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(CNN) -- William Searing is an Eagle Scout who loves hiking, adventure, art and sports. At age 19, he's in an education program that bridges the gap from high school to getting a job. Wil has autism.

Doctors diagnosed Wil Searing, 19, with autism when was 18 months old.

The neurological disorder was diagnosed when he was 18 months old.

Mia Newman's epilepsy and autism weren't diagnosed until she was almost 3 years old. Now 9, she and her family still face many challenges in coping with her conditions.

It's been a year since the first U.N.-declared World Autism Awareness Day. In those past 365 days, nobody has discovered the cause of autism, which the most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest affects one in 150 children. Nor has a cure been found. However, new research and major court decisions have emerged to explain further what may contribute to the developmental disabilities of the brain known as "autism spectrum disorders" or ASDs.

One thing that has been known for a while is that there is not one type of autism, but rather several types under the autism umbrella, including Asperger's syndrome, classic autism and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). More and more doctors and researchers are referring to autism as autisms (plural) because each child's case is different, as are the causes, helpful therapies and potential future cures. iReport.com: Does autism touch your life?

While the past year hasn't yielded definitive answers, new information about what may or may not cause autism, prevalence and accompanying issues like paying for treatment have made headlines.

Here are just a few:

Do vaccines cause autism?

In 1998, a theory emerged that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine caused autism, the theory being that the vaccine lingered in the gut, causing gastrointestinal problems, and that those GI problems led to autism.

A few years later, the very small study that was the basis of this theory was debunked and discredited. However, this did not quash the belief among many parents that vaccines caused autism, leading them to stop or delay immunizing their children.

Since the first World Autism Awareness Day last year, a couple of studies and a major court decision declared definitively that vaccines do not cause autism.

In September, researchers in the United States and Europe re-created the original 1998 study, even using one of the same laboratories to analyze their results. The study authors concluded that "no evidence" linked the MMR vaccine to autism or the GI problems.

While many experts said this study is conclusive and "puts the issue to rest," some groups that hold to the belief vaccines are the cause of autism called the research flawed.

Another study, published in the March 2009 issue of Pediatrics, provided an explanation of why the MMR vaccine does not cause GI problems and autism.

Daniel Campbell, a researcher at Vanderbilt University, suggested that he has found a reasonable explanation for why many children also have GI problems. According to his research, a genetic variation of a protein called MET contributes to both autism and GI problems, rather than GI problems causing autism.

In addition, a decision inside a courtroom rather than a laboratory drew the conclusion that the vaccines do not cause autism.

On February 12, a special vaccine court ruled in three test cases, representing more than 5,000 families, that the "combination of the thimerosal-containing vaccines and the MMR vaccine are not casual factors in the development of autism."

It's probably still too early to tell whether these rulings changed anyone's opinions. "I don't think they were important from the standpoint of changing the minds of those with firmly held beliefs regarding vaccines," said Dr. Bryan King, director of child psychiatry at Seattle Children's Hospital. He said that it will not be until we find credible causes for autism that people can leave this debate behind.

"We still support research that would potentially identify small groups with underlying medical or genetic conditions who may be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of vaccines," said Dr. Geraldine Dawson, the chief science officer of Autism Speaks, the nation's largest advocacy group.

"For the vast majority of kids, vaccines are safe and we support vaccine programs," Dawson said, adding that more research into vaccines is needed.

Are autism rates going up?

Using data from 2000 and 2002, the CDC released a report two years ago with the statistic that one in 150 8-year-olds have autism, up from the previous estimate of 1 in 166. What remains unclear is if the numbers really went up or if counting these children differently led to the increase.

According to a study done by the MIND Institute at the University of California-Davis and published in January, "The incidence of autism rose seven- to eightfold in California from the 1990s through the present."

"The incidence of autism has not yet plateaued," said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, lead author of the study. "We don't know the reason for the increase." But she said that expanding the definition of autism and greater awareness and diagnosis alone can't account for the increase. "Looking at the environmental cause of autism is the next logical step" to find more answers, she said.

A Danish study from December seems to suggest the opposite. It concluded that the shift in age at diagnosis, "especially the earlier diagnosis at younger ages, artificially inflated the observance of autism in younger children."

Dr. Max Wiznitzer, a child neurologist at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, has been treating children with autism for more than 30 years. He said he's still not quite convinced that the incidence is going up either. One explanation is that the way autism cases were counted in the CDC study and in the California study are not the same. "We need to investigate if there's a true rise," Wiznitzer said.

What are environmental factors?

In the past year, more has been said about exploring how environmental factors, in addition to genetic factors, may contribute to autism.

Hertz-Picciotto said environmental factors include anything that's not in the child's DNA, from viruses and bacteria to chemicals in the brain or personal care products. She said more research needs to be done.

CDC epidemiologist and autism researcher Diana Schendel said that any nongenetic factor, including a mother's illness during pregnancy or treatment of a baby in the hospital during or after birth, are other possible environmental factors.

The CDC is conducting a five-year study at six sites looking at genetic and environmental risk factors for autism.

Autism Speaks also said studies should look more closely at environmental factors. "Everything from vitamin D to folic acid, a mother's health condition or pesticides" may play a role, said Dawson.

Her organization recently announced it is investing $5 million to fund studies on genetic and environmental risk factors for autism.

How to afford therapies?

Another issue that has gained momentum in the past year is how to pay for the therapies and treatment for children with autism and the now growing numbers of adults with autism.

Elizabeth Newman, Mia's mother, is helping raise $10,000 for five families in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, because she knows how difficult it is to pay for treatments that helped her daughter (more information at http://www.livingthemosaic.com/ ).

Wiznitzer said that one of the ongoing issues for the parents of the children he treats is "What will we do with them as adults?" He said there is an urgent need for developing programs for adults with autism to be productive rather than putting them in institutions.

Most of the 8-year-olds who were counted in the CDC study in 2000 are now becoming young adults. However, there are few programs to help them when they are too old to receive therapies through the educational system.

Dawson said she's encouraged to see the Obama administration earmark $211 million for autism research and more.

According to the 2010 federal budget proposal, "the president is committed to expanding support for individuals, families, and communities affected by ASD."

"One of the things that Obama featured in his plan is money toward adult services," Dawson said.

Wil's mom wants her adult son to be the best he can and the happiest he can -- but she also wants him to be a productive citizen.

"I want to get a job," Wil said. "I want to be a designer -- I will have to learn how to be a designer." He hopes to go to a college with special programs for students with disabilities. He's already designed business cards for a few people; his mom hopes this might be something he could do professionally in the future.

Aside from doing the morally right thing, Jane Searing said, funding more programs for adults with autism makes economic sense.

"If you get them employed, you won't have to pay for them forever," Searing said, adding it's much better to "turn these people into taxpayers instead of tax takers."

