Washington (CNN) -- U.S. Air Force investigators found "serious misconduct" in the handling of remains of the nation's war dead at the Dover Air Force Base Mortuary, the Office of Special Counsel said Tuesday.

At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz referred to "gross mismanagement" in some aspects of the mortuary's operations. Schwartz said Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has appointed a panel to review operations at the Dover mortuary.

"What I want to talk about is tough stuff. Given the context of this, if I find difficulty in finding the right words, you'll understand," Schwartz said at the news conference.

The findings came after the Air Force conducted a year-long investigation into 14 allegations of wrongdoing made by whistleblowers involving the remains of four U.S. service members killed in action, the Pentagon official said. Although some of the specific allegations were not substantiated, the official said several cases of concern were confirmed, including:

-- Several instances in which portions of remains from troops killed in action were lost or unaccounted for. It included losing an ankle that had been in storage and some bags that held other body parts and remains.

-- The body of a dead Marine being prepared for viewing by his family had a badly-damaged arm sawed off because it could not be arranged suitably for viewing purposes. The bone had fused at a 90-degree angle, according to officials. The report said Quinton Keel, a Dover mortician, had the arm sawed off without consulting the Marine's family. The Air Force found no wrongdoing and officials say preparing badly damaged bodies can be very difficult. But the federal Office of Special Counsel, which also investigated the matter, said the family should have been notified, according to a statement issued by that office Tuesday.

-- A Pentagon official confirmed that elements of the Army and Air Force were criticized for shipping fetal remains from military families to Dover in cardboard boxes.

At his news conference, Schwartz said the investigation began after allegations from three employees "became known to us." He did not identify the employees or their positions. But the report from the Office of Special Counsel identified the three as James Parsons, Mary Ellen Spera, and William Zwicharowski. The Air Force said all three are still employed by Dover Air Force Base.

"The fundamental result of the investigation was that senior Air Force mortuary operations affairs officials did not meet standards in that they failed to act with clear indications that processes and procedures ... were inadequate to ensure accountability of remains," Schwartz said.

He said among their findings, investigators "concluded that the loss of two specific portions of remains constituted gross mismanagement."

Those two cases involved the remains of an Army soldier and those of an Air Force airman.

"In one case we have reason to believe that the remains were properly disposed of; in the second case, we cannot make that argument. It is simply unknown what happened to the second set of remains," Schwartz said.

"This gross mismanagement dealt with the fact that ... supervisors, of which there were three, failed to properly perceive and then act upon ... clear indications that there were systemic issues with respect to accountability of remains in the mortuary."

A Defense Department official confirmed that Keel, a civilian, was demoted to a non-supervisory job and now works in another area at Dover outside the mortuary. Another civilian, Trevor Dean, a mortician and funeral director there, has been transferred to a non-supervisory job. Col. Robert Edmonson, the mortuary commander between January 2009 and October 2010 when the incident occurred, was issued a letter of reprimand, which is usually a career-ending move.

Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner said the Air Force hasn't taken "sufficient disciplinary action against the officials responsible for wrongdoing," the OSC statement said.

But Schwartz said that he did not believe the situations cited in the report were intentional. He emphasized that "this was difficult work, 24/7. And while their performance did not meet standards, this was not a deliberate act,

Which mortuary received the returning war dead?

Who stated that some remains were unaccounted for?

Who will review operations at the mortuary?

Answer: Dover Air Force Base

Answer: four U.S. service members

Answer: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta

Answer: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

Answer: a panel

Summary:
The mortuary at Dover Air Force Base handles returning war dead .
It also serves as the mortuary for military families overseas .
Some remains were lost or unaccounted for, the Office of Special Counsel says .
The Air Force chief of staff says a panel will review operations at the mortuary .


Washington (CNN) -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice is leading a U.S. delegation to Juba for Saturday's ceremonies marking the independence of South Sudan, the White House said Wednesday.

Members of the delegation will include Rep. Donald M. Payne, D-New Jersey and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights; former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell; Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs Johnnie Carson; U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Princeton N. Lyman; Deputy National Security Adviser Brooke Anderson; Donald K. Steinberg, deputy administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development; Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of United States Africa Command; R. Barrie Walkley, U.S. consul general in Juba; and Ken Hackett, president of Catholic Relief Services.

Two senior administration officials said they expected the Obama administration to announce its intention to name an ambassador to the new nation.

Lyman has already traveled to the region to foster a smooth transition between the two countries. He is visiting Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and is expected to join former South African President Thabo Mbeki in support of ongoing talks between officials in Khartoum, Sudan, and Juba -- a fast-growing city soon to become South Sudan's new capital.

The two men are expected to lend support to a peace agreement that ended Sudan's second civil war, and help moderate potential conflicts over resource sharing, disputed border areas and citizenship matters, the State Department said.

Lyman is expected to travel to Khartoum for meetings with senior Sudanese officials, the statement said, and then to Juba to attend South Sudan's independence ceremony.

The flurry of U.S. diplomatic activity comes as satellite images released Wednesday reveal a heavy north Sudanese military presence in an oil-rich border region.

Images from the U.S.-based Satellite Sentinel Project showed an apparent Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) convoy of "significant size" traveling through the town of Kadugli.

The monitoring group, started by actor George Clooney, said the convoy was 2 kilometers in length and included about 1,000 troops and heavy trucks carrying artillery.

"Less than a week after signing yet another agreement, the Sudanese regime appears to be ignoring its commitment, holding to form, and positioning military assets for intensified offensive operations," said John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project, which aims to end genocide and war crimes.

"This cycle will continue to be played out with increasingly destructive results for Sudanese civilians until the international community stiffens its spine and imposes swift and severe repercussions for the endless cycle of violence the Khartoum regime continues to fuel."

The Satellite Sentinel Project combines satellite imagery analysis and field reports with mapping technology in hopes of deterring the resumption of the bloody and bitter civil war north and south fought for decades.

The monitoring group said fighting between the Sudanese forces and the south's Sudan People's Liberation Army has been reported in the city of Kadugli in the past week.

Southerners voted for independence in a January referendum, and with the scheduled July 9 date of separation looming, many fear an escalation of bloodshed could bring both sides back to the brink of full-scale war.

Violence erupted two months ago along the contested border area of Abyei and subsequently in South Kordofan, a state that lies north of the border but where many people, especially in the Nuba Mountains, are allied with the south.

Thousands of people were displaced from their homes, and many fear that, after strict borders go into place with independence, they will not be able to return home.

"South Sudan will be born into crisis," predicted Susan Purdin, who oversees International Rescue Committee aid programs in South Sudan.

"Widening violence is triggering more displacement, threatening the lives of vulnerable civilians and hampering access to communities in need while an existing humanitarian emergency grows worse," she said.

Critical issues -- including oil and the final status of Abyei -- remain unresolved.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States applauded talks between north and south but remained concerned about the unresolved matters.

"The United States also calls on

Who fought a decades-long civil war?
What do new satellite images show?
Who is leading a U.S. delegation?
Where is sudanese military prescence?
Who is Susan Rice?
What is happening to South Sudan?

Answer: north and south

Answer: a heavy north Sudanese military presence in an oil-rich border region.

Answer: Susan Rice

Answer: in an oil-rich border region.

Answer: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

Answer: independence

Summary:
South Sudan is set to gain independence on Saturday .
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice is leading a U.S. delegation for the ceremony .
The north and south fought a decades-long civil war .
New satellite images show a Sudanese military presence in South Kordofa .


Washington (CNN) -- U.S. President Barack Obama met Monday night with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan, the White House announced. It was the ninth meeting of the president's war council to consider whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, as requested by the U.S. commander on the ground there. The White House made no statement after the meeting ended at 10 p.m. ET (0300 GMT). The meeting included Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, Afghanistan commanding Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and other senior officials, the White House said earlier. At the last war council meeting -- on November 11, Veteran's Day -- Obama pushed for revisions in proposed plans for troop increases to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government. Obama would seek answers to the questions he posed on November 11 about "not just how we get people there, but what's the strategy for getting them out," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said before the meeting. No matter what happened at the meeting, Gibbs said, Obama will not announce a decision on troop deployment until at least next week. One option calls for sending about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in addition to the 68,000 already committed to the country, with other options involving variations of that plan, sources told CNN. Before the November 11 meeting, Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, told CNN that the decision-making process was approaching completion. Petraeus emphasized the need to focus on the mission of ensuring that Afghanistan "does not once again become a sanctuary or safe haven for al Qaeda and the kind of transnational extremists that carried out the 9/11 attacks." The Obama administration has expressed concerns about Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's viability and has ratcheted up pressure to end corruption in order to combat an intensifying Taliban insurgency. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a trip to Afghanistan last week to attend Karzai's inauguration after his recent re-election, reiterated the U.S. concerns in a dinner meeting with Karzai and encouraged him to seize the "clear window of opportunity" before him at a "critical moment" in Afghanistan's history. The United States and other countries are increasing their civilian presence in Afghanistan to bolster efforts to stabilize the country, the the U.S. special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, told reporters on Monday. Asked about the corruption problem, Holbrooke noted that some Afghan government ministers have "extraordinary records" of accomplishment. The United States will work with those ministers, while recognizing that years of civil war and social woes have weakened overall leadership capabilities in Afghanistan, he said. "This is one of the main reasons we're increasing our civilian role," Holbrooke said. "And it's extremely delicate to get the mix right. We want to help the Afghans help themselves. We do not want to replace a sovereign government with internationals." Republican opponents are pushing Obama to quickly agree to McChrystal's reported request for up to 40,000 additional troops in Afghanistan as part of a counterinsurgency strategy. "This won't be perfect or easy, but it will allow America's fighting men and women to leave Afghanistan with honor, and it will enable Afghans to build a better, more peaceful future," said a letter to Obama from 10 Republican senators sent on Veteran's Day.

