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(AOL Autos) -- Over the decades, I've interviewed dozens of automotive engineers; engine engineers, transmission engineers, chemical engineers, tire engineers, etc. But never have I interviewed an engineer quite like Ford's Cristina Rodriguez.

Cristina Rodriguez has been with the Ford Motor Company for 12 years.

What separates Crissy (what she prefers to be called at work) from other engineers is that it seems as though she was born be where she is today; the Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer of the 2010 Ford Taurus.

The Taurus goes on sale this summer, and it is arguably the most important vehicle Ford announces this year.

This thirty-something Puerto Rican is the only woman at Ford Motor Company to have achieved her status as a Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer. The job is equal parts engineer, race driver and vehicle psychologist.

"As an engineer, I need to make sure the car is safe," Rodriguez said. "As a (race) driver I have to make sure the car handles well. And then I have to tune the car to have the right personality for being the latest Ford." AOL Autos: Best sedans under $30K

She goes on to define what how cars exhibit personality.

"Some cars have a more relaxed personality, so everything about the way they drive is soft and slower to react," she said. "Fords have a DNA that is sportier, more fun to drive, more responsive, more alive, so they need to feel that way."

You'll be able to tell whether Rodriguez has done her job well when you get behind the wheel of the new Taurus.

While we didn't get to drive the new Taurus, we did get an opportunity to ride in the high-performance Taurus SHO model at Ford Motor Company's Dearborn, Michigan proving grounds (a special test track for developing new cars and trucks). More on that experience later. AOL Autos: Best and worst automotive designs

Preparing for success

Rodriguez told us about her background in the automotive business. "I've grown into this job because Ford's engineering group works on a model that emphasizes 'technical maturity.'"  AOL Autos: First drive of the 2010 Chevy Camaro

For Rodriguez, this means that because she first possessed the technical background for the job, she was then able to develop and prove her practical skills on her way to becoming one of the company's most influential engineers. She's been with Ford 12 years.

Matter-of-factly, Rodriguez elaborates. "In this job, your body has to become a precisely calibrated instrument that can understand what the car's mechanicals are doing," she said. "It takes a while to tune your body, but I've been working on this particular chassis for eight years, so I really know what it's capable of and how to make it respond."

While the 2010 Taurus is an all-new vehicle, it is related to other Ford products (the Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex, and the outgoing Ford Five Hundred/Taurus). Rodriguez also contributed to the ride and handling on those vehicles, a task that began with the Ford Five Hundred back in 2001.

Born to Cuban parents who fled Castro's communist regime, Rodriguez grew up in Puerto Rico.

"I learned to be a methodical thinker from my father, who was a chemical engineer," she said. "But it was my mother who was the mechanical one. She encouraged me when I was growing up to figure out how things worked, and she never got too mad at me when I put things back together and still had a few pieces left over."

While Rodriguez worked on her motor skills, another aspect of her life laid groundwork for her future success.

"I come from a very athletic family," she said. "My grandfathers and uncles played Olympic basketball, so we were always active. I can remember that when my brother enrolled in little league baseball, he didn't want to join without a friend, so my mother enrolled me with him. I was the only girl in the league."

We doubt Rodriguez throws like a girl. And if you thought we'd make a joke about her driving like a woman? Think again. We doubt anyone could keep up with her on a track, male or female.

Regarding her education, her Bachelors in engineering came from Georgia Institute of Technology. She also earned a Masters from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Mechanical engineering is a heavily male-dominated career path, but this hasn't slowed Rodriguez's progress. It is obvious that Rodriguez knows how to operate with the guys, without becoming one of the guys.

Certainly, Rodriguez doesn't look like a mechanical engineer: pocket protectors and out-of-style glasses don't seem to be part of her wardrobe. Actually, she looks like she could be Indy Racing League driver Danica Patrick's sister. This comparison is fitting given the ride we were about to experience.

Spicing up the bull

Rodriguez explained the process used to give a car a dynamic personality.

"First, we start with models generated by Computer Aided Engineering," she said. "These give us starting points for (suspension) spring rates, dampers, bar thicknesses, etc. After that, everything we do is by the seat of the pants.

That's why it's so important to have a feel for what's happening at the road, because you end up becoming a cook who is perfecting a recipe by trial and error. We add more of this or take away some of that. Each change is designed to wake you up and make you feel alive behind the wheel, just like eating a great meal." AOL Autos: 2009 best looking cars

The 2010 Ford Taurus has four distinct suspension calibrations; they are mechanical recipes, if you will. There's one each for the front-wheel-drive Taurus, the all-wheel-drive Taurus, the all-wheel-drive high-performance SHO and the ultimate SHO fitted with the Performance Package.

Rodriguez noted that each model has unique suspension calibrations that are based on the specific model's equipment and personality.

For example, the two non-SHO Taurus models must have the same feel even though one carries the additional weight of the all-wheel-drive system.

"The Taurus needs to be comfortably engaging," she said. "It can't be stiff like a (Mustang) Shelby GT500, but it also can't be too soft like a Toyota Camry. We wanted to keep most of the suppleness of the Lincoln MKS sedan, but make it more responsive." AOL Autos: First drive of the 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT

The move from the regular Taurus to the SHO edition is dramatic. This is where about 10-percent more chili powder and cayenne pepper get added to the recipe. Nearly every tunable suspension component is changed between the base model and the SHO, resulting in a much more dynamic drive.

The step up from the SHO to the SHO with the Performance Pack tightens everything even further (more chilies), including another 20-percent on the dampers (those would be struts and shock absorbers to non-engineers), then 9-percent stiffer rear springs, and a thicker rear anti-roll bar.

These changes make the most performance-oriented SHO a more neutral handling car that drivers should find exceptionally agile and immediately responsive.

Riding shotgun in the Ford Taurus SHO

Rodriguez was only too willing to take us for a ride to demonstrate what she had been talking about, "This car is really my pride and joy. I think you're going to like it." With that, she moved the floor-shifter into Sport mode and took off.

Riding along in the passenger seat, we couldn't help but feel how effortlessly the twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine took the full-size Taurus well above legal speeds.

