text:
Washington (CNN) -- Some of the most powerful leaders in American politics came together Thursday to remember Dorothy Height, a woman who dedicated her life to civil rights and justice for the least powerful members of society.

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder led mourners at a memorial service for Height at a packed National Cathedral.

Height, a civil rights pioneer, died last week at the age of 98. She had been chair and president emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women and worked alongside civil rights leaders including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., future U.S. Rep. John Lewis and A. Philip Randolph.

She was on the platform when King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the 1963 March on Washington.

Height's life was an "unambiguous record of righteous work," Obama said in the service's eulogy.

She "deserves a place of honor in America's memory." She was a woman of "quiet, dogged, dignified persistence."

Height was born in an era when "Jim Crow ruled the South (and) the Klan was on the rise," Obama said. "Progress came slowly. That progress came from the collective efforts of multiple generations of Americans. ... Men and women like Dr. Height took it upon themselves -- often at great risk -- to change this country for the better."

"May God bless Dorothy Height and the union that she made more perfect," he said.

Mourners at the service participated in renditions of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the gospel song "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder."

Referred to as the "godmother" of the civil rights movement, Height was at the center of countless heated debates over social justice in a changing country beginning in the early days of President Franklin Roosevelt's administration.

Among other awards, Height received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 from President Clinton and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.

Height led the National Council of Negro Women from 1957 to 1988, when she became the group's chair and president emeritus. She was also a key figure in the YWCA beginning in the 1930s.

Height was born in Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in Rankin, Pennsylvania. Her civil rights work began in 1933 when she became a leader of the United Christian Youth Movement of North America. She fought to stop lynchings and worked to desegregate the armed forces.

Under Height's leadership, the council worked to help women and low-income families by promoting programs to alleviate hunger and build more affordable housing. The organization also spearheaded voter registration drives and started "Wednesdays in Mississippi" in which female interracial groups helped at Freedom Schools, institutions meant to empower African-Americans and address inequalities in how the races were educated.

She experienced personal discrimination, writing in her memoir about being rejected from New York's Barnard College because she was black.

"Although I had been accepted, they could not admit me," she wrote in "Open Wide the Freedom Gates."

"It took me a while to realize that their decision was a racial matter: Barnard had a quota of two Negro students per year, and two others had already taken the spots."

At its 1980 commencement ceremonies, Barnard College awarded Height its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction.

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: Some

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: powerful

text: leaders

text: in

text: American

text: politics

text: came

text: together

text: Thursday

text: to

text: remember

text: Dorothy

text: Height

text: a

text: woman

text: who

text: dedicated

text: her

text: life

text: to

text: civil

text: rights

text: and

text: justice

text: for

text: the

text: least

text: powerful

text: members

text: of

text: society

text: President

text: Obama

text: Vice

text: President

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: House

text: Speaker

text: Nancy

text: Pelosi

text: Senate

text: Majority

text: Leader

text: Harry

text: Reid

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: and

text: Attorney

text: General

text: Eric

text: Holder

text: led

text: mourners

text: at

text: a

text: memorial

text: service

text: for

text: Height

text: at

text: a

text: packed

text: National

text: Cathedral

text: Height

text: a

text: civil

text: rights

text: pioneer

text: died

text: last

text: week

text: at

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: She

text: had

text: been

text: chair

text: and

text: president

text: emeritus

text: of

text: the

text: National

text: Council

text: of

text: Negro

text: Women

text: and

text: worked

text: alongside

text: civil

text: rights

text: leaders

text: including

text: the

text: Rev.

text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: Jr.

text: future

text: U.S.

text: Rep.

text: John

text: Lewis

text: and

text: A.

text: Philip

text: Randolph

text: She

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: platform

text: when

text: King

text: delivered

text: his

text: I

text: Have

text: a

text: Dream

text: speech

text: at

text: the

text: March

text: on

text: Washington

text: Height

text: 's

text: life

text: was

text: an

text: unambiguous

text: record

text: of

text: righteous

text: work

text: Obama

text: said

text: in

text: the

text: service

text: 's

text: eulogy

text: She

text: deserves

text: a

text: place

text: of

text: honor

text: in

text: America

text: 's

text: memory

text: She

text: was

text: a

text: woman

text: of

text: quiet

text: dogged

text: dignified

text: persistence

text: Height

text: was

text: born

text: in

text: an

text: era

text: when

text: Jim

text: Crow

text: ruled

text: the

text: South

text: and

text: the

text: Klan

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: rise

text: Obama

text: said

text: Progress

text: came

text: slowly

text: That

text: progress

text: came

text: from

text: the

text: collective

text: efforts

text: of

text: multiple

text: generations

text: of

text: Americans

text: Men

text: and

text: women

text: like

text: Dr.

text: Height

text: took

text: it

text: upon

text: themselves

text: often

text: at

text: great

text: risk

text: to

text: change

text: this

text: country

text: for

text: the

text: better

text: May

text: God

text: bless

text: Dorothy

text: Height

text: and

text: the

text: union

text: that

text: she

text: made

text: more

text: perfect

text: he

text: said

text: Mourners

text: at

text: the

text: service

text: participated

text: in

text: renditions

text: of

text: The

text: Battle

text: Hymn

text: of

text: the

text: Republic

text: and

text: the

text: gospel

text: song

text: We

text: Are

text: Climbing

text: Jacob

text: 's

text: Ladder

text: Referred

text: to

text: as

text: the

text: godmother

text: of

text: the

text: civil

text: rights

text: movement

text: Height

text: was

text: at

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: countless

text: heated

text: debates

text: over

text: social

text: justice

text: in

text: a

text: changing

text: country

text: beginning

text: in

text: the

text: early

text: days

text: of

text: President

text: Franklin

text: Roosevelt

text: 's

text: administration

text: Among

text: other

text: awards

text: Height

text: received

text: the

text: Presidential

text: Medal

text: of

text: Freedom

text: in

text: from

text: President

text: Clinton

text: and

text: the

text: Congressional

text: Gold

text: Medal

text: in

text: Height

text: led

text: the

text: National

text: Council

text: of

text: Negro

text: Women

text: from

text: to

text: when

text: she

text: became

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: chair

text: and

text: president

text: emeritus

text: She

text: was

text: also

text: a

text: key

text: figure

text: in

text: the

text: YWCA

text: beginning

text: in

text: the

text: Height

text: was

text: born

text: in

text: Richmond

text: Virginia

text: and

text: grew

text: up

text: in

text: Rankin

text: Pennsylvania

text: Her

text: civil

text: rights

text: work

text: began

text: in

text: when

text: she

text: became

text: a

text: leader

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: Christian

text: Youth

text: Movement

text: of

text: North

text: America

text: She

text: fought

text: to

text: stop

text: lynchings

text: and

text: worked

text: to

text: desegregate

text: the

text: armed

text: forces

text: Under

text: Height

text: 's

text: leadership

text: the

text: council

text: worked

text: to

text: help

text: women

text: and

text: low

text: income

text: families

text: by

text: promoting

text: programs

text: to

text: alleviate

text: hunger

text: and

text: build

text: more

text: affordable

text: housing

text: The

text: organization

text: also

text: spearheaded

text: voter

text: registration

text: drives

text: and

text: started

text: Wednesdays

text: in

text: Mississippi

text: in

text: which

text: female

text: interracial

text: groups

text: helped

text: at

text: Freedom

text: Schools

text: institutions

text: meant

text: to

text: empower

text: African

text: Americans

text: and

text: address

text: inequalities

text: in

text: how

text: the

text: races

text: were

text: educated

text: She

text: experienced

text: personal

text: discrimination

text: writing

text: in

text: her

text: memoir

text: about

text: being

text: rejected

text: from

text: New

text: York

text: 's

text: Barnard

text: College

text: because

text: she

text: was

text: black

text: Although

text: I

text: had

text: been

text: accepted

text: they

text: could

text: not

text: admit

text: me

text: she

text: wrote

text: in

text: Open

text: Wide

text: the

text: Freedom

text: Gates

text: It

text: took

text: me

text: a

text: while

text: to

text: realize

text: that

text: their

text: decision

text: was

text: a

text: racial

text: matter

text: Barnard

text: had

text: a

text: quota

text: of

text: two

text: Negro

text: students

text: per

text: year

text: and

text: two

text: others

text: had

text: already

text: taken

text: the

text: spots

text: At

text: its

text: commencement

text: ceremonies

text: Barnard

text: College

text: awarded

text: Height

text: its

text: highest

text: honor

text: the

text: Barnard

text: Medal

text: of

text: Distinction

question: who died last week at 98?

answer: Height,

text: Height,

question: What age was Dorothy Height?

answer: 98.

question: What did Obama say?

answer: Height's life was an "unambiguous record of righteous work,"

text: Height's life was an "unambiguous record of righteous work,"

question: when does dorothy die?

answer: last week

text: last week

question: who are mourners at packed National Cathedral?

answer: President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder

text: President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder

question: What made Dorothy Height famous?

answer: dedicated her life to civil rights

text: dedicated her life to civil rights


text:
(CNN) -- In my mind -- and in the law -- there are two kinds of sexual harassment. The first kind is quid pro quo and easy to spot. A really detestable (usually) man gives his (usually) female subordinate employee or student an ultimatum: Put out or lose some opportunity, be it a grade, a job or a promotion.

During the "Mad Men" era, bosses got away with such, and women thought it the price of a life outside the kitchen. No more. Women no longer think this is OK. Professors even lose tenure over this clearly sexist and illegal behavior these days. We've come a long way on the road to equality on this front. Lawyers don't settle such claims for a few months' salary and a promise of silence.

No one knows right now if this is the kind of sexual harassment that Herman Cain is accused of, but I doubt it. For one thing, several others have claimed they witnessed the harassment of the women in question, and such bold threats aren't often made over the dinner table in a restaurant with observers.

But then there is the other kind of sexual harassment, the behavior that makes the workplace uncomfortable, that creates an environment that is hostile to women in general, or just to one person because of her (or his) sex, gender, race or ethnicity. Everyone agrees that workplaces ought not to differentiate between actors simply because of their sex, gender, race or ethnicity.