Meeting included Biden, Gates, Mullen, and who else?

Answer: until at least next week.

Answer: until at least next week.

Answer: how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government.

Answer: The White House

Answer: Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry

Answer: how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government.

Answer: Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, Afghanistan commanding Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and other senior officials,

Answer: next week.

Answer: Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen,

Answer: decision on troop deployment

Answer: next week.

Answer: Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, Afghanistan commanding Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and other senior officials,

Answer: next week.

Answer: clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government.

Summary:
NEW: White House makes no statement after meeting ended .
Obama will not announce decision until at least next week .
Meeting included Biden, Gates, Mullen, McChrystal, Eikenberry, White House says .
Obama wanted clarification on how, when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility .


Washington (CNN) -- Union leaders, the White House and congressional Democrats have agreed to limit the reach of a tax on high-end health insurance plans that would help pay for a proposed overhaul of the U.S. health care system, union leaders involved in the talks said Thursday.

The proposed thresholds for taxing health plans will be raised from $23,000 to $24,000 for families and from $8,500 to $8,900 for individuals, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters. Dental and vision benefits won't be counted toward that amount after 2014, he said.

Health plans covered by union contracts would not be subject to the 40 percent tax until 2018 -- a transition period union leaders said is comparable to those offered to other private insurers. The threshold for taxing other plans will be adjusted by 1 percent above the annual rate of inflation, and plans involving large numbers of women or the elderly will get breaks as well, Trumka said.

The changes will reduce the $150 billion expected to be raised over 10 years by about $60 billion, he said. And union plans would be able to enter the health care exchanges set up under the bill in 2017, he said.

The tax on what have been dubbed "Cadillac" health care plans is a key feature of the Senate health care bill, but it has drawn opposition from Democrats in the House of Representatives and from unions. President Obama, who has made health care his top priority in Congress, supports the excise tax as a way to contain the rise of health-care costs.

Trumka and other top  union officials have held a series of talks at the White House for the past three days as congressional negotiators tried to merge the two bills together. He warned earlier this week that congressional Democratic candidates could risk losing labor's support if the final bill included a tax on high-cost health plans.

But he said that despite all-but-total Republican opposition in both houses of Congress, supporters of health care reform stood "on the threshold of a milestone."

"We don't look at this as the end of our fight for real reform, but another step along the way in the quest for real reform," Trumka said.

Labor leaders said the changes they negotiated would help not only union members, who make up about 12 percent of the U.S. work force, but all working families. But Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, dismissed the plan as "a sweetheart deal."

"Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to this bill," he said. "Another sweetheart deal isn't going to turn that around."

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday found much stronger support for the financing plan in the House bill, which would impose a 5.4 percent income tax surcharge on incomes higher than $500,000 for individuals or $1 million for couples. The survey found 61 percent of the public favors the House provision, while the Senate bill drew 29 percent support.

Trumka told reporters that leading Democrats were behind the compromise. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said she had not seen anything in writing Thursday evening.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, a leading opponent of the excise tax, said the proposal was more fair than the current Senate bill.

"However, the devil is in the details, and I will reserve judgment on any compromise until I have had the time to review the proposal," he said in a written statement.

Obama did not directly address the plan as he addressed reporters ahead of a House Democratic Caucus meeting Thursday night. But he dared Republicans to run in the November midterm elections on a platform of rolling back "something that Washington has been talking about since Teddy Roosevelt was president."

"If Republicans want to campaign against what we've done by standing up for the status quo and for insurance companies over American families and businesses, that is a fight I want to have. If their best idea is to return to the bad policies and the bad ideas of yesterday, they are going to lose

How much is expected to be raised over 10 years?

What benefits won't be counted after 2014?

What does Obama challenge republicans to do?

who says threshold for taxing high-end health insurance plans will rise?

What amount will be raised over 10 years?

Answer: $150 billion

Answer: Dental and vision

Answer: to run in the November midterm elections on a platform of rolling back "something that Washington has been talking about since Teddy Roosevelt was president."

Answer: Richard Trumka

Answer: taxing health plans

Answer: $150 billion

Summary:
AFL-CIO chief says threshold for taxing high-end health insurance plans will rise .
Dental, vision benefits won't be counted toward that amount after 2014, he says .
He says $150 billion expected to be raised over 10 years to be cut by $60 billion .
Obama challenges Republicans to run in 2010 against changes to health system .


Washington (CNN) -- Valerie Jarrett does not like to talk about herself. I know this because we've sat down on numerous occasions for interviews, going back to the early days of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. But this one was perhaps the most challenging because the focus was on her. She is fiercely loyal to Obama, as one of his closest friends. But she also advises him as president, with the title of Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison. The ultimate insider does not spill the beans. But doing a series on the power players inside the White House would not be complete without looking at Jarrett's role. She has called her relationship with the president a "mind meld." "We're good friends who have known each other for a long time," Jarrett says. "Eighteen years, you get a pretty good sense of him." Her first sense of him came in 1991 when Obama was a young law professor in Chicago, Illinois. Jarrett was interviewing his fiancée, the future first lady, Michelle Robinson, for a job in Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's office. The protective partner, Obama, was making sure Jarrett was on the up and up. Jarrett first explained the scene when I interviewed her in May 2008. "They sat next to each other and when she was speaking he would just look at her with this adoring look,"Jarrett said with a laugh, "but he was really tough on me in the nicest possible way." The three became fast friends. Now Obama says he runs every important decision by Jarrett, trusts her completely and considers her family. When I bring this to her attention she accepts her role humbly. "Well, I hope he would trust me the way any close friend does. He knows I have his best interest at heart and that I understand, because I'm part of the administration, the myriad of challenges he faces," Jarrett says. "So I hope he views me a sounding board, someone who's going to be honest, direct and candid with him at all times." She laughs when I suggest perhaps she is his consigliere. "You can tell I'm uncomfortable with this," she says when I try to get her to focus more on her role. She does not like to be singled out from the rest of the White House team. Instead she paints a picture of what it would be like if I were in an Oval Office meeting with the president. "When everyone's done talking, if there've been a couple of people who've been quiet, he'll say, 'Well, Suzanne, what do you think of this issue?' " Jarrett says. She describes his style in running the meetings as "accommodating." "He reads people very well. He's extraordinarily perceptive. He can tell from the body language if someone is uncomfortable with something," Jarrett says. But she can also read the president's body language when he's heard enough talk. "He's not moody, but you can tell when he's ready for a conversation to end," Jarrett says. "He enjoys making sure there is robust debate, but when he's finished with debate he's finished. He's ready to move on. So I can detect when enough is enough, let's bring in the next issue." Jarrett says newcomers to the administration have pulled her aside to get her take on how things were going. "Particularly early on, people who didn't know the president as well as I did would come to me after a meeting and say 'What did he really mean? I know he said this, but what is he really thinking?' and I took such delight in being able to say he meant exactly what he said. That's who he is." It's the intangibles that Jarrett sometimes brings to the table. "People are always looking for the hidden intent, the body language,

What is Jarrett's role at the White House?

How long has Jared known Barack and Michelle Obama?

How long has Jarrett known Barack and Michelle Obama?

Answer: Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison.

Answer: "Eighteen years,

Answer: "Eighteen years, you get a pretty good sense of him."

Answer: he runs every important decision by

Answer: "Eighteen years,

Answer: every important decision

Answer: Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison.

Answer: Valerie Jarrett

Summary:
Jarrett has known Barack and Michelle Obama for 18 years .
She's now a senior adviser in the Obama White House .
Obama says he runs every important decision by Jarrett .
She says she tries to keep business role, friendship separate .


Washington (CNN) -- Veteran sports anchor George Michael died early Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, according to his former TV station. Michael, 70, was known nationally for "The George Michael Sports Machine," a syndicated TV show that ran nationwide for 27 years. He was a sports anchor on WRC-TV -- NBC's channel 4 in Washington, D.C. -- for more than 25 years. "Michael was a prominent fixture, providing the most accurate and spirited sports news and highlights," Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said. "He truly captured the hearts and minds of sports fans in the District and around the country." A statement issued by the station said "George was a pioneer in sports broadcasting." "He was a gifted interviewer, a master storyteller, and one of the hardest working journalists out there," the station said. Michael retired from broadcasting in March 2007. He is survived by his wife, Pat, and his daughter, Michelle Allen, the station said.

What number of years was he a sports anchor?

For how long was he sports anchor at NBC?

What number of years did the George Michael Sports Machine show run for?

How long did "The George Michael Sports Machine" run for?

Answer: Pat,

Answer: 27

Answer: WRC-TV

Answer: more than 25 years.

Answer: 27

Answer: 27 years.

Answer: his wife, Pat, and his daughter, Michelle Allen,

Answer: wife, Pat, and his daughter, Michelle Allen,

Answer: 27 years.

Summary:
"The George Michael Sports Machine," a syndicated TV show, ran for 27 years .
He was a sports anchor for Washington's NBC affiliate for more than 25 years .
Station: "He was a gifted interviewer, a master storyteller"
Survivors include his wife, Pat, and daughter Michelle .