Unlike turbocharged cars from decades past, the SHO did not seem to exhibit any turbo lag. And the turbochargers sounded quiet (no turbo whine or unrefined popping and hissing). The EcoBoost is efficient, too, although EPA numbers aren't yet available.

From where we sat, the ride was firm but not harsh, even as Crissy drove us over test roads that were intentionally bumpy and pocked.

By far, the most fun was riding along on the handling course. This smooth, serpentine ribbon features undulating hills and off-camber curves. Normally, one wouldn't expect a full-size car to be at home here. The steering would be too slow and the handing ponderous. We weren't behind the wheel, but we got the impression that the Taurus SHO is no traditional full-size car.

The SHO's heavy-duty six-speed gearbox felt quick and smooth from a passenger's perspective, and as Rodriguez increased engine speed, the growl came from under the hood, not the exhaust. Rodriguez confirmed that the turbochargers absorb much of the exhaust noise.

The faster Rodriguez drove, the smaller the Taurus seemed to get, easily carving lines between and through the corners. The roll of the body felt well controlled from a passenger's perspective, and it never wallowed. Watching Rodriguez dial in the steering, the car felt like it responded quickly and directly.

Compared to an all-wheel-drive Taurus, the SHO's unit gets unique tuning with a greater power bias to the rear wheels for a more balanced feel, and the car seemed to rotate around the corners effortlessly. We can't wait to get behind the wheel ourselves later this spring, when we'll provide a full road test.

"After doing this for 12 years," Rodriguez said. "I know what a car should feel like, and I don't get questioned anymore," Rodriguez said. In other words, Rodriguez earned the respect of other engineers, making it completely understandable why Ford would trust her to tune the ride of this very important new car.

After about 30 minutes of trashing around Ford's Dearborn proving grounds, Crissy Rodriguez aptly demonstrated that she and the team she's part of knows how to dial in the suspension of a performance car. As she pressed the Start/Stop button on the SHO's dash, Rodriguez said, "I think I've got the best job at Ford." We'd agree.

