text:
(Mental Floss) -- Watching the post parade at this weekend's Kentucky Derby will surely fill some of our heads with dreams of horse ownership.

How did the julep-sipping folks acquire their prized horses? How much is buying a racehorse going to set you back? Are they sound investments?

These are all tricky questions, but let's take a look at a few stories of horse sales that turned out to be winning lottery tickets...and a few that were more dud than stud.

Mr. Prospector becomes a daddy again and again

In 1971, Mr. Prospector was a yearling that fetched $200,000 at auction. When he took to the track, he was good but not great; he won seven of 14 starts but only brought home $112,170 during his career.

Still, in 1980 he sold for $20 million.

What happened? It turns out "Mr. P." was a stud in every sense of the word. While his racing career might not have been the most distinguished, it's tough to argue with his results as a stud.

He sired a winner of each of the Triple Crown races, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren have been similarly speedy. His sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons have combined to win over 30 Triple Crown races and pull in around $100 million in earnings.

Mr. P.'s Derby-winning son Fusaichi Pegasus fetched $60 million in 2000, and 18 years earlier, another son -- Belmont winner Conquistador Cielo -- sold for $36.4 million.

Mental Floss: Did famous horses get their names?

John Henry drives steel, wins cash

When John Henry, a yearling foaled in 1975, came up for bids at the Keeneland January Mixed Sale, he didn't generate much buzz. He had fairly mundane bloodlines, he wasn't particularly big, and he had a nasty temper -- he got his name from a tendency of smashing steel feed buckets.

John Calloway bought the unheralded gelding for a modest $1,100 investment and hoped he could make a little cash back on the horse.

How did it work out? By the time John Henry retired from racing, he was the top-earning gelding in history with over $6.5 million in career earnings. He won 25 graded stakes races and was racehorse of the decade for the 1980s. Not a shabby return on a $1,100 investment.

The Green Monkey makes a monkey out of bidders

Unless you're a huge fan of the band America, you might not envision shelling out eight figures for a horse with no name. That's exactly what happened in a January 2006 auction at Calder Race Course, though.

When the auctioneers brought a colt who was only known as "number 153" to the auction block, a fierce bidding war broke out. Buyers weren't afraid to open their wallets for a colt that was described as "perfect," and when the hammer dropped the horse went for a record $16 million.

The winning bidders quickly christened the colt The Green Monkey, and excitement to see how the horse would do in races began to build. After all, the colt had run an eighth of a mile in a blazing 9.8 seconds in pre-auction workouts, so anything was possible once he started racing.

The buyers thought they were getting a Triple Crown threat. Instead they got the thoroughbred version of Ryan Leaf. The Green Monkey could never translate his workout speed into actual races, and in his career, he only managed one third-place finish in a measly three starts.

In 2008, his owners retired him from racing to stand at stud. If his progeny enjoy the success that eluded the Green Monkey, he might make some of his substantial purchase price back. It will be tough, though; right now he only pulls in $5,000 as a stud fee.

Mental Floss: 7 things to know about the Kentucky Derby

...But he's in good company

The Green Monkey shouldn't feel too bad. The horses he took the "most expensive colt" record from didn't fare much better.

Seattle Dancer set the yearling price record in 1985 when he went for a cool $13.1 million before going on to win $150,000 in his five career starts. Snaafi Dancer's sale in 1983 was the worst investment this side of Pets.com stock; the first yearling to break the $10 million price mark never raced -- and was infertile.

Cigar comes up empty

Even casual sports fans may remember Cigar, the bay stallion who racked up an incredible 16 straight wins from 1994 to 1996. If Cigar had picked up just $187 more during his career, he would have become the first horse ever to break $10 million in race earnings.

When the former Breeders' Cup Classic Champ came up for sale in 1998, there were more than a few breeders who wanted to get their hands on him.

Cigar sold for $25 million and promptly went out to stud to recoup some of that cash. That's when breeders discovered a problem: the horse that some analysts called "the second-best racehorse ever" was infertile.

Cigar's new owners got a record $25 million payout on an insurance policy that covered infertility, and the champion stallion is spending the autumn of his years at the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions.

Mental Floss: 7 strange stories of lost cell phones

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question: How much did Green Monkey sell for?

answer: $16 million.

text: $16 million.

question: who won 112170

answer: Mr. Prospector

text: Mr. Prospector

question: How much did Mr. Prospector win?

answer: $112,170

question: What did Mr Prospector win?

answer: seven of 14 starts

text: seven of 14 starts


text:
(CNN) -- Tom Cruise expounds on his beliefs in Scientology in a 2004 video that made its way onto the Internet this week.

Tom Cruise appears with his wife, Katie Holmes, at a movie premiere earlier this month.

"I think it's a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist, and it's something you have to earn," Cruise says at the beginning of the video.

Cruise says he's "driven ... by the opportunity to really help, for the first time, change people's lives. I'm absolutely, uncompromisingly dedicated to that."

The video was shown at a 2004 Scientology ceremony honoring Cruise for his humanitarian work. Church of Scientology officials said it can be viewed at any of its churches, but it created a stir this week when what the church calls a pirated and edited version appeared on YouTube.

The video has since been taken off YouTube, but an interview portion remained available on the celebrity Web site gawker.com on Thursday.  Watch snippets of Cruise video Â»

"The Cruise Indoctrination Video Scientology Tried To Suppress" is the title of gawker.com's presentation.

"You have to watch this video," the site says. "It shows Tom Cruise, with all the wide-eyed fervor that he brings to the promotion of a movie, making the argument for Scientology," which it calls "the bizarre 20th-century religion.  Watch "Showbiz Tonight" discussion of Cruise video Â»

Cruise talks over a repetitive guitar-riff soundtrack, and appears to be answering questions, though an interviewer is not seen or heard.

A second part of the video, made available to CNN by the publisher of a new unauthorized biography of Cruise, shows Cruise accepting Scientology's Freedom Medal of Valor award and exchanging military-like salutes with Scientology chairman David Miscavige to audience applause. The publisher denies leaking other parts of the video to the Web.

In the video by the publisher, Cruise also salutes a portrait of L. Ron Hubbard, cited on the church's Web site as the founder of "the only major religion founded in the 20th century."

Hubbard's biography cites his accomplishments as everything from mariner and horticulturalist to author and humanitarian.

In the video, Cruise puts emphasis on the latter role.

A Scientologist "has the ability to create new realities and improve conditions," Cruise says.

On its Web site, the Church of Scientology highlights its humanitarian work, from anti-drug campaigns in places from Minnesota to Taiwan to teacher training in India.

The Web site defines Scientology as "the study of truth." Cruise embraces that in the video.

"If you're a Scientologist, ... you see things the way they are," Cruise says.

He also says he finds peace in the religion.

