the United States still holds the top spot as the country with the most billionaires --  Americans account for 42 percent of the world's billionaires and 37 percent of the total wealth, according to Forbes. With 87 billionaires, Russia is now in second place, overtaking Germany, with 59 billionaires, which had held that position for six years. It is also a record-breaking year for young billionaires, with Forbes listing 50 billionaires under the age of 40.   Check out the youngest billionaires » Over half of them are self-starters, including Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and India's Sameer Gehlaut, who started online brokerage Indiabulls. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, age 23, was called "quite possibly the world's youngest self-made billionaire ever." E-mail to a friend

What number of billionaires does Russia have?

Forbes crowns who as the world's richest person?

Who did Forbes crown as the world's richest person?

What country replaces Germany as No. 2 country with 87 billionaires?

Who is the youngest self-made billionaire in history?

Who is the youngest self-made billionaire?

Answer: 87

Answer: Russia

Answer: Warren Buffett

Answer: Warren Buffett

Answer: Warren Buffett

Answer: Russia

Answer: world's third richest person.

Answer: Mark Zuckerberg,

Answer: Mark Zuckerberg,

Summary:
Forbes crowns American investor Warren Buffett as world's richest person .
After 13 years on top, Microsoft's Bill Gates drops to number three position .
Russia replaces Germany as No. 2 country with 87 billionaires .
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg may be youngest self-made billionaire in history .


(CNN) -- Ford is the only major U.S. carmaker that is getting by without U.S. taxpayer money. Mark Fields of Ford says consumer confidence is key to getting the auto industry back on track. GM and Chrysler, on the other hand, have been told the Obama administration they will receive operating funds for several weeks in return for undergoing significant restructuring. Mark Fields, executive vice president of Ford, spoke to CNN's Kiran Chetry Tuesday on "American Morning" about the company's plans and whether it will be able to continue without financial aid from the government. Kiran Chetry: So, Mark, your company is the one that's gotten by without federal money. Will you be able to continue that? Mark Fields: Well, our position hasn't changed. We're in a different position than some of our competitors, and we're not seeking emergency taxpayer assistance. Chetry: Right, but I'm saying in the future, how are you guys guaranteeing that you won't need to go to the federal government like your two competitors have and ask for some help? Fields: Well, we're going to continue executing our plan, which really involves decisive actions around transforming the business, but also bringing great high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles into the marketplace. And we've been working this plan over the last three years, and we've been making progress. Clearly it's a tough time in the economy, but we are really focused on bringing these great cars and trucks to customers, getting our cost structure right. We've come to new agreements with our UAW partners. We're working through reducing our debt. So we're going to continue working through that, and we don't expect to take taxpayer assistance from the emergency funds.  Watch Fields discuss Ford's future » Chetry: You say it's been tough times, and certainly for you guys, it has -- 2008 the worst annual loss in Ford's 105-year history. You guys can restructure. You can work out new deals with the unions. But in the end, if people aren't buying cars or they can't get credit, how do you remain viable? Fields: Well, consumer confidence is the biggest issue in the marketplace right now. The good news is, our new cars and trucks that are coming into the marketplace are being well-received. Our retail market share has been up three of the last four months. We expect the month of March our retail share to be up again. But getting that consumer confidence is really important. And that's why today we're announcing our Ford advantage plan, and it's for any customer who buys a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury product, when they come into the showroom and buy their product, if that customer loses their position, we will pay their car payments up to 12 months while they're unemployed, to give them that peace of mind. Post your comments on AMfix Chetry: You're also offering some zero percent financing. I'm sure that you're trying to do that as well because of the frozen credit in a lot of instances. I want to get your take on this, though. President Obama announced yesterday he's giving ... Chrysler a month, basically, to submit a reorganization plan that the administration finds acceptable. The Obama administration also of course forced General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner out. Was that the right move, in your opinion? Fields: Well, what we are supportive of is that the president is committed to a vibrant U.S. auto industry. As we mentioned, Ford is in a different position. We're not asking for the emergency taxpayer assistance. But what we are focusing on is taking decisive action to streamline our business, but more importantly win new customers with the great set of products we're going -- we're coming out with over the next couple of months. Chetry: You know, there is some unprecedented government intervention going on right now in the U.S. auto industry at your competitors. They're getting billions of dollars in taxpayer money. They're

Who says that the company has been restructuring over the last three years?