Washington (CNN) -- Violent crime in the United States continues to drop significantly despite the difficult economic environment, according to new statistics released Friday by the Justice Department.

According to the Crime Victimization Survey released annually by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2010 violent crimes dropped about 13% among U.S. residents ages 12 or older.

Crime has been declining for several years, but the decline reported by the survey for past year was about three times as great as annual declines recorded by the same survey during the previous nine years.

The Justice Department attributed much of the decline to a sharp drop in the number of simple assaults.

Criminologists have repeatedly told CNN in recent years the declining figures are surprising inasmuch as crime has historically increased in times of economic stress.

A clearer picture of crime in the United States is likely to emerge from a major FBI report scheduled for release Monday morning. The closely watched FBI Uniform Crime Report also is expected to show a continuing drop in violent crime throughout 2010. That report, based on detailed reporting by all of the nation's police agencies, provides breakdowns in all subcategories of crime.

A preliminary FBI report for the first half of 2010 showed a decline in violent crime of 5.5 percent. That is expected to hold up for the entire calendar year.

The Justice Department Victimization Survey, which provides numbers of victims based on an extensive telephone survey, does not include statistics for murder. It cites figures for rape, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault. Almost two-thirds of violent crime "victimizations" occurring during 2010 were simple assaults in which the victim did not suffer an injury, the Justice Department survey found.

what does The annual Crime Victimization Survey shows?

Answer: Violent crime in the United States continues to drop significantly

Answer: dropped about 13% among U.S. residents ages 12 or older.

Summary:
The annual Crime Victimization Survey shows a 13% drop in violent crimes .
The Justice Department says there has been a sharp drop in simple assaults .
The department's report is based on an extensive telephone survey .


Washington (CNN) -- Voices recorded by inventor Alexander Graham Bell more than 125 years ago are being heard now, thanks to digital imaging technology.

"It's not high fidelity, but you can definitely figure out what they're saying," said Carl Haber of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, one of the scientists working on the project in a laboratory at the Library of Congress.

The early audio recordings were made during an intensely competitive time, when scientists were racing to improve on Thomas Edison's phonograph, which was invented in 1877.

Scientists like Bell, who worked at his Volta Laboratory in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, were looking to improve both the quality of the phonograph and the nature of the sound to make the product commercially viable.

"I think this is a very critical episode in the history of American invention and innovation and it highlights an otherwise unknown aspect of Washington, D.C., at the end of the 19th century as the center of invention and innovation," said Carlene Stephens, curator of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

Bell sent recordings to the Smithsonian in the 1880s for safekeeping, and to prove his scientific finds in case of patent questions.

But there was no playback device, so "the collection has been silent," said Stephens.

Enter modern-day scientists Haber and Earl Cornell, who took detailed photos of the discs made in Bell's laboratory and created a virtual playback machine on a computer.

"To be or not to be, that is the question," begins one of the recordings from a green wax disc that scientists believe was recorded in 1885. The male voice reading the famous quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet is muddled, but understandable.

On a glass disc recording from 1884, a voice can be heard saying the word "barometer" several times. And on another type of wax recording from 1885, a man is heard reading a description of a cotton factory in New Hampshire.

To get the audio from the discs, the Berkeley scientists put them on a turntable. As the disc slowly turned, as many as 18,000 images per rotation were recorded in the computer. The images were then stacked up to create a digital profile, which, when read by the computer, played back the sound.

"These technologies are very fast and these computers are fast," said Haber. "Ten years ago, we would be struggling with computer storage and computer speed. Today, commercial technology is up to this task."

There is no physical contact with the historically valuable discs, which helps to protect them for the long term.

The scientists in the 1880s experimented with a variety of experimental mechanisms, many of which the Smithsonian has in their collection. Each disc or cylinder plays differently.

"It turns out this record was designed to play from the inside-out, so that's backwards from how we normally play a record," said Haber, showing reporters the disc.

After the Berkeley Lab scientists had photographed that record, they reversed the information in the computer to play it.

Although the scientists at Bell's Volta Laboratory would have been working on a playback device as they were making the recordings, none of those made it into the Smithsonian's archives.

Three times during the 1880s, Bell sent sealed tin boxes to the Smithsonian Institution with objects and newspapers to prove that his laboratory had made certain discoveries by certain dates in case a patent dispute arose. None ever did. The sealed boxes were opened for the first time in 1937 in the presence of Bell's family.

Bell also donated materials to the Smithsonian during the early 1900s, when he served on the governing board of the museum.

Those items, along with materials from Emile Berliner, a competitor of Bell, are stored at the National Museum of American History. Berliner is credited with inventing the gramophone, the first commercially successful disc and playback machine.

The museum has about 400 early audio recordings made between 1878 and 1898.

What can be heard on one of the recordings?

Who was working on improving the phonograph?

Answer: Smithsonian

Answer: Voices recorded by inventor Alexander Graham Bell more than 125 years ago

Answer: "To be or not to be, that is the question,"

Answer: Georgetown neighborhood of Washington,

Answer: Scientists like Bell,

Summary:
Bell was working on improving the phonograph .
His early recordings are at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History .
"To be or not to be, that is the question" a voice on one recording is heard saying .


Washington (CNN) -- Vowing to continue to "underwrite global security" -- but not alone -- the Obama administration Thursday released its first National Security Strategy, a 52-page outline of the president's strategic approach and priorities.

The NSS, required by Congress of every administration to be prepared every four years, for the first time combines homeland security and national security, focusing not only on threats internationally but on the threat of home-grown radicals inspired and recruited by al Qaeda.

"We view this as an important and emerging challenge," Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communication, told reporters. Al Qaeda, he said, is less capable of using safe havens for training abroad and is now "trying to inspire Americans to carry out attacks on the U.S."

Those Americans, he said, may have less direct contact with the terrorist organization but they carry American passports and know the strengths and weaknesses of the United States.

"Several recent incidents of violent extremists in the United States who are committed to fighting here and abroad have underscored the threat to the United States and our interests posed by individuals radicalized at home," the NSS states. "Our best defenses against this threat are well informed and equipped families, local communities and institutions."

Federal, state and local governments will use intelligence, expanded community engagement and development programs to help local communities address the radicalization of Americans before they join al Qaeda, Rhodes said. There already is an interagency process, he said, devoted to countering radicalization.

This is a "new point of emphasis," he said, because it is a new point of emphasis for America's enemies.

Laying out its strategy for more traditional areas of national security, the National Security Strategy stresses the importance of working with other nations to deal with challenges to "renew American leadership."

"It's a broader view of national security than before," Rhodes said.

Echoing themes going back to the days of Obama's campaign for president, it says the U.S. must use "engagement" with friends and foes. The United States must engage also with other "21st century centers of influence -- including China, India and Russia," the report says.

In a switch from the Bush administration's doctrine of pre-emptive war, the Obama NSS says the United States will "draw on diplomacy, development, and international norms and institutions to resolve disagreements, prevent conflict, and maintain peace, mitigating wherever possible the need for the use of force."

"While the use of force is sometimes necessary," it says, "we will exhaust other options before war whenever we can, and carefully weigh the costs and risks of action against the costs and risks of inaction."

The NSS also highlights "burden sharing," working with other countries to deal with international threats. "The U.S. needs to foster burden-sharing so it's not on our shoulders alone," Rhodes told reporters.

The administration's focus on domestic terrorism is drawing some criticism from opponents who claim it "ignores reality' by avoiding terms like "radical Islam."

The ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Republican U.S. Rep. Peter T. King, while saying he was "heartened" the strategy addresses the issue of home-grown terrorism, charged that "the Obama Administration refuses to even identify head-on the threat our nation faces. Even though we have been at war against radical Islamic jihadists since they killed almost 3,000 Americans on 9/11, the Obama administration fails to even mention such terms."

what did Obama administration release on Thursday?

who issued its first National Security Strategy

Obama administration on Thursday released its first what?

Answer: its first National Security Strategy,

Answer: 52-page

Answer: the threat of home-grown radicals inspired and recruited by al Qaeda.

Answer: 52-page

Answer: 52-page

Answer: administration

Answer: National Security Strategy,

Summary:
The Obama administration on Thursday released its first National Security  Strategy .
The 52-page outline of focuses on both international and home-grown threats .
Strategy focuses on "mitigating wherever possible the need for the use of force"
Key GOP critic: Administration "refuses to even identify" threat of "radical Islamic jihadists"


Washington (CNN) -- Washington Wizards player Javaris Crittenton Monday became the second member of the NBA team to plead guilty to a weapons charge following a gun-toting locker-room incident.

Crittenton, 22, pleaded guilty in Superior Court in the District of Columbia to a misdemeanor count of possession of an unregistered firearm. He will avoid jail time.

Judge Bruce Beaudin sentenced Crittenton to one year of unsupervised probation. The judge also ordered him to perform community service with a children's organization in Washington and through the NBA's Haiti project.

"Possessing a firearm unlawfully in the District of Columbia can lead to nothing but trouble and can have serious consequences," said U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips. "We commend Mr. Crittenton for accepting responsibility and hope he fully appreciates the gravity of his actions," Phillips said.

The Wizards said in a statement that the charges and Crittenton's plea were "another disappointing development in what has already been a long and frustrating process for the team, the NBA and, most importantly, our fans."

"Javaris clearly used very bad judgment in this situation and will now face the consequences of his actions," the statement said.

Crittenton, who is currently listed as inactive on the Wizards' roster and has not played a game all season, agreed with prosecutors that the incident stemmed from an angry exchange with teammate Gilbert Arenas following arguments over a card game. The argument led to shooting threats, according to documents submitted to the court.

