text:
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Summer excursions seem out of reach to many struggling young professionals, and the faltering economy isn't helping. But one New York City company, offering trips aimed at the young and thrifty, is capitalizing on the urbanite's desire to get away -- and finding success despite the downturn.

A group of Urban Escapes NYC hikers stops for a snack during an expedition in New York's Harriman State Park.

As a slightly broke young professional myself, with a taste for adventure but living in a very expensive city, the idea behind Urban Escapes NYC was intriguing. The company offers an array of activities -- from short hiking, sky diving or canoeing trips to international journeys that combine various activities.

On the company's user-friendly Web site, I scrolled through the offerings. There were trips ranging from one-day hiking or fruit-picking excursions priced at around $60 to $800 weeklong international expeditions. The average trip includes ground transportation, the cost of the activity, guide fees, equipment rental and meals.

Jumping out of planes put the company's founder and CEO, Maia Josebachvili, 25, on the path to becoming a business owner. While attending Dartmouth College, Josebachvili developed a passion for sky diving. To pay for the pricey dives, she began to lead trips for her friends and her friends' friends. Soon she realized that the people she was guiding were outside of her original social network, and an idea began to emerge.

After graduating from Dartmouth and working as a trader on the New York Stock Exchange, Josebachvili decided working in the concrete jungle was not for her. At 24, Josebachvili started a business out of something she had been doing for years during college -- leading outdoor adventure trips.

The company launched in early 2008, just months before the economy tanked. "I started to wonder if this is really going to work," Josebachvili said.

But with trips designed with budget and value in mind, the suffering economy did not stunt the business. Josebachvili said the company was able to break even within six months.

The business relies on social networking avenues for promotion, and word spread rapidly. It also quickly developed a reputation as a great way to meet people and make new friends.

"I was the market," Josebachvili explains, "My friends were the market. Anyone just out of college working on Wall Street didn't have the time to plan and research the trips. There is no shortage of those kinds of people in New York."

After perusing the site, I rather nervously picked a $59 six-mile hike. This may not sound so cheap, but after factoring in the planning of the trip, transportation, gas, experienced guides and a post-hike discount at a local restaurant, the value becomes apparent. I hadn't been hiking in years and still am sadly out of shape. My imagination ran wild with images of young, sporty folks racing up high peaks as I huffed and puffed behind. Terrifying.

After a rainy start to the morning, our upbeat guides for the day, director Bram Levy and guide Roget Lerner, drove a group of 12 north of the city to Harriman State Park. They encouraged us to get to know each other and joked that we would be quizzed on it later.

Waiting to get into the van, I asked a man standing next to me why he was on the trip. "I moved from San Francisco a year ago," public relations professional Michael Lindenberger said. "I need some trees."

After an hourlong drive, we arrived at our hiking destination. Levy and Lerner checked our sneakers, water supply and told us a bit about how the day was going to unfold. And then we began the hike.

Throughout the day, there was lots of laughing, squealing and helping each other over rocks and through slick patches of mud. I was surprised how quickly a team mentally developed among the group. We were all strangers, but after a day of hiking, I knew everyone's name, profession and a good deal more. And this was no accident -- the guides were deliberately networking and bonding us together.

Jen Badali, a city transit planner, was on her third trip with Urban Escapes. "I went by myself my first hike," she said. "It was fun to get away and do something different." She said she still keeps in touch with people she met on the other excursions. "I made some good friends out of it," she said.

At the end of the day, sweaty, sore and smiling, I realized why Urban Escapes NYC was defying the recession. With a plethora of affordable outdoor excursions, cheerful guides and a youthful mindset, the company was the ideal destination for an urban professional with a slim wallet.

