text:
(CNN)  -- Responding to President Obama's State of the Union comments about the "deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that "the American people don't care about process."

Yet Americans have indicated that they are quite unhappy with how their government is working. According to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, only 28 percent of those polled believe that the federal government is "working well," while seven out of 10 believe that the "unhealthy" government is in need of reform. Almost 93 percent said there was too much partisanship; 84 percent said special interests had excessive power.

We must always take these kinds of poll numbers with a grain of salt. Polls frequently show that Americans do not like how their government works, especially Congress. The U.S. is a country that has always expressed strong distrust of government.

There have been a few exceptional periods, like the progressive era or the 1960s and 1970s, when this frustration turns into a concerted movement for government reform.

During the 1960s and 1970s, liberal Democrats and Republicans concluded that much of their policy agenda would be impossible to achieve if the political process did not change. They perceived Vietnam and then Watergate as the outgrowth of deep flaws in how our government worked.

During the 1970s, they were able to pass a series of significant reforms, such as a campaign finance system that included public funds for presidential campaigns and contribution limits. Reforms opened up more of the political process through sunshine laws and retrenched the power of the senior committee chairmen in Congress who had usually done as they pleased, ignoring the will of the majority.

Ethics laws regulated the behavior of executive and legislative branch. Even the sacrosanct filibuster underwent an overhaul in 1975: The Senate lowered the number of required to end a filibuster from two-thirds of the Senate, 67; to three-fifths, 60.

Many of the reforms did not work, some had unintended consequences, and others were gradually unraveled. But substantive reform was possible and, for a moment, changed the way that politics as usual worked.

In addition to diminishing citizens' trust in government, the flaws of the political process constrain and limit what kinds of policies are even possible.

If President Obama, Democrats and Republicans are serious about building trust among citizens and creating a more productive political process, they should work together to do something about it. If Washington is serious about reforming the political process, three specific areas deserve immediate attention.

Filibuster reform: The 60-vote supermajority Senate has become dysfunctional. Both parties have expressed frustration with their inability to move legislation through the process. Both parties have used the filibuster as a normal tool of procedural warfare. Because of the rampant use of the filibuster since the 1960s, senators expect that 60 votes are now required on almost every piece of legislation.

Reform can happen again. One option would be to switch to a majority-based system in which 51 votes can end debate. Another, more feasible, option would lower the number of senators required for cloture to 55. To improve the political prospects for any change, some observers have suggested that any reform would not take effect until after the 2012 election.

Making it easier to end a filibuster is one of the most important concrete steps that Congress could take to actually diminish partisanship. The sources of partisanship are deep-rooted and hard to change. But filibuster reform would disarm both parties by weakening or removing one of their most powerful weapons.

Campaign finance reform: A recent Supreme Court decision eliminated many of the barriers to corporate donations and third-party advertising.

The power of private money in campaigns has been a huge political issue for over a century. Because politicians depend on interest group support to obtain funds for their campaigns, they constantly find themselves constrained when it comes to making policy. The influence of private money also diminishes public trust in government. Every story about another lobbyist like Jack Abramoff confirms their worst fears about corruption.

It is not difficult to understand why Congress has crafted a health care bill that avoids making any huge changes to the basic infrastructure of the health care industry. According to The New York Times, citing the Center for Responsive Politics, the health care and insurance industry spent at least $648 million on lobbying in 2009 -- and 20 percent of the year-end reports were not in yet. Pharmaceutical companies spent about $245 million, which the Times said was more than any other single industry has ever spent lobbying on behalf of any issue.

Several changes have been discussed in recent years. The administration has talked about placing certain kinds of fund-raising restrictions on companies that do business with the government.

A second proposal is to build on local and state reforms by providing matching public funds to candidates who raise a certain minimum of private donations. In the end, offering an alternative source of funds to candidates and parties is the only way to change the system, or candidates will be forced to keep going back to the well of interest group money.

Congressional earmarks and tax breaks: Pork-barrel politics is as American as apple pie. But in recent decades, the system by which legislators pass appropriations targeted to key interests has become pervasive. Legislators are comfortable putting provisions that are tailor-made for lobbyists or particular interests into bills. These earmarks are not subject to hearings or oversight. The use of earmarks by Senate Democrats to close the health care legislation that passed last month made the public uneasy.