Who says the retail market share has increased?

Who says they are in a different position to their competitors?

How many years has Ford been restructuring ?

What is the biggest issue in the marketplace?

What does Field say is the biggest issue in the marketplace?W

What has retail market shares done in last few months?

Who says they're in a different position to competitors?

What is the biggest issue in marketplace?

Answer: Mark Fields,

Answer: Mark Fields:

Answer: Mark Fields:

Answer: three

Answer: consumer confidence

Answer: consumer confidence

Answer: up

Answer: Mark Fields:

Answer: consumer confidence

Summary:
Ford exec says company has been restructuring over last three years .
We're in different position that competitors, says Ford executive vice president .
Retail market share has increased in last few months, says Mark Fields .
Consumer confidence is biggest issue in marketplace, Fields says .


(CNN) -- Foreign governments should urgently accept Haitian orphans on humanitarian grounds following this week's devastating earthquake, an orphanage director in Haiti and adoptive parents said Friday.

Emergency visas and passports could help push through adoptions that were stalled after the quake, and would open up beds for children who lost their parents in the disaster, said Dixie Bickel, director of God's Littlest Angels orphanage just outside Port-au-Prince.

Paperwork for adoptions that were under way when the earthquake hit Tuesday night may now be buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings and lost, said Bickel, whose orphanage cares for 152 children, including 84 babies.

The government officials who deal with adoption cases may be missing, hurt, or otherwise focused on the disaster, which means the adoptions won't go through, she said.

"I would like to see the international community come up with a plan for the children that have been adopted by European, Canadian, and American citizens of how these children can go to their adoptive parents' countries, either under refugee status or emergency status of some sort," Bickel told CNN.

God's Littlest Angels is considered one of Haiti's larger orphanages. Parents who have adopted children through the orphanage are also pressing their governments for emergency action.

"The orphans need to be granted refugee status and allowed to come home to their adoptive parents," said Allison Garwood of Los Angeles, California, who adopted a boy from GLA and brought him home last year. "The U.S. needs to not only allow but demand that children be sent to their adoptive families right away."

British citizen Chris Skelton, who arrived in Haiti hours before the earthquake hit to sign paperwork as part of the adoption process, wrote a public letter urging foreign help.

"I cannot express the sheer magnitude of the plight that the children of this country have faced, one which will now spiral downwards further with devastating results," Skelton wrote in the letter. "The situation is dire -- there will be many more children in need of help, and GLA and other orphanages cannot cope with the increased need."

The foreign ministries of Britain, Belgium, and France said they could not immediately respond, but Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry said it was aware of the issue.

"The Luxembourg authorities are informed of the situation of Miss Bickel and the children at the orphanage God's Littlest Angels, and our authorities are in touch with the Red Cross and the local authorities to solve the issue," spokesman Robert Steinmetz told CNN.

Bickel said her request is only for those children who have been adopted but who are still in Haiti as their cases go through a lengthy government approval process which can take anywhere from six months to two years.

The children's paperwork may have been in the pipeline but after the quake, the status is now unclear, Bickel said.

"Some of my papers were in the Palace of Justice -- that building is no longer there," she said. "Some of my paperwork was in the Ministry of the Interior -- I don't know if that building is there. I had passports being printed (for the children). I don't know if the paperwork is still there."

Bickel said her lawyer told her the country's top adoptions official, Judge Rock Cadet, was killed when the courthouse collapsed.

As long as the adopted children can make it out of the country, Bickel said, the orphanage can ensure the children's paperwork is completed in Haiti. If the children can't leave the country, it will mean orphanages like Bickel's must turn away any children newly orphaned by the earthquake, she said.

"It leaves me with children in my care who are going to sit here for an additional five, six months at least," she said.

"It's going to prevent me from taking in any children that were affected by this disaster. My beds are full. I can't take any children in, not unless I put them on the floor or I put two or three children to a bed

Orphanage head urges governments to do what?

Answer: cases go through a lengthy government approval

Answer: Haitian orphans

Answer: should urgently accept Haitian orphans on humanitarian grounds

Summary:
Orphanage head urges governments to accept Haitian children for adoption .
Paperwork for many adoptions in process lost in quake, officials say .


