text:
(CNN) -- Witnesses began describing the final moments of and futile attempts to save a Connecticut mother and her two daughters inside their burning home, opening the trial Monday for one of the men who authorities claim is responsible for their murders.

Prosecutors declined to give an opening statement to start the trial of Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31, who faces 17 charges in a brutal home invasion in Cheshire. But they did introduce tapes from two 911 calls, a bank teller who claimed the mother tried to withdraw $15,000 as ransom and a police officer who found Dr. William Petit -- the lone survivor -- fighting for life outside his family's burning home.

The first defendant to stand trial in the case, Steven Hayes, was sentenced to the death penalty in December after being convicted on 16 of 17 charges filed against him.

Prosecutors allege that Hayes and Komisarjevsky went into the Petit home, beat and tied up Dr. William Petit, raped and strangled his wife, molested one of their daughters and set the house on fire before attempting to flee.

The two daughters, who were both tied to their beds, died of smoke inhalation. William Petit managed to escape.

Entering the New Haven court Monday, Petit succinctly told reporters, "I just hope justice was served." He was one of several of the victims' family members packing the courtroom, many of them wearing pins that Judge Jon C. Blue allowed over defense lawyers' objections they might sway the jury.

While he didn't present a comprehensive statement, New Haven State's Attorney Michael Dearington briefly spoke to jurors, explaining that prosecutors believe the jury will be able to listen to the evidence and render a decision. Under the law, Dearington said, Komisarjevsky is charged both as a principal and an accessory.

Komisarjevsky's defense attorney, Walter Bansley, told jurors that his client never intended to kill anyone, that his sole purpose in breaking into the Petit home was to steal.

Bansley said Komisarjevsky did not have a weapon. He told jurors that in order to convict Komisarjevsky of capital murder, they must determine he intended to kill someone.

It was Hayes, Bansley said, who raped and strangled Jennifer Hawke-Petit, poured the gasoline and lit the match. Komisarjevsky was a willing participant in the break-in and theft, but not the murders, according to Bansley, who recounted mounting dissension between Hayes and Komisarjevsky as the home invasion progressed through that morning.

Hayes felt the Petits needed to be killed, Bansley claimed, but Komisarjevsky refused to kill anyone.

Bansley did allude to a "confession" that Komisarjevsky had later made in the incident. While it was not yet entered into testimony on this trial's first day, during Hayes' trial, a court clerk read from writings of Komisarjevsky, in which he described the incident in a 40-page letter that he wrote to author Brian McDonald in 2008.

"All were compliant," he wrote. "This time I took a risk, pulled the trigger, and the chamber was loaded. ... The Petit family passed through their fears and into terror.

"... It was captivating, validating that this pain in me was real. ... I was looking right at my personal demon, reflected back in their eyes. ... Hayley is a fighter; she tried time and time again to free herself. ... Mr. Petit is a coward; he ran away when he thought his life was threatened, and ran away to leave his wife and children to madmen. ... I was cheated of my retribution, and so was Steve. ... I am what I am; I make no excuses. ... I'm a criminal with a criminal mind."

The reading continued, "Michaela, Hayley, and Jennifer, forgive me; I am damned. ... I can't believe I lost control; I hate myself/I love myself. ... I stand condemned."

After the defense lawyers presented their opening arguments, the prosecution began to present evidence and call witnesses -- the same five people thus far, in the same order, as they did during Hayes' trial. If they continue this trend, Dr. Petit would be the next witness to testify when the trial resumes Tuesday morning.

The first person on the stand Monday was Mona Huggard, a registered nurse at Petit's medical practice who said that Hawke-Petit had called in to say her husband was sick -- only the second time, in her recollection, that he'd ever done so.

Then Kristen Makhzangi testified how Hawke-Petit came to her bank window to withdraw $15,000. Video showed the transaction, which spurred a 911 call from the Bank of America branch's manager, Mary Lyons, warning that that the family might be in trouble. Lyons described Hawke-Petit as "terrified." About an hour after the visit, authorities say, she was dead.

Another 911 call came from the Petits' next-door neighbor David Simcik, who testified spotting Dr. Petit "all banged up" and asking him to call police.

And lastly on Monday, Cheshire Police Office Thomas Wright explained how he'd arrived to find Petit bloodied on his neighbor's driveway.

By the time he tried, unsuccessfully, to enter the door of the home, Hayes and Komisarjevsky had left and "everything was burning," Wright said. Authorities threw rocks at windows and doused flames with a nearby hose.

But once they finally got in, "We saw no signs of life," he said.

In Session's Sunny Hostin and CNN's Deborah Feyerick contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Witnesses

text: began

text: describing

text: the

text: final

text: moments

text: of

text: and

text: futile

text: attempts

text: to

text: save

text: a

text: Connecticut

text: mother

text: and

text: her

text: two

text: daughters

text: inside

text: their

text: burning

text: home

text: opening

text: the

text: trial

text: Monday

text: for

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: men

text: who

text: authorities

text: claim

text: is

text: responsible

text: for

text: their

text: murders

text: Prosecutors

text: declined

text: to

text: give

text: an

text: opening

text: statement

text: to

text: start

text: the

text: trial

text: of

text: Joshua

text: Komisarjevsky

text: who

text: faces

text: charges

text: in

text: a

text: brutal

text: home

text: invasion

text: in

text: Cheshire

text: But

text: they

text: did

text: introduce

text: tapes

text: from

text: two

text: calls

text: a

text: bank

text: teller

text: who

text: claimed

text: the

text: mother

text: tried

text: to

text: withdraw

text: as

text: ransom

text: and

text: a

text: police

text: officer

text: who

text: found

text: Dr.

text: William

text: Petit

text: the

text: lone

text: survivor

text: fighting

text: for

text: life

text: outside

text: his

text: family

text: 's

text: burning

text: home

text: The

text: first

text: defendant

text: to

text: stand

text: trial

text: in

text: the

text: case

text: Steven

text: Hayes

text: was

text: sentenced

text: to

text: the

text: death

text: penalty

text: in

text: December

text: after

text: being

text: convicted

text: on

text: of

text: charges

text: filed

text: against

text: him

text: Prosecutors

text: allege

text: that

text: Hayes

text: and

text: Komisarjevsky

text: went

text: into

text: the

text: Petit

text: home

text: beat

text: and

text: tied

text: up

text: Dr.

text: William

text: Petit

text: raped

text: and

text: strangled

text: his

text: wife

text: molested

text: one

text: of

text: their

text: daughters

text: and

text: set

text: the

text: house

text: on

text: fire

text: before

text: attempting

text: to

text: flee

text: The

text: two

text: daughters

text: who

text: were

text: both

text: tied

text: to

text: their

text: beds

text: died

text: of

text: smoke

text: inhalation

text: William

text: Petit

text: managed

text: to

text: escape

text: Entering

text: the

text: New

text: Haven

text: court

text: Monday

text: Petit

text: succinctly

text: told

text: reporters

text: I

text: just

text: hope

text: justice

text: was

text: served

text: He

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: several

text: of

text: the

text: victims

text: family

text: members

text: packing

text: the

text: courtroom

text: many

text: of

text: them

text: wearing

text: pins

text: that

text: Judge

text: Jon

text: C.

text: Blue

text: allowed

text: over

text: defense

text: lawyers

text: objections

text: they

text: might

text: sway

text: the

text: jury

text: While

text: he

text: did

text: n't

text: present

text: a

text: comprehensive

text: statement

text: New

text: Haven

text: State

text: 's

text: Attorney

text: Michael

text: Dearington

text: briefly

text: spoke

text: to

text: jurors

text: explaining

text: that

text: prosecutors

text: believe

text: the

text: jury

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: listen

text: to

text: the

text: evidence

text: and

text: render

text: a

text: decision

text: Under

text: the

text: law

text: Dearington

text: said

text: Komisarjevsky

text: is

text: charged

text: both

text: as

text: a

text: principal

text: and

text: an

text: accessory

text: Komisarjevsky

text: 's

text: defense

text: attorney

text: Walter

text: Bansley

text: told

text: jurors

text: that

text: his

text: client

text: never

text: intended

text: to

text: kill

text: anyone

text: that

text: his

text: sole

text: purpose

text: in

text: breaking

text: into

text: the

text: Petit

text: home

text: was

text: to

text: steal

text: Bansley

text: said

text: Komisarjevsky

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: a

text: weapon

text: He

text: told

text: jurors

text: that

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: convict

text: Komisarjevsky

text: of

text: capital

text: murder

text: they

text: must

text: determine

text: he

text: intended

text: to

text: kill

text: someone

text: It

text: was

text: Hayes

text: Bansley

text: said

text: who

text: raped

text: and

text: strangled

text: Jennifer

text: Hawke

text: Petit

text: poured

text: the

text: gasoline

text: and

text: lit

text: the

text: match

text: Komisarjevsky

text: was

text: a

text: willing

text: participant

text: in

text: the

text: break

text: in

text: and

text: theft

text: but

text: not

text: the

text: murders

text: according

text: to

text: Bansley

text: who

text: recounted

text: mounting

text: dissension

text: between

text: Hayes

text: and

text: Komisarjevsky

text: as

text: the

text: home

text: invasion

text: progressed

text: through

text: that

text: morning

text: Hayes

text: felt

text: the

text: Petits

text: needed

text: to

text: be

text: killed

text: Bansley

text: claimed

text: but

text: Komisarjevsky

text: refused

text: to

text: kill

text: anyone

text: Bansley

text: did

text: allude

text: to

text: a

text: confession

text: that

text: Komisarjevsky

text: had

text: later

text: made

text: in

text: the

text: incident

text: While

text: it

text: was

text: not

text: yet

text: entered

text: into

text: testimony

text: on

text: this

text: trial

text: 's

text: first

text: day

text: during

text: Hayes

text: trial

text: a

text: court

text: clerk

text: read

text: from

text: writings

text: of

text: Komisarjevsky

text: in

text: which

text: he

text: described

text: the

text: incident

text: in

text: a

text: letter

text: that

text: he

text: wrote

text: to

text: author

text: Brian

text: McDonald

text: in

text: All

text: were

text: compliant

text: he

text: wrote

text: This

text: time

text: I

text: took

text: a

text: risk

text: pulled

text: the

text: trigger

text: and

text: the

text: chamber

text: was

text: loaded

text: The

text: Petit

text: family

text: passed

text: through

text: their

text: fears

text: and

text: into

text: terror

text: It

text: was

text: captivating

text: validating

text: that

text: this

text: pain

text: in

text: me

text: was

text: real

text: I

text: was

text: looking

text: right

text: at

text: my

text: personal

text: demon

text: reflected

text: back

text: in

text: their

text: eyes

text: Hayley

text: is

text: a

text: fighter

text: she

text: tried

text: time

text: and

text: time

text: again

text: to

text: free

text: herself

text: Mr.