The other way in which Congress distributes hidden benefits is through tax breaks. During the 1960s, reformers named these "tax expenditures" to convey the point that the government essentially spends money by forgiving certain groups of their obligation.

We have not had a major tax reform initiative since 1986. The time has come to clean out the tax code once again and reduce the number of provisions that are in the law. There is also bipartisan support for reforms that would limit the use of earmarks by legislators and make certain that they are fully disclosed upon being requested.

Although voters tend to be more interested in bread-and-butter issues, as well as questions about war and peace, there are a few exceptional moments when public anger about the political system becomes so intense that we enter into a period of substantive reform. We might be reaching one of those points, but in the end it will require the initiative of the president and congressional leaders to make sure that calls for reform are not just empty rhetoric.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer.

text: CNN

text: Responding

text: to

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: State

text: of

text: the

text: Union

text: comments

text: about

text: the

text: deep

text: and

text: corrosive

text: doubts

text: about

text: how

text: Washington

text: works

text: House

text: Speaker

text: Nancy

text: Pelosi

text: said

text: that

text: the

text: American

text: people

text: do

text: n't

text: care

text: about

text: process

text: Yet

text: Americans

text: have

text: indicated

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: quite

text: unhappy

text: with

text: how

text: their

text: government

text: is

text: working

text: According

text: to

text: a

text: recent

text: NBC

text: News

text: Wall

text: Street

text: Journal

text: poll

text: only

text: percent

text: of

text: those

text: polled

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: is

text: working

text: well

text: while

text: seven

text: out

text: of

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: unhealthy

text: government

text: is

text: in

text: need

text: of

text: reform

text: Almost

text: percent

text: said

text: there

text: was

text: too

text: much

text: partisanship

text: percent

text: said

text: special

text: interests

text: had

text: excessive

text: power

text: We

text: must

text: always

text: take

text: these

text: kinds

text: of

text: poll

text: numbers

text: with

text: a

text: grain

text: of

text: salt

text: Polls

text: frequently

text: show

text: that

text: Americans

text: do

text: not

text: like

text: how

text: their

text: government

text: works

text: especially

text: Congress

text: The

text: U.S.

