text:
(CNN)  -- Two people were killed and three others were in critical condition Saturday when a truck carrying fireworks on North Carolina's Outer Banks exploded, officials said.

Smoke from the explosion of a truck carrying fireworks rises over Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, Saturday.

Jamie Tunnell, Hyde County spokeswoman, said the fireworks were to be used for the annual Fourth of July show on Ocracoke Island, and the five people were members of the crew setting up the display.

The truck exploded at the Ocracoke Island docks.

One person was killed at the scene, while another died at a hospital from injuries sustained in the blast, Tunnell said.

Emergency crews and firefighters arrived. Tunnell said two volunteer firefighters were being treated for smoke inhalation and exhaustion.

Joseph Chestnut, 16, was working at the Ride the Wind kayak-rental stand in Ocracoke when he heard the explosion across the harbor. He thought a home under construction had collapsed, he told CNN's iReport. iReport.com: Smoke rises from explosion site

"I saw all these fireworks blowing up," he said. "They were low, and I knew that something was wrong."  Watch images from the scene Â»

"It was just really scary. There's never been an accident like that before that I've seen here," Chestnut added.

The Hatteras Island ferry service was temporarily suspended, but had reopened by midday, and Highway 12 was clear, she said. The island, which is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, can be reached only by ferry, private boat or plane.

The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were going to investigate on Saturday, she said.

text: CNN

text: Two

text: people

text: were

text: killed

text: and

text: three

text: others

text: were

text: in

text: critical

text: condition

text: Saturday

text: when

text: a

text: truck

text: carrying

text: fireworks

text: on

text: North

text: Carolina

text: 's

text: Outer

text: Banks

text: exploded

text: officials

text: said

text: Smoke

text: from

text: the

text: explosion

text: of

text: a

text: truck

text: carrying

text: fireworks

text: rises

text: over

text: Ocracoke

text: Island

text: North

text: Carolina

text: Saturday

text: Jamie

text: Tunnell

text: Hyde

text: County

text: spokeswoman

text: said

text: the

text: fireworks

text: were

text: to

text: be

text: used

text: for

text: the

text: annual

text: Fourth

text: of

text: July

text: show

text: on

text: Ocracoke

text: Island

text: and

text: the

text: five

text: people

text: were

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: crew

text: setting

text: up

text: the

text: display

text: The

text: truck

text: exploded

text: at

text: the

text: Ocracoke

text: Island

text: docks

text: One

text: person

text: was

text: killed

text: at

text: the

text: scene

text: while

text: another

text: died

text: at

text: a

text: hospital

text: from

text: injuries

text: sustained

text: in

text: the

text: blast

text: Tunnell

text: said

text: Emergency

text: crews

text: and

text: firefighters

text: arrived

text: Tunnell

text: said

text: two

text: volunteer

text: firefighters

text: were

text: being

text: treated

text: for

text: smoke

text: inhalation

text: and

text: exhaustion

text: Joseph

text: Chestnut

text: was

text: working

text: at

text: the

text: Ride

text: the

text: Wind

text: kayak

text: rental

text: stand

text: in

text: Ocracoke

text: when

text: he

text: heard

text: the

text: explosion

text: across

text: the

text: harbor

text: He

text: thought

text: a

text: home

text: under

text: construction

text: had

text: collapsed

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: iReport

text: iReport.com

text: Smoke

text: rises

text: from

text: explosion

text: site

text: I

text: saw

text: all

text: these

text: fireworks

text: blowing

text: up

text: he

text: said

text: They

text: were

text: low

text: and

text: I

text: knew

text: that

text: something

text: was

text: wrong

text: Watch

text: images

text: from

text: the

text: scene

text: Â

text: It

text: was

text: just

text: really

text: scary

text: There

text: 's

text: never

text: been

text: an

text: accident

text: like

text: that

text: before

text: that

text: I

text: 've

text: seen

text: here

text: Chestnut

text: added

text: The

text: Hatteras

text: Island

text: ferry

text: service

text: was

text: temporarily

text: suspended

text: but

text: had

text: reopened

text: by

text: midday

text: and

text: Highway

text: was

text: clear

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: island

text: which

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: Cape

text: Hatteras

text: National

text: Seashore

text: can

text: be

text: reached

text: only

text: by

text: ferry

text: private

text: boat

text: or

text: plane

text: The

text: FBI

text: and

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Bureau

text: of

text: Alcohol

text: Tobacco

text: Firearms

text: and

text: Explosives

text: were

text: going

text: to

text: investigate

text: on

text: Saturday

text: she

text: said

question: What damage was after truck carrying fireworks exploded?

answer: Two people were killed

text: Two people were killed

question: What blew up at the Ocracoke Island docks?

answer: fireworks on North Carolina's Outer Banks exploded,

text: fireworks on North Carolina's Outer Banks exploded,

question: How many were killed?

answer: Two people

text: Two people

question: What were they going to do?

answer: investigate on Saturday,

text: investigate on Saturday,

question: What service suspended?

answer: Hatteras Island ferry

text: Hatteras Island ferry

question: What was suspended?

answer: Hatteras Island ferry service

text: Hatteras Island ferry service


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It was the U.S. government's version of the ticker in New York's Times Square, blasting Havana's main seaside strip with anti-Cuba slogans in 5-foot high crimson letters. It symbolized the tit-for-tat diplomatic row between Washington and Havana.

Cuban flags flutter in front of the U.S. interests section building in Havana in 2007.

But the ticker at the top of the U.S. interests section in Cuba has gone blank, yet another signal the past half-century of animosity between the two countries is easing.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the ticker was turned off in June because it was not considered "effective" as a means of delivering information to the Cuban people.

The scrolling electronic sign, fitted across 25 windows of the U.S. interests section, ran quotes from American heroes, such as Martin Luther King's "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up," and Abraham Lincoln's "No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent."

It also streamed news and political messages that blamed Cuba's everyday problems on the communist regime led by Fidel Castro and the island's socialist economy. The island's transportation woes, for example, were the topics of jabs such as, "Some go around in Mercedes, some in (Russian-built) Ladas, but the system forces almost everyone to hitch rides."

The sign -- erected in 2006 by the Bush administration and billed as a way to circumvent censorship and, the administration said, offer hope and freedom to Cubans oppressed by a brutal regime -- fueled a propaganda war with Fidel Castro, who referred to the U.S. interests section as "the headquarters of the counterrevolution."

Calling the ticker an assault on Cuba's sovereignty by an imperialist bully, an infuriated Fidel Castro marched 1 million Cubans past the interests section in protest, dug up the U.S. mission's parking lot and blocked the ticker by erecting anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags to commemorate victims of so-called U.S. aggression. He promised there would be no contact between U.S.-based diplomats in Havana and Cuba's foreign ministry until the sign came down.

Fidel's brother Raul Castro, who now rules Cuba, took down the anti-U.S. billboards this year as ties between the two countries improved. In April, President Obama lifted restrictions on Cuban-Americans traveling to the island and sending remittances to relatives there. And this month, U.S. and Cuban diplomats held their first talks since 2003 on Cuban migration to the United States.

The State Department's Kelly acknowledged most Cubans couldn't read the ticker because of the counter-propaganda erected by the Cubans. The "dueling billboards," Kelly said, were not promoting a productive U.S.-Cuba relationship.