text: Petit

text: is

text: a

text: coward

text: he

text: ran

text: away

text: when

text: he

text: thought

text: his

text: life

text: was

text: threatened

text: and

text: ran

text: away

text: to

text: leave

text: his

text: wife

text: and

text: children

text: to

text: madmen

text: I

text: was

text: cheated

text: of

text: my

text: retribution

text: and

text: so

text: was

text: Steve

text: I

text: am

text: what

text: I

text: am

text: I

text: make

text: no

text: excuses

text: I

text: 'm

text: a

text: criminal

text: with

text: a

text: criminal

text: mind

text: The

text: reading

text: continued

text: Michaela

text: Hayley

text: and

text: Jennifer

text: forgive

text: me

text: I

text: am

text: damned

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: believe

text: I

text: lost

text: control

text: I

text: hate

text: myself

text: I

text: love

text: myself

text: I

text: stand

text: condemned

text: After

text: the

text: defense

text: lawyers

text: presented

text: their

text: opening

text: arguments

text: the

text: prosecution

text: began

text: to

text: present

text: evidence

text: and

text: call

text: witnesses

text: the

text: same

text: five

text: people

text: thus

text: far

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: order

text: as

text: they

text: did

text: during

text: Hayes

text: trial

text: If

text: they

text: continue

text: this

text: trend

text: Dr.

text: Petit

text: would

text: be

text: the

text: next

text: witness

text: to

text: testify

text: when

text: the

text: trial

text: resumes

text: Tuesday

text: morning

text: The

text: first

text: person

text: on

text: the

text: stand

text: Monday

text: was

text: Mona

text: Huggard

text: a

text: registered

text: nurse

text: at

text: Petit

text: 's

text: medical

text: practice

text: who

text: said

text: that

text: Hawke

text: Petit

text: had

text: called

text: in

text: to

text: say

text: her

text: husband

text: was

text: sick

text: only

text: the

text: second

text: time

text: in

text: her

text: recollection

text: that

text: he

text: 'd

text: ever

text: done

text: so

text: Then

text: Kristen

text: Makhzangi

text: testified

text: how

text: Hawke

text: Petit

text: came

text: to

text: her

text: bank

text: window

text: to

text: withdraw

text: Video

text: showed

text: the

text: transaction

text: which

text: spurred

text: a

text: call

text: from

text: the

text: Bank

text: of

text: America

text: branch

text: 's

text: manager

text: Mary

text: Lyons

text: warning

text: that

text: that

text: the

text: family

text: might

text: be

text: in

text: trouble

text: Lyons

text: described

text: Hawke

text: Petit

text: as

text: terrified

text: About

text: an

text: hour

text: after

text: the

text: visit

text: authorities

text: say

text: she

text: was

text: dead

text: Another

text: call

text: came

text: from

text: the

text: Petits

text: next

text: door

text: neighbor

text: David

text: Simcik

text: who

text: testified

text: spotting

text: Dr.

text: Petit

text: all

text: banged

text: up

text: and

text: asking

text: him

text: to

text: call

text: police

text: And

text: lastly

text: on

text: Monday

text: Cheshire

text: Police

text: Office

text: Thomas

text: Wright

text: explained

text: how

text: he

text: 'd

text: arrived

text: to

text: find

text: Petit

text: bloodied

text: on

text: his

text: neighbor

text: 's

text: driveway

text: By

text: the

text: time

text: he

text: tried

text: unsuccessfully

text: to

text: enter

text: the

text: door

text: of

text: the

text: home

text: Hayes

text: and

text: Komisarjevsky

text: had

text: left

text: and

text: everything

text: was

text: burning

text: Wright

text: said

text: Authorities

text: threw

text: rocks

text: at

text: windows

text: and

text: doused

text: flames

text: with

text: a

text: nearby

text: hose

text: But

text: once

text: they

text: finally

text: got

text: in

text: We

text: saw

text: no

text: signs

text: of

text: life

text: he

text: said

text: In

text: Session

text: 's

text: Sunny

text: Hostin

text: and

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Deborah

text: Feyerick

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What did a police officer say he found?

answer: Dr. William Petit

text: Dr. William Petit

question: Who is on trial for 17 charges?

answer: Joshua Komisarjevsky,

text: Joshua Komisarjevsky,

question: Joshua Komisarjevsky is on trial for how many charges

answer: 17

question: What did the police officer find?

answer: Dr. William Petit

text: Dr. William Petit

question: Who did the police officer find

answer: Petit bloodied on his neighbor's driveway.

text: Petit bloodied on his neighbor's driveway.

question: Who is on trial for 17 charges, including murder?

answer: Joshua Komisarjevsky,

text: Joshua Komisarjevsky,


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Leading Republicans warned Sunday that the Obama administration's $800 billion-plus economic stimulus effort will lead to what one called a "financial disaster."

The country will "pay dearly" if it executes the president's stimulus plans, Sen. Richard Shelby says.

"Everybody on the street in America understands that," said Sen. Richard Shelby, the ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee. "This is not the right road to go. We'll pay dearly."

Shelby, of Alabama, told CNN's "State of the Union" that the package and efforts to shore up the struggling banking system will put the United States on "a road to financial disaster."

But Lawrence Summers, the head of the administration's National Economic Council, said Republicans have lost their credibility on the issue.  Watch Republicans criticize the stimulus bill Â»

"Those who presided over the last eight years -- the eight years that brought us to the point where we inherit trillions of dollars of deficit, an economy that's collapsing more rapidly than at any time in the last 50 years -- don't seem to me in a strong position to lecture about the lessons of history," Summers told ABC's "This Week."

President Barack Obama, his advisers and the Democratic leaders of Congress argue the roughly $830 billion measure will help pull the U.S. economy out of its current skid. Much of the package involves infrastructure spending, long-term energy projects and aid to cash-strapped state and local governments.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported last week that the measure is likely to create between 1.3 million and 3.9 million jobs by the end of 2010, lowering a projected unemployment rate of 8.7 percent by up to 2.1 percentage points.

But the CBO warned the long-term effect of that much government spending over the next decade could "crowd out" private investment, lowering long-term economic growth forecasts by 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent by 2019.

In a concession to Republicans, about a third of the bill involves tax cuts. But the measure is expected to have only minimal GOP support when it goes to a scheduled vote early this week.  Watch South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford warn of "disastrous consequences Â»

The version of the bill that passed the House of Representatives had no Republican votes.

"We need to spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work. But this is not it," said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, last year's GOP presidential nominee.

Senators reached a tentative agreement Friday on a compromise bill largely negotiated by a handful of moderate Republicans whose votes are needed to prevent a filibuster. But McCain told CBS' "Face the Nation" that the package should have been about half the size of the one now before senators, and should be balanced between tax cuts and spending.

"We're going to amass the largest debt in the history of this country, by any measurement, and we're going to ask our kids and grandkids to pay for it," he said.

The stimulus bill includes about $45 billion in transportation spending, much of which can be spent on projects "that can be implemented immediately," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told CNN. LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, said he would talk to his former colleagues on Capitol Hill "and do all that I can to persuade them that this bill really will put people to work."

He said he invited state transportation chiefs to Washington for a Wednesday meeting on how to create jobs using funding from the stimulus bill.

"There aren't going to be any boondoggles. This money will be spent correctly, by the book, with no shortcuts," LaHood said.

The administration is also readying a second phase of the financial bailout program launched by the Bush administration last fall.

Shelby said Obama and his advisers need to address the staggering problems in the U.S. banking system first.

"Until we straighten out our banking system, until there is trust in our banking system, until there's investment there, this economy is going to continue to tank," he said.

Shelby also has been critical of other efforts by the federal government to help the struggling economy, including legislation that would have provided a bailout to the auto industry.

But Sen. Kent Conrad, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, told CBS the current recession -- which has already produced an unemployment rate of 7.6 percent -- is in danger of a deep downturn "like we saw in the Great Depression."