But beyond that, when sex and gender are involved, we often get into a "he said/she said" dialogue. For example, he believed the jokes were simply funny and created a more friendly setting; she believed they were offensive and created an us (the boys) versus them (her or her and other women) organizational climate where she was always going to be outside the loop, outside informal conversations and social networks that mattered.

Another example might be when a powerful man is attracted to one of his co-workers and simply wants to start some sort of sexual friendship, an offer he perhaps had made many times before and occasionally was accepted. But this time, the woman finds a sexual overture from a married boss intimidating and off-putting. She believes it changes forever the climate of the workplace. Even if he never threatened her status after the "invitation," she didn't believe the professional relationship would ever be the same after what she perceived to be sexual harassment.

If we look at sexual harassment in these terms, as he said/she said, we will never find a solution -- ethical, legal or moral to the problem. At this point, we have yet to create any consensus around the appropriate way to deal with sexual attraction and sexual desire in the workplace. No one can deny that workplaces are often where adults meet their life partners. In a 24/7 work environment, where else do you have to meet a spouse? And indeed, in a world where people often think of themselves as defined by "what they do," it makes sense that those who also do it are the people we have enough in common with to fall for, whether it's to fall in love, or even just in lust.

And yet, we are still in a world where the most powerful class of actors happens to be older men. We do not live in some post-feminist world, where power is yet equally shared. No one wants to anger or displease one's boss, even a little. Nor do we live in a world where the workplaces have become truly integrated by sex. In fact, the most recent research suggests that in the last decade, we've stalled at integration by sex. While women are getting more and more of the degrees, they remain in traditionally female-dominated fields, and are not moving forward in male-dominated ones.

My hypothesis for why is that heavily male-dominated occupations, including politics, are so heavily masculine in their cultures, full of sexual innuendo and -- perhaps -- the kind of sexual harassment of which Cain is accused.

I don't have an easy answer, but I do know we'll never solve the problem by trying to figure out what he said or she said. Instead, we have to decide what, as a society, we want to be acceptable or not in our workplaces and schools and then enforce the norms with legal penalties. Here's a first volley: It should be illegal for men (or women) to make sexual overtures to their subordinates.

End of story.

Power always gets in the way of easily saying no. But more than that, if we want workplaces that do not privilege the men who have previously dominated the social space, we need to change the culture in which sexual banter objectifies women and turns them into the "other," and take seriously the claims by women that men harass them.

The more subtle kind of sexual harassment has consequences not only for the individual woman who finally complains, but for all of us, by sustaining a culture where the powerful positions in many occupations, including politics, remain dominated by men.

Should accepting boorish sexual banter and unwanted sexual approaches be the price of admission to male-dominated occupations? It's up to us as a society to set the standards. Here is a moment in time to take stock: Let's hear what the women who were silenced by being paid off have to say about the private behavior of a very public man who is running for president.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Barbara Risman.

