(CNN) -- When you finish one video game in a series and begin the next, you're basically forced to start from scratch without carrying over any of your accomplishments from the previous game.

But the popular "Mass Effect" sci-fi action trilogy aims to change that -- by allowing players to complete one game and transfer their character to the next one in the series. It is an ambitious project that involves nearly 35,000 lines of dialogue.

"We wanted to create the biggest story we could tell," said Casey Hudson, BioWare's project director for "Mass Effect 2" and executive producer of the "Mass Effect" franchise.

The just-released "Mass Effect 2" picks up the story as the lead character, named Shepard, has been brought back to life after a devastating attack by an invading race of machines bent on eliminating organic life. The action takes place shortly after the events of the first "Mass Effect," which was set in the year 2183 in the Milky Way galaxy.

In a rare twist, players who played the first "Mass Effect" game are being given the opportunity to import their characters into the new game along with all their rewards, romances and consequences.

Hudson said his team tried to create a fictional universe that players could explore over long periods of time to "have an epic experience."

By carrying over the data from the original "Mass Effect," Hudson's team tried to show the consequences of characters' choices. But by accounting for so many variables in the first games, Bioware was faced with a daunting task going forward.

"We used tech skills we developed going back to 'Baldur's Gate' [in 1998]," Hudson explained. "Writing for 'ME2' was the hardest thing we've ever done."

"Mass Effect 2" has 15 to 20 percent more dialogue and 30 percent more key decisions -- choices that affect the game's outcome -- than the first game, said Hudson, who believes the voice acting in the new game is more movie-like than the first one.

"It took several months of voice work, and often we would bring back an actor to get the right inflections for the character and the scene," he said. "There are hundreds of characters in the game that needed voices."

Although "Mass Effect 2" is being billed as a dark second chapter in the trilogy, there are laugh-out-loud moments of dialogue. Playing the game reveals that even its tense moments are given a softer edge with unexpected comic exchanges between characters.

For example, in one scene, Shepard tries to persuade a character not to follow orders that could lead to a "suicide mission." Without missing a beat, Shepard's squad mates look at each other as one says, "We can ignore suicidal orders? Why wasn't I told about that?"

"Mass Effect 2" also offers players the opportunity to interrupt a conversation and create a whole new path. During a scene when another character is talking, icons will appear to let you change the conversation with a Paragon move (good) or Renegade move (bad).

Side plots tie into the main story more than in the first game, so even these chat-interrupting choices could have an impact later on.

"Things can happen in conversation," Hudson said when asked about the interrupt feature. "It makes the conversation feel alive."

Work has already begun to complete the final chapter of the "Mass Effect" trilogy. And gamers shouldn't assume that Shepard makes it to the end of "Mass Effect 3."

Hudson said Shepard can die a final death if the player makes wrong choices or inspires bad loyalty from his crew.

"We made it so you'll still get a satisfying ending, but yes, Shepard can actually die," he said.

How much more dialogue does "Mass Effect 2" have?

What was the hardest thing they've done?

What is the hardest thing project director did?

What can players who played the first "mass effect" do?

Are there more decision making options in Mass Effect 2?

Who has  30% more dialogue and  more decision-making options

Answer: 15 to 20 percent

Answer: "Writing for 'ME2'

Answer: "Writing for 'ME2'

Answer: complete one game and transfer their character to the next one in the series.

Answer: 30 percent

Answer: "Writing for 'ME2'

Answer: "Mass Effect 2"

Summary:
Players who played the first "Mass Effect" game can import their data into the new game .
"Writing for 'ME2' was the hardest thing we've ever done," project director says .
"Mass Effect 2" has 15% to 20% more dialogue and 30% more decision-making options .


(CNN) -- Whether it's dining, shopping, culture, nightlife or people, everybody has a favorite city. Some cities are great places to live and raise a family. Others provide the backdrop for that once-in-a-lifetime vacation.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I-Reporters have been telling us about their favorite American cities. Here are some of the highlights.

Jim Thompson sent the photo of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with this important information: "Be sure to mention that St. Francis Cathedral has been renamed to St. Francis Basilica. ... The request was made by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and was granted by the Vatican, so now St. Francis is the headquarters for the pope when he comes to Santa Fe."

Diana Peters moved to New Orleans in 2003, and has experienced the city before and after Hurricane Katrina. Her feelings about recovery are complicated. "But don't turn your back on New Orleans, because she survives in all of us, especially those of use who still see her beauty in what remains."

Josh Gorrell sent the photo of the "painted ladies" at Marina Del Rey in southern California. "My favorite part of living by the coast is the constantly fresh ocean breezes, the year-round sunshine and the wonderful seafood! Oh, and the surf!"

Raymond Lopera's favorite city in the Los Angeles area is Santa Monica. He lived there briefly when he moved from New York a few years ago and says he goes back every chance he gets. He says Santa Monica is very pedestrian friendly and he enjoys taking long walks, stopping along the way at places like Barnes & Noble or Starbucks.

Nikolai Ursin can't get enough of Minneapolis. "I'm 28 and able to live a fabulous life because the cost of living is so low, yet the wages are quite high. My friends in N.Y.C. are jealous. I travel a lot for work and there is nothing quite like landing in Minneapolis and knowing I'm home."

I-Reporter Chris Fuhriman is a captain in the Army and completing a master's degree in geography at the University of Hawaii. Fuhriman moved to Honolulu from Utah three years ago with his wife and two children. "His favorite thing about Honolulu? "The international flavor of the city, and the diversity. It's really a city for everyone."

Russell Clayton says there's "far too much to do" in Austin, Texas. Then he went on to list a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, swimming, mountain biking, kayaking and canoeing. Clayton says the city's unofficial motto is "Keep Austin Weird." E-mail to a friend

What did I-Reporters weigh in with?
What will I-Reporters do?
What did the reporters weigh in with?

Answer: their favorite American cities.

Answer: telling us about their favorite American cities.

Answer: their favorite American cities.

Summary:
Rate your favorite U.S. city by taking the America's Favorite Cities survey .
The survey ends on July 15; enter to win a trip to Australia .
I-Reporters weigh in with photos and comments about their favorites .


(CNN) -- Whether they're raising their adopted baby girl, dodging homophobic quips from their fraternity brothers or teaching the "Single Ladies" dance to the football team after glee club, it seems gay characters are becoming a vital part of prime time TV.

With characters like "Modern Family's" Mitchell and Cameron, Calvin from "Greek" and Kurt from "Glee," the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) characters on scripted programs has just about doubled since 2005, according to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance against Defamation.

And characters will continue to identify as LGBT as time goes on, such as "Ugly Betty's" Justin, who recently had his first same-sex kiss. But Jarrett Barrios, president of GLAAD said, "We still have a long way to go before we're fully represented [on] TV."

In addition to the increasing number LGBT characters on scripted shows, which currently represents a little more than 3 percent of all leading and supporting characters on broadcast networks, there are also more openly gay actors and producers working in Hollywood, says Barrios.

Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson plays the character Mitchell on the ABC prime time show "Modern Family." Like his on-screen role, Ferguson himself is openly gay.

"The opportunity to play not only a well developed gay character, but a dad, a son and brother was really appealing to me. ... I chose to play him very close to myself and I think that truthfulness was appealing to the creators," Ferguson told CNN.

However, Ferguson says his sexual orientation does not make him any more qualified to tackle a gay role than Eric Stonestreet, his straight co-star who plays Mitchell's partner Cameron.

"As a gay man and as someone who is an advocate for equality, truthfulness and fairness, I want to see more gay roles go to gay actors," Ferguson said in an e-mail. "But then on the flip side, as an actor, I want to still be given the opportunity to play roles that are straight."

In a recent interview on The Joy Behar Show , Stonestreet said he's excited he has been given the opportunity to portray one half of a committed gay couple raising a child -- a first, he said, for broadcast TV.

"Our goal is to make people laugh, but while we're making people laugh, if we can open a couple minds here and there, that's also an added benefit," he said.

And while shows like "Modern Family" are working to open peoples' minds about same-sex parents, the "L" and the "T," of LGBT, are still waiting for their TV time, said Hollywood casting director Tammara Billik.

It's very common for female characters to be portrayed as bisexuals instead of lesbians, she said.

"I wouldn't say it's because of a discomfort with lesbianism, it's just an interest in bisexuality," Billik said. "[People] think it's hot, and it gives characters a wide variety of storylines."

And as far as the "T," she said, "transgender people are not represented in our daily lives with the same frequency that gay and lesbian people are. It's harder to find an audience that will embrace a transgender character."

Sean Smith, the executive producer of ABC Family's "Greek," said he has loaned some of his own experiences as an openly gay man to the show. And when casting, an actor's sexual orientation does not come into play.

"When you're in casting, it's not appropriate or legal to say, 'Hey, are you gay?' Whether they're gay, straight, from the South, British or from Mars, it doesn't matter. The best person who captures that character gets the job."

And for Smith, straight actor Paul James was the best person for the role of Calvin Owens, a gay member of Omega Chi, a fictional fraternity on "

LGBT characters represent what percent of characters on broadcast networks?

Answer: 2005,

Answer: the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) characters on scripted programs

Answer: "We still have a long way to go before we're fully represented [on] TV."

Answer: 3

Summary:
The number of LGBT characters on scripted programs has doubled since 2005 .
LGBT characters represent more than 3 percent of characters on broadcast networks .
It doesn't matter if an LGBT actor plays an LGBT role, said GLAAD's Jarrett Barrios .