text: CNN

text: William

text: Searing

text: is

text: an

text: Eagle

text: Scout

text: who

text: loves

text: hiking

text: adventure

text: art

text: and

text: sports

text: At

text: age

text: he

text: 's

text: in

text: an

text: education

text: program

text: that

text: bridges

text: the

text: gap

text: from

text: high

text: school

text: to

text: getting

text: a

text: job

text: Wil

text: has

text: autism

text: Doctors

text: diagnosed

text: Wil

text: Searing

text: with

text: autism

text: when

text: was

text: months

text: old

text: The

text: neurological

text: disorder

text: was

text: diagnosed

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: months

text: old

text: Mia

text: Newman

text: 's

text: epilepsy

text: and

text: autism

text: were

text: n't

text: diagnosed

text: until

text: she

text: was

text: almost

text: years

text: old

text: Now

text: she

text: and

text: her

text: family

text: still

text: face

text: many

text: challenges

text: in

text: coping

text: with

text: her

text: conditions

text: It

text: 's

text: been

text: a

text: year

text: since

text: the

text: first

text: U.N

text: declared

text: World

text: Autism

text: Awareness

text: Day

text: In

text: those

text: past

text: days

text: nobody

text: has

text: discovered

text: the

text: cause

text: of

text: autism

text: which

text: the

text: most

text: recent

text: statistics

text: from

text: the

text: Centers

text: for

text: Disease

text: Control

text: and

text: Prevention

text: suggest

text: affects

text: one

text: in

text: children

text: Nor

text: has

text: a

text: cure

text: been

text: found

text: However

text: new

text: research

text: and

text: major

text: court

text: decisions

text: have

text: emerged

text: to

text: explain

text: further

text: what

text: may

text: contribute

text: to

text: the

text: developmental

text: disabilities

text: of

text: the

text: brain

text: known

text: as

text: autism

text: spectrum

text: disorders

text: or

text: ASDs

text: One

text: thing

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: known

text: for

text: a

text: while

text: is

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: not

text: one

text: type

text: of

text: autism

text: but

text: rather

text: several

text: types

text: under

text: the

text: autism

text: umbrella

text: including

text: Asperger

text: 's

text: syndrome

text: classic

text: autism

text: and

text: pervasive

text: developmental

text: disorder

text: not

text: otherwise

text: specified

text: PDD

text: NOS

text: More

text: and

text: more

text: doctors

text: and

text: researchers

text: are

text: referring

text: to

text: autism

text: as

text: autisms

text: plural

text: because

text: each

text: child

text: 's

text: case

text: is

text: different

text: as

text: are

text: the

text: causes

text: helpful

text: therapies

text: and

text: potential

text: future

text: cures

text: iReport.com

text: Does

text: autism

text: touch

text: your

text: life

text: While

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: has

text: n't

text: yielded

text: definitive

text: answers

text: new

text: information

text: about

text: what

text: may

text: or

text: may

text: not

text: cause

text: autism

text: prevalence

text: and

text: accompanying

text: issues

text: like

text: paying

text: for

text: treatment

text: have

text: made

text: headlines

text: Here

text: are

text: just

text: a

text: few

text: Do

text: vaccines

text: cause

text: autism

text: In

text: a

text: theory

text: emerged

text: that

text: the

text: measles

text: mumps

text: rubella

text: MMR

text: vaccine

text: caused

text: autism

text: the

text: theory

text: being

text: that

text: the

text: vaccine

text: lingered

text: in

text: the

text: gut

text: causing

text: gastrointestinal

text: problems

text: and

text: that

text: those

text: GI

text: problems

text: led

text: to

text: autism

text: A

text: few

text: years

text: later

text: the

text: very

text: small

text: study

text: that

text: was

text: the

text: basis

text: of

text: this

text: theory

text: was

text: debunked

text: and

text: discredited

text: However

text: this

text: did

text: not

text: quash

text: the

text: belief

text: among

text: many

text: parents

text: that

text: vaccines

text: caused

text: autism

text: leading

text: them

text: to

text: stop

text: or

text: delay

text: immunizing

text: their

text: children

text: Since

text: the

text: first

text: World

text: Autism

text: Awareness

text: Day

text: last

text: year

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: studies

text: and

text: a

text: major

text: court

text: decision

text: declared

text: definitively

text: that

text: vaccines

text: do

text: not

text: cause

text: autism

text: In

text: September

text: researchers

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Europe

text: re

text: created

text: the

text: original

text: study

text: even

text: using

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: same

text: laboratories

text: to

text: analyze

text: their

text: results

text: The

text: study

text: authors

text: concluded

text: that

text: no

text: evidence

text: linked

text: the

text: MMR

text: vaccine

text: to

text: autism

text: or

text: the

text: GI

text: problems

text: While

text: many

text: experts

text: said

text: this

text: study

text: is

text: conclusive

text: and

text: puts

text: the

text: issue

text: to

text: rest

text: some

text: groups

text: that

text: hold

text: to

text: the

text: belief

text: vaccines

text: are

text: the

text: cause

text: of

text: autism

text: called

text: the

text: research

text: flawed

text: Another

text: study

text: published

text: in

text: the

text: March

text: issue

text: of

text: Pediatrics

text: provided

text: an

text: explanation

text: of

text: why

text: the

text: MMR

text: vaccine

text: does

text: not

text: cause

text: GI

text: problems

text: and

text: autism

text: Daniel

text: Campbell

text: a

text: researcher

text: at

text: Vanderbilt

text: University

text: suggested

text: that

text: he

text: has

text: found

text: a

text: reasonable

text: explanation

text: for

text: why

text: many

text: children

text: also

text: have

text: GI

text: problems

text: According

text: to

text: his

text: research

text: a

text: genetic

text: variation

text: of

text: a

text: protein

text: called

text: MET

text: contributes

text: to

text: both

text: autism

text: and

text: GI

text: problems

text: rather

text: than

text: GI

text: problems

text: causing

text: autism

text: In

text: addition

text: a

text: decision

text: inside

text: a

text: courtroom

text: rather

text: than

text: a

text: laboratory

text: drew

text: the

text: conclusion

text: that

text: the

text: vaccines

text: do

text: not

text: cause

text: autism

text: On

text: February

text: a

text: special

text: vaccine

text: court

text: ruled

text: in

text: three

text: test

text: cases

text: representing

text: more

text: than

text: families

text: that

text: the

text: combination

text: of

text: the

text: thimerosal

text: containing

text: vaccines

text: and

text: the

text: MMR

text: vaccine

text: are

text: not

text: casual

text: factors

text: in

text: the

text: development

text: of

text: autism

text: It

text: 's

text: probably

text: still

text: too

text: early

text: to

text: tell

text: whether

text: these

text: rulings

text: changed

text: anyone

text: 's

text: opinions

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: think

text: they

text: were

text: important

text: from

text: the

text: standpoint

text: of

text: changing

text: the

text: minds

text: of

text: those

text: with

text: firmly

text: held

text: beliefs

text: regarding

text: vaccines

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Bryan

text: King

text: director

text: of

text: child

text: psychiatry

text: at

text: Seattle

text: Children

text: 's

text: Hospital

text: He

text: said

text: that

text: it

text: will

text: not

text: be

text: until

text: we

text: find

text: credible

text: causes

text: for

text: autism

text: that

text: people

text: can

text: leave

text: this

text: debate

text: behind

text: We

text: still

text: support

text: research

text: that

text: would

text: potentially

text: identify

text: small

text: groups

text: with

text: underlying

text: medical

text: or

text: genetic

text: conditions

text: who

text: may

text: be

text: more

text: vulnerable

text: to

text: the

text: adverse

text: effects

text: of

text: vaccines

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Geraldine

text: Dawson

text: the

text: chief

text: science

text: officer

text: of

text: Autism

text: Speaks

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: largest

text: advocacy

text: group

text: For

text: the

text: vast

text: majority

text: of

text: kids

text: vaccines

text: are

text: safe

text: and

text: we

text: support

text: vaccine

text: programs

text: Dawson

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: more

text: research

text: into

text: vaccines

text: is

text: needed

text: Are

text: autism

text: rates

text: going

text: up

text: Using

text: data

text: from

text: and

text: the

text: CDC

text: released

text: a

text: report

text: two

text: years

text: ago

text: with

text: the

text: statistic

text: that

text: one

text: in

text: olds

text: have

text: autism

text: up

text: from

text: the

text: previous

text: estimate

text: of

text: in

text: What

text: remains

text: unclear

text: is

text: if

text: the

text: numbers

text: really

text: went

text: up

text: or

text: if

text: counting

text: these

text: children

text: differently

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: increase

text: According

text: to

text: a

text: study

text: done

text: by

text: the

text: MIND

text: Institute

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: California

text: Davis

text: and

text: published

text: in

text: January

text: The

text: incidence

text: of

text: autism

text: rose

text: seven-

text: to

text: eightfold

text: in

text: California

text: from

text: the

text: through

text: the

text: present

text: The

text: incidence

text: of

text: autism

text: has

text: not

text: yet

text: plateaued

text: said

text: Irva

text: Hertz

text: Picciotto

text: lead

text: author

text: of

text: the

text: study

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: the

text: reason

text: for

text: the

text: increase

text: But

text: she

text: said

text: that

text: expanding

text: the

text: definition

text: of

text: autism

text: and

text: greater

text: awareness

text: and

text: diagnosis

text: alone

text: ca

text: n't

text: account

text: for

text: the

text: increase

text: Looking

text: at

text: the

text: environmental

text: cause

text: of

text: autism

text: is

text: the

text: next

text: logical

text: step

text: to

text: find

text: more

text: answers

text: she

text: said

text: A

text: Danish

text: study

text: from

text: December

text: seems

text: to

text: suggest

text: the

text: opposite

text: It

text: concluded

text: that

text: the

text: shift

text: in

text: age

text: at

text: diagnosis

text: especially

text: the

text: earlier

text: diagnosis

text: at

text: younger

text: ages

text: artificially

text: inflated

text: the

text: observance

text: of

text: autism

text: in

text: younger

text: children

text: Dr.