Kelly said measures also announced by Obama in April to allow U.S. cell-phone networks and other telecommunication technology to operate on the island would do more to allow a free flow of information to the Cuban people.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: It

text: was

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: 's

text: version

text: of

text: the

text: ticker

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: 's

text: Times

text: Square

text: blasting

text: Havana

text: 's

text: main

text: seaside

text: strip

text: with

text: anti

text: Cuba

text: slogans

text: in

text: high

text: crimson

text: letters

text: It

text: symbolized

text: the

text: tit

text: for

text: tat

text: diplomatic

text: row

text: between

text: Washington

text: and

text: Havana

text: Cuban

text: flags

text: flutter

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: interests

text: section

text: building

text: in

text: Havana

text: in

text: But

text: the

text: ticker

text: at

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: interests

text: section

text: in

text: Cuba

text: has

text: gone

text: blank

text: yet

text: another

text: signal

text: the

text: past

text: half

text: century

text: of

text: animosity

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: is

text: easing

text: State

text: Department

text: spokesman

text: Ian

text: Kelly

text: said

text: the

text: ticker

text: was

text: turned

text: off

text: in

text: June

text: because

text: it

text: was

text: not

text: considered

text: effective

text: as

text: a

text: means

text: of

text: delivering

text: information

text: to

text: the

text: Cuban

text: people

text: The

text: scrolling

text: electronic

text: sign

text: fitted

text: across

text: windows

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: interests

text: section

text: ran

text: quotes

text: from

text: American

text: heroes

text: such

text: as

text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: 's

text: I

text: have

text: a

text: dream

text: that

text: one

text: day

text: this

text: nation

text: will

text: rise

text: up

text: and

text: Abraham

text: Lincoln

text: 's

text: No

text: man

text: is

text: good

text: enough

text: to

text: govern

text: another

text: man

text: without

text: that

text: other

text: 's

text: consent

text: It

text: also

text: streamed

text: news

text: and

text: political

text: messages

text: that

text: blamed

text: Cuba

text: 's

text: everyday

text: problems

text: on

text: the

text: communist

text: regime

text: led

text: by

text: Fidel

text: Castro

text: and

text: the

text: island

text: 's

text: socialist

text: economy

text: The

text: island

text: 's

text: transportation

text: woes

text: for

text: example

text: were

text: the

text: topics

text: of

text: jabs

text: such

text: as

text: Some

text: go

text: around

text: in

text: Mercedes

text: some

text: in

text: Russian

text: built

text: Ladas

text: but

text: the

text: system

text: forces

text: almost

text: everyone

text: to

text: hitch

text: rides

text: The

text: sign

text: erected

text: in

text: by

text: the

text: Bush

text: administration

text: and

text: billed

text: as

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: circumvent

text: censorship

text: and

text: the

text: administration

text: said

text: offer

text: hope

text: and

text: freedom

text: to

text: Cubans

text: oppressed

text: by

text: a

text: brutal

text: regime

text: fueled

text: a

text: propaganda

text: war

text: with

text: Fidel

text: Castro

text: who

text: referred

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: interests

text: section

text: as

text: the

text: headquarters

text: of

text: the

text: counterrevolution

text: Calling

text: the

text: ticker

text: an

text: assault

text: on

text: Cuba

text: 's

text: sovereignty

text: by

text: an

text: imperialist

text: bully

text: an

text: infuriated

text: Fidel

text: Castro

text: marched

text: million

text: Cubans

text: past

text: the

text: interests

text: section

text: in

text: protest

text: dug

text: up

text: the

text: U.S.

text: mission

text: 's

text: parking

text: lot

text: and

text: blocked

text: the

text: ticker

text: by

text: erecting

text: anti

text: U.S.

text: billboards

text: and

text: huge

text: black

text: flags

text: to

text: commemorate

text: victims

text: of

text: so

text: called

text: U.S.

text: aggression

text: He

text: promised

text: there

text: would

text: be

text: no

text: contact

text: between

text: U.S

text: based

text: diplomats

text: in

text: Havana

text: and

text: Cuba

text: 's

text: foreign

text: ministry

text: until

text: the

text: sign

text: came

text: down

text: Fidel

text: 's

text: brother

text: Raul

text: Castro

text: who

text: now

text: rules

text: Cuba

text: took

text: down

text: the

text: anti

text: U.S.

text: billboards

text: this

text: year

text: as

text: ties

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: improved

text: In

text: April

text: President

text: Obama

text: lifted

text: restrictions

text: on

text: Cuban

text: Americans

text: traveling

text: to

text: the

text: island

text: and

text: sending

text: remittances

text: to

text: relatives

text: there

text: And

text: this

text: month

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Cuban

text: diplomats

text: held

text: their

text: first

text: talks

text: since

text: on

text: Cuban

text: migration

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: The

text: State

text: Department

text: 's

text: Kelly

text: acknowledged

text: most

text: Cubans

text: could

text: n't

text: read

text: the

text: ticker

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: counter

text: propaganda

text: erected

text: by

text: the

text: Cubans

text: The

text: dueling

text: billboards

text: Kelly

text: said

text: were

text: not

text: promoting

text: a

text: productive

text: U.S

text: Cuba

text: relationship

text: Kelly

text: said

text: measures

text: also

text: announced

text: by

text: Obama

text: in

text: April

text: to

text: allow

text: U.S.

text: cell

text: phone

text: networks

text: and

text: other

text: telecommunication

text: technology

text: to

text: operate

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: would

text: do

text: more

text: to

text: allow

text: a

text: free

text: flow

text: of

text: information

text: to

text: the

text: Cuban

text: people

question: What did Cuba erect to block the sign?

answer: anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags

text: anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags

question: When were the signs erected

answer: 2006

question: what Electronic sign was put on U.S. interests section?

answer: scrolling

text: scrolling

question: Where was the electronic sign put?

answer: across 25 windows of the U.S. interests section,

text: across 25 windows of the U.S. interests section,

question: What did Cuba erect

answer: erecting anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags to commemorate victims of so-called U.S. aggression.

text: erecting anti-U.S. billboards and 138 huge black flags to commemorate victims of so-called U.S. aggression.

question: What has been deactivated

answer: the ticker

text: the ticker


text:
(CNN)  -- Rwandan troops have crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo to prepare for a joint operation with Congolese forces against a Hutu militia, the United Nations said.

At least 800,000 people are thought to have died during 100 days of violence in Rwanda in 1994.

"We can tell you there are Rwandan soldiers here, but I cannot confirm the numbers," said Madnodje Mounoubai, spokesman for the U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Rwandans will team up "with the Congolese forces," he said Wednesday. "The Rwandan forces are in a meeting with Congolese forces and the understanding is that in the meeting they are preparing a joint operation against the FDLR," or the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda.

The Rwanda News Agency reported that Rwanda has dispatched 1,917 soldiers.

Rwanda and Congo traditionally have been on different sides of the conflict in eastern Congo.

The struggle pits ethnic Tutsis, supported by Rwanda, against ethnic Hutu, backed by Congo.

The conflict is effectively an extension of the Rwandan genocide dating back to the early 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were killed in ethnic battles between minority Tutsi and majority Hutu.

According to a statement issued last week by the Rwandan government, the joint military operation is aimed at driving out the FDLR and former members of the Interhamwe militia, "remnants of those who spearheaded the 1994 genocide against Tutsis."

Michael Arunga, a Kenya-based spokesman for the World Vision aid organization, said his colleagues in Goma -- a city in eastern Congo -- told him that Rwandan troops arrived Tuesday morning in the village of Ishsha, outside of Goma.

Arunga said he had no knowledge of Rwandan troops being in Congo before.

A U.N. statement said the FDLR has been involved in clashes since late August mainly in North Kivu, "where the national army, the mainly Tutsi militia -- known as the CNDP -- and other rebel groups ... have fought in shifting alliances, uprooting around 250,000 civilians on top of the 800,000 already displaced by violence in recent years."  See photos from Mia Farrow's trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo Â»

A report by a U.N. Security Council panel last month said Rwanda and Congo were fighting a brutal proxy war for territory and precious natural resources in eastern Congo, and all parties involved in the conflict were using execution, rape and child soldiers as tools of war.