(CNN) -- Whether you're into baseball or backgammon, Harry Potter or heavy metal, Ning has an online network for you. Gina Bianchini, CEO of Ning, says her site brings together people with common interest and passions. A fast-growing, free Web site launched two years ago, Ning lets members custom build their own social-networking platforms based around their passions and pastimes. As Facebook and MySpace connect people to friends and family, Ning gathers users around common interests. The site hosts networks for hip-hop music lovers, video gaming moms and teens obsessed with the Twilight book and movie franchise. Other popular Ning networks bring people together online for political and social causes such as "Pickens' Plan," which advocates wind energy. Ning had 4.7 million unique visitors as of January and surpassed 1 million social networks -- about one-fifth of them considered active -- last month. Ning also enhanced its site in March with new features such as a real-time activity feed so users can get up-to-the-minute reports -- not unlike Twitter's tweets -- about what others are doing. CNN spoke recently to Ning CEO Gina Bianchini, a Silicon Valley native and former Goldman Sachs analyst, about the company and the future of social networking.  Watch Bianchini chat about Ning » CNN: Where did this idea for Ning come from? Bianchini: We really started with a very simple premise. What if you gave people the opportunity to create their own social experiences for their own unique passions/topics/interest? We started on the ground floor to build it in such a way that it can be customized and programmed and made truly unique for each individual. I believe the most powerful ideas are the most simple. CNN: What is the mission of Ning? Bianchini: It's a way to get people to organize and get people to meet around their passions. CNN: Did any specific Web sites or companies inspire you to create Ning? Bianchini: We were really inspired by the first wave of Internet companies truly native to the Web like Craigslist and eBay. They were really around people connecting to other people. They were really about the Internet connecting people to each other. It's completely unique to the Internet -- you can't do it via television or newspapers. CNN: Did you expect the idea of connecting people though common interests to be so successful? Bianchini: Social behavior is really what people want to do online. It was clear for the rapid adoption of social networking in general that it is very much the case. CNN: What are some of the interesting social networks on Ning? Bianchini: There are 200,000 social networks are active right now, and they are across tens of thousands of unique passions. There is a network called 'This is 50.' It's like a hip hop TMZ. Another is the 'Pickens' Plan.' It's a way they are organizing more than 200,000 people around wind-energy policy. There is another one for cricket, specifically Indian cricket, which has added half a million people in the last two and a half weeks. There is another about the Twilight saga for teens. So it ranges from 50 Cent to teens talking about Twilight to serious adults looking at how to make changes in government policy. That's the power of the Internet and the power of connecting people. CNN: What do you attribute to the growth of Ning? Bianchini: What's fundamental in the adoption of Ning is that people are unique. They have unique interest and passion and they like having a contact for that experience and for their identity. CNN: What makes Ning different from other social-networking sites? Bianchini: It's focused on providing the [means for] people to create new social networks around their interests and passions and connect new people around those passions. We think that's a very critical element of organization. The Facebook phenomenon connects you to people you already know and Twitter is amazing for news and real-time events. What we see with people

How many active social networks are on the site?

Whst amount of social networks does the supite boast?

What month did they add real-time activity?

What is the name of the website Gina Bianchini is CEO of?

Answer: with common interest and passions.

Answer: Gina Bianchini,

Answer: 200,000

Answer: Ning

Answer: 1 million social

Answer: 1 million

Answer: Gina Bianchini,

Answer: in March

Answer: Ning,

Summary:
CNN talks to Gina Bianchini, CEO of Ning, a fast-growing Web site .
Ning lets people with common interests gather around niche social networks .
The site boasts more than 1 million social networks -- some 200,000 of them active .
In March, the site added a real-time activity feed to help users stay updated .


(CNN) -- Whether you're looking for a laid-back evening or want to party the night away, there are plenty of bars and clubs in Malmo to keep you entertained.

Slagthuset is Scandinavia's biggest nightclub.

Many nights start out in Lilla Torg, which boasts a wide array of restaurants and lounges. Sip cocktails at Victors -- if the weather's good, grab your drinks and head to the outdoor terrace. An equally popular hangout is nearby Moosehead, which has a more casual-woodsy vibe. Be sure to order the moose meat burger.

A vibrant club scene exists in Malmo, which is home to Slagthuset (Jorgen Kocksgatan 7A) -- the largest nightclub in Scandinavia. Young dancers spread out over three dance floors at the club located behind Central Station. As its name suggests, Club Prive (Malmborgsgatan 7) draws an exclusive crowd.

To chill in style, head to Torso Twisted (Vastra Varvsgatan 44) in the hip Western Harbor district. The restaurant serves gastronomic delights, and at night the lounge is decidedly cool. Indulge in one of the lavish cocktails or sample from the impressive wine list.

You can also find the trendy set partying the evening away at Hipp (Kalendegatan 12). You can hang out in the restaurant or two bars or head straight to the pulsating nightclub.

Satisfy your thirst for beer at Tva Krogare (Storgatan 35). The pub dishes up traditional Swedish fare and you'll likely find locals playing a game of darts. For a taste of British in Malmo, try The Bishop's Arms (Norra Vallgatan 62). Located inside the Hotel Savoy, it serves staples like fish and chips and has a wide assortment of beers available.

If parties begin in Lilla Torg, they tend to end in Mollevangen. The bohemian neighborhood is dotted with bars that stay open well into the night. Prices in this area aren't as cheap as they once were but are still lower than compared to what you'll find in the city center.

Local musicians hang out at hip Tempo Bar and Kok (Sodra Skolgatan 30). For something a little different, try Chokladfabriken (Bergsgatan 33), a club housed in an old chocolate factory that plays mostly hip hop, funk and soul.

Malmo's passion for music makes it a great place to take in live performances. Kulturbolaget (Bergsgatan 18), one of the best venues for live acts, is a veritable Swedish institution. The club puts on about 220 rock concerts annually. Inkonst (Bergsgatan 29), a so-called culture house, puts on shows and club evenings. Jazz enthusiasts get into their groove at Jeriko (Spangatan 38), named such because it's housed in a former church.

....................  Malmo City Guide:

Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop

Do you agree with our Malmo picks? Share your comments and suggestions in the SoundOff box below.

Where are the bars and restaurants a great place to start the night?

Place where the bars and restaurants are?

Name of the city that is a clubber's paradise?

Answer: Malmo

Answer: Jazz

Answer: Scandinavia.

Answer: Kulturbolaget (Bergsgatan 18),

Answer: live acts,

Answer: Malmo,

Answer: Lilla Torg,

Answer: Malmo

Answer: Malmo,

Summary:
The bars and restaurants around Lilla Torg are a great place to start the night .
From rock to jazz, there are plenty of venues to take in live music .
Malmo is a clubber's paradise, with several pulsating nightclubs .


(CNN) -- While China is seriously cracking down on the exchange of virtual currencies for real cash, virtual economies backed by newfound legitimacy elsewhere are quickly gaining ground in the real world. There's gold in them there screens: Real-money transactions in virtual worlds are finding new legitimacy. On June 24, 2009, the role-playing game 140 Mafia launched on Twitter, following in the footsteps of highly lucrative games Mob Wars and Mafia Wars on Facebook (and now iPhone) to link virtual-currency exchanges to real-money transactions. In March 2009, MindArk -- creator of the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) Entropia, where one player famously bought an island for US$26,500 in 2004 -- saw its wholly owned subsidiary Mind Bank granted a banking license from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority. The new license allows Mind Bank to be the first bank to directly incorporate real-money transactions with virtual-world activities. Selling virtual assets directly between players for real-world cash has been strictly prohibited by most game publishers, which find themselves looped out of the profits. What has been profitable in the meantime to some hardcore players of World of Warcraft and EverQuest (and other games) is "gold farming" -- accumulation of "gold," weapons and other status symbols of a seasoned player -- followed by the online auction of such assets or user accounts. Since games publishers began policing eBay for this type of unauthorized activity, several Web sites such as PlayerAuctions have adopted a PayPal-like approach in order to broker the trading legally, acting as an open marketplace for player-to-player exchange of digital assets. Dual-currency economies However younger games (often aimed at younger audiences) are ditching the conventional subscription-based model of the above games to adopt the "freemium" model, which lets users play for free, but allows them to enhance their experience by purchasing accessories or other premiums through micropayments. Frenzoo, a "3D fashion game for girls", is one game that has adopted this model. CEO Simon Newstead explains: "The idea with dual currencies is that there is a paid currency [Gold Coins], which is paid for using real money and exchanged between sellers and buyers. In addition, there is a second currency -- a free or so-called 'earned' currency [Silver Coins] -- which is gained through activity and progression in the world or game." "In this way," he continues, "the economy can recognize different forms of contribution, and in newer economies these can also be traded between each other. For example, people earning currency and selling it to people who have less time but have real money." Mirrored economies As one of the first successful virtual economies, Second Life's huge marketplace includes objects and services for sale, as well as a real estate market. In 2008, more than $100 million worth of the world's Linden dollars were bought and sold on Second Life's official LindeX exchange, according to its Web site. "In Linden Exchange, the U.S. dollar part of the transaction is via PayPal, a well-known entity, so there's a certain amount of trust that comes with it," says Darrly Chang, co-founder of D&D Dogs, a two-man freelance venture that sells virtual dog pets and avatars to Second Life residents. Recently, however, business has slumped along with the real-world recession. "We'll continue to see a proliferation of alternative currencies associated with specific platforms and communities, much as frequent-flier miles are associated with individual airlines or even networks of airlines," says Dan Jansen, CEO of Virtual Greats, which specializes in creating branded, copyrighted material for virtual worlds. "In the longer term we may see a global standard for virtual currencies, but it will take some time." Golden e-currency? James Turk, chairman of digital-gold company GoldMoney, agrees. "But," he adds, "inevitably digital gold currency will make significant inroads in

What does dual-currency economy allow for?