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text: would

text: be

text: struts

text: and

text: shock

text: absorbers

text: to

text: non

text: engineers

text: then

text: stiffer

text: rear

text: springs

text: and

text: a

text: thicker

text: rear

text: anti

text: roll

text: bar

text: These

text: changes

text: make

text: the

text: most

text: performance

text: oriented

text: SHO

text: a

text: more

text: neutral

text: handling

text: car

text: that

text: drivers

text: should

text: find

text: exceptionally

text: agile

text: and

text: immediately

text: responsive

text: Riding

text: shotgun

text: in

text: the

text: Ford

text: Taurus

text: SHO

text: Rodriguez

text: was

text: only

text: too

text: willing

text: to

text: take

text: us

text: for

text: a

text: ride

text: to

text: demonstrate

text: what

text: she

text: had

text: been

text: talking

text: about

text: This

text: car

text: is

text: really

text: my

text: pride

text: and

text: joy

text: I

text: think

text: you

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: like

text: it

text: With

text: that

text: she

text: moved

text: the

text: floor

text: shifter

text: into

text: Sport

text: mode

text: and

text: took

text: off

text: Riding

text: along

text: in

text: the

text: passenger

text: seat

text: we

text: could

text: n't

text: help

text: but

text: feel

text: how

text: effortlessly

text: the

text: twin

text: turbocharged

text: EcoBoost

text: engine

text: took

text: the

text: full

text: size

text: Taurus

text: well

text: above

text: legal

text: speeds

text: Unlike

text: turbocharged

text: cars

text: from

text: decades

text: past

text: the

text: SHO

text: did

text: not

text: seem

text: to

text: exhibit

text: any

text: turbo

text: lag

text: And

text: the

text: turbochargers

text: sounded

text: quiet

text: no

text: turbo

text: whine

text: or

text: unrefined

text: popping

text: and

text: hissing

text: The

text: EcoBoost

text: is

text: efficient

text: too

text: although

text: EPA

text: numbers

text: are

text: n't

text: yet

text: available

text: From

text: where

text: we

text: sat

text: the

text: ride

text: was

text: firm

text: but

text: not

text: harsh

text: even

text: as

text: Crissy

text: drove

text: us

text: over

text: test

text: roads

text: that

text: were

text: intentionally

text: bumpy

text: and

text: pocked

text: By

text: far

text: the

text: most

text: fun

text: was

text: riding

text: along

text: on

text: the

text: handling

text: course

text: This

text: smooth

text: serpentine

text: ribbon

text: features

text: undulating

text: hills

text: and

text: off

text: camber

text: curves

text: Normally

text: one

text: would

text: n't

text: expect

text: a

text: full

text: size

text: car

text: to

text: be

text: at

text: home

text: here

text: The

text: steering

text: would

text: be

text: too

text: slow

text: and

text: the

text: handing

text: ponderous

text: We

text: were

text: n't

text: behind

text: the

text: wheel

text: but

text: we

text: got

text: the

text: impression

text: that

text: the

text: Taurus

text: SHO

text: is

text: no

text: traditional

text: full

text: size

text: car

text: The

text: SHO

text: 's

text: heavy

text: duty

text: six

text: speed

text: gearbox

text: felt

text: quick

text: and

text: smooth

text: from

text: a

text: passenger

text: 's

text: perspective

text: and

text: as

text: Rodriguez

text: increased

text: engine

text: speed

text: the

text: growl

text: came

text: from

text: under

text: the

text: hood

text: not

text: the

text: exhaust

text: Rodriguez

text: confirmed

text: that

text: the

text: turbochargers

text: absorb

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: exhaust

text: noise

text: The

text: faster

text: Rodriguez

text: drove

text: the

text: smaller

text: the

text: Taurus

text: seemed

text: to

text: get

text: easily

text: carving

text: lines

text: between

text: and

text: through

text: the

text: corners

text: The

text: roll

text: of

text: the

text: body

text: felt

text: well

text: controlled

text: from

text: a

text: passenger

text: 's

text: perspective

text: and

text: it

text: never

text: wallowed

text: Watching

text: Rodriguez

text: dial

text: in

text: the

text: steering

text: the

text: car

text: felt

text: like

text: it

text: responded

text: quickly

text: and

text: directly

text: Compared

text: to

text: an

text: all

text: wheel

text: drive

text: Taurus

text: the

text: SHO

text: 's

text: unit

text: gets

text: unique

text: tuning

text: with

text: a

text: greater

text: power

text: bias

text: to

text: the

text: rear

text: wheels

text: for

text: a

text: more

text: balanced

text: feel

text: and

text: the

text: car

text: seemed

text: to

text: rotate

text: around

text: the

text: corners

text: effortlessly

text: We

text: ca

text: n't

text: wait

text: to

text: get

text: behind

text: the

text: wheel

text: ourselves

text: later

text: this

text: spring

text: when

text: we

text: 'll

text: provide

text: a

text: full

text: road

text: test

text: After

text: doing

text: this

text: for

text: years

text: Rodriguez

text: said

text: I

text: know

text: what

text: a

text: car

text: should

text: feel

text: like

text: and

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: get

text: questioned

text: anymore

text: Rodriguez

text: said

text: In

text: other

text: words

text: Rodriguez

text: earned

text: the

text: respect

text: of

text: other

text: engineers

text: making

text: it

text: completely

text: understandable

text: why

text: Ford

text: would

text: trust

text: her

text: to

text: tune

text: the

text: ride

text: of

text: this

text: very

text: important

text: new

text: car

text: After

text: about

text: minutes

text: of

text: trashing

text: around

text: Ford

text: 's

text: Dearborn

text: proving

text: grounds

text: Crissy

text: Rodriguez

text: aptly

text: demonstrated

text: that

text: she

text: and

text: the

text: team

text: she

text: 's

text: part

text: of

text: knows

text: how

text: to

text: dial

text: in

text: the

text: suspension

text: of

text: a

text: performance

text: car

text: As

text: she

text: pressed

text: the

text: Start

text: Stop

text: button

text: on

text: the

text: SHO

text: 's

text: dash

text: Rodriguez

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: 've

text: got

text: the

text: best

text: job

text: at

text: Ford

text: We

text: 'd

text: agree

question: What is the Taurus 2010?

answer: is an all-new vehicle,

text: is an all-new vehicle,

question: What does Ford's Cristina Rodriguez do?

answer: Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer

text: Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer

question: Who does she work for?

answer: Ford Motor Company

text: Ford Motor Company

question: What did Rodriguez design?

answer: 2010 Ford Taurus.

text: 2010 Ford Taurus.

question: Who is Cristina Rodriguez?

answer: an engineer

text: an engineer

question: What did she design?

answer: 2010 Ford Taurus.

text: 2010 Ford Taurus.

question: Which is one of Ford's most important vehicles?

answer: The Taurus

text: The Taurus


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than 3,000 U.S. troops scheduled to deploy to Iraq won't go after all, as the military tries to draw down troop levels in the war-torn country, a Pentagon spokesman said Saturday.

U.S. troops speak to an Iraqi child in Baghdad on Monday.

The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division will not replace a North Carolina National Guard unit already in Iraq, Lt. Col. Eric Butterbaugh told CNN. The 3,500-troop combat team, based in Fort Drum, New York, was to leave in January, he said.

"[The cancellation] reflects a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq and continued improvement in the ability of the Iraqi security forces to safeguard Iraqi citizens and institutions," Butterbaugh said.

The National Guard unit is still on schedule to return home, which will speed up the drawdown of forces, he said.

The troop withdrawal in Iraq coincides with a debate in the Obama administration on whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. As of Friday, 250 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of the year, according to a CNN tally based on Pentagon numbers.

The United States plans to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August, leaving 50,000 in advisory roles. Those advisers are to leave by the end of 2011.

Concerns that a delay in the upcoming Iraqi elections could put a dent in scheduled withdrawals was rejected Friday by U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Chris Hill.

"As for our schedule of troop withdrawal, we've been pretty clear about when the troops would be withdrawn," he told CNN. "So our plan is to draw down the troops as we've said we're going [to] do."

The polls are scheduled to open January 16, but both the United States and the United Nations are worried because Iraq still has no election law. If a new law isn't adopted, the government may have to change the election date or rely on the law used in the 2005 elections, some officials say. A vote on the new law is expected Monday.

Pentagon officials also must weigh the impact of continuing violence in the country.

Hill said the violence is a concern, as are insurgent efforts to undermine attempts at reconciliation in the divided country.

"Reconciliation is a tough business. I mean I've been in some of these meetings with people, you know, they don't like each other, you have to get them to work together, get them to understand their futures are together, and then you get a bombing, which makes it even tougher," Hill said.

"Again, I think the Iraqi people have really signaled that they are really sick and tired of this stuff."  Meanwhile, violence continued in Iraq on Saturday.

Four soldiers were killed and 10 people, including civilians and security forces, were wounded when a bomb targeting an Iraqi army checkpoint exploded in Falluja, an Anbar province town, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said.

Elsewhere in Anbar, a suicide truck bomb hit a police checkpoint on a bridge west of Ramadi, wounding a police officer. The blast badly damaged the bridge, which carries a highway linking Iraq with Jordan and Syria, the official said. Traffic had to be rerouted to an another road.

Anbar province, a massive region populated mostly by Sunni Arabs, had been a major front in the Iraqi war.

The al Qaeda in Iraq militant group once held great sway in Anbar, but its influence lessened with the advent of U.S.-backed groups called Awakening Councils.