"The more you know as a Scientologist, you don't become overwhelmed by it," according to Cruise.

The unauthorized biography of Cruise is by author Andrew Morton. A Cruise spokesperson and the Church of Scientology have disputed the book, saying Morton did not seek their comment.

"Accuracy and truth were not on Morton's agenda," according to a church statement.

Morton denies that and says Cruise, who he calls "a towering figure on the international scene," and his faith are worthy of scrutiny.

"Tom Cruise has done remarkable work for his faith over the past few years," Morton said. "If it wasn't for him the Church of Scientology would be a shadow of what it is today." E-mail to a friend

CNN's Brad Lendon, David Mattingly and Don Lemon contributed to this report.

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text: church

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: as

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text: founder

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text: only

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text: century

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text: humanitarian

text: In

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text: video

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text: puts

text: emphasis

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text: the

text: latter

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text: Scientologist

text: has

text: the

text: ability

text: to

text: create

text: new

text: realities

text: and

text: improve

text: conditions

text: Cruise

text: says

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text: Web

text: site

text: the

text: Church

text: of

text: Scientology

text: highlights

text: its

text: humanitarian

text: work

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text: anti

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text: in

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text: Taiwan

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text: teacher

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text: in

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text: The

text: Web

text: site

text: defines

text: Scientology

text: as

text: the

text: study

text: of

text: truth

text: Cruise

text: embraces

text: that

text: in

text: the

text: video

text: If

text: you

text: 're

text: a

text: Scientologist

text: you

text: see

text: things

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text: way

text: they

text: are

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text: says

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text: also

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text: more

text: you

text: know

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text: Scientologist

text: you

text: do

text: n't

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text: by

text: it

text: according

text: to

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text: unauthorized

text: biography

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text: author

text: Andrew

text: Morton

text: A

text: Cruise

text: spokesperson

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text: book

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text: agenda

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text: figure

text: on

text: the

text: international

text: scene

text: and

text: his

text: faith

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text: worthy

text: of

text: scrutiny

text: Tom

text: Cruise

text: has

text: done

text: remarkable

text: work

text: for

text: his

text: faith

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: years

text: Morton

text: said

text: If

text: it

text: was

text: n't

text: for

text: him

text: the

text: Church

text: of

text: Scientology

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: shadow

text: of

text: what

text: it

text: is

text: today

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Brad

text: Lendon

text: David

text: Mattingly

text: and

text: Don

text: Lemon

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What was Cruise honored for?

answer: humanitarian work.

text: humanitarian work.

question: What is defined as "study of the truth."

answer: s Scientolog

text: s Scientolog

question: Does Cruise view the scientology membership as important?

answer: privilege

text: privilege

question: What year was video from?

answer: 2004

question: Did Cruise receive honor for his humanitarian work?

answer: 2004 Scientology ceremony honoring

text: 2004 Scientology ceremony honoring


text:
(CNN) -- A Saudi court on Wednesday sentenced a man who caused uproar by bragging about his sex life on television to five years in prison and 1,000 lashes, according to Ministry of Information officials.

Mazen Abdul Jawad talked openly about his sex life on the controversial show.

Mazen Abdul Jawad, a 32-year-old airline employee and divorced father of four, spoke openly about his sexual escapades, his love of sex and losing his virginity at age 14. He made the comments on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, which aired the interview a few months ago.

Saudi authorities shut down LBC offices in Jeddah and Riyadh after airing the interview on an episode of its popular show "A Thick Red Line." Jawad was arrested shortly after the program aired and charged with violating Saudi Arabia's crime of publicizing vice.

On the program, Jawad is also shown in his bedroom, where he holds sexual aids up to the camera.

The room is decorated with Mickey Mouse and stuffed bears in sexually suggestive positions. The cameras gave audiences a glimpse of the room's nightclub-like chandeliers mixed with seafood-shaped wall sconces, perfume bottles and a book in Arabic, "101 Questions About Sex," that Jawad calls his "reference."

Jawad, wearing a red shirt, explained that he put his phone number and details about his car -- a red Mini Cooper -- on his mobile phone's Bluetooth. He says women usually call him to ask if the car is for sale but, he boasts, "some go out with me that same night."

The episode ended with him cruising the streets of Jeddah in his car looking for women.

The show that aired Jawad's story is as popular as it is controversial in the Middle East. It tackles taboos sometimes never discussed in public.

In one instance, a guest admitted he put up his children for sale and tried to justify why he continued to look for the highest bidder even though his kids were begging him to change his mind.

Most guests wear sunglasses, wigs and strange clothing to disguise their identities as their lives can be endangered for talking about such taboo subjects.

Surprisingly, Jawad did not disguise his identity on the program.  Watch report on the uproar over the broadcast Â»

The episode caused an uproar in deeply conservative Saudi Arabia, where sharia, or Islamic law, is practiced. Pre-marital sex is illegal, and unrelated men and women are not permitted to mingle.

The segment in question has been posted on the video-sharing site YouTube since its initial broadcast last month, and has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

Speaking about promiscuous acts "is a violation of the sharia regulations on the one hand and against Saudi customs on the other," police spokesman Suleiman Al-Mutawae told Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia.

Before Jawad's detention, Arab News reported that he initiated a damage-control campaign, apologized for his comments and was considering filing a complaint against the show's producers for presenting him "in the worst possible manner by taking two hours of footage and condensing it down to a minutes-long segment."

Jawad's lawyer could not be reached for comment. The ministry officials spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity.