Prosecutors say Arenas threatened to burn or blow up Crittenton's car when they came to practice the following Monday.

"According to Crittenton before he left his home in Virginia for practice that day, Crittenton placed a lawfully owned unloaded handgun into his backpack because he believed that Arenas would carry out his threat to shoot him that day," prosecutors said.

Authorities say Crittenton displayed the weapon to Arenas, but did not aim it at him or load the weapon. Arenas had placed four of his own guns at Crittenton's locker and told him to "pick one," authorities said.

Authorities say Crittenton had been cooperating with them after the incident, and had voluntarily surrendered his weapon, a 9 mm semi-automatic Taurus, to law enforcement officials.

Arenas, a former NBA all-star, pleaded guilty to a more serious felony charge and faces potentially six months in jail, and has been suspended indefinitely by the NBA. His sentencing is set for March 26.

what must perform Crittenton to avoid jail time?

what player from the Washington Wizards pleads to misdemeanor court?

Answer: pleaded guilty in Superior Court in the District of Columbia

Answer: 22,

Answer: guilty to a weapons charge

Answer: Washington Wizards player

Answer: Javaris Crittenton

Summary:
NEW: Wizards call charges and sentencing "another disappointing development"
Washington Wizards player Javaris Crittenton, 22, pleads to misdemeanor count .
While he will avoid jail time, Crittenton must perform community service .
Crittenton agreed incident stemmed from angry exchange with teammate Gilbert Arenas .


Washington (CNN) -- Washington Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas admits he drew guns in the team locker room in a highly publicized December 21 incident, but says he was only kidding around. "I took the unloaded guns out in a misguided effort to play a joke on a teammate," Arenas said in a statement released Monday. "Contrary to some press accounts, I never threatened or assaulted anyone with the guns and never pointed them at anyone. Joke or not, I now recognize that what I did was a mistake and was wrong." Citing NBA sources last month, the New York Post reported that Arenas and Javaris Crittenton both brandished firearms in the team's locker room. Authorities continue to investigate the incident. Crittenton's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told CNN Monday that his client "hasn't done anything wrong. I'm extremely confident he'll be exonerated." Asked if Crittenton brought a gun into the Verizon Center that day, Bartelstein said, "I'm not going to get into details." He said Crittenton has not met with authorities, nor has such a meeting been requested or scheduled. Arenas, a three-time NBA All-Star, spent Monday afternoon in a voluntary meeting with federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington and with D.C. metropolitan police about the incident, according to his attorney, Kenneth L. Wainstein. "From the outset of this incident, Mr. Arenas has been fully cooperative with the investigation," Wainstein said in a statement, noting that Arenas relinquished the guns to Wizards security officers and met with authorities to "tell the full story." "Over the course of a two-hour interview this afternoon, Mr. Arenas answered every question asked of him," Wainstein said in Monday's statement. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office declined to comment on Arenas' statement, citing the ongoing investigation. Arenas said he told authorities that he stored four unloaded guns in his locker the Verizon Center to keep them away from his children. Arenas said he told authorities that he stored four unloaded guns in his locker the Verizon Center to keep them away from his children. "I brought them without any ammunition into the District of Columbia, mistakenly believing that the recent change in the DC gun laws allowed a person to store unloaded guns in the District," he said in the statement. He offered a public apology to the league, his teammates and his fans, saying, "I promise to do better in the future." NBA spokesman Tim Frank declined to comment on Arenas' comments, deferring to an earlier statement: "There is an active investigation by DC law enforcement authorities, which we are monitoring closely. We are not taking any independent action at this time."

What were the names of the two people involved?

Which newspaper stated that Washington Wizards teammates drew guns on each other?

Answer: in the team locker

Answer: Bartelstein said, "I'm not going to get into details."

Answer: December 21

Answer: Arenas and Javaris Crittenton both brandished firearms in the team's locker room.

Answer: Arenas and Javaris Crittenton

Answer: the New York Post

Summary:
New York Post: Washington Wizards teammates drew guns on each other .
Gilbert Arenas, Javaris Crittenton argued over gambling debt, paper says .
Authorities say they are investigating incident but gave no details .


Washington (CNN) -- Washington Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty Friday to illegally possessing an unlicensed handgun in the District of Columbia in a locker-room incident last month.

The 28-year-old NBA all-star told Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin that he understood he could receive up to five years in prison when he is sentenced on March 26.

But Arenas' attorney, Kenneth Wainstein, told the court that the government will ask for no more than six months, under the terms of a plea agreement.

"He accepted full responsibility for his actions, acknowledged that those actions were wrong and against the law, and has apologized to all who have been affected by his conduct," Wainstein said in a written statement.

The government has agreed to limit its recommendation to the low end of the guidelines -- "estimated to be between six and 24 months, with probation, a split sentence, or incarceration permissible," U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips said in a written statement.

"Playing with firearms is no joke," said Phillips. "Such reckless action can always be expected to garner a swift and firm response from this office. We commend Mr. Arenas for accepting responsibility and hope he fully appreciates the gravity of his actions."

The government statement said the incident was traced to a flight from Phoenix, Arizona, on December 19, when Arenas and a fellow teammate "became involved in a verbal exchange after a card game."

"Although Arenas maintains that the statements he made during this exchange were made in jest, the exchange between Arenas and the teammate involved mutual threats to shoot one another," it said. "Arenas also told the teammate that he would burn the teammate's Cadillac Escalade."

Two days later, Arenas entered the team's locker room at the Verizon Center carrying at least one firearm in his backpack, the statement said. "Once Arenas entered the locker room, he placed four firearms on the chair located directly in front of the locker of the teammate with whom he had the prior verbal exchange. Arenas then wrote the message 'PICK 1' on a piece of paper, and placed it on the teammate's chair near the firearms. Arenas remained in the locker room.

"Moments later, the teammate walked into the locker room and approached his locker. He saw the handguns and he and Arenas once again exchanged words. During this exchange, Arenas stated, 'You said you were going to shoot me, so I thought you would like some firepower. Pick one.' The teammate picked up one of Arenas's firearms from his chair, threw it across the locker room, then reportedly took out what appeared to Arenas to be a silver-colored semi-automatic handgun.

"After this exchange, Arenas admitted to team management that he brought the firearms from his home in Virginia into Washington, D.C. He also told team management that the teammate also had a firearm. The teammate has since denied that he ever had a handgun. Team management directed Washington Wizards security personnel to secure Arenas's firearms and to remove them from the premises."

The incident came to light on December 24, when authorities were notified, the statement said. Metropolitan police went to Arenas' home in Virginia, where the athlete's four unloaded firearms -- a .50-caliber gold-plated, semi-automatic Desert Eagle with magazine; a .500 Magnum Smith & Wesson revolver; a .45-caliber black, semi-automatic Kimber Eclipse with magazine; and a 9-mm Browning with magazine -- were surrendered, it said.

The three-time NBA All-Star said he told authorities that he had stored the guns in his locker in the Verizon Center to keep them away from his children.

"I brought them without any ammunition into the District of Columbia, mistakenly believing that the recent change in the D.C. gun laws allowed a person to store unloaded guns in the District," Arenas said in his statement.

He offered a public apology at the time to the league, his teammates and his fans, saying, "I promise to do better in the future."

During

Who accepted full responsibility for their actions?

who says that he accepts full responsibility for his actions

Who pleads guilty to illegally possessing?

Answer: Gilbert Arenas

Answer: Gilbert Arenas

Answer: Gilbert Arenas

Answer: Gilbert Arenas

Summary:
NEW: "He accepted full responsibility for his actions," Gilbert Arenas' attorney says .
NEW: U.S. statement: Teammate had what appeared to be "semi-automatic" gun .
NBA star pleads guilty to illegally possessing unlicensed handgun .
Under plea deal, Arenas' lawyer says government will ask for no more than six months .


Washington (CNN) -- Washington police were investigating on Sunday whether an off-duty officer drew his gun in the midst of a snowball fight involving a couple hundred people. The Metropolitan Police Department said video from a local media outlet at the scene Saturday did not show the officer with his weapon drawn. However, authorities have since received "additional images and statements that would seem to support the allegation that the off-duty member did pull a gun," a police statement said. About 200 people from a D.C. neighborhood had gathered Saturday to brave a snowstorm for a massive snowball fight, CNN affiliate WJLA reported. "It was pretty fun," one unidentified participant told WJLA. "And then, you know, when the gun came out, uh, it just changed the tone of the thing a little bit." The off-duty, plainclothes officer was driving in the area of the snowball fight when several snowballs hit his vehicle, police said. The officer exited the vehicle and yelled at the crowd, WJLA reported; witnesses accused that officer of drawing his gun. A uniformed police officer who subsequently arrived was holding a gun at his hip, but he eventually returned it to his holster, video from WJLA shows. MPD Assistant Chief Peter Newsham said the uniformed officer was responding to a  911 call that someone -- apparently the plainclothes officer -- had a gun, according to WJLA. The uniformed officer holstered his weapon when he recognized the plainclothes officer, Newsham said, according to WJLA. The police statement said "there is no evidence that [officers] pointed any weapons in the direction of the crowd or at any individuals."

How many people were at the snowball fight?

what was the reason behind the accused police officers?

how many people were in the snowball fight?

Answer: an off-duty officer

Answer: About 200

Answer: a snowball fight

Answer: 200

Answer: a D.C. neighborhood

Answer: "additional images and statements

Answer: a couple hundred people.