The report, filed by a panel of U.N. experts, "found evidence that Rwandan authorities have sent officers and units of the Rwanda Defense Forces" into Congo in support of Congo rebel leader Laurent Nkunda's fighters.

CNN's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Rwandan

text: troops

text: have

text: crossed

text: into

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Republic

text: of

text: Congo

text: to

text: prepare

text: for

text: a

text: joint

text: operation

text: with

text: Congolese

text: forces

text: against

text: a

text: Hutu

text: militia

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: said

text: At

text: least

text: people

text: are

text: thought

text: to

text: have

text: died

text: during

text: days

text: of

text: violence

text: in

text: Rwanda

text: in

text: We

text: can

text: tell

text: you

text: there

text: are

text: Rwandan

text: soldiers

text: here

text: but

text: I

text: can

text: not

text: confirm

text: the

text: numbers

text: said

text: Madnodje

text: Mounoubai

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: U.N.

text: mission

text: in

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Republic

text: of

text: Congo

text: The

text: Rwandans

text: will

text: team

text: up

text: with

text: the

text: Congolese

text: forces

text: he

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: Rwandan

text: forces

text: are

text: in

text: a

text: meeting

text: with

text: Congolese

text: forces

text: and

text: the

text: understanding

text: is

text: that

text: in

text: the

text: meeting

text: they

text: are

text: preparing

text: a

text: joint

text: operation

text: against

text: the

text: FDLR

text: or

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Liberation

text: Forces

text: of

text: Rwanda

text: The

text: Rwanda

text: News

text: Agency

text: reported

text: that

text: Rwanda

text: has

text: dispatched

text: soldiers

text: Rwanda

text: and

text: Congo

text: traditionally

text: have

text: been

text: on

text: different

text: sides

text: of

text: the

text: conflict

text: in

text: eastern

text: Congo

text: The

text: struggle

text: pits

text: ethnic

text: Tutsis

text: supported

text: by

text: Rwanda

text: against

text: ethnic

text: Hutu

text: backed

text: by

text: Congo

text: The

text: conflict

text: is

text: effectively

text: an

text: extension

text: of

text: the

text: Rwandan

text: genocide

text: dating

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: early

text: when

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: Rwandans

text: were

text: killed

text: in

text: ethnic

text: battles

text: between

text: minority

text: Tutsi

text: and

text: majority

text: Hutu

text: According

text: to

text: a

text: statement

text: issued

text: last

text: week

text: by

text: the

text: Rwandan

text: government

text: the

text: joint

text: military

text: operation

text: is

text: aimed

text: at

text: driving

text: out

text: the

text: FDLR

text: and

text: former

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Interhamwe

text: militia

text: remnants

text: of

text: those

text: who

text: spearheaded

text: the

text: genocide

text: against

text: Tutsis

text: Michael

text: Arunga

text: a

text: Kenya

text: based

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: World

text: Vision

text: aid

text: organization

text: said

text: his

text: colleagues

text: in

text: Goma

text: a

text: city

text: in

text: eastern

text: Congo

text: told

text: him

text: that

text: Rwandan

text: troops

text: arrived

text: Tuesday

text: morning

text: in

text: the

text: village

text: of

text: Ishsha

text: outside

text: of

text: Goma

text: Arunga

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: no

text: knowledge

text: of

text: Rwandan

text: troops

text: being

text: in

text: Congo

text: before

text: A

text: U.N.

text: statement

text: said

text: the

text: FDLR

text: has

text: been

text: involved

text: in

text: clashes

text: since

text: late

text: August

text: mainly

text: in

text: North

text: Kivu

text: where

text: the

text: national

text: army

text: the

text: mainly

text: Tutsi

text: militia

text: known

text: as

text: the

text: CNDP

text: and

text: other

text: rebel

text: groups

text: have

text: fought

text: in

text: shifting

text: alliances

text: uprooting

text: around

text: civilians

text: on

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: already

text: displaced

text: by

text: violence

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: See

text: photos

text: from

text: Mia

text: Farrow

text: 's

text: trip

text: to

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Republic

text: of

text: Congo

text: Â

text: A

text: report

text: by

text: a

text: U.N.

text: Security

text: Council

text: panel

text: last

text: month

text: said

text: Rwanda

text: and

text: Congo

text: were

text: fighting

text: a

text: brutal

text: proxy

text: war

text: for

text: territory

text: and

text: precious

text: natural

text: resources

text: in

text: eastern

text: Congo

text: and

text: all

text: parties

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: conflict

text: were

text: using

text: execution

text: rape

text: and

text: child

text: soldiers

text: as

text: tools

text: of

text: war

text: The

text: report

text: filed

text: by

text: a

text: panel

text: of

text: U.N.

text: experts

text: found

text: evidence

text: that

text: Rwandan

text: authorities

text: have

text: sent

text: officers

text: and

text: units

text: of

text: the

text: Rwanda

text: Defense

text: Forces

text: into

text: Congo

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: Congo

text: rebel

text: leader

text: Laurent

text: Nkunda

text: 's

text: fighters

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Carolina

text: Sanchez

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who are the Tutsis fighting?

answer: ethnic Hutu, backed

text: ethnic Hutu, backed

question: What is the conflict an extension of?

answer: of the Rwandan genocide

text: of the Rwandan genocide

question: Neighbors have been on different sides of what?

answer: conflict in eastern Congo.

text: conflict in eastern Congo.

question: What did Rwanda News Agency report?

answer: has dispatched 1,917 soldiers.

text: has dispatched 1,917 soldiers.

question: How many soldiers has Rwanda dispatched?

answer: 1,917

question: Number of soldiers Rwanda has dispatched?

answer: 1,917

question: The conflict is an extension of what?

answer: of the Rwandan genocide dating back to the early 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were killed in ethnic battles between minority Tutsi and majority Hutu.

text: of the Rwandan genocide dating back to the early 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were killed in ethnic battles between minority Tutsi and majority Hutu.

question: What conflict was considered genocide?

answer: ethnic battles between minority Tutsi and majority Hutu.

text: ethnic battles between minority Tutsi and majority Hutu.


text:
(Mental Floss) -- Have you ever been watching television and thought, "Wow, this soap opera is so good it could cause the downfall of a corrupt communist regime," or even, "I bet one day this show is going to send the first woman into space"? Well, maybe you're not giving the boob tube enough credit.

Popular television shows have influenced politics in the United States and around the world.

While others are busy blaming television for all of society's downfalls, we think it's time someone stood up for ye olde idiot box. After all, these 10 television shows didn't just entertain, they helped convince the world to get with the program.

1. "DALLAS"

The Show that Overthrew a Dictator

(Well, kind of.)

"Dallas" was one of the most popular TV shows in history -- and nowhere was it more talked about than in Nicolae Ceausescu's communist Romania. How did the soap opera get past Romanian censors? With help from "Dallas" leading man, J.R. Ewing, of course. Because J.R. was portrayed as a despicable oil baron, Ceausescu's government presumably decided the show must be anti-capitalist. Whatever the reasoning, "Dallas" became a runaway hit when it arrived in Romania in 1979. A series about wealthy, beautiful people (evil or not) was an inspiration to Romania's poor and dejected masses. Eventually, the government decided such Western television was a bad influence, and "Dallas" was taken off the air in 1981. But by then, it was too late. The fantasies of Western life lived on in the imaginations of Romanians, and in 1989, Ceausescu was overthrown during a public uprising. Not incidentally, the actor who played J.R., Larry Hagman, visited Romania some years later and was treated as a hero. In an interview following the experience, Hagman said, "People from Bucharest came up to me in the street with tears in their eyes saying, 'J.R. saved our country.' "

2. "SEE IT NOW"

The Show that Ended McCarthyism

If you know your 1950s history (or if you saw the movie "Good Night, and Good Luck"), you know the impact crusading journalist Edward R. Murrow had on American politics. His vehicle for galvanizing change? The current affairs show, "See It Now," which premiered in 1951.