text: CNN

text: In

text: my

text: mind

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: law

text: there

text: are

text: two

text: kinds

text: of

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: The

text: first

text: kind

text: is

text: quid

text: pro

text: quo

text: and

text: easy

text: to

text: spot

text: A

text: really

text: detestable

text: usually

text: man

text: gives

text: his

text: usually

text: female

text: subordinate

text: employee

text: or

text: student

text: an

text: ultimatum

text: Put

text: out

text: or

text: lose

text: some

text: opportunity

text: be

text: it

text: a

text: grade

text: a

text: job

text: or

text: a

text: promotion

text: During

text: the

text: Mad

text: Men

text: era

text: bosses

text: got

text: away

text: with

text: such

text: and

text: women

text: thought

text: it

text: the

text: price

text: of

text: a

text: life

text: outside

text: the

text: kitchen

text: No

text: more

text: Women

text: no

text: longer

text: think

text: this

text: is

text: OK

text: Professors

text: even

text: lose

text: tenure

text: over

text: this

text: clearly

text: sexist

text: and

text: illegal

text: behavior

text: these

text: days

text: We

text: 've

text: come

text: a

text: long

text: way

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: to

text: equality

text: on

text: this

text: front

text: Lawyers

text: do

text: n't

text: settle

text: such

text: claims

text: for

text: a

text: few

text: months

text: salary

text: and

text: a

text: promise

text: of

text: silence

text: No

text: one

text: knows

text: right

text: now

text: if

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: that

text: Herman

text: Cain

text: is

text: accused

text: of

text: but

text: I

text: doubt

text: it

text: For

text: one

text: thing

text: several

text: others

text: have

text: claimed

text: they

text: witnessed

text: the

text: harassment

text: of

text: the

text: women

text: in

text: question

text: and

text: such

text: bold

text: threats

text: are

text: n't

text: often

text: made

text: over

text: the

text: dinner

text: table

text: in

text: a

text: restaurant

text: with

text: observers

text: But

text: then

text: there

text: is

text: the

text: other

text: kind

text: of

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: the

text: behavior

text: that

text: makes

text: the

text: workplace

text: uncomfortable

text: that

text: creates

text: an

text: environment

text: that

text: is

text: hostile

text: to

text: women

text: in

text: general

text: or

text: just

text: to

text: one

text: person

text: because

text: of

text: her

text: or

text: his

text: sex

text: gender

text: race

text: or

text: ethnicity

text: Everyone

text: agrees

text: that

text: workplaces

text: ought

text: not

text: to

text: differentiate

text: between

text: actors

text: simply

text: because

text: of

text: their

text: sex

text: gender

text: race

text: or

text: ethnicity

text: But

text: beyond

text: that

text: when

text: sex

text: and

text: gender

text: are

text: involved

text: we

text: often

text: get

text: into

text: a

text: he

text: said

text: she

text: said

text: dialogue

text: For

text: example

text: he

text: believed

text: the

text: jokes

text: were

text: simply

text: funny

text: and

text: created

text: a

text: more

text: friendly

text: setting

text: she

text: believed

text: they

text: were

text: offensive

text: and

text: created

text: an

text: us

text: the

text: boys

text: versus

text: them

text: her

text: or

text: her

text: and

text: other

text: women

text: organizational

text: climate

text: where

text: she

text: was

text: always

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: outside

text: the

text: loop

text: outside

text: informal

text: conversations

text: and

text: social

text: networks

text: that

text: mattered

text: Another

text: example

text: might

text: be

text: when

text: a

text: powerful

text: man

text: is

text: attracted

text: to

text: one

text: of

text: his

text: co

text: workers

text: and

text: simply

text: wants

text: to

text: start

text: some

text: sort

text: of

text: sexual

text: friendship

text: an

text: offer

text: he

text: perhaps

text: had

text: made

text: many

text: times

text: before

text: and

text: occasionally

text: was

text: accepted

text: But

text: this

text: time

text: the

text: woman

text: finds

text: a

text: sexual

text: overture

text: from

text: a

text: married

text: boss

text: intimidating

text: and

text: off

text: putting

text: She

text: believes

text: it

text: changes

text: forever

text: the

text: climate

text: of

text: the

text: workplace

text: Even

text: if

text: he

text: never

text: threatened

text: her

text: status

text: after

text: the

text: invitation

text: she

text: did

text: n't

text: believe

text: the

text: professional

text: relationship

text: would

text: ever

text: be

text: the

text: same

text: after

text: what

text: she

text: perceived

text: to

text: be

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: If

text: we

text: look

text: at

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: in

text: these

text: terms

text: as

text: he

text: said

text: she

text: said

text: we

text: will

text: never

text: find

text: a

text: solution

text: ethical

text: legal

text: or

text: moral

text: to

text: the

text: problem

text: At

text: this

text: point

text: we

text: have

text: yet

text: to

text: create

text: any

text: consensus

text: around

text: the

text: appropriate

text: way

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: sexual

text: attraction

text: and

text: sexual

text: desire

text: in

text: the

text: workplace

text: No

text: one

text: can

text: deny

text: that

text: workplaces

text: are

text: often

text: where

text: adults

text: meet

text: their

text: life

text: partners

text: In

text: a

text: work

text: environment

text: where

text: else

text: do

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: meet

text: a

text: spouse

text: And

text: indeed

text: in

text: a

text: world

text: where

text: people

text: often

text: think

text: of

text: themselves

text: as

text: defined

text: by

text: what

text: they

text: do

text: it

text: makes

text: sense

text: that

text: those

text: who

text: also

text: do

text: it

text: are

text: the

text: people

text: we

text: have

text: enough

text: in

text: common

text: with

text: to

text: fall

text: for

text: whether

text: it

text: 's

text: to

text: fall

text: in

text: love

text: or

text: even

text: just

text: in

text: lust

text: And

text: yet

text: we

text: are

text: still

text: in

text: a

text: world

text: where

text: the

text: most

text: powerful

text: class

text: of

text: actors

text: happens

text: to

text: be

text: older

text: men

text: We

text: do

text: not

text: live

text: in

text: some

text: post

text: feminist

text: world

text: where

text: power

text: is

text: yet

text: equally

text: shared

text: No

text: one

text: wants

text: to

text: anger

text: or

text: displease

text: one

text: 's

text: boss

text: even

text: a

text: little

text: Nor

text: do

text: we

text: live

text: in

text: a

text: world

text: where

text: the

text: workplaces

text: have

text: become

text: truly

text: integrated

text: by

text: sex

text: In

text: fact

text: the

text: most

text: recent

text: research

text: suggests

text: that

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: decade

text: we

text: 've

text: stalled

text: at

text: integration

text: by

text: sex

text: While

text: women

text: are

text: getting

text: more

text: and

text: more

text: of

text: the

text: degrees

text: they

text: remain

text: in

text: traditionally

text: female

text: dominated

text: fields

text: and

text: are

text: not

text: moving

text: forward

text: in

text: male

text: dominated

text: ones

text: My

text: hypothesis

text: for

text: why

text: is

text: that

text: heavily

text: male

text: dominated

text: occupations

text: including

text: politics

text: are

text: so

text: heavily

text: masculine

text: in

text: their

text: cultures

text: full

text: of

text: sexual

text: innuendo

text: and

text: perhaps

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: of

text: which

text: Cain

text: is

text: accused

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: an

text: easy

text: answer

text: but

text: I

text: do

text: know

text: we

text: 'll

text: never

text: solve

text: the

text: problem

text: by

text: trying

text: to

text: figure

text: out

text: what

text: he

text: said

text: or

text: she

text: said

text: Instead

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: decide

text: what

text: as

text: a

text: society

text: we

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: acceptable

text: or

text: not

text: in

text: our

text: workplaces

text: and

text: schools

text: and

text: then

text: enforce

text: the

text: norms

text: with

text: legal

text: penalties

text: Here

text: 's

text: a

text: first

text: volley

text: It

text: should

text: be

text: illegal

text: for

text: men

text: or

text: women

text: to

text: make

text: sexual

text: overtures

text: to

text: their

text: subordinates

text: End

text: of

text: story

text: Power

text: always

text: gets

text: in

text: the

text: way

text: of

text: easily

text: saying

text: no

text: But

text: more

text: than

text: that

text: if

text: we

text: want

text: workplaces

text: that

text: do

text: not

text: privilege

text: the

text: men

text: who

text: have

text: previously

text: dominated

text: the

text: social

text: space

text: we

text: need

text: to

text: change

text: the

text: culture

text: in

text: which

text: sexual

text: banter

text: objectifies

text: women

text: and

text: turns

text: them

text: into

text: the

text: other

text: and

text: take

text: seriously

text: the

text: claims

text: by

text: women

text: that

text: men

text: harass

text: them

text: The

text: more

text: subtle

text: kind

text: of

text: sexual

text: harassment

text: has

text: consequences

text: not

text: only

text: for

text: the

text: individual

text: woman

text: who

text: finally

text: complains

text: but

text: for

text: all

text: of

text: us

text: by

text: sustaining

text: a

text: culture

text: where

text: the

text: powerful

text: positions

text: in

text: many

text: occupations

text: including

text: politics

text: remain

text: dominated

text: by

text: men

text: Should

text: accepting

text: boorish

text: sexual

text: banter

text: and

text: unwanted

text: sexual

text: approaches

text: be

text: the

text: price

text: of

text: admission

text: to

text: male

text: dominated

text: occupations

text: It

text: 's

text: up

text: to

text: us

text: as

text: a

text: society

text: to

text: set

text: the

text: standards

text: Here

text: is

text: a

text: moment

text: in

text: time

text: to

text: take

text: stock

text: Let

text: 's

text: hear

text: what

text: the

text: women

text: who

text: were

text: silenced

text: by

text: being

text: paid

text: off

text: have

text: to

text: say

text: about

text: the

text: private

text: behavior

text: of

text: a

text: very

text: public

text: man

text: who

text: is

text: running

text: for

text: president

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Barbara

text: Risman

question: She suggests rule that it's illegal for bosses to make sexual overtures to who?

answer: women

text: women

question: What does sexual harassment cases often involve?

answer: "he said/she said" dialogue.

text: "he said/she said" dialogue.

question: Barbara Risman said society hasn't reached consensus on what?

answer: around the appropriate way to deal with sexual attraction and sexual desire in the workplace.

text: around the appropriate way to deal with sexual attraction and sexual desire in the workplace.


text:
(CNN) -- Arriving in central Bangkok from the sparkling international airport, a visitor might not know at first glance that much of the city is under water.

Shops and restaurants are open as usual, while the futuristic sky train continues to ferry commuters to work in the numerous office complexes that make up the central business district.

But just a few miles northwards along the Vibhavadi Rangsit highway, the road gradually disappears into a sea of filthy brown water -- floodwater from the north of Thailand that shows little sign of disappearing quickly.

This is due in large part to a system of floodgates set up to protect the commercial center of the city and other key industrial areas by diverting the run-off to these parts.

For almost a month, residents in outlying areas such as Rangsit and Lumlukka have been living in water that is often chest-high. Many defied government evacuation orders to protect their property, even if it meant being stranded with limited food and no clean running water.

Read predictions that flooding would remain for weeks

Romeo Romei, a local businessman, lost his house and is battling to save his factory, but he still manages to take a boat out each day with his friend Alex Stamp and cousin Duccio Lucchesi to distribute water, food and clothes to those in need.

From his factory office in Rangsit, supplies donated by friends and family are sorted into rescue packs for men, women and children, while the factory workers man an array of water pumps -- some of them cannibalized swimming pool pumps -- around the clock, praying that the defensive wall they erected around the warehouse doesn't collapse. They are literally under siege from the water.

Yet Romeo is concerned about the 10 families around the corner who have been forced to set up camp on the upper floors of a dilapidated industrial building nearby.

Watch Romeo visiting families in a Rangsit warehouse

Riding in the fully-laden dinghy across what was once the factory's car park, he explains what spurred him into action. "For the first few days after the floods we went about our business dealing with the factory. But soon we couldn't bear to see people suffering."

He says the government is not helping these people, while aid agencies are nowhere to be seen around these flood-hit streets. "I saw one boat with around 10 packs of food, but there are thousands of people here," he said.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra laid out a three-point recovery plan, including immediate aid to those whose homes and businesses have been destroyed. Meanwhile, relief workers have been distributing aid to evacuation centers but face difficulties reaching residents who have decided to wait out the crisis in their homes.

As we unload the supplies of eggs, fruit, rice and medicine at our destination, the conditions the families are living in is humbling. On the ground floor, children play in the same stagnant water that dogs defecate in, while the adults gather in their damp makeshift sleeping areas with what little they could salvage from their homes.

However, the atmosphere is not depressing, especially since a year-old baby has taken his first steps in this unlikely setting. Romeo points out that Thais never complain and always have a smile on their faces.

He contends this is because there is no expectation that anyone will be there to help them.

Watch Romeo and friends boat down a road in Rangsit

As the boat pushes off to find more people to help, we're immediately surrounded by people. Some are asking if we have water, while others are looking for diapers. No one seems greedy or aggressive. They paddle around in anything that will float, from polystyrene blocks to an old refrigerator, while small children swim about in "life jackets" made from empty plastic bottles strung together and stuffed into pieces of clothing.

This, Alex says, is evidence of the Thai ability to improvise and adapt in adversity.

Impact Your World: See how you can help

An internet security consultant, Alex frequently has to field calls from clients on the boat. He says he even dropped his iPhone into the water during one call and could not find it for five minutes. He eventually fished it out, and it continues to work.

After passing a partially submerged McDonalds drive-thru and a golf course which now resembles a Florida-style swamp, we spend time feeding countless abandoned dogs and cats -- a reminder of how quickly some people were forced to leave their homes. Romeo points out that one dog had been tied to the same railing for over a week.

The obvious buildup of garbage, both in and around the water, has raised fears about the spread of disease. According to the country's Ministry of Public Heath, some 20,700 kits have been distributed that test for leptospirosis, a severe bacterial infection that can affect areas where water has been stagnant for more than three weeks.

Romeo says he made sure his workers have had tetanus shots.

While most businesses around Rangsit and Lumlukka -- including the domestic Don Muang airport -- have been forced to close, the local hospital has remained open for emergency cases only -- provided patients can negotiate the improvised jetty and barking dogs at what was the emergency room entrance.

The ER has been completely destroyed, but a functioning triage unit has been set up on the first floor among piles of dental chairs rescued from another flooded wing. The staff -- doctors, nurses and administrators -- have all been living in the hospital since the crisis began. "We are coping," says the friendly receptionist without a hint of dissent.

Back on the highway-turned-river, the boat makes several stops to help people struggling to paddle or wade their way through chest-high water -- including a woman pushing a five-month baby in a kitchen basin, as she searched for diapers -- before we reach the house of Romeo's father on an affluent street. The street signs are almost all under water here, indicating a depth of at least two meters. We take our own measurement: 2.20 meters.

When we reach the house, dark green tide marks on the outer walls illustrate how the water had recently neared 2.5 meters. The ground floor is a disaster, as pieces of furniture float freely around what was the lounge. "I'm still smiling," Romeo's father says through gritted teeth. His son can barely recognize the house he grew up in.

The smell of stagnant water is also overpowering, while mold is starting to appear on the upper floors, thanks to the "cooking" of the water below in mid-afternoon heat. There's no electricity to power a fan or air-conditioning unit.

Two blocks away, Romeo's own house has not fared any better. A car roof can just be seen in the drive. Romeo's father, who moved from Italy to Thailand more than 30 years ago, thinks it will be months before the water will be gone. "But where will the water go?" he asks. "I can't see central Bangkok avoiding this."

By now it's almost pitch-black, with almost no street lamps working. The water is so congested with other boats -- some carrying cars -- that it takes us an hour to reach dry land. The changing depth is also a major hazard, as the propeller on the boat occasionally smashes against concrete.

Another hour-long journey in a car this time, and I'm back in central Bangkok. Commuters are heading home, and bars and restaurants are open. It's a different city.