"If there is a failure to give a significant boost to this economy, this crisis will only deepen and become far more serious," said Conrad, D-North Dakota.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Leading

text: Republicans

text: warned

text: Sunday

text: that

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: 's

text: billion

text: plus

text: economic

text: stimulus

text: effort

text: will

text: lead

text: to

text: what

text: one

text: called

text: a

text: financial

text: disaster

text: The

text: country

text: will

text: pay

text: dearly

text: if

text: it

text: executes

text: the

text: president

text: 's

text: stimulus

text: plans

text: Sen.

text: Richard

text: Shelby

text: says

text: Everybody

text: on

text: the

text: street

text: in

text: America

text: understands

text: that

text: said

text: Sen.

text: Richard

text: Shelby

text: the

text: ranking

text: Republican

text: on

text: the

text: Senate

text: Banking

text: Committee

text: This

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: right

text: road

text: to

text: go

text: We

text: 'll

text: pay

text: dearly

text: Shelby

text: of

text: Alabama

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: State

text: of

text: the

text: Union

text: that

text: the

text: package

text: and

text: efforts

text: to

text: shore

text: up

text: the

text: struggling

text: banking

text: system

text: will

text: put

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: on

text: a

text: road

text: to

text: financial

text: disaster

text: But

text: Lawrence

text: Summers

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: administration

text: 's

text: National

text: Economic

text: Council

text: said

text: Republicans

text: have

text: lost

text: their

text: credibility

text: on

text: the

text: issue

text: Watch

text: Republicans

text: criticize

text: the

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: Â

text: Those

text: who

text: presided

text: over

text: the

text: last

text: eight

text: years

text: the

text: eight

text: years

text: that

text: brought

text: us

text: to

text: the

text: point

text: where

text: we

text: inherit

text: trillions

text: of

text: dollars

text: of

text: deficit

text: an

text: economy

text: that

text: 's

text: collapsing

text: more

text: rapidly

text: than

text: at

text: any

text: time

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: years

text: do

text: n't

text: seem

text: to

text: me

text: in

text: a

text: strong

text: position

text: to

text: lecture

text: about

text: the

text: lessons

text: of

text: history

text: Summers

text: told

text: ABC

text: 's

text: This

text: Week

text: President

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: his

text: advisers

text: and

text: the

text: Democratic

text: leaders

text: of

text: Congress

text: argue

text: the

text: roughly

text: billion

text: measure

text: will

text: help

text: pull

text: the

text: U.S.

text: economy

text: out

text: of

text: its

text: current

text: skid

text: Much

text: of

text: the

text: package

text: involves

text: infrastructure

text: spending

text: long

text: term

text: energy

text: projects

text: and

text: aid

text: to

text: cash

text: strapped

text: state

text: and

text: local

text: governments

text: The

text: nonpartisan

text: Congressional

text: Budget

text: Office

text: reported

text: last

text: week

text: that

text: the

text: measure

text: is

text: likely

text: to

text: create

text: between

text: million

text: and

text: million

text: jobs

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: lowering

text: a

text: projected

text: unemployment

text: rate

text: of

text: percent

text: by

text: up

text: to

text: percentage

text: points

text: But

text: the

text: CBO

text: warned

text: the

text: long

text: term

text: effect

text: of

text: that

text: much

text: government

text: spending

text: over

text: the

text: next

text: decade

text: could

text: crowd

text: out

text: private

text: investment

text: lowering

text: long

text: term

text: economic

text: growth

text: forecasts

text: by

text: percent

text: to

text: percent

text: by

text: In

text: a

text: concession

text: to

text: Republicans

text: about

text: a

text: third

text: of

text: the

text: bill

text: involves

text: tax

text: cuts

text: But

text: the

text: measure

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: have

text: only

text: minimal

text: GOP

text: support

text: when

text: it

text: goes

text: to

text: a

text: scheduled

text: vote

text: early

text: this

text: week

text: Watch

text: South

text: Carolina

text: Gov.

text: Mark

text: Sanford

text: warn

text: of

text: disastrous

text: consequences

text: Â

text: The

text: version

text: of

text: the

text: bill

text: that

text: passed

text: the

text: House

text: of

text: Representatives

text: had

text: no

text: Republican

text: votes

text: We

text: need

text: to

text: spend

text: money

text: on

text: infrastructure

text: and

text: on

text: other

text: programs

text: that

text: will

text: immediately

text: put

text: people

text: to

text: work

text: But

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: it

text: said

text: Sen.

text: John

text: McCain

text: R

text: Arizona

text: last

text: year

text: 's

text: GOP

text: presidential

text: nominee

text: Senators

text: reached

text: a

text: tentative

text: agreement

text: Friday

text: on

text: a

text: compromise

text: bill

text: largely

text: negotiated

text: by

text: a

text: handful

text: of

text: moderate

text: Republicans

text: whose

text: votes

text: are

text: needed

text: to

text: prevent

text: a

text: filibuster

text: But

text: McCain

text: told

text: CBS

text: Face

text: the

text: Nation

text: that

text: the

text: package

text: should

text: have

text: been

text: about

text: half

text: the

text: size

text: of

text: the

text: one

text: now

text: before

text: senators

text: and

text: should

text: be

text: balanced

text: between

text: tax

text: cuts

text: and

text: spending

text: We

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: amass

text: the

text: largest

text: debt

text: in

text: the

text: history

text: of

text: this

text: country

text: by

text: any

text: measurement

text: and

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: ask

text: our

text: kids

text: and

text: grandkids

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: it

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: includes

text: about

text: billion

text: in

text: transportation

text: spending

text: much

text: of

text: which

text: can

text: be

text: spent

text: on

text: projects

text: that

text: can

text: be

text: implemented

text: immediately

text: Transportation

text: Secretary

text: Ray

text: LaHood

text: told

text: CNN

text: LaHood

text: a

text: former

text: Republican

text: congressman

text: from

text: Illinois

text: said

text: he

text: would

text: talk

text: to

text: his

text: former

text: colleagues

text: on

text: Capitol

text: Hill

text: and

text: do

text: all

text: that

text: I

text: can

text: to

text: persuade

text: them

text: that

text: this

text: bill

text: really

text: will

text: put

text: people

text: to

text: work

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: invited

text: state

text: transportation

text: chiefs

text: to

text: Washington

text: for

text: a

text: Wednesday

text: meeting

text: on

text: how

text: to

text: create

text: jobs

text: using

text: funding

text: from

text: the

text: stimulus

text: bill

text: There

text: are

text: n't

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: any

text: boondoggles

text: This

text: money

text: will

text: be

text: spent

text: correctly

text: by

text: the

text: book

text: with

text: no

text: shortcuts

text: LaHood

text: said

text: The

text: administration

text: is

text: also

text: readying

text: a

text: second

text: phase

text: of

text: the

text: financial

text: bailout

text: program

text: launched

text: by

text: the

text: Bush

text: administration

text: last

text: fall

text: Shelby

text: said

text: Obama

text: and

text: his

text: advisers

text: need

text: to

text: address

text: the

text: staggering

text: problems

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: banking

text: system

text: first

text: Until

text: we

text: straighten

text: out

text: our

text: banking

text: system

text: until

text: there

text: is

text: trust

text: in

text: our

text: banking

text: system

text: until

text: there

text: 's

text: investment

text: there

text: this

text: economy

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: continue

text: to

text: tank

text: he

text: said

text: Shelby

text: also

text: has

text: been

text: critical

text: of

text: other

text: efforts

text: by

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: to

text: help

text: the

text: struggling

text: economy

text: including

text: legislation

text: that

text: would

text: have

text: provided

text: a

text: bailout

text: to

text: the

text: auto

text: industry

text: But

text: Sen.

text: Kent

text: Conrad

text: the

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: Senate

text: Budget

text: Committee

text: told

text: CBS

text: the

text: current

text: recession

text: which

text: has

text: already

text: produced

text: an

text: unemployment

text: rate

text: of

text: percent

text: is

text: in

text: danger

text: of

text: a

text: deep

text: downturn

text: like

text: we

text: saw

text: in

text: the

text: Great

text: Depression

text: If

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: failure

text: to

text: give

text: a

text: significant

text: boost

text: to

text: this

text: economy

text: this

text: crisis

text: will

text: only

text: deepen

text: and

text: become

text: far

text: more

text: serious

text: said

text: Conrad

text: D

text: North

text: Dakota

question: What channel did Shelby talk to?

answer: CNN's

text: CNN's

question: What needs to be addressed or the economy "will continue to tank"?

answer: e staggering problems in the U.S. banking syste

text: e staggering problems in the U.S. banking syste

question: What does McCain state?

answer: "We need to spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work. But this is not it,

text: "We need to spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work. But this is not it,

question: What will deepen without an economic boost?

answer: , this crisi

text: , this crisi

question: What did Senator McCain say we need?

answer: o spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work

text: o spend money on infrastructure and on other programs that will immediately put people to work

question: What will put the U.S. on "a road to financial disaster" ?

answer: struggling banking system

text: struggling banking system

question: What will happen to the economy unless the banking system is addressed?

answer: financial disaster."

text: financial disaster."

question: What did McCain say about the US economy?

answer: l immediately put people to work

text: l immediately put people to work

question: What do we need to spend money on?

answer: n infrastructur

text: n infrastructur

question: What state does Shelby represent?

answer: Alabama,

text: Alabama,

question: What will put the US on a road to financial disaster?

answer: economic stimulus effort

text: economic stimulus effort


text:
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Australia's new prime minister assured Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday that his country's troops intend to be in Afghanistan "for the long haul."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, shakes hands with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul.

Kevin Rudd and French President Nicolas Sarkozy flew into the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Saturday to meet with Karzai and visit their respective country's troops participating in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

In a morning meeting, Sarkozy "assured President Karzai of his government's long term political and military support with the people of Afghanistan," according to a statement from the Afghan president's office.

Rudd, who was elected in a landslide victory Nov. 24, appeared with Karzai at a news conference, where he repeatedly said that the Australian commitment to Afghanistan is strong.

"We will be, as I said before, in this country, Afghanistan, for the long haul. It's important for us to be here in partnership with NATO countries," Rudd said.

"On the question of the broader security policy challenges faced within Afghanistan, of course they are significant, they are real. But we are confident that in partnership with our friends in the Afghan government and with our other allies, particularly in NATO, that we can continue to achieve real progress in the long-term security of this country," he added.

Australia's new defense minister, however, warned U.S. and NATO allies recently that they risk losing the war in Afghanistan without a sharp shift in military and reconstruction efforts there.

Joel Fitzgibbon, who took office with Rudd allies during a conference in Scotland earlier this month, said that more work needs to be done to win the "hearts and minds" of the people of Afghanistan in the 6-year-old war against the country's former Taliban rulers and their al Qaeda allies.

Karzai wished those at the news conference a merry Christmas, then thanked Australia, France and other countries for their help and support.

More than 1,900 French troops are in Afghanistan, serving both the ISAF and the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom.

Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the war in Afghanistan, with nearly 1,000 troops stationed mostly in the southern province of Oruzgan.