Answer: "The idea with dual currencies is that there is a paid currency [Gold Coins], which is paid for using real money and exchanged between sellers and buyers. In addition, there is a second currency -- a free or so-called 'earned' currency [Silver Coins] -- which is gained through activity and progression in the world or game."

Answer: to directly incorporate real-money transactions with virtual-world activities.

Answer: business

Answer: banking license from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority.

Answer: directly incorporate real-money transactions with virtual-world activities.

Summary:
Entropia Universe's Mind Bank has been granted a real-money banking license .
Dual-currency economy allows for free trading between virtual and real money .
Second Life can be profitable, but also suffers from real-world recession .
Digital gold currency may be promising, but still lacks trust of people .


(CNN) -- While Sen. Barack Obama says he'll visit Iraq and Afghanistan before the election, he's staying consistent with his plans to start withdrawing U.S. troops almost immediately should he become president. Sen. Barack Obama says he'll go to Iraq and Afghanistan before November. Obama says the need to withdraw troops is twofold: "One is to spur more action out of the Iraqis. ... But the second reason for withdrawal is the fact that we're spending $10 [billion] to $12 billion a month in Iraq," Obama said Monday while on a two-day swing through Michigan. "The people here in Flint, Michigan, who I'm going to be talking to, would like to see some of that investment made here at home." Obama also expressed concern that the Bush administration would rush to make some sort of status of forces agreement that would be binding to the next administration. The war in Iraq is a key issue for voters in the United States, and Obama and Sen. John McCain offer vastly different solutions for how to handle it. Obama supports a phased withdrawal of troops. He says he'd remove all combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months of taking office if he becomes president. McCain does not think American troops should return to the United States until Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining a safe, democratic state. He has been a strong advocate of the "surge" -- the 2007 escalation of U.S. troops -- and says troops should stay in Iraq as long as needed. McCain says Obama is wrong for opposing the increased troop presence, and Obama says McCain's judgment is flawed. Obama spoke Monday with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and told him he looked forward to seeing him in Baghdad before November. He also said he planned to visit Afghanistan before the election.  Watch Obama say he's going to Iraq » "I emphasized to him how encouraged I was by the reductions in violence in Iraq, but also insisted that it is important for us to begin the process of withdrawing U.S. troops, making clear that we have no interest in permanent bases in Iraq," Obama said. "I gave [Zebari] an assurance that should we be elected, an Obama administration will make sure that we continue with the progress that's been made in Iraq, that we won't act precipitously," he said. Obama said Zebari did not express concern about a withdrawal of American troops, saying, "He did emphasize his belief that we've made real progress and, I think, was eager to see political accommodations between the factions follow up in the wake of this progress." About the same time Obama was speaking to his traveling press corps, McCain told reporters at a press conference at his Arlington, Virginia, headquarters that Obama "is now is closing in on his 900th day since he visited Iraq." The Republican National Committee has a counter on its Web site that clocks the time since Obama's last visit to the country. "The whole debate in this campaign should be about whether we're going to allow that surge to continue to succeed or we're again going to do what Sen. Obama wanted to do, and that is to set a date for withdrawal long ago without giving the surge a chance to succeed," said McCain, again criticizing Obama for not meeting directly with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq. "I don't know how you can draw conclusions such as Sen. Obama has without even sitting down and talking with our commander on the ground," he added. McCain sat down with the visiting foreign minister one day before Obama.  Watch McCain talk with Zebari » The senator from Arizona said they had a "very good discussion about the challenges that have been overcome and the challenges that lay ahead," and he said there is "no doubt" that the surge has succeeded. There have been recent improvements in Iraq, where there are more than 150,000 U.S. troops. The number of deaths of U.S. troops there was at a five-year

Who plans pre-election trips to Iraq and Afghanistan?

How different are McCain and Obama's strategies?

Obama's visit to what location is being clocked?

What do the candidates' strategies differ vastly on?

Answer: Sen. Barack Obama

Answer: in Iraq,

Answer: Iraq and Afghanistan

Answer: vastly

Answer: Iraq and Afghanistan

Answer: Iraq and Afghanistan

Answer: Republican National Committee

Answer: Iraq and Afghanistan

Answer: the time since Obama's last visit to the country.

Answer: The war in Iraq

Summary:
Obama says he'll visit Iraq, Afghanistan before election .
RNC Web site has counter clocking days since Obama's last visit .
McCain, Obama offer vastly different strategies to deal with Iraq .
Analysts see improvement on the ground in Iraq .


(CNN) -- While all eyes seem to be on "Slumdog Millionaire" for the Oscars, one very courageous little girl will be focused on another India-based film at the ceremony.

Pinki, like millions in developing countries, had to live with her deformity and suffer the social consequences.

It's called "Smile Pinki," and it's up for an Oscar, too -- nominated for best short documentary, which it won on Sunday.

The little girl watching it from inside the Oscar ceremony has traveled all the way to Los Angeles, California, from her small Indian village with her dad -- and it has been an incredible journey for Pinki Sonkar.

"Smile Pinki" tells the story of her transformation from a sad outcast to a vibrant 8-year-old with plenty of spunk.

Pinki was born with a cleft lip, and her impoverished family did not have the money for corrective surgery.

Like millions of other children born with the lip deformity in developing countries, Pinki simply had to live with it and suffer the social consequences.

Her father Rajendra Sonkar says: "She used to go to school and the kids would not befriend her. She would say, 'I don't want to go to school.'"  Watch how Pinki was transformed by the operation »

"Pinki was a depressed, sad, lonely, shy, young little girl, growing up on the periphery of the society in a little village," said Satish Kalra, director of Smile Train's South Asian region, after meeting with Pinki.

The little girl's own family was ashamed of her, Kalra says.

But all of that has changed. Pinki is now a real pistol, full of energy and confidence, and she has a fantastic smile too -- thanks to the Smile Train charity.

Smile Train teaches doctors in their own countries to operate on cleft lips, a deformity afflicting up to four million children across the world. iReport: Share your Oscar predictions

Pinki just happened to be one of the chosen candidates for surgery and was also chosen to be the subject of the documentary.

The film chronicles her transformation, following her from her village to the hospital and home again.

"She has absolutely and totally changed," said Pinki's surgeon, Dr. Subodh Kumar.

The film's director is Megan Mylan. She has won several awards but not an Oscar -- until now.

For Pinki and her dad, being able to see the film's director win an Oscar would be a thrill.

But they know they already have the greatest prize: Pinki's new smile.

"I am so happy that my daughter's lips have been repaired," her dad Rajendra said with a smile, expressing hope that the movie will inspire people to help children whose families can't afford the surgery.

Which charity provided Pinki's operation?

How many children worldwide have cleft lips?

What is the number of children affected with cleft lips?

Answer: Smile Train

Answer: a cleft lip,

Answer: Pinki Sonkar.

Answer: India-based

Answer: small Indian village

Answer: four million

Answer: "Smile Pinki,"

Answer: "Smile Pinki,"

Answer: Indian village

Answer: four million

Summary:
NEW: "Smile Pinki" wins best short documentary Oscar .
Pinki Sonkar was born with cleft lip; her family in India couldn't afford surgery .
Smile Train charity provided operation; 4 million children worldwide have cleft lips .
Pinki, once an outcast because of the deformity, will attend the Oscar ceremony .


(CNN) -- While investigators trudge through pig farms and remote villages in Mexico, searching for clues about the new swine flu, answers about the virus' origin may finally appear on a computer, based on genetic codes. A researcher investigates swine flu at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. At the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University, researchers are using public databases to trace the origins of the 2009 H1N1 virus. They've found that the closest relatives to the new virus are viruses that were isolated from pigs in the United States in the past few years. Their analysis, recently published in Eurosurveillance, suggests that the virus has at least two swine ancestors, one of them related to a virus isolated in North America in 1998. Still, the relatives are distant, and it's premature to conclude that the virus came from the United States based on this analysis, said Raul Rabadan, study co-author and assistant professor at Columbia. Influenza is like a small jigsaw puzzle with eight pieces, each with its own function, Rabadan said. The puzzle changes all the time, which is why exposure does not lead to total immunity and vaccines need to be updated yearly. When two viruses infect the same cell, they can create yet other viruses with pieces of each of the original strains. This process is called reassortment. The 2009 H1N1 virus is a reassortment of swine, human and avian genes. Rabadan and colleagues are finding the closest ancestors for each of the parts of the virus and then trying to understand how these parts may have combined in the past, a complicated question. It is impossible to know from the available data where geographically the 2009 H1N1 virus came from, but with more samples, researchers may be able to decipher more clues, he said. Just from looking at the genetic code, it is unknown what species is the virus' host, how easily it is transmitted and how deadly it is. "We have a set of letters that you can try to map, and then you can try to see how this map is working, how would you know if a particular combination is giving you something? That's something that has to be solved." Although a 5-year-old boy in the small village of La Gloria, Mexico, is said to be "patient zero," with the earliest confirmed case of 2009 H1N1, no one knows exactly how he contracted the virus. Read more about the boy Some say that tracking the origin of the virus isn't as important as finding ecological weak points and bolstering surveillance. "We may not be able to say precisely say, 'This pig farm spawned this virus' and all that, but I think it's very important to face the facts about what kinds of ecological settings are spawning danger," said Laurie Garrett, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations. For influenza, the new ecological stress points mostly relate to industrial-scale livestock and, in the case of avian flu, backyard chicken farming, she said. In both of those cases, there are "economic lives at stake" in making decisions such as killing certain animals, she said. "We have to figure out a way we can surveil those populations, surveil that ecology, without the industries at stake -- or, in the case of chickens, the small family farmer in Indonesia -- feeling that their livelihood is challenged just by the very fact that anybody's even trying to do surveillance," Garrett said. But the genetic lineage of the virus does offer useful clues, she said. Cooperation among the United States, Canada and Mexico in every step of the investigation has been profound, she said. By contrast, Indonesia has refused to share bird flu samples with the World Health Organization in the past. Some researchers say it's not surprising that a new virus such as 2009 H1N1 would seem to have its focal point in Mexico. A 2008 Nature study co-written by Peter Daszak, president of Wildlife Trust, an international organization of scientists, used

in what year was one of swine flu's relatives isolated?