text: CNN

text: Arriving

text: in

text: central

text: Bangkok

text: from

text: the

text: sparkling

text: international

text: airport

text: a

text: visitor

text: might

text: not

text: know

text: at

text: first

text: glance

text: that

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: is

text: under

text: water

text: Shops

text: and

text: restaurants

text: are

text: open

text: as

text: usual

text: while

text: the

text: futuristic

text: sky

text: train

text: continues

text: to

text: ferry

text: commuters

text: to

text: work

text: in

text: the

text: numerous

text: office

text: complexes

text: that

text: make

text: up

text: the

text: central

text: business

text: district

text: But

text: just

text: a

text: few

text: miles

text: northwards

text: along

text: the

text: Vibhavadi

text: Rangsit

text: highway

text: the

text: road

text: gradually

text: disappears

text: into

text: a

text: sea

text: of

text: filthy

text: brown

text: water

text: floodwater

text: from

text: the

text: north

text: of

text: Thailand

text: that

text: shows

text: little

text: sign

text: of

text: disappearing

text: quickly

text: This

text: is

text: due

text: in

text: large

text: part

text: to

text: a

text: system

text: of

text: floodgates

text: set

text: up

text: to

text: protect

text: the

text: commercial

text: center

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: and

text: other

text: key

text: industrial

text: areas

text: by

text: diverting

text: the

text: run

text: off

text: to

text: these

text: parts

text: For

text: almost

text: a

text: month

text: residents

text: in

text: outlying

text: areas

text: such

text: as

text: Rangsit

text: and

text: Lumlukka

text: have

text: been

text: living

text: in

text: water

text: that

text: is

text: often

text: chest

text: high

text: Many

text: defied

text: government

text: evacuation

text: orders

text: to

text: protect

text: their

text: property

text: even

text: if

text: it

text: meant

text: being

text: stranded

text: with

text: limited

text: food

text: and

text: no

text: clean

text: running

text: water

text: Read

text: predictions

text: that

text: flooding

text: would

text: remain

text: for

text: weeks

text: Romeo

text: Romei

text: a

text: local

text: businessman

text: lost

text: his

text: house

text: and

text: is

text: battling

text: to

text: save

text: his

text: factory

text: but

text: he

text: still

text: manages

text: to

text: take

text: a

text: boat

text: out

text: each

text: day

text: with

text: his

text: friend

text: Alex

text: Stamp

text: and

text: cousin

text: Duccio

text: Lucchesi

text: to

text: distribute

text: water

text: food

text: and

text: clothes

text: to

text: those

text: in

text: need

text: From

text: his

text: factory

text: office

text: in

text: Rangsit

text: supplies

text: donated

text: by

text: friends

text: and

text: family

text: are

text: sorted

text: into

text: rescue

text: packs

text: for

text: men

text: women

text: and

text: children

text: while

text: the

text: factory

text: workers

text: man

text: an

text: array

text: of

text: water

text: pumps

text: some

text: of

text: them

text: cannibalized

text: swimming

text: pool

text: pumps

text: around

text: the

text: clock

text: praying

text: that

text: the

text: defensive

text: wall

text: they

text: erected

text: around

text: the

text: warehouse

text: does

text: n't

text: collapse

text: They

text: are

text: literally

text: under

text: siege

text: from

text: the

text: water

text: Yet

text: Romeo

text: is

text: concerned

text: about

text: the

text: families

text: around

text: the

text: corner

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: to

text: set

text: up

text: camp

text: on

text: the

text: upper

text: floors

text: of

text: a

text: dilapidated

text: industrial

text: building

text: nearby

text: Watch

text: Romeo

text: visiting

text: families

text: in

text: a

text: Rangsit

text: warehouse

text: Riding

text: in

text: the

text: fully

text: laden

text: dinghy

text: across

text: what

text: was

text: once

text: the

text: factory

text: 's

text: car

text: park

text: he

text: explains

text: what

text: spurred

text: him

text: into

text: action

text: For

text: the

text: first

text: few

text: days

text: after

text: the

text: floods

text: we

text: went

text: about

text: our

text: business

text: dealing

text: with

text: the

text: factory

text: But

text: soon

text: we

text: could

text: n't

text: bear

text: to

text: see

text: people

text: suffering

text: He

text: says

text: the

text: government

text: is

text: not

text: helping

text: these

text: people

text: while

text: aid

text: agencies

text: are

text: nowhere

text: to

text: be

text: seen

text: around

text: these

text: flood

text: hit

text: streets

text: I

text: saw

text: one

text: boat

text: with

text: around

text: packs

text: of

text: food

text: but

text: there

text: are

text: thousands

text: of

text: people

text: here

text: he

text: said

text: On

text: Tuesday

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Yingluck

text: Shinawatra

text: laid

text: out

text: a

text: three

text: point

text: recovery

text: plan

text: including

text: immediate

text: aid

text: to

text: those

text: whose

text: homes

text: and

text: businesses

text: have

text: been

text: destroyed

text: Meanwhile

text: relief

text: workers

text: have

text: been

text: distributing

text: aid

text: to

text: evacuation

text: centers

text: but

text: face

text: difficulties

text: reaching

text: residents

text: who

text: have

text: decided

text: to

text: wait

text: out

text: the

text: crisis

text: in

text: their

text: homes

text: As

text: we

text: unload

text: the

text: supplies

text: of

text: eggs

text: fruit

text: rice

text: and

text: medicine

text: at

text: our

text: destination

text: the

text: conditions

text: the

text: families

text: are

text: living

text: in

text: is

text: humbling

text: On

text: the

text: ground

text: floor

text: children

text: play

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: stagnant

text: water

text: that

text: dogs

text: defecate

text: in

text: while

text: the

text: adults

text: gather

text: in

text: their

text: damp

text: makeshift

text: sleeping

text: areas

text: with

text: what

text: little

text: they

text: could

text: salvage

text: from

text: their

text: homes

text: However

text: the

text: atmosphere

text: is

text: not

text: depressing

text: especially

text: since

text: a

text: year

text: old

text: baby

text: has

text: taken

text: his

text: first

text: steps

text: in

text: this

text: unlikely

text: setting

text: Romeo

text: points

text: out

text: that

text: Thais

text: never

text: complain

text: and

text: always

text: have

text: a

text: smile

text: on

text: their

text: faces

text: He

text: contends

text: this

text: is

text: because

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: expectation

text: that

text: anyone

text: will

text: be

text: there

text: to

text: help

text: them

text: Watch

text: Romeo

text: and

text: friends

text: boat

text: down

text: a

text: road

text: in

text: Rangsit

text: As

text: the

text: boat

text: pushes

text: off

text: to

text: find

text: more

text: people

text: to

text: help

text: we

text: 're

text: immediately

text: surrounded

text: by

text: people

text: Some

text: are

text: asking

text: if

text: we

text: have

text: water

text: while

text: others

text: are

text: looking

text: for

text: diapers

text: No

text: one

text: seems

text: greedy

text: or

text: aggressive

text: They

text: paddle

text: around

text: in

text: anything

text: that

text: will

text: float

text: from

text: polystyrene

text: blocks

text: to

text: an

text: old

text: refrigerator

text: while

text: small

text: children

text: swim

text: about

text: in

text: life

text: jackets

text: made

text: from

text: empty

text: plastic

text: bottles

text: strung

text: together

text: and

text: stuffed

text: into

text: pieces

text: of

text: clothing

text: This

text: Alex

text: says

text: is

text: evidence

text: of

text: the

text: Thai

text: ability

text: to

text: improvise

text: and

text: adapt

text: in

text: adversity

text: Impact

text: Your

text: World

text: See

text: how

text: you

text: can

text: help

text: An

text: internet

text: security

text: consultant

text: Alex

text: frequently

text: has

text: to

text: field

text: calls

text: from

text: clients

text: on

text: the

text: boat

text: He

text: says

text: he

text: even

text: dropped

text: his

text: iPhone

text: into

text: the

text: water

text: during

text: one

text: call

text: and

text: could

text: not

text: find

text: it

text: for

text: five

text: minutes

text: He

text: eventually

text: fished

text: it

text: out

text: and

text: it

text: continues

text: to

text: work

text: After

text: passing

text: a

text: partially

text: submerged

text: McDonalds

text: drive

text: thru

text: and

text: a

text: golf

text: course

text: which

text: now

text: resembles

text: a

text: Florida

text: style

text: swamp

text: we

text: spend

text: time

text: feeding

text: countless

text: abandoned

text: dogs

text: and

text: cats

text: a

text: reminder

text: of

text: how

text: quickly

text: some

text: people

text: were

text: forced

text: to

text: leave

text: their

text: homes

text: Romeo

text: points

text: out

text: that

text: one

text: dog

text: had

text: been

text: tied

text: to

text: the

text: same

text: railing

text: for

text: over

text: a

text: week

text: The

text: obvious

text: buildup

text: of

text: garbage

text: both

text: in

text: and

text: around

text: the

text: water

text: has

text: raised

text: fears

text: about

text: the

text: spread

text: of

text: disease

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Public

text: Heath

text: some

text: kits

text: have

text: been

text: distributed

text: that

text: test

text: for

text: leptospirosis

text: a

text: severe

text: bacterial

text: infection

text: that

text: can

text: affect

text: areas

text: where

text: water

text: has

text: been

text: stagnant

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: three

text: weeks

text: Romeo

text: says

text: he

text: made

text: sure

text: his

text: workers

text: have

text: had

text: tetanus

text: shots

text: While

text: most

text: businesses

text: around

text: Rangsit

text: and

text: Lumlukka

text: including

text: the

text: domestic

text: Don

text: Muang

text: airport

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: to

text: close

text: the

text: local

text: hospital

text: has

text: remained

text: open

text: for

text: emergency

text: cases

text: only

text: provided

text: patients

text: can

text: negotiate

text: the

text: improvised

text: jetty

text: and

text: barking

text: dogs

text: at

text: what

text: was

text: the

text: emergency

text: room

text: entrance

text: The

text: ER

text: has

text: been

text: completely

text: destroyed

text: but

text: a

text: functioning

text: triage

text: unit

text: has

text: been

text: set

text: up

text: on

text: the

text: first

text: floor

text: among

text: piles

text: of

text: dental

text: chairs

text: rescued

text: from

text: another

text: flooded

text: wing

text: The

text: staff

text: doctors

text: nurses

text: and

text: administrators

text: have

text: all