text: NEW

text: YORK

text: CNN

text: Summer

text: excursions

text: seem

text: out

text: of

text: reach

text: to

text: many

text: struggling

text: young

text: professionals

text: and

text: the

text: faltering

text: economy

text: is

text: n't

text: helping

text: But

text: one

text: New

text: York

text: City

text: company

text: offering

text: trips

text: aimed

text: at

text: the

text: young

text: and

text: thrifty

text: is

text: capitalizing

text: on

text: the

text: urbanite

text: 's

text: desire

text: to

text: get

text: away

text: and

text: finding

text: success

text: despite

text: the

text: downturn

text: A

text: group

text: of

text: Urban

text: Escapes

text: NYC

text: hikers

text: stops

text: for

text: a

text: snack

text: during

text: an

text: expedition

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: 's

text: Harriman

text: State

text: Park

text: As

text: a

text: slightly

text: broke

text: young

text: professional

text: myself

text: with

text: a

text: taste

text: for

text: adventure

text: but

text: living

text: in

text: a

text: very

text: expensive

text: city

text: the

text: idea

text: behind

text: Urban

text: Escapes

text: NYC

text: was

text: intriguing

text: The

text: company

text: offers

text: an

text: array

text: of

text: activities

text: from

text: short

text: hiking

text: sky

text: diving

text: or

text: canoeing

text: trips

text: to

text: international

text: journeys

text: that

text: combine

text: various

text: activities

text: On

text: the

text: company

text: 's

text: user

text: friendly

text: Web

text: site

text: I

text: scrolled

text: through

text: the

text: offerings

text: There

text: were

text: trips

text: ranging

text: from

text: one

text: day

text: hiking

text: or

text: fruit

text: picking

text: excursions

text: priced

text: at

text: around

text: to

text: weeklong

text: international

text: expeditions

text: The

text: average

text: trip

text: includes

text: ground

text: transportation

text: the

text: cost

text: of

text: the

text: activity

text: guide

text: fees

text: equipment

text: rental

text: and

text: meals

text: Jumping

text: out

text: of

text: planes

text: put

text: the

text: company

text: 's

text: founder

text: and

text: CEO

text: Maia

text: Josebachvili

text: on

text: the

text: path

text: to

text: becoming

text: a

text: business

text: owner

text: While

text: attending

text: Dartmouth

text: College

text: Josebachvili

text: developed

text: a

text: passion

text: for

text: sky

text: diving

text: To

text: pay

text: for

text: the

text: pricey

text: dives

text: she

text: began

text: to

text: lead

text: trips

text: for

text: her

text: friends

text: and

text: her

text: friends

text: friends

text: Soon

text: she

text: realized

text: that

text: the

text: people

text: she

text: was

text: guiding

text: were

text: outside

text: of

text: her

text: original

text: social

text: network

text: and

text: an

text: idea

text: began

text: to

text: emerge

text: After

text: graduating

text: from

text: Dartmouth

text: and

text: working

text: as

text: a

text: trader

text: on

text: the

text: New

text: York

text: Stock

text: Exchange

text: Josebachvili

text: decided

text: working

text: in

text: the

text: concrete

text: jungle

text: was

text: not

text: for

text: her

text: At

text: Josebachvili

text: started

text: a

text: business

text: out

text: of

text: something

text: she

text: had

text: been

text: doing

text: for

text: years

text: during

text: college

text: leading

text: outdoor

text: adventure

text: trips

text: The

text: company

text: launched

text: in

text: early

text: just

text: months

text: before

text: the

text: economy

text: tanked

text: I

text: started

text: to

text: wonder

text: if

text: this

text: is

text: really

text: going

text: to

text: work

text: Josebachvili

text: said

text: But

text: with

text: trips

text: designed

text: with

text: budget

text: and

text: value

text: in

text: mind

text: the

text: suffering

text: economy

text: did

text: not

text: stunt

text: the

text: business

text: Josebachvili

text: said

text: the

text: company

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: break

text: even

text: within

text: six

text: months

text: The

text: business

text: relies

text: on

text: social

text: networking

text: avenues

text: for

text: promotion

text: and

text: word

text: spread

text: rapidly

text: It

text: also

text: quickly

text: developed

text: a

text: reputation

text: as

text: a

text: great

text: way

text: to

text: meet

text: people

text: and

text: make

text: new

text: friends

text: I

text: was

text: the

text: market

text: Josebachvili

text: explains

text: My

text: friends

text: were

text: the

text: market

text: Anyone

text: just

text: out

text: of

text: college

text: working

text: on

text: Wall

text: Street

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: plan

text: and

text: research

text: the

text: trips

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: shortage

text: of

text: those

text: kinds

text: of

text: people

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: After

text: perusing

text: the

text: site

text: I

text: rather

text: nervously

text: picked

text: a

text: six

text: mile

text: hike

text: This

text: may

text: not

text: sound

text: so

text: cheap

text: but

text: after

text: factoring

text: in

text: the

text: planning

text: of

text: the

text: trip

text: transportation

text: gas

text: experienced

text: guides

text: and

text: a

text: post

text: hike

text: discount

text: at

text: a

text: local

text: restaurant

text: the

text: value

text: becomes

text: apparent

text: I

text: had

text: n't

text: been

text: hiking

text: in

text: years

text: and

text: still

text: am

text: sadly

text: out

text: of

text: shape

text: My

text: imagination

text: ran

text: wild

text: with

text: images

text: of

text: young

text: sporty

text: folks

text: racing

text: up

text: high

text: peaks

text: as

text: I

text: huffed

text: and

text: puffed

text: behind

text: Terrifying

text: After

text: a

text: rainy

text: start

text: to

text: the

text: morning

text: our

text: upbeat

text: guides

text: for

text: the

text: day

text: director

text: Bram

text: Levy

text: and

text: guide

text: Roget

text: Lerner

text: drove

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: north

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: to

text: Harriman

text: State

text: Park

text: They

text: encouraged

text: us

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: know

text: each

text: other

text: and

text: joked

text: that

text: we

text: would

text: be

text: quizzed

text: on

text: it

text: later

text: Waiting

text: to

text: get

text: into

text: the

text: van

text: I

text: asked

text: a

text: man

text: standing

text: next

text: to

text: me

text: why

text: he

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: trip

text: I

text: moved

text: from

text: San

text: Francisco

text: a

text: year

text: ago

text: public

text: relations

text: professional

text: Michael

text: Lindenberger

text: said

text: I

text: need

text: some

text: trees

text: After

text: an

text: hourlong

text: drive

text: we

text: arrived

text: at

text: our

text: hiking

text: destination

text: Levy

text: and

text: Lerner

text: checked

text: our

text: sneakers

text: water

text: supply

text: and

text: told

text: us

text: a

text: bit

text: about

text: how

text: the

text: day

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: unfold

text: And

text: then

text: we

text: began

text: the

text: hike

text: Throughout

text: the

text: day

text: there

text: was

text: lots

text: of

text: laughing

text: squealing

text: and

text: helping

text: each

text: other

text: over

text: rocks

text: and

text: through

text: slick

text: patches

text: of

text: mud

text: I

text: was

text: surprised

text: how

text: quickly

text: a

text: team

text: mentally

text: developed

text: among

text: the

text: group

text: We

text: were

text: all

text: strangers

text: but

text: after

text: a

text: day

text: of

text: hiking

text: I

text: knew

text: everyone

text: 's

text: name

text: profession

text: and

text: a

text: good

text: deal

text: more

text: And

text: this

text: was

text: no

text: accident

text: the

text: guides

text: were

text: deliberately

text: networking

text: and

text: bonding

text: us

text: together

text: Jen

text: Badali

text: a

text: city

text: transit

text: planner

text: was

text: on

text: her

text: third

text: trip

text: with

text: Urban

text: Escapes

text: I

text: went

text: by

text: myself

text: my

text: first

text: hike

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: was

text: fun

text: to

text: get

text: away

text: and

text: do

text: something

text: different

text: She

text: said

text: she

text: still

text: keeps

text: in

text: touch

text: with

text: people

text: she

text: met

text: on

text: the

text: other

text: excursions

text: I

text: made

text: some

text: good

text: friends

text: out

text: of

text: it

text: she

text: said

text: At

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: day

text: sweaty

text: sore

text: and

text: smiling

text: I

text: realized

text: why

text: Urban

text: Escapes

text: NYC

text: was

text: defying

text: the

text: recession

text: With

text: a

text: plethora

text: of

text: affordable

text: outdoor

text: excursions

text: cheerful

text: guides

text: and

text: a

text: youthful

text: mindset

text: the

text: company

text: was

text: the

text: ideal

text: destination

text: for

text: an

text: urban

text: professional

text: with

text: a

text: slim

text: wallet

question: Where is Urban Escapes located?

answer: New York City

text: New York City

question: What price does Day trips out of New York start at?

answer: around $60 to $800

text: around $60 to $800

question: What is Urban Escapes?

answer: New York City company,

text: New York City company,

question: What was the company able to do within six months?

answer: break even

text: break even

question: how much day trips out?

answer: $60 to $800

text: $60 to $800

question: Who is Urban Escapes' founder?

answer: Maia Josebachvili,

text: Maia Josebachvili,


text:
(CNN) -- The federal government has instructed BP to scale back its use of oil dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson said Monday.

Jackson said she believes BP's total use of dispersants can be reduced by as much as 80 percent. While the dispersants are successfully breaking up much of the oil being spilled into the Gulf, she said, "we are making environmental tradeoffs" and are "deeply concerned" about potential side effects.

Jackson and Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry, the federal on-scene coordinator for the oil spill response effort, told reporters that subsea use of dispersants at the source of the leak will continue. But the federal government strongly prefers to eliminate oil on the surface through a combination of burning and mechanical skimming, they said.

The "use of dispersant in the subsea means that you don't need to spray as much (on the surface)," Jackson later explained. "The idea from the very beginning was that if you could use it in the subsea ... you wouldn't need to spray as much on top."

Jackson's announcement came less than a week after EPA ordered BP to find another chemical dispersant to use on the oil spill after concerns arose about the long-term effects of the substance now being used. Federal officials have been seeking an alternative to the hundreds of thousands of gallons of Corexit 9500 that have been sprayed on the oil slick since April. The product has been rated less effective and more toxic than many others on the list of 18 EPA-approved dispersants, according to testimony at a congressional hearing Wednesday.

Corexit 9500 includes petroleum distillates, propylene glycol and a proprietary organic sulfonic salt, and prolonged contact with it can cause eye or skin irritation, according to the manufacturer's material data safety sheet. The document warns that "repeated or prolonged exposure may irritate the respiratory tract."

"I wasn't satisfied with the answer that we got" from BP regarding possible alternatives, Jackson said. While the data compiled so far does "not show a problem with toxicity" as a result of the use of Corexit, it "seems to me that a month into this and with no end in sight ... we need to ask ourselves whether there's a better product out there. And BP seemed to spend a lot of time saying why everything else didn't work."

The EPA is in the process of setting up a series of toxicity tests, Jackson said, "to look at what's going on out there now and to look at whether there's a better choice."

Asked earlier about the company's continued use of an oil dispersant in the face of an EPA request that it use a less toxic alternative, BP official Tony Hayward said, "Everything that we do with dispersants is with the explicit approval of the EPA."

On Monday, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen -- the Obama administration's point man for the spill -- warned reporters at the White House that the "decision to use dispersants doesn't do away with the problem." It simply means "we are willing to accept the effect of the oil in the ocean rather than on land. It is a trade-off of where the impact of the oil is going to be made."

text: CNN

text: The

text: federal

text: government

text: has

text: instructed

text: BP

text: to

text: scale

text: back

text: its

text: use

text: of

text: oil

text: dispersants

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: Environmental

text: Protection

text: Agency

text: Administrator

text: Lisa

text: Jackson

text: said

text: Monday

text: Jackson

text: said

text: she

text: believes

text: BP

text: 's

text: total

text: use

text: of

text: dispersants

text: can

text: be

text: reduced

text: by

text: as

text: much

text: as

text: percent

text: While

text: the

text: dispersants

text: are

text: successfully

text: breaking

text: up

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: oil

text: being

text: spilled

text: into

text: the

text: Gulf

text: she

text: said

text: we

text: are

text: making

text: environmental

text: tradeoffs

text: and

text: are

text: deeply

text: concerned

text: about

text: potential

text: side

text: effects

text: Jackson

text: and

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: Rear

text: Adm.

