Editor's Note: In an exclusive series this week on "Campbell Brown," the FBI has unveiled three additions to its list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. The FBI says Semion Mogilevich has been involved in arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder for hire. NEWTOWN, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Semion Mogilevich may be the most powerful man you've never heard of. The FBI says Mogilevich, a Russian mobster, has been involved in arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder for hire. "He has access to so much, including funding, including other criminal organizations, that he can, with a telephone call and order, affect the global economy," said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Peter Kowenhoven. Mogilevich's alleged brutality, financial savvy and international influence have earned him a slot on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, though he has lived and operated from Moscow, Russia, for years.  Watch CNN report on Mogilevich » "He's a big man. He's a very powerful man," FBI Special Agent Mike Dixon said. "I think more powerful than a John Gotti would be, because he has the ability to influence nations. Gotti never reached that stature." He is accused of swindling Canadian and U.S. investors out of $150 million in a complex international financial scheme. It centered on a firm called YBM, which purportedly made magnets at a factory in Hungary. Authorities say the scheme involved preparing bogus financial books and records, lying to Securities and Exchange Commission officials, offering bribes to accountants and inflating stock values of YBM, which was headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania. In a raid in 1998, FBI agents found a treasure trove of documents -- purchase orders, invoices, shipping orders, even technical drawings -- everything a legitimate business would produce. But there was one thing missing. "There were no magnets," Dixon said. It was all a sham, investigators say. "In essence, what his companies were doing was moving money through bank accounts in Budapest and countries throughout the world and reporting these to the investment community as purchases of raw materials and sales of magnets," Dixon said. And because the company was publicly traded, anyone owning the stock would have made a lot of money. "And of course Mogilevich controlled large, large blocks of stock from the outset, and he made a substantial amount of money in this process," Dixon said. Investors lost millions into the pockets of Mogilevich and his associates. He and his associates were indicted in 2003 on 45 counts of racketeering, securities fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. Russian authorities arrested him last year on tax fraud charges, but because the United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, he remained beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement. He is now free on bail. The FBI believes Mogilevich moved on after YBM and began manipulating international energy markets, giving him a large influence on other nations. Dixon noted that Mogilevich had control or influence over companies involved in natural gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine. Authorities say Mogilevich, who has an economics degree from Ukraine, is known for his ruthless nature but also for his business acumen, which led to his nickname "the Brainy Don." "He has a very sophisticated, well-educated, loyal group of associates that he works with," Dixon said. "He hires top-notch consultants, attorneys, risk management firms to assist him and protect him in his criminal ventures." Louise Shelley, an organized crime expert from George Mason University, says Mogilevich is a new kind of criminal. "The major criminal organizations in Russia have not only tapped into people with economics degrees," Shelley said. "They've tapped into people with PHDs in finance and statistics who assist them." The FBI hopes Mogilevich will eventually travel to a country that has an extradition treaty with the U.S. But, in case he doesn't, his wanted poster will be distributed all over Russia.

What does the FBI believe?
What makes Semion Mogilevich dangerous?
What is Semion Mogilevich accused of?
What makes Mogilevich dangerous?
What is Semion Mogilevich known for?
What is the mobster known for?
What is Mogilevich accused of?

Answer: Mogilevich moved on after YBM and began manipulating international energy markets, giving him a large influence on other nations.

Answer: has been involved in arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder for hire.

Answer: swindling Canadian and U.S. investors out of $150 million

Answer: arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder for hire.

Answer: arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder

Answer: arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder

Answer: arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion and murder for hire.

Summary:
Semion Mogilevich accused of taking U.S., Canadian investors for $150 million .
FBI believes he moved on to manipulating international energy markets .
FBI: Mogilevich's business degree, large influence on nations make him dangerous .
Alleged Russian mobster known for his ruthlessness, power, business acumen .


Editor's Note: In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. CNN's Senior Vatican Analyst John L. Allen Jr. is following the pope during his U.S. trip. Pope Benedict XVI asked pilgrims in St. Peter's Square on Sunday to pray for the success of his U.S. trip. NEW YORK (CNN) -- The official motto of Pope Benedict XVI's April 15-20 visit to the United States, the first of his papacy, is "Christ our Hope." Based on the frequency with which papal spokespersons have struck a different note, however, its unofficial motto might well be, "This is not a political event." Here's a typical example from early April: "The pope is not coming to get mixed up in the local political process," said Italian Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the pope's ambassador to America, in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter. "His presence is about something more universal and, at the same time, more personal." Fear that Benedict's visit might be read through the lens of party politics reflects a key fact of electoral life in America: The "Catholic vote" matters. To take the most obvious example, if a few heavily Catholic counties in Ohio had gone the other way in 2004, pundits would today be handicapping the re-election of President John Kerry. America's almost 70 million Catholics, representing a quarter of the country's population, are diverse and divided. They don't all agree with official church positions, and although Catholics were once reliable Democrats, today they're not clearly aligned with either party. That's a key reason why states with large Catholic populations, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Florida, are considered crucial battlegrounds. Already in the 2008 race, Catholics have made themselves felt. On the Democratic side, they're the biggest single reason Sen. Hillary Clinton is still afloat. So far, the more Catholic a state, the better Clinton has done. With her back to the wall not long ago in Ohio and Texas, Clinton decisively outpolled Sen. Barack Obama among Catholic Democrats. In Ohio, Clinton won the Catholic vote by a margin of 63 percent to 36, while in Texas it was 62 percent to 38. Clinton is now hoping that Catholics will come through for her again in Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. The state's 3.87 million Catholics represent more than 30 percent of the population, and Clinton is clinging to a lead despite Pennsylvania Sen. Robert Casey's endorsement of Obama. Casey is a hero to pro-life Catholic Democrats, and his backing is apparently helping Obama narrow the gap. Clinton does better than Obama among Latinos, who are disproportionately Catholic. She's also winning Catholic "Reagan Democrats," meaning socially conservative blue-collar voters. Obama's recent gaffe, telling a crowd in San Francisco, California, that small-town Americans were "clinging to guns or religion" out of economic frustration, may help cement that advantage. Once the Democrats settle on a candidate, the Catholic vote seems wide open in November. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, appeals to many Catholics because he's pro-life and has a moderate stance on immigration. Yet his willingness to remain in Iraq for "100 years" is at odds with the church's opposition to the war. Either Clinton or Obama could make a strong appeal to Catholics on peace-and-justice issues, yet both are out of sync with Catholic teaching on issues such as abortion, stem-cell research and gay rights. Both sides are expected to court Catholics aggressively. The McCain campaign recently formed a "National Catholics for McCain Committee" led by former Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, along with a "who's who" of prominent Catholic conservatives. Obama has his own "National Catholic Advisory Council," led by Casey and former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer, both pro-life Democrats. Clinton likewise has top-drawer Catholic advisers. Pope Benedict's trip is

What did the papal representatives stress?

Answer: 2004,

Answer: telling a crowd in San Francisco, California, that small-town Americans were "clinging to guns or religion" out of economic frustration,

Answer: pope is not coming to get mixed up in the local political process,"

Summary:
Papal representatives stress Benedict's U.S. trip is "not a political event"
But Catholic vote still matters in U.S. politics, as 2004's close Ohio vote showed .
Obama's "guns and religion" gaffe may help Clinton with blue-collar Catholics .
Once Democrats settle on a candidate, Catholic vote seems wide open in November .


Editor's Note: Jack R. Nerad is Executive Editorial Director for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com, and co-host of "America on the Road," heard on more than 300 radio stations. In the 1980s he served as Editor of Motor Trend magazine. Nerad is the author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles," published recently by Alpha Books.

Jack Nerad says bankruptcy would drive car buyers away from GM and imperil suppliers.

(CNN) -- The events of the past week have been unprecedented in the auto industry and in the annals of American business.

As the events have unfolded, there is the strong implication from the administration's automotive task force that Chapter 11 bankruptcy, followed by restructuring and "cleansing" of General Motors' balance sheet, is a potential scenario in the ongoing efforts to keep the giant automaker alive.

GM's new chief executive, Fritz Henderson, acknowledged as much on CNN Sunday. "You can't rule options off the table. So you basically say we will spend time to try to get it [done] outside of bankruptcy. But if we can't, we're not going to compromise our goals. We're going to get it done inside our bankruptcy. Our preferred approach is still to do it outside, but you can't rule out going in."

Over the past few weeks pundits of all stripes have appeared on financial news networks suggesting that entering Chapter 11 is GM's only way to future viability. "Get on with it," they say, and save us the agony.

It is the only way, they argue, General Motors can get relief from its immediate cash-flow issues, tear up or substantially modify its union contracts, dump unnecessary brands, close plants and "right-size" its operations. But those pundits who propose Chapter 11 fail to acknowledge that General Motors is a consumer-facing company whose success or failure is in the hands of millions of average Americans.