text: is

text: a

text: country

text: that

text: has

text: always

text: expressed

text: strong

text: distrust

text: of

text: government

text: There

text: have

text: been

text: a

text: few

text: exceptional

text: periods

text: like

text: the

text: progressive

text: era

text: or

text: the

text: and

text: when

text: this

text: frustration

text: turns

text: into

text: a

text: concerted

text: movement

text: for

text: government

text: reform

text: During

text: the

text: and

text: liberal

text: Democrats

text: and

text: Republicans

text: concluded

text: that

text: much

text: of

text: their

text: policy

text: agenda

text: would

text: be

text: impossible

text: to

text: achieve

text: if

text: the

text: political

text: process

text: did

text: not

text: change

text: They

text: perceived

text: Vietnam

text: and

text: then

text: Watergate

text: as

text: the

text: outgrowth

text: of

text: deep

text: flaws

text: in

text: how

text: our

text: government

text: worked

text: During

text: the

text: they

text: were

text: able

text: to

text: pass

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: significant

text: reforms

text: such

text: as

text: a

text: campaign

text: finance

text: system

text: that

text: included

text: public

text: funds

text: for

text: presidential

text: campaigns

text: and

text: contribution

text: limits

text: Reforms

text: opened

text: up

text: more

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: process

text: through

text: sunshine

text: laws

text: and

text: retrenched

text: the

text: power

text: of

text: the

text: senior

text: committee

text: chairmen

text: in

text: Congress

text: who

text: had

text: usually

text: done

text: as

text: they

text: pleased

text: ignoring

text: the

text: will

text: of

text: the

text: majority

text: Ethics

text: laws

text: regulated

text: the

text: behavior

text: of

text: executive

text: and

text: legislative

text: branch

text: Even

text: the

text: sacrosanct

text: filibuster

text: underwent

text: an

text: overhaul

text: in

text: The

text: Senate

text: lowered

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: required

text: to

text: end

text: a

text: filibuster

text: from

text: two

text: thirds

text: of

text: the

text: Senate

text: to

text: three

text: fifths

text: Many

text: of

text: the

text: reforms

text: did

text: not

text: work

text: some

text: had

text: unintended

text: consequences

text: and

text: others

text: were

text: gradually

text: unraveled

text: But

text: substantive

text: reform

text: was

text: possible

text: and

text: for

text: a

text: moment

text: changed

text: the

text: way

text: that

text: politics

text: as

text: usual

text: worked

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: diminishing

text: citizens

text: trust

text: in

text: government

text: the

text: flaws

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: process

text: constrain

text: and

text: limit

text: what

text: kinds

text: of

text: policies

text: are

text: even

text: possible

text: If

text: President

text: Obama

text: Democrats

text: and

text: Republicans

text: are

text: serious

text: about

text: building

text: trust

text: among

text: citizens

text: and

text: creating

text: a

text: more

text: productive

text: political

text: process

text: they

text: should

text: work

text: together

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: about

text: it

text: If

text: Washington

text: is

text: serious

text: about

text: reforming

text: the

text: political

text: process

text: three

text: specific

text: areas

text: deserve

text: immediate

text: attention

text: Filibuster

text: reform

text: The

text: supermajority

text: Senate

text: has

text: become

text: dysfunctional

text: Both

text: parties

text: have

text: expressed

text: frustration

text: with

text: their

text: inability

text: to

text: move

text: legislation

text: through

text: the

text: process

text: Both

text: parties

text: have

text: used

text: the

text: filibuster

text: as

text: a

text: normal

text: tool

text: of

text: procedural

text: warfare

text: Because

text: of

text: the

text: rampant

text: use

text: of

text: the

text: filibuster

text: since

text: the

text: senators

text: expect

text: that

text: votes

text: are

text: now

text: required

text: on

text: almost

text: every

text: piece

text: of

text: legislation

text: Reform

text: can

text: happen

text: again

text: One

text: option

text: would

text: be

text: to

text: switch

text: to

text: a

text: majority

text: based

text: system

text: in

text: which

text: votes

text: can

text: end

text: debate

text: Another

text: more

text: feasible

text: option

text: would

text: lower

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: senators

text: required

text: for

text: cloture

text: to

text: To

text: improve

text: the

text: political

text: prospects

text: for

text: any

text: change

text: some

text: observers

text: have

text: suggested

text: that

text: any

text: reform

text: would

text: not

text: take

text: effect

text: until

text: after

text: the

text: election

text: Making

text: it

text: easier

text: to

text: end

text: a

text: filibuster

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: important

text: concrete

text: steps

text: that

text: Congress

text: could

text: take

text: to

text: actually

text: diminish

text: partisanship

text: The

text: sources

text: of

text: partisanship

text: are

text: deep

text: rooted

text: and

text: hard

text: to

text: change

text: But

text: filibuster

text: reform

text: would

text: disarm

text: both

text: parties

text: by

text: weakening

text: or

text: removing

text: one

text: of

text: their

text: most

text: powerful

text: weapons

text: Campaign

text: finance

text: reform

text: A

text: recent

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: decision

text: eliminated

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: barriers

text: to

text: corporate

text: donations

text: and

text: third

text: party

text: advertising

text: The

text: power

text: of

text: private

text: money

text: in

text: campaigns

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: huge

text: political

text: issue

text: for

text: over

text: a

text: century

text: Because