Sarkozy, elected to lead France last May, told the U.S. Congress during a visit last month that France would stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the United States on the war in Afghanistan.

"Let me tell you solemnly today: France will remain engaged in Afghanistan as long as it takes, because what's at stake in that country is the future of our values and that of the Atlantic Alliance," he said.

Rudd made a surprise visit Friday to Iraq, where he promised continued Australian aid, despite a decision to withdraw all 550 Australian troops in Iraq by mid-2008 -- an effort his predecessor, John Howard, staunchly opposed.

Rudd had said he would start a phased withdrawal of Australian forces from Iraq if his Labor Party won the vote. E-mail to a friend

Journalist Farhad Peikar in Kabul contributed to this report.

text: KABUL

text: Afghanistan

text: CNN

text: Australia

text: 's

text: new

text: prime

text: minister

text: assured

text: Afghan

text: President

text: Hamid

text: Karzai

text: on

text: Saturday

text: that

text: his

text: country

text: 's

text: troops

text: intend

text: to

text: be

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: for

text: the

text: long

text: haul

text: French

text: President

text: Nicolas

text: Sarkozy

text: left

text: shakes

text: hands

text: with

text: Afghan

text: President

text: Hamid

text: Karzai

text: in

text: Kabul

text: Kevin

text: Rudd

text: and

text: French

text: President

text: Nicolas

text: Sarkozy

text: flew

text: into

text: the

text: Afghan

text: capital

text: Kabul

text: on

text: Saturday

text: to

text: meet

text: with

text: Karzai

text: and

text: visit

text: their

text: respective

text: country

text: 's

text: troops

text: participating

text: in

text: the

text: NATO

text: led

text: International

text: Security

text: Assistance

text: Force

text: In

text: a

text: morning

text: meeting

text: Sarkozy

text: assured

text: President

text: Karzai

text: of

text: his

text: government

text: 's

text: long

text: term

text: political

text: and

text: military

text: support

text: with

text: the

text: people

text: of

text: Afghanistan

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: statement

text: from

text: the

text: Afghan

text: president

text: 's

text: office

text: Rudd

text: who

text: was

text: elected

text: in

text: a

text: landslide

text: victory

text: Nov.

text: appeared

text: with

text: Karzai

text: at

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: where

text: he

text: repeatedly

text: said

text: that

text: the

text: Australian

text: commitment

text: to

text: Afghanistan

text: is

text: strong

text: We

text: will

text: be

text: as

text: I

text: said

text: before

text: in

text: this

text: country

text: Afghanistan

text: for

text: the

text: long

text: haul

text: It

text: 's

text: important

text: for

text: us

text: to

text: be

text: here

text: in

text: partnership

text: with

text: NATO

text: countries

text: Rudd

text: said

text: On

text: the

text: question

text: of

text: the

text: broader

text: security

text: policy

text: challenges

text: faced

text: within

text: Afghanistan

text: of

text: course

text: they

text: are

text: significant

text: they

text: are

text: real

text: But

text: we

text: are

text: confident

text: that

text: in

text: partnership

text: with

text: our

text: friends

text: in

text: the

text: Afghan

text: government

text: and

text: with

text: our

text: other

text: allies

text: particularly

text: in

text: NATO

text: that

text: we

text: can

text: continue

text: to

text: achieve

text: real

text: progress

text: in

text: the

text: long

text: term

text: security

text: of

text: this

text: country

text: he

text: added

text: Australia

text: 's

text: new

text: defense

text: minister

text: however

text: warned

text: U.S.

text: and

text: NATO

text: allies

text: recently

text: that

text: they

text: risk

text: losing

text: the

text: war

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: without

text: a

text: sharp

text: shift

text: in

text: military

text: and

text: reconstruction

text: efforts

text: there

text: Joel

text: Fitzgibbon

text: who

text: took

text: office

text: with

text: Rudd

text: allies

text: during

text: a

text: conference

text: in

text: Scotland

text: earlier

text: this

text: month

text: said

text: that

text: more

text: work

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: to

text: win

text: the

text: hearts

text: and

text: minds

text: of

text: the

text: people

text: of

text: Afghanistan

text: in

text: the

text: old

text: war

text: against

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: former

text: Taliban

text: rulers

text: and

text: their

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: allies

text: Karzai

text: wished

text: those

text: at

text: the

text: news

text: conference

text: a

text: merry

text: Christmas

text: then

text: thanked

text: Australia

text: France

text: and

text: other

text: countries

text: for

text: their

text: help

text: and

text: support

text: More

text: than

text: French

text: troops

text: are

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: serving

text: both

text: the

text: ISAF

text: and

text: the

text: U.S

text: led

text: Operation

text: Enduring

text: Freedom

text: Australia

text: is

text: the

text: largest

text: non

text: NATO

text: contributor

text: to

text: the

text: war

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: with

text: nearly

text: troops

text: stationed

text: mostly

text: in

text: the

text: southern

text: province

text: of

text: Oruzgan

text: Sarkozy

text: elected

text: to

text: lead

text: France

text: last

text: May

text: told

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Congress

text: during

text: a

text: visit

text: last

text: month

text: that

text: France

text: would

text: stand

text: shoulder

text: to

text: shoulder

text: with

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: on

text: the

text: war

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: Let

text: me

text: tell

text: you

text: solemnly

text: today

text: France

text: will

text: remain

text: engaged

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: it

text: takes

text: because

text: what

text: 's

text: at

text: stake

text: in

text: that

text: country

text: is

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: our

text: values

text: and

text: that

text: of

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: Alliance

text: he

text: said

text: Rudd

text: made

text: a

text: surprise

text: visit

text: Friday

text: to

text: Iraq

text: where

text: he

text: promised

text: continued

text: Australian

text: aid

text: despite

text: a

text: decision

text: to

text: withdraw

text: all

text: Australian

text: troops

text: in

text: Iraq

text: by

text: an

text: effort

text: his

text: predecessor

text: John

text: Howard

text: staunchly

text: opposed

text: Rudd

text: had

text: said

text: he

text: would

text: start

text: a

text: phased

text: withdrawal

text: of

text: Australian

text: forces

text: from

text: Iraq

text: if

text: his

text: Labor

text: Party

text: won

text: the

text: vote

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: Journalist

text: Farhad

text: Peikar

text: in

text: Kabul

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: With whom are both leaders expected to meet?

answer: Karzai

text: Karzai

question: What president did the leaders expect to meet?

answer: Afghan President Hamid Karzai

text: Afghan President Hamid Karzai

question: Who will they visit with?

answer: their respective country's troops

text: their respective country's troops

question: Where did the French and Australian leaders arrive at?

answer: Kabul.

text: Kabul.

question: for what reason are they in afghanistan?

answer: meet with Karzai and visit

text: meet with Karzai and visit

question: In which countr do French and Australian leaders arrive?

answer: Afghanistan

text: Afghanistan


text:
(CNN) -- Queen Latifah has been on the hip-hop scene for so long that she has seen artists come and go and trends change.

Queen Latifah remains one of the few female rap artists who garner attention in the music industry.

But there has been one development that she said has disappointed her tremendously -- the lack of female rap stars.

"There are not enough female rappers out there right now," she said. "The voice of the female is not strong enough in the game at all right now. It's almost nonexistent."

While artists like Beyonce, Ciara and Rihanna have thrived in R&B and pop, high-profile success for female rap artists has been more elusive in recent years.

From the beginning hip-hop has been viewed as a man's world, and discussions of sexism and inequality within the genre have come up often. In fact, many times such disrespect was the subject of the female rappers' tracks.

Today, with the music industry struggling, there is a particular dearth of female rap artists taking center stage.

It was a different hip-hop landscape when Queen Latifah first burst on the scene in the late 1980s.

The all-female rap crew Salt-N-Pepa (whose DJ was also a woman) scored some hits. The arrival of Queen Latifah helped usher in artists such as Monie Love.

Rapper MC Lyte was a teenager when she emerged, along with Queen Latifah, as one of the genre's first female superstars.  Check out some of the more successful female hip-hop artists Â»

MC Lyte said the music industry is so focused these days on the bottom line  that there is little emphasis on cultivating female talent.

"When you have this major business that has been kind of taken over by corporate hands, it's like, how necessary is the black woman's perspective?" she said.

"Not unless she is talking about being that kingpin's main girl and she's wearing next to nothing and she's talking about nothing that is really going to nurture the people the way we are known innately as black women being able to do, there's really no space for that type."

Alonzo Williams agrees.

A founding member of the West Coast rap group the World Class Wrecking Crew, which also featured Dr. Dre of the group N.W.A., Williams said many female rappers are finding it hard to navigate today's industry.

"It's a lot of women trying to get into it, but most young women don't know what direction to take," Williams said. "They don't know whether to be a gun moll for a gangster or a mother and they are confused as to what role they should take."

Artists like Queen Latifah and MC Lyte have served as role models to rappers that came after them, Williams said. Having successful women in the industry also allowed for the rise of artists like Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown, who express their sexuality with hardcore lyrics.

But all of the dialogue about misogyny in rap, coupled with music executives' hesitancy to spend money grooming new artists, has left some female rappers floundering, he said.

"It can be hard for women to find an image that is street-marketable as well as radio-marketable," Williams said. "For the most part, men can get away with a whole lot more because of the double standard that exists among the sexes, and so it's difficult for women to find a niche."

Not that the talent isn't out there.

MC Lyte said she has encountered several accomplished female lyricists on the Internet and through her work with Hip Hop Sisters, a network she founded.

And to help women gain more exposure in the industry, Queen Latifah is going to the grass roots, as she returns to her musical roots.

Her new album, "Persona," marks her return to rap after having focused on her singing career for the past few years.

Latifah, along with CoverGirl, for which she serves as a spokesperson, is sponsoring a contest titled "Ignite Your Persona."

Contestants can submit brief videos of themselves rapping, singing, dancing and/or performing as well as a short essay. A finalist from each city along her tour will be selected to open for her, Queen Latifah said.