Summary:
Plainclothes police officer accused of drawing gun at snowball fight in Washington, D.C.
"Images and statements ... would seem to support the allegation," police say .
About 200 people were in snowball fight when officer's vehicle was hit, police say .
Police: Separate, uniformed officer held a gun while checking report of armed person .


Washington (CNN) -- What does it feel like to kill a man? James Lenihan of Brooklyn knew. He fought in Europe in World War II and he killed a German soldier during a battle in Holland.

He described how it felt in a poem:

---

I shot a man yesterday

And much to my surprise,

The strangest thing happened to me

I began to cry.

---

So begins "Murder: Most Foul" a work that echoes poetry about war in the tradition of William Shakespeare and borrows its title from the bard's "Hamlet."

As powerful as the poem is, the story behind it is also fascinating. Sgt. James Lenihan returned home after the war, got married, had children and made a career as a salesman for the meatpacking industry.

If he ever wrote any other poems, his son, Robert, and daughter, Joan, who still live in Brooklyn, don't know of any. In fact, they didn't know about this poem until after their father died. They found it when they were going through his possessions.

Robert and Joan Lenihan found two typewritten pages, each with a copy of the poem. It was unsigned, but Robert believes the poem was written by his father and later typed up by his mother for safekeeping.

He says the poem talks of the killing happening in Holland. James Lenihan served in Holland with the 104th Infantry Division, which battled German units there.

The poem portrays a soldier very upset about taking a life:

---

I knelt beside him

And held his hand--

I begged his forgiveness

Did he understand?

---

But even while he describes the shooting as murder, he makes clear he had no choice:

---

It was the War

And he was the enemy

If I hadn't shot him

He would have shot me.

---

Robert Lenihan said the poem is a bit unlike the father he grew up with. A man who could be a "tough customer" if need be. Not someone tormented by a fleeting, albeit from an intense moment on a battlefield in Holland.

"I'm just starting to appreciate how much he suffered only now in this part of my life. When I was a kid, like if he yelled at me or something, I'd say, 'Well Dad's being cranky,'" Lenihan said.

He said that even though the incident in the poem took place nearly 60 years ago, it resonates today and should let young soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan that they aren't the first to face such emotional turmoil as this.

"That feeling they may have of regret and pain and shock of what they've done. It shows they are not alone," Lenihan said.

CNN sent James Lenihan's poem to Georgetown University Professor David Gewanter, who has published several books of poetry, including "War Bird," published last year.

Gewanter called "Murder: Most Foul" "accomplished." In an e-mail to CNN, he said the poem "is good, and its truths are that of experience and some literary traditions."

Robert Lenihan sounded surprised when he heard Gewanter's analysis of his father's amateur poem.

"I'm very deeply touched," he said. "For an expert to assess it that way and make such important comparisons -- I'm amazed and quite touched."

The poetry professor said Lenihan's poem reminded him of a famous portion of Shakespeare's play "Henry V":

---

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remembered --

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers

---

But Gewanter said it perhaps most closely resembles "The Man He Killed," a work by Thomas Hardy written at the start of World War I. In that poem, Hardy writes that the soldier and the foe he killed might have shared a drink or loaned each other money had they met somewhere other than a battlefield.

James

what does a poetry professor call the poem?

Answer: "accomplished."

Answer: James Lenihan

Summary:
Poem tells the anguish felt by one who killed a man in war .
It was the only poem James Lenihan is known to have written, his children say .
Poetry professor calls it "accomplished," reminiscent of well-known works .


Washington (CNN) -- When President Obama threw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals' season opener on Monday, he kicked off not only a new baseball season but also a new round of fundraisers at Nationals Park.

Though Obama wasn't raising any cash himself on game day, his appearance was the backdrop for at least one ballpark fundraiser Monday, the first of what Nationals President Stan Kasten hopes will be many political events held at the stadium this season.

Since Nationals Park first opened in March 2008, Kasten has actively encouraged political operatives of all ideological stripes to hold their fundraisers and receptions at the ballpark, as opposed to more conventional venues such as restaurants or hotel ballrooms.

"I am absolutely bipartisan when it comes to business, or even multi-partisan," said Kasten in an interview with CNN. "We welcome all, and we've had all come to the ballpark. Republicans, Democrats, and I'm sure other parties as well."

Kasten helped bring major-league baseball back to Washington in 2005 after a 34-year absence. Since then, federal candidates, major political parties, and political action committees have spent at least $432,000 on fundraising events either at Nationals games or at their facility, according to campaign finance documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Although campaigns did spend money on Nationals-related fundraising events when the team played at RFK Stadium, the records show that spending skyrocketed once the gates opened at Nationals Park.

Campaign disbursements to the Nationals for fundraising expenses averaged $11,000 per year from 2005 to 2007, but that increased by twelvefold, to about $131,000, in 2008, the year the park opened. That amount doubled to $264,000 in 2009.

The total dollar amount spent on all fundraisers at Nationals Park is likely to be much higher than FEC records indicate, since lax federal disclosure rules allow campaigns to pay corporations directly for use of their luxury suites at the ballpark, without having to specify how the money was spent. However, regulations do require that campaigns pay full price for all expenses, such as tickets, suite rentals and concessions.

Much of the Nationals' success in wooing the campaign crowd can be attributed to a relative lack of variety available on the Washington fundraising circuit. One Democratic fundraiser who has held two events at the ballpark told CNN that both candidates and donors enjoy the change of scenery.

"It's different. It's a good time to interact with people but also have fun while doing something non-politically related," she said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "There is a little bit of monotony in fundraisers in D.C. There's a formula to it, so this is a little out of the ordinary."

Kasten could not agree more.

"The key to fundraisers is to get people to come," he said. "We have the added element of holding an event at our ballpark and having a fun evening going on alongside the fundraiser with lots of other things to do."

"It's just so much more appealing to potential contributors than just coming to some hotel ballroom," he added.

The ballpark hosted over 40 fundraisers in 2009, and Kasten expects that number to increase this year with the midterm elections looming. The team advertises its facilities to individual campaign committees, congressional offices, and to national party organizations, including both the Democratic and Republican National Committees. Special outreach is made to the members and candidates representing whichever visiting team happens to be in town.

Although holding fundraisers at baseball games is not new, the Nationals have capitalized on being uniquely positioned in a city with a year-round political industry unrivaled by other baseball towns.

Records show that several teams with national fan bases have not received nearly as much in campaign expenditures as the $432,000 the Nationals have garnered so far. Since 2003, the Boston Red Sox have received about $207,000, the New York Yankees have received about $157,000, and the Chicago Cubs have brought in just over $36,000.

The Baltimore Orioles, which had been Washington's venue of choice for baseball-themed political

What is the ballpark more appealing than?

What is Nationals President Stan Kasten encouraging?

What did one Republican say about the ballpark?

Answer: has actively encouraged political operatives of all ideological stripes to hold their fundraisers and receptions at the ballpark,

Answer: Monday,

Answer: just coming to some hotel ballroom,"

Answer: spending

Answer: political operatives of all ideological stripes to hold their fundraisers and receptions at the ballpark,

Answer: "We welcome all, and we've had all come to the

Summary:
Nationals President Stan Kasten encourages political operatives to hold fundraisers at ballpark .
Spending on fundraisers skyrocketed once gates opened at Nationals Park in 2008 .
Ballpark is much more appealing "than just coming to some hotel ballroom," Kasten said .
One Republican says ballpark isn't a good fundraising spot because team isn't playing well .


Washington (CNN) -- While acknowledging the hard-hit black community and budding criticisms in its ranks, President Barack Obama said in a speech Saturday night to the Congressional Black Caucus that he wouldn't give up -- and urged members of the black community to join him to jump-start the still-sluggish economy.

"I expect all of you to march with me, and press on," Obama said. "... Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We've got work to do."

The unemployment rate among African-Americans is 16.7%, nearly double the national average, while 40% of black children live in poverty. Such facts have made fiscal reforms a priority for caucus members, some of whom -- most of them Democrats -- have criticized Obama for not doing enough on the issue.

They include Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, who at a caucus "jobs' tour town hall" in Detroit this month described the unemployment rate among blacks "unconscionable." She said the strategy to fix it was unclear, adding that the caucus was "getting tired" of waiting for one.

She questioned the president's decision to focus on the Midwest during a three-day jobs bus tour in August, stating that the 3 million who live in Iowa -- and are mostly white -- are roughly equal in number to the African-Americans who are out of work. She suggested that Obama's administration seemed more keen to focus on that politically important state than on the black community.

"Are the unemployed in the African-American community, including almost 45% of its youth, as important as the people of Iowa?" she asked in the statement she released ahead of the president's speech before a joint session of Congress in which he announced his jobs plan.

In his speech Saturday, Obama called the situation for many blacks "heartbreaking, and it's frustrating." But he also touted achievements of his administration -- such as on the earned income tax credit, anti-foreclosure programs and consumer financial protections -- for making a difference, while admitting more work lies ahead.

"In these hard years, we have won a lot of fights (and) we've done a lot of good," he said. "But we've got more work to do. People are still hurting."

As to the criticism, the president said that "nobody feels the burden more than I do." But in a rousing end to his speech, he said he knew addressing problems wasn't going to be easy.

One of the chief lessons from the civil rights movement is that "you can't stop" in the face of challenges, he said.

"The future rewards those who press on, with patience and determination," he said.

"Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes."