Answer: more samples,

Answer: 1998.

Answer: industrial-scale livestock

Summary:
One of swine flu's relatives was isolated in North America in 1998 .
Expert: Industrial-scale livestock production is an ecological stress point .
Researcher: Better surveillance needed in hot zones of emerging diseases .


(CNN) -- While most Americans continue to get fatter, Coloradans stand out as being among the fittest in the country, the Trust for America's Health says.

Exercise and good nutrition are part of the Colorado public consciouness, says one former official.

The state ranked 51st in obesity, with 17.6 percent of its 4.3 million residents squeezing into that category. (The rankings included the District of Columbia.)

And fewer than one in five state residents leads an inactive lifestyle, the trust found.

That appeared to pay off in health benefits, with Colorado ranking 50th in diabetes and high blood pressure.

These figures did not surprise Spenser Havlick, former deputy mayor of Boulder, where exercise and good nutrition rank high in the public consciousness and attract like-minded people from other parts of the country, he said.

"They are leaving behind a more sedentary life in the larger cities," he said. "Every weekend, there's a 5K race, a 10K race; there are ultramarathons."

A number of organic health food stores dot the city, and organic produce "is pushed throughout the schools," he said.

Boulder's 100,000 residents have 360 miles of bike paths and 64 underpasses, so cyclists need not stop when they reach an intersection.

"We think that's much safer, and it's much faster and it's more fun," said Havlick, 72, who returned last week from hiking on glaciers in Alaska.

Exercise is also part of the political culture of Boulder, where seven of the nine City Council members are bicyclists, said Havlick, professor emeritus of architecture and planning at the University of Colorado.

"There's a strong inclination for more money to be spent on reducing car dependency."

Weather, too, plays a role, with 330 days of sunshine, he said.

And social pressure may have an impact. "I think there is a stigma attached to people who have a BMI that's high," he said, referring to body mass index, a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Still, he noted, the percentage of obese Coloradans has gone up slightly in the past two years. "Some of the folks who come to Colorado to work may not have picked up on these healthy lifestyles yet," he said. E-mail to a friend

What are coloradans explained as being among?

What state ranks 50th in diabetes and high blood pressure?

How many are said to lead an inactive lifestyle?

one in five state residents leads what kind of lifestyle?

How many coloradans lead inactive lifestyles?

What is the ranking for diabetes and high blood pressure?

Who are among country's fittest residents?

where does the state rank in diabetes and high blood pressure?

Answer: Coloradans

Answer: in the country,

Answer: Colorado

Answer: fewer than one in five

Answer: inactive

Answer: than one in five state residents

Answer: 50th

Answer: Coloradans

Answer: 50th

Summary:
Coloradans are among country's fittest residents, a new report says .
Fewer than one in five state residents leads an inactive lifestyle .
State also ranks 50th in diabetes and high blood pressure .


(CNN) -- While most parts of the country grapple with massive job loss and a deficit in new jobs, the South is faring a bit better. Hundreds stand in line at the Miami Dade College Mega Job Fair 2009 in Florida. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in December the South recorded one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 7 percent. According to Careerbuilder.com, the nation's largest online job site, the South continues to see growth in the oil and gas industries which means more job opportunities in related fields like engineering. As an attractive destination for senior citizens, the South is also a hot spot for those seeking employment in the health care field or industries that cater to older populations. Education also continues to be an area that many consider "recession-proof." CNN affiliates in the South report there is hope for those seeking jobs at job fairs which are drawing big crowds. Charlotte, North Carolina  In a competitive market, job seekers have to be creative and some are turning to Twitter to give them an edge. The Web site TweetMyJobs.com is an online service that couples the social networking capacity of Twitter with more traditional online job-search services. "Pick a location and job type you are interested in -- you subscribe to that. Any time a new job comes out on TweetMyJobs.com, it will automatically be sent to your cell phone," Web site developer Gary Zukowski told News 14 Carolina. Read what developer told News 14 Carolina about the site Antwon Keith, Mecklenburg County employment security commission manager, said that such an instantaneous job alert may be just what job seekers need to stay ahead of other applicants. His concern, he told the station, was that older applicants, who are currently flooding his office, may have a difficult time utilizing the online site. Hope for those in the financial sector  There is an expectation that some financial services companies in Charlotte will be hiring soon, a possible bright spot for those laid off from companies like Bank of America and Wachovia. Robert Half International conducts a hiring survey every three months and told WCNC that while some companies are planning reductions due to the economy, others will add staff. "As companies have contracted and realized that their staff may be smaller than they like, they've been looking at the idea of possibly bringing in more talent," Michael Steinitz of Robert Half International said. "And it's actually a really good time to improve your talent pool and make sure you have the best people on your staff." Read about the hopeful survey Winston-Salem, North Carolina  Many area residents aren't just looking forward to the summer for the warm weather. They are also looking forward to the baseball season which is slated to bring new jobs. The Winston-Salem Dash baseball team has openings for batboys, ushers, attendants and other hourly positions. Read about resident's excitement over the ballpark jobs Competition for the 150 positions has been fierce, especially since seasonal workers from last year have also been applying to regain their former jobs. Job seeker Akila Covington told the news channel that she has not worked in a long time and she hoped to land one of the positions to help provide for her family. "I need this job badly," she said. "I was working at US Airways last year and lost my job, so I've been out almost a year and most definitely, yeah, need the job." Even those lucky enough to score a position won't begin immediately. Workers won't start until the new ballpark is completed and that date is still tentative, officials told WXII 12 News. Miami, Florida  More than 1,000 Floridians stood in line to meet recruiters for the second day of a job fair held at Miami-Dade College's North Campus.  Held March 3-4, the number of recruiters present was fewer than years past, but those on hand told local station WPLG there were jobs for qualified applicants. Many of the job-far companies were members of "recession-

What is unemployment like in the South?
What do CNN affiliates reports?
what did the website announce
What industries continue to grow?
what is the status of the South
what was the report about
What is not as hard hit?

Answer: 7 percent.

Answer: there is hope for those seeking jobs at job fairs which are drawing big crowds.

Answer: South continues to see growth in the oil and gas industries which means more job opportunities in related fields like engineering.

Answer: oil and gas

Answer: lowest unemployment rates in the country at 7 percent.

Answer: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in December the South recorded one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 7 percent.

Answer: South

Summary:
The South is not as hard hit with unemployment .
Careerbuilder.com: Oil, gas and health care industries continue to grow .
CNN affiliates report jobs are available and seekers are flocking .


(CNN) -- While several high-profile actors and directors have rallied around Roman Polanski, not everyone in Hollywood believes he should be freed and forgiven.

The case surrounding the arrest of director Roman Polanski has both supporters and critics.

In the face of a  petition signed by notables such as Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese and John Landis calling for the immediate release of Polanski following his detainment in Switzerland, a backlash is building against such support.

"I can't believe that Hollywood has separated itself so completely from American morality," said Paul Petersen, a former child actor and president of A Minor Consideration, which advocates on behalf of young performers. "It is yet another case of Hollywood being out of sync with most of America."

Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, but fled the United States before he could be sentenced.

In the years since, the director known for "Chinatown" and "Rosemary's Baby" settled in France and avoided authorities until he was arrested Saturday while on his way to the Zurich Film Festival.

In the aftermath of Polanski's arrest last weekend, a number of performers -- including Penelope Cruz, Tilda Swinton and Monica Bellucci -- appear as supporters on a petition which states, "Roman Polanski is a French citizen, a renown and international artist now facing extradition. This extradition, if it takes place, will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom."

Polanski's detention has stirred debate over whether he should be returned to the United States to face possible imprisonment.

Supporters make note of his age, the years that have passed, his talent and the victim's own assertion that pursuing the case opens fresh wounds for her as reasons the director should be left alone.

But critics observe that Polanski's supporters might be downplaying his crime.

"I don't think a lot of people take the sexual assault of children very seriously at all, and it's something we battle everyday," said Grier Weeks, executive director of Protect, a national organization to protect children.

"We say at Protect that we are the most bipartisan group in America because we've got everyone from Hollywood liberals like Alison Arngrim [Nellie Oleson] from 'Little House on the Prairie' to extremely conservative people. ... But I will say with the notable exception of a few people from Hollywood, we get blank stares from some of that crowd."

Weeks pointed to the example of a discussion on ABC's "The View," in which panelist and actress Whoopi Goldberg made the comment that she didn't believe the original charges against Polanski were for "rape-rape," as what he views as a pervasive attitude.