text: politicians

text: depend

text: on

text: interest

text: group

text: support

text: to

text: obtain

text: funds

text: for

text: their

text: campaigns

text: they

text: constantly

text: find

text: themselves

text: constrained

text: when

text: it

text: comes

text: to

text: making

text: policy

text: The

text: influence

text: of

text: private

text: money

text: also

text: diminishes

text: public

text: trust

text: in

text: government

text: Every

text: story

text: about

text: another

text: lobbyist

text: like

text: Jack

text: Abramoff

text: confirms

text: their

text: worst

text: fears

text: about

text: corruption

text: It

text: is

text: not

text: difficult

text: to

text: understand

text: why

text: Congress

text: has

text: crafted

text: a

text: health

text: care

text: bill

text: that

text: avoids

text: making

text: any

text: huge

text: changes

text: to

text: the

text: basic

text: infrastructure

text: of

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: industry

text: According

text: to

text: The

text: New

text: York

text: Times

text: citing

text: the

text: Center

text: for

text: Responsive

text: Politics

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: and

text: insurance

text: industry

text: spent

text: at

text: least

text: million

text: on

text: lobbying

text: in

text: and

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: end

text: reports

text: were

text: not

text: in

text: yet

text: Pharmaceutical

text: companies

text: spent

text: about

text: million

text: which

text: the

text: Times

text: said

text: was

text: more

text: than

text: any

text: other

text: single

text: industry

text: has

text: ever

text: spent

text: lobbying

text: on

text: behalf

text: of

text: any

text: issue

text: Several

text: changes

text: have

text: been

text: discussed

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: The

text: administration

text: has

text: talked

text: about

text: placing

text: certain

text: kinds

text: of

text: fund

text: raising

text: restrictions

text: on

text: companies

text: that

text: do

text: business

text: with

text: the

text: government

text: A

text: second

text: proposal

text: is

text: to

text: build

text: on

text: local

text: and

text: state

text: reforms

text: by

text: providing

text: matching

text: public

text: funds

text: to

text: candidates

text: who

text: raise

text: a

text: certain

text: minimum

text: of

text: private

text: donations

text: In

text: the

text: end

text: offering

text: an

text: alternative

text: source

text: of

text: funds

text: to

text: candidates

text: and

text: parties

text: is

text: the

text: only

text: way

text: to

text: change

text: the

text: system

text: or

text: candidates

text: will

text: be

text: forced

text: to

text: keep

text: going

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: well

text: of

text: interest

text: group

text: money

text: Congressional

text: earmarks

text: and

text: tax

text: breaks

text: Pork

text: barrel

text: politics

text: is

text: as

text: American

text: as

text: apple

text: pie

text: But

text: in

text: recent

text: decades

text: the

text: system

text: by

text: which

text: legislators

text: pass

text: appropriations

text: targeted

text: to

text: key

text: interests

text: has

text: become

text: pervasive

text: Legislators

text: are

text: comfortable

text: putting

text: provisions

text: that

text: are

text: tailor

text: made

text: for

text: lobbyists

text: or

text: particular

text: interests

text: into

text: bills

text: These

text: earmarks

text: are

text: not

text: subject

text: to

text: hearings

text: or

text: oversight

text: The

text: use

text: of

text: earmarks

text: by

text: Senate

text: Democrats

text: to

text: close

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: legislation

text: that

text: passed

text: last

text: month

text: made

text: the

text: public

text: uneasy

text: The

text: other

text: way

text: in

text: which

text: Congress

text: distributes

text: hidden

text: benefits

text: is

text: through

text: tax

text: breaks

text: During

text: the

text: reformers

text: named

text: these

text: tax

text: expenditures

text: to

text: convey

text: the

text: point

text: that

text: the

text: government

text: essentially

text: spends

text: money

text: by

text: forgiving

text: certain

text: groups

text: of

text: their

text: obligation

text: We

text: have

text: not

text: had

text: a

text: major

text: tax

text: reform

text: initiative

text: since

text: The

text: time

text: has

text: come

text: to

text: clean

text: out

text: the

text: tax

text: code

text: once

text: again

text: and

text: reduce

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: provisions

text: that

text: are

text: in

text: the

text: law

text: There

text: is

text: also

text: bipartisan

text: support

text: for

text: reforms

text: that

text: would

text: limit

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: earmarks

text: by

text: legislators

text: and

text: make

text: certain

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: fully

text: disclosed

text: upon

text: being

text: requested

text: Although

text: voters

text: tend

text: to

text: be

text: more

text: interested

text: in

text: bread

text: and

text: butter

text: issues

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: questions

text: about

text: war

text: and

text: peace

text: there

text: are

text: a

text: few

text: exceptional

text: moments

text: when

text: public

text: anger

text: about

text: the

text: political

text: system

text: becomes

text: so

text: intense

text: that

text: we

text: enter

text: into

text: a

text: period

text: of

text: substantive

text: reform

text: We

text: might

text: be

text: reaching

text: one

text: of

text: those

text: points

text: but

text: in

text: the

text: end

text: it

text: will

text: require

text: the

text: initiative

text: of

text: the

text: president

text: and

text: congressional

text: leaders

text: to

text: make

text: sure

text: that

text: calls

text: for

text: reform

text: are

text: not

text: just

text: empty

text: rhetoric

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Julian

text: Zelizer

question: Who is unhappy with government partisanship?