This group will decide to buy or not buy General Motors vehicles based on what they know, hear and even feel about GM's future. As talk of imminent bankruptcy swirls in the press, the news they hear about General Motors certainly is not reassuring, as they consider which brand to buy.

How does that manifest itself in the car-buying public? We at Kelley Blue Book asked 500 potential new-vehicle buyers a string of related questions that yield answers to that multi-billion dollar question. Their response is telling.

Asked "How likely would you be to buy a car from General Motors if they were to go bankrupt," 42.1 percent of new-vehicle buyers said they were either "not at all likely" or "not very likely" to do so.

Even with a warranty guarantee from the federal government, consumers are not very enthusiastic about considering a GM purchase. Such a guarantee only moves the needle about three percentage points with 39.8 percent saying they were either "not at all likely" or "not very likely" to purchase a GM vehicle in such a situation.

Asked, "How likely would you be to buy a car from General Motors if they were allowed to keep operating but had to renegotiate their contracts and agreements with suppliers and laborers?" the responses changed. Given that scenario, only 31.6 percent of new-vehicle buyers said they were either "not at all likely" or "not very likely" to purchase a GM vehicle, and they were out-numbered by the 41.5 percent who said they were either "very likely" or "extremely likely" to do so.

While one must keep in mind that consumers don't always do what they say they are going to do, the import of this is clear: Bankruptcy puts a damper on consumer confidence and vehicle demand.

There are other reasons to question the wisdom of a Chapter 11 filing as well. Beyond its potentially chilling effect on consumer demand, there is a domino effect on the supplier community.

Many GM vendors have operated for years on ever-declining, razor-thin

What will bankruptcy do to GM?
what is bankrupcy used for
what will reduce sale of gm cars?
Who is Jack Nerad?
what did nerad say
what did some argue?
did nerad talk about bankrupcy

Answer: drive car buyers away from

Answer: allowed to keep operating

Answer: bankruptcy

Answer: Executive Editorial Director for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com, and co-host

Answer: bankruptcy would drive car buyers away from GM and imperil suppliers.

Answer: It is the only way,

Answer: says bankruptcy would drive car buyers away from GM and imperil suppliers.

Summary:
Jack Nerad: Some argue that a quick bankruptcy is best course for GM .
He says bankruptcy will reduce sale of GM cars, even with government warranty .
Nerad says GM suppliers could be driven into bankruptcy by such a move .
He says bankruptcy is being used as a hammer for GM to get concessions .


Editor's Note: Join Roland S. Martin for his weekly sound-off segment on CNN.com Live at 11:10 a.m. Wednesday. If you're passionate about politics, he wants to hear from you. A nationally syndicated columnist and Chicago-based radio host, he is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith" and "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America." Please visit his Web site. Roland Martin says Americans need to rise above issues of race, age and gender when they vote. (CNN) -- One of the most intriguing conversations I had at either the Democratic or Republican convention was with a white labor leader from Ohio. I can't remember his name, but he made it clear that he is going all around the Rust Belt state looking his white union brothers and sisters in the eye and essentially shaming them into supporting Sen. Barack Obama for president. No, he's not saying vote for the black man for president because he's black. He said he's telling them that it's shameful that as Democrats, they agree with him on various political issues, but because of his skin color, they are refusing to cast ballots for him. "We have gone to our black brothers and sisters for years to support our [white] candidates, and it's wrong for us to stand here and not support one of their own, even though we're Democrats," he barked. There is nothing more in-your-face than to hear someone speak truthfully to the inherent racism that is at play in this election. For all the talk about inclusion and the historic nature of this campaign, the true tribal feelings of so many people will come into play, whether we want to admit it or not. We are seeing remarkable bias playing strongly in this election. Exit-polling data in the primaries showed some evidence of bias when it came to age, race and gender, but the great concern is whether people are as honest in talking to pollsters as they are in the voting booth. Because Sen. John McCain is 72 and would be the oldest person to be sworn in as president, there is a lot of dialogue about how old this white guy is, and how wrong it is that he's running. Age questions also have been raised about the 47-year-old black guy from Chicago and whether he is too young and inexperienced to lead. While there is a lot of talk and excitement surrounding Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin being named as the first woman on a Republican ticket, and what that may mean in terms of widespread female support coming the way of McCain-Palin, there are some voices who refuse to vote for a woman. We've also seen a number of prominent women -- including Washington Post columnist Sally Quinn and radio talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger -- who have questioned whether the 44-year-old white mother of five children should be vice president, considering she has five children, including a special needs child. It's wonderful to talk about the economy, immigration, the war in Iraq, health care and education, but we can't be naïve to the reality that when voters go into that voting booth, they will, as one person told me during an interview, "vote with their tribe." That was one of the arguments we heard during the Democratic primaries when Obama enjoyed overwhelming support from African-Americans -- to the tune of 90-plus percent -- while Sen. Hillary Clinton had major female support, largely white, in the range of 65 to 70 percent. So what do we do when it comes to our tendency to follow group identification? 1. Stop dancing around the topic. When you watch TV and hear folks talk about Wal-Mart moms or small, rural towns, they are talking about white Americans. These catch phrases never include African-Americans or Hispanics 2. Confront bias where it is. Ask your friends, neighbors, co-workers and church members who they are voting for. When they give you the "I really can't

Who said to stop dancing around the topics of race, age and gender?

What did Roland Martin says about people?

Answer: rise above issues of race, age and gender when

Answer: Roland Martin

Answer: Americans need to rise above issues of race, age and gender when they vote.

Answer: Americans need to rise above issues of race, age and gender when they vote.

Answer: race, age and gender

Summary:
Roland Martin says people talk about issues but conceal their biases .
Martin: Race, age, gender issues affect support for Obama, McCain, Palin .
Americans need to be open about how "tribal" concerns influence them, he says .
Martin: Let's stop dancing around the topics of race, age and gender .


Editor's Note: Lucas A. Powe Jr. is a professor of constitutional law at The University of Texas and the author of the recently published book, "The Supreme Court and the American Elite, 1789-2008." He clerked for Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas. Lucas Powe Jr. says it's not a surprise that justices voted 5-4 in favor of the New Haven firefighters. AUSTIN, Texas (CNN) -- Monday, in the much anticipated New Haven, Connecticut, firefighters' case, the Supreme Court reversed an opinion joined by Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's Supreme Court nominee. The reversal was expected and is not the first time an appointee has been reversed by the court he was about to join. Indeed, two of Chief Justice Warren Burger's opinions for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals were reversed in 1969, the year he joined the court. One was Watts v. United States, in which the defendant had been convicted for threatening the life of the president. By a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court reversed, holding that Watts' supposed threats were really nothing but hyperbole. The decision came down one month before President Nixon nominated Burger. More significantly, after Burger had been confirmed, the Court reversed him again, this time in a major case -- Powell v. McCormack. The House had refused to seat Harlem, New York, Democratic Rep. Adam Clayton Powell after he won yet another election. The reasons for the House's action were misappropriation of public funds and abuse of process in state courts to avoid paying a judgment. Burger wrote that federal courts could not decide Powell's case because the issue was nonjusticiable -- that is, not appropriate for a judicial resolution because issues of membership in Congress were exclusively committed to Congress. When the case reached the Supreme Court, a lengthy opinion by Chief Justice Earl Warren held that courts could rule in such a case and that a House of Congress could only exclude someone if that person did not meet the qualifications, age, citizenship and residence requirements set forth in the Constitution. There was but a single dissent. The reversal of Sotomayor was expected because a majority of the current court are Republicans who believe governmental decisions should be made on a color-blind basis. Beginning with the presidency of Ronald Reagan, Republicans have taken aim at affirmative action, and the Republican justices have concurred. Only once in the past 15 years has the Republican majority voted in favor of minorities in an affirmative action case. That came in 2003, when the court upheld the affirmative action program at the University of Michigan Law School. That case, however, was profoundly influenced by an amicus brief signed by 45 retired admirals and generals (plus former Defense Secretary William Cohen) stating that affirmative action was essential at the Service Academies in order to create a diverse officer corps in order to ensure necessary military cohesiveness. When asked about the military brief, Solicitor General Theodore Olson stated that he had not thought about the consequences of ending affirmative action at the Service Academies. That was enough for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a Republican, who switched from her normal skepticism of affirmative action to sustain the law school program. Nevertheless, four Republican justices -- William Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas -- voted to invalidate the program. With John Roberts replacing Rehnquist and Samuel Alito replacing O'Connor, the court acquired a majority that appears more concerned about discrimination against whites than about racial equality in American society. Thus just two years ago in cases out of Seattle, Washington, and Louisville, Kentucky, the Republican majority invalidated school assignment plans that the school districts themselves had decided were appropriate to prevent resegregation. With those cases as background, the majority's sympathy for the plight of Frank Ricci, who studied so hard for the New Haven promotion examination, was easily predictable. But so was the fact that the four dissenters in the Seattle and Louisville cases -- John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and the now-retired David Souter -- would side with the city in its concern that the results of the test left no African-

The ruling in favor of who was not a surprise?