text: Max

text: Wiznitzer

text: a

text: child

text: neurologist

text: at

text: Rainbow

text: Babies

text: Children

text: 's

text: Hospital

text: in

text: Cleveland

text: Ohio

text: has

text: been

text: treating

text: children

text: with

text: autism

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: 's

text: still

text: not

text: quite

text: convinced

text: that

text: the

text: incidence

text: is

text: going

text: up

text: either

text: One

text: explanation

text: is

text: that

text: the

text: way

text: autism

text: cases

text: were

text: counted

text: in

text: the

text: CDC

text: study

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: California

text: study

text: are

text: not

text: the

text: same

text: We

text: need

text: to

text: investigate

text: if

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: true

text: rise

text: Wiznitzer

text: said

text: What

text: are

text: environmental

text: factors

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: more

text: has

text: been

text: said

text: about

text: exploring

text: how

text: environmental

text: factors

text: in

text: addition

text: to

text: genetic

text: factors

text: may

text: contribute

text: to

text: autism

text: Hertz

text: Picciotto

text: said

text: environmental

text: factors

text: include

text: anything

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: in

text: the

text: child

text: 's

text: DNA

text: from

text: viruses

text: and

text: bacteria

text: to

text: chemicals

text: in

text: the

text: brain

text: or

text: personal

text: care

text: products

text: She

text: said

text: more

text: research

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: CDC

text: epidemiologist

text: and

text: autism

text: researcher

text: Diana

text: Schendel

text: said

text: that

text: any

text: nongenetic

text: factor

text: including

text: a

text: mother

text: 's

text: illness

text: during

text: pregnancy

text: or

text: treatment

text: of

text: a

text: baby

text: in

text: the

text: hospital

text: during

text: or

text: after

text: birth

text: are

text: other

text: possible

text: environmental

text: factors

text: The

text: CDC

text: is

text: conducting

text: a

text: five

text: year

text: study

text: at

text: six

text: sites

text: looking

text: at

text: genetic

text: and

text: environmental

text: risk

text: factors

text: for

text: autism

text: Autism

text: Speaks

text: also

text: said

text: studies

text: should

text: look

text: more

text: closely

text: at

text: environmental

text: factors

text: Everything

text: from

text: vitamin

text: D

text: to

text: folic

text: acid

text: a

text: mother

text: 's

text: health

text: condition

text: or

text: pesticides

text: may

text: play

text: a

text: role

text: said

text: Dawson

text: Her

text: organization

text: recently

text: announced

text: it

text: is

text: investing

text: million

text: to

text: fund

text: studies

text: on

text: genetic

text: and

text: environmental

text: risk

text: factors

text: for

text: autism

text: How

text: to

text: afford

text: therapies

text: Another

text: issue

text: that

text: has

text: gained

text: momentum

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: is

text: how

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: the

text: therapies

text: and

text: treatment

text: for

text: children

text: with

text: autism

text: and

text: the

text: now

text: growing

text: numbers

text: of

text: adults

text: with

text: autism

text: Elizabeth

text: Newman

text: Mia

text: 's

text: mother

text: is

text: helping

text: raise

text: for

text: five

text: families

text: in

text: her

text: hometown

text: of

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: because

text: she

text: knows

text: how

text: difficult

text: it

text: is

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: treatments

text: that

text: helped

text: her

text: daughter

text: more

text: information

text: at

text: Wiznitzer

text: said

text: that

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: ongoing

text: issues

text: for

text: the

text: parents

text: of

text: the

text: children

text: he

text: treats

text: is

text: What

text: will

text: we

text: do

text: with

text: them

text: as

text: adults

text: He

text: said

text: there

text: is

text: an

text: urgent

text: need

text: for

text: developing

text: programs

text: for

text: adults

text: with

text: autism

text: to

text: be

text: productive

text: rather

text: than

text: putting

text: them

text: in

text: institutions

text: Most

text: of

text: the

text: olds

text: who

text: were

text: counted

text: in

text: the

text: CDC

text: study

text: in

text: are

text: now

text: becoming

text: young

text: adults

text: However

text: there

text: are

text: few

text: programs

text: to

text: help

text: them

text: when

text: they

text: are

text: too

text: old

text: to

text: receive

text: therapies

text: through

text: the

text: educational

text: system

text: Dawson

text: said

text: she

text: 's

text: encouraged

text: to

text: see

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: earmark

text: million

text: for

text: autism

text: research

text: and

text: more

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: federal

text: budget

text: proposal

text: the

text: president

text: is

text: committed

text: to

text: expanding

text: support

text: for

text: individuals

text: families

text: and

text: communities

text: affected

text: by

text: ASD

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: things

text: that

text: Obama

text: featured

text: in

text: his

text: plan

text: is

text: money

text: toward

text: adult

text: services

text: Dawson

text: said

text: Wil

text: 's

text: mom

text: wants

text: her

text: adult

text: son

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: best

text: he

text: can

text: and

text: the

text: happiest

text: he

text: can

text: but

text: she

text: also

text: wants

text: him

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: productive

text: citizen

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: get

text: a

text: job

text: Wil

text: said

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: designer

text: I

text: will

text: have

text: to

text: learn

text: how

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: designer

text: He

text: hopes

text: to

text: go

text: to

text: a

text: college

text: with

text: special

text: programs

text: for

text: students

text: with

text: disabilities

text: He

text: 's

text: already

text: designed

text: business

text: cards

text: for

text: a

text: few

text: people

text: his

text: mom

text: hopes

text: this

text: might

text: be

text: something

text: he

text: could

text: do

text: professionally

text: in

text: the

text: future

text: Aside

text: from

text: doing

text: the

text: morally

text: right

text: thing

text: Jane

text: Searing

text: said

text: funding

text: more

text: programs

text: for

text: adults

text: with

text: autism

text: makes

text: economic

text: sense

text: If

text: you

text: get

text: them

text: employed

text: you

text: wo

text: n't

text: have

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: them

text: forever

text: Searing

text: said

text: adding

text: it

text: 's

text: much

text: better

text: to

text: turn

text: these

text: people

text: into

text: taxpayers

text: instead

text: of

text: tax

text: takers


text:
(CNN) -- French parachutist Michel Fournier vowed Tuesday to try again to launch a record-breaking skydive in August, hours after a "freak" accident over Canada aborted his second attempt to do so.

Michel Fournier tests his equipment a few days before his attempt to break four world records.

"I'm not about to give up," the 64-year-old adventurer said of his shot at setting a world record for the highest jump and fastest, longest free fall by a man riding a balloon.

Tuesday's attempt was thwarted when an electrical charge broke the cable connecting the balloon to the gondola, causing it to slip away from his ground crew and rise into the Saskatchewan skies over North Battleford.

"The question is, why was it electrically activated?" said Michel Chevalet, a balloon expert working on Fournier's technical team.

He suggested that static electricity may have been to blame but that it had been an unforeseen possibility. "Unexpected freak accidents do happen," he said.  Watch report on Michel Fournier's failed free-fall quest Â»

Fournier said the failure came as a blow. "It was like having a hammer over the head," he said.  Watch Fournier talk about trying again Â»

The former paratrooper had hoped his "Big Jump" would start 40 kilometers (25 miles) above the Earth's surface.

But his hopes dissipated over the Canadian prairie shortly after 5 a.m. (7 a.m. ET), when the balloon took off before his capsule could be attached.

Still clad in his bright yellow pressure suit, a visibly frustrated Fournier waved away cameras after his balloon's abrupt departure. It drifted back to the ground about 40 km away.

Fournier says he spent nearly 12.7 million euros ($20 million) on his quest, a risky endeavor that French authorities refused to allow him to attempt over France. Canadian authorities approved the mission over the town of North Battleford, in sparsely populated Saskatchewan.