"Hopefully I will be able to discover some new talent that I can bring to the forefront," she said. "I feel like I have been so fortunate with hip-hop providing a door for the many opportunities I have had, and I want to give that to other women. Because when there are not enough females [in the industry], the balance is off."

text: CNN

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: has

text: been

text: on

text: the

text: hip

text: hop

text: scene

text: for

text: so

text: long

text: that

text: she

text: has

text: seen

text: artists

text: come

text: and

text: go

text: and

text: trends

text: change

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: remains

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: few

text: female

text: rap

text: artists

text: who

text: garner

text: attention

text: in

text: the

text: music

text: industry

text: But

text: there

text: has

text: been

text: one

text: development

text: that

text: she

text: said

text: has

text: disappointed

text: her

text: tremendously

text: the

text: lack

text: of

text: female

text: rap

text: stars

text: There

text: are

text: not

text: enough

text: female

text: rappers

text: out

text: there

text: right

text: now

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: voice

text: of

text: the

text: female

text: is

text: not

text: strong

text: enough

text: in

text: the

text: game

text: at

text: all

text: right

text: now

text: It

text: 's

text: almost

text: nonexistent

text: While

text: artists

text: like

text: Beyonce

text: Ciara

text: and

text: Rihanna

text: have

text: thrived

text: in

text: R&B

text: and

text: pop

text: high

text: profile

text: success

text: for

text: female

text: rap

text: artists

text: has

text: been

text: more

text: elusive

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: From

text: the

text: beginning

text: hip

text: hop

text: has

text: been

text: viewed

text: as

text: a

text: man

text: 's

text: world

text: and

text: discussions

text: of

text: sexism

text: and

text: inequality

text: within

text: the

text: genre

text: have

text: come

text: up

text: often

text: In

text: fact

text: many

text: times

text: such

text: disrespect

text: was

text: the

text: subject

text: of

text: the

text: female

text: rappers

text: tracks

text: Today

text: with

text: the

text: music

text: industry

text: struggling

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: particular

text: dearth

text: of

text: female

text: rap

text: artists

text: taking

text: center

text: stage

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: different

text: hip

text: hop

text: landscape

text: when

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: first

text: burst

text: on

text: the

text: scene

text: in

text: the

text: late

text: The

text: all

text: female

text: rap

text: crew

text: Salt

text: N

text: Pepa

text: whose

text: DJ

text: was

text: also

text: a

text: woman

text: scored

text: some

text: hits

text: The

text: arrival

text: of

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: helped

text: usher

text: in

text: artists

text: such

text: as

text: Monie

text: Love

text: Rapper

text: MC

text: Lyte

text: was

text: a

text: teenager

text: when

text: she

text: emerged

text: along

text: with

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: as

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: genre

text: 's

text: first

text: female

text: superstars

text: Check

text: out

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: more

text: successful

text: female

text: hip

text: hop

text: artists

text: Â

text: MC

text: Lyte

text: said

text: the

text: music

text: industry

text: is

text: so

text: focused

text: these

text: days

text: on

text: the

text: bottom

text: line

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: little

text: emphasis

text: on

text: cultivating

text: female

text: talent

text: When

text: you

text: have

text: this

text: major

text: business

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: kind

text: of

text: taken

text: over

text: by

text: corporate

text: hands

text: it

text: 's

text: like

text: how

text: necessary

text: is

text: the

text: black

text: woman

text: 's

text: perspective

text: she

text: said

text: Not

text: unless

text: she

text: is

text: talking

text: about

text: being

text: that

text: kingpin

text: 's

text: main

text: girl

text: and

text: she

text: 's

text: wearing

text: next

text: to

text: nothing

text: and

text: she

text: 's

text: talking

text: about

text: nothing

text: that

text: is

text: really

text: going

text: to

text: nurture

text: the

text: people

text: the

text: way

text: we

text: are

text: known

text: innately

text: as

text: black

text: women

text: being

text: able

text: to

text: do

text: there

text: 's

text: really

text: no

text: space

text: for

text: that

text: type

text: Alonzo

text: Williams

text: agrees

text: A

text: founding

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: West

text: Coast

text: rap

text: group

text: the

text: World

text: Class

text: Wrecking

text: Crew

text: which

text: also

text: featured

text: Dr.

text: Dre

text: of

text: the

text: group

text: N.W.A.

text: Williams

text: said

text: many

text: female

text: rappers

text: are

text: finding

text: it

text: hard

text: to

text: navigate

text: today

text: 's

text: industry

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: women

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: into

text: it

text: but

text: most

text: young

text: women

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: direction

text: to

text: take

text: Williams

text: said

text: They

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: whether

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: gun

text: moll

text: for

text: a

text: gangster

text: or

text: a

text: mother

text: and

text: they

text: are

text: confused

text: as

text: to

text: what

text: role

text: they

text: should

text: take

text: Artists

text: like

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: and

text: MC

text: Lyte

text: have

text: served

text: as

text: role

text: models

text: to

text: rappers

text: that

text: came

text: after

text: them

text: Williams

text: said

text: Having

text: successful

text: women

text: in

text: the

text: industry

text: also

text: allowed

text: for

text: the

text: rise

text: of

text: artists

text: like

text: Lil

text: Kim

text: and

text: Foxy

text: Brown

text: who

text: express

text: their

text: sexuality

text: with

text: hardcore

text: lyrics

text: But

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: dialogue

text: about

text: misogyny

text: in

text: rap

text: coupled

text: with

text: music

text: executives

text: hesitancy

text: to

text: spend

text: money

text: grooming

text: new

text: artists

text: has

text: left

text: some

text: female

text: rappers

text: floundering

text: he

text: said

text: It

text: can

text: be

text: hard

text: for

text: women

text: to

text: find

text: an

text: image

text: that

text: is

text: street

text: marketable

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: radio

text: marketable

text: Williams

text: said

text: For

text: the

text: most

text: part

text: men

text: can

text: get

text: away

text: with

text: a

text: whole

text: lot

text: more

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: double

text: standard

text: that

text: exists

text: among

text: the

text: sexes

text: and

text: so

text: it

text: 's

text: difficult

text: for

text: women

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: niche

text: Not

text: that

text: the

text: talent

text: is

text: n't

text: out

text: there

text: MC

text: Lyte

text: said

text: she

text: has

text: encountered

text: several

text: accomplished

text: female

text: lyricists

text: on

text: the

text: Internet

text: and

text: through

text: her

text: work

text: with

text: Hip

text: Hop

text: Sisters

text: a

text: network

text: she

text: founded

text: And

text: to

text: help

text: women

text: gain

text: more

text: exposure

text: in

text: the

text: industry

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: the

text: grass

text: roots

text: as

text: she

text: returns

text: to

text: her

text: musical

text: roots

text: Her

text: new

text: album

text: Persona

text: marks

text: her

text: return

text: to

text: rap

text: after

text: having

text: focused

text: on

text: her

text: singing

text: career

text: for

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: years

text: Latifah

text: along

text: with

text: CoverGirl

text: for

text: which

text: she

text: serves

text: as

text: a

text: spokesperson

text: is

text: sponsoring

text: a

text: contest

text: titled

text: Ignite

text: Your

text: Persona

text: Contestants

text: can

text: submit

text: brief

text: videos

text: of

text: themselves

text: rapping

text: singing

text: dancing

text: and/or

text: performing

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: a

text: short

text: essay

text: A

text: finalist

text: from

text: each

text: city

text: along

text: her

text: tour

text: will

text: be

text: selected

text: to

text: open

text: for

text: her

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: said

text: Hopefully

text: I

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: discover

text: some

text: new

text: talent

text: that

text: I

text: can

text: bring

text: to

text: the

text: forefront

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: feel

text: like

text: I

text: have

text: been

text: so

text: fortunate

text: with

text: hip

text: hop

text: providing

text: a

text: door

text: for

text: the

text: many

text: opportunities

text: I

text: have

text: had

text: and

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: give

text: that

text: to

text: other

text: women

text: Because

text: when

text: there

text: are

text: not

text: enough

text: females

text: in

text: the

text: industry

text: the

text: balance

text: is

text: off

question: What does rapper MC Lyte say about business model?

answer: the music industry is so focused these days on the bottom line

text: the music industry is so focused these days on the bottom line

question: How many female artists are successful with hip hop music?

answer: few

text: few


text:
(CNN) -- It's difficult to overestimate Quincy Jones's contribution to American music. Over the last 60 years he has excelled as a musician, composer, record producer, arranger, conductor and media company executive.

Quincy Jones has won 27 Grammy awards during his extraordinary career.

In a career studded with landmarks, Jones produced Michael Jackson's multi-platinum albums "Off The Wall," "Bad" and "Thriller" -- the best selling album of all time -- and produced and conducted "We Are The World," one of the biggest-selling singles in history.

Quincy Delight Jones Jr., known to his friends as "Q," was born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago. He moved to Seattle as a child and began playing trumpet aged 12. When he was 14 he befriended a young Ray Charles, who taught him how to arrange music, and Jones was soon playing bebop in nightclubs, backing up the likes of Billie Holiday.

In 1951, Jones won a music scholarship at prestigious Schillinger House, in Boston, but he abandoned his studies to tour with bandleader Lionel Hampton. By the mid-50s, he was arranging and recording for the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington and his old friend Ray Charles. In 1956 he toured with Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band, recording his first album as a leader in the same year.

In 1957, Jones moved to Paris to study music composition and theory, taking a job with Mercury Records' French distributor to pay for his studies. After a European tour proved a financial disaster, the president of Mercury offered him a position at the record label and Jones soon became vice-president at the company.

In the 60s, Jones worked as a conductor and arranger for Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. He also began scoring music for films, including "In the Heat of the Night," "In Cold Blood" and "The Pawnbroker," which featured his hit "Soul Bossa Nova," later re-used as the theme to the "Austin Powers" movies.