text: CNN

text: A

text: Saudi

text: court

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: sentenced

text: a

text: man

text: who

text: caused

text: uproar

text: by

text: bragging

text: about

text: his

text: sex

text: life

text: on

text: television

text: to

text: five

text: years

text: in

text: prison

text: and

text: lashes

text: according

text: to

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Information

text: officials

text: Mazen

text: Abdul

text: Jawad

text: talked

text: openly

text: about

text: his

text: sex

text: life

text: on

text: the

text: controversial

text: show

text: Mazen

text: Abdul

text: Jawad

text: a

text: old

text: airline

text: employee

text: and

text: divorced

text: father

text: of

text: four

text: spoke

text: openly

text: about

text: his

text: sexual

text: escapades

text: his

text: love

text: of

text: sex

text: and

text: losing

text: his

text: virginity

text: at

text: age

text: He

text: made

text: the

text: comments

text: on

text: Lebanese

text: Broadcasting

text: Corporation

text: which

text: aired

text: the

text: interview

text: a

text: few

text: months

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text: Saudi

text: authorities

text: shut

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text: offices

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text: and

text: Riyadh

text: after

text: airing

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text: interview

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text: an

text: episode

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text: its

text: popular

text: show

text: A

text: Thick

text: Red

text: Line

text: Jawad

text: was

text: arrested

text: shortly

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text: program

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text: and

text: charged

text: with

text: violating

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: 's

text: crime

text: of

text: publicizing

text: vice

text: On

text: the

text: program

text: Jawad

text: is

text: also

text: shown

text: in

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text: bedroom

text: where

text: he

text: holds

text: sexual

text: aids

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: camera

text: The

text: room

text: is

text: decorated

text: with

text: Mickey

text: Mouse

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text: bears

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text: suggestive

text: positions

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text: cameras

text: gave

text: audiences

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text: room

text: 's

text: nightclub

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text: with

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text: sconces

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text: in

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text: Questions

text: About

text: Sex

text: that

text: Jawad

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text: his

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text: Jawad

text: wearing

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text: shirt

text: explained

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text: put

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text: phone

text: number

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text: a

text: red

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text: Cooper

text: on

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text: phone

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text: Bluetooth

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text: says

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text: Middle

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text: lives

text: can

text: be

text: endangered

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text: talking

text: about

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text: taboo

text: subjects

text: Surprisingly

text: Jawad

text: did

text: not

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text: identity

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text: program

text: Watch

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text: uproar

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text: broadcast

text: Â

text: The

text: episode

text: caused

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text: uproar

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text: Arabia

text: where

text: sharia

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text: Islamic

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text: is

text: illegal

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text: segment

text: in

text: question

text: has

text: been

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text: the

text: video

text: sharing

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text: YouTube

text: since

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text: initial

text: broadcast

text: last

text: month

text: and

text: has

text: been

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text: of

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text: of

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text: Speaking

text: about

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text: spokesman

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text: Al

text: Mutawae

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text: News

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text: comments

text: and

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text: Jawad

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text: lawyer

text: could

text: not

text: be

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text: for

text: comment

text: The

text: ministry

text: officials

text: spoke

text: to

text: CNN

text: on

text: the

text: condition

text: of

text: anonymity

question: How many children does he have?

answer: father of four,

text: father of four,

question: Where did the episode cause an uproar?

answer: Saudi Arabia,

text: Saudi Arabia,

question: Who spoke openly about his sexcapades?

answer: Mazen Abdul Jawad

text: Mazen Abdul Jawad

question: What did Saudi authorities shut down over the broadcast?

answer: LBC offices in Jeddah and Riyadh

text: LBC offices in Jeddah and Riyadh

question: Who spoke openly about sex escapades?

answer: Mazen Abdul Jawad

text: Mazen Abdul Jawad

question: Where was the broadcast publicized?

answer: Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation,

text: Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation,

question: What did Saudi authorities shut down?

answer: LBC offices

text: LBC offices


text:
St. Petersburg, Florida (CNN) -- I first met Dan Wheldon in 2003, when he stepped into the cockpit of the Klein Tools/Jim Beam Indy car at Andretti Green Racing, just before the third race of the season at the Twin Ring Motegi racing track in eastern Japan.

He was a cocky, fastidious 23-year-old in those days, with a quick step and a winning way that made him seem like a modern-day Dickens character brought to life.

"Young Wheldon," I called him back then.

He loved that.

We began our Honda Racing careers together. I was hired by the company around the same time Dan was hired as test driver for development of the Honda engine that would make its IndyCar debut during that season.

In short order, he became one of Honda's favorite sons. In 2004, he became the first Honda-powered driver ever to win an IndyCar event at the magnificent Motegi complex. The Honda-owned course had not seen one of its own cars take the checkered flag at its signature event in six futile attempts.

He won Motegi again in 2005 and then went on to win that year's Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series championship, a feat that has not since been matched.

There were numerous highlights after that: 16 IndyCar victories in all, culminating in this year's completely implausible win in the Centennial Indianapolis 500.

Services held for Wheldon in Florida

That's what the record book says. It documents Dan's legacy in numbers. But it doesn't come close to capturing his legacy in the hearts of those who knew him.

The Dan I knew was more than a racer. He was a friend. A husband. A father. A hero.

He loved shoes. He loved watches. He loved the food my trackside chef, Tim Olszewski, prepared at virtually every IndyCar Series event. (That hardly made him unique -- Tim is a really good chef.)

What set Dan apart was his genuine interest in all the members of the hospitality staff. He treated them all as his equals, and as a consequence, they were all left equally shattered after the tragedy.

Around the track, just about everyone had their own "Dan Wheldon moment." He had an uncanny talent to connect quickly and personally with everyone he met -- whether high-dollar sponsor or Turn 3 bleacher-ite -- and to give each of them something far more valuable than an autograph or a photo. He left them with his kindness, his spirit.

He never turned down a single request, whether it was for an appearance at a dealer meeting, a ride-and-drive with the media or a quick "Hello" to a group of trackside guests.

In each case, he brought a smile that was manufactured only in the most literal sense -- his realigned teeth after his '05 championship were an ongoing source of paddock amusement -- but genuine in every other imaginable way.

In a world where part of the competitive ethos is to convey at all costs an impression of invulnerability, Dan was the exception. As a colleague said to me the other day, "He let you in."

My Dan Wheldon moment occurred after the Centennial Indianapolis 500 this past May. After winning the prestigious race for the second time, Dan had just concluded an exuberant celebratory victory lap at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He returned to Victory Circle to begin the Hat Dance -- that incessant procession of ballcaps and photo ops, which, for understandable reasons, lasts about five times as long at Indianapolis as at any other track on the IndyCar Series circuit.

Dan had just stepped into the cockpit, and had the first hat in hand, when he looked to his left and saw me standing along the railing that divided the race car from the rabble.

He placed the hat on the car's nose, got out, walked around to my side of the car and grabbed me. I barely remember what he said to me, but I do remember hearing a loud cheer from the grandstand above us in Victory Circle. And I remember thinking, "That's pretty cool. Some people I know are happy that I'm getting this moment."

It wasn't until we separated, and Dan resumed the headwear ritual, that I looked above me to see that I did not recognize a single face among those who had been doing the cheering. Whether or not it is true, I'm going to continue in the belief that those spectators were paying tribute to the emotion of a moment between the Indianapolis 500 winner and some guy none of them had ever met. And that blew me away.

Just before he returned to his car, Daniel and I spent time crying in each other's arms. We were crying tears of joy, feeling all the pain and all the hard work it took to get to that moment, and celebrating all the promise the future would hold for him.