text: been

text: living

text: in

text: the

text: hospital

text: since

text: the

text: crisis

text: began

text: We

text: are

text: coping

text: says

text: the

text: friendly

text: receptionist

text: without

text: a

text: hint

text: of

text: dissent

text: Back

text: on

text: the

text: highway

text: turned

text: river

text: the

text: boat

text: makes

text: several

text: stops

text: to

text: help

text: people

text: struggling

text: to

text: paddle

text: or

text: wade

text: their

text: way

text: through

text: chest

text: high

text: water

text: including

text: a

text: woman

text: pushing

text: a

text: five

text: month

text: baby

text: in

text: a

text: kitchen

text: basin

text: as

text: she

text: searched

text: for

text: diapers

text: before

text: we

text: reach

text: the

text: house

text: of

text: Romeo

text: 's

text: father

text: on

text: an

text: affluent

text: street

text: The

text: street

text: signs

text: are

text: almost

text: all

text: under

text: water

text: here

text: indicating

text: a

text: depth

text: of

text: at

text: least

text: two

text: meters

text: We

text: take

text: our

text: own

text: measurement

text: meters

text: When

text: we

text: reach

text: the

text: house

text: dark

text: green

text: tide

text: marks

text: on

text: the

text: outer

text: walls

text: illustrate

text: how

text: the

text: water

text: had

text: recently

text: neared

text: meters

text: The

text: ground

text: floor

text: is

text: a

text: disaster

text: as

text: pieces

text: of

text: furniture

text: float

text: freely

text: around

text: what

text: was

text: the

text: lounge

text: I

text: 'm

text: still

text: smiling

text: Romeo

text: 's

text: father

text: says

text: through

text: gritted

text: teeth

text: His

text: son

text: can

text: barely

text: recognize

text: the

text: house

text: he

text: grew

text: up

text: in

text: The

text: smell

text: of

text: stagnant

text: water

text: is

text: also

text: overpowering

text: while

text: mold

text: is

text: starting

text: to

text: appear

text: on

text: the

text: upper

text: floors

text: thanks

text: to

text: the

text: cooking

text: of

text: the

text: water

text: below

text: in

text: mid

text: afternoon

text: heat

text: There

text: 's

text: no

text: electricity

text: to

text: power

text: a

text: fan

text: or

text: air

text: conditioning

text: unit

text: Two

text: blocks

text: away

text: Romeo

text: 's

text: own

text: house

text: has

text: not

text: fared

text: any

text: better

text: A

text: car

text: roof

text: can

text: just

text: be

text: seen

text: in

text: the

text: drive

text: Romeo

text: 's

text: father

text: who

text: moved

text: from

text: Italy

text: to

text: Thailand

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: ago

text: thinks

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: months

text: before

text: the

text: water

text: will

text: be

text: gone

text: But

text: where

text: will

text: the

text: water

text: go

text: he

text: asks

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: see

text: central

text: Bangkok

text: avoiding

text: this

text: By

text: now

text: it

text: 's

text: almost

text: pitch

text: black

text: with

text: almost

text: no

text: street

text: lamps

text: working

text: The

text: water

text: is

text: so

text: congested

text: with

text: other

text: boats

text: some

text: carrying

text: cars

text: that

text: it

text: takes

text: us

text: an

text: hour

text: to

text: reach

text: dry

text: land

text: The

text: changing

text: depth

text: is

text: also

text: a

text: major

text: hazard

text: as

text: the

text: propeller

text: on

text: the

text: boat

text: occasionally

text: smashes

text: against

text: concrete

text: Another

text: hour

text: long

text: journey

text: in

text: a

text: car

text: this

text: time

text: and

text: I

text: 'm

text: back

text: in

text: central

text: Bangkok

text: Commuters

text: are

text: heading

text: home

text: and

text: bars

text: and

text: restaurants

text: are

text: open

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: different

text: city

question: Where did the floodwaters come from?

answer: the north of Thailand

text: the north of Thailand

question: What is the factory owner trying to do?

answer: distribute water, food and clothes to those in need.

text: distribute water, food and clothes to those in need.

question: Who does the factory owner want to help?

answer: those in need.

text: those in need.

question: Are the flood waters expected to disappear quickly?

answer: flooding would remain for weeks

text: flooding would remain for weeks

question: How long have the residents been living in water?

answer: almost a month,

text: almost a month,

question: What is the factory owner doing?

answer: take a boat out each day with his friend Alex Stamp and cousin Duccio Lucchesi to distribute water, food and clothes to those in need.

text: take a boat out each day with his friend Alex Stamp and cousin Duccio Lucchesi to distribute water, food and clothes to those in need.

question: Where did the flood happen?

answer: Thailand

text: Thailand

question: Will the floodwater disappear quickly?

answer: shows little sign of disappearing

text: shows little sign of disappearing

question: How long has it been flooded?

answer: For almost a month,

text: For almost a month,


text:
(CNN) -- Peggy Bourland can't eat. When she lies down to sleep, she fights the urge to go outside and curl up on the cold, hard ground.

"Ken can't eat right now. He can't sleep in our bed," she said, her husband's military dog tags around her neck. "I won't have what he cannot have."

Last Tuesday, from his room at the Hotel Montana near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, U.S. Air Force Maj. Ken Bourland sent an e-mail to his wife telling her that he was fine and had just settled in for what was going to be an exciting time taking a disaster preparedness course.

It was 4:51 p.m. ET.

Less than 10 minutes later, an earthquake leveled much of the Haitian capital, including the Hotel Montana.

"I had just clicked off the e-mail and was trying to find some cartoons for the kids to watch," she said. "And then I saw this breaking news. An earthquake. I thought, 'Did California get hit again?' Then I saw Haiti."

Bourland popped her laptop open and fired off an e-mail: "Please tell me you're OK."

No response.

View or add to CNN's database of missing persons in Haiti

Crews have spent the past six days searching mounds of rubble, 30 feet high in places, that was the Hotel Montana, popular with tourists and visiting officials. Some United Nations employees who lived there remain unaccounted for, the U.N. said Sunday, and Alain Joyandet, the French minister of cooperation, said approximately 200 French tourists staying there had not been heard from.

There is reason to hope. On Friday, a woman trapped in the hotel's collapsed bar was rescued. In the past few days, students from South Florida's Lynn University, who were in Haiti on a humanitarian mission to feed the poor, were freed from the Montana's rubble. Six others with the university are reportedly still missing.

Peggy Bourland gets two calls a day at her suburban South Florida home -- one at night, one in the morning -- from the family's assigned military liaison. There's nothing to say, really. She's told to be optimistic. She tries.

After the second call, when she has tucked the couple's sons, 16-month-old Andrew and 3-year-old Charley into bed, she allows herself to cry. "I don't do it in front of them."

She finds it overwhelming to return to thoughts about the Sunday before Ken Bourland left. It was Charley's birthday, and another military family came over. "Ken sang to him and we all said, 'Daddy's going on another trip.'"

The Bourlands' fifth wedding anniversary will be in March. Their first date -- set up by her boss and his sister -- was one with hours of talk and lost time. She liked the fact that he asked questions about every conceivable scenario that might arise from a decision. He analyzed, where she just went with it. He prepared for the small and big things. He had been mulling for weeks, exhausting Google, over what kind of television to buy.

Ken's steady demeanor has rubbed off on Chance, his stepson. Peggy's son was 9 when she introduced him to Ken. The helicopter pilot endeared himself quickly with camping and a mutual zest for video games and remote control cars. Now 13, Chance understands what's going on.

"I let him talk when he wants to," she said. "But sometimes there's nothing to say. You just wait and continue to wait, hoping for something good."

text: CNN

text: Peggy

text: Bourland

text: ca

text: n't

text: eat

text: When

text: she

text: lies

text: down

text: to

text: sleep

text: she

text: fights

text: the

text: urge

text: to

text: go

text: outside

text: and

text: curl

text: up

text: on

text: the

text: cold

text: hard

text: ground

text: Ken

text: ca

text: n't

text: eat

text: right

text: now

text: He

text: ca

text: n't

text: sleep

text: in

text: our

text: bed

text: she

text: said

text: her

text: husband

text: 's

text: military

text: dog

text: tags

text: around

text: her

text: neck

text: I

text: wo

text: n't

text: have

text: what

text: he

text: can

text: not

text: have

text: Last

text: Tuesday

text: from

text: his

text: room

text: at

text: the

text: Hotel

text: Montana

text: near

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: Haiti

text: U.S.

text: Air

text: Force

text: Maj

text: Ken

text: Bourland

text: sent

text: an

text: e

text: mail

text: to

text: his

text: wife

text: telling

text: her

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: fine

text: and

text: had

text: just

text: settled

text: in

text: for

text: what

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: an

text: exciting

text: time

text: taking

text: a

text: disaster

text: preparedness

text: course

text: It

text: was

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: Less

text: than

text: minutes

text: later

text: an

text: earthquake

text: leveled

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: Haitian

text: capital

text: including

text: the

text: Hotel

text: Montana

text: I

text: had

text: just

text: clicked

text: off

text: the

text: e

text: mail

text: and

text: was

text: trying

text: to

text: find

text: some

text: cartoons

text: for

text: the

text: kids

text: to

text: watch

text: she

text: said

text: And

text: then

text: I

text: saw

text: this

text: breaking

text: news

text: An

text: earthquake

text: I

text: thought

text: Did

text: California

text: get

text: hit

text: again

text: Then

text: I

text: saw

text: Haiti

text: Bourland

text: popped

text: her

text: laptop

text: open

text: and

text: fired

text: off

text: an

text: e

text: mail

text: Please

text: tell

text: me

text: you

text: 're

text: OK

text: No

text: response

text: View

text: or

text: add

text: to

text: CNN

text: 's

text: database

text: of

text: missing

text: persons

text: in

text: Haiti

text: Crews

text: have

text: spent

text: the

text: past

text: six

text: days

text: searching

text: mounds

text: of

text: rubble

text: feet

text: high

text: in

text: places

text: that

text: was

text: the

text: Hotel

text: Montana

text: popular

text: with

text: tourists

text: and

text: visiting

text: officials

text: Some

text: United

text: Nations

text: employees

text: who

text: lived

text: there

text: remain

text: unaccounted

text: for

text: the

text: U.N.