Jones would go on to score 33 movies during his career and he also composed the themes for TV shows such as "Ironside," "The Bill Cosby Show" and "Roots," which earned him an Emmy award. Having made his name as a composer and arranger in the 70s, he moved away from jazz to record a series of hit albums of his own soulful music. See photos of Quincy in Seattle Â»

Jones's career was dramatically put on hold in 1974, when he suffered a severe aneurysm, but it did little to stall his incredible drive. In the 80s, as well as producing three Michael Jackson albums and "We are the World," he co-produced and scored the Steven Spielberg movie "The Color Purple," and formed multi-media company Quincy Jones Entertainment. In his role as CEO he was executive producer of TV series "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and published "Vibe" and "SPIN" magazines.

His 1989 album "Back On The Block" won Album Of The Year at the Grammys and 1993's "Miles and Quincy Live At Montreux", featuring Jones conducting Miles Davis, earned another Grammy. All in all, Jones has won 27 Grammys, been nominated for seven Academy Awards, and has added to his business interests with Quincy Jones Media Group and Qwest Broadcasting.

Perhaps because of his own upbringing in tough neighborhoods in Chicago and Seattle, Jones has long been involved in social activism. He supported Martin Luther King's Operation Breadbasket, which promoted economic development in the inner cities, and worked on Reverend Jesse Jackson's People United to Save Humanity project.

Jones founded the Listen Up! Foundation, which has worked on youth projects in Los Angeles and South Africa, and he helped launch the We Are the Future project, which helps children in poor and conflict-ridden areas. He is also one of the founders of the Institute for Black American Music (IBAM), which raises money to establish a national library of African-American art and music.

Over the course of his incredible career, Jones somehow found the time to marry three times and father seven children. In 1990, his life was chronicled in the movie "Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones" and in 2001, Jones published "Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones."  Watch Quincy Jones on My City_My Life Â»

Of his own career, which has taken him from being a teenage musician in the clubs of Seattle to a world-famous music mogul, Jones says, "You have to turn all of your drunken dreams into sober realizations. I think I was blessed with the ability to see things and make them happen before everybody else saw them."

text: CNN

text: It

text: 's

text: difficult

text: to

text: overestimate

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: 's

text: contribution

text: to

text: American

text: music

text: Over

text: the

text: last

text: years

text: he

text: has

text: excelled

text: as

text: a

text: musician

text: composer

text: record

text: producer

text: arranger

text: conductor

text: and

text: media

text: company

text: executive

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: has

text: won

text: Grammy

text: awards

text: during

text: his

text: extraordinary

text: career

text: In

text: a

text: career

text: studded

text: with

text: landmarks

text: Jones

text: produced

text: Michael

text: Jackson

text: 's

text: multi

text: platinum

text: albums

text: Off

text: The

text: Wall

text: Bad

text: and

text: Thriller

text: the

text: best

text: selling

text: album

text: of

text: all

text: time

text: and

text: produced

text: and

text: conducted

text: We

text: Are

text: The

text: World

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: biggest

text: selling

text: singles

text: in

text: history

text: Quincy

text: Delight

text: Jones

text: Jr.

text: known

text: to

text: his

text: friends

text: as

text: Q

text: was

text: born

text: on

text: March

text: in

text: Chicago

text: He

text: moved

text: to

text: Seattle

text: as

text: a

text: child

text: and

text: began

text: playing

text: trumpet

text: aged

text: When

text: he

text: was

text: he

text: befriended

text: a

text: young

text: Ray

text: Charles

text: who

text: taught

text: him

text: how

text: to

text: arrange

text: music

text: and

text: Jones

text: was

text: soon

text: playing

text: bebop

text: in

text: nightclubs

text: backing

text: up

text: the

text: likes

text: of

text: Billie

text: Holiday

text: In

text: Jones

text: won

text: a

text: music

text: scholarship

text: at

text: prestigious

text: Schillinger

text: House

text: in

text: Boston

text: but

text: he

text: abandoned

text: his

text: studies

text: to

text: tour

text: with

text: bandleader

text: Lionel

text: Hampton

text: By

text: the

text: he

text: was

text: arranging

text: and

text: recording

text: for

text: the

text: likes

text: of

text: Sarah

text: Vaughan

text: Duke

text: Ellington

text: and

text: his

text: old

text: friend

text: Ray

text: Charles

text: In

text: he

text: toured

text: with

text: Dizzy

text: Gillespie

text: 's

text: Big

text: Band

text: recording

text: his

text: first

text: album

text: as

text: a

text: leader

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: year

text: In

text: Jones

text: moved

text: to

text: Paris

text: to

text: study

text: music

text: composition

text: and

text: theory

text: taking

text: a

text: job

text: with

text: Mercury

text: Records

text: French

text: distributor

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: his

text: studies

text: After

text: a

text: European

text: tour

text: proved

text: a

text: financial

text: disaster

text: the

text: president

text: of

text: Mercury

text: offered

text: him

text: a

text: position

text: at

text: the

text: record

text: label

text: and

text: Jones

text: soon

text: became

text: vice

text: president

text: at

text: the

text: company

text: In

text: the

text: Jones

text: worked

text: as

text: a

text: conductor

text: and

text: arranger

text: for

text: Frank

text: Sinatra

text: and

text: Ella

text: Fitzgerald

text: He

text: also

text: began

text: scoring

text: music

text: for

text: films

text: including

text: In

text: the

text: Heat

text: of

text: the

text: Night

text: In

text: Cold

text: Blood

text: and

text: The

text: Pawnbroker

text: which

text: featured

text: his

text: hit

text: Soul

text: Bossa

text: Nova

text: later

text: re

text: used

text: as

text: the

text: theme

text: to

text: the

text: Austin

text: Powers

text: movies

text: Jones

text: would

text: go

text: on

text: to

text: score

text: movies

text: during

text: his

text: career

text: and

text: he

text: also

text: composed

text: the

text: themes

text: for

text: TV

text: shows

text: such

text: as

text: Ironside

text: The

text: Bill

text: Cosby

text: Show

text: and

text: Roots

text: which

text: earned

text: him

text: an

text: Emmy

text: award

text: Having

text: made

text: his

text: name

text: as

text: a

text: composer

text: and

text: arranger

text: in

text: the

text: he

text: moved

text: away

text: from

text: jazz

text: to

text: record

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: hit

text: albums

text: of

text: his

text: own

text: soulful

text: music

text: See

text: photos

text: of

text: Quincy

text: in

text: Seattle

text: Â

text: Jones

text: 's

text: career

text: was

text: dramatically

text: put

text: on

text: hold

text: in

text: when

text: he

text: suffered

text: a

text: severe

text: aneurysm

text: but

text: it

text: did

text: little

text: to

text: stall

text: his

text: incredible

text: drive

text: In

text: the

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: producing

text: three

text: Michael

text: Jackson

text: albums

text: and

text: We

text: are

text: the

text: World

text: he

text: co

text: produced

text: and

text: scored

text: the

text: Steven

text: Spielberg

text: movie

text: The

text: Color

text: Purple

text: and

text: formed

text: multi

text: media

text: company

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: Entertainment

text: In

text: his

text: role

text: as

text: CEO

text: he

text: was

text: executive

text: producer

text: of

text: TV

text: series

text: The

text: Fresh

text: Prince

text: of

text: Bel

text: Air

text: and

text: published

text: Vibe

text: and

text: SPIN

text: magazines

text: His

text: album

text: Back

text: On

text: The

text: Block

text: won

text: Album

text: Of

text: The

text: Year

text: at

text: the

text: Grammys

text: and

text: 's

text: Miles

text: and

text: Quincy

text: Live

text: At

text: Montreux

text: featuring

text: Jones

text: conducting

text: Miles

text: Davis

text: earned

text: another

text: Grammy

text: All

text: in

text: all

text: Jones

text: has

text: won

text: Grammys

text: been

text: nominated

text: for

text: seven

text: Academy

text: Awards

text: and

text: has

text: added

text: to

text: his

text: business

text: interests

text: with

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: Media

text: Group

text: and

text: Qwest

text: Broadcasting

text: Perhaps

text: because

text: of

text: his

text: own

text: upbringing

text: in

text: tough

text: neighborhoods

text: in

text: Chicago

text: and

text: Seattle

text: Jones

text: has

text: long

text: been

text: involved

text: in

text: social

text: activism

text: He

text: supported

text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: 's

text: Operation

text: Breadbasket

text: which

text: promoted

text: economic

text: development

text: in

text: the

text: inner

text: cities

text: and

text: worked

text: on

text: Reverend

text: Jesse

text: Jackson

text: 's

text: People

text: United

text: to

text: Save

text: Humanity

text: project

text: Jones

text: founded

text: the

text: Listen

text: Up

text: Foundation

text: which

text: has

text: worked

text: on

text: youth

text: projects

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: and

text: South

text: Africa

text: and

text: he

text: helped

text: launch

text: the

text: We

text: Are

text: the

text: Future

text: project

text: which

text: helps

text: children

text: in

text: poor

text: and

text: conflict

text: ridden

text: areas

text: He

text: is

text: also

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: founders

text: of

text: the

text: Institute

text: for

text: Black

text: American

text: Music

text: IBAM

text: which

text: raises

text: money

text: to

text: establish

text: a

text: national

text: library

text: of

text: African

text: American

text: art

text: and

text: music

text: Over

text: the

text: course

text: of

text: his

text: incredible

text: career

text: Jones

text: somehow

text: found

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: marry

text: three

text: times

text: and

text: father

text: seven

text: children

text: In

text: his

text: life

text: was

text: chronicled

text: in

text: the

text: movie

text: Listen

text: Up

text: The

text: Lives

text: of

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: and

text: in

text: Jones

text: published

text: Q

text: The

text: Autobiography

text: of

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: Watch

text: Quincy

text: Jones

text: on

text: My

text: Life

text: Â

text: Of

text: his

text: own

text: career

text: which

text: has

text: taken

text: him

text: from

text: being

text: a

text: teenage

text: musician

text: in

text: the

text: clubs

text: of

text: Seattle

text: to

text: a

text: world

text: famous

text: music

text: mogul

text: Jones

text: says

text: You

text: have

text: to

text: turn

text: all

text: of

text: your

text: drunken

text: dreams

text: into

text: sober

text: realizations

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: was

text: blessed

text: with

text: the

text: ability

text: to

text: see

text: things

text: and

text: make

text: them

text: happen

text: before

text: everybody

text: else

text: saw

text: them

question: Who produced some of Michael Jackson's albums?

answer: Quincy Jones

text: Quincy Jones

question: Albums that are mentioned?

answer: "Off The Wall," "Bad" and "Thriller"

text: "Off The Wall," "Bad" and "Thriller"

question: How many Grammys has he won?

answer: 27

question: What did he produce?

answer: produced Michael Jackson's multi-platinum albums "Off The Wall," "Bad" and "Thriller"

text: produced Michael Jackson's multi-platinum albums "Off The Wall," "Bad" and "Thriller"

question: What has Quincy Jones excelled at?

answer: musician, composer, record producer, arranger, conductor and media company executive.

text: musician, composer, record producer, arranger, conductor and media company executive.

question: How many grammy he won?

answer: 27

question: How many Grammys has Jones won?

answer: 27


text:
(CNN) -- In a campaign to cleanse its national police force of "rotten apples," Honduras has placed 176 police officers under investigation for a range of alleged crimes, from corruption to murder.