"I assume [Goldberg] regrets saying what she said, but she really didn't say anything that is not under the surface anyway," Weeks said. "This is just the attitude, that children are property and crimes against them are not real crimes."  Watch a discussion of about Polanski's supporters »

Goldberg's fellow panelist, Sherri Shepherd, said during the show that she believed Polanski should still be punished.

On Twitter, she tweeted, "Whew... long day at 'The View'... two shows today... hot debate over the Statutory Rapist Polanski. 45-year-old man plies a 13-yr-old w/drugs & Liquor and anally & orally penetrates her w/o her consent is a RAPIST. We hunt down 75-year-old Nazis. We must protect our children."

Actress Kirstie Alley wrote on Twitter "JUST FOR THE RECORD....RAPE IS RAPE...this is one HOLLYWOOD STAR who does not CELEBRATE or DEFEND Roman Polanski..his ART did not RAPE her."

"The Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels said "If she's [the victim] OK and feels that they are resolved then who are we to say" referring to the now adult victim, Samantha Geimer.

Despite that, Michaels said, "If somebody drugged and raped my 13-year-old I'd shoot them."  Watch stars discuss Polanski's arrest

What is a petition with high-profile names calling for?

Who speaks out against Roman Polanski's crime?

What has circulated calling for his release?

Answer: "I can't believe that Hollywood has separated itself so completely from American morality,"

Answer: the immediate release of Polanski following his detainment in Switzerland,

Answer: Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese and John Landis

Answer: petition signed by notables such as Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese and John Landis

Summary:
Some stars speak out against Roman Polanski's crime .
A petition with high-profile names has circulated calling for his release .
NOW president calls support of Polanski from some celebs "deplorable"
Former child actor says some critics "afraid of the Hollywood power structure"


(CNN) -- While snow from a massive winter storm system continued to fall Wednesday night in parts of the Northeast, millions in the Midwest were left to dig themselves out, brave dangerously frigid temperatures and cope with sporadic power outages.

An Arctic cold front followed the storm that dumped nearly 2 feet of snow in some locales, complicating cleanup efforts and spurring freeze warnings that spanned much of the nation's midsection.

In much of Wisconsin, for instance, wind chill values were expected between 20 and 25 degrees below zero Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Still, Green Bay Packers fans down in north Texas ahead of their team's Super Bowl showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers only got a relative respite, temperature-wise.

In Arlington, Texas, site of Sunday's game, there was a wind chill advisory in effect due to very cold conditions that made the temperature feel between zero and minus-10 degrees, and several inches of snow and ice had a debilitating effect in parts of Dallas, Fort Worth and their surrounding areas.

"It was funny to see a whole city shut down. Everything was closed," said Packers' defensive lineman Ryan Pickett. "In Green Bay, this is just a normal day."

The problems facing Texas were largely because of icy conditions exacerbated by cold temperatures. Besides slick roads, Gov. Rick Perry said in a statement that the weather put an unprecedented demand on the state's energy grid, leading to power outages Wednesday that were expected to continue into Thursday.

Furthermore, 50 power  plants were out statewide due to the extreme weather,  leading to a 10%-15% reduction in electricity production, said the  state's utility commission  spokesman Terry Hadley. The commission said in a statement  that rotating outages would be  limited to 10 to 45 minutes, unless equipment fails due to a power surge  during the restoration process.

It's all part of the effects of a storm system that blanketed 30 states with a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain over several days, producing record-breaking accumulations in several Midwest locales, making for treacherous travel on snow-choked roadways and forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights.

The huge  demand for information caused sporadic outages for the National Weather Service's  web servers, which struggled to handle a deluge of 10 million to 20  million hits per hour, officials said. The site normally get 70 million hits per day.

The last of the storm was drenching the Northeast late Wednesday, dumping freezing rain and snow in much of southern New England. While the amounts were less there than what some had forecast previously, the cumulative effect of relentless precipitation had a crippling impact in places.

In Massachusetts, for instance, a number of roofs collapsed under the weight of rain-soaked snow, including the roof of a large commercial building in the town of Easton, according to fire captain David Beals. Up to 100 employees were evacuated prior to the collapse, he said. No injuries were reported.

About 800 miles away, residents of Chicago were recovering from the system, which at times hit the Windy City hard with its combination of strong gusts and blinding precipitation. O'Hare International Airport received a record-breaking 20.2 inches of snow, according to the weather service.

Raymond Roscoe, chief of staff for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, said that many motorists remained stuck in their cars throughout the night, while others abandoned their vehicles. Police, fire department and sanitation crews spent much of the night pulling people out of their cars, he said. Roscoe said there were no reports of injuries.

"There were no cars or people on the street and you couldn't see the buildings nearby because of the thick snow," said city resident Sruthi Swaminathan. "The only thing you could see clearly were the lights from the Chicago theater."

The good news was that the blizzard warnings for northeastern Illinois, including the Chicago metropolitan area, were called off. Still, even as the snow tapered off, forecasters said wind chills may fall to 20 to 40 degrees below zero late Wednesday

when did Wisconsin may fall to 20 to 25 degrees below zero?

Wind chills may fall to 20 to 25 degrees where?

Answer: Wednesday night,

Answer: Wednesday night

Answer: extreme weather,

Answer: much of Wisconsin,

Summary:
NEW: Amtrak, most airports expect to return to normal Thursday .
NEW: President Obama declares a federal emergency in Oklahoma, expediting aid .
Extreme weather halts energy production at 50 Texas power plants, a spokesman says .
Wind chills in Wisconsin may fall to 20 to 25 degrees below zero Wednesday night .


(CNN) -- While some criticism targeting President Obama is racially motivated, the fight over health care isn't, former President Clinton told CNN. Former President Clinton says Democrats need to win the health care debate "on the merits." "I believe that some of the right-wing extremists which oppose President Obama are also racially prejudiced and would prefer not to have an African-American president," Clinton told CNN's Larry King in a wide-ranging interview that aired Monday evening. "But I don't believe that all the people who oppose him on health care -- and all the conservatives -- are racists. And I believe if he were white, every single person who opposes him now would be opposing him then." Clinton discussed a variety of issues facing the Obama administration -- from health care to the war in Afghanistan -- on the eve of the fifth annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. Regarding race, the former president was referring to an outburst from Rep. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina, who shouted, "You lie!" at Obama during the president's recent joint address to Congress and also former President Carter's assessment that racism is an obstacle for the current president. "While I have devoted my life to getting rid of racism, I think this [health care] is a fight that my president and our party -- this is one we need to win on the merits," Clinton said.  Watch Clinton say he thinks a health care bill will pass » On the Arab-Israeli conflict -- which Clinton tried to address while in the White House -- the former president said it's an issue that first has to be addressed by the Palestinians and Israelis. Obama has set up meetings with leaders from both sides this week as the U.N. General Assembly meets in New York. "First, it's more up to them than it is to President Obama," Clinton said. "I think if we can just get them to start talking again around the two-state solutions, around restoring a sense of normalcy and creating a Palestinian state ... I think you would be surprised how quickly at least they would come down to all the same issues that they were down to in 2000 when I made my proposal." In August, Clinton made headlines when he traveled to North Korea to gain the release of two detained U.S. journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling. During his visit, Clinton met with reclusive leader Kim Jong Il, whose government is under U.N. sanctions for its efforts to develop a nuclear weapons program. Asked about how it felt to help the journalists, Clinton said, "It was humbling, and it was a wonderful feeling. They're really fine young women." Clinton also discussed the conflict in Afghanistan, addressing top U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal's report warning Obama that more troops are needed within the coming year or the nearly 8-year-old war "will likely result in failure," according to a copy of a 66-page document obtained by The Washington Post. Obama has promised to ask "tough questions" before deciding whether to send additional troops to Afghanistan, saying it was necessary to have a clear strategy in place before deploying resources. "My guess is that he will say, 'You may be right, general, but we still have this ongoing election count, let's wait until that happens, let's see what the new government's going to be, let's see if both the top two finishers are going to be in the government, which is a possibility,'" Clinton said. "And if that means there's going to be more broad-based support because we got everybody together right after the election was over, then it's clear that more soldiers will be even more effective." Clinton, a New York resident, also touched on a New York Times report that Obama administration officials have urged New York Gov. David A. Paterson to withdraw from the 2010 race. White House officials acknowledged to CNN that aides have conveyed to Paterson's camp they are aware of the governor's

Who did Clinton say are racially prejudiced?

Who says race is not behind health care opposition?

What did Clinton say was a wonderful feeling?

What is motivating some of the extremists opposing Obama?

What did Clinton feel about helping the journalists?

Answer: right-wing extremists

Answer: right-wing extremists

Answer: former President Clinton

Answer: how it felt to help the journalists,

Answer: how it felt to help the journalists,

Answer: racism

Answer: "It was humbling, and it was a wonderful feeling. They're really fine young women."

Summary:
Ex-President Clinton says race not behind health care opposition .
But some extremists opposing President Obama racially prejudiced, Clinton says .
Clinton: "It was a wonderful feeling" to help U.S. journalists in North Korea .


(CNN) -- While the coastal town of Savannah, Georgia, fills with spectators on Saturday for the Rock 'n' Roll marathon, Chris Fenton and Laura Devrieze will be focused on the finish line.

For Fenton, crossing that line means completing his 10th marathon in six months. For Devrieze, it means finishing her first. For both, it's about running 26.2 miles for a parent with cancer.

Fenton and Devrieze are a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program. As the world's largest endurance sports training program, Team in Training has raised $1.2 billion for blood cancer research.

The program started 23 years ago when Bruce Cleland formed a group to run the New York City Marathon in honor of his daughter, a leukemia survivor.