Well known as a World War II radio correspondent, Murrow wasn't a fan of television initially. He wanted to go beyond the talking-head discussions and newsreels that filled most nightly news shows at the time. So when he finally decided to move forward with "See It Now," he did so on his own terms. The show's debut episode featured television's first live coast-to-coast transmission, which included a split-screen of the Brooklyn Bridge on one side and the Golden Gate on the other. Murrow also broke new ground by airing a day in the lives of Korean War soldiers. Of course, the show's most influential role was in exposing Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist fear campaign and opening Americans' eyes to the many lives and careers it was ruining. Thanks in part to fallout from Murrow's broadcast on March 9, 1954, the U.S. Senate reprimanded McCarthy for abusing his power, and McCarthyism came to an abrupt end.

Murrow wasn't afraid to take on rogue senators, and later, he proved he wasn't scared to take on Big Tobacco, either. Two episodes of "See It Now" explored the link between cigarettes and cancer -- a brave move, considering television depended heavily on tobacco sponsorships at the time. But perhaps Murrow had a personal interest in the story. A three-pack-a-day smoker who regularly appeared on camera with a cigarette in hand, Murrow died of lung cancer in 1965.

3. "GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER"

The Show that Turned Ronald Reagan into a Republican

In the early 1950s, film actor Ronald Reagan was at a low point in his career. So when Taft Schreiber, of the Music Corporation of America, got him a gig as the host of the anthology series "General Electric Theater," Reagan jumped at the opportunity. For $125,000 a year and part-ownership of the program, he not only hosted the show, but also toured America as a "goodwill ambassador" for the electricity giant, giving speeches to plant employees and acting as its public spokesperson.

By the time "General Electric Theater" was cancelled in 1962, Reagan was a new man. Turns out, all those years defending free enterprise for one of the nation's biggest multinational companies had transformed Reagan into one of America's leading conservative speakers. Although the actor had long been a Democrat, the Republican Schreiber convinced Reagan to change political parties. Four years later, the newly Republican Reagan was elected governor of California, and the rest is presidential history.

4. "CATHY COME HOME"

The Drama that Transformed the Welfare State

Directed by Ken Loach (who later became one of Britain's most respected filmmakers), the drama "Cathy Come Home" was a poignant episode of the BBC-1 anthology series The Wednesday Play. It told the tragic story of Cathy Ward, a young wife and mother who becomes the victim of Britain's welfare state. Going from working-class struggle to dire poverty, Cathy's journey begins when her husband loses his job following an accident and becomes unable to support the family. In a painful spiral toward destitution, Cathy suffers through various states of homelessness, separates from her husband, and eventually, has her children forcibly taken away from her by government council workers.

A truly horrifying story, its impact was compounded by the fact that "Cathy Come Home" was filmed in such a realistic style that some viewers thought it was a documentary. And although the Conservative Party government claimed the movie was "full of blunders," Labour Party politician Anthony Greenwood said the show should be "compulsory viewing once a month for the next five years." British audiences agreed, and "Cathy Come Home" was aired again shortly after. The ensuing public outrage helped bring major changes to British welfare law. Other nations followed suit, with similar reforms and charities.

5. "THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR"

The Show that Swung an Election

"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" was many things. It was the first network TV show to make fun of the Establishment, support America's counterculture, and have enough nerve to put blacklisted singers (such as Joan Baez and Pete Seeger) back on the air. Ironically, however, the show's major achievement might have been making Richard Nixon president.

As a gag, show star Pat Paulsen ran for office during the 1968 presidential election. "I'm consistently vague on the issues," announced Paulsen on national television, "and I'm continuing to make promises that I'll be unable to fulfill." Regardless of his humorous motives, Paulsen seemed to have a "Ralph Nader Effect," stealing 200,000 votes from the Democrats and helping to swing one of the closest elections in history. Thanks to Paulsen's efforts, Nixon narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey. "Hubert Humphrey told me I cost him the election," recalled Paulsen, "and he wasn't smiling when he said it." E-mail to a friend

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text: Mental

text: Floss

text: Have

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text: a

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text: anthology

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text: program

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text: time

text: General

text: Electric

text: Theater

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text: new

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text: Turns

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text: all

text: those

text: years

text: defending

text: free

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text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: biggest