All the officers belong to the same police post, which is based in a Tegucigalpa neighborhood known as "La Granja," or the farm, Security Ministry spokesman Silvio Inestrosa told CNN Friday.

Officers who worked at the post during the past five years are under investigation, he said.

The police scrutiny comes as distrust of police officers reaches new highs, following the killing of two university students, allegedly by police officers.

"As an institution, we have to strengthen the police, but we have to remove the rotten apples," President Porfirio Lobo said during a speech Thursday.

Honduras has the world's highest murder rate, with a rate in 2010 of 82.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. According to a recent report by the country's own human rights commission, that rate could increase to 86 per 100,000 this year.

Despite the high criminality, Hondurans don't always turn to the police for help. According to residents, the police are sometimes to be more feared than criminals.

This is the context under which two university students last month decided to flee from police instead of being pulled over. According to the national police, the officers shot and injured one of the students and headed toward a hospital. But along the way, police said, the officers instead decided to take the pair to a different location and execute them.

The officers implicated in the killings are from the same district that is under investigation.

Already, four officers who have been charged with covering up the killings have appeared before a judge. The four officers accused of actually carrying out the killings are fugitives.

The investigations and possible firings of the 176 is latest of a series of steps that the government has taken since the outcry over the killings.

Days after the incident, the national police shook up its top ranks.

"In these times of violence it is necessary to have new actions, vitality, energy and teamwork with the benefit of the Honduran people in mind," Security Minister Pompeyo Bonilla said when he announced the changes.

Also, lawmakers on Thursday rewrote the country's policing laws, stripping the national police of its internal affairs department, and handing over such investigations to a new, independent force.

Journalist Elvin Sandoval contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: In

text: a

text: campaign

text: to

text: cleanse

text: its

text: national

text: police

text: force

text: of

text: rotten

text: apples

text: Honduras

text: has

text: placed

text: police

text: officers

text: under

text: investigation

text: for

text: a

text: range

text: of

text: alleged

text: crimes

text: from

text: corruption

text: to

text: murder

text: All

text: the

text: officers

text: belong

text: to

text: the

text: same

text: police

text: post

text: which

text: is

text: based

text: in

text: a

text: Tegucigalpa

text: neighborhood

text: known

text: as

text: La

text: Granja

text: or

text: the

text: farm

text: Security

text: Ministry

text: spokesman

text: Silvio

text: Inestrosa

text: told

text: CNN

text: Friday

text: Officers

text: who

text: worked

text: at

text: the

text: post

text: during

text: the

text: past

text: five

text: years

text: are

text: under

text: investigation

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: police

text: scrutiny

text: comes

text: as

text: distrust

text: of

text: police

text: officers

text: reaches

text: new

text: highs

text: following

text: the

text: killing

text: of

text: two

text: university

text: students

text: allegedly

text: by

text: police

text: officers

text: As

text: an

text: institution

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: strengthen

text: the

text: police

text: but

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: remove

text: the

text: rotten

text: apples

text: President

text: Porfirio

text: Lobo

text: said

text: during

text: a

text: speech

text: Thursday

text: Honduras

text: has

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: highest

text: murder

text: rate

text: with

text: a

text: rate

text: in

text: of

text: per

text: inhabitants

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: U.N.

text: Office

text: on

text: Drugs

text: and

text: Crime

text: According

text: to

text: a

text: recent

text: report

text: by

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: own

text: human

text: rights

text: commission

text: that

text: rate

text: could

text: increase

text: to

text: per

text: this

text: year

text: Despite

text: the

text: high

text: criminality

text: Hondurans

text: do

text: n't

text: always

text: turn

text: to

text: the

text: police

text: for

text: help

text: According

text: to

text: residents

text: the

text: police

text: are

text: sometimes

text: to

text: be

text: more

text: feared

text: than

text: criminals

text: This

text: is

text: the

text: context

text: under

text: which

text: two

text: university

text: students

text: last

text: month

text: decided

text: to

text: flee

text: from

text: police

text: instead

text: of

text: being

text: pulled

text: over

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: national

text: police

text: the

text: officers

text: shot

text: and

text: injured

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: students

text: and

text: headed

text: toward

text: a

text: hospital

text: But

text: along

text: the

text: way

text: police

text: said

text: the

text: officers

text: instead

text: decided

text: to

text: take

text: the

text: pair

text: to

text: a

text: different

text: location

text: and

text: execute

text: them

text: The

text: officers

text: implicated

text: in

text: the

text: killings

text: are

text: from

text: the

text: same

text: district

text: that

text: is

text: under

text: investigation

text: Already

text: four

text: officers

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: charged

text: with

text: covering

text: up

text: the

text: killings

text: have

text: appeared

text: before

text: a

text: judge

text: The

text: four

text: officers

text: accused

text: of

text: actually

text: carrying

text: out

text: the

text: killings

text: are

text: fugitives

text: The

text: investigations

text: and

text: possible

text: firings

text: of

text: the

text: is

text: latest

text: of

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: steps

text: that

text: the

text: government

text: has

text: taken

text: since

text: the

text: outcry

text: over

text: the

text: killings

text: Days

text: after

text: the

text: incident

text: the

text: national

text: police

text: shook

text: up

text: its

text: top

text: ranks

text: In

text: these

text: times

text: of

text: violence

text: it

text: is

text: necessary

text: to

text: have

text: new

text: actions

text: vitality

text: energy

text: and

text: teamwork

text: with

text: the

text: benefit

text: of

text: the

text: Honduran

text: people

text: in

text: mind

text: Security

text: Minister

text: Pompeyo

text: Bonilla

text: said

text: when

text: he

text: announced

text: the

text: changes

text: Also

text: lawmakers

text: on

text: Thursday

text: rewrote

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: policing

text: laws

text: stripping

text: the

text: national

text: police

text: of

text: its

text: internal

text: affairs

text: department

text: and

text: handing

text: over

text: such

text: investigations

text: to

text: a

text: new

text: independent

text: force

text: Journalist

text: Elvin

text: Sandoval

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Officers who worked at the post during which time period are under investigation?

answer: the past five years

text: the past five years

question: 176 police officers are under investigation where?

answer: Honduras

text: Honduras

question: In Honduras, how many police officers are under investigation?

answer: 176


text:
LONDON, England  -- American basketball is planning to create up to five new European franchises who would compete for the NBA Championship, according to a report by Sports Illustrated.

NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant may soon be seen on a regular basis in Europe.

The astonishing claims come hard on the heels of plans by the football's English Premier League to play matches overseas and underline the growing trend of globalization in major sports leagues.

This was further evidenced by Super Bowl champions New York Giants playing a regular NFL season game against the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, but the NBA's leaked plans go far beyond that.

A report on the Sports Illustrated Web site, says NBA commisioner David Stern will reveal his proposals on the eve of the All-Star Game in New Orleans this weekend.

The plans are understood to include the formation of a European division with five new teams in major markets.

The teams would play a full 82-game schedule and compete for the NBA championship.

It is not the first time that Stern has entertained the concept of overseas expansion.

He broached the idea in 2003, saying at the time that the league would look into European expansion within a decade.

Those plans were scrapped, however, with the NBA instead focusing on developing its relationship with China and other emerging basketball markets.

The number of European and overseas players has steadily increased in the NBA and basketball enjoys a particularly high profile in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and the Balkans.

The NBA has played regular-season games in Japan and Mexico, and played exhibition contests this season in London and Rome.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is doubtful for Sunday's All-Star game with a damaged finger.

Bryant, who dislocated his right pinkie last week, scored 29 points in 35 minutes in Wednesday's 117-92 win at Minnesota.