Approximately 45,000 runners are signed up this year for the New York marathon, which takes place on November 6. Many are associated with one of the 200 registered charities; in 2010 the race raised more than $30 million for different causes.

Train with Sanjay: 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society communications manager Kristin Hoose says having a cause helps athletes focus on a goal, and having an athlete to support helps donors open their wallets.

"When people share their personal stories, and those of their heroes ... people see that their $10 can make a big difference."

A mother's strength

Chris Fenton was on a business trip in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when he got a message from the secretary. His sister had called from Manhattan. Fenton looked at his watch and realized it was close to midnight in the States. Something was wrong.

"You hear those words for the first time: 'Mom has cancer.' You just kind of drop the phone and go into shock and say 'Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god,'" he said.

His mom, Barbara, is the matriarch of the Fenton family. As the second oldest of 14 children and a mother of six, Barbara received an outpouring of love after her non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis. She had always taken care of everyone else, now they would take care of her.

Treatment was hard. Barbara endured four courses of chemo and four of radiation therapy. In October 2001, she went into remission.

Fenton's left Achilles tendon is screaming at him as he talks about his mom -- now the picture of health at 78 -- from home in Kohler, Wisconsin.

"She's settling in, loves to be a grandmother and spoil the grandkids, and (is) just kind of enjoying the golden years," he says with a laugh.

A long-time runner, Fenton started his journey to honor his mom in May. He's running 10 marathons (to celebrate her 10th anniversary of going into remission) in six months -- the time it took from diagnosis to remission. Since May, he has logged more than 200 official miles. Saturday marks his final race.

"I'm still a middle-of-the-pack plodder," he says, "but I'm able to find my way around a marathon course."

He has raised close to $100,000 over the last 10 years and hopes to continue supporting blood cancer research with Team in Training.

"My mom's story had a positive outcome. There are a lot of people who don't."

A father's joy

People loved Harry Devrieze. With thinning dark hair and bright blue eyes, he had a smile that lit up a room. Friends and family were his priority and he never hesitated to lend a helping hand.

The owner of a construction business, he often came by his daughter Laura's house in Carrollton, Georgia, to make repairs. It was from him that she learned plumbing, drywall and her way around the Home Depot store.

"He loved doing that -- he loved fixing things, he loved gardening, he loved working around the house."

Two years ago, Harry developed a rare, aggressive form of non-

How many marathons did Chris Fenton run
What is Chris Fenton running?
What helps runners focus
What helps runners focus on the goal?

Answer: 10th

Answer: marathon

Answer: having a cause

Answer: having a cause

Summary:
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's team raises money for blood cancer research .
Chris Fenton is running 10 marathons in six months in honor of his mother .
Sharing personal stories helps runners focus on the goal, donors open wallets .


(CNN) -- While the horrors inflicted by the Nazis during World War II are well documented, "Defiance" director Edward Zwick wanted to make sure the stories of those who fought back aren't overlooked.

Liev Schreiber, left, and Daniel Craig play freedom fighters in "Defiance."

"There is this misperception that the Jews only went willingly to the slaughter," Zwick said. "And in fact, the new history and scholarship tells us that there was so much resistance. This is just one instance."

His new film, which goes into wide release Friday, tells the tale of the three Bielski brothers, who led a Jewish resistance group after escaping into the woods of Belarus in Eastern Europe.

The movie stars Daniel Craig -- best known for his work as the latest James Bond -- Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell as the trio who took up arms against the Nazis and helped save the lives of more than 1,000 Jewish refugees fleeing occupied Poland.

Portraying a slice of Jewish history was somewhat familiar territory for Craig, who plays brother Tuvia Bielski in the movie. He also co-starred as an Israeli agent in Steven Spielberg's "Munich," the dramatization of the murder of 11 athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Craig said the characters' religion had nothing to do with his interest; both roles were just fascinating parts that attracted him.

"I think someone said, 'You did something similar to that in 'Munich,' " he recalled. "I said, well it's kind of not. It's a different period in history and I don't think religion is something that should hold me back."  Watch Craig talk about the movie's power »

Schreiber, who is Jewish, said bringing the story of the heroic yet complex brothers to the big screen gave him "a sense of pride" and he found inspiration in their bravery.

"It was in these guys' DNA," said Schreiber, who plays Zus Bielski. "But I also think that it is in our DNA as human beings ... that courage exists, that passion exists, that tenacity to love exists. It's just that we don't experience the kinds of tests nowadays that they did in the 1930s in Eastern Europe -- particularly if you were Jewish."

Filming in Lithuania just across the border from Belarus added an element of realism to the role, Schreiber said.

"We shot in the woods in the middle of winter, but I think as an actor you're always grateful of these little reminders of where you are and what you're doing, especially when you're doing something on film when it's so naturalistic," he said. "When your hands are frozen and you can barely load a machine gun then you know you're on to something with the character."

Jamie Bell, best known for playing the title role in "Billy Elliot," rounds out the cast as younger brother Asael Bielski. He said the bleak setting helped him understand "the minutiae of what these people actually went through."

Bell had considered himself pretty knowledgeable about the Holocaust and World War II before learning about the project. "But when I read the script I felt kind of embarrassed that I didn't know about the Bielski brothers and about the Jewish resistance across the board," he said.

Heralding the triumph of the Bielski brothers to those who are unaware is just what director Zwick had in mind. He also had a hand in writing the "Defiance" screenplay and is no stranger to heroes in history, having directed the critically acclaimed "Glory." With this new film, Zwick said he found inspiration in the courage displayed by the Bielskis, who were fighting against incredible odds.

"You know, that's what's beautiful about their story," he said. "They were unprepared. They were unsophisticated; nothing they had ever done would have led one to expect that they were capable of this. I think that speaks to all of us: what we are able to find within us that is fine, even magnificent within ourselves

What war is Defiance about?
which is the name of these brothers
Who are the stars of the film?
Who is staring in the film?
What is the movie "Defiance" about?

Answer: II

Answer: Bielski

Answer: Liev Schreiber,

Answer: Daniel Craig

Answer: tells the tale of the three Bielski brothers, who led a Jewish resistance group after escaping into the woods of Belarus in Eastern Europe.

Summary:
"Defiance" is about three brothers who helped rescue Jews during WWII .
Star Liev Schreiber: Courage "was in these guys' DNA"
Movie has wide release Friday .


(CNN) -- While the visiting national news media focuses on the latest utterances of Republican presidential hopefuls in advance of the January 3 caucuses, many Iowans have found a bone to pick with a journalism professor -- from the University of Iowa, no less -- who wrote: "Whether a schizophrenic, economically depressed, and some say, culturally challenged state like Iowa should host the first grassroots referendum to determine who will be the next president isn't at issue. ... In a perfect world, no way would Iowa ever be considered representative of America, or even a small part of it. Iowa's not representative of much."

Iowans are wondering what they did to incur the wrath of Stephen G. Bloom, who for 20 years has taught journalism at the state's flagship university and shared his observations in an article for The Atlantic magazine titled "Observations from 20 Years of Iowa Life."

It may be a good thing that Bloom, a native of New Jersey, has been away teaching this semester at the University of Michigan because in trying to explain "in both a real and metaphysical way, what Iowa is," he has drawn the ire of Iowans literally from all corners of the state -- from Sibley and Keokuk (whose mayor has invited him to visit and explain the "a depressed, crime-infested slum town" remark) to Decorah to Shenandoah.

In the interest of full disclosure, many of my childhood vacations (including winter) were spent visiting my mother's parents in Iowa. I graduated from a college in Iowa, and my first full-time job in journalism was at a newspaper in Iowa, so I admit to a certain fondness for the state. And every four years, as the political spotlight shines on Iowa, I share with colleagues whatever helpful insights I can muster.

Blitzer's blog: Turbulence in Iowa

The state is not one large cornfield, but driving along Interstate 80, it can appear that way for long stretches. Visit northeast Iowa along the Mississippi River for proof that the state is not flat.

Iowa's farms not only help feed the United States, but also much of the world, connecting this piece of "flyover country" to a global view. Still, economists report that agriculture only accounts for roughly one in five jobs in the state.

Iowans may be older (the average age continues to increase), whiter and more rural than the United States in general, but its Latino population is increasing and more of its residents are moving to urban areas. Iowa boasts being among the most literate states in the union (though some years ago state officials abandoned a plan to make "Iowa: A State of Minds" its license plate slogan).

Politically, over the years Iowans have elected some of the most liberal and some of the most conservative members of Congress.

Critics cite numerous examples of a snide tone in Bloom's writing. Consider his assessment of employment prospects in rural Iowa: "Those who stay in rural Iowa are often the elderly waiting to die, those too timid (or lacking in educated) to peer around the bend for better opportunities, an assortment of waste-toids and meth addicts with pale skin and rotted teeth, or those who quixotically believe, like Little Orphan Annie, that the sun'll come out tomorrow."

What makes Iowa's GOP caucuses unique

And while they wait for that sun to come out, Bloom suggests, these Iowans spend their days stepping in manure from barnyard animals and stuffing their gullets with meat loaf, pork chops and Jell-O molds before heading out to a tractor pull or church.

Bloom makes nary a mention of the distinguished academics at the state's universities and colleges, its art museums and orchestras nor even the obvious upgrades to the capital city of Des Moines during the past 20 years.

Where he says that "Iowa is a throwback to yesteryear and, at the same time, a cautionary tale of what lies around the corner," critics find many of Bloom's observations to be throwbacks to an Iowa that no longer exists. Many also say there are factual inaccuracies in

Who said "No way would Iowa ever be considered representative of America"?