Answer: voted 5-4 in favor of the New Haven firefighters.

Answer: New Haven, Connecticut, firefighters' case,

Answer: an opinion joined by Judge Sonia Sotomayor,

Answer: that justices voted 5-4 in favor of the New Haven firefighters.

Answer: the New Haven firefighters.

Summary:
Powe: Two Warren Burger rulings were reversed as he was about to join court .
He says ruling in favor of New Haven firefighters was not a surprise .
He says Sotomayor is not out of the mainstream since 4 justices were on her side .
Powe: Justices named by GOP presidents generally oppose affirmative action .


Editor's Note: Reese Witherspoon, the Academy Award-winning actress, is honorary chairman of the Avon Foundation and is employed by Avon Products as its global ambassador. Reese Witherspoon says she wants to banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer. (CNN) -- Every three minutes in the United States, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. As a woman, a mother, and a daughter, I find that statistic terrifying. I was never naïve about breast cancer, but hearing this statistic put it all into perspective.   Women close to me have battled the disease and are now soldiers in the greater fight against it. But the moment I heard "every three minutes," I felt vulnerable and scared as I realized that anyone is susceptible. The only way for me to ease my fears was to take action. I needed to educate myself and others on this disease. As the Honorary Chair for the Avon Foundation, I had resources at my fingertips. I had access to an entire organization that is dedicated to giving back to women and educating people. So I started asking, "What do I need to know?" It was through that curiosity that I found out the most important fact in breast cancer: Early detection saves lives. According to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade, there is a 97 percent five-year survival rate when breast cancer is caught before it spreads to other parts of the body. When breast cancer first develops, there are usually no symptoms, which is why women need to perform self-exams regularly and contact their doctor upon noticing even the smallest change. Of course talking about breast cancer and breast health is a personal thing. I too am a private person but encourage all women to break through their reservations and talk to their doctors and physicians. We must also banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer. At the Avon Walk in Washington, I met young survivors who were diagnosed in their 20s, an age when most women are graduating from college and just starting their lives as full adults.  Watch Reese and Larry at the Avon Walk » Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam by a health professional at least once every three years and women 40 and older should have an exam every year. I am passionate about fighting this devastating disease. I fight for my mother, myself, my children and future generations of women, so one day we will not have to be afraid of breast cancer. I began my fight by learning important first steps in breast cancer detection, and will not end my fight until every woman can stand together saying we are breast cancer free. More than anything else, I have faith -- faith we will find a cure. I saw this commitment in the faces of the women in Washington -- in the faces of the women walking and the women and men who stood on the sidelines encouraging the 3,500 participants to the finish line. I was cheering right along with them, screaming for action to find a cure.  Avon's next walk will take place in New York City on October 4 and 5.

What did the actress say about the disease?

How did the statistic make Witherspoon feel?

What statistic made Witherspoon "vulnerable" and "scared"?

What did Witherspoon emphasize the importance of?

What made Witherspoon feel "vulnerable" and "scared"?

Who said that young women are not exempt from the disease?

Answer: banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer.

Answer: she wants to banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer.

Answer: vulnerable and scared

Answer: young women

Answer: Academy Award-winning

Answer: "every three minutes,"

Answer: says she wants to banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer.

Answer: first steps in breast cancer detection,

Answer: Reese Witherspoon,

Answer: banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer.

Answer: young women

Answer: breast cancer,

Answer: breast cancer.

Answer: vulnerable and scared

Answer: vulnerable and scared

Answer: Reese Witherspoon,

Answer: Reese Witherspoon

Answer: "every three minutes,"

Summary:
"Every three minutes" statistic made Witherspoon feel "vulnerable" and "scared"
Oscar-winning actress: Young women are not exempt from the disease .
Witherspoon emphasizes importance of early detection and regular screenings .


Editor's Note: Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican, represents the Third District of Utah in Congress and is writing a regular series of reports for CNN.com on his freshman year. For his bio, read here. For a Democratic freshman's view, read here.

Jason Chaffetz says he's saving money by sleeping on a cot in his office, but there are downsides.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- I do something a bit different than most members of Congress. I sleep in my office on a cot. A few months ago, I was speaking with a current member of Congress and he said he slept in his office. Awesome!

We are paid well, but the cost of caring for two households and supporting a family of five is high. I thought this would be a great way to save $1,500 per month. Besides, I work late into the night and usually arise about 5:30 a.m. No need to waste time commuting and spending money on a place where I don't intend to be spending much time. I came here to work, not sleep.  Watch video of Jason Chaffetz' life in Congress »

So I bought a cot at Smiths grocery store and carried it on a plane to Washington. I sleep in the closet by the door to the outside hall. The cot itself is fairly comfy. Best thing is there is no bar in the middle, so my back is doing quite well.

The only downside is what is happening outside. The cleaning crew obviously works throughout the night. They do a great job, but they have a Zamboni-like machine (the kind you see on ice rinks) that cleans the hallways. It has a horn and they use it! It makes an obnoxious beeping sound that you hear on trucks that are backing up, and it definitely keeps me up at night.

At 12:52 a.m. during the first week, the "Capitol Early Warning System" was tested.

It works!

Even though I sleep in my office, I do shower. The House has a gym. I pay $240 to use the facilities. Typically I head down first thing in the morning to wash up and work out in the evening.

I thought it would be like a nice golf club or certainly as "lavish" as a Gold's Gym. Not so much. It's nice, but it's more like a high school gym with the small narrow lockers from the 1950s.

I locker next to Jose Serrano (D-New York). On the political spectrum we are probably as far apart as possible. Yet, just in our gym clothes we get along great. He's a nice guy and he offered a wealth of perspective and suggestions to a freshman.

Aside from the routine details of settling in, the first weeks of my term have been filled with surreal moments. Never did I think I would be seated just yards away from one of the most historic presidential inaugurations in the history of our country.

To watch firsthand as President Bush peacefully transitioned the presidency to Barack Obama was a surreal and inspiring moment. My most vivid memory of the moment was watching the two men embrace after the oath of office (the first one). It's part of what makes this country so strong and so marvelous.

In many ways, my own election reflected the miracle of this country. With no paid staff, no polling, no campaign office, no free meals for potential voters and no debt, I took on a 12-year Republican incumbent and won by a 20 percent margin (I ate one of our own) despite being outspent by $600,000 through the primary election.

On January 6, 2009, I, too, raised my right hand and was administered the oath of office. With my 15-year old son, Max, by my side, tears flowed down my face. The emotion of the moment was overwhelming. The history of the House of Representatives, my desire to be the very best representative I can possibly be, the massive amount of people counting on us to do what is right, and the opportunity

Where did Chaffetz decide to sleep to save money?

For what reason did Jason Chaffee sleep in his House office?

Answer: sleeping on a cot in his office,

Answer: Chaffetz says he's saving money by sleeping on a cot in

Answer: freshman

Summary:
Jason Chaffetz: I decided to sleep in my House office to save money .
He says his freshman year is starting off well as he bonds with colleagues .
Chaffetz: We need to reduce spending, so I voted against stimulus bill .
He says worst part of the job is being separated from his family in Utah .


Editor's Note: Republican strategist Alex Castellanos was a campaign consultant for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and has worked on more than half a dozen presidential campaigns. Castellanos is a partner in National Media Inc., a political and public affairs consulting firm that specializes in advertising. Alex Castellanos says stimulus bill is a cover for a bold plan for government to rule key parts of private sector. (CNN) -- Two Congressmen walk into a bar to watch President Obama's first prime-time press conference. The Democrat says to the Republican.... D: Just watch the president tonight and you'll see how to get this economy back on track. Monopolies. R: Monopolies? D: Monopolies so big they will shame Parker Brothers and make them put the board game in a bigger box. Monopolies so huge, they'll make railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt look like a push-cart operator. R: Why monopolies? D: In these desperate times, we can't afford to let Americans choose inefficient cars or wasteful health care. We can't let innovation run wild on Wall Street or Main Street. We have to make sure Americans are secure in their health care and jobs, their incomes and energy. To serve the greater good, we have to organize America's economy so it achieves the best possible ends for all Americans. We can't leave that to chance. Who knows what might happen if individual Americans make those choices in a free market and organize themselves? R: A little less freedom, a lot more organization, all for the collective good? D: My friend, we need a directed economy, where we limit people's choices to those that serve the best social ends. Our nation's development is best controlled by monopolies, not some atomistic economy where Americans are free to make almost any choice and organize bottom-up, according to their own whims. That means, big, honking, all-powerful monopolies. R: But during the campaign, Obama talked about change, fueling "bottom-up prosperity." This sounds like the same old, top-down, industrial-age stuff Democrats have been pitching for years. D: You betcha! Bottom-up campaign rhetoric just ran into the top-down Democratic establishment from Washington. Guess who won. We're going to create monopolies in the biggest sectors of the economy, starting with banking and financial services. Even after the meltdown, that's still the largest stock market sector, 16 percent of the S&P. R: Follow the money. D: Exactly. With massive regulation, caps on pay and restrictions on risk and competition, we can turn the entire financial sector into a cross between a public utility and the DMV. R: And then? D: We'll create an energy monopoly that would make J. D. Rockefeller look like a gas station attendant. If it has anything to do with energy, we will control it, plan it and direct it. You are going to love your windmill. R: I'm not feeling so good. D: That's next. A health care monopoly alone will organize another 16 percent of the economy. Choice and diversity are great, but not so much in health care. We'll throw in $20 billion at the start for paperless health records. Data, my friend, is power. You know where we will go: Cost controls. Restricted formularies. Nancy Pelosi can be your doctor. You don't need a lot of choice. Just a good choice. Or a good-enough choice. Cough for me. R: Watch that. I'm leaving. D: Now that you mention it, we can't forget the good old American auto industry. To borrow from Henry Ford, consumers can pick any color car they want, as long as it is green. R: Who are you going to get to run these monopolies? You are dealing with increasingly complex economic networks. How are you going to coordinate the sophisticated relationships, the subtle interests and ever-changing needs of millions

Is Alex Castellanos a Democrat or Republican?