CNN's Scott Spoerry and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: More

text: than

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: scheduled

text: to

text: deploy

text: to

text: Iraq

text: wo

text: n't

text: go

text: after

text: all

text: as

text: the

text: military

text: tries

text: to

text: draw

text: down

text: troop

text: levels

text: in

text: the

text: war

text: torn

text: country

text: a

text: Pentagon

text: spokesman

text: said

text: Saturday

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: speak

text: to

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: child

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: on

text: Monday

text: The

text: Infantry

text: Brigade

text: Combat

text: Team

text: Mountain

text: Division

text: will

text: not

text: replace

text: a

text: North

text: Carolina

text: National

text: Guard

text: unit

text: already

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Lt

text: Col

text: Eric

text: Butterbaugh

text: told

text: CNN

text: The

text: combat

text: team

text: based

text: in

text: Fort

text: Drum

text: New

text: York

text: was

text: to

text: leave

text: in

text: January

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: cancellation

text: reflects

text: a

text: thorough

text: assessment

text: of

text: the

text: security

text: environment

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: continued

text: improvement

text: in

text: the

text: ability

text: of

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: security

text: forces

text: to

text: safeguard

text: Iraqi

text: citizens

text: and

text: institutions

text: Butterbaugh

text: said

text: The

text: National

text: Guard

text: unit

text: is

text: still

text: on

text: schedule

text: to

text: return

text: home

text: which

text: will

text: speed

text: up

text: the

text: drawdown

text: of

text: forces

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: troop

text: withdrawal

text: in

text: Iraq

text: coincides

text: with

text: a

text: debate

text: in

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: on

text: whether

text: to

text: send

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: more

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: to

text: Afghanistan

text: As

text: of

text: Friday

text: U.S.

text: soldiers

text: have

text: been

text: killed

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: since

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: CNN

text: tally

text: based

text: on

text: Pentagon

text: numbers

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: plans

text: to

text: withdraw

text: all

text: its

text: combat

text: troops

text: from

text: Iraq

text: by

text: August

text: leaving

text: in

text: advisory

text: roles

text: Those

text: advisers

text: are

text: to

text: leave

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: Concerns

text: that

text: a

text: delay

text: in

text: the

text: upcoming

text: Iraqi

text: elections

text: could

text: put

text: a

text: dent

text: in

text: scheduled

text: withdrawals

text: was

text: rejected

text: Friday

text: by

text: U.S.

text: Ambassador

text: to

text: Iraq

text: Chris

text: Hill

text: As

text: for

text: our

text: schedule

text: of

text: troop

text: withdrawal

text: we

text: 've

text: been

text: pretty

text: clear

text: about

text: when

text: the

text: troops

text: would

text: be

text: withdrawn

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

text: So

text: our

text: plan

text: is

text: to

text: draw

text: down

text: the

text: troops

text: as

text: we

text: 've

text: said

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: do

text: The

text: polls

text: are

text: scheduled

text: to

text: open

text: January

text: but

text: both

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: are

text: worried

text: because

text: Iraq

text: still

text: has

text: no

text: election

text: law

text: If

text: a

text: new

text: law

text: is

text: n't

text: adopted

text: the

text: government

text: may

text: have

text: to

text: change

text: the

text: election

text: date

text: or

text: rely

text: on

text: the

text: law

text: used

text: in

text: the

text: elections

text: some

text: officials

text: say

text: A

text: vote

text: on

text: the

text: new

text: law

text: is

text: expected

text: Monday

text: Pentagon

text: officials

text: also

text: must

text: weigh

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: continuing

text: violence

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: Hill

text: said

text: the

text: violence

text: is

text: a

text: concern

text: as

text: are

text: insurgent

text: efforts

text: to

text: undermine

text: attempts

text: at

text: reconciliation

text: in

text: the

text: divided

text: country

text: Reconciliation

text: is

text: a

text: tough

text: business

text: I

text: mean

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: in

text: some

text: of

text: these

text: meetings

text: with

text: people

text: you

text: know

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: like

text: each

text: other

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: get

text: them

text: to

text: work

text: together

text: get

text: them

text: to

text: understand

text: their

text: futures

text: are

text: together

text: and

text: then

text: you

text: get

text: a

text: bombing

text: which

text: makes

text: it

text: even

text: tougher

text: Hill

text: said

text: Again

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: people

text: have

text: really

text: signaled

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: really

text: sick

text: and

text: tired

text: of

text: this

text: stuff

text: Meanwhile

text: violence

text: continued

text: in

text: Iraq

text: on

text: Saturday

text: Four

text: soldiers

text: were

text: killed

text: and

text: people

text: including

text: civilians

text: and

text: security

text: forces

text: were

text: wounded

text: when

text: a

text: bomb

text: targeting

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: army

text: checkpoint

text: exploded

text: in

text: Falluja

text: an

text: Anbar

text: province

text: town

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: Interior

text: Ministry

text: official

text: said

text: Elsewhere

text: in

text: Anbar

text: a

text: suicide

text: truck

text: bomb

text: hit

text: a

text: police

text: checkpoint

text: on

text: a

text: bridge

text: west

text: of

text: Ramadi

text: wounding

text: a

text: police

text: officer

text: The

text: blast

text: badly

text: damaged

text: the

text: bridge

text: which

text: carries

text: a

text: highway

text: linking

text: Iraq

text: with

text: Jordan

text: and

text: Syria

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: Traffic

text: had

text: to

text: be

text: rerouted

text: to

text: an

text: another

text: road

text: Anbar

text: province

text: a

text: massive

text: region

text: populated

text: mostly

text: by

text: Sunni

text: Arabs

text: had

text: been

text: a

text: major

text: front

text: in

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: war

text: The

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: in

text: Iraq

text: militant

text: group

text: once

text: held

text: great

text: sway

text: in

text: Anbar

text: but

text: its

text: influence

text: lessened

text: with

text: the

text: advent

text: of

text: U.S

text: backed

text: groups

text: called

text: Awakening

text: Councils

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Scott

text: Spoerry

text: and

text: Mohammed

text: Jamjoom

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What is the name of the U.S. ambassador?

answer: Chris Hill.

text: Chris Hill.

question: What does the United States plan?

answer: to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August,

text: to withdraw all its combat troops from Iraq by August,

question: What won't Iraqi elections delay?

answer: schedule of troop withdrawal,

text: schedule of troop withdrawal,

question: By when is the United States planning to withdraw all its combat troops?

answer: August,

text: August,

question: What do cancellations reflect?

answer: a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq

text: a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq

question: What do the cancellations reflect in Iraq?

answer: a thorough assessment of the security environment in

text: a thorough assessment of the security environment in


text:
Editor's note: Roya Hakakian is the author of "Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran." Her web site is http://www.royahakakian.com/live/.