After last Sunday afternoon, I am not ashamed to admit, I have cried in many other arms, as well.

text: St.

text: Petersburg

text: Florida

text: CNN

text: I

text: first

text: met

text: Dan

text: Wheldon

text: in

text: when

text: he

text: stepped

text: into

text: the

text: cockpit

text: of

text: the

text: Klein

text: Tools

text: Jim

text: Beam

text: Indy

text: car

text: at

text: Andretti

text: Green

text: Racing

text: just

text: before

text: the

text: third

text: race

text: of

text: the

text: season

text: at

text: the

text: Twin

text: Ring

text: Motegi

text: racing

text: track

text: in

text: eastern

text: Japan

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: cocky

text: fastidious

text: old

text: in

text: those

text: days

text: with

text: a

text: quick

text: step

text: and

text: a

text: winning

text: way

text: that

text: made

text: him

text: seem

text: like

text: a

text: modern

text: day

text: Dickens

text: character

text: brought

text: to

text: life

text: Young

text: Wheldon

text: I

text: called

text: him

text: back

text: then

text: He

text: loved

text: that

text: We

text: began

text: our

text: Honda

text: Racing

text: careers

text: together

text: I

text: was

text: hired

text: by

text: the

text: company

text: around

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: Dan

text: was

text: hired

text: as

text: test

text: driver

text: for

text: development

text: of

text: the

text: Honda

text: engine

text: that

text: would

text: make

text: its

text: IndyCar

text: debut

text: during

text: that

text: season

text: In

text: short

text: order

text: he

text: became

text: one

text: of

text: Honda

text: 's

text: favorite

text: sons

text: In

text: he

text: became

text: the

text: first

text: Honda

text: powered

text: driver

text: ever

text: to

text: win

text: an

text: IndyCar

text: event

text: at

text: the

text: magnificent

text: Motegi

text: complex

text: The

text: Honda

text: owned

text: course

text: had

text: not

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text: of

text: its

text: own

text: cars

text: take

text: the

text: checkered

text: flag

text: at

text: its

text: signature

text: event

text: in

text: six

text: futile

text: attempts

text: He

text: won

text: Motegi

text: again

text: in

text: and

text: then

text: went

text: on

text: to

text: win

text: that

text: year

text: 's

text: Indianapolis

text: and

text: the

text: IndyCar

text: Series

text: championship

text: a

text: feat

text: that

text: has

text: not

text: since

text: been

text: matched

text: There

text: were

text: numerous

text: highlights

text: after

text: that

text: IndyCar

text: victories

text: in

text: all

text: culminating

text: in

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: completely

text: implausible

text: win

text: in

text: the

text: Centennial

text: Indianapolis

text: Services

text: held

text: for

text: Wheldon

text: in

text: Florida

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: the

text: record

text: book

text: says

text: It

text: documents

text: Dan

text: 's

text: legacy

text: in

text: numbers

text: But

text: it

text: does

text: n't

text: come

text: close

text: to

text: capturing

text: his

text: legacy

text: in

text: the

text: hearts

text: of

text: those

text: who

text: knew

text: him

text: The

text: Dan

text: I

text: knew

text: was

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: racer

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: friend

text: A

text: husband

text: A

text: father

text: A

text: hero

text: He

text: loved

text: shoes

text: He

text: loved

text: watches

text: He

text: loved

text: the

text: food

text: my

text: trackside

text: chef

text: Tim

text: Olszewski

text: prepared

text: at

text: virtually

text: every

text: IndyCar

text: Series

text: event

text: That

text: hardly

text: made

text: him

text: unique

text: Tim

text: is

text: a

text: really

text: good

text: chef

text: What

text: set

text: Dan

text: apart

text: was

text: his

text: genuine

text: interest

text: in

text: all

text: the

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: hospitality

text: staff

text: He

text: treated

text: them

text: all

text: as

text: his

text: equals

text: and

text: as

text: a

text: consequence

text: they

text: were

text: all

text: left

text: equally

text: shattered

text: after

text: the

text: tragedy

text: Around

text: the

text: track

text: just

text: about

text: everyone

text: had

text: their

text: own

text: Dan

text: Wheldon

text: moment

text: He

text: had

text: an

text: uncanny

text: talent

text: to

text: connect

text: quickly

text: and

text: personally

text: with

text: everyone

text: he

text: met

text: whether

text: high

text: dollar

text: sponsor

text: or

text: Turn

text: bleacher

text: ite

text: and

text: to

text: give

text: each

text: of

text: them

text: something

text: far

text: more

text: valuable

text: than

text: an

text: autograph

text: or

text: a

text: photo

text: He

text: left

text: them

text: with

text: his

text: kindness

text: his

text: spirit

text: He

text: never

text: turned

text: down

text: a

text: single

text: request

text: whether

text: it

text: was

text: for

text: an

text: appearance

text: at

text: a

text: dealer

text: meeting

text: a

text: ride

text: and

text: drive

text: with

text: the

text: media

text: or

text: a

text: quick

text: Hello

text: to

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: trackside

text: guests

text: In

text: each

text: case

text: he

text: brought

text: a

text: smile

text: that

text: was

text: manufactured

text: only

text: in

text: the

text: most

text: literal

text: sense

text: his

text: realigned

text: teeth

text: after

text: his

text: championship

text: were

text: an

text: ongoing

text: source

text: of

text: paddock

text: amusement

text: but

text: genuine

text: in

text: every

text: other

text: imaginable

text: way

text: In

text: a

text: world

text: where

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: competitive

text: ethos

text: is

text: to

text: convey

text: at

text: all

text: costs

text: an

text: impression

text: of

text: invulnerability

text: Dan

text: was

text: the

text: exception

text: As

text: a

text: colleague

text: said

text: to

text: me

text: the

text: other

text: day

text: He

text: let

text: you

text: in

text: My

text: Dan

text: Wheldon

text: moment

text: occurred

text: after

text: the

text: Centennial

text: Indianapolis

text: this

text: past

text: May.