The town's mayor, Julian Sadlowski, said Monday's failure was "a disappointment."

"I thought this was going to be the day that we saw history made in the Battlefords," he said.

Balloon trouble also doomed Fournier's effort to break the record in 2003.

Fournier holds the French record for the highest parachute jump at 12,000 meters (40,000 feet). He says his next chance is in August because that is when the jet stream will next be favorable.

The "Big Jump" will collect data that will help astronauts and others survive at high altitudes, he says.

Fournier estimated that Tuesday's failed effort cost him and his sponsors about 600,000 euros ($946,000).

text: CNN

text: French

text: parachutist

text: Michel

text: Fournier

text: vowed

text: Tuesday

text: to

text: try

text: again

text: to

text: launch

text: a

text: record

text: breaking

text: skydive

text: in

text: August

text: hours

text: after

text: a

text: freak

text: accident

text: over

text: Canada

text: aborted

text: his

text: second

text: attempt

text: to

text: do

text: so

text: Michel

text: Fournier

text: tests

text: his

text: equipment

text: a

text: few

text: days

text: before

text: his

text: attempt

text: to

text: break

text: four

text: world

text: records

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: about

text: to

text: give

text: up

text: the

text: old

text: adventurer

text: said

text: of

text: his

text: shot

text: at

text: setting

text: a

text: world

text: record

text: for

text: the

text: highest

text: jump

text: and

text: fastest

text: longest

text: free

text: fall

text: by

text: a

text: man

text: riding

text: a

text: balloon

text: Tuesday

text: 's

text: attempt

text: was

text: thwarted

text: when

text: an

text: electrical

text: charge

text: broke

text: the

text: cable

text: connecting

text: the

text: balloon

text: to

text: the

text: gondola

text: causing

text: it

text: to

text: slip

text: away

text: from

text: his

text: ground

text: crew

text: and

text: rise

text: into

text: the

text: Saskatchewan

text: skies

text: over

text: North

text: Battleford

text: The

text: question

text: is

text: why

text: was

text: it

text: electrically

text: activated

text: said

text: Michel

text: Chevalet

text: a

text: balloon

text: expert

text: working

text: on

text: Fournier

text: 's

text: technical

text: team

text: He

text: suggested

text: that

text: static

text: electricity

text: may

text: have

text: been

text: to

text: blame

text: but

text: that

text: it

text: had

text: been

text: an

text: unforeseen

text: possibility

text: Unexpected

text: freak

text: accidents

text: do

text: happen

text: he

text: said

text: Watch

text: report

text: on

text: Michel

text: Fournier

text: 's

text: failed

text: free

text: fall

text: quest

text: Â

text: Fournier

text: said

text: the

text: failure

text: came

text: as

text: a

text: blow

text: It

text: was

text: like

text: having

text: a

text: hammer

text: over

text: the

text: head

text: he

text: said

text: Watch

text: Fournier

text: talk

text: about

text: trying

text: again

text: Â

text: The

text: former

text: paratrooper

text: had

text: hoped

text: his

text: Big

text: Jump

text: would

text: start

text: kilometers

text: miles

text: above

text: the

text: Earth

text: 's

text: surface

text: But

text: his

text: hopes

text: dissipated

text: over

text: the

text: Canadian

text: prairie

text: shortly

text: after

text: a.m.

text: a.m.

text: ET

text: when

text: the

text: balloon

text: took

text: off

text: before

text: his

text: capsule

text: could

text: be

text: attached

text: Still

text: clad

text: in

text: his

text: bright

text: yellow

text: pressure

text: suit

text: a

text: visibly

text: frustrated

text: Fournier

text: waved

text: away

text: cameras

text: after

text: his

text: balloon

text: 's

text: abrupt

text: departure

text: It

text: drifted

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: ground

text: about

text: km

text: away

text: Fournier

text: says

text: he

text: spent

text: nearly

text: million

text: euros

text: million

text: on

text: his

text: quest

text: a

text: risky

text: endeavor

text: that

text: French

text: authorities

text: refused

text: to

text: allow

text: him

text: to

text: attempt

text: over

text: France

text: Canadian

text: authorities

text: approved

text: the

text: mission

text: over

text: the

text: town

text: of

text: North

text: Battleford

text: in

text: sparsely

text: populated

text: Saskatchewan

text: The

text: town

text: 's

text: mayor

text: Julian

text: Sadlowski

text: said

text: Monday

text: 's

text: failure

text: was

text: a

text: disappointment

text: I

text: thought

text: this

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: day

text: that

text: we

text: saw

text: history

text: made

text: in

text: the

text: Battlefords

text: he

text: said

text: Balloon

text: trouble

text: also

text: doomed

text: Fournier

text: 's

text: effort

text: to

text: break

text: the

text: record

text: in

text: Fournier

text: holds

text: the

text: French

text: record

text: for

text: the

text: highest

text: parachute

text: jump

text: at

text: meters

text: feet

text: He

text: says

text: his

text: next

text: chance

text: is

text: in

text: August

text: because

text: that

text: is

text: when

text: the

text: jet

text: stream

text: will

text: next

text: be

text: favorable

text: The

text: Big

text: Jump

text: will

text: collect

text: data

text: that

text: will

text: help

text: astronauts

text: and

text: others

text: survive

text: at

text: high

text: altitudes

text: he

text: says

text: Fournier

text: estimated

text: that

text: Tuesday

text: 's

text: failed

text: effort

text: cost

text: him

text: and

text: his

text: sponsors

text: about

text: euros

question: What age is Michel Fournier?

answer: 64-year-old

question: What does Fournier do?

answer: parachutist

text: parachutist

question: what was broken?

answer: the cable connecting the balloon to the gondola,

text: the cable connecting the balloon to the gondola,

question: What is his nationality?

answer: French

text: French

question: who will be jumping?

answer: parachutist Michel Fournier

text: parachutist Michel Fournier

question: what record was attempted?

answer: the highest jump and fastest, longest free fall by a man riding a balloon.

text: the highest jump and fastest, longest free fall by a man riding a balloon.

question: Will he try for the record again?

answer: "I'm not about to give up,"

text: "I'm not about to give up,"

question: What was the free fall record?

answer: t 12,000 meters (40,000 feet)

text: t 12,000 meters (40,000 feet)


text:
Editor's note: Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a member of the San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board, a nationally syndicated columnist and a regular contributor to CNN.com. Read his column here.

Ruben Navarrette Jr. says President Felipe Calderon's war on drugs remains a noble battle for the soul of Mexico.

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- It has nothing to do with Michael Jackson or Sarah Palin, but there's a big story brewing south of the border to which Americans should pay close attention.

Like a monster that refuses to die, Mexico's once-disgraced Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, made a convincing comeback in last weekend's midterm elections. The PRI recaptured its majority in the 500-member Chamber of Deputies and won five of six governorships up for grabs.

The rival National Action Party, or PAN, which had controlled the legislative branch since 2000, suffered heavy losses. German Martinez, president of the PAN, resigned this week after taking responsibility for the electoral failures.

Political observers on both sides of the border are calling the elections results a no-confidence vote in the Mexican economy and a significant rebuke to President Felipe Calderon's admirable but all-consuming war against the drug cartels.

Calderon -- who is in the PAN -- is halfway through a six-year term, so he wasn't on the ballot.

The presidency is next on the ballot in 2012, and observers think that the fact that the PRI aced its midterms sets the party up nicely to accomplish something that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago: retake the top job that it held for much of the 20th century -- 71 years, to be precise -- through corruption and intimidation.

In 2000, the PAN's Vicente Fox broke that streak and reintroduced democracy in Mexico. Calderon squeaked out a narrow victory against a third-party candidate in 2006.

The Harvard-educated lawyer and economist immediately and bravely took the fight to drug lords across the country, unleashing the military in a conflict that has so far killed more than 10,000 Mexicans with no end in sight.

And there are now serious issues -- as spelled out this week in The Washington Post -- involving allegations of torture, forced disappearances and other abuse by the Mexican military as it seeks to retaliate for the killing of soldiers and other terrorist acts committed by the drug cartels.

The Obama administration, which has pledged to support Calderon's drug war, would no doubt like to put an end to this alleged behavior before paying out the remainder of the $1.4 billion in aid to Mexico that Congress approved in the Merida Initiative.