text: multinational

text: companies

text: had

text: transformed

text: Reagan

text: into

text: one

text: of

text: America

text: 's

text: leading

text: conservative

text: speakers

text: Although

text: the

text: actor

text: had

text: long

text: been

text: a

text: Democrat

text: the

text: Republican

text: Schreiber

text: convinced

text: Reagan

text: to

text: change

text: political

text: parties

text: Four

text: years

text: later

text: the

text: newly

text: Republican

text: Reagan

text: was

text: elected

text: governor

text: of

text: California

text: and

text: the

text: rest

text: is

text: presidential

text: history

text: CATHY

text: COME

text: HOME

text: The

text: Drama

text: that

text: Transformed

text: the

text: Welfare

text: State

text: Directed

text: by

text: Ken

text: Loach

text: who

text: later

text: became

text: one

text: of

text: Britain

text: 's

text: most

text: respected

text: filmmakers

text: the

text: drama

text: Cathy

text: Come

text: Home

text: was

text: a

text: poignant

text: episode

text: of

text: the

text: anthology

text: series

text: The

text: Wednesday

text: Play

text: It

text: told

text: the

text: tragic

text: story

text: of

text: Cathy

text: Ward

text: a

text: young

text: wife

text: and

text: mother

text: who

text: becomes

text: the

text: victim

text: of

text: Britain

text: 's

text: welfare

text: state

text: Going

text: from

text: working

text: class

text: struggle

text: to

text: dire

text: poverty

text: Cathy

text: 's

text: journey

text: begins

text: when

text: her

text: husband

text: loses

text: his

text: job

text: following

text: an

text: accident

text: and

text: becomes

text: unable

text: to

text: support

text: the

text: family

text: In

text: a

text: painful

text: spiral

text: toward

text: destitution

text: Cathy

text: suffers

text: through

text: various

text: states

text: of

text: homelessness

text: separates

text: from

text: her

text: husband

text: and

text: eventually

text: has

text: her

text: children

text: forcibly

text: taken

text: away

text: from

text: her

text: by

text: government

text: council

text: workers

text: A

text: truly

text: horrifying

text: story

text: its

text: impact

text: was

text: compounded

text: by

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: Cathy

text: Come

text: Home

text: was

text: filmed

text: in

text: such

text: a

text: realistic

text: style

text: that

text: some

text: viewers

text: thought

text: it

text: was

text: a

text: documentary

text: And

text: although

text: the

text: Conservative

text: Party

text: government

text: claimed

text: the

text: movie

text: was

text: full

text: of

text: blunders

text: Labour

text: Party

text: politician

text: Anthony

text: Greenwood

text: said

text: the

text: show

text: should

text: be

text: compulsory

text: viewing

text: once

text: a

text: month

text: for

text: the

text: next

text: five

text: years

text: British

text: audiences

text: agreed

text: and

text: Cathy

text: Come

text: Home

text: was

text: aired

text: again

text: shortly

text: after

text: The

text: ensuing

text: public

text: outrage

text: helped

text: bring

text: major

text: changes

text: to

text: British

text: welfare

text: law

text: Other

text: nations

text: followed

text: suit

text: with

text: similar

text: reforms

text: and

text: charities

text: THE

text: SMOTHERS

text: BROTHERS

text: COMEDY

text: HOUR

text: The

text: Show

text: that

text: Swung

text: an

text: Election

text: The

text: Smothers

text: Brothers

text: Comedy

text: Hour

text: was

text: many

text: things

text: It

text: was

text: the

text: first

text: network

text: TV

text: show

text: to

text: make

text: fun

text: of

text: the

text: Establishment

text: support

text: America

text: 's

text: counterculture

text: and

text: have

text: enough

text: nerve

text: to

text: put

text: blacklisted

text: singers

text: such

text: as

text: Joan

text: Baez

text: and

text: Pete

text: Seeger

text: back

text: on

text: the

text: air

text: Ironically

text: however

text: the

text: show

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text: major

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text: have

text: been

text: making

text: Richard

text: Nixon

text: president

text: As

text: a

text: gag

text: show

text: star

text: Pat

text: Paulsen

text: ran

text: for

text: office

text: during

text: the

text: presidential

text: election

text: I

text: 'm

text: consistently

text: vague

text: on

text: the

text: issues

text: announced

text: Paulsen

text: on

text: national

text: television

text: and

text: I

text: 'm

text: continuing

text: to

text: make

text: promises

text: that

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: unable

text: to

text: fulfill

text: Regardless

text: of

text: his

text: humorous

text: motives

text: Paulsen

text: seemed

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: Ralph

text: Nader

text: Effect

text: stealing

text: votes

text: from

text: the

text: Democrats

text: and

text: helping

text: to

text: swing

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: closest

text: elections

text: in

text: history

text: Thanks

text: to

text: Paulsen

text: 's

text: efforts

text: Nixon

text: narrowly

text: defeated

text: Democratic

text: candidate

text: Hubert

text: Humphrey

text: Hubert

text: Humphrey

text: told

text: me

text: I

text: cost

text: him

text: the

text: election

text: recalled

text: Paulsen

text: and

text: he

text: was

text: n't

text: smiling

text: when

text: he

text: said

text: it

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: For

text: more

text: articles

text: visit

text: mentalfloss.com

question: Which show gave Romanians a view of a better life?

answer: "Dallas"

text: "Dallas"

question: What actor played J.R. Ewing?

answer: Larry Hagman,

text: Larry Hagman,

question: Who blamed comic for election loss?

answer: Pat Paulsen

text: Pat Paulsen

question: What  gave poor Romanians a view of a better life?

answer: "DALLAS"

text: "DALLAS"

question: Where is Larry Hagman treated as a hero?

answer: Romania

text: Romania

question: Who was  greeted as hero in the country?

answer: J.R., Larry Hagman,

text: J.R., Larry Hagman,

question: Who blamed a comic for election loss?

answer: Hubert Humphrey.

text: Hubert Humphrey.


text:
(CNN) -- The following are excerpts from the Heather Mills-Paul McCartney divorce ruling, issued by the Honorable Mr. Justice Bennett. Dollar figures are based on the current exchange rate of approximately two dollars per British pound:

Heather Mills' case "boils down to the syndrome of 'me, too,' " said the judge.

On Mills' finances:

"I have to say I cannot accept the wife's case that she was wealthy and independent by the time she met the husband in the middle of 1999. Her problem stems from the lack of any documentary evidence to support her case as to the level of her earnings. I do not doubt her commitment to charitable causes ... [but] I find that the wife's case as to her wealth in 1999 to be wholly exaggerated. The assertion that she was a wealthy person in 1999 is, of course, the first step in her overall case that her career, which in 1999 she says was one producing rich financial rewards, was thereafter blighted by the husband during their relationship. It is therefore connected to the issue of 'compensation.' "

On her stature as "business partner":

"In my judgment the picture painted by the husband of the wife's part in his emotional and professional life is much closer to reality than the wife's account. The wife, as the husband said, enjoys being the center of attention. ... I am prepared to accept that her presence was emotionally supportive to him but to suggest that in some way she was his 'business partner' is, I am sorry to have to say, make-belief."

On gifts to Mills from McCartney:

"[McCartney] asserted (and there is no dispute) that he made substantial capital payments to the wife over and above an annual allowance of Â£360,000 ($720,000) per annum. He lent her monies in respect of his purchase and renovation of [the house] Angel's Rest. In 2002 and 2003 he gave her cash totaling Â£500,000 ($1 million). He lent [Heather's sister] Fiona Mills Â£421,000 ($842,000) to buy a property and purchased a house for [Heather's relative] Sonya Mills for Â£193,000 ($386,000). In 2005 he purchased jewelry for the wife worth Â£264,000 ($528,000)."

On some paintings in Angel's Rest:

"[Mills] asserted in her cross-examination of the husband that some 30 paintings done by [McCartney], which are hanging in Angel's Rest, were given to her by the husband. The husband strongly disagreed. The husband told me that when the wife bought Angel's Rest she had nothing to hang on the walls and so he lent her 30 of his own paintings. He told me they were his, that he may leave them in trust for Beatrice and his other children, and that he wants them back save for the flower photographs and the Isle of Man stamp design, both given to the wife by the husband. The husband, I find, was generous towards the wife but his generosity did not extend to giving her 30 valuable paintings (of his own creation.) I accept the husband's evidence. In my judgment he is entitled to have them back."

On the size of McCartney's fortune:

"It is unnecessary in the instant case to arrive at a precise figure for the total wealth of the husband, given its enormous size. As he has always accepted, he can pay any sum which the court considers appropriate as for financial provision for the wife. Nevertheless I find that the husband's total wealth amounts to approximately Â£400 million ($800 million). I reject the wife's case that he is worth Â£800 million ($1.6 billion). There is absolutely no evidence at all to support that figure or any figure anywhere near it."

On living style:

"In my judgment the wife's attitude, ... her open offers, her oral and written evidence, and her submissions is that she is entitled for the indefinite future, if not for the whole of her life, to live at the same 'rate' as the husband and to be kept in the style to which she perceives she was accustomed during the marriage. Although she strongly denied it her case boils down to the syndrome of 'me, too' or 'if he has it, I want it too.' ... It must have been absolutely plain to the wife after separation that it was wholly unrealistic to expect to go on living at the rate at which she perceived she was living."

On Mills' future:

"The wife's case is that her earning capacity is now zero. The wife, as I have said, blames the husband for his attitude towards her working during the marriage. That I have found to be a false case. ... The wife would say she is at a severe disadvantage. I think she overplays her hand. ... I have no doubt that, despite the very adverse publicity in the last 2 years or a little under, the wife does have an earning capacity. She has earned her living since the age of 17. I have found that her association with the husband advanced, not stultified, her career." E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: The

text: following

text: are

text: excerpts

text: from

text: the

text: Heather

text: Mills

text: Paul

text: McCartney

text: divorce

text: ruling

text: issued

text: by

text: the

text: Honorable

text: Mr.