text: Mary

text: Landry

text: the

text: federal

text: on

text: scene

text: coordinator

text: for

text: the

text: oil

text: spill

text: response

text: effort

text: told

text: reporters

text: that

text: subsea

text: use

text: of

text: dispersants

text: at

text: the

text: source

text: of

text: the

text: leak

text: will

text: continue

text: But

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: strongly

text: prefers

text: to

text: eliminate

text: oil

text: on

text: the

text: surface

text: through

text: a

text: combination

text: of

text: burning

text: and

text: mechanical

text: skimming

text: they

text: said

text: The

text: use

text: of

text: dispersant

text: in

text: the

text: subsea

text: means

text: that

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: need

text: to

text: spray

text: as

text: much

text: on

text: the

text: surface

text: Jackson

text: later

text: explained

text: The

text: idea

text: from

text: the

text: very

text: beginning

text: was

text: that

text: if

text: you

text: could

text: use

text: it

text: in

text: the

text: subsea

text: you

text: would

text: n't

text: need

text: to

text: spray

text: as

text: much

text: on

text: top

text: Jackson

text: 's

text: announcement

text: came

text: less

text: than

text: a

text: week

text: after

text: EPA

text: ordered

text: BP

text: to

text: find

text: another

text: chemical

text: dispersant

text: to

text: use

text: on

text: the

text: oil

text: spill

text: after

text: concerns

text: arose

text: about

text: the

text: long

text: term

text: effects

text: of

text: the

text: substance

text: now

text: being

text: used

text: Federal

text: officials

text: have

text: been

text: seeking

text: an

text: alternative

text: to

text: the

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: gallons

text: of

text: Corexit

text: that

text: have

text: been

text: sprayed

text: on

text: the

text: oil

text: slick

text: since

text: April

text: The

text: product

text: has

text: been

text: rated

text: less

text: effective

text: and

text: more

text: toxic

text: than

text: many

text: others

text: on

text: the

text: list

text: of

text: EPA

text: approved

text: dispersants

text: according

text: to

text: testimony

text: at

text: a

text: congressional

text: hearing

text: Wednesday

text: Corexit

text: includes

text: petroleum

text: distillates

text: propylene

text: glycol

text: and

text: a

text: proprietary

text: organic

text: sulfonic

text: salt

text: and

text: prolonged

text: contact

text: with

text: it

text: can

text: cause

text: eye

text: or

text: skin

text: irritation

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: manufacturer

text: 's

text: material

text: data

text: safety

text: sheet

text: The

text: document

text: warns

text: that

text: repeated

text: or

text: prolonged

text: exposure

text: may

text: irritate

text: the

text: respiratory

text: tract

text: I

text: was

text: n't

text: satisfied

text: with

text: the

text: answer

text: that

text: we

text: got

text: from

text: BP

text: regarding

text: possible

text: alternatives

text: Jackson

text: said

text: While

text: the

text: data

text: compiled

text: so

text: far

text: does

text: not

text: show

text: a

text: problem

text: with

text: toxicity

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: Corexit

text: it

text: seems

text: to

text: me

text: that

text: a

text: month

text: into

text: this

text: and

text: with

text: no

text: end

text: in

text: sight

text: we

text: need

text: to

text: ask

text: ourselves

text: whether

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: better

text: product

text: out

text: there

text: And

text: BP

text: seemed

text: to

text: spend

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: time

text: saying

text: why

text: everything

text: else

text: did

text: n't

text: work

text: The

text: EPA

text: is

text: in

text: the

text: process

text: of

text: setting

text: up

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: toxicity

text: tests

text: Jackson

text: said

text: to

text: look

text: at

text: what

text: 's

text: going

text: on

text: out

text: there

text: now

text: and

text: to

text: look

text: at

text: whether

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: better

text: choice

text: Asked

text: earlier

text: about

text: the

text: company

text: 's

text: continued

text: use

text: of

text: an

text: oil

text: dispersant

text: in

text: the

text: face

text: of

text: an

text: EPA

text: request

text: that

text: it

text: use

text: a

text: less

text: toxic

text: alternative

text: BP

text: official

text: Tony

text: Hayward

text: said

text: Everything

text: that

text: we

text: do

text: with

text: dispersants

text: is

text: with

text: the

text: explicit

text: approval

text: of

text: the

text: EPA

text: On

text: Monday

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: Commandant

text: Adm.

text: Thad

text: Allen

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: 's

text: point

text: man

text: for

text: the

text: spill

text: warned

text: reporters

text: at

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: that

text: the

text: decision

text: to

text: use

text: dispersants

text: does

text: n't

text: do

text: away

text: with

text: the

text: problem

text: It

text: simply

text: means

text: we

text: are

text: willing

text: to

text: accept

text: the

text: effect

text: of

text: the

text: oil

text: in

text: the

text: ocean

text: rather

text: than

text: on

text: land

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: trade

text: off

text: of

text: where

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: the

text: oil

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: made

question: What did the Government instruct BP to scale back?

answer: its use of oil dispersants in the Gulf

text: its use of oil dispersants in the Gulf

question: what is BP's response?

answer: "Everything that we do with dispersants is with the explicit approval of the EPA."

text: "Everything that we do with dispersants is with the explicit approval of the EPA."

question: How many percent can BP scale back the use of dispersants?

answer: 80

question: Where should BP scale back use of dispersants?

answer: of Mexico,

text: of Mexico,

question: How much can BP's use of dispersants be reduced?

answer: 80 percent.

text: 80 percent.

question: how much can dispersants be reduced?

answer: as 80 percent.

text: as 80 percent.


text:
(CNN) -- Security forces patrolled deserted streets in Gabon's capital as citizens of the west African nation awaited official presidential results amid growing fears of violence, witnesses told CNN on Thursday.

Police block supporters of opposition candidate Pierre Mamboundou in Libreville, Gabon.

Voters in the oil-rich nation went to the polls Sunday to elect a successor to President Omar Bongo, who died in June after more than four decades in office.

Bongo, 73, was Africa's longest-serving ruler. His son, Ali Bongo, a candidate for the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party, was one of the main contenders.

Local media reports indicated that the younger Bongo had won, but CNN was unable to confirm those results.

"The Gabonese have come out of 42 years of dictatorship; they don't care who will be the next president, as long as it is not Bongo," Andriankoto Ratozamanana told CNN by phone from the capital, Libreville. "They want change. They don't want Bongo, because he is his dad's son."

Libreville was deserted because residents had fled to villages for fear of post-election violence, Ratozamanana said.

"The citizens won't accept if Ali Bongo wins, because that will mean the government stole the vote," Ratozamanana said.

The younger Bongo, a former defense minister, was one of 23 politicians originally in the ballot. Several candidates pulled out a few days before the vote to support the opposition, said Archippe Yepmou, a media activist.

Bongo, main opposition leader Pierre Mamboundou and former interior minister Andre Mba Obame have all claimed victory.

The elder Bongo took power in 1967, seven years after the country's independence from France.

He imposed one-party rule a year after succeeding the country's first president, who died in office. He allowed multiparty elections after a new constitution in 1991, but his party retained its grip on the government despite that.

The nation of about 1.5 million has a per capita income four times that of most sub-Saharan African nations, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Despite its wealth, which also comes from timber exports, a large percentage of its population lives in poverty because of poor financial management and a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

CNN's Umaro Djau contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Security