The trouble is that President Obama has been reluctant to make human rights demands of an adversary such as Iran, which could make it hard to lean on a friend such as Mexico. And as Mexican human rights activists point out, the U.S. government is in a difficult position to preach against torture given that it is accused of using it in Iraq, Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Still, Calderon's war remains a noble battle for the soul of Mexico. And there's evidence that the drug cartels are feeling the pinch. Unable to move their product to customers in Canada and the United States, the cartels are growing desperate.

The Calderon government is seizing so much of the product and arresting or killing so many drug traffickers, that profits are slipping. The drug lords are forced to import more guns from the United States at higher prices and channel more drug shipments to Mexican customers, who pay lower prices than the cartels could charge Americans if the drugs were making their way north.

This is bad news for the traffickers. But it's great news for the Mexican people, even if they don't know it. Judging from reports in the Mexican press, many Mexicans -- while supportive of the drug war -- think it ultimately will fail, and they're tired of the violence. Many fault Calderon for, in a popular metaphor, "stirring the hornet's nest."

Meanwhile, although the PRI didn't explicitly campaign on a platform of being anti-drug war, the implied message was that returning the party to power could return tranquillity and security to Mexico. Good luck with that, amigos. Guess what? The hornets aren't going back in the nest.

Calderon should get to the bottom of allegations of military abuse and punish any offenders. But he should also press ahead. And, if the PRI tries to get in the way by, say, limiting the resources to fight the drug war, then Calderon should paint the party as trying to appease the cartels at the expense of Mexico.

The PRI was so preoccupied with gaining power as it did in the past that it forgot that what leadership is really about is taking responsibility for the future. Here's its chance.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Ruben

text: Navarrette

text: Jr.

text: is

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: San

text: Diego

text: Union

text: Tribune

text: editorial

text: board

text: a

text: nationally

text: syndicated

text: columnist

text: and

text: a

text: regular

text: contributor

text: to

text: CNN.com

text: Read

text: his

text: column

text: here

text: Ruben

text: Navarrette

text: Jr.