Roya Hakakian says she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

(CNN) -- Since last Saturday, the images of Neda Agha Soltan, the young woman who died on the streets of Tehran, keep playing before my eyes.

When I don't look at the clip on my computer, it runs on its own in my mind's eye.

What has me so riveted is not entirely empathy, the intuitive human response the images are bound to stir in everyone. There is also something less noble at work in me, an obsession with seeing my own face upon hers. Each time I see her die, I die along with her.

I, too, was born and raised in Iran. My coming-of-age years coincided with the Iranian revolution of 1979. I, too, was on the streets, watching and rooting for the demonstrators. Nothing seemed more natural, more compelling than being on the streets, calling for freedom, breathing the intoxicating, the dangerously euphoric Tehran air.

I was 12 in 1978, yet I was as undaunted as any adult. Nothing, least of all my pleading parents, could keep me away from the rooftops at 9 p.m. Amid the night's dark, where the crowds were as indiscernible as ghosts, the shouts of "Allah-o-akbar" rose from every rooftop like smoke rising from an invisible bonfire. We were all victims of the flames and the very arsonists at once. We were burning in the fire of our own making.

Thirty years hence that fire still burns in Iran, because moments before her death, Neda Agha Soltan cried: "I'm on fire!" I am entranced by her because she and I are the only two possibilities of the dictatorial narrative: Death or escape.

She died. I escaped. I live. And because I live I cannot escape her death -- the memory of her large eyes languidly drifting to one side, then freezing upon the abyss. Survival of this kind brings its own eternal damnation: A bifurcated existence lived in the here and now, but perpetually haunted by there and then.

Making peace with the past would have been easier, if only the essence of that past had not been in doubt, if its dignity were intact. But in my first American ride in my first American taxi cab, I learned the staggering counter-narrative that I would hear again and again, dominating the western perceptions of Iran, when the driver asked: "So, where are you from?"

"I come from Iran," I said, in broken English.

"Eeran," he asked with uncertainty. "Eeeran?" Then passing his fingertips across his throat like a knife, he said, "Eeran ... Khomeini?"

In that, 2,500 years of civilization was reduced to one vile name and the invocation of a throat being slit. It did not take long for me to learn that between the Iran that I knew and the Iran that Americans knew was a discrepancy as vast as the waters that separated us.

I soon learned that the images of a fist-throwing mob of angry men and darkly veiled women burning the Uncle Sam effigies were the only images that most Americans had of Iran. Those images had little in common with the Iran I knew -- greater in numbers and in the grip of the same fist-throwing crowds.

With Neda's death, the Iran I know finally has a face. The sequence of her death is the sequence of our nation's struggle in the past 30 years: The democratic future that 1979 was to deliver collapsing, then trails of blood -- that of so many executed or assassinated -- streaming across its bright promise. The film of Neda's death is the abbreviated history of contemporary Iran.

If history is a contest among competing narratives and icons, let the image of a young woman lying on the ground endure as that of Iran today. Let it loom so large to wipe away the memory of the thugs marching American hostages out of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Let the scarf that loosens and falls off her head to expose her dark hair be emblazoned in our memories as the metaphor for the plight of Iran's women.

As if her death were not tragic enough, the authorities have banned all mosques throughout Tehran from holding prayer services for Neda. Silence in the face of such inhumanity is a sin as great as the one a war could spur. This Friday evening throughout Iran, people will be lighting candles in memory of Neda and others who have died in the past few days.

Here in the United States, I hope you join me and thousands of my compatriots in a memorial campaign for Neda by asking your religious and spiritual leaders to include a prayer for Neda and other fallen Iranians of the recent days in this week's services.

For 30 years, Iran's regime has appropriated God. Let us reclaim God from those who deny a family the right to properly mourn the death of their child through our prayers and help bring peace to a tormented nation.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roya Hakakian.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Roya

text: Hakakian

text: is

text: the

text: author

text: of

text: Journey

text: from

text: the

text: Land

text: of

text: No

text: A

text: Girlhood

text: Caught

text: in

text: Revolutionary

text: Iran

text: Her

text: web

text: site

text: is

text: live/.

text: Roya

text: Hakakian

text: says

text: she

text: lived

text: through

text: an

text: earlier

text: moment

text: when

text: Iranians

text: thought

text: freedom

text: was

text: at

text: hand

text: CNN

text: Since

text: last

text: Saturday

text: the

text: images

text: of

text: Neda

text: Agha

text: Soltan

text: the

text: young

text: woman

text: who

text: died

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Tehran

text: keep

text: playing

text: before

text: my

text: eyes

text: When

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: look

text: at

text: the

text: clip

text: on

text: my

text: computer

text: it

text: runs

text: on

text: its

text: own

text: in

text: my

text: mind

text: 's

text: eye

text: What

text: has

text: me

text: so

text: riveted

text: is

text: not

text: entirely

text: empathy

text: the

text: intuitive

text: human

text: response

text: the

text: images

text: are

text: bound

text: to

text: stir

text: in

text: everyone

text: There

text: is

text: also

text: something

text: less

text: noble

text: at

text: work

text: in

text: me

text: an

text: obsession

text: with

text: seeing

text: my

text: own

text: face

text: upon

text: hers

text: Each

text: time

text: I

text: see

text: her

text: die

text: I

text: die

text: along

text: with

text: her

text: I

text: too

text: was

text: born

text: and

text: raised

text: in

text: Iran

text: My

text: coming

text: of

text: age

text: years

text: coincided

text: with

text: the

text: Iranian

text: revolution

text: of

text: I

text: too

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: watching

text: and

text: rooting

text: for

text: the

text: demonstrators

text: Nothing

text: seemed

text: more

text: natural

text: more

text: compelling

text: than

text: being

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: calling

text: for

text: freedom

text: breathing

text: the

text: intoxicating

text: the

text: dangerously

text: euphoric

text: Tehran

text: air

text: I

text: was

text: in

text: yet

text: I

text: was

text: as

text: undaunted

text: as

text: any

text: adult

text: Nothing

text: least

text: of

text: all

text: my

text: pleading

text: parents

text: could

text: keep

text: me

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: rooftops

text: at

text: p.m.