text: forces

text: patrolled

text: deserted

text: streets

text: in

text: Gabon

text: 's

text: capital

text: as

text: citizens

text: of

text: the

text: west

text: African

text: nation

text: awaited

text: official

text: presidential

text: results

text: amid

text: growing

text: fears

text: of

text: violence

text: witnesses

text: told

text: CNN

text: on

text: Thursday

text: Police

text: block

text: supporters

text: of

text: opposition

text: candidate

text: Pierre

text: Mamboundou

text: in

text: Libreville

text: Gabon

text: Voters

text: in

text: the

text: oil

text: rich

text: nation

text: went

text: to

text: the

text: polls

text: Sunday

text: to

text: elect

text: a

text: successor

text: to

text: President

text: Omar

text: Bongo

text: who

text: died

text: in

text: June

text: after

text: more

text: than

text: four

text: decades

text: in

text: office

text: Bongo

text: was

text: Africa

text: 's

text: longest

text: serving

text: ruler

text: His

text: son

text: Ali

text: Bongo

text: a

text: candidate

text: for

text: the

text: ruling

text: Gabonese

text: Democratic

text: Party

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: main

text: contenders

text: Local

text: media

text: reports

text: indicated

text: that

text: the

text: younger

text: Bongo

text: had

text: won

text: but

text: CNN

text: was

text: unable

text: to

text: confirm

text: those

text: results

text: The

text: Gabonese

text: have

text: come

text: out

text: of

text: years

text: of

text: dictatorship

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: care

text: who

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: next

text: president

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: Bongo

text: Andriankoto

text: Ratozamanana

text: told

text: CNN

text: by

text: phone

text: from

text: the

text: capital

text: Libreville

text: They

text: want

text: change

text: They

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: Bongo

text: because

text: he

text: is

text: his

text: dad

text: 's

text: son

text: Libreville

text: was

text: deserted

text: because

text: residents

text: had

text: fled

text: to

text: villages

text: for

text: fear

text: of

text: post

text: election

text: violence

text: Ratozamanana

text: said

text: The

text: citizens

text: wo

text: n't

text: accept

text: if

text: Ali

text: Bongo

text: wins

text: because

text: that

text: will

text: mean

text: the

text: government

text: stole

text: the

text: vote

text: Ratozamanana

text: said

text: The

text: younger

text: Bongo

text: a

text: former

text: defense

text: minister

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: politicians

text: originally

text: in

text: the

text: ballot

text: Several

text: candidates

text: pulled

text: out

text: a

text: few

text: days

text: before

text: the

text: vote

text: to

text: support

text: the

text: opposition

text: said

text: Archippe

text: Yepmou

text: a

text: media

text: activist

text: Bongo

text: main

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Pierre

text: Mamboundou

text: and

text: former

text: interior

text: minister

text: Andre

text: Mba

text: Obame

text: have

text: all

text: claimed

text: victory

text: The

text: elder

text: Bongo

text: took

text: power

text: in

text: seven

text: years

text: after

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: independence

text: from

text: France

text: He

text: imposed

text: one

text: party

text: rule

text: a

text: year

text: after

text: succeeding

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: first

text: president

text: who

text: died

text: in

text: office

text: He

text: allowed

text: multiparty

text: elections

text: after

text: a

text: new

text: constitution

text: in

text: but

text: his

text: party

text: retained

text: its

text: grip

text: on

text: the

text: government

text: despite

text: that

text: The

text: nation

text: of

text: about

text: million

text: has

text: a

text: per

text: capita

text: income

text: four

text: times

text: that

text: of

text: most

text: sub

text: Saharan

text: African

text: nations

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: CIA

text: World

text: Factbook

text: Despite

text: its

text: wealth

text: which

text: also

text: comes

text: from

text: timber

text: exports

text: a

text: large

text: percentage

text: of

text: its

text: population

text: lives

text: in

text: poverty

text: because

text: of

text: poor

text: financial

text: management

text: and

text: a

text: huge

text: gap

text: between

text: the

text: rich

text: and

text: the

text: poor

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Umaro

text: Djau

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Where did tension grow?

answer: Gabon's capital

text: Gabon's capital

question: What is the capital of Gabon?

answer: Libreville,

text: Libreville,

question: When did voters go to the polls?

answer: Sunday

text: Sunday

question: Who did the voters elect?

answer: a successor to President Omar Bongo,

text: a successor to President Omar Bongo,

question: Who was the president?

answer: Omar Bongo,

text: Omar Bongo,

question: Which city are residents fleeing from?

answer: Libreville

text: Libreville

question: When is the presidential election?

answer: 1991,

question: Who is the president to be succeeded?

answer: Omar Bongo,

text: Omar Bongo,

question: What was the reason for holding an election?

answer: President Omar Bongo, who died in June

text: President Omar Bongo, who died in June


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- An $80 million research project aimed at giving people 50 active years after the age of 50 was launched by scientists at the University of Leeds in northern England Tuesday.

The challenge is to ensure old people stay as fit as Brisbane centenarian Ruth Frith, seen competing at shot put during World Masters Games in Sydney this month.

About half of the babies born in Western countries today will live until they are 100 years old, according to recent research published in the medical journal The Lancet, so the challenge is to ensure they remain active throughout their old age.

While most of us will live longer than our parents and grandparents, the aging population means that in coming decades more people will suffer from age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis, heart disease and chronic back pain. Obesity and increased physical activity also put more pressure on our joints, causing them to wear out faster.

Scientists at Leeds University envisage that many of the body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants. This will mean artificial hips, knees and heart valves, for example, lasting far longer than the current 20-year typical lifespan.

"Our work is driven by the concept of 50 more years after 50 -- that is, making our second 50 years of life as healthy, comfortable and active as our first, so we can enjoy a higher quality of life," explains Professor John Fisher, who is an expert in artificial joints and tissue regeneration.

"We now have the technology available to do astonishing things, such as repairing the body by growing healthy new tissue through biological scaffolds and stem cell therapy. And a new generation of prosthetic hip and knee joints that last longer will avoid the need for further replacements."

Fisher says the center also hopes to gain a better understanding of degenerative diseases to allow for early diagnosis, rather than having to treat someone when they are already in crippling pain.

"For example, we're developing biosensor tools that can detect the presence of antibodies and proteins in the blood. All of these technologies will ultimately reduce suffering in patients through more timely interventions, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times."

So how do you feel about this. Are you looking forward to your old age? Do you believe you will remain active? Click here to send us your comments and we will try to use as many as possible in tonight's show.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: An

text: million

text: research

text: project

text: aimed

text: at

text: giving

text: people

text: active

text: years

text: after

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: was

text: launched

text: by

text: scientists

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Leeds

text: in

text: northern

text: England

text: Tuesday

text: The

text: challenge

text: is

text: to

text: ensure

text: old

text: people

text: stay

text: as

text: fit

text: as

text: Brisbane

text: centenarian

text: Ruth

text: Frith

text: seen

text: competing

text: at

text: shot

text: put

text: during

text: World

text: Masters

text: Games

text: in

text: Sydney

text: this

text: month

text: About

text: half

text: of

text: the

text: babies

text: born

text: in

text: Western

text: countries

text: today

text: will

text: live

text: until

text: they

text: are

text: years

text: old

text: according

text: to

text: recent

text: research

text: published

text: in

text: the

text: medical

text: journal

text: The

text: Lancet

text: so

text: the

text: challenge

text: is

text: to

text: ensure

text: they

text: remain

text: active

text: throughout

text: their

text: old

text: age

text: While

text: most

text: of

text: us

text: will

text: live

text: longer

text: than

text: our

text: parents

text: and

text: grandparents

text: the

text: aging

text: population

text: means

text: that

text: in

text: coming

text: decades

text: more

text: people

text: will

text: suffer

text: from

text: age

text: related

text: conditions

text: such

text: as

text: osteoarthritis

text: heart

text: disease

text: and

text: chronic

text: back

text: pain

text: Obesity

text: and

text: increased

text: physical

text: activity

text: also

text: put

text: more

text: pressure

text: on

text: our

text: joints

text: causing

text: them

text: to

text: wear

text: out

text: faster

text: Scientists

text: at

text: Leeds

text: University

text: envisage

text: that

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: body

text: parts

text: that

text: flounder

text: with

text: age

text: could

text: be

text: upgraded

text: using

text: own

text: grown

text: tissues

text: and

text: more

text: durable

text: implants

text: This

text: will

text: mean

text: artificial

text: hips

text: knees

text: and

text: heart

text: valves

text: for

text: example

text: lasting

text: far

text: longer

text: than

text: the

text: current

text: typical

text: lifespan

text: Our

text: work

text: is

text: driven

text: by

text: the

text: concept

text: of

text: more

text: years

text: after

text: that

text: is

text: making

text: our

text: second

text: years

text: of

text: life

text: as

text: healthy

text: comfortable

text: and

text: active

text: as

text: our

text: first

text: so

text: we

text: can

text: enjoy

text: a

text: higher

text: quality

text: of

text: life

text: explains

text: Professor

text: John

text: Fisher

text: who

text: is

text: an

text: expert

text: in

text: artificial

text: joints

text: and

text: tissue

text: regeneration

text: We

text: now

text: have

text: the

text: technology

text: available

text: to

text: do

text: astonishing

text: things

text: such

text: as

text: repairing

text: the

text: body

text: by

text: growing

text: healthy

text: new

text: tissue

text: through

text: biological

text: scaffolds

text: and

text: stem

text: cell

text: therapy

text: And

text: a

text: new

text: generation

text: of

text: prosthetic

text: hip

text: and

text: knee

text: joints

text: that

text: last

text: longer

text: will

text: avoid

text: the

text: need

text: for

text: further

text: replacements

text: Fisher

text: says

text: the

text: center

text: also

text: hopes

text: to

text: gain

text: a

text: better

text: understanding

text: of

text: degenerative

text: diseases

text: to

text: allow

text: for

text: early

text: diagnosis

text: rather

text: than

text: having

text: to

text: treat

text: someone

text: when

text: they

text: are

text: already

text: in

text: crippling

text: pain

text: For

text: example

text: we

text: 're

text: developing

text: biosensor

text: tools

text: that

text: can

text: detect

text: the

text: presence

text: of

text: antibodies

text: and

text: proteins

text: in

text: the

text: blood

text: All

text: of

text: these

text: technologies

text: will

text: ultimately

text: reduce

text: suffering

text: in

text: patients

text: through

text: more

text: timely

text: interventions

text: shorter

text: hospital

text: stays

text: and

text: quicker

text: recovery

text: times

text: So

text: how

text: do

text: you

text: feel

text: about

text: this

text: Are

text: you

text: looking

text: forward

text: to

text: your

text: old

text: age

text: Do

text: you

text: believe

text: you

text: will

text: remain

text: active

text: Click

text: here

text: to

text: send

text: us

text: your

text: comments

text: and

text: we

text: will

text: try

text: to

text: use

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: possible

text: in

text: tonight

text: 's

text: show

question: How long will half of people live?

answer: until they are 100 years old,

text: until they are 100 years old,

question: How much is being spent on research?

answer: $80 million

text: $80 million

question: What university is conducting the project?

answer: An $80 million research

text: An $80 million research

question: Who is running the project?

answer: scientists at the University of Leeds

text: scientists at the University of Leeds

question: Half the babies born today will live until what age?

answer: 100

question: The $80M research project launched is aimed at what?

answer: the age of 50

text: the age of 50

question: What do scientists believe could be upgraded?

answer: body parts

text: body parts

question: What is the project's goal?

answer: the age of 50

text: the age of 50

question: Scientists believe many body parts could be what?

answer: upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants.

text: upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants.


text:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Crack-addicted Felicia Anderson was pregnant with her third child when an ultrasound changed the direction of her life.