text: says

text: President

text: Felipe

text: Calderon

text: 's

text: war

text: on

text: drugs

text: remains

text: a

text: noble

text: battle

text: for

text: the

text: soul

text: of

text: Mexico

text: SAN

text: DIEGO

text: California

text: CNN

text: It

text: has

text: nothing

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: Michael

text: Jackson

text: or

text: Sarah

text: Palin

text: but

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: big

text: story

text: brewing

text: south

text: of

text: the

text: border

text: to

text: which

text: Americans

text: should

text: pay

text: close

text: attention

text: Like

text: a

text: monster

text: that

text: refuses

text: to

text: die

text: Mexico

text: 's

text: once

text: disgraced

text: Institutional

text: Revolutionary

text: Party

text: or

text: PRI

text: made

text: a

text: convincing

text: comeback

text: in

text: last

text: weekend

text: 's

text: midterm

text: elections

text: The

text: PRI

text: recaptured

text: its

text: majority

text: in

text: the

text: Chamber

text: of

text: Deputies

text: and

text: won

text: five

text: of

text: six

text: governorships

text: up

text: for

text: grabs

text: The

text: rival

text: National

text: Action

text: Party

text: or

text: PAN

text: which

text: had

text: controlled

text: the

text: legislative

text: branch

text: since

text: suffered

text: heavy

text: losses

text: German

text: Martinez

text: president

text: of

text: the

text: PAN

text: resigned

text: this

text: week

text: after

text: taking

text: responsibility

text: for

text: the

text: electoral

text: failures

text: Political

text: observers

text: on

text: both

text: sides

text: of

text: the

text: border

text: are

text: calling

text: the

text: elections

text: results

text: a

text: no

text: confidence

text: vote

text: in

text: the

text: Mexican

text: economy

text: and

text: a

text: significant

text: rebuke

text: to

text: President

text: Felipe

text: Calderon

text: 's

text: admirable

text: but

text: all

text: consuming

text: war

text: against

text: the

text: drug

text: cartels

text: Calderon

text: who

text: is

text: in

text: the

text: PAN

text: is

text: halfway

text: through

text: a

text: six

text: year

text: term

text: so

text: he

text: was

text: n't

text: on

text: the

text: ballot

text: The

text: presidency

text: is

text: next

text: on

text: the

text: ballot

text: in

text: and

text: observers

text: think

text: that

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: the

text: PRI

text: aced

text: its

text: midterms

text: sets

text: the

text: party

text: up

text: nicely

text: to

text: accomplish

text: something

text: that

text: seemed

text: unthinkable

text: just

text: a

text: few

text: years

text: ago

text: retake

text: the

text: top

text: job

text: that

text: it

text: held

text: for

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: century

text: years

text: to

text: be

text: precise

text: through

text: corruption

text: and

text: intimidation

text: In

text: the

text: PAN

text: 's

text: Vicente

text: Fox

text: broke

text: that

text: streak

text: and

text: reintroduced

text: democracy

text: in

text: Mexico

text: Calderon

text: squeaked

text: out

text: a

text: narrow

text: victory

text: against

text: a

text: third

text: party

text: candidate

text: in

text: The

text: Harvard

text: educated

text: lawyer

text: and

text: economist

text: immediately

text: and

text: bravely

text: took

text: the

text: fight

text: to

text: drug

text: lords

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: unleashing

text: the

text: military

text: in

text: a

text: conflict

text: that

text: has

text: so

text: far

text: killed

text: more

text: than

text: Mexicans

text: with

text: no

text: end

text: in

text: sight

text: And

text: there

text: are

text: now

text: serious

text: issues

text: as

text: spelled

text: out

text: this

text: week

text: in

text: The

text: Washington

text: Post

text: involving

text: allegations

text: of

text: torture

text: forced

text: disappearances

text: and

text: other

text: abuse

text: by

text: the

text: Mexican

text: military

text: as

text: it

text: seeks

text: to

text: retaliate

text: for

text: the

text: killing

text: of

text: soldiers

text: and

text: other

text: terrorist

text: acts

text: committed

text: by

text: the

text: drug

text: cartels

text: The

text: Obama

text: administration

text: which

text: has

text: pledged

text: to

text: support

text: Calderon

text: 's

text: drug

text: war

text: would

text: no

text: doubt

text: like

text: to

text: put

text: an

text: end

text: to

text: this

text: alleged

text: behavior

text: before

text: paying

text: out

text: the

text: remainder

text: of

text: the

text: billion

text: in

text: aid

text: to

text: Mexico

text: that

text: Congress

text: approved

text: in

text: the

text: Merida

text: Initiative

text: The

text: trouble

text: is

text: that

text: President

text: Obama

text: has

text: been

text: reluctant

text: to

text: make

text: human

text: rights

text: demands

text: of

text: an

text: adversary

text: such

text: as

text: Iran

text: which

text: could

text: make

text: it

text: hard

text: to

text: lean

text: on

text: a

text: friend

text: such

text: as

text: Mexico

text: And

text: as

text: Mexican

text: human

text: rights

text: activists

text: point

text: out

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: is

text: in

text: a

text: difficult

text: position

text: to

text: preach

text: against

text: torture

text: given

text: that

text: it

text: is

text: accused

text: of

text: using

text: it

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: at

text: Guantanamo

text: Bay

text: Cuba

text: Still

text: Calderon

text: 's

text: war

text: remains

text: a

text: noble

text: battle

text: for

text: the

text: soul

text: of

text: Mexico

text: And

text: there

text: 's

text: evidence

text: that

text: the

text: drug

text: cartels

text: are

text: feeling

text: the

text: pinch

text: Unable

text: to

text: move

text: their

text: product

text: to

text: customers

text: in

text: Canada

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: the

text: cartels

text: are

text: growing

text: desperate

text: The

text: Calderon

text: government

text: is

text: seizing

text: so

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: product

text: and

text: arresting

text: or

text: killing

text: so

text: many

text: drug

text: traffickers

text: that

text: profits

text: are

text: slipping

text: The

text: drug

text: lords

text: are

text: forced

text: to

text: import

text: more

text: guns

text: from

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: at

text: higher

text: prices

text: and

text: channel

text: more

text: drug

text: shipments

text: to

text: Mexican

text: customers

text: who

text: pay

text: lower

text: prices

text: than

text: the

text: cartels

text: could

text: charge

text: Americans

text: if

text: the

text: drugs

text: were

text: making

text: their

text: way

text: north

text: This

text: is

text: bad

text: news

text: for

text: the

text: traffickers

text: But

text: it

text: 's

text: great

text: news

text: for

text: the

text: Mexican

text: people

text: even

text: if

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: it

text: Judging

text: from

text: reports

text: in

text: the

text: Mexican

text: press

text: many

text: Mexicans

text: while

text: supportive

text: of

text: the

text: drug

text: war

text: think

text: it

text: ultimately

text: will

text: fail

text: and

text: they

text: 're

text: tired

text: of

text: the

text: violence

text: Many

text: fault

text: Calderon

text: for

text: in

text: a

text: popular

text: metaphor

text: stirring

text: the

text: hornet

text: 's

text: nest

text: Meanwhile

text: although

text: the

text: PRI

text: did

text: n't

text: explicitly

text: campaign

text: on

text: a

text: platform

text: of

text: being

text: anti

text: drug

text: war

text: the

text: implied

text: message

text: was

text: that

text: returning

text: the

text: party

text: to

text: power

text: could

text: return

text: tranquillity

text: and

text: security

text: to

text: Mexico

text: Good

text: luck

text: with

text: that

text: amigos

text: Guess

text: what

text: The

text: hornets

text: are

text: n't

text: going

text: back

text: in

text: the

text: nest

text: Calderon

text: should

text: get

text: to

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: allegations

text: of

text: military

text: abuse

text: and

text: punish

text: any

text: offenders

text: But

text: he

text: should

text: also

text: press

text: ahead

text: And

text: if

text: the

text: PRI

text: tries

text: to

text: get

text: in

text: the

text: way

text: by

text: say

text: limiting

text: the

text: resources

text: to

text: fight

text: the

text: drug

text: war

text: then

text: Calderon

text: should

text: paint

text: the

text: party

text: as

text: trying

text: to

text: appease

text: the

text: cartels

text: at

text: the

text: expense

text: of

text: Mexico

text: The

text: PRI

text: was

text: so

text: preoccupied

text: with

text: gaining

text: power

text: as

text: it

text: did

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: that

text: it

text: forgot

text: that

text: what

text: leadership

text: is

text: really

text: about

text: is

text: taking

text: responsibility

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: Here

text: 's

text: its

text: chance

question: What are drug dealers feeling?

answer: the pinch.

text: the pinch.

question: What does Ruben Navarrette Jr. say?

answer: President Felipe Calderon's war on drugs remains a noble battle for the soul of Mexico.

text: President Felipe Calderon's war on drugs remains a noble battle for the soul of Mexico.

question: Who faults Calderon for stirring up violence with the war on drugs?

answer: Ruben Navarrette Jr.

text: Ruben Navarrette Jr.

question: What is the name of the Mexican leader?

answer: President Felipe Calderon's

text: President Felipe Calderon's


text:
(CNN) -- Australia's cricketers will pay tribute to Jane McGrath at their one-day international against West Indies in St Vincent on Tuesday.

Jane McGrath died on Sunday at the age of 42.

The English-born wife of former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath, died on Sunday, aged 42, after a long battle with cancer.

The McGraths had two children, James, who is eight, and Holly six.

The Australian players will wear pink ribbons and batsmen will use pink grips on their bats.

The color pink represents the McGrath Foundation, an organization set up by the McGraths to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.

The McGraths were recognized for their charity work this year when they were appointed as Members of the Order of Australia.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said: "Jane was a wonderful person who fought and maintained grace and dignity during her long-term illness."

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said: "Jane was an inspiration, whose legacy will continue to benefit so many others."

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, best man at the McGrath's 1999 wedding, said: "Courage is often associated with feats on a sport field but the true meaning of it lies elsewhere and someone like Jane best exemplifies that."

text: CNN

text: Australia

text: 's

text: cricketers

text: will

text: pay

text: tribute

text: to

text: Jane

text: McGrath

text: at

text: their

text: one

text: day

text: international

text: against

text: West

text: Indies

text: in

text: St

text: Vincent

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: Jane

text: McGrath

text: died

text: on

text: Sunday

text: at

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: The

text: English

text: born

text: wife

text: of

text: former

text: Australia

text: fast

text: bowler

text: Glenn

text: McGrath

text: died

text: on

text: Sunday

text: aged

text: after

text: a

text: long

text: battle

text: with

text: cancer

text: The

text: McGraths

text: had

text: two

text: children

text: James

text: who

text: is

text: eight

text: and

text: Holly

text: six

text: The

text: Australian

text: players

text: will

text: wear

text: pink

text: ribbons

text: and

text: batsmen

text: will

text: use

text: pink

text: grips

text: on

text: their

text: bats

text: The

text: color

text: pink

text: represents

text: the

text: McGrath

text: Foundation

text: an

text: organization

text: set

text: up

text: by

text: the

text: McGraths

text: to

text: raise

text: money

text: for

text: the

text: fight

text: against

text: breast

text: cancer

text: The

text: McGraths

text: were

text: recognized

text: for

text: their

text: charity

text: work

text: this

text: year

text: when

text: they

text: were

text: appointed

text: as

text: Members

text: of

text: the

text: Order

text: of

text: Australia

text: Australia

text: captain

text: Ricky

text: Ponting

text: said

text: Jane

text: was

text: a

text: wonderful

text: person

text: who

text: fought

text: and

text: maintained

text: grace

text: and

text: dignity

text: during

text: her

text: long

text: term

text: illness

text: Australian

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Kevin

text: Rudd

text: said

text: Jane

text: was

text: an

text: inspiration

text: whose

text: legacy

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: benefit

text: so

text: many

text: others

text: Former

text: Australia

text: captain

text: Steve

text: Waugh

text: best

text: man

text: at

text: the

text: McGrath

text: 's

text: wedding

text: said

text: Courage

text: is

text: often

text: associated

text: with

text: feats

text: on

text: a

text: sport

text: field

text: but

text: the

text: true

text: meaning

text: of

text: it

text: lies

text: elsewhere

text: and

text: someone

text: like

text: Jane

text: best

text: exemplifies

text: that

question: What will the players wear?

answer: pink ribbons

text: pink ribbons

question: What is the color of the McGrath Foundation?

answer: pink

text: pink

question: What disease killed her?

answer: cancer.

text: cancer.

question: Who is being paid tribute to?

answer: Jane McGrath

text: Jane McGrath

question: Who was her husband?

answer: Glenn McGrath,

text: Glenn McGrath,

question: who are they playing tribute to

answer: Jane McGrath

text: Jane McGrath

question: What killed Jane McGrath

answer: cancer.

text: cancer.

question: what did she die from

answer: cancer.

text: cancer.

question: What age did she die at?

answer: 42.

question: When did Jane McGrath die.

answer: Sunday

text: Sunday

question: What color ribbons will the player wear for the McGrath foundation

answer: pink

text: pink


text:
(CNN) -- A predicted busy hurricane season this summer is on a collision course with an unprecedented oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the results are anyone's guess, weather experts say.

"The problem is that this is a man-made experiment we wish we hadn't made," said Jenni Evans, a professor of meteorology at Penn State University.

Scientists on Thursday said as much as 19,000 barrels of oil have been spewing every day from the BP well in the Gulf, making it the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Most of the oily water lies off the coast of Louisiana, where marshes and wildlife have been coated and the state's fishing and tourism industries have taken direct hits.

Not only is it hard to track how contaminants would be redistributed by a hurricane, but it's also hard to predict how the slick would affect the storm, NOAA Public Affairs Officer Dennis Feltgen and Evans agreed.

Evans said the storm could either move the oil along the water's surface or it could mix the oil with the water and cause it to sink. If the oil moved horizontally, the shoreline would be polluted, she said. If it moved vertically, the marine life under the surface would suffer.

The oil could slow the storm's growth, Feltgen said. Evaporated ocean water fuels hurricanes, and the oil forming a film across the Gulf could buffer the water from the air, preventing the ocean water from feeding the hurricane, he said.

But other scientists say the storms could be stronger than usual because the black oil would heat the water faster and accelerate formation of hurricanes, which rely on warm waters for their development, Evans said.