text: After

text: winning

text: the

text: prestigious

text: race

text: for

text: the

text: second

text: time

text: Dan

text: had

text: just

text: concluded

text: an

text: exuberant

text: celebratory

text: victory

text: lap

text: at

text: the

text: Indianapolis

text: Motor

text: Speedway

text: He

text: returned

text: to

text: Victory

text: Circle

text: to

text: begin

text: the

text: Hat

text: Dance

text: that

text: incessant

text: procession

text: of

text: ballcaps

text: and

text: photo

text: ops

text: which

text: for

text: understandable

text: reasons

text: lasts

text: about

text: five

text: times

text: as

text: long

text: at

text: Indianapolis

text: as

text: at

text: any

text: other

text: track

text: on

text: the

text: IndyCar

text: Series

text: circuit

text: Dan

text: had

text: just

text: stepped

text: into

text: the

text: cockpit

text: and

text: had

text: the

text: first

text: hat

text: in

text: hand

text: when

text: he

text: looked

text: to

text: his

text: left

text: and

text: saw

text: me

text: standing

text: along

text: the

text: railing

text: that

text: divided

text: the

text: race

text: car

text: from

text: the

text: rabble

text: He

text: placed

text: the

text: hat

text: on

text: the

text: car

text: 's

text: nose

text: got

text: out

text: walked

text: around

text: to

text: my

text: side

text: of

text: the

text: car

text: and

text: grabbed

text: me

text: I

text: barely

text: remember

text: what

text: he

text: said

text: to

text: me

text: but

text: I

text: do

text: remember

text: hearing

text: a

text: loud

text: cheer

text: from

text: the

text: grandstand

text: above

text: us

text: in

text: Victory

text: Circle

text: And

text: I

text: remember

text: thinking

text: That

text: 's

text: pretty

text: cool

text: Some

text: people

text: I

text: know

text: are

text: happy

text: that

text: I

text: 'm

text: getting

text: this

text: moment

text: It

text: was

text: n't

text: until

text: we

text: separated

text: and

text: Dan

text: resumed

text: the

text: headwear

text: ritual

text: that

text: I

text: looked

text: above

text: me

text: to

text: see

text: that

text: I

text: did

text: not

text: recognize

text: a

text: single

text: face

text: among

text: those

text: who

text: had

text: been

text: doing

text: the

text: cheering

text: Whether

text: or

text: not

text: it

text: is

text: true

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: continue

text: in

text: the

text: belief

text: that

text: those

text: spectators

text: were

text: paying

text: tribute

text: to

text: the

text: emotion

text: of

text: a

text: moment

text: between

text: the

text: Indianapolis

text: winner

text: and

text: some

text: guy

text: of

text: them

text: had

text: ever

text: met

text: And

text: that

text: blew

text: me

text: away

text: Just

text: before

text: he

text: returned

text: to

text: his

text: car

text: Daniel

text: and

text: I

text: spent

text: time

text: crying

text: in

text: each

text: other

text: 's

text: arms

text: We

text: were

text: crying

text: tears

text: of

text: joy

text: feeling

text: all

text: the

text: pain

text: and

text: all

text: the

text: hard

text: work

text: it

text: took

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: that

text: moment

text: and

text: celebrating

text: all

text: the

text: promise

text: the

text: future

text: would

text: hold

text: for

text: him

text: After

text: last

text: Sunday

text: afternoon

text: I

text: am

text: not

text: ashamed

text: to

text: admit

text: I

text: have

text: cried

text: in

text: many

text: other

text: arms

text: as

text: well

question: who is He wore a genuine smile and shared his spirit?

answer: "Dan Wheldon

text: "Dan Wheldon

question: What did Wheldon treat all hospitality staff as?

answer: his equals,

text: his equals,

question: who is  Dan Wheldon?

answer: a cocky, fastidious 23-year-old

text: a cocky, fastidious 23-year-old

question: What did Wheldon do?

answer: He placed the hat on the car's nose, got out, walked around to my side of the car and grabbed me.

text: He placed the hat on the car's nose, got out, walked around to my side of the car and grabbed me.

question: Who wore a geniune smile?

answer: "Dan Wheldon

text: "Dan Wheldon

question: Who was a hero?

answer: Dan Wheldon

text: Dan Wheldon


text:
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Liu Yan, regarded as China's top classical dancer, was to give the performance of a lifetime: She was to dance a solo at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Liu, in red, performs on the 2008 Beijing Television Chinese New Year Festival Show.

She was to perform a dance entitled "Silk Road," a piece intended to convey the rich cultural history of China.

But it never happened.

Twelve days before she was to take the stage at the Olympics, in an event that China hoped would catapult the nation to international glory, she fell while rehearsing the dance -- leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.

"When the music stopped, I made my exit as usual. I was dancing on a thin layer of electrical mat, I was standing on that, and there was a platform powered by a vehicle moving underneath," Liu said from the Beijing 306 Military Hospital. "Right when I stepped on the platform, it moved away quickly ... then, like that, I fell."  Watch more on Liu Â»

"It was extremely painful."

Liu, who was knocked unconscious, was later told she would never walk again. Doctors operated on her for six hours, and the hospital where she was being treated was near the Bird's Nest -- the landmark national stadium built for the Games. The stadium can be seen from Liu's hospital room window.

"I could not see it, because I was unable to sit up. But then, I could see the fireworks from the rehearsal," Liu said through tears.

She did not watch the opening ceremony.

"I was afraid to watch it," she said. "I was listening to Lisa Ono (a bossa nova singer) with the volume up to the highest on the stereo that used to be here in the corner. But, I watched it later."

Liu began attending the Beijing Dance Academy in 1993. She spent 10 years studying professional dancing, and classical Chinese dance was her major. She repeatedly received the annual Best Student award and went on to win gold awards in the national dancing competition in 2004, the Lotus Dancing competition and the first Asian Youth Art Festival.

She also won many top cultural awards in China for dance plays.

"When I was young, I was the kind of child who studied dancing very hard. I never gave up. I love dancing very much. When practicing some dancing movements, which other students considered boring, I saw the practice as very interesting," she said. "People thought that I took dancing very seriously because of my love for it, but I think it's very interesting."

Apart from the physical pain, Liu said: "The damage on my dancing career is the most painful part for me."

"I think this is very sad. But I am injured and it is a fact that cannot be changed. But I believe I will keep dancing or at least doing work related to that, because that is what I love."

Liu said she spends most of her time recovering in the hospital, exercising her legs to help develop her muscles. She said she feels much better now but it is still tough.

"I often cry. After I got injured, I feel fragile every time I reflect on the past. But I think of it as a process," she said. "I will learn to face the reality rationally. Human hearts are made of flesh; it is not one flat surface. The important thing is how you adjust yourself."

She has since started to return to her normal life.

"For example, going back home and staying overnight, going out with friends for dinner, even going to see a show, a movie, drink coffee, drink Champagne, going back to classes."

Liu does not blame anyone for the accident, saying that in big events, "accidents happen."

"I think you should not blame one person, or one particular moment," she said. "I think I will use the word 'unfortunate.' I was very unfortunate to have that accident."

She also said she did not know about reports her family and witnesses to the accident were told not to talk about what happened afterward.

"That probably happened. I didn't know about it back then and I didn't really care. I was in the middle of an operation that lasted six hours."

As for the future, Liu said she might go back to school, to learn more about dance, and get a master's or a doctorate degree.