text: Justice

text: Bennett

text: Dollar

text: figures

text: are

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: current

text: exchange

text: rate

text: of

text: approximately

text: two

text: dollars

text: per

text: British

text: pound

text: Heather

text: Mills

text: case

text: boils

text: down

text: to

text: the

text: syndrome

text: of

text: me

text: too

text: said

text: the

text: judge

text: On

text: Mills

text: finances

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: say

text: I

text: can

text: not

text: accept

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: case

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: wealthy

text: and

text: independent

text: by

text: the

text: time

text: she

text: met

text: the

text: husband

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: Her

text: problem

text: stems

text: from

text: the

text: lack

text: of

text: any

text: documentary

text: evidence

text: to

text: support

text: her

text: case

text: as

text: to

text: the

text: level

text: of

text: her

text: earnings

text: I

text: do

text: not

text: doubt

text: her

text: commitment

text: to

text: charitable

text: causes

text: but

text: I

text: find

text: that

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: case

text: as

text: to

text: her

text: wealth

text: in

text: to

text: be

text: wholly

text: exaggerated

text: The

text: assertion

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: a

text: wealthy

text: person

text: in

text: is

text: of

text: course

text: the

text: first

text: step

text: in

text: her

text: overall

text: case

text: that

text: her

text: career

text: which

text: in

text: she

text: says

text: was

text: one

text: producing

text: rich

text: financial

text: rewards

text: was

text: thereafter

text: blighted

text: by

text: the

text: husband

text: during

text: their

text: relationship

text: It

text: is

text: therefore

text: connected

text: to

text: the

text: issue

text: of

text: compensation

text: On

text: her

text: stature

text: as

text: business

text: partner

text: In

text: my

text: judgment

text: the

text: picture

text: painted

text: by

text: the

text: husband

text: of

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: part

text: in

text: his

text: emotional

text: and

text: professional

text: life

text: is

text: much

text: closer

text: to

text: reality

text: than

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: account

text: The

text: wife

text: as

text: the

text: husband

text: said

text: enjoys

text: being

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: attention

text: I

text: am

text: prepared

text: to

text: accept

text: that

text: her

text: presence

text: was

text: emotionally

text: supportive

text: to

text: him

text: but

text: to

text: suggest

text: that

text: in

text: some

text: way

text: she

text: was

text: his

text: business

text: partner

text: is

text: I

text: am

text: sorry

text: to

text: have

text: to

text: say

text: make

text: belief

text: On

text: gifts

text: to

text: Mills

text: from

text: McCartney

text: McCartney

text: asserted

text: and

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: dispute

text: that

text: he

text: made

text: substantial

text: capital

text: payments

text: to

text: the

text: wife

text: over

text: and

text: above

text: an

text: annual

text: allowance

text: of

text: per

text: annum

text: He

text: lent

text: her

text: monies

text: in

text: respect

text: of

text: his

text: purchase

text: and

text: renovation

text: of

text: the

text: house

text: Angel

text: 's

text: Rest

text: In

text: and

text: he

text: gave

text: her

text: cash

text: totaling

text: million

text: He

text: lent

text: Heather

text: 's

text: sister

text: Fiona

text: Mills

text: to

text: buy

text: a

text: property

text: and

text: purchased

text: a

text: house

text: for

text: Heather

text: 's

text: relative

text: Sonya

text: Mills

text: for

text: In

text: he

text: purchased

text: jewelry

text: for

text: the

text: wife

text: worth

text: On

text: some

text: paintings

text: in

text: Angel

text: 's

text: Rest

text: Mills

text: asserted

text: in

text: her

text: cross

text: examination

text: of

text: the

text: husband

text: that

text: some

text: paintings

text: done

text: by

text: McCartney

text: which

text: are

text: hanging

text: in

text: Angel

text: 's

text: Rest

text: were

text: given

text: to

text: her

text: by

text: the

text: husband

text: The

text: husband

text: strongly

text: disagreed

text: The

text: husband

text: told

text: me

text: that

text: when

text: the

text: wife

text: bought

text: Angel

text: 's

text: Rest

text: she

text: had

text: nothing

text: to

text: hang

text: on

text: the

text: walls

text: and

text: so

text: he

text: lent

text: her

text: of

text: his

text: own

text: paintings

text: He

text: told

text: me

text: they

text: were

text: his

text: that

text: he

text: may

text: leave

text: them

text: in

text: trust

text: for

text: Beatrice

text: and

text: his

text: other

text: children

text: and

text: that

text: he

text: wants

text: them

text: back

text: save

text: for

text: the

text: flower

text: photographs

text: and

text: the

text: Isle

text: of

text: Man

text: stamp

text: design

text: both

text: given

text: to

text: the

text: wife

text: by

text: the

text: husband

text: The

text: husband

text: I

text: find

text: was

text: generous

text: towards

text: the

text: wife

text: but

text: his

text: generosity

text: did

text: not

text: extend

text: to

text: giving

text: her

text: valuable

text: paintings

text: of

text: his

text: own

text: creation

text: I

text: accept

text: the

text: husband

text: 's

text: evidence

text: In

text: my

text: judgment

text: he

text: is

text: entitled

text: to

text: have

text: them

text: back

text: On

text: the

text: size

text: of

text: McCartney

text: 's

text: fortune

text: It

text: is

text: unnecessary

text: in

text: the

text: instant

text: case

text: to

text: arrive

text: at

text: a

text: precise

text: figure

text: for

text: the

text: total

text: wealth

text: of

text: the

text: husband

text: given

text: its

text: enormous

text: size

text: As

text: he

text: has

text: always

text: accepted

text: he

text: can

text: pay

text: any

text: sum

text: which

text: the

text: court

text: considers

text: appropriate

text: as

text: for

text: financial

text: provision

text: for

text: the

text: wife

text: Nevertheless

text: I

text: find

text: that

text: the

text: husband

text: 's

text: total

text: wealth

text: amounts

text: to

text: approximately

text: million

text: million

text: I

text: reject

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: case

text: that

text: he

text: is

text: worth

text: million

text: billion

text: There

text: is

text: absolutely

text: no

text: evidence

text: at

text: all

text: to

text: support

text: that

text: figure

text: or

text: any

text: figure

text: anywhere

text: near

text: it

text: On

text: living

text: style

text: In

text: my

text: judgment

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: attitude

text: her

text: open

text: offers

text: her

text: oral

text: and

text: written

text: evidence

text: and

text: her

text: submissions

text: is

text: that

text: she

text: is

text: entitled

text: for

text: the

text: indefinite

text: future

text: if

text: not

text: for

text: the

text: whole

text: of

text: her

text: life

text: to

text: live

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: rate

text: as

text: the

text: husband

text: and

text: to

text: be

text: kept

text: in

text: the

text: style

text: to

text: which

text: she

text: perceives

text: she

text: was

text: accustomed

text: during

text: the

text: marriage

text: Although

text: she

text: strongly

text: denied

text: it

text: her

text: case

text: boils

text: down

text: to

text: the

text: syndrome

text: of

text: me

text: too

text: or

text: if

text: he

text: has

text: it

text: I

text: want

text: it

text: too

text: It

text: must

text: have

text: been

text: absolutely

text: plain

text: to

text: the

text: wife

text: after

text: separation

text: that

text: it

text: was

text: wholly

text: unrealistic

text: to

text: expect

text: to

text: go

text: on

text: living

text: at

text: the

text: rate

text: at

text: which

text: she

text: perceived

text: she

text: was

text: living

text: On

text: Mills

text: future

text: The

text: wife

text: 's

text: case

text: is

text: that

text: her

text: earning

text: capacity

text: is

text: now

text: zero

text: The

text: wife

text: as

text: I

text: have

text: said

text: blames

text: the

text: husband

text: for

text: his

text: attitude

text: towards

text: her

text: working

text: during

text: the

text: marriage

text: That

text: I

text: have

text: found

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: false

text: case

text: The

text: wife

text: would

text: say

text: she

text: is

text: at

text: a

text: severe

text: disadvantage

text: I

text: think

text: she

text: overplays

text: her

text: hand

text: I

text: have

text: no

text: doubt

text: that

text: despite

text: the

text: very

text: adverse

text: publicity

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: years

text: or

text: a

text: little

text: under

text: the

text: wife

text: does

text: have

text: an

text: earning

text: capacity

text: She

text: has

text: earned

text: her

text: living

text: since

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: I

text: have

text: found

text: that

text: her

text: association

text: with

text: the

text: husband

text: advanced

text: not

text: stultified

text: her

text: career

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: what judge says on Mill's case?

answer: "boils down to the syndrome of 'me, too,'

text: "boils down to the syndrome of 'me, too,'

question: whre Judge: Mills' case "boils down to?

answer: the syndrome of 'me, too,'

text: the syndrome of 'me, too,'

question: what the judge says on Heather Mills?

answer: "boils down to the syndrome of 'me, too,'

text: "boils down to the syndrome of 'me, too,'


text:
Editor's note: Peter Bregman is chief executive of Bregman Partners Inc., a global management consulting firm, and the author of "Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change". He writes a weekly column, How We Work, for HarvardBusiness.org.