Obama promoted his recently proposed American Jobs Act during his speech, as well as his tax reform efforts to pay for the bill in part by closing loopholes and effectively having some wealthier Americans pay more in taxes than they do currently.

As he did in a nationally televised speech several weeks ago, the president repeatedly used the phrase "pass this jobs bill" in promoting its various measures -- including efforts to bolster small businesses, rebuild schools and bridges, and hire back teachers, firefighters and police.

In an apparent swipe at Republicans, he urged politicians to fight as hard "for ordinary folks as you do for all your contributors."

"We have to make sure that everyone in this country gets a fair shake, and a fair shot, and a chance to get ahead," he said.

Obama insisted that having "the folks who have benefited the most ... pay their fair share" in taxes must be part of any solution, adding, "This is all about fairness."

The president has proposed a $4,000 tax credit to employers for hiring long-term unemployed workers and higher credits to companies that hire veterans who have been unemployed for at least

What is the black jobless rate in August?

At what percent is the black jobless rate?

Obama stresses "fairness," while admitting what?

Answer: 16.7%,

Answer: 16.7%,

Answer: to join him to jump-start the still-sluggish economy.

Answer: 16.7%,

Answer: more work lies ahead.

Summary:
NEW: Obama stresses "fairness," while admitting "we've got more work to do"
"Stop grumbling, stop crying," the president advises .
With the black jobless rate at 16.7% in August, it's major concern for officials .
Obama has recently been meeting with black journalists, leaders .


Washington (CNN) -- While administrations come and go, and power in Congress teeters between political parties, one thing remains constant in the lives of Washington, D.C.'s, elite: the power lunch. Between noon and 2 p.m., brokers meet to clinch deals, with the emphasis more on power than on lunch. Just steps from Capitol Hill, Charlie Palmer is one of the places to see and be seen at lunchtime. Depending on the week, the modern American steakhouse serves between 70 and 80 congressmen and between 20 and 30 senators. "I'd bet we've had every member of Congress and every senator in the restaurant at some point," says Matt Hill, executive chef for the famed eatery. It's not just the proximity to Capitol Hill that draws Washington's elite to Charlie Palmer. The restaurant has several private dining areas -- including a rooftop with scenic views of the city -- and an executive chef who prides himself on serving homemade, inventive fare. "We do anything, we've got senators from Hawaii that come in, and they ask for Hawaiian hors d'oeurves, we've got, you know, people from Texas that ask for things from Texas," Hill says. "So, we can really vary the menu, and it makes it interesting for me to try to come up with new ideas." Thirty-seven years ago, Tommy Jacomo moved to Washington with his brother and built The Palm with his bare hands. Now, as executive director of the famed power spot, Jacomo is known by Washington's elite as the keeper of the keys to The Palm. Everyone knows him. "It's pretty frightening, yeah, you can't even walk down the street sometimes, Jacomo said. "People say, 'Hey, Tommy! Put me down for two at 12:30,' and I don't even know who the hell they are." The Palm has hosted every president from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton. President Obama has yet to make a visit. But it's not just presidents who visit The Palm. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has frequented the restaurant since the Clinton administration. Cabinet secretaries including Madeleine Albright, administration officials, senators and representatives, Supreme Court justices, the city's top lobbyists, lawyers, strategists and media elites are all regulars at the Dupont Circle steakhouse. And if you become a regular, you get your picture on the wall. "People used to think when we first opened up that we had all the [portraits of] Republicans on one side and all the [portraits of] Democrats on the other side," Jacomo said. "It's not really as much thought behind it. It just goes up, it's good customers, loyal customers, famous people, infamous people, and I decide where I want to put them when I get the chance," he joked, pointing out the minimal space left on the wall. Not everyone is willing to put their picture on the wall. James Carville and Mary Matalin, who are political strategists and CNN contributors, chose to have their dogs' portraits on the wall instead of their own. While steakhouses remain a favorite, not all power restaurants dish out filet mignon. Steps from the White House are three of Washington's oldest power spots: The Oval Room, which serves up American fare; Bombay Club, which is Indian; and Old Ebbitt Grille, which also specializes in American cuisine. Cafe Milano, in Georgetown, and The Monocle and Johnny's Half Shell, on Capitol Hill, also remain abuzz with some of the most prominent people in Washington. Italian restaurant Posto on 14th Street has become a favorite among younger administration staffers because of its laid-back atmosphere and expansive dining room. Posto's sister restaurant Tosca, owned by Paolo Sacco, has kept D.C.'s top lobbyists and politicians coming back since it opened in 2001. Not only known for the power scene and homemade Italian cuisine, Tosca has set itself apart from others by having some of the most attentive waitstaff in the city. Supreme Court Justice

What dining rooms are  are steps from the White House?

What does the executive chef of Charlie Palmer think?

Executive chef of what restaraunt says every member of Congress has been in?

Where has every member of congress been?

Answer: The Oval

Answer: "I'd bet we've had every member of Congress and every senator in the restaurant at some point,"

Answer: American steakhouse

Answer: Charlie Palmer

Answer: Washington

Answer: the power lunch.

Summary:
The power lunch is a constant of Washington's elite .
Executive chef of Charlie Palmer says every member of Congress has been in .
Most presidents since Nixon have dined at The Palm .
The Oval Room, Bombay Club and Old Ebbitt Grille are steps from the White House .


Washington (CNN) -- White House advisers are considering recommending alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed be tried in a military court instead of a civilian one in New York City, a senior administration official told CNN on Friday.

In November, Attorney General Eric Holder announced his intention to try Mohammed in a New York civilian court.

"I am confident in the ability of our courts to provide these defendants a fair trial, just as they have for over 200 years," Holder said last month. "The alleged 9/11 conspirators will stand trial in our justice system before an impartial jury under long-established rules and procedures."

A firestorm of opposition erupted from both New York officials and top Republicans after Holder's announcement.

New York police have estimated the cost to the city would exceed $200 million per year in a trial that could last years. They have said, among other things, that they would need to install more than 2,000 checkpoints in Lower Manhattan.

Also, some congressional leaders have argued Mohammed should not be entitled to all the protections and privileges a defendant receives in civilian court. Last month, several lawmakers tied funding to close the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to holding a military trial for Mohammed and other suspected terrorists.

To try Mohammed and others "as common criminals, giving them the constitutional rights of American citizens in our courts, is justice according to 'Alice in Wonderland,'" said Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, argued that "our military justice system is best able to protect the American people."

Holder said last month the Justice Department "will have to take into account" the views of other political leaders and residents. "At the end of the day, wherever this case is tried, in whatever forum, what we have to ensure is that it's done as transparently as possible and with adherence to all the rules."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Friday the administration was evaluating its options "based on New York City logistical and security concerns."

Gibbs and senior presidential adviser David Axelrod have said previously that President Obama believes the trial should take place in a criminal court instead of before a military tribunal.

The senior administration official emphasized that no final recommendation has been given to the president and therefore no final decision regarding the 9/11 terror trial has been made.

The official said administration advisers hope a decision will be made before the president leaves for an overseas trip on March 18.

Progressive activists blasted the potential administration switch.

"If this stunning reversal comes to pass, President Obama will deal a death blow to his own Justice Department, not to mention American values," said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

"If the president flip-flops and retreats to the Bush military commissions, he will betray his campaign promise to restore the rule of law, demonstrate that his principles are up for grabs and lose all credibility with Americans who care about justice and the rule of law."

Who doesn't want Khalid tried in Manhattan?

What type of trial do the republicans want?

Answer: White House advisers

Answer: a fair

Summary:
Obama administration insisted 9/11 trial in New York would be symbol of U.S. rule of law .
New York officials do not want Khalid Sheikh Mohammed tried in Manhattan .
Republicans want military, not civilian, trial .
Recommendation would mean Obama administration reverses itself on two fronts .


Washington (CNN) -- Wider restrictions on fishing in the Gulf of Mexico are raising fresh concerns in an industry already hard-hit by the massive BP oil spill.

With thousands of barrels of oil still spewing out of a damaged undersea well every day, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday that it was nearly doubling the portion of the Gulf's federal waters that are now closed to fishing. The restricted zone now pushes south and east into the heart of the Gulf -- another blow to a $2.4 billion industry already reeling from the nearly month-old spill.

For Greg Abrams, a commercial fisherman in Panama City, Florida, that means his boats are being pushed further west to chase big catch like bluefin tuna, swordfish and mahi-mahi.

"They'll have to go in somewhere else, probably around Galveston (Texas), instead of coming home," Abrams said. "That'll cause some problems, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

Louisiana fisherman get paid for helping cleanup

Abrams owns a fleet of 14 fishing boats and hires another 41. One of them has  caught 80 tuna in a seven-day stretch off the Gulf's Loop Current, a haul he called a "great start" to a seven-month season.

"Now he has to leave the current and go farther west," Abrams said.

NOAA's latest order extends the closed zone to a nearly 46,000-square-mile stretch, about 19 percent of the Gulf. The ongoing spill now threatens to be picked up by the Loop Current, which could spread some oil around the tip of Florida and up the U.S. East Coast.

Unconfirmed reports from researchers that large amounts of oil is spreading below the surface, as well as concerns about the effect of chemical dispersants used to break up the spill, also worry people in the industry.

Deborah Long, a spokeswoman for the Southern Shrimpers Association, said fishermen could face a "multi-generational effect" on the creatures from which they draw their living, with shrimp and bluefin tuna the two species with the most to lose.