"Healthy dancers practice every day, I will do the same. This is how I am different from other patients -- I believe that I will recover when I do my exercise. I will live with hope."

text: BEIJING

text: China

text: CNN

text: Liu

text: Yan

text: regarded

text: as

text: China

text: 's

text: top

text: classical

text: dancer

text: was

text: to

text: give

text: the

text: performance

text: of

text: a

text: lifetime

text: She

text: was

text: to

text: dance

text: a

text: solo

text: at

text: the

text: opening

text: ceremony

text: of

text: the

text: Beijing

text: Olympics

text: Liu

text: in

text: red

text: performs

text: on

text: the

text: Beijing

text: Television

text: Chinese

text: New

text: Year

text: Festival

text: Show

text: She

text: was

text: to

text: perform

text: a

text: dance

text: entitled

text: Silk

text: Road

text: a

text: piece

text: intended

text: to

text: convey

text: the

text: rich

text: cultural

text: history

text: of

text: China

text: But

text: it

text: never

text: happened

text: Twelve

text: days

text: before

text: she

text: was

text: to

text: take

text: the

text: stage

text: at

text: the

text: Olympics

text: in

text: an

text: event

text: that

text: China

text: hoped

text: would

text: catapult

text: the

text: nation

text: to

text: international

text: glory

text: she

text: fell

text: while

text: rehearsing

text: the

text: dance

text: leaving

text: her

text: paralyzed

text: from

text: the

text: waist

text: down

text: When

text: the

text: music

text: stopped

text: I

text: made

text: my

text: exit

text: as

text: usual

text: I

text: was

text: dancing

text: on

text: a

text: thin

text: layer

text: of

text: electrical

text: mat

text: I

text: was

text: standing

text: on

text: that

text: and

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: platform

text: powered

text: by

text: a

text: vehicle

text: moving

text: underneath

text: Liu

text: said

text: from

text: the

text: Beijing

text: Military

text: Hospital

text: Right

text: when

text: I

text: stepped

text: on

text: the

text: platform

text: it

text: moved

text: away

text: quickly

text: then

text: like

text: that

text: I

text: fell

text: Watch

text: more

text: on

text: Liu

text: Â

text: It

text: was

text: extremely

text: painful

text: Liu

text: who

text: was

text: knocked

text: unconscious

text: was

text: later

text: told

text: she

text: would

text: never

text: walk

text: again

text: Doctors

text: operated

text: on

text: her

text: for

text: six

text: hours

text: and

text: the

text: hospital

text: where

text: she

text: was

text: being

text: treated

text: was

text: near

text: the

text: Bird

text: 's

text: Nest

text: the

text: landmark

text: national

text: stadium

text: built

text: for

text: the

text: Games

text: The

text: stadium

text: can

text: be

text: seen

text: from

text: Liu

text: 's

text: hospital

text: room

text: window

text: I

text: could

text: not

text: see

text: it

text: because

text: I

text: was

text: unable

text: to

text: sit

text: up

text: But

text: then

text: I

text: could

text: see

text: the

text: fireworks

text: from

text: the

text: rehearsal

text: Liu

text: said

text: through

text: tears

text: She

text: did

text: not

text: watch

text: the

text: opening

text: ceremony

text: I

text: was

text: afraid

text: to

text: watch

text: it

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: was

text: listening

text: to

text: Lisa

text: Ono

text: a

text: bossa

text: nova

text: singer

text: with

text: the

text: volume

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: highest

text: on

text: the

text: stereo

text: that

text: used

text: to

text: be

text: here

text: in

text: the

text: corner

text: But

text: I

text: watched

text: it

text: later

text: Liu

text: began

text: attending

text: the

text: Beijing

text: Dance

text: Academy

text: in

text: She

text: spent

text: years

text: studying

text: professional

text: dancing

text: and

text: classical

text: Chinese

text: dance

text: was

text: her

text: major

text: She

text: repeatedly

text: received

text: the

text: annual

text: Best

text: Student

text: award

text: and

text: went

text: on

text: to

text: win

text: gold

text: awards

text: in

text: the

text: national

text: dancing

text: competition

text: in

text: the

text: Lotus

text: Dancing

text: competition

text: and

text: the

text: first

text: Asian

text: Youth

text: Art

text: Festival

text: She

text: also

text: won

text: many

text: top

text: cultural

text: awards

text: in

text: China

text: for

text: dance

text: plays

text: When

text: I

text: was

text: young

text: I

text: was

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: child

text: who

text: studied

text: dancing

text: very

text: hard

text: I

text: never

text: gave

text: up

text: I

text: love

text: dancing

text: very

text: much

text: When

text: practicing

text: some

text: dancing

text: movements

text: which

text: other

text: students

text: considered

text: boring

text: I

text: saw

text: the

text: practice

text: as

text: very

text: interesting

text: she

text: said

text: People

text: thought

text: that

text: I

text: took

text: dancing

text: very

text: seriously

text: because

text: of

text: my

text: love

text: for

text: it

text: but

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: very

text: interesting

text: Apart

text: from

text: the

text: physical

text: pain

text: Liu

text: said

text: The

text: damage

text: on

text: my

text: dancing

text: career

text: is

text: the

text: most

text: painful

text: part

text: for

text: me

text: I

text: think

text: this

text: is

text: very

text: sad

text: But

text: I

text: am

text: injured

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: a

text: fact

text: that

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: changed

text: But

text: I

text: believe

text: I

text: will

text: keep

text: dancing

text: or

text: at

text: least

text: doing

text: work

text: related

text: to

text: that

text: because

text: that

text: is

text: what

text: I

text: love

text: Liu

text: said

text: she

text: spends

text: most

text: of

text: her

text: time

text: recovering

text: in

text: the

text: hospital

text: exercising

text: her

text: legs

text: to

text: help

text: develop

text: her

text: muscles

text: She

text: said

text: she

text: feels

text: much

text: better

text: now

text: but

text: it

text: is

text: still

text: tough

text: I

text: often

text: cry

text: After

text: I

text: got

text: injured

text: I

text: feel

text: fragile

text: every

text: time

text: I

text: reflect

text: on

text: the

text: past

text: But

text: I

text: think

text: of

text: it

text: as

text: a

text: process

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: will

text: learn

text: to

text: face

text: the

text: reality

text: rationally

text: Human

text: hearts

text: are

text: made

text: of

text: flesh

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: one

text: flat

text: surface

text: The

text: important

text: thing

text: is

text: how

text: you

text: adjust

text: yourself

text: She

text: has

text: since

text: started

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: her

text: normal

text: life

text: For

text: example

text: going

text: back

text: home

text: and

text: staying

text: overnight

text: going

text: out

text: with

text: friends

text: for

text: dinner

text: even

text: going

text: to

text: see

text: a

text: show

text: a

text: movie

text: drink

text: coffee

text: drink

text: Champagne

text: going

text: back

text: to

text: classes

text: Liu

text: does

text: not

text: blame

text: anyone

text: for

text: the

text: accident

text: saying

text: that

text: in

text: big

text: events

text: accidents

text: happen

text: I

text: think

text: you

text: should

text: not

text: blame

text: one

text: person

text: or

text: one

text: particular

text: moment

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: will

text: use

text: the

text: word

text: unfortunate

text: I

text: was

text: very

text: unfortunate

text: to

text: have

text: that

text: accident

text: She

text: also

text: said

text: she

text: did

text: not

text: know

text: about

text: reports

text: her

text: family

text: and

text: witnesses

text: to

text: the

text: accident

text: were

text: told

text: not

text: to

text: talk

text: about

text: what

text: happened

text: afterward

text: That

text: probably

text: happened

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: know

text: about

text: it

text: back

text: then

text: and

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: really

text: care

text: I

text: was

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: an

text: operation

text: that

text: lasted

text: six

text: hours

text: As

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: Liu

text: said

text: she

text: might

text: go

text: back

text: to

text: school

text: to

text: learn

text: more

text: about

text: dance

text: and

text: get

text: a

text: master

text: 's

text: or

text: a

text: doctorate

text: degree

text: Healthy

text: dancers

text: practice

text: every

text: day

text: I

text: will

text: do

text: the

text: same

text: This

text: is

text: how

text: I

text: am

text: different

text: from

text: other

text: patients

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: I

text: will

text: recover

text: when

text: I

text: do

text: my

text: exercise

text: I

text: will

text: live

text: with

text: hope

question: what awards were won?