After inpatient rehab, Felicia Anderson sought help from Mothers Making a Change to help beat her addiction.

"You could hear that baby's heartbeat strong and steady. Really, that's her personality today, a strong, vibrant little girl. And at that time, laying there, tears starting rolling down my face," Anderson, 44, recalled.

In that moment, Anderson vowed to stay off drugs, something she'd been unable to do in more than a decade addicted to crack cocaine, even when she was pregnant with her first two children.

Anderson didn't think she could do it alone, so, like almost 2 million Americans a year, she entered a treatment program. Anderson spent three weeks in residential treatment -- all she could afford -- but didn't think that was enough, so she enrolled in Mothers Making a Change, a year-long outpatient drug and alcohol program in Atlanta, Georgia.

Three times as many Americans choose outpatient treatment as residential treatment, or rehab. It costs less, is more likely to be covered by insurance and does not require participants to leave work or their families for a month or more.

The outpatient program Anderson chose, Mothers Making a Change, is designed especially for pregnant women and women with young children. Anderson was both. At the time, her oldest daughter, Sierra, was 5; her middle child, Anicia, was almost 2.

In addition to therapy and education, Mothers Making a Change provided transportation and offered free child care while Anderson was there. When she completed the program, Mothers Making a Change helped her find a job.

"I can say with everything in me, with every bit of my breath, that program helped me turn my life around," said Anderson, who now runs a program to help the developmentally disabled in DeKalb County, Georgia.  Interactive: Addiction and the brain Â»

Like most programs, residential or outpatient, Mothers Making a Change is built on the 12 steps pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous. Among them: Admit you're powerless over your addiction, and turn your life over to a higher power.

"It's important in my opinion to have a connection with your spiritual world, your higher power," Anderson said. "So I thank God, first of all, for giving me a second chance in life."

Anderson began drinking and smoking marijuana in high school. She moved on to snorting cocaine and then smoking it. She said her drug use began spiraling out of control when her husband, an Army infantryman, committed suicide after returning from Operation Desert Storm. She said the crack numbed her pain.  Watch Felicia Anderson describe her experience Â»

Anderson tried to hide her addiction, but the lies became harder to maintain. She lost weight. She couldn't keep a job. And she began stealing to keep her children clothed and fed and to support her habit. She even stole their Christmas presents.

"The gifts would be under the tree, and I needed some crack, and I would take whatever present was there," Anderson recalled.

"The crack was my friend. The crack was my job. The crack was my children. You know, it was my life. So no matter how bad I wanted to stop, I couldn't stop," she said.

Anderson said she even smoked crack as she went into labor with her second child.

"That's to tell you how bad off, how out of control, how much it didn't matter," she said. "But I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop."

Caught shoplifting repeatedly, Anderson said, she was facing a five-year prison sentence in Maryland for violating probation when her brother Brian Robinson intervened. He convinced the judge to let Anderson and her two daughters come to Georgia with him and to let his sister check into rehab instead of going to jail.

Like many addicts, Anderson hit rock bottom before seeking treatment. Counselors and others say most addicts get help only when they get in trouble at home, at work, with their health or with the law.

Anderson went for her ultrasound and had an epiphany.

"Something inside me -- and I would say it's the voice of God -- saying, 'You can do this.' And laying there at that moment, I did say to myself, 'I can do this. Let me try to do this.' That was a turning point for me," Anderson said. "That baby that was born was born drug-free."

Anderson said that she has been drug-free for 12 years and that she's lucky: Her older two children did not suffer any health consequences from her addiction.

Anderson now has everything she had lost for a big part of her adult life: a stable home life, a job. Also, she's engaged.

"There's all kinds of beautiful things happening for me and my daughters right now."