Answer: Alex Castellanos

Answer: stimulus bill

Answer: strategist

Answer: Republican strategist

Summary:
Alex Castellanos: Democrats think we can't let the free market rule economy .
He says Democrats are trying to micro-manage the crucial finance sector .
Castellanos says they also want to make key decisions for health care .
He says stimulus bill is being used as cover for introducing bigger government .


Editor's Note: Republican strategist Alex Castellanos was a former campaign consultant for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and has worked on more than half a dozen presidential campaigns. Castellanos is a partner in National Media Inc., a political and public affairs consulting firm that specializes in advertising. He has produced many Republican political ads and has clients such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Alex Castellanos says Barack Obama's change theme has buckled to "top-down liberalism." (CNN) -- In theater, they say the second act is the hardest to write. It requires relentless focus and discipline. The writer must give himself fearlessly to one central idea and never waver, though temptation is the opposite: There are many paths a story can take. So it is in politics, as Barack Obama's campaign is learning. The clear campaign of change ran into trouble in Act II when it was tasked with explaining what change actually meant. Obama, as they say in show business, "ran out of script." The wind in his sails stalled in the hot calm of August and he has yet to recover. After John McCain's improbable resuscitation to seize the GOP nomination, the Arizona senator's top aides briefed him about his exacting challenge: He would go into the conventions trailing Obama by at least 8 percentage points and then battle back through the fall to parity. Yet, as cooler days and hotter rhetoric mark the start of the fall finale, it is Obama who finds himself clawing back, forced to attack, launching uncharacteristic partisan and personal attacks against a McCain who has "lost track" of and is "confused" about how many houses he owns. How did the soaring campaign of change become grinding politics-as-usual and crash so thunderously to earth? The Obama campaign's clear message in the primaries was a bottom-up, organic populism that cast voters themselves as the agents of change. "We are the change we have been waiting for," Obama told his supporters during the primaries. In return, they sang, "Yes we can." This heady mix of populism and change swelled his campaign into a cause. In marketing terms, it is called "voter as hero." Obama empowered his supporters, telling them they, not the old political establishment, could achieve anything. Bottom-up politics is one thing, however. Bottom-up government, another. When Barack Obama became the nominee of the national Democratic establishment, the candidate of hope ran into political reality: His party's canons of governing are the opposite of change. Barack Obama may believe "change doesn't come from the top down, it comes from the bottom up," but the leadership of his party doesn't. The national Democratic establishment, from the Daily Kos and MoveOn.org to Pelosi and Reid in Congress, still believe in top-down big-government from Washington, especially if they get to run the factory. Politically, they are industrial-age dinosaurs They believe the era of big government is back, not over. They would keep money and power in their hands, not devolve it to the average American. That was not something the Denver Democrats were eager to confess. Instead, they advocated a sly European-style socialism that would not speak its intent. "Decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege," the Democrats offered during the first night of their convention. A big-government health-care factory run by Washington? That's change? Why not the same for food, clothing and shelter? But relax, Joe Lunchbucket, an even bigger public-sector industrial plant will impose no cost on your family. Obama's party promises not to tax you, just business -- the people who sell you your groceries and gasoline and sign your paychecks. As Fred Thompson noted in his GOP convention speech, "They won't take any water out of your side of the bucket. Just the other side." This is not "voter as hero" but, instead, "voter as victim."

What did Castellanos say Obama's message was?

What does Alex Castellanos say about Obama's message?

Answer: "top-down liberalism."

Answer: "top-down liberalism."

Answer: "top-down liberalism."

Answer: Alex Castellanos

Answer: Barack Obama's

Summary:
Alex Castellanos: Obama's message was populism and bottom-up change .
Obama campaign taken over by Democratic establishment, he says .
Castellanos: Democratic party champions big government and opposes change .
"Yes we can" turned into "Yes Washington can," Castellanos says .


Editor's Note: Sarah Bliss is a writer for the Tufts Daily, the leading news source for Tufts University. This article was brought to CNN.com by UWIRE, the leading provider of student-generated content. UWIRE aims to identify and promote the brightest young content creators and deliver their work to a larger audience via professional media partners such as CNN.com. Visit UWIRE.com to learn more. SUNY at Canton in New York has provided a designated "pet wing," home to a variety of animals. (UWIRE) -- As university residence halls seek to transition into more homey environments -- with additions like full kitchens and single-stall bathrooms -- pet ownership is still forbidden for the majority of dorm residents. But several universities, including MIT, have now added some pets to the "acceptable" list of dorm possessions. According to a recent article published by The Boston Globe, students at MIT who reside in four of the school's 11 undergraduate dormitories can bring cats with them to school, thanks to a policy implemented several years ago in an effort to curb students from housing forbidden animals. Other schools have jumped on the four-footed bandwagon: Stephen's College, a women's college in Columbia, Missouri, allows for many household pets, including dogs, provided that they are vaccinated and under forty pounds. And the SUNY at Canton in New York has provided a designated "pet wing," home to a variety of small caged animals and cats since 1996. While animal companionship is largely viewed as a welcome addition to family homes, there are many roadblocks that have deterred Tufts from altering its pet policy. "We don't have a policy that allows for dogs or cats or ferrets or monkeys -- you name it -- and ... the main reason is so many people have allergic reactions to animal dander," Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said. "It's one thing in a family, where everyone agrees that this is what they want and no one has an allergic reaction to the animal. But in a residence hall, where there is no such communication or agreement, it's hard and people are affected." While Tufts students are currently not permitted to have more than a small fish tank in the dorm setting -- in addition to service animals -- this has not always been the case. During a failed experiment that ended around a decade ago, faculty members, residence directors and graduate teaching assistants were allowed to own pets in an attempt to encourage residence. "We were trying to entice [people]to come live in the halls, and ... they wouldn't come unless you allowed the pets," Reitman said. "In order to pragmatically get [them] to come in, we said 'Okay, let's do this.' Then people said, 'No, this isn't fair, I can't live here.' Not many students complained, but enough did." According to Dr. Margaret Higham, medical director of Health Services, the prevalence of allergies and asthma on campus would make a more lenient pet policy problematic. In addition, dorm cleanliness would be noticeably impaired by the allowance of pets, she said. "Pets need to be taken care of ... Litter boxes need to be cleaned daily," Higham said. "The dorm rooms were not built with the need to ventilate for that type of situation. And what about fleas? Once they are introduced, they would spread rapidly through all of the furniture. I do not see students being able to care for animals adequately in the dorm setting." Even without canines currently roaming the quad, there has been a modest history of animal neglect that calls into question a student's ability to provide for an animal properly. "I think some fraternities in recent years did have animals," Reitman said. "There were concerns or complaints when spring break came along, because there is this animal, not cared for ...the animal activists came in here and said, 'That's no way to treat an animal,'" Reitman said. "A residence facility -- be it a sorority,

What were the concerns given by a school dean?

What are some of the reasons for concerns?

What are some universities adding to "acceptable" list?

What is being added to the list of dorm possesions?

What was one school dean concerned about?

What are some universities adding to the list of acceptible dorm possessions?

Answer: the main reason is so many people have allergic reactions to animal dander," Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said. "It's one thing in a family, where everyone agrees that this is what they want and no one has an allergic reaction to the animal. But in a residence hall, where there is no such communication or agreement, it's hard and people are affected."

Answer: many people have allergic reactions to animal dander,"

Answer: cats

Answer: allergic reaction to the animal.

Answer: Tufts University.

Answer: pets

Answer: pets

Answer: cats

Answer: some pets

Answer: many people have allergic reactions to animal dander,"

Answer: pets

Summary:
Some universities adding pets to "acceptable" list of dorm possessions .
Students at MIT can bring cats, according to Boston Globe article .
Allergens, fleas, mess listed as reasons for concern by one school dean .
I feel students have too much going on to take care of a pet, student says .