Answer: Stephen G. Bloom,

Answer: "Iowa is a throwback to yesteryear and, at the same time, a cautionary tale of

Answer: Stephen G. Bloom,

Summary:
Iowa professor questions state's first-in-the-nation role in presidential campaigns .
Stephen G. Bloom: "No way would Iowa ever be considered representative of America"
His criticisms draw stinging rebuttals from outraged readers who say he misses the point .
University president retorts: "Iowans are pragmatic and balanced"


(CNN) -- Who would open one of the world's biggest casinos in the depths of a global recession? Big city dreams: Lawrence Ho's business portfolio in Hong Kong and Macau is growing. Answer: Lawrence Ho, the scion of a casino business mogul who has clearly inherited his father's love of a calculated risk. Ho's father Stanley is a man synonymous with the creation of Macau as the world's biggest gambling destination. "Over the past 40 years he has put his thumbprints all over Macau. I think if you look at the major infrastructure projects, whether it's the airport, the ferry terminals, he was involved in building up a lot of those," Lawrence Ho told CNN. But in opening City of Dreams in Macau earlier this year, Ho is trying to carve his own niche and continue to build up his own business empire. "I think gone are the days when you can open a property and 'Bang!' you would steal significant market share from others," he told CNN. "Before we opened we were, like the rest of the world, a little bit wary of the timing, but I think in hindsight the world economies are doing a lot better and Macau has seen its first year-on-year increase in July and August was a booming month. So I think all in all we couldn't be happier." Ho's company, Melco-Crown Entertainment, is independent from his father's huge portfolio of businesses and the multibillion dollar City of Dreams project is a partnership with Australian James Packer, himself the son of a media tycoon. Ho is respectful of his ailing father's achievements and the advantages that the family name has given him, but also the desire it fostered to forge his own success. "The bigger the shadow the more we can feel the underdog syndrome. ... being his son opened many doors, but at the same time I grew up in a very big family with our own issues, but all in all certainly being his son has helped a great deal," he said. There are no worries about interference from the mainland -- "I suspect that China definitely wants [Macau and Hong Kong] to do well" -- and Ho remains positive that Asia will see the quickest recovery from the downturn. "A lot of the Asian countries and economies have handled the [economic] crisis this time a lot better than the Asian financial crisis 10 years ago," he said. "So I think, all in all, Asia has managed to come out of this much quicker than the rest of the world. And really when people are feeling better they travel and they spend more, and you know we are in the business of providing leisure and entertainment."

How much did the City of Dreams complex cost?

Answer: his own business empire.

Answer: one of the world's biggest casinos

Answer: multibillion dollar

Answer: one of the world's biggest casinos

Answer: the world's biggest gambling destination.

Answer: a man synonymous with the creation of Macau as the world's biggest gambling destination.

Answer: build up his own business empire.

Answer: Lawrence Ho,

Summary:
Son of Stanley Ho, business tycoon who built up former-Portuguese colony of Macau .
Lawrence Ho recently open multi-billion dollar City of Dreams complex in Macau .
Believes he can carve a slice of action from the Asian gambling city .


(CNN) -- Who'll win and who will lose? The following are the nominations for the 80th annual Academy Awards. Winners will be announced February 24. For more details on the nominees in some of the major categories, check out our gallery of nominees.  See the nominee gallery » Best Picture "Atonement"  "Juno"  "Michael Clayton" "No Country for Old Men" "There Will Be Blood" Actor George Clooney, "Michael Clayton" Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood" Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah" Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises" Actress Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" Julie Christie, "Away From Her" Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose" Laura Linney, "The Savages" Ellen Page, "Juno" Supporting Actor Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men" Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild" Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War" Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton" Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There" Ruby Dee, "American Gangster" Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement" Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone" Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton" Director Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" Jason Reitman, "Juno" Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton" Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men" Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood" Foreign Film "Beaufort," Israel "The Counterfeiters," Austria "Katyn," Poland "Mongol," Kazakhstan "12," Russia Adapted Screenplay Christopher Hampton, "Atonement" Sarah Polley, "Away from Her" Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men" Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood" Original Screenplay Diablo Cody, "Juno" Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl" Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton" Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, "Ratatouille" Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages." Animated Feature Film "Persepolis" "Ratatouille" "Surf's Up" Art Direction "American Gangster" "Atonement" "The Golden Compass" "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" "There Will Be Blood" Cinematography "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" "Atonement" "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" "No Country for Old Men" "There Will Be Blood" Sound Mixing "The Bourne Ultimatum" "No Country for Old Men" "Ratatouille" "3:10 to Yuma" "Transformers" Sound Editing "The Bourne Ultimatum" "No Country for Old Men" "Ratatouille" "There Will Be Blood" "Transformers" Original Score "Atonement," Dario Marianelli "The Kite Runner," Alberto Iglesias "Michael Clayton," James Newton Howard "Ratatouille," Michael Giacchino "3:10 to Yuma," Marco Beltrami Original Song "Falling Slowly" from "Once," Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova "Happy Working Song" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz "Raise It Up" from "August Rush," Nominees to be determined "So Close" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz "That's How You Know" from "Enchanted," Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz Costume "Across the Universe" "Atonement" "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" "La Vie en Rose" "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" Documentary Feature "No End in Sight" "Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience" "Sicko" "Taxi to the Dark Side" "War/Dance" Documentary (short subject) "Freeheld" "La Corona (The Crown)" "Salim Baba" "Sari's Mother" Film Editing "The Bourne Ultimatum

where Best actress nominees include Julie Christie?

Who is nominated for best actress and  best supporting actress?

what George Clooney and Johnny Depp are among?

What actors are among the nominees for best actor?

Answer: The Golden Age"

Answer: "Michael Clayton" "No Country for Old Men" "There Will Be Blood"

Answer: Cate Blanchett,

Answer: the nominations for the 80th annual Academy

Answer: George Clooney, "Michael Clayton" Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood" Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah" Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"

Summary:
"No Country for Old Men," "There Will Be Blood" lead with eight nods each .
George Clooney and Johnny Depp are among best actor nominees .
Best actress nominees include Julie Christie and Laura Linney .
Cate Blanchett is nominated for both best actress and best supporting actress .


(CNN) -- Whoever killed six people in a Memphis, Tennessee, home may still be on the loose, police said Tuesday. They asked the community for help in solving the slayings. Police and fire units responded Monday after six people were killed in Memphis, Tennessee. Police found six people -- two men, two women and two boys -- dead in a home in a north Memphis neighborhood Monday, said Memphis police Lt. Joe Scott. Three other children who were wounded in the home were taken to a hospital. Scott did not release the names of the victims. He said there was no sign of forced entry into the home, and evidence at the scene indicated that the killer or killers left the house. Detectives were trying to determine the day of the killings, which could have occurred as early as Saturday, Scott said. He said police had not developed a suspect and need people to come forward with information. "We need the community's help," he said. "These were children that were brutally killed. We know that there are people out there that heard things, saw something. This is a stain on our community. We really need the community's help to solve this." The four dead adults were shot and the two dead children were stabbed, sources told CNN affiliate WMC-TV. The wounded children -- a 7-year-old boy, a 10-month-old girl and a 4-year-old whose gender wasn't immediately known -- were transported to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center. They were treated for gunshot wounds, said hospital spokeswoman Jennilyn Utkov, who said she did not have any additional information about their conditions. At least one of the wounded children also was stabbed, police told the Commercial Appeal newspaper. The newspaper reported Tuesday that two of them were in very critical condition and one was in serious condition. A neighbor told CNN Tuesday that he heard gunshots coming from the house Saturday night. "I heard about six or seven shots," said Wayne Bolden, a landscaper who said he lives across the street from the home where the killings occurred. "I did not call the police because you always hear shooting in this neighborhood. Now I wish I would have called." He said he did not see any movement at the home the next day.  The two cars, a van and a passenger car, never moved. Monday, he saw many police cars at the home and heard about the killings, he said. Bolden said a family that included a man, a woman and five or six children moved into the home about five months ago. "I did not know him by name," Bolden said of the man. "But the kids were always out playing, and he would barbecue outside on his front porch." A prayer service was held for the victims Tuesday morning at the family's nearby church, said Keith Norman, senior pastor at First Baptist Church. He said he had been asked by the police to counsel the family members of the victims. Another prayer service was scheduled for 6 p.m., he said, and some of the victims' family members are expected to attend. "There are multiple families affected by this," said Norman, who said he did not want to speak about what led to the killings. "We are just praying for the family members and trying to help them get through this." Police do not know what was behind the violence, the Commercial Appeal newspaper reported. "We just don't know the motive or cause of death, but we do have four adults and two children [dead]," Memphis police Lt. Jerry Guin told the paper. Rob Robinson told the Commercial Appeal that he was the landlord for the brick, single-family house that rented for $550 per month. "They were very nice, very polite to me," Robinson told the paper of the residents. "It's kind of surprising, actually. I've never had any trouble with them,

Who were killed?
What number of people were slain?
What did the neighbour hear?
What number died?

Answer: two men, two women and two boys

Answer: six

Answer: gunshots

Answer: six

Summary:
NEW: Police believe killer or killers left the Memphis house where 6 people slain .
Neighbor says he heard shots Saturday night, didn't call police .
Police: Four adults, two kids killed; 3 other children wounded .
7-year-old, 4-year-old, and 10-month-old hospitalized .