text: ATLANTA

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: Crack

text: addicted

text: Felicia

text: Anderson

text: was

text: pregnant

text: with

text: her

text: third

text: child

text: when

text: an

text: ultrasound

text: changed

text: the

text: direction

text: of

text: her

text: life

text: After

text: inpatient

text: rehab

text: Felicia

text: Anderson

text: sought

text: help

text: from

text: Mothers

text: Making

text: a

text: Change

text: to

text: help

text: beat

text: her

text: addiction

text: You

text: could

text: hear

text: that

text: baby

text: 's

text: heartbeat

text: strong

text: and

text: steady

text: Really

text: that

text: 's

text: her

text: personality

text: today

text: a

text: strong

text: vibrant

text: little

text: girl

text: And

text: at

text: that

text: time

text: laying

text: there

text: tears

text: starting

text: rolling

text: down

text: my

text: face

text: Anderson

text: recalled

text: In

text: that

text: moment

text: Anderson

text: vowed

text: to

text: stay

text: off

text: drugs

text: something

text: she

text: 'd

text: been

text: unable

text: to

text: do

text: in

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: decade

text: addicted

text: to

text: crack

text: cocaine

text: even

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: pregnant

text: with

text: her

text: first

text: two

text: children

text: Anderson

text: did

text: n't

text: think

text: she

text: could

text: do

text: it

text: alone

text: so

text: like

text: almost

text: million

text: Americans

text: a

text: year

text: she

text: entered

text: a

text: treatment

text: program

text: Anderson

text: spent

text: three

text: weeks

text: in

text: residential

text: treatment

text: all

text: she

text: could

text: afford

text: but

text: did

text: n't

text: think

text: that

text: was

text: enough

text: so

text: she

text: enrolled

text: in

text: Mothers

text: Making

text: a

text: Change

text: a

text: year

text: long

text: outpatient

text: drug

text: and

text: alcohol

text: program

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: Three

text: times

text: as

text: many

text: Americans

text: choose

text: outpatient

text: treatment

text: as

text: residential

text: treatment

text: or

text: rehab

text: It

text: costs

text: less

text: is

text: more

text: likely

text: to

text: be

text: covered

text: by

text: insurance

text: and

text: does

text: not

text: require

text: participants

text: to

text: leave

text: work

text: or

text: their

text: families

text: for

text: a

text: month

text: or

text: more

text: The

text: outpatient

text: program

text: Anderson

text: chose

text: Mothers

text: Making

text: a

text: Change

text: is

text: designed

text: especially

text: for

text: pregnant

text: women

text: and

text: women

text: with

text: young

text: children

text: Anderson

text: was

text: both

text: At

text: the

text: time

text: her

text: oldest

text: daughter

text: Sierra

text: was

text: her

text: middle

text: child

text: Anicia

text: was

text: almost

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: therapy

text: and

text: education

text: Mothers

text: Making

text: a

text: Change

text: provided

text: transportation

text: and

text: offered

text: free

text: child

text: care

text: while

text: Anderson

text: was

text: there

text: When

text: she

text: completed

text: the

text: program

text: Mothers

text: Making

text: a

text: Change

text: helped

text: her

text: find

text: a

text: job

text: I

text: can

text: say

text: with

text: everything

text: in

text: me

text: with

text: every

text: bit

text: of

text: my

text: breath

text: that

text: program

text: helped

text: me

text: turn

text: my

text: life

text: around

text: said

text: Anderson

text: who

text: now

text: runs

text: a

text: program

text: to

text: help

text: the

text: developmentally

text: disabled

text: in

text: DeKalb

text: County

text: Georgia

text: Interactive

text: Addiction

text: and

text: the

text: brain

text: Â

text: Like

text: most

text: programs

text: residential

text: or

text: outpatient

text: Mothers

text: Making

text: a

text: Change

text: is

text: built

text: on

text: the

text: steps

text: pioneered

text: by

text: Alcoholics

text: Anonymous

text: Among

text: them

text: Admit

text: you

text: 're

text: powerless

text: over

text: your

text: addiction

text: and

text: turn

text: your

text: life

text: over

text: to

text: a

text: higher

text: power

text: It

text: 's

text: important

text: in

text: my

text: opinion

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: connection

text: with

text: your

text: spiritual

text: world

text: your

text: higher

text: power

text: Anderson

text: said

text: So

text: I

text: thank

text: God

text: first

text: of

text: all

text: for

text: giving

text: me

text: a

text: second

text: chance

text: in

text: life

text: Anderson

text: began

text: drinking

text: and

text: smoking

text: marijuana

text: in

text: high

text: school

text: She

text: moved

text: on

text: to

text: snorting

text: cocaine

text: and

text: then

text: smoking

text: it

text: She

text: said

text: her

text: drug

text: use

text: began

text: spiraling

text: out

text: of

text: control

text: when

text: her

text: husband

text: an

text: Army

text: infantryman

text: committed

text: suicide

text: after

text: returning

text: from

text: Operation

text: Desert

text: Storm

text: She

text: said

text: the

text: crack

text: numbed

text: her

text: pain

text: Watch

text: Felicia

text: Anderson

text: describe

text: her

text: experience

text: Â

text: Anderson

text: tried

text: to

text: hide

text: her

text: addiction

text: but

text: the

text: lies

text: became

text: harder

text: to

text: maintain

text: She

text: lost

text: weight

text: She

text: could

text: n't

text: keep

text: a

text: job

text: And

text: she

text: began

text: stealing

text: to

text: keep

text: her

text: children

text: clothed

text: and

text: fed

text: and

text: to

text: support

text: her

text: habit

text: She

text: even

text: stole

text: their

text: Christmas

text: presents

text: The

text: gifts

text: would

text: be

text: under

text: the

text: tree

text: and

text: I

text: needed

text: some

text: crack

text: and

text: I

text: would

text: take

text: whatever

text: present

text: was

text: there

text: Anderson

text: recalled

text: The

text: crack

text: was

text: my

text: friend

text: The

text: crack

text: was

text: my

text: job

text: The

text: crack

text: was

text: my

text: children

text: You

text: know

text: it

text: was

text: my

text: life

text: So

text: no

text: matter

text: how

text: bad

text: I

text: wanted

text: to

text: stop

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: stop

text: she

text: said

text: Anderson

text: said

text: she

text: even

text: smoked

text: crack

text: as

text: she

text: went

text: into

text: labor

text: with

text: her

text: second

text: child

text: That

text: 's

text: to

text: tell

text: you

text: how

text: bad

text: off

text: how

text: out

text: of

text: control

text: how

text: much

text: it

text: did

text: n't

text: matter

text: she

text: said

text: But

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: stop

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: stop

text: Caught

text: shoplifting

text: repeatedly

text: Anderson

text: said

text: she

text: was

text: facing

text: a

text: five

text: year

text: prison

text: sentence

text: in

text: Maryland

text: for

text: violating

text: probation

text: when

text: her

text: brother

text: Brian

text: Robinson

text: intervened

text: He

text: convinced

text: the

text: judge

text: to

text: let

text: Anderson

text: and

text: her

text: two

text: daughters

text: come

text: to

text: Georgia

text: with

text: him

text: and

text: to

text: let

text: his

text: sister

text: check

text: into

text: rehab

text: instead

text: of

text: going

text: to

text: jail

text: Like

text: many

text: addicts

text: Anderson

text: hit

text: rock

text: bottom

text: before

text: seeking

text: treatment

text: Counselors

text: and

text: others

text: say

text: most

text: addicts

text: get

text: help

text: only

text: when

text: they

text: get

text: in

text: trouble

text: at

text: home

text: at

text: work

text: with

text: their

text: health

text: or

text: with

text: the

text: law

text: Anderson

text: went

text: for

text: her

text: ultrasound

text: and

text: had

text: an

text: epiphany

text: Something

text: inside

text: me

text: and

text: I

text: would

text: say

text: it

text: 's

text: the

text: voice

text: of

text: God

text: saying

text: You

text: can

text: do

text: this

text: And

text: laying

text: there

text: at

text: that

text: moment

text: I

text: did

text: say

text: to

text: myself

text: I

text: can

text: do

text: this

text: Let

text: me

text: try

text: to

text: do

text: this

text: That

text: was

text: a

text: turning

text: point

text: for

text: me

text: Anderson

text: said

text: That

text: baby

text: that

text: was

text: born

text: was

text: born

text: drug

text: free

text: Anderson

text: said

text: that

text: she

text: has

text: been

text: drug

text: free

text: for

text: years

text: and

text: that

text: she

text: 's

text: lucky

text: Her

text: older

text: two

text: children

text: did

text: not

text: suffer

text: any

text: health

text: consequences

text: from

text: her

text: addiction

text: Anderson

text: now

text: has

text: everything

text: she

text: had

text: lost

text: for

text: a

text: big

text: part

text: of

text: her

text: adult

text: life

text: a

text: stable

text: home

text: life

text: a

text: job

text: Also

text: she

text: 's

text: engaged

text: There

text: 's

text: all

text: kinds

text: of

text: beautiful

text: things

text: happening

text: for

text: me

text: and

text: my

text: daughters

text: right

text: now

question: What made her want to give up drugs?

answer: hear that baby's heartbeat

text: hear that baby's heartbeat

question: She was addicted to drugs?

answer: In that moment, Anderson vowed to stay off drugs, something she'd been unable to do in more than a decade

text: In that moment, Anderson vowed to stay off drugs, something she'd been unable to do in more than a decade

question: Who vowed to give up drugs?

answer: Felicia Anderson

text: Felicia Anderson

question: How long could she afford in residential treatment?

answer: three weeks

text: three weeks

question: What did Anderson vow to give up?

answer: drugs,

text: drugs,

question: How many years has Anderson been clean?

answer: r 1

text: r 1


text:
Washington (CNN) -- President Obama on Thursday strongly criticized controversial anti-homosexuality legislation being considered by Uganda's legislature.

It is "unconscionable to target gays or lesbians for who they are," Obama said during an appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast.

The measure being considered in Uganda is "odious," he added.

The organization which sponsors the breakfast, the Fellowship Foundation, has been associated with efforts to pass the bill, according to the ethics group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

The measure would punish sexual activity between persons of the same sex with long jail terms or death.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also criticized the bill during an appearance at the breakfast.

CREW had protested Obama's appearance at the breakfast, claiming in a statement that the event "designed to appear as if government-sanctioned, actually serves as a meeting and recruiting event for the shadowy Fellowship Foundation," also known as "The Foundation" and "The Family."

A Ugandan legislator who introduced the bill -- which has been roundly condemned by human rights groups -- was scheduled to attend the breakfast before his invitation was revoked, CREW claimed.

The breakfast is held annually on the first Thursday in February. The president, members of Congress and other dignitaries regularly attend.

Members of the Fellowship Foundation could not be reached for comment early Thursday. CREW did not divulge the source of its information.

J. Robert Hunter, a member of The Fellowship who has spoken publicly about the group, told The New York Times in a story published Thursday that it was unfair to blame the group for the Uganda legislation. About 30 family members, all Americans who are active in Africa, conveyed their dismay about the legislation to Ugandan politicians, including the bill's sponsor, Hunter said.

CREW asked Obama and members of Congress on Monday not to attend the breakfast. On Wednesday, it asked television network C-SPAN to refrain from broadcasting the prayer breakfast, or at least to properly identify its sponsor as the Fellowship.

"The Fellowship has been cultivating an unorthodox brand of Christianity amongst the political, military and economic elite of America and other countries for over 50 years, focused on meeting Jesus 'man-to-man,'" CREW said. "The organization operates under an intense veil of secrecy, staying largely out of the public eye and hiding its donors' identities." Its leader, Doug Coe, has led the group since 1969, according to CREW.

The fellowship operates a residence and meeting place on Capitol Hill that has been linked to "ethically troubled" politicians, including Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, the ethics group said.

"The president and members of Congress should not legitimize this cult-like group -- the head of which has praised the organizing abilities of Hitler and bin Laden -- by attending the breakfast," Melanie Sloan, CREW executive director, said in a statement.