Peter Bregman says good times persuaded people to sacrifice what they loved for money.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- I started my consulting business 11 years ago with a laptop computer in a living room. It grew quickly.

The first year I made more money than I had in the previous three combined, the second year I doubled that and by the third year I began to fantasize about retiring within the decade.

Then everything crashed; the dotcom revolution, the financial services industry and my business.

I had a large number of subcontractors and a small number of employees who had become friends. I also had a bad feeling things wouldn't turn around quickly.

My wife and I were in a tough spot. We had one child and another on the way, bills that were accumulating and hopes for the future that were moving out of reach.

However bad it was then, these days it's worse. Back then the recession hit certain sectors and left other ones alone. Home prices were going up, so people felt protected, and there were loans to help. Today, everything's been hit, nothing's going up and credit is frozen.

Many have already lost jobs, homes, self-identities, luxuries and necessities. And there's more to come.

That's especially true for many older Americans, who might not have 10 years to recover and who don't have sources of income other than their savings -- which have dwindled dramatically. They don't deserve to live with the fear they now feel.

I'm still living in a rental apartment because I didn't want to take out a loan I couldn't pay back. I saved money. Invested it. And now my investments are down 70 percent.

But it is what it is.

And when we wake up in the morning we are left with the question, "Now what?"

It's actually a great question, because in a situation in which we've lost control, it gives us a little back. "Now what?" means we have a choice, in this moment, to do something. What's it going to be?

I think it's a mistake to try to rebuild what we've lost. We have less now and I think we can do better with less. Having less forces choices. And consciously making those choices can bring us closer to the things we care about. Which can make a poorer life richer than a rich one.

Because the research is clear. Above a basic threshold, more money doesn't make us happier. But we think it will, so we do all sorts of things that make us unhappy in order to get it.

A senior leader in an investment bank called to tell me she was leaving her job. She realized she wouldn't make much money in the next few years and didn't want to miss her children growing up. Did you get that? She was willing to miss her children growing up if the money was good enough.

People act in ways they'd rather not in order to make money that doesn't make them happy. Maybe, if we do this downturn right, we can get out of that cycle.

So, what makes you happy? Is it spending time with people you love? Working on a pet project? Having the time to exercise? Being part of a community and feeling cared for? Knowing the answer enables you to make decisions that will prioritize those things.

Of course, losing money can break people apart; we fight about money, people lose jobs and get depressed; tension rises as mortgage bills sit on the kitchen table unpaid; resentment builds when one person doesn't live up to his own and others' expectations.

But I am also seeing the opposite. Losing money can bring you closer to your values; can actually bring people together. It's hard to appreciate in the midst of our loss, but embracing the forced reduction in lifestyle can be positive.

I know of a couple whose marriage was saved when they moved from a bigger house into a smaller one and actually began talking to each other again.

Last weekend, two people had a beautiful wedding in Central Park surrounded by family and friends, months before they had planned, avoiding thousands of dollars of expenses and all the tension that goes with it. Why? Because she lost her job and needed to get onto his health insurance.

Friends of mine held their daughter's bat mitzvah at another friend's house, avoiding tremendous expense while creating the warmest community celebration, filled with gratitude and tears, that I have ever seen.

In 2003, after my business crashed, my wife and I decided to move to Savannah, Georgia, where she grew up and life was much cheaper. Had my business continued to grow we could never have afforded to make that choice. When the business crashed, we couldn't afford not to.

While there, we spent priceless time with her family, had another child, made lifelong friends and rebuilt my business -- this time very differently. I love consulting and writing and speaking, but the bigger the business became, the less I did those things and the more I managed others doing it.

Eventually we returned to New York. Now I'm back to a laptop in a living room and I love it again. It's smaller, more sustainable and a lot more fun. And I have the time to spend with my family and friends. My fantasy is no longer to retire; it's to keep doing what I'm doing for as long as I can.

Life is not a linear path of increasing wealth, accumulation and achievement. Don't let the money crisis draw you apart from people you love and things you love to do. Use it to draw you closer.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bregman.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Peter

text: Bregman

text: is

text: chief

text: executive

text: of

text: Bregman

text: Partners

text: Inc.