"We're not just worried about the shrimp stocks here," Long said. "We're worried about the entire marine food chain."

Many areas off the Louisiana and Alabama coasts remain open to both commercial and recreational fishing as BP, the Coast Guard and volunteers try to battle the spreading slick offshore. But news accounts of the spill have prompted tourists to cancel fishing trips even in waters that are so far unaffected, said Sonny Schindler, of Shore Thing Charters in Diamondhead, Mississippi.

"The oil hasn't done a thing to us -- it's the exposure," Schindler said Tuesday. He added, "Our water's still open, we're still trying to fish every chance we can, and we're open for business."

And some of those who are still able to get out on the water are now seeing buyers go elsewhere, said Bobby Lovell, a crab fisherman in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish.

State-controlled waters near New Orleans were opened for three days starting Saturday, Lovell said. He and his father laid crab traps last weekend in Lake Borgne and came back with an ice chest full of crustaceans -- but he said many of his buyers have turned to suppliers in western Louisiana, which isn't currently threatened by the spill.

Tar balls found in Florida Keys not believed to be from Gulf spill

"I'm stressed. I'm pacing back and forth, and I'm normally a calm guy," he said. However, "The big wholesalers are in the same predicament I am right now," he said.

The closures follow an April 20 explosion that sank the drilling platform Deepwater Horizon, taking 11 workers with it. Efforts to shut down the well that was ripped open by the accident have failed so far, though well owner BP says it has been able to capture some of the escaping oil and pump it to a ship on the surface.

"The fish will move. They have fins. They will

What percent of Gulf are the new restrictions covering ?

what restrictions cover 19 percent of the gulf

What percentage of the Gulf is covered under restrictions?

what causes drives buyers to new sources

Answer: 19

Answer: on fishing

Answer: 19 percent

Answer: "We're worried about the entire marine food chain."

Answer: BP oil spill.

Summary:
New restrictions cover 19 percent of Gulf .
Extension hits at deepwater fish like tuna .
Shrimpers fear 'multi-generational' impact .
Spill drives buyers to new sources .


Washington (CNN) -- With a simple, declarative statement, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs announced his ambitious goal to eradicate one of the country's most shameful problems. "My name is Shinseki, and I am here to end veteran homelessness," VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said Tuesday in a speech to the National Summit on Homeless Veterans. But Shinseki indicated the challenge in meeting his goal by adding, "I learned long ago there are never any absolutes in life, and a goal of zero homeless veterans sure sounds like an absolute." The plan unveiled by Shinseki includes trying to leverage existing education and jobs programs, boosting the ability of veteran-owned businesses to compete for federal contracts and spend an additional $3 billion on medical services and homeless programs. An estimated 131,000 veterans are homeless, according to the VA. That is an improvement from 2003, when the number was as high as 196,000. But the secretary warned that given the ailing economy, the number could increase by as much as 10 percent to 15 percent in the next five years. The VA plans to focus its new efforts on preventing the problem. "Our plan enlarges the scope of VA's efforts to combat homelessness," said Shinseki in a news release. "In the past, VA focused largely on getting homeless veterans off the streets. Our five-year plan aims also at preventing them from ever ending up homeless." The department plans to expand the recently passed educational grants program for veterans who served after September 11, 2001, to include not just college but vocational programs as well, according to VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts. "Not every veteran wants to spend four years pursuing a college degree, but they might be interested in learning a trade that would get them into the taxpaying work force sooner," Shinseki said. The VA will also try to win more federal contracts for veteran-owned businesses, encouraging other agencies to exceed the minimum goal of 3 percent of contracts to veteran-owned small businesses. The increase, the VA believes, will also help employ more veterans since "veterans hire veterans," Shinseki said. In addition, it is increasing the amount of vouchers for public-financed housing, adding 10,000 more vouchers in 2010. The plan also calls for more programs to aid transition from prison and psychiatric facilities, as well as a renewed call to treat veterans' psychiatric conditions. Read more about the VA's ambitious goal Veterans' groups contacted after the speech were generally pleased that the secretary was focusing the attention but unsure how he would achieve such an ambitious goal. "General Shinseki is a soldier and treating this like a military operation and in the military you have to have hope for your missions," said Justin Brown of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Shinseki was a four-star general in the Army. Brown said he thought Shinseki's aim to get better coordination between the VA and federal departments, including Labor and Health, was a good start. But others were more pessimistic that Shinseki could change the VA bureaucracy. "This secretary is going to be a good leader, but we don't think he or the president has quite gotten a hold of how intractable the bureaucracy is inside the VA," said Rick Weidman, executive director for policy and government affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America. Weidman said one problem not mentioned Tuesday that would help, more than many of of the other programs, is reducing the backlog in processing veterans' claims that delays much-needed medical and other benefits. The VA recognizes backlogs are a problem, said spokeswoman Roberts. "The backlog is a top priority at the VA and at the forefront of the secretary's mind," she said. Toni Reinis at the Los Angeles organization New Directions said the announcement Tuesday showed that Shinseki had "real leadership," but she worried that lack of funds and leadership at the local level would make instituting change difficult. The problem, she said, is sometimes not in the VA's control. Reinis said her group's center, which

what is cited as a major problem?
What does Shinseki want to end?
what does Eric Shinseki  say?
how many veterans are homeless?

Answer: veteran homelessness,"

Answer: veteran homelessness,"

Answer: and I am here to end veteran homelessness,"

Answer: 131,000

Summary:
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki says, "I am here to end veteran homelessness"
An estimated 131,000 veterans are homeless, according to the VA .
One observer worries Shinseki doesn't realize how "intractable" VA bureaucracy is .
Backlogs in veterans claims is cited as a major problem .


Washington (CNN) -- Workers aboard the Deepwater Horizon were pushing to complete the well at the heart of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill before the disaster, but no "conscious decision" to cut corners on safety has been discovered, a presidential commission reported Monday.

"There seemed to be a compulsion to get this rig completed in that April 19th-April 20th time period," said Bob Graham, the commission's co-chairman. "And as a result of that, a number of things which might have made the outcome of this plight different were deferred or abandoned."

The undersea gusher erupted with an April 20 explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drill rig, which was completing a well for the oil giant BP at the time of the blast. The rig sank two days later, taking 11 men to a watery grave and unleashing the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

The well was about 45 days behind schedule, and Fred Bartlit, the commission's chief counsel, said BP's operating costs for the leased rig were running about $1.5 million per day. Those costs were "overhanging the heads of people on the rigs," Bartlit said -- "but they don't want their buddies to get killed, or themselves."

"To date, we have not seen a single instance where a human being made a conscious decision to favor dollars over safety," he said.

But as the commission opened two days of new hearings into the disaster on Monday, Graham questioned why the timing was "so central" to managers that they did not examine the well's cementing job more closely.

"I would hope that tomorrow we get down to the question of just what was driving for a decision on that particular narrow 24 hours," added Graham, a former U.S. senator and Florida governor.

In its preliminary findings, the commission criticized BP for shifting its plans for capping the completed well. At one point, one of the "company men" on the doomed rig was unaware of changes being planned back on shore, staff attorney Sean Grimsley said.

Mark Bly, BP's executive vice president for safety, told the commission he and the company "don't exactly agree" with the findings.

"In our work we went through what turned out to be the eight critical things we thought had contributed causally here," he said. "We clearly identified the failure to isolate at the bottom of the well and the negative test and, subsequently, the monitoring, so we didn't see the procedures here as particular to that. We felt they were covered in the other things that we described."

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, an outspoken critic of BP, said the company has "a long and sordid history of cutting costs and pushing the limits in search of higher profits."

"When the culture of a company favors risk-taking and cutting corners above other concerns, systemic failures like this oil spill disaster result without direct decisions being made or tradeoffs being considered," Markey said in a written statement on Monday's findings. The Massachusetts Democrat leads the House Energy and Commerce committee's energy and environmental subcommittee.

Still pending are test results on the rig's blowout preventer, the massive fail-safe device that was supposed to shut down the well in case emergency. Federal authorities took control of the preventer in September and have turned it over to a Norwegian engineering firm to analyze the device "from soup to nuts," Bartlit said.

BP, rig owner Transocean and cement contractor Halliburton have pointed fingers at each other since the rig sank. As the well's owner, BP was responsible for capping the ruptured well and cleaning up the more than 200 million gallons of oil that spilled. The well was sealed temporarily in mid-July and capped permanently on September 19.

Lab test results should have prompted managers to redesign the cement slurry used to line the well, the committee reported. In addition, the Transocean drill crew also could have diverted the escaping hydrocarbons overboard or triggered the rig's emergency disconnect before the blast, which could have

What did the co-chairman say drill crews were under a compulsion to complete?

The Congressman says BP has a long history of pushing what?

Who was under compulsion to complete the well?

Answer: "don't exactly agree" with the findings.

Answer: to get this rig completed in that April 19th-April 20th time period,"

Answer: the limits

Answer: "When the culture of a company favors risk-taking and cutting corners above other concerns, systemic failures like this oil spill disaster result without direct decisions being made or tradeoffs being considered,"

Answer: Workers aboard the Deepwater Horizon

Answer: the findings.

Summary:
NEW: BP doesn't "exactly agree" with the findings, a company executive says .
NEW: Congressman says BP has a long history of "pushing the limits"
Drill crews were under "compulsion" to complete the well, co-chairman says .
No evidence has been found that managers chose "to favor dollars over safety"


Washington (CNN) -- You may drive a hybrid car, eat organic food, use "green" beauty products and design your home according to the latest environmentally friendly standards.