answer: Americans

text: Americans

question: who said public unhappy with government partisanship?

answer: NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll,

text: NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll,

question: In what does Zelizer urge reforms?

answer: Campaign finance

text: Campaign finance

question: What did Julian Zelizer say the public are unhappy with?

answer: how their government is working.

text: how their government is working.

question: What limits change in policies?

answer: flaws of the political process

text: flaws of the political process

question: What limits changes in policies?

answer: flaws of the political process

text: flaws of the political process


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A woman who helped raise a child with her female partner in Vermont before the pair split can visit the girl in Virginia even though that state doesn't recognize same-sex unions, a court ruled Friday.

Janet Jenkins with Isabella, the daughter she helped raise with former partner Lisa Miller.

Virginia's Supreme Court ruled that Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller's civil union in 2000 gave Vermont, and its law on same-sex unions, jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes.

Miller moved to Virginia with the child in 2003, and a Vermont court granted Jenkins visitation rights. But Miller took the case to a Virginia court, which ruled that Jenkins had no such rights there.

The case was considered by legal experts to be the first conflict between two state courts over a major legal question arising from same-sex unions.

Jenkins' attorney, Joseph Price of the Washington law firm Arent Fox, said Friday's ruling "just affirms the old principle that when these kinds of custody and visitation disputes begin in one state, that's where they should remain."

"You can't shop them around to another state," Price said. "Virginia really had no choice but to enforce judgments and judicial orders from Vermont."

Vermont is one of the few states that allow same-sex partners to enter into a civil union. Two years after Vermont recognized Miller and Jenkins' relationship, Miller gave birth to a daughter, Isabella, conceived through artificial insemination.

The relationship deteriorated, and Miller and the baby moved to Virginia. A Vermont court later granted Miller a dissolution of the civil union and granted custody of the child to her and visitation rights to Jenkins.

Miller then asked the courts in Virginia -- which does not recognize same-sex unions or marriages -- to take jurisdiction of the dispute. A Virginia state judge eventually ruled that Jenkins had no "parentage or visitation rights."

The Virginia high court ruling Friday returned the case to Vermont's control, meaning Jenkins can visit the girl, who is now 6.

Miller's attorney, Mathew Staver, said he was "disappointed the state sidestepped the larger legal questions."

"This case shows that one state is not an island in the same-sex marriage dispute, and underscores having state laws that protect traditional one-man, one-woman marriages," said Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, a law firm that fights on behalf of what it calls "traditional families."

Miller said in 2005 that she was doing what was best for her daughter and was no longer a lesbian.

"I am Isabella's mom. I did conceive her; I birthed her," she said. "I'm raising her. And in my opinion, Isabella needs to stay with me 100 percent of the time, because I am the only person that she identifies as a mom."

Miller lives with Isabella in Winchester, Virginia.

Jenkins did not offer an immediate reaction to the ruling but said in 2005 that she was only fighting for her rights as a parent.

"Justice will be served for Isabella," she said. "I believe that. And I'll do whatever it takes. I'll be with her for as long as I can, or I'll be without her for as long as I have to, but I'm her mom.

"She's born here [in Vermont]. She's always here."

Price said Jenkins, who lives in Fair Haven, Vermont, was supposed to visit Isabella last weekend, but Miller didn't appear with the girl.

Friday's ruling comes a week after the California Supreme Court's refusal to delay its recent decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.

Massachusetts also allows same-sex marriages; Vermont and three other states permit civil unions, and 12 other states give gay and lesbian couples some legal rights.