text: Amid

text: the

text: night

text: 's

text: dark

text: where

text: the

text: crowds

text: were

text: as

text: indiscernible

text: as

text: ghosts

text: the

text: shouts

text: of

text: Allah

text: o

text: akbar

text: rose

text: from

text: every

text: rooftop

text: like

text: smoke

text: rising

text: from

text: an

text: invisible

text: bonfire

text: We

text: were

text: all

text: victims

text: of

text: the

text: flames

text: and

text: the

text: very

text: arsonists

text: at

text: once

text: We

text: were

text: burning

text: in

text: the

text: fire

text: of

text: our

text: own

text: making

text: Thirty

text: years

text: hence

text: that

text: fire

text: still

text: burns

text: in

text: Iran

text: because

text: moments

text: before

text: her

text: death

text: Neda

text: Agha

text: Soltan

text: cried

text: I

text: 'm

text: on

text: fire

text: I

text: am

text: entranced

text: by

text: her

text: because

text: she

text: and

text: I

text: are

text: the

text: only

text: two

text: possibilities

text: of

text: the

text: dictatorial

text: narrative

text: Death

text: or

text: escape

text: She

text: died

text: I

text: escaped

text: I

text: live

text: And

text: because

text: I

text: live

text: I

text: can

text: not

text: escape

text: her

text: death

text: the

text: memory

text: of

text: her

text: large

text: eyes

text: languidly

text: drifting

text: to

text: one

text: side

text: then

text: freezing

text: upon

text: the

text: abyss

text: Survival

text: of

text: this

text: kind

text: brings

text: its

text: own

text: eternal

text: damnation

text: A

text: bifurcated

text: existence

text: lived

text: in

text: the

text: here

text: and

text: now

text: but

text: perpetually

text: haunted

text: by

text: there

text: and

text: then

text: Making

text: peace

text: with

text: the

text: past

text: would

text: have

text: been

text: easier

text: if

text: only

text: the

text: essence

text: of

text: that

text: past

text: had

text: not

text: been

text: in

text: doubt

text: if

text: its

text: dignity

text: were

text: intact

text: But

text: in

text: my

text: first

text: American

text: ride

text: in

text: my

text: first

text: American

text: taxi

text: cab

text: I

text: learned

text: the

text: staggering

text: counter

text: narrative

text: that

text: I

text: would

text: hear

text: again

text: and

text: again

text: dominating

text: the

text: western

text: perceptions

text: of

text: Iran

text: when

text: the

text: driver

text: asked

text: So

text: where

text: are

text: you

text: from

text: I

text: come

text: from

text: Iran

text: I

text: said

text: in

text: broken

text: English

text: Eeran

text: he

text: asked

text: with

text: uncertainty

text: Eeeran

text: Then

text: passing

text: his

text: fingertips

text: across

text: his

text: throat

text: like

text: a

text: knife

text: he

text: said

text: Eeran

text: Khomeini

text: In

text: that

text: years

text: of

text: civilization

text: was

text: reduced

text: to

text: one

text: vile

text: name

text: and

text: the

text: invocation

text: of

text: a

text: throat

text: being

text: slit

text: It

text: did

text: not

text: take

text: long

text: for

text: me

text: to

text: learn

text: that

text: between

text: the

text: Iran

text: that

text: I

text: knew

text: and

text: the

text: Iran

text: that

text: Americans

text: knew

text: was

text: a

text: discrepancy

text: as

text: vast

text: as

text: the

text: waters

text: that

text: separated

text: us

text: I

text: soon

text: learned

text: that

text: the

text: images

text: of

text: a

text: fist

text: throwing

text: mob

text: of

text: angry

text: men

text: and

text: darkly

text: veiled

text: women

text: burning

text: the

text: Uncle

text: Sam

text: effigies

text: were

text: the

text: only

text: images

text: that

text: most

text: Americans

text: had

text: of

text: Iran

text: Those

text: images

text: had

text: little

text: in

text: common

text: with

text: the

text: Iran

text: I

text: knew

text: greater

text: in

text: numbers

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: grip

text: of

text: the

text: same

text: fist

text: throwing

text: crowds

text: With

text: Neda

text: 's

text: death

text: the

text: Iran

text: I

text: know

text: finally

text: has

text: a

text: face

text: The

text: sequence

text: of

text: her

text: death

text: is

text: the

text: sequence

text: of

text: our

text: nation

text: 's

text: struggle

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: The

text: democratic

text: future

text: that

text: was

text: to

text: deliver

text: collapsing

text: then

text: trails

text: of

text: blood

text: that

text: of

text: so

text: many

text: executed

text: or

text: assassinated

text: streaming

text: across

text: its

text: bright

text: promise

text: The

text: film

text: of

text: Neda

text: 's

text: death

text: is

text: the

text: abbreviated

text: history

text: of

text: contemporary

text: Iran

text: If

text: history

text: is

text: a

text: contest

text: among

text: competing

text: narratives

text: and

text: icons

text: let

text: the

text: image

text: of

text: a

text: young

text: woman

text: lying

text: on

text: the

text: ground

text: endure

text: as

text: that

text: of

text: Iran

text: today

text: Let

text: it

text: loom

text: so

text: large

text: to

text: wipe

text: away

text: the

text: memory

text: of

text: the

text: thugs

text: marching

text: American

text: hostages

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Embassy

text: in

text: Tehran

text: Let

text: the

text: scarf

text: that

text: loosens

text: and

text: falls

text: off

text: her

text: head

text: to

text: expose

text: her

text: dark

text: hair

text: be

text: emblazoned

text: in

text: our

text: memories

text: as

text: the

text: metaphor

text: for

text: the

text: plight

text: of

text: Iran

text: 's

text: women

text: As

text: if

text: her

text: death

text: were

text: not

text: tragic

text: enough

text: the

text: authorities

text: have

text: banned

text: all

text: mosques

text: throughout

text: Tehran

text: from

text: holding

text: prayer

text: services

text: for

text: Neda

text: Silence

text: in

text: the

text: face

text: of

text: such

text: inhumanity

text: is

text: a

text: sin

text: as

text: great

text: as

text: the

text: one

text: a

text: war

text: could

text: spur

text: This

text: Friday

text: evening

text: throughout

text: Iran

text: people

text: will

text: be

text: lighting

text: candles

text: in

text: memory

text: of

text: Neda

text: and

text: others

text: who

text: have

text: died

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: days

text: Here