Editor's Note: The following story contains spoilers regarding the show "House." If you'd rather not know what happens, stop reading now. Kal Penn, left, with Peter Jacobson on "House," is joining the Obama White House. LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Dr. Lawrence Kutner killed himself on the latest episode of "House: MD," it was the beginning of a new career for actor Kal Penn. The demise of Penn's character cleared the way for the actor to move on to another "House," the White House. Penn, 31, will be an associate director for the Obama administration's Office of Public Liaison. "It seemed like something I would enjoy doing," Penn said. "I figured it was something to do." He's not retiring from acting, just pursuing a longtime desire for public service that was rekindled when he campaigned for Barack Obama's election, Penn said. Penn played a teen terrorist on Fox's "24" before joining the network's "House" two years ago. He's also known as Kumar Patel in the "Harold & Kumar" movie series. The White House job likely ends his Kumar roles, he said. In fact, he will not consider any acting jobs until he leaves the Obama administration, he said. Penn will take a big pay cut to work for the government, but he has committed to at least one or two years in the job, he said. His focus will be as a liaison for the arts community and the Asian-American community, he said. He filled a similar role in the Obama presidential campaign, he said. "We want to make sure that everyone's concerns are heard and they are familiar with the president's plans and proposals," he said. Penn said he spoke briefly with Obama after the election about "trying to find the right fit" for him in the administration. He said he has bittersweet emotions as he leaves Hollywood to search for an apartment in Washington next week. The writers' decision to have Dr. Kutner commit suicide ensures Penn will not return to the show, although he said he leaves on good terms. He felt "more than a little bit of shock and loss" to learn that his character would die in his final episode. Even though he spoke no lines in the episode -- and only his legs are seen when his body is found -- he was on the set for the filming, he said. CNN's KJ Matthews contributed to this story.

What actor is going to join the white house?

Actor said working on campaign last year re-ignited desire for what service?

What re-ignited his desire for public service?

Answer: Kal Penn,

Answer: public

Answer: Barack Obama's election,

Answer: was rekindled when he campaigned for Barack Obama's election,

Answer: the Obama White House.

Answer: of Public Liaison.

Answer: Public Liaison.

Answer: the Obama White House.

Summary:
"House" actor Kal Penn is leaving the show to join the Obama White House .
Penn will become part of Office of Public Liaison .
Actor says working on campaign last year re-ignited desire for public service .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Based on the sheer volume of bodies, Hajj should not work. As the world's largest pilgrimage and one of the Five Pillars of Islam, each year about 3 million people cram themselves into the relatively small holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to offer up this, the holiest of Islamic rites. In late 2008, I accompanied my parents on Hajj and managed to sneak a VBS video camera past state security and capture the trip as we saw it. The scene was insane, beyond what I could have ever imagined.

Over a four-day period, Mecca's population is more than doubled, with legions of devout Muslims making their way shoulder to shoulder through the dozen rituals that comprise Hajj. If it weren't for the solemn and religious underpinnings, it would be an unnerving assembly of human beings for such a concentrated space -- like what Woodstock might have been, but less annoying and without the hippies, drugs, and Carlos Santana.

Many Hajj rites have been dramatized in movies and elsewhere, but it is essentially a highly choreographed succession of religious tasks: circling the Ka'bah at the center of Masjid Al-Haram (the Grand Mosque), Sa`I (pacing between two holy sites), the famous Stoning of the Devil, loads of deep prayer and meditation. The point is to purge believers of sins and free them for the next chapter in their lives. It is required that each Muslim of means make the trip at least once.

See part two of Mecca Diaries at VBS.TV

Given the number of pilgrims and the extremely short span of time Hajj covers, it is virtually impossible to make the journey without the help of a tour group. There are dozens of agencies available to help usher visitors through the masses and ensure that all the requisite rituals are met.

But even with their guidance, completing all the tasks, navigating the various holy sites, and sticking to the hurried itinerary is extremely challenging. Compound the situation with several million people of every economic class and comfort from 100-plus countries across the globe -- many lined up asleep on the side of the road, praying on hilltops, and making their way to and from holy sites -- and it's no surprise that some pilgrims can't complete all the rituals.

But despite this monumental challenge, the bottom line was that doing the Hajj was amazing. It took us to another plane of existence, it forced a detachment from our lives, and it was unlike anything I've ever experienced.

How many people too part in the pilgrimage?

What year did Suroosh Alvi go and shoot footage?

How many take part in the world's largest annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia?

How many people took part in the pilgrimage?

Answer: about 3 million

Answer: 2008,

Answer: 3 million people

Answer: 3 million

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Colombian tailor Miguel Caballero specializes in making garments that enable the wearer to get shot at point-blank range with nary an injury besides, maybe, a bruised ego. At-high-risk-of-catching-a-bullet demographics, such as rappers and politicians all over the world, rely on Miguel's handiwork. And, lucky me, when I was recently in Bogota for VBS.TV covering a few stories, I had the chance to visit Miguel's shop, learn about his protective clothing, and get shot in the gut by him. Seriously.

Upon arriving at Miguel's warehouse one sunny morning, I received a guided tour from a friendly office assistant. It all seemed totally benign -- sweet middle aged ladies stitching together jackets and blazers, smiling at me as I walked by. I could've been at American Apparel's Southern California warehouse.

But when I sat down with Miguel and he got into the whole spiel about why he made the type of clothing he did, nervousness started to set in. Was this guy seriously going to put a thin jacket on me and then shoot me with a real live handgun? The man is running a multimillion-dollar international business. Is he really so confident in his wares that he's going to risk it all by potentially killing a novice American journalist on camera?

The answer was yes. But first he had to finish telling me about himself.

Miguel explained his business model to me, and it was hard to dispute the logic. The world's an increasingly dangerous place for political leaders and citizens alike. Miguel is simply combining the need for safety with the natural desire to look good.

Watch more videos from around the globe on VBS.TV

And judging by his success, I'm not the only one who gets it. There were rumors that President Obama wore some of Miguel's goods during his inauguration. Plus, look at the automobile industry. Not long ago, Hummers were the province of soldiers in combat. Today, they're a staple of suburban strip malls. How long until Miguel's pieces follow suit?

By this point, Miguel seemed very determined to prove the reliability of his products to me. I figured it would be somewhat staged: I'd sign something, be ushered into a safe room, and he'd fire a couple blanks into some military grade flak jacket. Thanks and good night.

Instead, my new buddy Miguel popped the question mid-interview in his office. And it wasn't really a question. I believe he said, "Now we'll do a demonstration with you." Not exactly a request.

He stood up from his desk, opened a drawer, and casually pulled out a .38. This was happening very fast. He moved me over to the side of the room, outfitted me with some noise-reducing headphones, and offered me a black suede jacket. After instructing me to take a deep breath on "1" and prepare for a gunshot on "3," he shot me in the gut on "2."

Obviously I lived to tell the tale. But -- most importantly -- I like to think that I looked damn good doing it.

What type of clothing does the tailor make?

Answer: President Obama

Answer: protective

Answer: protective

Answer: garments that enable the wearer to get shot at point-blank range with nary an injury

Answer: President Obama

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Getting into North Korea was one of the weirdest processes VBS has ever dealt with. After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists to come and cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang. Just before our departure, they suddenly said, "No, nobody can come." Then they said, "OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists." But they already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you're supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don't like jail. And we're willing to bet we'd hate jail in North Korea.

But we went for it. The first leg of the trip was a flight into northern China. At the airport, the North Korean consulate took our passports and all our money, then brought us to a restaurant along with our tour group. All the other diners left, and these women came out and started singing North Korean nationalist songs. We were thinking, "Look, we were just on a plane for 20 hours. Can't we just go to bed?" But this guy with our group who was from the L.A. Times told us, "Everyone in here besides us is secret police. If you don't act excited then you're not going to get your visa." So we got drunk and sang songs with the girls. The next day we got our visas. A lot of people we had gone with didn't get theirs.

We flew into North Korea that night. We were supposed to have three days before the games started, but as soon as we got on the ground they told us, "The games are happening now." We went straight to the stadium, and there were 40,000 people in the stands, portraying the history of the North Korean revolution with flip cards. On the playing field before them, about 60,000 people did wild synchronized-gymnastics routines. The 15 of us who made up the audience watched from a marble dais. We were the only spectators. Fifteen audience members for a 100,000-man extravaganza.

See the rest of the Vice Guide to North Korea

The next day, our grand tour began. We went to the International Friendship Museum, which comprises 2,000 rooms carved into the bottom of a mountain. The displays are all gifts from different world leaders. Joseph Stalin gave Kim Il-sung a train. Mao Zedong also gave Kim Il-sung a train. He got hunting rifles from communist East Germany's Erich Honecker and Romania's Nicolae Ceausescu and all the other Eastern-bloc guys. Madeleine Albright famously gave Kim Jong-il a basketball signed by Michael Jordan.