(CNN) -- Foreign ministry officials in Mali said Saturday three people from other countries were kidnapped Friday, while a fellow foreigner who was killed was probably German.

The incidents in northern Mali are the latest in a series targeting Westerners in recent days, with France confirming Thursday that one person had been killed and five kidnapped elsewhere in the West African nation.

Friday's abductions and killing occurred in the northern Timbuktu province of Mali.

A spokesman at the German Foreign Office told CNN there was "a high probability" that the foreigner killed was a German citizen.

"No further German has been involved in the abductions," the spokesman said.

Ward Bezemer, a spokesman at the Dutch Foreign Ministry, confirmed that one Dutchman had been kidnapped.

And Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt confirmed via Twitter that a Swede was among those seized. "Entire region becoming even more dangerous," he posted.

Media reports suggest the third person kidnapped Friday is a South African who lives in the UK.

A British Foreign Office spokeswoman told CNN: "We are aware of the reports and we are urgently looking into them to establish the facts."

The British Foreign Office advices against all travel to northern Mali, which encompasses part of the Sahel region that lies south of the Sahara desert.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the kidnappings in a statement Saturday.

"I was appalled to learn of the death of one person yesterday," she said. "I offer my deep condolences to the family and friends of the victim and my solidarity with all the hostages currently being held in the Sahel.

"I call on the Malian authorities to do their utmost to ensure that the hostages are quickly and safely released. Malian commitment to fight the scourge of terrorism is key to security and prosperity in the Sahel region."

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told French television Thursday that two French citizens were among those kidnapped in the town of Hombori in central Mali.

CNN's Saskya Vandoorne contributed to this report.

Who has been killed?
Who were confirmed kidnapped?
From where people are kidnapped?
Where was the person killed?
Who were kidnapped?
How many French citizens are kidnapped?

Answer: a German citizen.

Answer: three people from other countries

Answer: other countries

Answer: Mali

Answer: three people from other countries

Answer: two

Summary:
A foreigner killed in northern Mali Friday was probably a German, officials say .
A Swede and a Dutchman were kidnapped, along with a third person, officials say .
Two French citizens were confirmed kidnapped in central Mali Thursday .


(CNN) -- Forests in the Pacific Northwest are dying twice as fast as they were 17 years ago, and scientists blame warming temperatures for the trend, according to a new study.

This photo of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado shows dying pines and firs among healthy trees.

The study, to be released Friday in the journal Science, is the first large-scale analysis of environmental changes as contributing factors in the mortality of coniferous forests.

The data for this research was gathered by generations of scientists over a 50-year period at multiple sites in Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and southwestern British Columbia. Seventy-six forest plots, all more than 200 years old, were monitored by scientists doing some of the most rudimentary research -- counting trees.

"It's not a happy story, but, an important one," said Phillip van Mantgem, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and the lead author of the study. "These are beautiful places. They do change and respond to their environment, sometimes quickly."

"If in your hometown where you live, the death rates of your friends and neighbors doubled and there are no compensating birth rates, wouldn't you want to figure out what's going on?" said Nathan Stephenson, research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and one of the authors of the report.

The study primarily focused on three types of coniferous trees: pines, firs and hemlocks. Older-growth forests -- some up to 500 years old -- have trees of all ages, and researchers found that mortality rates have increased for all age groups. Since mortality rates went up across the board, scientists ruled out a number of other possible causes, including ozone-related air pollution, long-term effects of fire suppression and normal forest dynamics.

In the end, California had the highest tree death rate. Of the three types of coniferous trees studied, pines were found to be dying at the fastest rate. Ultimately, higher tree mortality may lead to significant shifts in forest structure and function, the report states.

"Much of the world's population in North America, Europe, most of China and large portions of Russia live near temperate forests, so what happens in these forests has global importance," said Jerry Franklin, a professor of forest resources at the University of Washington whose work was instrumental in maintaining the research plots.

"My guess is that forest loss has the potential to greatly exceed forest establishment," he added.

The new findings concern scientists who see the study as further confirmation of the harmful effects of climate change on ecosystems.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific intergovernmental body, concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are now at their highest levels for at least 650,000 years. Scientists on the panel say the increase began with the birth of the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago.