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: I

text: hope

text: you

text: join

text: me

text: and

text: thousands

text: of

text: my

text: compatriots

text: in

text: a

text: memorial

text: campaign

text: for

text: Neda

text: by

text: asking

text: your

text: religious

text: and

text: spiritual

text: leaders

text: to

text: include

text: a

text: prayer

text: for

text: Neda

text: and

text: other

text: fallen

text: Iranians

text: of

text: the

text: recent

text: days

text: in

text: this

text: week

text: 's

text: services

text: For

text: years

text: Iran

text: 's

text: regime

text: has

text: appropriated

text: God

text: Let

text: us

text: reclaim

text: God

text: from

text: those

text: who

text: deny

text: a

text: family

text: the

text: right

text: to

text: properly

text: mourn

text: the

text: death

text: of

text: their

text: child

text: through

text: our

text: prayers

text: and

text: help

text: bring

text: peace

text: to

text: a

text: tormented

text: nation

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Roya

text: Hakakian

question: what did Roya say

answer: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

text: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

question: Who will she pray for?

answer: Neda and other fallen Iranians

text: Neda and other fallen Iranians

question: What does Roya say?

answer: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

text: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

question: When was the revolution in Iran?

answer: 1979.

question: What did Roya Hakakian say?

answer: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

text: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

question: what did Hakakian say

answer: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.

text: she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand.


text:
(CNN) -- British-based mining giant Rio Tinto announced plans to cut 14,000 jobs on Wednesday, just weeks after a planned buyout by rival BHP Billiton collapsed.

Rio Tinto has nearly $39 billion in corporate debt.

Rio Tinto made the announcement as part of a plan to cut its nearly $39 billion in corporate debt by an estimated $10 billion by the end of 2009. The company issued a gloomy forecast in October.

"Since that time, demand conditions have worsened further, and as a result the group's priorities have reoriented around conserving cash flow and reducing near-term borrowings," it said in a statement announcing the cuts.

The layoffs would include 5,500 direct employees and 8,500 contract jobs, the elimination of which would save about $1.2 billion a year, the company said. The layoffs would cost $400 million in severance packages, however.

BHP withdrew from its planned buyout in late November, citing a high level of debt the combined company would be required to service in "difficult" economic conditions and concerns about whether it would be able to sell off units Rio Tinto already had targeted for divestment.

Rio Tinto said it would consider selling off other elements of the company in an effort to raise more cash, but disclosed no details.

text: CNN

text: British

text: based

text: mining

text: giant

text: Rio

text: Tinto

text: announced

text: plans

text: to

text: cut

text: jobs

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: just

text: weeks

text: after

text: a

text: planned

text: buyout

text: by

text: rival

text: BHP

text: Billiton

text: collapsed

text: Rio

text: Tinto

text: has

text: nearly

text: billion

text: in

text: corporate

text: debt

text: Rio

text: Tinto

text: made

text: the

text: announcement

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: plan

text: to

text: cut

text: its

text: nearly

text: billion

text: in

text: corporate

text: debt

text: by

text: an

text: estimated

text: billion

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: The

text: company

text: issued

text: a

text: gloomy

text: forecast

text: in

text: October

text: Since

text: that

text: time

text: demand

text: conditions

text: have

text: worsened

text: further

text: and

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: priorities

text: have

text: reoriented

text: around

text: conserving

text: cash

text: flow

text: and

text: reducing

text: near

text: term

text: borrowings

text: it

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: announcing

text: the

text: cuts

text: The

text: layoffs

text: would

text: include

text: direct

text: employees

text: and

text: contract

text: jobs

text: the

text: elimination

text: of

text: which

text: would

text: save

text: about

text: billion

text: a

text: year

text: the

text: company

text: said

text: The

text: layoffs

text: would

text: cost

text: million

text: in

text: severance

text: packages

text: however

text: BHP

text: withdrew

text: from

text: its

text: planned

text: buyout

text: in

text: late

text: November

text: citing

text: a

text: high

text: level

text: of

text: debt

text: the

text: combined

text: company

text: would

text: be

text: required

text: to

text: service

text: in

text: difficult

text: economic

text: conditions

text: and

text: concerns

text: about

text: whether

text: it

text: would

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: sell

text: off

text: units

text: Rio

text: Tinto

text: already

text: had

text: targeted

text: for

text: divestment

text: Rio

text: Tinto

text: said

text: it

text: would

text: consider

text: selling

text: off

text: other

text: elements

text: of

text: the

text: company

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: raise

text: more

text: cash

text: but

text: disclosed

text: no

text: details

question: What did BHP withdraw from?

answer: planned buyout

text: planned buyout

question: Amount of money the layoffs would save?

answer: about $1.2 billion a year,

text: about $1.2 billion a year,

question: How much would layoffs save?

answer: $1.2 billion a year,

text: $1.2 billion a year,

question: What did BHP do?

answer: withdrew from its planned buyout in late November,

text: withdrew from its planned buyout in late November,

question: What did Rio Tinto announce?

answer: plans to cut 14,000 jobs

text: plans to cut 14,000 jobs

question: What would the cost of severance packages be?

answer: $400 million

text: $400 million

question: What company might lay people off?

answer: Rio Tinto

text: Rio Tinto

question: What did Rio Tinto do ?

answer: announced plans to cut 14,000 jobs

text: announced plans to cut 14,000 jobs

question: Who was going to buy BHP, or vice versa?

answer: Rio Tinto

text: Rio Tinto

question: BHP withdrew from what?

answer: its planned buyout

text: its planned buyout


text:
(CNN) -- Lectures, slide shows and notes are often boring, but people are using technology to find entertainment in these unlikely places.