Perhaps the weirdest thing about North Koreans is that they genuinely don't seem to know that the rest of the planet hates and fears them. They believe (or maybe they really convincingly lie about believing) that the whole world admires and envies them and that they're the true light of socialism and Juche, which is their leader's philosophy of Communist self-reliance.

As the days went on, North Korea presented us with progressively stranger sights and encounters. Being there was like being nowhere else on the planet. Are we glad that we got into Pyongyang and were able to document it? Yes. But are we even gladder that we made it out? Watch our documentary on the trip and try to guess the answer.

How many spectators were there for the 100,000 man show?

Where did the VBS.TV crew get into after months of negotiation?

Answer: Fifteen

Answer: VBS

Answer: North Korea

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Several events converged recently that conspired to take me back to the summer of 2006, the summer I snuck into Iraq. The first event was the Iraqi elections. The second was the Oscars. The third was a concert at a little bar tucked into a hip corner of the hippest neighborhood in the world -- Williamsburg, Brooklyn. These events all brought me a little closer to that time, a little closer to recalling the way things were back then. And I realized how much I had forgotten.

The summer/ fall of 2006 had a name -- at least it did in Iraq. It was called the Battle for Baghdad.

It was one of the most bloody periods of the war. The moment just before the Surge where hundreds of people -- hundreds of Iraqis -- were dying every day. I say we snuck into the country because we did.

We had been trying to obtain permission to get into the country legally, but it was proving very difficult. We heard through a friend that you could fly into Erbil through Germany. So we did. Without any papers we bought one-way tickets in cash from Erbil to Baghdad.

To me it was a really bad sign: who was in charge of the (expletive) show down there? There was a real feeling of desperation in the air when my friend Suroosh and I landed at the Baghdad International Airport. Someone in Iraq even told us that there was a rumor floating around that the U.S. forces were seriously considering building a moat around the city.

Once inside, we aligned to our mission: to find and interview the only heavy metal band in the country, Acrassicauda.

It wasn't easy, but we found the guys -- Faisal and Firas -- and spent a week interviewing them in locations that would keep them safe from accusations of collaboration with the enemy.

We met two of the nicest, warmest, funniest dudes, and through them our perspective on this war, and all war, was fundamentally changed. For the first time, I saw the war through the eyes of the oppressed, and saw it for what it was: (expletive) stupid. It was a stupid, stupid war. And the old men that conducted it, on both sides, were essentially the same ugly evil idiots; the same ideologues that championed their own particular visions of a new world order under the banner of their chosen gods -- money, freedom, oil, Allah -- take your pick.

See the rest of Heavy Metal in Baghdad at VBS.TV

The recent elections saw a flare in the random violence that characterized the hottest periods of the war and reminded me that the desire to kill is still very much alive in Iraq. That the cost of life is still very low.

The recent Oscars proved to me how myopic we still are about that war, about our role in it.

(Kathryn) Bigelow's champions film of champions ("The Hurt Locker") shows the Americans as the heroes, addicted to comradeship and the thrill of battle, and the Iraqis as the faceless aggressors resorting to cheap tactics and foul play. A rather disgusting narrative point of view, especially unnerving when you consider how determined Bigelow et screaming actors al were to create an apolitical discursive cocoon around their film. It's as though they were being willfully, culturally stupid, which is strange from a director that is considered, buy most accounts, to be an intelligent filmmaker.

Last night, I made my way to a little event at a little bar in Brooklyn. Almost four years since my trip to Iraq, and those awesome dudes -- Faisal, Firas, Marwan and

Where did VBS.TV travel to?
what kind of band is it?
where is the interview?

Answer: Iraq.

Answer: heavy metal

Answer: locations that would keep them safe from accusations of collaboration with the enemy.

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers. Viewer discretion advised.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- On January 22, 2006, the New York Times reported that all foreign journalists were being banned from Pakistan's tribal areas, which has been called "the most dangerous place in the world." A week before that, the CIA fired missiles remotely from a Predator aircraft into the Waziristan tribal area. They were hoping to eradicate a bunch of al Qaeda operatives. Instead, they killed 18 women and children.

One week before that, I arrived in Pakistan to visit Darra Adamkhel, the massive open-air market located deep in the tribal areas, where a frighteningly high percentage of Islamic holy warriors goes to buy their guns.

Gaining access to the tribal areas was next to impossible. It took months of pre-planning with the consul general of Pakistan in Montreal and top officials in Peshawar. They repeatedly denied us entry because, according to them, the Pakistani Army had too many "sensitive operations" going on in that region. Without my personal advantage (a family friendship with the governor of the Northwest Frontier Province), we never would have gotten in.

The government assigned me and my team a political agent named Naeem Afridi. He was born and raised in the tribal areas. He took care of us while we were there, and he was a godsend. You can't do anything in this part of the world without someone like Naeem.

See more stories on VBS.TV

Our driver stopped at a security point just outside the town center, where we were introduced to the Frontier Agency militia, six angry-dad-looking guys with AKs and sidearms. They became our personal bodyguards, and followed us through the tight warren of gun shops and factories, barren little brick rooms where upward of 1,000 guns are manufactured every day. Most of the work is done by hand.

The vendors are Pashtuns, who are basically the toughest people in the world. They comprised the majority of the mujahideen who kicked the Soviets out of Afghanistan in the late '80s.

These days, the town is rumored to be completely overrun by the Taliban. They purchase the guns, then cross the border to fight the U.S. army in Afghanistan, or they drive through the mountains to the south to fight the Pakistani army.

This summer, I went back to Pakistan, and found that the fuse on this powder keg has become even shorter. The Pakistani army has surged more troops into the tribal areas, attempting to eradicate the Taliban and al Qaeda. The U.S. and British troops are attempting to do the same thing on the other side of the border in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan itself has seen violence spread to its major urban centers, where extremists have been detonating bombs and taking over police stations.

But at the same time, there is a cultural explosion taking place, a vibrant art scene and metal and rock bands popping up everywhere. The whole situation has become ultra charged by the fact that there are tons of news channels operating uncensored by the insanely corrupt government.

For Pakistan, it's a volatile, turbulent, and fascinating moment in time.

What area has been home base for the Taliban?

Answer: VICE,

Answer: 1,000

Answer: Pakistan's tribal

Answer: 1,000

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is broadband television network of VICE. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- For the launch of VICE magazine in Mexico, we decided to make an entire issue about Mexico, written entirely by Mexicans.

At the same time, we came up with the idea of producing a parallel version of that issue in video for VBS.TV and populate our site with documentaries about Mexico, local artists, local musicians and beautiful Mexican girls for the entire month.

Since then, we repeated the same concept when we launched the magazine in Brazil, and we produced an entire month of content about China during the Olympics.

Producer Santiago Stelley and I spent a few weeks in Mexico City producing an hour-long documentary about nighttime crime photographers, interviewing some of the best bands and artists in the city and shooting a project about B movies inspired by the lives of drug traffickers.

A couple of days before Mother's Day, I got to spend a few days at an amazing place called Casa Xochiquetzal (The House of the Beautiful Flowers), a retirement home for older prostitutes in Tepito, one of the sketchiest neighborhoods in the city.

I went there with Guillermo Rivero, who wrote the print version of the article, and I produced the documentary version of the same story. The house has a minimum age requirement of 60 and can accommodate up to 45 women. Right now, there are only 23 retired ladies of the night living there. The majority of them continue working, because there are still people who want to pay to have sex with them.

See the rest of House of the Setting Sun at VBS.TV

We had the opportunity to meet some of the women that live there, such as 86-year-old Reyna, who sang for us and told us stories of her youth, and Lourdes, a childless widow in her 60s who is still turning tricks.

We met Canela, a woman in her 80s who was soft spoken and looked incredibly tired. She had stopped working just a few years ago and now sells candies for a living. Finally, we spent some time with Paola, a 61-year-old who is still a sex worker and hopes to continue working for as many years as she can.

We ended up spending Mother's Day with them at what was perhaps the most bittersweet party I've attended.

The women were dancing and eating and drinking punch together, they joked around and seemed to be having a great time. But at some point, Paola started talking to me about her sons, whom she hasn't seen in years and never really visit her. She also talked about the kids of many of the other women in the house -- none of them present at this party -- to celebrate motherhood.

Most of these women actually ended up becoming prostitutes to support their children as their only means of survival.

I think the work that this house and its director Rosalba Rios do -- as weird and unusual as it may seem -- is incredibly valuable. Spending Mother's Day with these brave women forever changed they way l look at prostitution and without a doubt has been one of the most intense parties I've ever attended.

how many women were over 60?
how many womens live in the facility
what party did the crew attend?
how many women were in total?

Answer: 23

Answer: there are only 23 retired ladies

Answer: Mother's Day

Answer: 23

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice.

Sonia Sotomayor is flanked by her supervisor, Warren Murray, and D.A. Robert Morgenthau, right, in 1983.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor graduated with honors from Ivy League schools. But she may have learned some of her most memorable lessons as a young prosecutor, following police into abandoned tenements and tracking down witnesses on the grimy streets of New York.