text: a

text: global

text: management

text: consulting

text: firm

text: and

text: the

text: author

text: of

text: Point

text: B

text: A

text: Short

text: Guide

text: to

text: Leading

text: a

text: Big

text: Change

text: He

text: writes

text: a

text: weekly

text: column

text: How

text: We

text: Work

text: for

text: HarvardBusiness.org

text: Peter

text: Bregman

text: says

text: good

text: times

text: persuaded

text: people

text: to

text: sacrifice

text: what

text: they

text: loved

text: for

text: money

text: NEW

text: YORK

text: CNN

text: I

text: started

text: my

text: consulting

text: business

text: years

text: ago

text: with

text: a

text: laptop

text: computer

text: in

text: a

text: living

text: room

text: It

text: grew

text: quickly

text: The

text: first

text: year

text: I

text: made

text: more

text: money

text: than

text: I

text: had

text: in

text: the

text: previous

text: three

text: combined

text: the

text: second

text: year

text: I

text: doubled

text: that

text: and

text: by

text: the

text: third

text: year

text: I

text: began

text: to

text: fantasize

text: about

text: retiring

text: within

text: the

text: decade

text: Then

text: everything

text: crashed

text: the

text: dotcom

text: revolution

text: the

text: financial

text: services

text: industry

text: and

text: my

text: business

text: I

text: had

text: a

text: large

text: number

text: of

text: subcontractors

text: and

text: a

text: small

text: number

text: of

text: employees

text: who

text: had

text: become

text: friends

text: I

text: also

text: had

text: a

text: bad

text: feeling

text: things

text: would

text: n't

text: turn

text: around

text: quickly

text: My

text: wife

text: and

text: I

text: were

text: in

text: a

text: tough

text: spot

text: We

text: had

text: one

text: child

text: and

text: another

text: on

text: the

text: way

text: bills

text: that

text: were

text: accumulating

text: and

text: hopes

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: that

text: were

text: moving

text: out

text: of

text: reach

text: However

text: bad

text: it

text: was

text: then

text: these

text: days

text: it

text: 's

text: worse

text: Back

text: then

text: the

text: recession

text: hit

text: certain

text: sectors

text: and

text: left

text: other

text: ones

text: alone

text: Home

text: prices

text: were

text: going

text: up

text: so

text: people

text: felt

text: protected

text: and

text: there

text: were

text: loans

text: to

text: help

text: Today

text: everything

text: 's

text: been

text: hit

text: nothing

text: 's

text: going

text: up

text: and

text: credit

text: is

text: frozen

text: Many

text: have

text: already

text: lost

text: jobs

text: homes

text: self

text: identities

text: luxuries

text: and

text: necessities

text: And

text: there

text: 's

text: more

text: to

text: come

text: That

text: 's

text: especially

text: true

text: for

text: many

text: older

text: Americans

text: who

text: might

text: not

text: have

text: years

text: to

text: recover

text: and

text: who

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: sources

text: of

text: income

text: other

text: than

text: their

text: savings

text: which

text: have

text: dwindled

text: dramatically

text: They

text: do

text: n't

text: deserve

text: to

text: live

text: with

text: the

text: fear

text: they

text: now

text: feel

text: I

text: 'm

text: still

text: living

text: in

text: a

text: rental

text: apartment

text: because

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: take

text: out

text: a

text: loan

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: pay

text: back

text: I

text: saved

text: money

text: Invested

text: it

text: And

text: now

text: my

text: investments

text: are

text: down

text: percent

text: But

text: it

text: is

text: what

text: it

text: is

text: And

text: when

text: we

text: wake

text: up

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: we

text: are

text: left

text: with

text: the

text: question

text: Now

text: what

text: It

text: 's

text: actually

text: a

text: great

text: question

text: because

text: in

text: a

text: situation

text: in

text: which

text: we

text: 've

text: lost

text: control

text: it

text: gives

text: us

text: a

text: little

text: back

text: Now

text: what

text: means

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: choice

text: in

text: this

text: moment

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: What

text: 's

text: it

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: mistake

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: rebuild

text: what

text: we

text: 've

text: lost

text: We

text: have

text: less

text: now

text: and

text: I

text: think

text: we

text: can

text: do

text: better

text: with

text: less

text: Having

text: less

text: forces

text: choices

text: And

text: consciously

text: making

text: those

text: choices

text: can

text: bring

text: us

text: closer

text: to

text: the

text: things

text: we

text: care

text: about

text: Which

text: can

text: make

text: a

text: poorer

text: life

text: richer

text: than

text: a

text: rich

text: one

text: Because

text: the

text: research

text: is

text: clear

text: Above

text: a

text: basic

text: threshold

text: more

text: money

text: does

text: n't

text: make

text: us

text: happier

text: But

text: we

text: think

text: it

text: will

text: so

text: we

text: do

text: all

text: sorts

text: of

text: things

text: that

text: make

text: us

text: unhappy

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: get

text: it

text: A

text: senior

text: leader

text: in

text: an

text: investment

text: bank

text: called

text: to

text: tell

text: me

text: she

text: was

text: leaving

text: her

text: job

text: She

text: realized

text: she

text: would

text: n't

text: make

text: much

text: money

text: in

text: the

text: next

text: few

text: years

text: and

text: did

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: miss

text: her

text: children

text: growing

text: up

text: Did

text: you

text: get

text: that

text: She

text: was

text: willing

text: to

text: miss

text: her

text: children

text: growing

text: up

text: if

text: the

text: money

text: was

text: good

text: enough

text: People

text: act

text: in

text: ways

text: they

text: 'd

text: rather

text: not

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: make

text: money

text: that

text: does

text: n't

text: make

text: them

text: happy

text: Maybe

text: if

text: we

text: do

text: this

text: downturn

text: right

text: we

text: can

text: get

text: out

text: of

text: that

text: cycle

text: So

text: what

text: makes

text: you

text: happy

text: Is

text: it

text: spending

text: time

text: with

text: people

text: you

text: love

text: Working

text: on

text: a

text: pet

text: project

text: Having

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: exercise

text: Being

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: community

text: and

text: feeling

text: cared

text: for

text: Knowing

text: the

text: answer

text: enables

text: you

text: to

text: make

text: decisions

text: that

text: will

text: prioritize

text: those

text: things

text: Of

text: course

text: losing

text: money

text: can

text: break

text: people

text: apart

text: we

text: fight

text: about

text: money

text: people

text: lose

text: jobs

text: and

text: get

text: depressed

text: tension

text: rises

text: as

text: mortgage

text: bills

text: sit

text: on

text: the

text: kitchen

text: table

text: unpaid

text: resentment

text: builds

text: when

text: one

text: person

text: does

text: n't

text: live

text: up

text: to

text: his

text: own

text: and

text: others

text: expectations

text: But

text: I

text: am

text: also

text: seeing

text: the

text: opposite

text: Losing

text: money

text: can

text: bring

text: you

text: closer

text: to

text: your

text: values

text: can

text: actually

text: bring

text: people

text: together

text: It

text: 's

text: hard

text: to

text: appreciate

text: in

text: the

text: midst

text: of

text: our

text: loss

text: but

text: embracing

text: the

text: forced

text: reduction

text: in

text: lifestyle

text: can

text: be

text: positive

text: I

text: know

text: of

text: a

text: couple

text: whose

text: marriage

text: was

text: saved

text: when

text: they

text: moved

text: from

text: a

text: bigger

text: house

text: into

text: a

text: smaller

text: one

text: and

text: actually

text: began

text: talking

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: again

text: Last

text: weekend

text: two

text: people

text: had

text: a

text: beautiful

text: wedding

text: in

text: Central

text: Park

text: surrounded

text: by

text: family

text: and

text: friends

text: months

text: before

text: they

text: had

text: planned

text: avoiding

text: thousands

text: of

text: dollars

text: of

text: expenses

text: and

text: all

text: the

text: tension

text: that

text: goes

text: with

text: it

text: Why

text: Because

text: she

text: lost

text: her

text: job

text: and

text: needed

text: to

text: get

text: onto

text: his

text: health

text: insurance

text: Friends

text: of

text: mine

text: held

text: their

text: daughter

text: 's

text: bat

text: mitzvah

text: at

text: another

text: friend

text: 's

text: house

text: avoiding

text: tremendous

text: expense

text: while

text: creating

text: the

text: warmest

text: community

text: celebration

text: filled

text: with

text: gratitude

text: and

text: tears

text: that

text: I

text: have

text: ever

text: seen

text: In

text: after

text: my

text: business

text: crashed

text: my

text: wife

text: and

text: I

text: decided

text: to

text: move

text: to

text: Savannah

text: Georgia

text: where

text: she

text: grew

text: up

text: and

text: life

text: was

text: much

text: cheaper

text: Had

text: my

text: business

text: continued

text: to

text: grow

text: we

text: could

text: never

text: have

text: afforded

text: to

text: make

text: that

text: choice

text: When

text: the

text: business

text: crashed

text: we

text: could

text: n't

text: afford

text: not

text: to

text: While

text: there

text: we

text: spent

text: priceless

text: time

text: with

text: her

text: family

text: had

text: another

text: child

text: made

text: lifelong

text: friends

text: and

text: rebuilt

text: my

text: business

text: this

text: time

text: very

text: differently

text: I

text: love

text: consulting

text: and

text: writing

text: and

text: speaking

text: but

text: the

text: bigger

text: the

text: business

text: became

text: the

text: less

text: I

text: did

text: those

text: things

text: and

text: the

text: more

text: I

text: managed

text: others

text: doing

text: it

text: Eventually

text: we

text: returned

text: to

text: New

text: York

text: Now

text: I

text: 'm

text: back

text: to

text: a

text: laptop

text: in

text: a

text: living

text: room

text: and

text: I

text: love

text: it

text: again

text: It

text: 's

text: smaller

text: more

text: sustainable

text: and

text: a

text: lot

text: more

text: fun

text: And

text: I

text: have

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: spend

text: with

text: my

text: family

text: and

text: friends

text: My

text: fantasy

text: is

text: no

text: longer

text: to

text: retire

text: it

text: 's

text: to

text: keep

text: doing

text: what

text: I

text: 'm

text: doing

text: for

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: I

text: can

text: Life

text: is

text: not

text: a

text: linear

text: path

text: of

text: increasing

text: wealth

text: accumulation

text: and

text: achievement

text: Do

text: n't

text: let

text: the

text: money

text: crisis

text: draw

text: you

text: apart

text: from

text: people

text: you

text: love

text: and

text: things

text: you

text: love

text: to

text: do

text: Use

text: it

text: to

text: draw

text: you

text: closer

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Peter

text: Bregman

question: People sacrificed what for money?

answer: they loved

text: they loved

question: Who is Peter Bregman?

answer: chief executive of

text: chief executive of

question: What did Peter Bregman say people during the boom sacrifice to obtain more money?

answer: good times

text: good times

question: What does Peter Bregman suggest people should do during hard times?

answer: sacrifice

text: sacrifice

question: Does Bregman think money increases happiness?

answer: doesn't make us happier.

text: doesn't make us happier.