Spoof notes of "Star Wars" are scribbled into a fun online "pencast."

Some use high-tech pens to track presentations. Others share PowerPoints in slide show form online. These technologically spiced-up presentations seem to be getting more attention these days.

They're also creating buzz about what the future of presentations might hold.

Consider "pencasts," which are made using the Pulse SmartPen and specially gridded paper, both sold by the California startup Livescribe. The pen writes like an ordinary pen but also has a voice recorder, and it "notes" (so to speak) which notes were taken at which point in the recording.

Some quirky SmartPen presentations come off as comedy sketches. One popular presentation muses about how George Lucas might have come up with the idea for Star Wars.

Some university students love the technology because they can record and play back what their professor was saying at an exact point in their notes -- which is especially useful when you can't read your own writing. And many professors are all for it, too.

"I feel like this is one of those 'Rear View Mirror' moments in which a new technology comes into our lives with enormous potential and we just don't know what to do with it yet," blogs Michael Wesch, a cultural anthropology and digital ethnography professor at Kansas State University.

"We think of it in terms of what we know (pen and paper) and fail to recognize the potential."

That potential -- for entertainment and serious uses alike -- can be gleaned from pencasts posted on the Livescribe Web site's community section, which is about a year old. The pencasts posted there have collectively received more than 1.5 million views.

Soon, it will be easier to embed pencasts on other sites, like personal blogs, the company says.

Slide shows are further along in popularity.

A startup called SlideShare launched in late 2006 with the idea of allowing people to easily share their PowerPoint presentations. Its site had more than 15 million visitors last month, and its 2008 contest for the best presentations showed off the form's potential.

The best are far removed from the dull bullet-point presentations you might have fallen asleep to. Many use dramatic images, striking design and memorable phrases.

Former Vice President Al Gore developed his presentation on the planet's environmental challenges into the Academy Award-winning documentary and best-selling book "An Inconvenient Truth."

Last year's top SlideShare presentation, called "Thirst," highlights the looming water crisis and has nearly 200,000 views.

Others are more light-hearted. The No. 2 spot (with more than 60,000 views) went to a presentation called "Foot Notes." It shows pictures of the narrator's feet in various places she's been (like on cobblestone corridors in Prague and a dance floor in Chicago), interspersed with inspiring quotes related to feet and walking.

Finally, for many people, the most dreaded, boring form of communication of all is the lecture. But then, how to explain the popularity of the TED videos?

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. The conference started in the mid-'80s and has become a networking event of sorts for the world's best and brightest. Dozens of speakers give presentations of about 20 minutes each -- the perfect duration for a juicy "media snack."

TED.com started introducing TEDTalks to the public for free in July 2006, and by the following year, there were more than a hundred talks dating back to 2002. Broken down into dozens of themes, today they're popular fodder for video iPods.

In one, the amputee athlete and model Aimee Mullins talks about how her many pairs of artificial legs often beat having a single pair of regular ones -- some make her taller, others are works of art. In another, Jill Tarter, an astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research, discusses how insanely large the universe is and what a "waste of space" it would be if life on Earth were indeed all there is.

It's hard to watch a handful of TED videos and not feel your perspective broadening. That helps explain how, despite the lecture format, TEDTalks has become hugely popular. A few months ago, the videos surpassed the 100 million views mark -- not bad for a bunch of lectures.

text: CNN

text: Lectures

text: slide

text: shows

text: and

text: notes

text: are

text: often

text: boring

text: but

text: people

text: are

text: using

text: technology

text: to

text: find

text: entertainment

text: in

text: these

text: unlikely

text: places

text: Spoof

text: notes

text: of

text: Star

text: Wars

text: are

text: scribbled

text: into

text: a

text: fun

text: online

text: pencast

text: Some

text: use

text: high

text: tech

text: pens

text: to

text: track

text: presentations

text: Others

text: share

text: PowerPoints

text: in

text: slide

text: show

text: form

text: online

text: These

text: technologically

text: spiced

text: up

text: presentations

text: seem

text: to

text: be

text: getting

text: more

text: attention

text: these

text: days

text: They

text: 're

text: also

text: creating

text: buzz

text: about

text: what

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: presentations

text: might

text: hold

text: Consider

text: pencasts

text: which

text: are

text: made

text: using

text: the

text: Pulse

text: SmartPen

text: and

text: specially

text: gridded

text: paper

text: both

text: sold

text: by

text: the

text: California

text: startup

text: Livescribe

text: The

text: pen

text: writes

text: like

text: an

text: ordinary

text: pen

text: but

text: also

text: has

text: a

text: voice

text: recorder

text: and

text: it

text: notes

text: so

text: to

text: speak

text: which

text: notes

text: were

text: taken

text: at

text: which

text: point

text: in

text: the

text: recording

text: Some

text: quirky

text: SmartPen

text: presentations

text: come

text: off

text: as

text: comedy

text: sketches

text: One

text: popular

text: presentation

text: muses

text: about

text: how

text: George

text: Lucas

text: might

text: have

text: come

text: up

text: with

text: the

text: idea

text: for

text: Star

text: Wars

text: Some

text: university

text: students

text: love

text: the

text: technology

text: because

text: they

text: can

text: record

text: and

text: play

text: back

text: what

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question: What can be used to link audio and written notes?

answer: the Pulse SmartPen

text: the Pulse SmartPen

question: Technology injects new life into what type of medium?

answer: Lectures,

text: Lectures,

question: What type of content is contained in a TED lecture?

answer: Technology, Entertainment, Design.

text: Technology, Entertainment, Design.

question: What makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?

answer: "pencast."

text: "pencast."

question: Growth in what makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?

answer: technology

text: technology

question: What is the name of the technology that brings audio and written notes together?

answer: Pulse SmartPen

text: Pulse SmartPen