Sotomayor joined the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 1979 during an epic crime wave. Muggings, burglaries and assaults were rampant; homicides topped 1,800 a year. She was recruited from Yale Law School by Robert M. Morgenthau, Manhattan's district attorney. She was 25, and her starting salary was $17,000.

The cases in Trial Bureau 50 seasoned the idealistic young lawyer and honed her trial skills. She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears, former colleagues recalled.

New York City was awash in heroin, street crime and gun violence. To prepare for trials, she followed police into tenement shooting galleries, scaled rickety staircases in dilapidated buildings and fought off the stench of squalor to talk to reluctant witnesses.

Sotomayor's former colleagues and her legal foes describe her as intense, driven and politically astute.

As a prosecutor, she had a commanding presence and put in long hours, chugging several cans a day of the diet soft drink Tab and chain-smoking cigarettes. (She no longer smokes.)  Watch how she made an impression on fellow prosecutors »

Trial Bureau 50, with its crowded cubicles and walls painted the color of putty, has sent many lawyers onto distinguished careers in public service, including the late Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Kennedy Jr.

Sotomayor's five years there, say Manhattan prosecutors past and present, make her uniquely qualified for the nation's highest court. If confirmed, she would be the only justice who prosecuted criminal cases, presided over them and handled criminal appeals.  See what would set Sotomayor apart on the court »

"If you can handle a felony case load in New York County, you can run a small country," said Warren Murray, who ran the bureau when Sotomayor worked there, and still does.

"I think Sonia's most interesting days were in the district attorney's office," said Hugh H. Mo, a former homicide prosecutor who supervised Sotomayor and tried cases with her. "You can grow up in the projects and still be very sheltered. She got her education on the streets of Harlem."

Like most rookies, Sotomayor started with misdemeanors, juggling 60 to 80 cases at a time, working 12-hour days in the 1930s-era building on the tip of Manhattan, and pulling an occasional shift in night court.

"Some of the judges liked to use the new assistants to clear their calendars," Morgenthau recalled. "She quickly established herself as somebody the judges couldn't push around."

On her second trial, Sotomayor met Dawn Cardi, a rookie Legal Aid lawyer who was trying her first case. They became best friends.

"We were both baby attorneys," Cardi said. "She's really, really smart and very well-prepared. She was an excellent trial attorney. She had a talent for it."

Another defense attorney, Gerald Lefcourt, recalled Sotomayor as "a very zealous prosecutor," adding, "She didn't see gray. She only saw black and white."

Sotomayor moved up quickly in the D.A.'s office. It wasn't long before she was prosecuting murder cases.

To prepare for trials, she hit the streets, working junkies and street characters for information and comforting grieving families. The work was sometimes unnerving, but it could also provide an adrenalin rush.

"You could feel the violence. It was palpable," said Mo, who with Sotomayor accompanied detectives of Harlem's 28th precinct into top

When did Sotomayor work in Manhatten DA's office?

When did she work in the Manhattan DA's office?

What was Sotomayor's first legal related job?

What do former colleagues say about her?

Answer: Robert Morgenthau,

Answer: 1979

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: 1979

Answer: Manhattan District Attorney's office

Answer: Manhattan District Attorney's office

Answer: Manhattan District Attorney's office

Answer: She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears,

Summary:
Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor began her legal career as a prosecutor .
She worked in the Manhattan DA's office from 1979 to 1984 .
Her former colleagues remember Sotomayor as driven and focused .
Manhattan DA Robert M. Morgenthau on Thursday's Senate witness schedule .


Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice. Sonia Sotomayor is flanked by her supervisor, Warren Murray, and D.A. Robert Morgenthau, right, in 1983. NEW YORK (CNN) -- Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor graduated with honors from Ivy League schools. But she may have learned some of her most memorable lessons as a young prosecutor, following police into abandoned tenements and tracking down witnesses on the grimy streets of New York. Sotomayor joined the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 1979 during an epic crime wave. Muggings, burglaries and assaults were rampant; homicides topped 1,800 a year. She was recruited from Yale Law School by Robert M. Morgenthau, Manhattan's district attorney. She was 25, and her starting salary was $17,000. The cases in Trial Bureau 50 seasoned the idealistic young lawyer and honed her trial skills. She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears, former colleagues recalled. New York City was awash in heroin, street crime and gun violence. To prepare for trials, she followed police into tenement shooting galleries, scaled rickety staircases in dilapidated buildings and fought off the stench of squalor to talk to reluctant witnesses. Sotomayor's former colleagues and her legal foes describe her as intense, driven and politically astute. As a prosecutor, she had a commanding presence and put in long hours, chugging several cans a day of the diet soft drink Tab and chain-smoking cigarettes. (She no longer smokes.)  Watch how she made an impression on fellow prosecutors » Trial Bureau 50, with its crowded cubicles and walls painted the color of putty, has sent many lawyers onto distinguished careers in public service, including the late Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Kennedy Jr. Sotomayor's five years there, say Manhattan prosecutors past and present, make her uniquely qualified for the nation's highest court. If confirmed, she would be the only justice who prosecuted criminal cases, presided over them and handled criminal appeals.  See what would set Sotomayor apart on the court » "If you can handle a felony case load in New York County, you can run a small country," said Warren Murray, who ran the bureau when Sotomayor worked there, and still does. "I think Sonia's most interesting days were in the district attorney's office," said Hugh H. Mo, a former homicide prosecutor who supervised Sotomayor and tried cases with her. "You can grow up in the projects and still be very sheltered. She got her education on the streets of Harlem." Like most rookies, Sotomayor started with misdemeanors, juggling 60 to 80 cases at a time, working 12-hour days in the 1930s-era building on the tip of Manhattan, and pulling an occasional shift in night court. "Some of the judges liked to use the new assistants to clear their calendars," Morgenthau recalled. "She quickly established herself as somebody the judges couldn't push around." On her second trial, Sotomayor met Dawn Cardi, a rookie Legal Aid lawyer who was trying her first case. They became best friends. "We were both baby attorneys," Cardi said. "She's really, really smart and very well-prepared. She was an excellent trial attorney. She had a talent for it." Another defense attorney, Gerald Lefcourt, recalled Sotomayor as "a very zealous prosecutor," adding, "She didn't see gray. She only saw black and white." Sotomayor moved up quickly in the D.A.'s office. It wasn't long before she was prosecuting murder cases. To prepare for trials, she hit the streets, working junkies and street characters for information and comforting grieving families. The work was sometimes unnerving, but it could also provide an adrenalin rush. "You could feel the violence. It was palpable," said Mo, who with Sotomayor accompanied detectives of Harlem's 28th precinct into top

Who worked in the Manhattan DA's office?

As what did Sonia Sotomayor start her career?

Who said Sotomayor was driven and focused?

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: a young prosecutor,

Answer: Manhattan's district attorney.

Answer: former colleagues

Summary:
Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor began her legal career as a prosecutor .
She worked in the Manhattan DA's office from 1979 to 1984 .
Her former colleagues remember Sotomayor as driven and focused .
Manhattan DA Robert M. Morgenthau on Thursday's Senate witness schedule .


Editor's Note: This is the last in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice.

Sotomayor was nominated to U.S. district court in 1991 and federal appeals court in 1997.

(CNN) -- Sonia Sotomayor had been a federal appeals court judge for about four months when Ellen Chapnick got a phone call in 1998.

The Columbia Law School lecturer's students had worked and studied with Sotomayor as part of a program at the school, but Chapnick figured the partnership had come to an end with the judge's new job.

"She called me up and said, 'You know, I really miss your students. Isn't there something we can do about that?'" recalled Chapnick, now Dean of the Social Justice Program at the school. "And, of course, a judge rarely asks a question when she doesn't know the answer."

That call, and the partnership that would continue another six years, captures the essence of the woman who has spent years on the federal bench, friends and colleagues said.

They remember a tireless worker spending late hours in her chambers or on projects like the college course: A tough decision-maker who would pick apart any lawyer foolish enough to come to court unprepared; a thoughtful jurist whose years as an aggressive prosecutor endeared her to law enforcement even as she developed a reputation as a social liberal; and a child of the Bronx who maintained a heart for people from all walks of life as she ascended to the legal world's loftiest positions.

"Her hobby is people," said Chapnick, who became friends with the woman now going through Senate confirmation hearings on her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. "I've been in situations with her when everybody else around the table is a lot 'less important' -- if you define importance by positions of power and prestige -- and she's asking them questions."  Watch Chapnick on how Sotomayor put students 'through the wringer' »

In 1984, Sotomayor, now 55, worked at Pavia & Harcourt, a "boutique" law firm in New York that focuses on international business issues.

Her job included representing Fendi, the Italian luxury goods company that wanted to crack down on imposters selling knockoffs of its high-end handbags.

Steven Skulnik, a colleague at the firm, remembered tagging along with Sotomayor on a police raid of a counterfeit operation in Harlem.

He waited in the van. Sotomayor charged out alongside the officers.