Bryant sat out the fourth quarter and had the finger X-rayed after the game. E-mail to a friend

text: LONDON

text: England

text: American

text: basketball

text: is

text: planning

text: to

text: create

text: up

text: to

text: five

text: new

text: European

text: franchises

text: who

text: would

text: compete

text: for

text: the

text: NBA

text: Championship

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: report

text: by

text: Sports

text: Illustrated

text: NBA

text: stars

text: such

text: as

text: Kobe

text: Bryant

text: may

text: soon

text: be

text: seen

text: on

text: a

text: regular

text: basis

text: in

text: Europe

text: The

text: astonishing

text: claims

text: come

text: hard

text: on

text: the

text: heels

text: of

text: plans

text: by

text: the

text: football

text: 's

text: English

text: Premier

text: League

text: to

text: play

text: matches

text: overseas

text: and

text: underline

text: the

text: growing

text: trend

text: of

text: globalization

text: in

text: major

text: sports

text: leagues

text: This

text: was

text: further

text: evidenced

text: by

text: Super

text: Bowl

text: champions

text: New

text: York

text: Giants

text: playing

text: a

text: regular

text: NFL

text: season

text: game

text: against

text: the

text: Miami

text: Dolphins

text: at

text: Wembley

text: Stadium

text: in

text: London

text: but

text: the

text: NBA

text: 's

text: leaked

text: plans

text: go

text: far

text: beyond

text: that

text: A

text: report

text: on

text: the

text: Sports

text: Illustrated

text: Web

text: site

text: says

text: NBA

text: commisioner

text: David

text: Stern

text: will

text: reveal

text: his

text: proposals

text: on

text: the

text: eve

text: of

text: the

text: All

text: Star

text: Game

text: in

text: New

text: Orleans

text: this

text: weekend

text: The

text: plans

text: are

text: understood

text: to

text: include

text: the

text: formation

text: of

text: a

text: European

text: division

text: with

text: five

text: new

text: teams

text: in

text: major

text: markets

text: The

text: teams

text: would

text: play

text: a

text: full

text: schedule

text: and

text: compete

text: for

text: the

text: NBA

text: championship

text: It

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: that

text: Stern

text: has

text: entertained

text: the

text: concept

text: of

text: overseas

text: expansion

text: He

text: broached

text: the

text: idea

text: in

text: saying

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: that

text: the

text: league

text: would

text: look

text: into

text: European

text: expansion

text: within

text: a

text: decade

text: Those

text: plans

text: were

text: scrapped

text: however

text: with

text: the

text: NBA

text: instead

text: focusing

text: on

text: developing

text: its

text: relationship

text: with

text: China

text: and

text: other

text: emerging

text: basketball

text: markets

text: The

text: number

text: of

text: European

text: and

text: overseas

text: players

text: has

text: steadily

text: increased

text: in

text: the

text: NBA

text: and

text: basketball

text: enjoys

text: a

text: particularly

text: high

text: profile

text: in

text: Spain

text: France

text: Italy

text: Greece

text: and

text: the

text: Balkans

text: The

text: NBA

text: has

text: played

text: regular

text: season

text: games

text: in

text: Japan

text: and

text: Mexico

text: and

text: played

text: exhibition

text: contests

text: this

text: season

text: in

text: London

text: and

text: Rome

text: Meanwhile

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Lakers

text: star

text: Kobe

text: Bryant

text: is

text: doubtful

text: for

text: Sunday

text: 's

text: All

text: Star

text: game

text: with

text: a

text: damaged

text: finger

text: Bryant

text: who

text: dislocated

text: his

text: right

text: pinkie

text: last

text: week

text: scored

text: points

text: in

text: minutes

text: in

text: Wednesday

text: 's

text: win

text: at

text: Minnesota

text: Bryant

text: sat

text: out

text: the

text: fourth

text: quarter

text: and

text: had

text: the

text: finger

text: X

text: rayed

text: after

text: the

text: game

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: When will David Stern make the announcement?

answer: on the eve of the All-Star Game in New Orleans this weekend.

text: on the eve of the All-Star Game in New Orleans this weekend.

question: what will david stern announce?

answer: his proposals

text: his proposals

question: Who are the prospective NBA teams?

answer: European franchises

text: European franchises

question: What person is the NBA commissioner ?

answer: David Stern

text: David Stern

question: Where has the NBA played internaionally?

answer: Mexico,

text: Mexico,

question: what country is opening a new division of the nba?

answer: England

text: England

question: Who does Sports Illustrated claim will announce expansion plans?

answer: David Stern

text: David Stern

question: Up to how many teams more is the NBA planning to expand?

answer: five

text: five

question: Will the NBA be planning a European division?

answer: American basketball is planning to create up to five new European franchises

text: American basketball is planning to create up to five new European franchises

question: Where have the nba played exhibition games in the past?

answer: London

text: London


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- It's no secret that the music industry has not made an ideal transition into the digital era.

Is the iPod,  iTunes and independent Web promotion the future of music? Or can record labels fight back?

Album sales are falling, P2P file sharing is rife, and a plethora of new artists are using the Internet as a platform for gaining international exposure.

With the introduction of MySpace Music, three major record labels -- Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group -- are hoping to launch a counter-strike to the technological developments and online activities that have rocked their industry.

But, how far can the record labels go towards getting back those good old days where they were uncontested as they reaped the lion's share of profits from the music industry?

Experts CNN spoke to for a Just Imagine article had contrasting views on what the coming years hold for the industry.

Long-time music industry figure Bob Lefsetz was critical of the new venture.

"Radio on demand, in one's home, in front of the computer, which is what MySpace actually is, is not a sexy alternative to owning what you want and taking it to the beach, to the party, to your workout," he said, comparing it with Apple's iTunes and iPod.

Lefsetz feels the record labels have to face serious decline, unless they can come up with a new business model.

Well-known music artists' rights advocate, educator and industry commentator, Moses Avalon, was more positive about MySpace Music's hopes and the future of the record label industry.

Music industry lecturer Andrew Dubber, meanwhile, believed the future would be characterized by change, and that there is no set model for the future of the recording industry.

Now, we want to know what you think.

Give us your views on the future of the music industry. Do you have a business model you think the record labels should adopt to build a strong future?

Or, do you think the industry has no future at all? Do you think Web sites like tunecore.com, rawrip.com and sellaband.com hold the power now?

Post your comments in the Sound Off box below. We'll publish the best.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: It

text: 's

text: no

text: secret

text: that

text: the

text: music

text: industry

text: has

text: not

text: made

text: an

text: ideal

text: transition

text: into

text: the

text: digital

text: era

text: Is

text: the

text: iPod

text: iTunes

text: and

text: independent

text: Web

text: promotion

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: music

text: Or

text: can

text: record

text: labels

text: fight

text: back

text: Album

text: sales

text: are

text: falling

text: file

text: sharing

text: is

text: rife

text: and

text: a

text: plethora

text: of

text: new

text: artists

text: are

text: using

text: the

text: Internet

text: as

text: a

text: platform

text: for

text: gaining

text: international

text: exposure

text: With

text: the

text: introduction

text: of

text: MySpace

text: Music

text: three

text: major

text: record

text: labels

text: Sony

text: BMG

text: Universal

text: Music

text: Group

text: and

text: Warner

text: Music

text: Group

text: are

text: hoping

text: to

text: launch

text: a

text: counter

text: strike

text: to

text: the

text: technological

text: developments

text: and

text: online

text: activities

text: that

text: have

text: rocked

text: their

text: industry

text: But

text: how

text: far

text: can

text: the

text: record

text: labels

text: go

text: towards

text: getting

text: back

text: those

text: good

text: old

text: days

text: where

text: they

text: were

text: uncontested

text: as

text: they

text: reaped

text: the

text: lion

text: 's

text: share

text: of

text: profits

text: from

text: the

text: music

text: industry

text: Experts

text: CNN

text: spoke

text: to

text: for

text: a

text: Just

text: Imagine

text: article

text: had

text: contrasting

text: views

text: on

text: what

text: the

text: coming

text: years

text: hold

text: for

text: the

text: industry

text: Long

text: time

text: music

text: industry

text: figure

text: Bob

text: Lefsetz

text: was

text: critical

text: of

text: the

text: new

text: venture

text: Radio

text: on

text: demand

text: in

text: one

text: 's

text: home

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: the

text: computer

text: which

text: is

text: what

text: MySpace

text: actually

text: is

text: is

text: not

text: a

text: sexy

text: alternative

text: to

text: owning

text: what

text: you

text: want

text: and

text: taking

text: it

text: to

text: the

text: beach

text: to

text: the

text: party

text: to

text: your

text: workout

text: he

text: said

text: comparing

text: it

text: with

text: Apple

text: 's

text: iTunes

text: and

text: iPod

text: Lefsetz

text: feels

text: the

text: record

text: labels

text: have

text: to

text: face

text: serious

text: decline

text: unless

text: they

text: can

text: come

text: up

text: with

text: a

text: new

text: business

text: model

text: Well

text: known

text: music

text: artists

text: rights

text: advocate

text: educator

text: and

text: industry

text: commentator

text: Moses

text: Avalon

text: was

text: more

text: positive

text: about

text: MySpace

text: Music

text: 's

text: hopes

text: and

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: the

text: record

text: label

text: industry

text: Music

text: industry

text: lecturer

text: Andrew

text: Dubber

text: meanwhile

text: believed

text: the

text: future

text: would

text: be

text: characterized

text: by

text: change

text: and

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: set

text: model

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: the

text: recording

text: industry

text: Now

text: we

text: want

text: to

text: know

text: what

text: you

text: think

text: Give

text: us

text: your

text: views

text: on

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: the

text: music

text: industry

text: Do

text: you

text: have

text: a

text: business

text: model

text: you

text: think

text: the

text: record

text: labels

text: should

text: adopt

text: to

text: build

text: a

text: strong

text: future

text: Or

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: the

text: industry

text: has

text: no

text: future

text: at

text: all

text: Do

text: you

text: think

text: Web

text: sites

text: like

text: tunecore.com

text: rawrip.com

text: and

text: sellaband.com

text: hold

text: the

text: power

text: now

text: Post

text: your

text: comments

text: in

text: the

text: Sound

text: Off

text: box

text: below

text: We

text: 'll

text: publish

text: the

text: best

question: What is declining in the music industry?

answer: record labels

text: record labels

question: What company is the music venture involved with?

answer: Sony BMG, Universal

text: Sony BMG, Universal

question: What should you post?

answer: your comments

text: your comments

question: What did MySpace plan to do to help the music industry?

answer: launch a counter-strike

text: launch a counter-strike

question: Are record sales declining?

answer: are falling,

text: are falling,

question: What is happening to record sales?

answer: are falling,

text: are falling,

question: What has been happening to record sales in the music industry?

answer: are falling,

text: are falling,

question: What social media site was involved in this music venture?

answer: MySpace

text: MySpace

question: What venture might save the music industry?

answer: "Radio on demand,

text: "Radio on demand,