But if you haven't considered "greening your love life, you are still a total environmental disaster," according to Stefanie Iris Weiss, author of the recently released book, "Eco-Sex."

How should it work? Should you envision melting glaciers during a romantic dinner with your significant other?

Well, not quite.

It could be as simple as where you choose to go on a date.

"How about going to a restaurant where you can eat a seductive menu based on organic, local food, which has produced less carbon dioxide before it ends up on your plate?" Weiss suggested.

She is hoping to steer people away from "dirty" sex toward eco-sex. That means:

• Hop on your bike for your next date and leave your car at home. (That means saying "adieu" to long-distance relationships.)

• Stop excessive spending on Valentine's Day. (It produces way too much trash anyway.)

• Wear comfy bamboo underwear.

• Don't be so keen on having babies. How about adopting a child instead or implementing a one-child policy?

Weiss' theory is not entirely new. Greenpeace published a guide to "environmentally friendly sex" in 2002, which includes "switching off the lights during romance" or "if you want to see your partner, have sex during the day."

But Weiss goes further: She covers everything from your first date to raising your kids "green."

She also suggests keeping the environment in mind when your sex drive is fading. Viagra, she says, is overrated.

"People should eat oysters as an aphrodisiac instead," Weiss says. "They are a full of zinc, a precursor of testosterone. Casanova himself was known to eat them in great quantities before sex."

On the streets of Washington, the idea of an eco-friendly love life is met with laughter.

"How green is my love life? Are you serious? Don't be absurd!" were the most common reactions from people on the street.

But the concept is in full display at a local sex shop.

"We sell organic oils, edible underwear and toys that are completely recyclable," says Luis Cadillos, a salesman at Georgetown's "Pleasure Place." "The problem is our customers are embarrassed to dispose their toys properly." He says he thinks promoting an eco-friendly sex life could be "big business."

"We should have an extra shelf for our green-conscious customers," Cadillos suggests.

His colleague, Paula Kov, is less enthusiastic about the idea.

"I try to live environmentally friendly, but it goes way over the top to think about [carbon dioxide reduction] in my love life," she says.

Climate activist Mike Tidwell disagrees.

"I never thought about how green my love life is. But in fact this is about reducing our extensive consumption and that should concern every part of our life," he says.

Tidwell, who is the director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network in Washington, decided long ago to have only one child.

"But I am glad the book doesn't prohibit making love outdoors," Tidwell joked. "That produces zero carbon dioxide."

It's clear in Weiss' 200-page book that she is using sex to promote a completely green lifestyle.

But is that such a bad thing?

"With sex anything sells. Even the environment," Weiss says.

She says she is hoping that, in the midst of the global climate crisis debate, her book "may finally approach those green-grumps, who don't know the basics about living an environmentally friendly life."

That doesn't seem likely after reading conservative blogger William Teach's post on her book:

"I actually hope the climate

Who says couples should go for a bike ride?

Who suggest older men should eat oysters?

What author wants you to make you love life green?

Where can one get a list of Weiss's suggestions about having a green love life?

Answer: Weiss

Answer: Stefanie Iris Weiss,

Answer: Stefanie Iris Weiss,

Answer: steer people away from "dirty" sex toward eco-sex.

Answer: "People should eat oysters as an aphrodisiac instead,"

Answer: book, "Eco-Sex."

Summary:
Author Stefanie Iris Weiss wants you to make your love life green .
She says couples should go for a bike ride and leave their car at home .
She suggests older men eat oysters instead of taking Viagra .


Watch the full interview with Denise Richards tonight. "Piers Morgan Tonight" airs weeknights on CNN/US at 9 p.m. ET and on CNN International at 0200 GMT (Live simulcast), 1200 GMT and 2000 GMT / HKT 2000

CNN -- "If Charlie [Sheen] is to sort his life out," Piers Morgan asked Denise Richards. "Can you ever imagine a scenario where you might one day get back together?"

"I'm way too old for him now," joked Richards, who turned 40 this year. "I'm way past his age range."

The actress and mother of three is a guest on Thursday's "Piers Morgan Tonight." Richards is also a first-time author. Her new book, "The Real Girl Next Door," was released this week.

Richards told Morgan that she and Sheen have been split up for six years. The couple's divorce was finalized in 2006.

"When we fell in love," Richards said, "he had been sober for three years. He was getting his life back together. He had just gotten a job on 'Spin City.' And I really admired his strength and courage for overcoming addiction, and being so humble about it.

"And that's what attracted me to him. So the Charlie that some of you have seen over the last six months is not the person that I met and married."

Richards went on to say that Sheen was "amazing" when they first met. "He was so humbled and sweet, and charming and funny. And had such a great heart, and very honest. And we just had a very deep connection."

Morgan asked Richards about her take on "the recent circus of Charlie's life."

"From the beginning of it I was very worried," she said. "And it made me sad to see him that way. And so I was concerned. I was concerned for our children."

Richards said that, in dealing with Sheen, the couple's two daughters -- Sam, 7, and Lola, 6 -- remain her priority.

"We'll always have a bond with our daughters," she said. "And I wish nothing but the best for him."

When Morgan asked Richards what her wish for her ex-husband was, the actress said she wants him to be healthy and there for his kids and himself.

"He's a survivor," said Richards. "If anyone can pick themselves up, make a huge comeback, it's Charlie."

Morgan asked, what is the weirdest rumor she'd ever heard about herself?

"Well, this isn't that hurtful, but it's weird -- that I used to be a hooker. I used to be a Heidi Fleiss girl. I heard that rumor," Richards answered.

"If anyone would know, it would be Charlie," said Richards, referring to Sheen's well-documented testimony in Fleiss' 1995 trial that he had spent over $50,000 on 27 hookers.

Richards, who is single, said of dating: "The qualities that I look for now are different than prior to getting married and having kids.

"I find myself very attracted to men who have children. And I think one of the sexiest qualities in a man is seeing a man great with kids."

Richards called motherhood her greatest achievement. "I love being a mother more than anything. And I get so much fulfillment and joy with my children."

Richards opened up about her recent adoption of a baby girl, whom she named Eloise Joni Richards.

"She's amazing," Richards said. She told Morgan that Sam and Lola "are so in love with her. They are very protective of her."

As for whether she'll marry again, Richards said she intends to "be a good role model for my kids, and be a strong woman, even if it's on my own."

Richards said that she also plans

What is Richards' adopted newborn called?

Answer: "amazing" when they first met.

Answer: the couple's two daughters

Answer: Charlie [Sheen]

Answer: Eloise Joni

Answer: three

Summary:
Richards: The Charlie that you've seen over the last six months is not the man I married .
Richards: "If anyone can pick themselves up, make a huge comeback, it's Charlie"
Denise Richards' priority is her daughters: Sam, 7, Lola, 6, and her adopted newborn, Eloise .
Richards' dream acting gig is a Quentin Tarantino directed film .


Waterville, Maine (CNN) -- Divers in Maine were scouring a river Wednesday in their search for a missing 21-month-old girl, but had found no sign of her in the frigid waters, authorities said.

"We're making progress. I can tell you honestly that as the days go on, our concern grows, as it's been 26 days. But I can also tell you that we remain hopeful that we will bring her back to her home," Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland told reporters.

The search for Ayla Reynolds focused Wednesday on a half-mile area of the Kennebec River that stretches from downtown Waterville to the Carter Memorial Bridge. Officials said they had received more than 600 tips, but nothing that specifically pointed to that area.

The river still has open water despite air temperatures in the teens.

Divers in special suits to protect them in the frigid waters rotated in and out of the river, which was around freezing temperature, Maine Warden Service Lt. Kevin Adam said.

"The water is clear. When the sun is out, they can see 4-6 feet. ... We picked today because the weather's good and it was the most efficient time to do it," he said.

The search for the little girl is in its fourth week. Police have said they suspect foul play in the case.

"All we know is that Ayla's missing. We've ruled out no scenario. We've ruled out no one. And we're not going to get into investigative details," McCausland said Wednesday.

He described the search as the most intense investigation Maine's state police had been involved in for two decades.

Ayla's parents are not married and don't live together. Her mother recently completed rehab, family members said. Investigators said both families have cooperated with police.

The little girl's father, Justin DiPietro, said he put his daughter to bed at 8 p.m. December 16 and called police the next morning just before 9 a.m. to report her missing, according to authorities.

DiPietro's mother, Phoebe DiPietro, told CNN she wasn't at the home the night Ayla disappeared. But she said she fully supports her son, who has said he "would never do anything to harm" his daughter.

She said she just wants her Ayla returned unharmed.

"I'd give everything I owned if we can have her back," she said last week, her voice breaking.

CNN's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report.

Who said their concern grows?
When has she been missing since?
Who was Ayla Reynolds?
What did a police spokesman say?
Who is missing?
What did the divers have to do?
Who has been missing?

Answer: Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland

Answer: 26 days.

Answer: 21-month-old girl,

Answer: "All we know is that Ayla's missing. We've ruled out no scenario. We've ruled out no one. And we're not going to get into investigative details,"

Answer: Ayla Reynolds

Answer: scouring a river

Answer: Ayla Reynolds

Summary:
NEW: Police spokesman: "As the days go on, our concern grows"
NEW: "We've ruled out no scenario. We've ruled out no one," he says .
Divers wearing special suits brave frigid temperatures .
Ayla Reynolds has been missing since mid-December .