"She had no fear," said Skulnik, now with the New York firm Squire Sanders. "That's just her personality. She's the first one in."

He and others also recall her working long hours with a laser-like focus as she prepared for a case.

"[Co-workers] would walk by in the morning, and she'd be reading something or writing something," he said. "You'd say, 'Hi, Sonia,' and she wouldn't even look up. She didn't notice.

"She would really bore in and make sure there was nothing about the case that she didn't understand."

That dedication hit her private life, Sotomayor has admitted. She told ABC's "Good Morning America" in 1986 that her workload "was a contributing factor" in the divorce three years earlier from Kevin Noonan.

Work also made it difficult to date then, she said: "A man who calls you three times and all three times you answer, 'I've got to work late.' ... After the third time he begins thinking, 'Gee, maybe she's not interested.'"

She left the law firm to take up President George H.W. Bush's nomination in 1991 and served as a U.S. District Court judge from 1992 to 1998.

President Bill Clinton nominated her for a seat on the 2nd District U.S. Appeals Court in 1997, and she was confirmed more than a year later by the Senate to the

what did  the former Columbia University colleague say about her

In what way do colleagues recall Sotomayor?

Answer: Columbia Law School

Answer: people,"

Answer: "Her hobby is people,"

Answer: tireless worker spending late hours in her chambers or on projects like the college course: A tough decision-maker who would pick apart any lawyer foolish enough to come to court unprepared; a thoughtful jurist whose years as an aggressive prosecutor endeared her to law enforcement even as she developed a reputation as a social liberal; and a child of the Bronx who maintained a heart for people from all walks of life as she ascended to the legal world's loftiest positions.

Answer: federal appeals court judge

Summary:
Colleagues recall Sotomayor as tireless, focused worker .
"Her hobby is people," says friend, former Columbia University colleague .
Critics call her "prickly"; former aide says tough talk is saved for the bench .
Lifelong Yankees fan's most high-profile case ended baseball strike .


Editor's Note: This is the second in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, and revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice if confirmed. Sonia Sotomayor, here at her 8th-grade graduation, had to finish homework and chores before she could go out. BRONX, New York (CNN) -- The teenage Sonia Sotomayor was easy to spot in the halls of her New York high school. Her uniform was often askew -- a once-crisp shirt protruding out and over her skirt's waistband as she carried a pile of books. "She was focused so much on learning that she didn't notice," Mary Procidano, a classmate at Cardinal Spellman High School, recalled recently. Sotomayor, now nominated for the Supreme Court by President Obama, seemed to hit her stride at Spellman, a rigorous Catholic institution and educational oasis in a crime-stricken neighborhood of the Bronx. The schoolgirl first appeared shy and reserved, friends remember. But they soon got to know her as a hard-nosed, strong-willed girl, happy to debate friends, family or teachers. "When she opened her mouth and she spoke, she really felt whatever it was," said Jeanette Valdespino-Torres, a childhood friend. "And she wasn't just talking out of the top of her head -- it was something that she read, she studied, she looked, she knew. She would get into conversations at that age that I couldn't even touch."  Watch friends remember Sotomayor as a teenager » In the lunchroom Sotomayor would "hold court," various friends from her school years told CNN, sharing opinions on policies and social problems. She even led discussions around her home, an apartment in the sprawling 28-building Bronxdale Housing project that was so rife with drugs and crime that police often locked it down on Saturday nights, Sotomayor said in one speech. If she is confirmed by the full Senate Sotomayor, now 55, would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice. President Obama has spoken of her "inspiring life's journey." Sotomayor's 1972 graduating class knew they were a generation facing "change," said Jeri Faulkner, who was a freshman when Sotomayor was a senior. It was a time when the Vietnam War and social and economic strife were in the news daily. "There was a lot of change and turmoil, and they were very involved in it -- very, very involved in social issues; very, very ready to change the world," Faulkner, now Cardinal Spellman's Dean of Students, said of Sotomayor's class. "And Sonia, she was at the forefront of those discussions." A fixture on the debate team and in student government, Sotomayor was even a part of change inside Cardinal Spellman -- helping to write a unified constitution when male and female classes merged in 1971. Outside school, Sotomayor spent some vacations working at the United Bargains store in the Bronx, though she has admitted she was too young for a job. She also worked.with her mother at Prospect Hospital.  See photos of Sotomayor throughout her life » Hard work was a fixture of the Sotomayor household. Juan Sotomayor, Sonia's father, died when she was 9, leaving her mother, Celina, to fend for Sonia and her younger brother, also named Juan. Celina Sotomayor started at the hospital as a telephone operator and later became a registered nurse. She worked long hours to earn enough to send her children to better schools like Cardinal Spellman, which now boasts of its graduate with a banner on its pale brick facade. And she used spare money to buy the neighborhood's only encyclopedia. Sonia's mother was clear in what she expected from her daughter, said Valdespino-Torres. When she got home from work and stepped into the brick building, she always asked Sonia if she had done her homework, food shopping or laundry. "Only then, Sonia would be allowed to go out," Valdespino-Torres said.

what High school classmate said she saw Sotomayor?

Who is holding her confirmation hearing?

Answer: Bronx.

Answer: Mary Procidano,

Answer: "She was focused so much on learning that she didn't notice,"

Answer: Juan Sotomayor, Sonia's father,

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor,

Summary:
Sonia Sotomayor grew up in crime-ridden Bronx neighborhood .
Senators holding confirmation hearings on Supreme Court nomination .
Sotomayor's dad died when she was 9; mother instilled in her the value of education .
High school classmate said she saw Sotomayor "as a leader, for sure"


Editor's Note: This is the third in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, and revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice if confirmed.

Sotomayor won the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, the highest honor given to an undergraduate at Princeton.

PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- Sonia Sotomayor spent her first week at Princeton University obsessing over the sound of a cricket. Growing up in New York City, her only notion of this insect was Jiminy from "Pinocchio." She tore her dorm room apart looking for the critter every night.

Finally, her then-boyfriend and future husband visited and explained that the cricket was outside the room, where she had been holed up most of that week in 1972.

"This was all new to me: we didn't have trees brushing up against windows in the South Bronx," Sotomayor recalled in a speech to the Princeton Women's Network in 2002.

The freshman who was so taken aback by a cricket's chirping now has a more public challenge: Senate hearings on whether to confirm her as a Supreme Court justice, potentially the first Latina to hold such a post.

At one time, being different may have been difficult -- for it wasn't just Princeton's crickets that startled Sotomayor. The academics and the students on the leafy Gothic campus, with its ivy-covered dormitories and castle-like towers, also made her feel out of place.

Sotomayor, who was on a full scholarship, started "a little more on the shy side," said Sergio Sotolongo, who attended high school and Princeton with Sotomayor.

"She did mention that, as a freshman, she felt sometimes intimidated by others and didn't really raise her hand very much," said Sotolongo, now chairman and CEO of Student Funding Group in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.  Watch classmates, professor remember Sotomayor »

As a first-year student, Sotomayor felt what she's called a "chasm" between herself and her classmates. She really only knew the Bronx and Puerto Rico, while her classmates spoke of European vacations and skiing. She said in 1990 that she felt she was a "product of affirmative action" and questioned whether she would have been accepted into the Ivy League using "traditional numbers" from test scores alone.  See how many of the Supreme Court justices went to Ivy League schools »

She would certainly have looked different to her classmates, with relatively few Latinos or minorities at Princeton during her college years. Even being a woman was different for Sotomayor's class -- the college had opened its doors to women three years earlier, but male students were still superior in numbers and (in some cases) attitudes.

Judith Perlman, who lived down the hall, explained: "I'd go to class and I would say things, and the professor would say, 'Oh, we usually express ourselves in a more gentlemanly fashion here.'"

Perlman and Sotomayor shared "girl talk" but about what they wanted to do with their lives, not about things like fashion, which interested neither.

Academically, Sotomayor also faced a gap. She would later graduate summa cum laude and be awarded the top undergraduate honor, the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, but she stumbled that first year.

Peter Winn, who taught Sotomayor and was her thesis adviser, said her early writing reflected the fact that her first language is Spanish.

"She could be very assertive and very articulate, but not initially," said Winn, now a professor at Tufts University.

"Sonia was someone who entered Princeton as a young woman with enormous potential, and one of the things that happened at Princeton was, she learned how to fulfill that potential," he said.

Nancy Weiss Malkiel, now dean of the college, agreed with Winn, writing in an e-mail that Sotomayor came to Princeton "with high intelligence and great ability, but without a very sophisticated grounding in the study of history."

Malkiel, who taught history,

Who arrived at Princeton in 1972?
who is Sonia Sotomayor?

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: Judge

Summary:
Sonia Sotomayor arrived at Princeton in 1972 in fourth co-ed class .
She read children's classics to enhance her English writing skills .
She launched a Puerto Rico action group and campaigned for Latinos .
By the time she went to Yale, she was confident and outgoing, classmate recalls .