CNN meteorologist Chad Meyers said there was another threat from the volatile mix of hurricanes and oil: storm surge.

"All the winds would be coming here," he said, indicating the coast on a map, "and there would be storm surge here. All the winds would be going this way, and there would be scouring and cleaning of the beaches on this side. But the storm surge that could make its way up and bring the oil miles inland could be completely contaminating the oil inland."

Oil in the Gulf coast isn't the only worry for hurricane forecasters this year: In earthquake-devastated Haiti, roughly 1.5 million displaced people are at risk. They are living under tarps and in tents in makeshift camps.

In Haiti, aid agencies relocated about 20,000 people who were vulnerable to flooding and mudslides when the rainy season began. But it is impossible to hurricane-proof the congested tent cities that many are calling home right now, said Heather Paul, CEO of  the aid program SOS Children's Villages.

Paul's program is working to provide permanent, stable homes to orphans in the form of polypropylene shelters. While her program's anchored shelters have the greatest potential to withstand strong winds, the outlook appears grim for many Port-Au-Prince residents.

"It's only short of a miracle to prepare these people for hurricane season," she said.

text: CNN

text: A

text: predicted

text: busy

text: hurricane

text: season

text: this

text: summer

text: is

text: on

text: a

text: collision

text: course

text: with

text: an

text: unprecedented

text: oil

text: spill

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: and

text: the

text: results

text: are

text: anyone

text: 's

text: guess

text: weather

text: experts

text: say

text: The

text: problem

text: is

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: a

text: man

text: made

text: experiment

text: we

text: wish

text: we

text: had

text: n't

text: made

text: said

text: Jenni

text: Evans

text: a

text: professor

text: of

text: meteorology

text: at

text: Penn

text: State

text: University

text: Scientists

text: on

text: Thursday

text: said

text: as

text: much

text: as

text: barrels

text: of

text: oil

text: have

text: been

text: spewing

text: every

text: day

text: from

text: the

text: BP

text: well

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: making

text: it

text: the

text: largest

text: oil

text: spill

text: in

text: U.S.

text: history

text: Most

text: of

text: the

text: oily

text: water

text: lies

text: off

text: the

text: coast

text: of

text: Louisiana

text: where

text: marshes

text: and

text: wildlife

text: have

text: been

text: coated

text: and

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: fishing

text: and

text: tourism

text: industries

text: have

text: taken

text: direct

text: hits

text: Not

text: only

text: is

text: it

text: hard

text: to

text: track

text: how

text: contaminants

text: would

text: be

text: redistributed

text: by

text: a

text: hurricane

text: but

text: it

text: 's

text: also

text: hard

text: to

text: predict

text: how

text: the

text: slick

text: would

text: affect

text: the

text: storm

text: NOAA

text: Public

text: Affairs

text: Officer

text: Dennis

text: Feltgen

text: and

text: Evans

text: agreed

text: Evans

text: said

text: the

text: storm

text: could

text: either

text: move

text: the

text: oil

text: along

text: the

text: water

text: 's

text: surface

text: or

text: it

text: could

text: mix

text: the

text: oil

text: with

text: the

text: water

text: and

text: cause

text: it

text: to

text: sink

text: If

text: the

text: oil

text: moved

text: horizontally

text: the

text: shoreline

text: would

text: be

text: polluted

text: she

text: said

text: If

text: it

text: moved

text: vertically

text: the

text: marine

text: life

text: under

text: the

text: surface

text: would

text: suffer

text: The

text: oil

text: could

text: slow

text: the

text: storm

text: 's

text: growth

text: Feltgen

text: said

text: Evaporated

text: ocean

text: water

text: fuels

text: hurricanes

text: and

text: the

text: oil

text: forming

text: a

text: film

text: across

text: the

text: Gulf

text: could

text: buffer

text: the

text: water

text: from

text: the

text: air

text: preventing

text: the

text: ocean

text: water

text: from

text: feeding

text: the

text: hurricane

text: he

text: said

text: But

text: other

text: scientists

text: say

text: the

text: storms

text: could

text: be

text: stronger

text: than

text: usual

text: because

text: the

text: black

text: oil

text: would

text: heat

text: the

text: water

text: faster

text: and

text: accelerate

text: formation

text: of

text: hurricanes

text: which

text: rely

text: on

text: warm

text: waters

text: for

text: their

text: development

text: Evans

text: said

text: CNN

text: meteorologist

text: Chad

text: Meyers

text: said

text: there

text: was

text: another

text: threat

text: from

text: the

text: volatile

text: mix

text: of

text: hurricanes

text: and

text: oil

text: storm

text: surge

text: All

text: the

text: winds

text: would

text: be

text: coming

text: here

text: he

text: said

text: indicating

text: the

text: coast

text: on

text: a

text: map

text: and

text: there

text: would

text: be

text: storm

text: surge

text: here

text: All

text: the

text: winds

text: would

text: be

text: going

text: this

text: way

text: and

text: there

text: would

text: be

text: scouring

text: and

text: cleaning

text: of

text: the

text: beaches

text: on

text: this

text: side

text: But

text: the

text: storm

text: surge

text: that

text: could

text: make

text: its

text: way

text: up

text: and

text: bring

text: the

text: oil

text: miles

text: inland

text: could

text: be

text: completely

text: contaminating

text: the

text: oil

text: inland

text: Oil

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: coast

text: is

text: n't

text: the

text: only

text: worry

text: for

text: hurricane

text: forecasters

text: this

text: year

text: In

text: earthquake

text: devastated

text: Haiti

text: roughly

text: million

text: displaced

text: people

text: are

text: at

text: risk

text: They

text: are

text: living

text: under

text: tarps

text: and

text: in

text: tents

text: in

text: makeshift

text: camps

text: In

text: Haiti

text: aid

text: agencies

text: relocated

text: about

text: people

text: who

text: were

text: vulnerable

text: to

text: flooding

text: and

text: mudslides

text: when

text: the

text: rainy

text: season

text: began

text: But

text: it

text: is

text: impossible

text: to

text: hurricane

text: proof

text: the

text: congested

text: tent

text: cities

text: that

text: many

text: are

text: calling

text: home

text: right

text: now

text: said

text: Heather

text: Paul

text: CEO

text: of

text: the

text: aid

text: program

text: SOS

text: Children

text: 's

text: Villages

text: Paul

text: 's

text: program

text: is

text: working

text: to

text: provide

text: permanent

text: stable

text: homes

text: to

text: orphans

text: in

text: the

text: form

text: of

text: polypropylene

text: shelters

text: While

text: her

text: program

text: 's

text: anchored

text: shelters

text: have

text: the

text: greatest

text: potential

text: to

text: withstand

text: strong

text: winds

text: the

text: outlook

text: appears

text: grim

text: for

text: many

text: Port

text: Au

text: Prince

text: residents

text: It

text: 's

text: only

text: short

text: of

text: a

text: miracle

text: to

text: prepare

text: these

text: people

text: for

text: hurricane

text: season

text: she

text: said

question: What could the oil do to the storm?

answer: would heat the water faster and accelerate formation of hurricanes,

text: would heat the water faster and accelerate formation of hurricanes,

question: Could storm surge force oil ashore?

answer: make its way up and bring the

text: make its way up and bring the

question: What could oil do to the storm?

answer: growth,

text: growth,

question: Would hurricanes pile on problems?

answer: the results are anyone's guess,

text: the results are anyone's guess,

question: What could the storm surge do?

answer: be completely contaminating the oil inland."

text: be completely contaminating the oil inland."

question: What could a storm surge do to the oil from the oil spill?

answer: be completely contaminating the

text: be completely contaminating the

question: What will the oil do?

answer: spill in the Gulf of Mexico,

text: spill in the Gulf of Mexico,


text:
(CNN) -- Former Weather Underground militant Bill Ayers will appear at the University of Wyoming on Wednesday after a federal judge ruled he can't be barred from speaking on campus.

U.S. District Judge William Downes ordered Tuesday that the university must take "all prudent steps" to guarantee Ayers' security at his lecture.

The university had argued that "serious threats" prompted it to cancel the appearance by Ayers, who is now a University of Illinois education professor.