text: said

text: Sunday

text: and

text: Alain

text: Joyandet

text: the

text: French

text: minister

text: of

text: cooperation

text: said

text: approximately

text: French

text: tourists

text: staying

text: there

text: had

text: not

text: been

text: heard

text: from

text: There

text: is

text: reason

text: to

text: hope

text: On

text: Friday

text: a

text: woman

text: trapped

text: in

text: the

text: hotel

text: 's

text: collapsed

text: bar

text: was

text: rescued

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: days

text: students

text: from

text: South

text: Florida

text: 's

text: Lynn

text: University

text: who

text: were

text: in

text: Haiti

text: on

text: a

text: humanitarian

text: mission

text: to

text: feed

text: the

text: poor

text: were

text: freed

text: from

text: the

text: Montana

text: 's

text: rubble

text: Six

text: others

text: with

text: the

text: university

text: are

text: reportedly

text: still

text: missing

text: Peggy

text: Bourland

text: gets

text: two

text: calls

text: a

text: day

text: at

text: her

text: suburban

text: South

text: Florida

text: home

text: one

text: at

text: night

text: one

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: from

text: the

text: family

text: 's

text: assigned

text: military

text: liaison

text: There

text: 's

text: nothing

text: to

text: say

text: really

text: She

text: 's

text: told

text: to

text: be

text: optimistic

text: She

text: tries

text: After

text: the

text: second

text: call

text: when

text: she

text: has

text: tucked

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: sons

text: old

text: Andrew

text: and

text: old

text: Charley

text: into

text: bed

text: she

text: allows

text: herself

text: to

text: cry

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: do

text: it

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: them

text: She

text: finds

text: it

text: overwhelming

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: thoughts

text: about

text: the

text: Sunday

text: before

text: Ken

text: Bourland

text: left

text: It

text: was

text: Charley

text: 's

text: birthday

text: and

text: another

text: military

text: family

text: came

text: over

text: Ken

text: sang

text: to

text: him

text: and

text: we

text: all

text: said

text: Daddy

text: 's

text: going

text: on

text: another

text: trip

text: The

text: Bourlands

text: fifth

text: wedding

text: anniversary

text: will

text: be

text: in

text: March

text: Their

text: first

text: date

text: set

text: up

text: by

text: her

text: boss

text: and

text: his

text: sister

text: was

text: one

text: with

text: hours

text: of

text: talk

text: and

text: lost

text: time

text: She

text: liked

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: he

text: asked

text: questions

text: about

text: every

text: conceivable

text: scenario

text: that

text: might

text: arise

text: from

text: a

text: decision

text: He

text: analyzed

text: where

text: she

text: just

text: went

text: with

text: it

text: He

text: prepared

text: for

text: the

text: small

text: and

text: big

text: things

text: He

text: had

text: been

text: mulling

text: for

text: weeks

text: exhausting

text: Google

text: over

text: what

text: kind

text: of

text: television

text: to

text: buy

text: Ken

text: 's

text: steady

text: demeanor

text: has

text: rubbed

text: off

text: on

text: Chance

text: his

text: stepson

text: Peggy

text: 's

text: son

text: was

text: when

text: she

text: introduced

text: him

text: to

text: Ken

text: The

text: helicopter

text: pilot

text: endeared

text: himself

text: quickly

text: with

text: camping

text: and

text: a

text: mutual

text: zest

text: for

text: video

text: games

text: and

text: remote

text: control

text: cars

text: Now

text: Chance

text: understands

text: what

text: 's

text: going

text: on

text: I

text: let

text: him

text: talk

text: when

text: he

text: wants

text: to

text: she

text: said

text: But

text: sometimes

text: there

text: 's

text: nothing

text: to

text: say

text: You

text: just

text: wait

text: and

text: continue

text: to

text: wait

text: hoping

text: for

text: something

text: good

question: What is the name of Peggy Bourland's husband?

answer: Ken

text: Ken

question: When did Bourland send an email to his wife?

answer: Last Tuesday,

text: Last Tuesday,

question: Where was Bourland staying?

answer: Hotel Montana

text: Hotel Montana

question: what Major sent wife an e-mail about 10 minutes before Tuesday's?

answer: Ken Bourland

text: Ken Bourland

question: What happened 10 minutes before the earthquake occurred?

answer: U.S. Air Force Maj. Ken Bourland sent an e-mail to his wife telling her that he was fine and had just settled in for

text: U.S. Air Force Maj. Ken Bourland sent an e-mail to his wife telling her that he was fine and had just settled in for


text:
What the heck are triglycerides? If you don't know, you have plenty of company.

One in every three Americans has high triglyceride levels, which elevate risk of heart disease and early death.

The fatty particles found in your blood are important for heart health, but don't get nearly as much attention as, say, cholesterol.

Now a new study suggests that there's a good chance that your triglycerides are in the unhealthy zone, whether you know what they are or not. About one-third of American adults have triglyceride levels that are borderline or too high, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published Monday in Archives of Internal Medicine.

"I see it as a major problem that we've completely ignored this problem so far," said Dr. BÃ¸rge Nordestgaard of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. Nordestgaard has conducted research linking high triglyceride levels to cardiovascular disease and early death, but was not involved in the CDC research.

"Everyone in clinical practice seemed to be so focused on LDL, LDL, LDL [bad cholesterol], people tended to forget triglycerides." he said.

Being too heavy, getting too little activity, drinking lots of alcohol and eating lots of saturated fat can all add up to higher triglyceride levels because the body stores excess calories as triglycerides. Health.com: Fats to eat, fats to avoid

Triglycerides are a third type of fatty particle found in the blood, along with LDL cholesterol and HDL (also known as good) cholesterol. People taking certain medications or those who have diabetes or a genetic condition can have high triglycerides. Health.com: What cholesterol tests reveal about your heart's health

Nordestgaard said that high triglycerides are as dangerous as high cholesterol levels as a risk marker for heart disease and early death.

"There's a really big potential for further prevention of heart disease and strokes by getting more focused on that," he said.  Health.com: How stress can trigger heart problems

The problem: Right now, the best way to attack high triglycerides is by losing weight, eating more healthily, and becoming more active-- a tall order for many of us.

In the new report, Dr. Earl Ford of the CDC, and his colleagues looked at a nationally representative group of 5,610 people 20 and older. They found that 33.1 percent had triglyceride levels above 150 milligrams per deciliter, while 17.9 percent had levels above 200 milligrams per deciliter, 1.7 percent had levels of 500 milligrams per deciliter or above, and 0.4 percent had levels higher than 1,000 milligrams per deciliter.

Triglycerides of 150 to 199 milligrams per deciliter are considered borderline high and anything above 200 milligrams per deciliter is considered too high. Men were more likely than women to have high triglycerides, while whites were at greater risk than African Americans and Mexican Americans.

Very high triglyceride levels can cause inflammation of the pancreas. Although there's increasing evidence that elevated triglycerides are associated with cardiovascular disease and early death, no one has yet shown that treating high triglyceride levels reduces cardiovascular disease, according to an editorial by Dr. Warren G. Thompson and Dr. Gerald T. Gau of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, in Rochester, Minnesota.

Lifestyle changes-- exercising, losing weight, swapping healthy fats for unhealthy ones, and the like-- are the treatment of choice right now for people with triglyceride levels between 150 milligrams per deciliter and 500 milligrams per deciliter . According to the National Cholesterol Education Panel, higher-risk people with triglyceride levels falling in this range may also need medication.

Beyond lifestyle changes, treatments for high triglycerides include statins, fibrates, niacin, and fish oil. But while fibrates reduce the risk of cardiovascular events like stroke and heart attack, Thompson and Gau note, they don't reduce mortality and actually increase the risk of death from non-heart-related causes; they are only recommended for people with triglycerides above 1,000 milligrams per deciliter.

"What we really need scientifically, we need companies to come up with drugs that are more efficient at particularly reducing triglycerides," said Nordestgaard. He usually recommends that people try statins first if lifestyle changes are not enough-- as do Thompson and Gau. Health.com: The therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet for heart disease

"People with hypertriglyceridemia should talk to their physician about appropriate steps to take to bring their levels of triglycerides down," said Ford. "For people with levels in the 150-500 milligrams per deciliter range, therapeutic lifestyle change is recommended."

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text: What

text: the

text: heck

text: are

text: triglycerides

text: If

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: you

text: have

text: plenty

text: of

text: company

text: One

text: in

text: every

text: three

text: Americans

text: has

text: high

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: which

text: elevate

text: risk

text: of

text: heart

text: disease

text: and

text: early

text: death

text: The

text: fatty

text: particles

text: found

text: in

text: your

text: blood

text: are

text: important

text: for

text: heart

text: health

text: but

text: do

text: n't

text: get

text: nearly

text: as

text: much

text: attention

text: as

text: say

text: cholesterol

text: Now

text: a

text: new

text: study

text: suggests

text: that

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: good

text: chance

text: that

text: your

text: triglycerides

text: are

text: in

text: the

text: unhealthy

text: zone

text: whether

text: you

text: know

text: what

text: they

text: are

text: or

text: not

text: About

text: one

text: third

text: of

text: American

text: adults

text: have

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: that

text: are

text: borderline

text: or

text: too

text: high

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: Centers

text: for

text: Disease

text: Control

text: and

text: Prevention

text: report

text: published

text: Monday

text: in

text: Archives

text: of

text: Internal

text: Medicine

text: I

text: see

text: it

text: as

text: a

text: major

text: problem

text: that

text: we

text: 've

text: completely

text: ignored

text: this

text: problem

text: so

text: far

text: said

text: Dr.

text: BÃ¸rge

text: Nordestgaard

text: of

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Copenhagen

text: in

text: Denmark

text: Nordestgaard

text: has

text: conducted

text: research

text: linking

text: high

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: to

text: cardiovascular

text: disease

text: and

text: early

text: death

text: but

text: was

text: not

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: CDC

text: research

text: Everyone

text: in

text: clinical

text: practice

text: seemed

text: to

text: be

text: so

text: focused

text: on

text: LDL

text: LDL

text: LDL

text: bad

text: cholesterol

text: people

text: tended

text: to

text: forget

text: triglycerides

text: he

text: said

text: Being

text: too

text: heavy

text: getting

text: too

text: little

text: activity

text: drinking

text: lots

text: of

text: alcohol

text: and

text: eating

text: lots

text: of

text: saturated

text: fat

text: can

text: all

text: add

text: up

text: to

text: higher

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: because

text: the

text: body

text: stores

text: excess

text: calories

text: as

text: triglycerides

text: Health.com

text: Fats

text: to

text: eat

text: fats

text: to

text: avoid

text: Triglycerides

text: are

text: a

text: third

text: type

text: of

text: fatty

text: particle

text: found

text: in

text: the

text: blood

text: along

text: with

text: LDL

text: cholesterol

text: and

text: HDL

text: also

text: known

text: as

text: good

text: cholesterol

text: People

text: taking

text: certain

text: medications

text: or

text: those

text: who

text: have

text: diabetes

text: or

text: a

text: genetic

text: condition

text: can

text: have

text: high

text: triglycerides

text: Health.com

text: What

text: cholesterol

text: tests

text: reveal

text: about

text: your

text: heart

text: 's

text: health

text: Nordestgaard

text: said

text: that

text: high

text: triglycerides

text: are

text: as

text: dangerous

text: as

text: high

text: cholesterol

text: levels

text: as

text: a

text: risk

text: marker

text: for

text: heart

text: disease

text: and

text: early

text: death

text: There

text: 's

text: a

text: really

text: big

text: potential

text: for

text: further

text: prevention

text: of

text: heart

text: disease

text: and

text: strokes

text: by

text: getting

text: more

text: focused

text: on

text: that

text: he

text: said

text: Health.com

text: How

text: stress

text: can

text: trigger

text: heart

text: problems

text: The

text: problem

text: Right

text: now

text: the

text: best

text: way

text: to

text: attack

text: high

text: triglycerides

text: is

text: by

text: losing

text: weight

text: eating

text: more

text: healthily

text: and

text: becoming

text: more

text: active--

text: a

text: tall

text: order

text: for

text: many

text: of

text: us

text: In

text: the

text: new

text: report

text: Dr.