The new research also suggests that as trees die, they actually emit more carbon than they absorb. Trees are key players in regulating climate because they convert carbon dioxide, which they store in their trunks and roots, to oxygen. Changes in climatic conditions or various diseases can cause the gradual dying of plant shoots.

"The concern here is that these might be early warning signs of dieback," said Stephenson.

Some scientists say that tree species unable to tolerate warmer conditions might just re-establish themselves in cooler areas. Given the speed at which warming appears to be occurring, it's not clear whether tree species will be able to migrate fast enough to survive, said van Mantgem of the U.S. Geological Survey.

"Warmer temperatures cause earlier summer droughts, less snow pack, and cause ideal breeding grounds for invasive species and pathogens," he added.

"One hypothesis is that warmer climates can make it easier for invasive species to reproduce and grow in these temperate forests. If the trees are already under a lot of environmental stress, they are more prone to serious insect attack," he said.

Scientists say forests in the Western U.S. have been increasingly damaged in recent years

Where was the data for the study gathered?

Over what time period was the data gathered?

Answer: harmful effects of climate change on ecosystems.

Answer: warming temperatures

Answer: journal Science,

Answer: warming temperatures

Answer: Pacific Northwest

Answer: multiple sites in Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and southwestern British Columbia.

Answer: 50-year

Answer: in Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and southwestern British Columbia.

Summary:
Forests in the Pacific Northwest are dying twice as fast as they were 17 years ago .
Scientists blame warming temperatures for the trend, according to a new study .
Data was gathered over a 50-year period at sites in the Western U.S. and Canada .
Scientists: study confirms the harmful effects of rising temperatures on ecosystems .


(CNN) -- Forget Hollywood special effects or Impressionist paintings -- some of the most stunning images are created by the mysterious and often violent forces in the universe. The Butterfly Nebula is about 3,800 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. Witness the handful of new snapshots taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, which was equipped with a new imaging camera during a space shuttle servicing mission in May. It's back in business and there's lots to ooh and aah over. "Let there be no doubt, this is truly Hubble's new beginning," said Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator, during a news conference Wednesday. Take the image on the left of planetary nebula NGC 6302, also known as the Bug Nebula or the Butterfly Nebula. Its "wings" are made of gas heated to more than 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit and there is a dying star at its center. "The gas is tearing across space at more than 600,000 miles an hour -- fast enough to travel from Earth to the moon in 24 minutes," NASA's Web site says. The "butterfly" is more than 2 light-years across. NASA took advantage of the special filters on Hubble's camera to isolate the light of different elements, said Bob O'Connell, chair of the science oversight committee for Wide Field Camera 3. The red in the image is nitrogen gas, for example, and the blue is oxygen. See some of the previous amazing images taken by Hubble Colors are also prominent in the image of globular star cluster Omega Centauri, which contains almost 10 million stars, but the color contrast here is real. The gold dots are stars like our sun, but the blue ones are extremely hot, while the red ones are cool, O'Connell said. "Just by looking at the color of the stars in the picture, you can sort them by temperature and evolutionary state because the temperature differences here are caused by differences in the internal structure of these stars and in the kinds of fuels they're burning deep inside of them," O'Connell said. Another image shows Stephan's Quintet, a group of five galaxies -- some of which are 290 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. Over time, those galaxies will eventually merge into a single big galaxy, O'Connell said. Finally, images of a stellar nursery as seen in visible and infrared light reveal the secrets inside the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away. "This is a cloud of dense material which is being bombarded by intense radiation from surrounding stars," O'Connell said. "But dissolve to infrared and the cloud disappears. ... An energetic infant star is being formed inside this cloud." Hubble is expected to continue its mission for at least five more years.

When did the hubble get a new imaging camera?

What the name s the star cluster with millions of colorful stars?

What does star cluster Omega Centauri contain?

What was equipped to the Hubble Space Telescope?

Answer: May.

Answer: Omega Centauri,

Answer: The "butterfly"

Answer: a new imaging camera

Answer: almost 10 million

Answer: The Butterfly Nebula

Answer: a new imaging camera

Answer: more than 2 light-years across.

Summary:
Hubble Space Telescope was equipped with a new imaging camera in May .
New snapshots show beautiful images from the universe .
Butterfly Nebula is more than 2 light-years across .
Star cluster Omega Centauri contains millions of colorful stars .