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: President

text: Obama

text: on

text: Thursday

text: strongly

text: criticized

text: controversial

text: anti

text: homosexuality

text: legislation

text: being

text: considered

text: by

text: Uganda

text: 's

text: legislature

text: It

text: is

text: unconscionable

text: to

text: target

text: gays

text: or

text: lesbians

text: for

text: who

text: they

text: are

text: Obama

text: said

text: during

text: an

text: appearance

text: at

text: the

text: National

text: Prayer

text: Breakfast

text: The

text: measure

text: being

text: considered

text: in

text: Uganda

text: is

text: odious

text: he

text: added

text: The

text: organization

text: which

text: sponsors

text: the

text: breakfast

text: the

text: Fellowship

text: Foundation

text: has

text: been

text: associated

text: with

text: efforts

text: to

text: pass

text: the

text: bill

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: ethics

text: group

text: Citizens

text: for

text: Responsibility

text: and

text: Ethics

text: in

text: Washington

text: The

text: measure

text: would

text: punish

text: sexual

text: activity

text: between

text: persons

text: of

text: the

text: same

text: sex

text: with

text: long

text: jail

text: terms

text: or

text: death

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: also

text: criticized

text: the

text: bill

text: during

text: an

text: appearance

text: at

text: the

text: breakfast

text: CREW

text: had

text: protested

text: Obama

text: 's

text: appearance

text: at

text: the

text: breakfast

text: claiming

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: that

text: the

text: event

text: designed

text: to

text: appear

text: as

text: if

text: government

text: sanctioned

text: actually

text: serves

text: as

text: a

text: meeting

text: and

text: recruiting

text: event

text: for

text: the

text: shadowy

text: Fellowship

text: Foundation

text: also

text: known

text: as

text: The

text: Foundation

text: and

text: The

text: Family

text: A

text: Ugandan

text: legislator

text: who

text: introduced

text: the

text: bill

text: which

text: has

text: been

text: roundly

text: condemned

text: by

text: human

text: rights

text: groups

text: was

text: scheduled

text: to

text: attend

text: the

text: breakfast

text: before

text: his

text: invitation

text: was

text: revoked

text: CREW

text: claimed

text: The

text: breakfast

text: is

text: held

text: annually

text: on

text: the

text: first

text: Thursday

text: in

text: February

text: The

text: president

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: and

text: other

text: dignitaries

text: regularly

text: attend

text: Members

text: of

text: the

text: Fellowship

text: Foundation

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: reached

text: for

text: comment

text: early

text: Thursday

text: CREW

text: did

text: not

text: divulge

text: the

text: source

text: of

text: its

text: information

text: J.

text: Robert

text: Hunter

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: The

text: Fellowship

text: who

text: has

text: spoken

text: publicly

text: about

text: the

text: group

text: told

text: The

text: New

text: York

text: Times

text: in

text: a

text: story

text: published

text: Thursday

text: that

text: it

text: was

text: unfair

text: to

text: blame

text: the

text: group

text: for

text: the

text: Uganda

text: legislation

text: About

text: family

text: members

text: all

text: Americans

text: who

text: are

text: active

text: in

text: Africa

text: conveyed

text: their

text: dismay

text: about

text: the

text: legislation

text: to

text: Ugandan

text: politicians

text: including

text: the

text: bill

text: 's

text: sponsor

text: Hunter

text: said

text: CREW

text: asked

text: Obama

text: and

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: on

text: Monday

text: not

text: to

text: attend

text: the

text: breakfast

text: On

text: Wednesday

text: it

text: asked

text: television

text: network

text: C

text: SPAN

text: to

text: refrain

text: from

text: broadcasting

text: the

text: prayer

text: breakfast

text: or

text: at

text: least

text: to

text: properly

text: identify

text: its

text: sponsor

text: as

text: the

text: Fellowship

text: The

text: Fellowship

text: has

text: been

text: cultivating

text: an

text: unorthodox

text: brand

text: of

text: Christianity

text: amongst

text: the

text: political

text: military

text: and

text: economic

text: elite

text: of

text: America

text: and

text: other

text: countries

text: for

text: over

text: years

text: focused

text: on

text: meeting

text: Jesus

text: man

text: to

text: man

text: CREW

text: said

text: The

text: organization

text: operates

text: under

text: an

text: intense

text: veil

text: of

text: secrecy

text: staying

text: largely

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: public

text: eye

text: and

text: hiding

text: its

text: donors

text: identities

text: Its

text: leader

text: Doug

text: Coe

text: has

text: led

text: the

text: group

text: since

text: according

text: to

text: CREW

text: The

text: fellowship

text: operates

text: a

text: residence

text: and

text: meeting

text: place

text: on

text: Capitol

text: Hill

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: linked

text: to

text: ethically

text: troubled

text: politicians

text: including

text: Sen.

text: John

text: Ensign

text: and

text: South

text: Carolina

text: Gov.

text: Mark

text: Sanford

text: the

text: ethics

text: group

text: said

text: The

text: president

text: and

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: should

text: not

text: legitimize

text: this

text: cult

text: like

text: group

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: which

text: has

text: praised

text: the

text: organizing

text: abilities

text: of

text: Hitler

text: and

text: bin

text: Laden

text: by

text: attending

text: the

text: breakfast

text: Melanie

text: Sloan

text: CREW

text: executive

text: director

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

question: What groups asked Obama not to attend the breakfast?

answer: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

text: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

question: who calls Uganda's proposed law "odious" in speech at prayer breakfast?

answer: President Obama

text: President Obama

question: What did Obama call Uganda's proposed law?

answer: "odious,"

text: "odious,"

question: What is the name of the organization that asked Obama not to attend the breakfast?

answer: CREW

text: CREW

question: when did Obama call Uganda's proposed law "odious" in speech ?

answer: Thursday

text: Thursday

question: who asked Obama not to attend breakfast?

answer: CREW

text: CREW

question: What legislation does the foundation that sponsors the breakfast support?

answer: anti-homosexuality

text: anti-homosexuality


text:
Los Angeles, California (CNN)  -- Singer Chris Brown earned a glowing probation report six months after he was sentenced to "labor-oriented service" for assaulting his pop star girlfriend, Rihanna, the judge said Thursday.

Brown, 20, sat silently in court Thursday afternoon as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg reviewed his probation report.

"It looks like you're doing really, really well," Schnegg said.

The police chief in Richmond, Virginia -- where Brown is being allowed to complete his sentence -- reported that he had worked 32 days of hard labor, she said.

Schnegg said when she sentenced Brown that she wanted to see him do "actual physical labor, as opposed to some type of community service."

The report on his court-ordered domestic violence counseling said he had completed 17 out of 52 groups sessions, she said.

The agency running the sessions reported "you are participating and doing a very good job," the judge said.

The judge rewarded Brown by signing an order allowing him to again travel outside the United States for concerts.

When Brown returns to court on May 11, 2010, for his next probation progress report, he will be "way over halfway there" to completing his sentence, she said.

Brown was sentenced in August to serve five years probation and to spend more than 1,400 hours in "labor-oriented service" for the assault conviction.

Schnegg also put a restraining order in place, requiring Brown to stay 50 yards away from Rihanna, 10 yards if the two are at the same industry event. The judge issued a strict warning to Brown not to violate the order, which remains in place until 2014.

Brown was arrested after an early morning argument inside a rented Lamborghini on a Hollywood street on February 8, 2009.

According to Brown's probation report, the February argument began over an incident at a Beverly Hills party. An earlier, sworn statement by Los Angeles Police Detective DeShon Andrews said the incident began when Rihanna found a text message on his cell phone from "a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with."

The pair argued while in the car driven by Brown, the police statement said. It went on to describe the assault in great detail, saying Brown punched Rihanna -- identified in the statement by her real first name, Robyn, and the first initial of her last name, Fenty -- numerous times and put her in a headlock, restricting her breathing and causing her to start to lose consciousness. He threatened to beat her and kill her, according to the statement, and he bit her ear and her fingers.

Eventually, the statement said, "Robyn F. began screaming for help and Brown exited the vehicle and walked away. A resident in the neighborhood heard Robyn F.'s plea for help and called 911, causing a police response. An investigation was conducted and Robyn F. was issued a domestic violence emergency protective order."

The detective said Brown sent a text message nine days later, apologizing.

Rihanna's injuries included cuts and bruises inflicted by a large ring on Brown's right hand, which he used to punch her, the probation report said.

"Officers at the scene observed numerous contusions and abrasions to the victim's face and forehead, as well as bruising to her left arm near the bicep," it said. "They also saw abrasions to her arms near both wrists and on her upper chest near her collarbone and around her neck. There were abrasions on her left leg and on the inside of her upper lips."

Rihanna declined to speak to the probation investigator, so the probation report's details were gathered from police detectives who interviewed her soon after the attack.