text: Earl

text: Ford

text: of

text: the

text: CDC

text: and

text: his

text: colleagues

text: looked

text: at

text: a

text: nationally

text: representative

text: group

text: of

text: people

text: and

text: older

text: They

text: found

text: that

text: percent

text: had

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: above

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: while

text: percent

text: had

text: levels

text: above

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: percent

text: had

text: levels

text: of

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: or

text: above

text: and

text: percent

text: had

text: levels

text: higher

text: than

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: Triglycerides

text: of

text: to

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: are

text: considered

text: borderline

text: high

text: and

text: anything

text: above

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: is

text: considered

text: too

text: high

text: Men

text: were

text: more

text: likely

text: than

text: women

text: to

text: have

text: high

text: triglycerides

text: while

text: whites

text: were

text: at

text: greater

text: risk

text: than

text: African

text: Americans

text: and

text: Mexican

text: Americans

text: Very

text: high

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: can

text: cause

text: inflammation

text: of

text: the

text: pancreas

text: Although

text: there

text: 's

text: increasing

text: evidence

text: that

text: elevated

text: triglycerides

text: are

text: associated

text: with

text: cardiovascular

text: disease

text: and

text: early

text: death

text: no

text: one

text: has

text: yet

text: shown

text: that

text: treating

text: high

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: reduces

text: cardiovascular

text: disease

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: editorial

text: by

text: Dr.

text: Warren

text: G.

text: Thompson

text: and

text: Dr.

text: Gerald

text: T.

text: Gau

text: of

text: the

text: Mayo

text: Clinic

text: College

text: of

text: Medicine

text: in

text: Rochester

text: Minnesota

text: Lifestyle

text: changes--

text: exercising

text: losing

text: weight

text: swapping

text: healthy

text: fats

text: for

text: unhealthy

text: ones

text: and

text: the

text: like--

text: are

text: the

text: treatment

text: of

text: choice

text: right

text: now

text: for

text: people

text: with

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: between

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: and

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: National

text: Cholesterol

text: Education

text: Panel

text: higher

text: risk

text: people

text: with

text: triglyceride

text: levels

text: falling

text: in

text: this

text: range

text: may

text: also

text: need

text: medication

text: Beyond

text: lifestyle

text: changes

text: treatments

text: for

text: high

text: triglycerides

text: include

text: statins

text: fibrates

text: niacin

text: and

text: fish

text: oil

text: But

text: while

text: fibrates

text: reduce

text: the

text: risk

text: of

text: cardiovascular

text: events

text: like

text: stroke

text: and

text: heart

text: attack

text: Thompson

text: and

text: Gau

text: note

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: reduce

text: mortality

text: and

text: actually

text: increase

text: the

text: risk

text: of

text: death

text: from

text: non

text: heart

text: related

text: causes

text: they

text: are

text: only

text: recommended

text: for

text: people

text: with

text: triglycerides

text: above

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: What

text: we

text: really

text: need

text: scientifically

text: we

text: need

text: companies

text: to

text: come

text: up

text: with

text: drugs

text: that

text: are

text: more

text: efficient

text: at

text: particularly

text: reducing

text: triglycerides

text: said

text: Nordestgaard

text: He

text: usually

text: recommends

text: that

text: people

text: try

text: statins

text: first

text: if

text: lifestyle

text: changes

text: are

text: not

text: enough--

text: as

text: do

text: Thompson

text: and

text: Gau

text: Health.com

text: The

text: therapeutic

text: lifestyle

text: changes

text: TLC

text: diet

text: for

text: heart

text: disease

text: People

text: with

text: hypertriglyceridemia

text: should

text: talk

text: to

text: their

text: physician

text: about

text: appropriate

text: steps

text: to

text: take

text: to

text: bring

text: their

text: levels

text: of

text: triglycerides

text: down

text: said

text: Ford

text: For

text: people

text: with

text: levels

text: in

text: the

text: milligrams

text: per

text: deciliter

text: range

text: therapeutic

text: lifestyle

text: change

text: is

text: recommended

text: Enter

text: to

text: win

text: a

text: monthly

text: Room

text: Makeover

text: Giveaway

text: from

text: MyHomeIdeas.com

question: What are triglycerides important for?

answer: heart health,

text: heart health,

question: What fraction of Americans has high triglycerides?

answer: One in every three

text: One in every three

question: What is important for heart health?

answer: fatty particles found in your blood

text: fatty particles found in your blood

question: What are fatty particles called?

answer: triglycerides

text: triglycerides

question: What can high triglyceride levels cause?

answer: heart disease and early death.

text: heart disease and early death.

question: What are the ill effects of high triglycerides?

answer: heart disease

text: heart disease

question: What are triglycerides?

answer: are a third type of fatty particle found in the blood,

text: are a third type of fatty particle found in the blood,

question: What ratio of Americans have high triglyceride levels?

answer: One in every three

text: One in every three


text:
(CNN) -- Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for former Dallas Cowboys player Terrell Owens after he failed to show up for a child support hearing last month.

The free-agent wide receiver tried to reschedule the October 24 hearing in order to attend an NFL workout to help secure a contract, his spokeswoman said Saturday night.

He is "deeply upset that anyone would misconstrue his nonappearance in court," Diana Bianchini said.

At the time, Owens did not have representation, but his new attorneys are working to resolve the "no show" court date, she said.

Owens has been nursing a knee injury after surgery, and currently has no income, according to the spokeswoman.

He supports his four children based on his 2007 income of $11 million to $12 million when he was playing for the Dallas Cowboys, which has not been modified to reflect his current situation, she said.

"In addition to this, his attorneys have just filed a lawsuit on his behalf for $2 million in a case where advisers who had access to his accounts were seriously mishandling fund," she said.

The player is in "serious financial shape" but is working to resolve the issue, according to the spokeswoman.

The wide receiver has played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.

CNN's Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Authorities

text: have

text: issued

text: an

text: arrest

text: warrant

text: for

text: former

text: Dallas

text: Cowboys

text: player

text: Terrell

text: Owens

text: after

text: he

text: failed

text: to

text: show

text: up

text: for

text: a

text: child

text: support

text: hearing

text: last

text: month

text: The

text: free

text: agent

text: wide

text: receiver

text: tried

text: to

text: reschedule

text: the

text: October

text: hearing

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: attend

text: an

text: NFL

text: workout

text: to

text: help

text: secure

text: a

text: contract

text: his

text: spokeswoman

text: said

text: Saturday

text: night

text: He

text: is

text: deeply

text: upset

text: that

text: anyone

text: would

text: misconstrue

text: his

text: nonappearance

text: in

text: court

text: Diana

text: Bianchini

text: said

text: At

text: the

text: time

text: Owens

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: representation

text: but

text: his

text: new

text: attorneys

text: are

text: working

text: to

text: resolve

text: the

text: no

text: show

text: court

text: date

text: she

text: said

text: Owens

text: has

text: been

text: nursing

text: a

text: knee

text: injury

text: after

text: surgery

text: and

text: currently

text: has

text: no

text: income

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: spokeswoman

text: He

text: supports

text: his

text: four

text: children

text: based

text: on

text: his

text: income

text: of

text: million

text: to

text: million

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: playing

text: for

text: the

text: Dallas

text: Cowboys

text: which

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: modified

text: to

text: reflect

text: his

text: current

text: situation

text: she

text: said

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: this

text: his

text: attorneys

text: have

text: just

text: filed

text: a

text: lawsuit

text: on

text: his

text: behalf

text: for

text: million

text: in

text: a

text: case

text: where

text: advisers

text: who

text: had

text: access

text: to

text: his

text: accounts

text: were

text: seriously

text: mishandling

text: fund

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: player

text: is

text: in

text: serious

text: financial

text: shape

text: but

text: is

text: working

text: to

text: resolve

text: the

text: issue

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: spokeswoman

text: The

text: wide

text: receiver

text: has

text: played

text: for

text: the

text: San

text: Francisco

text: Philadelphia

text: Eagles

text: Buffalo

text: Bills

text: and

text: the

text: Cincinnati

text: Bengals

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Stephanie

text: Gallman

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: When is the hearing going to occur?

answer: October 24

text: October 24

question: what teams did he play for

answer: San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.

text: San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.

question: what did the free-agent wide receiver try

answer: reschedule the October 24 hearing in order to attend an NFL workout

text: reschedule the October 24 hearing in order to attend an NFL workout

question: Who did Owens play for?

answer: Dallas Cowboys

text: Dallas Cowboys

question: Who tries to reschedule the hearing?

answer: Terrell Owens

text: Terrell Owens

question: Who had no representative?

answer: Owens

text: Owens

question: What position did Owens play?

answer: wide receiver

text: wide receiver


text:
(CNN)  -- In his West Virginia home, Peter Ruplenas, a three-time war veteran spends his days thumbing through his personal photography collection.

His compilation is vast and includes countless photographs of B-24 bombers, soldiers in the field and the aftermath of war.

He holds up a photograph of himself taken by fellow photographer Dick Durrance during the Vietnam War. In it, Ruplenas trudges through a rice paddy after returning from a sweep in Cu Chi, Vietnam. He struggles to carry all his gear, but his grip is firm on his 35-millimeter camera.

The photograph captures Ruplenas at the peak of his 29-year photography career and brings him back to a time when he says he was fearless. "The minute I took the first picture I was completely relaxed."

"I feel pretty proud of what I've done," says Ruplenas, a 91-year-old retired combat cameraman of World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

How you can honor fallen U.S. troops

He joined the Army in 1941 and within weeks of lacing up his boots, became a combat photographer.