Downes' two-page order requires university officials to take "all prudent steps to maintain order and provide for the security of participants and spectators." University officials won't appeal the order, said spokeswoman Jessica Lowell.

University President Tom Buchanan said the school "will do everything in our power to provide a safe and secure environment for his visit."

Ayers became a footnote to the 2008 presidential campaign because of his history of violent opposition to the Vietnam War and his acquaintance with then-candidate Barack Obama.

Some prominent Republicans suggested that Ayers was a shadowy influence on Obama during his 2008 presidential bid. GOP presidential candidate John McCain urged Obama to "come clean" about his relationship with Ayers and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists."

Ayers and Obama served on the Annenberg Challenge board and on the board of another Chicago, Illinois, charitable foundation, the Woods Fund, in the 1990s. A CNN review of the two men's history found nothing inappropriate in their dealings, and Ayers later called the attacks "a profoundly dishonest narrative."

David Lane, a lawyer for Ayers and University of Wyoming student Meghan Lanker, called Tuesday's ruling "inspirational" and "a huge victory for the First Amendment."

Ayers was scheduled to speak on education issues at the university in early April, but the longstanding invitation drew controversy as the date neared. Republican candidates for governor condemned the school for inviting him, and in court papers Lanker stated she was told Ayers' appearance "would inflame public sentiments" and hurt the university.

But university officials said they pulled the plug because they had "serious threats and other information concerning potential violence" and argued that Ayers could speak freely somewhere else.

"The UW administration did not bar Ayers from campus, but denied permission to rent space for a large event on university property because of serious security concerns," Buchanan said on the school's website.

Ayers was a leader of the Weather Underground, a radical anti-war group that claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon and about 20 other targets. No one died in those attacks, though three Weather Underground members blew themselves up building another bomb in 1970.

Ayers and his wife, fellow Weather Underground member Bernadine Dohrn, spent a decade on the run before surrendering to authorities in 1980. The charges against him were dropped due to illegal wiretaps and prosecutorial misconduct.

text: CNN

text: Former

text: Weather

text: Underground

text: militant

text: Bill

text: Ayers

text: will

text: appear

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Wyoming

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: after

text: a

text: federal

text: judge

text: ruled

text: he

text: ca

text: n't

text: be

text: barred

text: from

text: speaking

text: on

text: campus

text: U.S.

text: District

text: Judge

text: William

text: Downes

text: ordered

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: the

text: university

text: must

text: take

text: all

text: prudent

text: steps

text: to

text: guarantee

text: Ayers

text: security

text: at

text: his

text: lecture

text: The

text: university

text: had

text: argued

text: that

text: serious

text: threats

text: prompted

text: it

text: to

text: cancel

text: the

text: appearance

text: by

text: Ayers

text: who

text: is

text: now

text: a

text: University

text: of

text: Illinois

text: education

text: professor

text: Downes

text: two

text: page

text: order

text: requires

text: university

text: officials

text: to

text: take

text: all

text: prudent

text: steps

text: to

text: maintain

text: order

text: and

text: provide

text: for

text: the

text: security

text: of

text: participants

text: and

text: spectators

text: University

text: officials

text: wo

text: n't

text: appeal

text: the

text: order

text: said

text: spokeswoman

text: Jessica

text: Lowell

text: University

text: President

text: Tom

text: Buchanan

text: said

text: the

text: school

text: will

text: do

text: everything

text: in

text: our

text: power

text: to

text: provide

text: a

text: safe

text: and

text: secure

text: environment

text: for

text: his

text: visit

text: Ayers

text: became

text: a

text: footnote

text: to

text: the

text: presidential

text: campaign

text: because

text: of

text: his

text: history

text: of

text: violent

text: opposition

text: to

text: the

text: Vietnam

text: War

text: and

text: his

text: acquaintance

text: with

text: then

text: candidate

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: Some

text: prominent

text: Republicans

text: suggested

text: that

text: Ayers

text: was

text: a

text: shadowy

text: influence

text: on

text: Obama

text: during

text: his

text: presidential

text: bid

text: GOP

text: presidential

text: candidate

text: John

text: McCain

text: urged

text: Obama

text: to

text: come

text: clean

text: about

text: his

text: relationship

text: with

text: Ayers

text: and

text: vice

text: presidential

text: nominee

text: Sarah

text: Palin

text: accused

text: Obama

text: of

text: palling

text: around

text: with

text: terrorists

text: Ayers

text: and

text: Obama

text: served

text: on

text: the

text: Annenberg

text: Challenge

text: board

text: and

text: on

text: the

text: board

text: of

text: another

text: Chicago

text: Illinois

text: charitable

text: foundation

text: the

text: Woods

text: Fund

text: in

text: the

text: A

text: CNN

text: review

text: of

text: the

text: two

text: men

text: 's

text: history

text: found

text: nothing

text: inappropriate

text: in

text: their

text: dealings

text: and

text: Ayers

text: later

text: called

text: the

text: attacks

text: a

text: profoundly

text: dishonest

text: narrative

text: David

text: Lane

text: a

text: lawyer

text: for

text: Ayers

text: and

text: University

text: of

text: Wyoming

text: student

text: Meghan

text: Lanker

text: called

text: Tuesday

text: 's

text: ruling

text: inspirational

text: and

text: a

text: huge

text: victory

text: for

text: the

text: First

text: Amendment

text: Ayers

text: was

text: scheduled

text: to

text: speak

text: on

text: education

text: issues

text: at

text: the

text: university

text: in

text: early

text: April

text: but

text: the

text: longstanding

text: invitation

text: drew

text: controversy

text: as

text: the

text: date

text: neared

text: Republican

text: candidates

text: for

text: governor

text: condemned

text: the

text: school

text: for

text: inviting

text: him

text: and

text: in

text: court

text: papers

text: Lanker

text: stated

text: she

text: was

text: told

text: Ayers

text: appearance

text: would

text: inflame

text: public

text: sentiments

text: and

text: hurt

text: the

text: university

text: But

text: university

text: officials

text: said

text: they

text: pulled

text: the

text: plug

text: because

text: they

text: had

text: serious

text: threats

text: and

text: other

text: information

text: concerning

text: potential

text: violence

text: and

text: argued

text: that

text: Ayers

text: could

text: speak

text: freely

text: somewhere

text: else

text: The

text: UW

text: administration

text: did

text: not

text: bar

text: Ayers

text: from

text: campus

text: but

text: denied

text: permission

text: to

text: rent

text: space

text: for

text: a

text: large

text: event

text: on

text: university

text: property

text: because

text: of

text: serious

text: security

text: concerns

text: Buchanan

text: said

text: on

text: the

text: school

text: 's

text: website

text: Ayers

text: was

text: a

text: leader

text: of

text: the

text: Weather

text: Underground

text: a

text: radical

text: anti

text: war

text: group

text: that

text: claimed

text: responsibility

text: for

text: bomb

text: attacks

text: on

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Capitol

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: and

text: about

text: other

text: targets

text: No

text: one

text: died

text: in

text: those

text: attacks

text: though

text: three

text: Weather

text: Underground

text: members

text: blew

text: themselves

text: up

text: building

text: another

text: bomb

text: in

text: Ayers

text: and

text: his

text: wife

text: fellow

text: Weather

text: Underground

text: member

text: Bernadine

text: Dohrn

text: spent

text: a

text: decade

text: on

text: the

text: run

text: before

text: surrendering

text: to

text: authorities

text: in

text: The

text: charges

text: against

text: him

text: were

text: dropped

text: due

text: to

text: illegal

text: wiretaps

text: and

text: prosecutorial

text: misconduct

question: What university is William Ayers going to speak at?

answer: of Wyoming

text: of Wyoming

question: who is the former leader of the Weather Underground?

answer: Bill Ayers

text: Bill Ayers

question: What is Ayers the former leader of?

answer: the Weather Underground,

text: the Weather Underground,

question: What caused the speech to be canceled?

answer: "serious threats"

text: "serious threats"

question: what was canceled over security concerns?

answer: the appearance by Ayers,

text: the appearance by Ayers,

question: what is Ayers is former leader of ?

answer: Weather Underground

text: Weather Underground

question: who orders university to allow ex-radical William Ayers to speak?

answer: Downes

text: Downes