"He beat me up," Rihanna told the police, the report said.

Brown made a public apology in July in a video statement posted on his personal Web site.

"I have told Rihanna countless times, and I'm telling you today, that I'm truly, truly sorry in that I wasn't able to handle the situation both differently and better," Brown said in the Web site statement.

"What I did was unacceptable, 100 percent. I can only ask and pray that you forgive me. Please."

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: California

text: CNN

text: Singer

text: Chris

text: Brown

text: earned

text: a

text: glowing

text: probation

text: report

text: six

text: months

text: after

text: he

text: was

text: sentenced

text: to

text: labor

text: oriented

text: service

text: for

text: assaulting

text: his

text: pop

text: star

text: girlfriend

text: Rihanna

text: the

text: judge

text: said

text: Thursday

text: Brown

text: sat

text: silently

text: in

text: court

text: Thursday

text: afternoon

text: as

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Superior

text: Court

text: Judge

text: Patricia

text: Schnegg

text: reviewed

text: his

text: probation

text: report

text: It

text: looks

text: like

text: you

text: 're

text: doing

text: really

text: really

text: well

text: Schnegg

text: said

text: The

text: police

text: chief

text: in

text: Richmond

text: Virginia

text: where

text: Brown

text: is

text: being

text: allowed

text: to

text: complete

text: his

text: sentence

text: reported

text: that

text: he

text: had

text: worked

text: days

text: of

text: hard

text: labor

text: she

text: said

text: Schnegg

text: said

text: when

text: she

text: sentenced

text: Brown

text: that

text: she

text: wanted

text: to

text: see

text: him

text: do

text: actual

text: physical

text: labor

text: as

text: opposed

text: to

text: some

text: type

text: of

text: community

text: service

text: The

text: report

text: on

text: his

text: court

text: ordered

text: domestic

text: violence

text: counseling

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: completed

text: out

text: of

text: groups

text: sessions

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: agency

text: running

text: the

text: sessions

text: reported

text: you

text: are

text: participating

text: and

text: doing

text: a

text: very

text: good

text: job

text: the

text: judge

text: said

text: The

text: judge

text: rewarded

text: Brown

text: by

text: signing

text: an

text: order

text: allowing

text: him

text: to

text: again

text: travel

text: outside

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: for

text: concerts

text: When

text: Brown

text: returns

text: to

text: court

text: on

text: May

text: for

text: his

text: next

text: probation

text: progress

text: report

text: he

text: will

text: be

text: way

text: over

text: halfway

text: there

text: to

text: completing

text: his

text: sentence

text: she

text: said

text: Brown

text: was

text: sentenced

text: in

text: August

text: to

text: serve

text: five

text: years

text: probation

text: and

text: to

text: spend

text: more

text: than

text: hours

text: in

text: labor

text: oriented

text: service

text: for

text: the

text: assault

text: conviction

text: Schnegg

text: also

text: put

text: a

text: restraining

text: order

text: in

text: place

text: requiring

text: Brown

text: to

text: stay

text: yards

text: away

text: from

text: Rihanna

text: yards

text: if

text: the

text: two

text: are

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: industry

text: event

text: The

text: judge

text: issued

text: a

text: strict

text: warning

text: to

text: Brown

text: not

text: to

text: violate

text: the

text: order

text: which

text: remains

text: in

text: place

text: until

text: Brown

text: was

text: arrested

text: after

text: an

text: early

text: morning

text: argument

text: inside

text: a

text: rented

text: Lamborghini

text: on

text: a

text: Hollywood

text: street

text: on

text: February

text: According

text: to

text: Brown

text: 's

text: probation

text: report

text: the

text: February

text: argument

text: began

text: over

text: an

text: incident

text: at

text: a

text: Beverly

text: Hills

text: party

text: An

text: earlier

text: sworn

text: statement

text: by

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Police

text: Detective

text: DeShon

text: Andrews

text: said

text: the

text: incident

text: began

text: when

text: Rihanna

text: found

text: a

text: text

text: message

text: on

text: his

text: cell

text: phone

text: from

text: a

text: woman

text: who

text: Brown

text: had

text: a

text: previous

text: sexual

text: relationship

text: with

text: The

text: pair

text: argued

text: while

text: in

text: the

text: car

text: driven

text: by

text: Brown

text: the

text: police

text: statement

text: said

text: It

text: went

text: on

text: to

text: describe

text: the

text: assault

text: in

text: great

text: detail

text: saying

text: Brown

text: punched

text: Rihanna

text: identified

text: in

text: the

text: statement

text: by

text: her

text: real

text: first

text: name

text: Robyn

text: and

text: the

text: first

text: initial

text: of

text: her

text: last

text: name

text: Fenty

text: numerous

text: times

text: and

text: put

text: her

text: in

text: a

text: headlock

text: restricting

text: her

text: breathing

text: and

text: causing

text: her

text: to

text: start

text: to

text: lose

text: consciousness

text: He

text: threatened

text: to

text: beat

text: her

text: and

text: kill

text: her

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: statement

text: and

text: he

text: bit

text: her

text: ear

text: and

text: her

text: fingers

text: Eventually

text: the

text: statement

text: said

text: Robyn

text: F.

text: began

text: screaming

text: for

text: help

text: and

text: Brown

text: exited

text: the

text: vehicle

text: and

text: walked

text: away

text: A

text: resident

text: in

text: the

text: neighborhood

text: heard

text: Robyn

text: F.

text: 's

text: plea

text: for

text: help

text: and

text: called

text: causing

text: a

text: police

text: response

text: An

text: investigation

text: was

text: conducted

text: and

text: Robyn

text: F.

text: was

text: issued

text: a

text: domestic

text: violence

text: emergency

text: protective

text: order

text: The

text: detective

text: said

text: Brown

text: sent

text: a

text: text

text: message

text: nine

text: days

text: later

text: apologizing

text: Rihanna

text: 's

text: injuries

text: included

text: cuts

text: and

text: bruises

text: inflicted

text: by

text: a

text: large

text: ring

text: on

text: Brown

text: 's

text: right

text: hand

text: which

text: he

text: used

text: to

text: punch

text: her

text: the

text: probation

text: report

text: said

text: Officers

text: at

text: the

text: scene

text: observed

text: numerous

text: contusions

text: and

text: abrasions

text: to

text: the

text: victim

text: 's

text: face

text: and

text: forehead

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: bruising

text: to

text: her

text: left

text: arm

text: near

text: the

text: bicep

text: it

text: said

text: They

text: also

text: saw

text: abrasions

text: to

text: her

text: arms

text: near

text: both

text: wrists

text: and

text: on

text: her

text: upper

text: chest

text: near

text: her

text: collarbone

text: and

text: around

text: her

text: neck

text: There

text: were

text: abrasions

text: on

text: her

text: left

text: leg

text: and

text: on

text: the

text: inside

text: of

text: her

text: upper

text: lips

text: Rihanna

text: declined

text: to

text: speak

text: to

text: the

text: probation

text: investigator

text: so

text: the

text: probation

text: report

text: 's

text: details

text: were

text: gathered

text: from

text: police

text: detectives

text: who

text: interviewed

text: her

text: soon

text: after

text: the

text: attack

text: He

text: beat

text: me

text: up

text: Rihanna

text: told

text: the

text: police

text: the

text: report

text: said

text: Brown

text: made

text: a

text: public

text: apology

text: in

text: July

text: in

text: a

text: video

text: statement

text: posted

text: on

text: his

text: personal

text: Web

text: site

text: I

text: have

text: told

text: Rihanna

text: countless

text: times

text: and

text: I

text: 'm

text: telling

text: you

text: today

text: that

text: I

text: 'm

text: truly

text: truly

text: sorry

text: in

text: that

text: I

text: was

text: n't

text: able

text: to

text: handle

text: the

text: situation

text: both

text: differently

text: and

text: better

text: Brown

text: said

text: in

text: the

text: Web

text: site

text: statement

text: What

text: I

text: did

text: was

text: unacceptable

text: percent

text: I

text: can

text: only

text: ask

text: and

text: pray

text: that

text: you

text: forgive

text: me

text: Please

question: Did Chris Brown beat up Rihanna?

answer: told the police,

text: told the police,

question: how many months did he do

answer: six

text: six

question: what did the judge read

answer: probation report.

text: probation report.

question: The judge reported that Brown was doing well on what

answer: probation report.

text: probation report.

question: Brown was in jail for what reason

answer: assaulting his pop star girlfriend, Rihanna,

text: assaulting his pop star girlfriend, Rihanna,