answer: Best Student

text: Best Student

question: What country is Liu Yan from?

answer: China

text: China

question: What was Liu Yan rehearsing when she was injured?

answer: to dance a solo at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

text: to dance a solo at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

question: What nationality is Liu Yan?

answer: Chinese

text: Chinese

question: who is paralyzed?

answer: Liu Yan,

text: Liu Yan,

question: What type of dance is Liu Yan best known for?

answer: classical Chinese

text: classical Chinese

question: What was being rehearsed?

answer: "Silk Road,"

text: "Silk Road,"


text:
Moscow, Russia (CNN)  -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sent a strong signal Thursday that he has full hands-on control of his country.

As part of his annual town hall forum, Putin spoke for four hours and fielded 80 questions out of 2 million-plus submitted on a live call-in program, "Conversation With Vladimir Putin -- Continued."

Responding to a question on whether he had any plans to retire and enjoy the life of an ordinary citizen, Putin tersely replied, "Don't count on that."

And when asked whether he plans to run for the presidency again in 2012, he said, "I will think about it. There is plenty of time for that."

Speaking of his "tandem" with President Dmitry Medvedev, Putin said he had "known him for many years, graduated from the same universities, having been taught by the same professors."

"Those common principles allow us to effectively work together," he said, responding to the never-ending speculation about which one of the duo is more important and whether a rift between them is possible.

Putin juggled a myriad of facts and statistics, giving instructions to subordinates along the way to fix problems, as he responded to questions mostly on Russia's domestic issues. These covered pensions, medication prices, the overhauling of entire industries and Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, Amur tigers and hip-hop music, and everything in between.

The program was broadcast live on government television and radio. It marked Putin's eighth annual year-end "town meeting," first launched in 2001 when he was president. This year's forum was his second as prime minister.

Representatives from all Russian industries as well as university students packed the auditorium in Gostiny Dvor, a large conference hall next door to the Kremlin, where Putin appeared.

Putin took questions from the hall's floor, with live cameras positioned in towns and cities across Russia, and he also responded to phone calls, e-mails and mobile SMS messages.

He started off by addressing the issue of terrorism, coming nearly a week after the derailment of a luxury Moscow-St.Petersburg express train, which left 26 people dead and more than 100 injured.

Russia's Federal Security Service said an improvised explosive device, which unknown bombers placed beneath the railroad bed, caused Friday's derailment. It was the biggest terror act outside Russia's troubled North Caucasus region since 2004.

"We did a lot [in recent years] to break the backbone of terrorism, but the threat has not been eliminated yet," Putin said. "The entire society, each of us, should be conscious of this threat and be vigilant."

Addressing the economy, Putin said the peak of the global economic crisis has passed, "although turbulent trends in the global and, as a result, the Russian economy, are still in place." "It will take time and effort to overcome the crisis," he said.

The past year has been "one of the most difficult" for Russia in this decade, Putin added, saying the 2009 gross domestic product will shrink by 8.5 percent to 8.7 percent. The slump in the country's industry will be even bigger, he said, around 13 percent, but the projected inflation for 2009 will be lower than in the past year, about 9 percent.

The prime minister also cited what he called "positive developments" in the Russian economy. He said some industries, such as military hardware production and agriculture, are even growing.

In the arena of international politics, Putin told a questioner that he and former President George W. Bush had a good relationship but have not been in touch. The prime minister described Bush as a "very honest and nice person," saying that if the ex-U.S. leader wanted to continue their relationship, he would be glad to do so.

Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said the wide range of issues on which Russians posed questions "provides an excellent instrument for sociological study, and all questions that are being raised, are carefully studied. That [call-in show] gives a very reliable sociological survey."

Putin's popularity ratings at home demonstrates his political dominance in Russia. Confidence in the prime minister stood at 70 percent, as opposed to 59 percent for Medvedev, according to a recently published opinion poll conducted by Russia's Public Opinion Foundation.

While Putin had his town hall forum, Medvedev was holding meetings in Italy with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Pope Benedict XVI.