(CNN) -- Why are some people amazingly successful -- and other people with the same intelligence or abilities just part of the crowd? Malcolm Gladwell tries to find out why some people are successful in his new book, "Outliers." Malcolm Gladwell, the New Yorker writer who's made a living dissecting questions such as how small trends become major movements ("The Tipping Point") and the value of snap judgments ("Blink"), was curious about that subject, and -- typically -- set out to find some answers. The result is his new book "Outliers" (Little, Brown), which finds parallels between the Beatles, Bill Gates and Canadian hockey players -- as well as reasons why planes operated by members of particular cultures have a greater likelihood of crashing. John Roberts of CNN's "American Morning" spoke to Gladwell on Friday. The following is an edited version of that interview. CNN: We always think that it's the smartest people that become the most successful. You postulate in this new book [that] it's not always intelligence that leads to success. You say "it's not the brightest who succeed, it's rather a gift. Outliers are those given opportunities who have the strength and presence of mind to seize them." But there are also some commonalities with these outliers. Malcolm Gladwell: Yes. I'm really interested in things like the effects of generation. So what does it mean? I have a chapter that looks at some of the most powerful people in Silicon Valley. And almost all of them are born in 1955: Steve Jobs at Apple, Bill Gates at Microsoft, Bill Joy -- who is one of those famous programmers -- a bunch of guys at Sun Microsystems. The argument there is that they were 21 when the computer revolution hit, and that's how old you want to be when you're confronted with a new revolution. That's the kind of pattern that you see, over and over again, when you look at the lives of very successful people. That it's not just their own abilities, it's being in the right place at the right time, it's coming from a certain kind of culture, it's having certain built-in advantages. CNN: There were also some happy accidents along the way. For example, if Bill Gates hadn't been put into a private school, which actually had a computer -- one of the first schools to ever have a computer -- perhaps he may not have become the mogul that he was. Gladwell: Yes, he has this incredible childhood. ... I talked to him, and he was going through the extraordinary one-in-a-million lucky breaks that characterized his childhood. He got to start programming on a computer in 1968 as a 13-year-old when nobody was programming. So he was way ahead of the crowd by the time he starts Microsoft. CNN: You and I both lived in Canada, developed a love for Canadian hockey, and you found by looking at Canadian hockey teams that there's a certain commonality between all of the best players, at least in the junior hockey league system, which I imagine translates to the pros as well. Gladwell: Oh, absolutely. An extraordinary number of hockey players who are professionals are born in January, February and March. And that's because the cutoff date for age-class hockey is January 1st. So when they go to ... recruit kids for all-star teams when they're 8 or 9 years old, they think they're choosing the most talented ones, but actually they're choosing the biggest ones. Because if you're born in January and you're 8, you're a lot taller, more mature and taller and bigger and stronger than someone born in December. CNN: Because development is much faster there -- Gladwell: At that age, and so that advantage you get as an 8-year-old, you get plucked out and given proper coaching and more games and more practice -- and by the time you're 18, you actually are

What do successful people have in their favor?

What is the name of Malcolm Gladwell's new book?

What is the main subject of the book "Outliers"?

What is the name of Gladwell's new book?

Answer: right place at the right time,

Answer: why some people are successful

Answer: "Outliers."

Answer: book,

Answer: Malcolm Gladwell

Answer: why some people are successful

Answer: "Outliers."

Answer: reasons why planes operated by members of particular cultures have a greater likelihood of crashing.

Summary:
Malcolm Gladwell's new book, "Outliers," studies reasons for success .
Successful people aren't just smart; they've had timing, contacts in their favor .
Book also touches on role of culture in creating (or blocking) success .


(CNN) -- Why does French dressmaker Chanel always seem chic? What does British seamstress Vivienne Westwood have that others don't? And even though it's been 25 years since "Top Gun", why does everybody still want a pair of Ray Bans?

The short answer is, they're just really cool.

It might be a subjective concept -- one man's cool Hawaiian party shirt is another's discarded Christmas gift -- but certain brands do seem to stay in fashion forever.

It's a phenomenon highlighted by the UK's annual top 20 "Cool Brands" list released today.

Top of the pile is Aston Martin, James Bond's car-maker of choice, followed by Apple and motorbike designer Harley Davidson.

But numerous fashion labels make it onto the list, with Rolex highest among them at number four, followed by Nike, British designer Alexander McQueen and perennially cool Ray Ban sunglasses.

Why denim never fades from fashion

So, how did these brands manage to acquire this ineffable quality -- at least in the eyes of the Brits? We ask chief executive of the Centre for Brand Analysis and "CoolBrand" council chairman Stephen Cheliotis for his six rules of cool.

1. Style is everything

From the door handles to the website and the tags on the clothes to marketing events: If people are to be persuaded a brand is the height of cool, the devil is in the detail, says Cheliotis.

"It's not just about making your clothes look good," he insists. "Absolutely everything associated with the brand has to exude style -- from the packaging to the company website, to the type-face on the inside label."

2. Never try too hard

No one likes a busybody and, says Cheliotis, even the word "cool" suggests a certain relaxed approach. "The original idea of being cool is being laid back, not running around like a headless chicken trying desperately hard to please everyone." This, he says, is true for people and fashion brands alike. So, if it feels like a brand is trying way too hard to impress -- chasing every trend going, for example -- then it probably won't.

Celebrity fashion labels: The good, the bad and the ugly

3. Stay true to the brand

It's not cool to fake it. In other words, if a company began life selling pretty knitwear, it should think very carefully before venturing into, say, leather jackets. "You must always remain true to your roots," instructs Cheliotis. "Shoppers want something authentic and it's obvious when you're out of your comfort zone."

Designer Alexander McQueen may have recently passed away, he adds, but it doesn't mean that his eponymous label should be tempted to change its style. "As long as it (the label) sticks to his original vision it will probably stay on the list."

4) Keep evolving

This might sound at odds with the previous rule but, according to Cheliotis, it's certainly not. "One of the reasons we keep seeing the same brands on the list, like Nike and Rolex, is because they're always innovative, but at the same time they retain their core identity."

5) Don't be promiscuous

Some fashion houses squander their hard fought cool rep by plastering a company logo on everything that moves. In Cheliotis' view, bootmaker Dr. Martens have been guilty in recent years of such profligacy.

"They were known for making really sturdy, simple and good quality footwear. Now they've plastered their name on everything, it's cheapened the brand and undermined their core product."

6) Be humble

A stark word of warning for self-satisfied designers everywhere. "Successful brands don't fixate over being cool, instead they just do their own their own thing, stick to their founding principles and follow what they think is right," says Cheliotis. In other words, if you think you're cool, you probably won't be for much longer.

How many labels are featured?
What is the top brand?
Who is the council chairman?
what is rolex and chanel
How many fashion labels are included?

Answer: numerous

Answer: Aston Martin,

Answer: Stephen Cheliotis

Answer: brands

Answer: numerous

Summary:
Top "Cool Brands" list has been released, includes seven fashion labels .
Rolex and Chanel all make the cut. What do they have that other brands don't?
We ask "Cool Brands" council chairman to tell share the secrets of cool brands .


(CNN) -- Why is goal line technology not used by football? Is Africa's hosting of the 2010 World Cup a step in the right direction? Are the world's best players being asked to compete in too many global competitions? These are just some of the issues that may be puzzling you about the beautiful game.

Well worry no more because here is your chance to quiz the man in charge of global soccer, Sepp Blatter, the head of world football's governing body FIFA.

CNN will speak to Blatter in an exclusive interview at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on Monday 29 March where we will ask him the questions you want answered -- just add your query to the bottom of the page.

Are you a World Cup super fan? Represent your team

Joseph (Sepp) Blatter, a former Swiss amateur footballer, was voted in as the FIFA president in 1998 before securing a second term in office in 2002, and a third in 2007.

His tenure has seen him lead world football through three World Cups -- the fourth will kick off on June 11 in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium -- five Confederations Cups and the creation of the World Club Cup which has taken place annually since 2005.

The 74-year-old  has been heavily involved with charitable programs during his presidency.

These include UNICEF's "Say Yes for Children" campaign, which aims to increase awareness of children's rights, and the more recent "1Goal" program, that seeks to increase education opportunities in Africa.

Blatter was a key figure in securing Africa's inaugural World Cup for 2010 after he introduced a system which saw each regional confederation take turns in hosting the tournament.

The soccer chief has also courted controversy during his 12 years in charge, most recently by ruling out the introduction of goal line technology into the game.

"The application of modern technologies can be very costly, and therefore not applicable on a global level," Blatter told FIFA's official Web site.

"Many matches, even at the highest level, are not even televised. The rules need to be the same for all association football matches worldwide."

Blatter has views on the English Premier League's domination of the global game. "In France they have an expression 'l'appetit vient mangeant' [the appetite comes with eating]. It means when you are at a good table you like to eat more and more and more. And this is the success story of the Premier League," he told a FIFA meeting held in Northern Ireland in March 2009.

The Swiss administrator has also condemned the hold big clubs have over star players. When Spanish side Real Madrid were negotiating with Manchester United over the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, Blatter told British broadcaster Sky News: "I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there, and putting them somewhere."

When did Blatter become president of FIFA?

who is the president of fifa since 1998?

Answer: Blatter

Answer: Sepp Blatter,

Answer: Sepp Blatter,

Answer: Blatter

Answer: 1998

Answer: Sepp Blatter,

Answer: the head of world football's governing body FIFA.

Answer: Joseph (Sepp) Blatter,

Summary:
Your chance to quiz the boss of global soccer, the head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter .
Blatter, president of FIFA since 1998, is leading body through fourth World Cup .
CNN will speak to Blatter in an exclusive interview in Zurich, on 29 March -- add your question .