Combat photographers have long-served a tactical and strategic purpose -- their primary objective is to gather military intelligence. While some, like Matthew Brady and Robert Capa, have had storied careers, thousands of others worked in obscurity, their identity hidden behind the lens.

Veteran Navy combat photographer Johnny Bivera says military photographers provide a valuable legacy. People like Ruplenas provide our society "with documentation about a time and place in our history that has long changed and moved on."

Ruplenas recalls the nervousness he felt on D-Day in World War II, one of his first assignments.

"I hitched up a ride and a pilot let me go with him, I photographed the dozens and dozens of landing craft going in shore. We didn't drop one bomb because our targets in France were covered by fog and rain."

His company commanders soon realized his talent and encouraged him to take more photographs. Army Headquarters began reviewing his shots regularly to determine whether the United States had hit their hopeful targets.

"I love photography," says Ruplenas.

"Anytime they had accidents, disasters, bombings, I flew out and photographed it."

How to help families of wounded U.S. troops

Despite his deep appreciation for the job, he says the Korean War was the most difficult to cover. In addition to frostbite and seven days behind enemy lines with an all Korean guerilla group, he says it was the weather that proved to be most trying.

"It went from 60 to 70 degrees when we first landed to 32 below. I worked day in and day out, hardly any days off because I loved my job."

Throughout his photography career, Ruplenas mentored younger soldiers as they trained in his shadow.

He did not like to get overly technical about photography. "If anyone walked up to me and asked a technical question, I'd say ask the next guy," he says, laughing.

But, says Ruplenas, "I could tell you the best angle and the best way to get those photographs."

He says the best part of the job was photographing young American GIs and feels privileged to have had encounters with movie stars like Bob Hope, Tony Bennett and Patti Page during his military travels.

Ruplenas has also encountered younger veterans in recent years who remember his work and credit him with helping them find a profession in photography.

"It makes you feel pretty good," he says.

Ruplenas retired from the Army in 1970 and says he now enjoys spending time with his granddaughter and seven adopted alley cats.

He also loves going through his collection of photographs.

"When you hit 91 years old and you've gone through three wars, you ought to ... just relax."

And while he doesn't photograph as much as he used to, Ruplenas insists, "without a camera, I'm nothing."

text: CNN

text: In

text: his

text: West

text: Virginia

text: home

text: Peter

text: Ruplenas

text: a

text: three

text: time

text: war

text: veteran

text: spends

text: his

text: days

text: thumbing

text: through

text: his

text: personal

text: photography

text: collection

text: His

text: compilation

text: is

text: vast

text: and

text: includes

text: countless

text: photographs

text: of

text: bombers

text: soldiers

text: in

text: the

text: field

text: and

text: the

text: aftermath

text: of

text: war

text: He

text: holds

text: up

text: a

text: photograph

text: of

text: himself

text: taken

text: by

text: fellow

text: photographer

text: Dick

text: Durrance

text: during

text: the

text: Vietnam

text: War

text: In

text: it

text: Ruplenas

text: trudges

text: through

text: a

text: rice

text: paddy

text: after

text: returning

text: from

text: a

text: sweep

text: in

text: Cu

text: Chi

text: Vietnam

text: He

text: struggles

text: to

text: carry

text: all

text: his

text: gear

text: but

text: his

text: grip

text: is

text: firm

text: on

text: his

text: camera

text: The

text: photograph

text: captures

text: Ruplenas

text: at

text: the

text: peak

text: of

text: his

text: photography

text: career

text: and

text: brings

text: him

text: back

text: to

text: a

text: time

text: when

text: he

text: says

text: he

text: was

text: fearless

text: The

text: minute

text: I

text: took

text: the

text: first

text: picture

text: I

text: was

text: completely

text: relaxed

text: I

text: feel

text: pretty

text: proud

text: of

text: what

text: I

text: 've

text: done

text: says

text: Ruplenas

text: a

text: old

text: retired

text: combat

text: cameraman

text: of

text: World

text: War

text: II

text: Korea

text: and

text: Vietnam

text: How

text: you

text: can

text: honor

text: fallen

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: He

text: joined

text: the

text: Army

text: in

text: and

text: within

text: weeks

text: of

text: lacing

text: up

text: his

text: boots

text: became

text: a

text: combat

text: photographer

text: Combat

text: photographers

text: have

text: long

text: served

text: a

text: tactical

text: and

text: strategic

text: purpose

text: their

text: primary

text: objective

text: is

text: to

text: gather

text: military

text: intelligence

text: While

text: some

text: like

text: Matthew

text: Brady

text: and

text: Robert

text: Capa

text: have

text: had

text: storied

text: careers

text: thousands

text: of

text: others

text: worked

text: in

text: obscurity

text: their

text: identity

text: hidden

text: behind

text: the

text: lens

text: Veteran

text: Navy

text: combat

text: photographer

text: Johnny

text: Bivera

text: says

text: military

text: photographers

text: provide

text: a

text: valuable

text: legacy

text: People

text: like

text: Ruplenas

text: provide

text: our

text: society

text: with

text: documentation

text: about

text: a

text: time

text: and

text: place

text: in

text: our

text: history

text: that

text: has

text: long

text: changed

text: and

text: moved

text: on

text: Ruplenas

text: recalls

text: the

text: nervousness

text: he

text: felt

text: on

text: D

text: Day

text: in

text: World

text: War

text: II

text: one

text: of

text: his

text: first

text: assignments

text: I

text: hitched

text: up

text: a

text: ride

text: and

text: a

text: pilot

text: let

text: me

text: go

text: with

text: him

text: I

text: photographed

text: the

text: dozens

text: and

text: dozens

text: of

text: landing

text: craft

text: going

text: in

text: shore

text: We

text: did

text: n't

text: drop

text: one

text: bomb

text: because

text: our

text: targets

text: in

text: France

text: were

text: covered

text: by

text: fog

text: and

text: rain

text: His

text: company

text: commanders

text: soon

text: realized

text: his

text: talent

text: and

text: encouraged

text: him

text: to

text: take

text: more

text: photographs

text: Army

text: Headquarters

text: began

text: reviewing

text: his

text: shots

text: regularly

text: to

text: determine

text: whether

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: had

text: hit

text: their

text: hopeful

text: targets

text: I

text: love

text: photography

text: says

text: Ruplenas

text: Anytime

text: they

text: had

text: accidents

text: disasters

text: bombings

text: I

text: flew

text: out

text: and

text: photographed

text: it

text: How

text: to

text: help

text: families

text: of

text: wounded

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: Despite

text: his

text: deep

text: appreciation

text: for

text: the

text: job

text: he

text: says

text: the

text: Korean

text: War

text: was

text: the

text: most

text: difficult

text: to

text: cover

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: frostbite

text: and

text: seven

text: days

text: behind

text: enemy

text: lines

text: with

text: an

text: all

text: Korean

text: guerilla

text: group

text: he

text: says

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: weather

text: that

text: proved

text: to

text: be

text: most

text: trying

text: It

text: went

text: from

text: to

text: degrees

text: when

text: we

text: first

text: landed

text: to

text: below

text: I

text: worked

text: day

text: in

text: and

text: day

text: out

text: hardly

text: any

text: days

text: off

text: because

text: I

text: loved

text: my

text: job

text: Throughout

text: his

text: photography

text: career

text: Ruplenas

text: mentored

text: younger

text: soldiers

text: as

text: they

text: trained

text: in

text: his

text: shadow

text: He

text: did

text: not

text: like

text: to

text: get

text: overly

text: technical

text: about

text: photography

text: If

text: anyone

text: walked

text: up

text: to

text: me

text: and

text: asked

text: a

text: technical

text: question

text: I

text: 'd

text: say

text: ask

text: the

text: next

text: guy

text: he

text: says

text: laughing

text: But

text: says

text: Ruplenas

text: I

text: could

text: tell

text: you

text: the

text: best

text: angle

text: and

text: the

text: best

text: way

text: to

text: get

text: those

text: photographs

text: He

text: says

text: the

text: best

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: job

text: was

text: photographing

text: young

text: American

text: GIs

text: and

text: feels

text: privileged

text: to

text: have

text: had

text: encounters

text: with

text: movie

text: stars

text: like

text: Bob

text: Hope

text: Tony

text: Bennett

text: and

text: Patti

text: Page

text: during

text: his

text: military

text: travels

text: Ruplenas

text: has

text: also

text: encountered

text: younger

text: veterans

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: who

text: remember

text: his

text: work

text: and

text: credit

text: him

text: with

text: helping

text: them

text: find

text: a

text: profession

text: in

text: photography

text: It

text: makes

text: you

text: feel

text: pretty

text: good

text: he

text: says

text: Ruplenas

text: retired

text: from

text: the

text: Army

text: in

text: and

text: says

text: he

text: now

text: enjoys

text: spending

text: time

text: with

text: his

text: granddaughter

text: and

text: seven

text: adopted

text: alley

text: cats

text: He

text: also

text: loves

text: going

text: through

text: his

text: collection

text: of

text: photographs

text: When

text: you

text: hit

text: years

text: old

text: and

text: you

text: 've

text: gone

text: through

text: three

text: wars

text: you

text: ought

text: to

text: just

text: relax

text: And

text: while

text: he

text: does

text: n't

text: photograph

text: as

text: much

text: as

text: he

text: used

text: to

text: Ruplenas

text: insists

text: without

text: a

text: camera

text: I

text: 'm

text: nothing

question: what did Ruplenas  say

answer: "The minute I took the first picture I was completely relaxed."

text: "The minute I took the first picture I was completely relaxed."

question: Which wars did Peter Ruplenas photograph?

answer: Vietnam.

text: Vietnam.

question: who is peter Ruplenas

answer: a three-time war veteran

text: a three-time war veteran

question: Where Peter Ruplenas take photos?

answer: West Virginia

text: West Virginia

question: Peter Ruplenas is retired from what?

answer: combat cameraman

text: combat cameraman

question: What did Ruplenas say was the best part of the job?

answer: photographing young American GIs

text: photographing young American GIs

question: What does Ruplenas say the best part of his job was?

answer: photographing young American GIs

text: photographing young American GIs