text: Moscow

text: Russia

text: CNN

text: Russian

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Vladimir

text: Putin

text: sent

text: a

text: strong

text: signal

text: Thursday

text: that

text: he

text: has

text: full

text: hands

text: on

text: control

text: of

text: his

text: country

text: As

text: part

text: of

text: his

text: annual

text: town

text: hall

text: forum

text: Putin

text: spoke

text: for

text: four

text: hours

text: and

text: fielded

text: questions

text: out

text: of

text: million

text: plus

text: submitted

text: on

text: a

text: live

text: call

text: in

text: program

text: Conversation

text: With

text: Vladimir

text: Putin

text: Continued

text: Responding

text: to

text: a

text: question

text: on

text: whether

text: he

text: had

text: any

text: plans

text: to

text: retire

text: and

text: enjoy

text: the

text: life

text: of

text: an

text: ordinary

text: citizen

text: Putin

text: tersely

text: replied

text: Do

text: n't

text: count

text: on

text: that

text: And

text: when

text: asked

text: whether

text: he

text: plans

text: to

text: run

text: for

text: the

text: presidency

text: again

text: in

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: will

text: think

text: about

text: it

text: There

text: is

text: plenty

text: of

text: time

text: for

text: that

text: Speaking

text: of

text: his

text: tandem

text: with

text: President

text: Dmitry

text: Medvedev

text: Putin

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: known

text: him

text: for

text: many

text: years

text: graduated

text: from

text: the

text: same

text: universities

text: having

text: been

text: taught

text: by

text: the

text: same

text: professors

text: Those

text: common

text: principles

text: allow

text: us

text: to

text: effectively

text: work

text: together

text: he

text: said

text: responding

text: to

text: the

text: never

text: ending

text: speculation

text: about

text: which

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: duo

text: is

text: more

text: important

text: and

text: whether

text: a

text: rift

text: between

text: them

text: is

text: possible

text: Putin

text: juggled

text: a

text: myriad

text: of

text: facts

text: and

text: statistics

text: giving

text: instructions

text: to

text: subordinates

text: along

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: fix

text: problems

text: as

text: he

text: responded

text: to

text: questions

text: mostly

text: on

text: Russia

text: 's

text: domestic

text: issues

text: These

text: covered

text: pensions

text: medication

text: prices

text: the

text: overhauling

text: of

text: entire

text: industries

text: and

text: Russia

text: 's

text: accession

text: to

text: the

text: World

text: Trade

text: Organization

text: Amur

text: tigers

text: and

text: hip

text: hop

text: music

text: and

text: everything

text: in

text: between

text: The

text: program

text: was

text: broadcast

text: live

text: on

text: government

text: television

text: and

text: radio

text: It

text: marked

text: Putin

text: 's

text: eighth

text: annual

text: year

text: end

text: town

text: meeting

text: first

text: launched

text: in

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: president

text: This

text: year

text: 's

text: forum

text: was

text: his

text: second

text: as

text: prime

text: minister

text: Representatives

text: from

text: all

text: Russian

text: industries

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: university

text: students

text: packed

text: the

text: auditorium

text: in

text: Gostiny

text: Dvor

text: a

text: large

text: conference

text: hall

text: next

text: door

text: to

text: the

text: Kremlin

text: where

text: Putin

text: appeared

text: Putin

text: took

text: questions

text: from

text: the

text: hall

text: 's

text: floor

text: with

text: live

text: cameras

text: positioned

text: in

text: towns

text: and

text: cities

text: across

text: Russia

text: and

text: he

text: also

text: responded

text: to

text: phone

text: calls

text: e

text: mails

text: and

text: mobile

text: SMS

text: messages

text: He

text: started

text: off

text: by

text: addressing

text: the

text: issue

text: of

text: terrorism

text: coming

text: nearly

text: a

text: week

text: after

text: the

text: derailment

text: of

text: a

text: luxury

text: Moscow

text: St

text: Petersburg

text: express

text: train

text: which

text: left

text: people

text: dead

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: injured

text: Russia

text: 's

text: Federal

text: Security

text: Service

text: said

text: an

text: improvised

text: explosive

text: device

text: which

text: unknown

text: bombers

text: placed

text: beneath

text: the

text: railroad

text: bed

text: caused

text: Friday

text: 's

text: derailment

text: It

text: was

text: the

text: biggest

text: terror

text: act

text: outside

text: Russia

text: 's

text: troubled

text: North

text: Caucasus

text: region

text: since

text: We

text: did

text: a

text: lot

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: to

text: break

text: the

text: backbone

text: of

text: terrorism

text: but

text: the

text: threat

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: eliminated

text: yet

text: Putin

text: said

text: The

text: entire

text: society

text: each

text: of

text: us

text: should

text: be

text: conscious

text: of

text: this

text: threat

text: and

text: be

text: vigilant

text: Addressing

text: the

text: economy

text: Putin

text: said

text: the

text: peak

text: of

text: the

text: global

text: economic

text: crisis

text: has

text: passed

text: although

text: turbulent

text: trends

text: in

text: the

text: global

text: and

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: the

text: Russian

text: economy

text: are

text: still

text: in

text: place

text: It

text: will

text: take

text: time

text: and

text: effort

text: to

text: overcome

text: the

text: crisis

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: past

text: year

text: has

text: been

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: difficult

text: for

text: Russia

text: in

text: this

text: decade

text: Putin

text: added

text: saying

text: the

text: gross

text: domestic

text: product

text: will

text: shrink

text: by

text: percent

text: to

text: percent

text: The

text: slump

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: industry

text: will

text: be

text: even

text: bigger

text: he

text: said

text: around

text: percent

text: but

text: the

text: projected

text: inflation

text: for

text: will

text: be

text: lower

text: than

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: about

text: percent

text: The

text: prime

text: minister

text: also

text: cited

text: what

text: he

text: called

text: positive

text: developments

text: in

text: the

text: Russian

text: economy

text: He

text: said

text: some

text: industries

text: such

text: as

text: military

text: hardware

text: production

text: and

text: agriculture

text: are

text: even

text: growing

text: In

text: the

text: arena

text: of

text: international

text: politics

text: Putin

text: told

text: a

text: questioner

text: that

text: he

text: and

text: former

text: President

text: George

text: W.

text: Bush

text: had

text: a

text: good

text: relationship

text: but

text: have

text: not

text: been

text: in

text: touch

text: The

text: prime

text: minister

text: described

text: Bush

text: as

text: a

text: very

text: honest

text: and

text: nice

text: person

text: saying

text: that

text: if

text: the

text: ex

text: U.S.

text: leader

text: wanted

text: to

text: continue

text: their

text: relationship

text: he

text: would

text: be

text: glad

text: to

text: do

text: so

text: Putin

text: 's

text: press

text: secretary

text: Dmitry

text: Peskov

text: said

text: the

text: wide

text: range

text: of

text: issues

text: on

text: which

text: Russians

text: posed

text: questions

text: provides

text: an

text: excellent

text: instrument

text: for

text: sociological

text: study

text: and

text: all

text: questions

text: that

text: are

text: being

text: raised

text: are

text: carefully

text: studied

text: That

text: call

text: in

text: show

text: gives

text: a

text: very

text: reliable

text: sociological

text: survey

text: Putin

text: 's

text: popularity

text: ratings

text: at

text: home

text: demonstrates

text: his

text: political

text: dominance

text: in

text: Russia

text: Confidence

text: in

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: stood

text: at

text: percent

text: as

text: opposed

text: to

text: percent

text: for

text: Medvedev

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: recently

text: published

text: opinion

text: poll

text: conducted

text: by

text: Russia

text: 's

text: Public

text: Opinion

text: Foundation

text: While

text: Putin

text: had

text: his

text: town

text: hall

text: forum

text: Medvedev

text: was

text: holding

text: meetings

text: in

text: Italy

text: with

text: Italian

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Silvio

text: Berlusconi

text: and

text: Pope

text: Benedict

text: XVI

question: who called bush an honest person

answer: Putin

text: Putin

question: what does Putin dismiss?

answer: any plans to retire and enjoy the life of an ordinary citizen,

text: any plans to retire and enjoy the life of an ordinary citizen,

question: did putin say anything

answer: spoke for four hours and fielded 80 questions out of 2 million-plus submitted on a live call-in program,

text: spoke for four hours and fielded 80 questions out of 2 million-plus submitted on a live call-in program,

question: What does Putin call Bush?

answer: "very honest and nice person,"

text: "very honest and nice person,"

question: Will Putin retire?

answer: "Don't count on that."

text: "Don't count on that."

question: Does Putin actually like George Bush?

answer: good relationship

text: good relationship

question: who works well together?

answer: Medvedev, Putin

text: Medvedev, Putin