Virginia amended its constitution in 2007 to decree that marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: A

text: woman

text: who

text: helped

text: raise

text: a

text: child

text: with

text: her

text: female

text: partner

text: in

text: Vermont

text: before

text: the

text: pair

text: split

text: can

text: visit

text: the

text: girl

text: in

text: Virginia

text: even

text: though

text: that

text: state

text: does

text: n't

text: recognize

text: same

text: sex

text: unions

text: a

text: court

text: ruled

text: Friday

text: Janet

text: Jenkins

text: with

text: Isabella

text: the

text: daughter

text: she

text: helped

text: raise

text: with

text: former

text: partner

text: Lisa

text: Miller

text: Virginia

text: 's

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: ruled

text: that

text: Janet

text: Jenkins

text: and

text: Lisa

text: Miller

text: 's

text: civil

text: union

text: in

text: gave

text: Vermont

text: and

text: its

text: law

text: on

text: same

text: sex

text: unions

text: jurisdiction

text: over

text: their

text: subsequent

text: custody

text: and

text: visitation

text: disputes

text: Miller

text: moved

text: to

text: Virginia

text: with

text: the

text: child

text: in

text: and

text: a

text: Vermont

text: court

text: granted

text: Jenkins

text: visitation

text: rights

text: But

text: Miller

text: took

text: the

text: case

text: to

text: a

text: Virginia

text: court

text: which

text: ruled

text: that

text: Jenkins

text: had

text: no

text: such

text: rights

text: there

text: The

text: case

text: was

text: considered

text: by

text: legal

text: experts

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: first

text: conflict

text: between

text: two

text: state

text: courts

text: over

text: a

text: major

text: legal

text: question

text: arising

text: from

text: same

text: sex

text: unions

text: Jenkins

text: attorney

text: Joseph

text: Price

text: of

text: the

text: Washington

text: law

text: firm

text: Are

text: nt

text: Fox

text: said

text: Friday

text: 's

text: ruling

text: just

text: affirms

text: the

text: old

text: principle

text: that

text: when

text: these

text: kinds

text: of

text: custody

text: and

text: visitation

text: disputes

text: begin

text: in

text: one

text: state

text: that

text: 's

text: where

text: they

text: should

text: remain

text: You

text: ca

text: n't

text: shop

text: them

text: around

text: to

text: another

text: state

text: Price

text: said

text: Virginia

text: really

text: had

text: no

text: choice

text: but

text: to

text: enforce

text: judgments

text: and

text: judicial

text: orders

text: from

text: Vermont

text: Vermont

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: few

text: states

text: that

text: allow

text: same

text: sex

text: partners

text: to

text: enter

text: into

text: a

text: civil

text: union

text: Two

text: years

text: after

text: Vermont

text: recognized

text: Miller

text: and

text: Jenkins

text: relationship

text: Miller

text: gave

text: birth

text: to

text: a

text: daughter

text: Isabella

text: conceived

text: through

text: artificial

text: insemination

text: The

text: relationship

text: deteriorated

text: and

text: Miller

text: and

text: the

text: baby

text: moved

text: to

text: Virginia

text: A

text: Vermont

text: court

text: later

text: granted

text: Miller

text: a

text: dissolution

text: of

text: the

text: civil

text: union

text: and

text: granted

text: custody

text: of

text: the

text: child

text: to

text: her

text: and

text: visitation

text: rights

text: to

text: Jenkins

text: Miller

text: then

text: asked

text: the

text: courts

text: in

text: Virginia

text: which

text: does

text: not

text: recognize

text: same

text: sex

text: unions

text: or

text: marriages

text: to

text: take

text: jurisdiction

text: of

text: the

text: dispute

text: A

text: Virginia

text: state

text: judge

text: eventually

text: ruled

text: that

text: Jenkins

text: had

text: no

text: parentage

text: or

text: visitation

text: rights

text: The

text: Virginia

text: high

text: court

text: ruling

text: Friday

text: returned

text: the

text: case

text: to

text: Vermont

text: 's

text: control

text: meaning

text: Jenkins

text: can

text: visit

text: the

text: girl

text: who

text: is

text: now

text: Miller

text: 's

text: attorney

text: Mathew

text: Staver

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: disappointed

text: the

text: state

text: sidestepped

text: the

text: larger

text: legal

text: questions

text: This

text: case

text: shows

text: that

text: one

text: state

text: is

text: not

text: an

text: island

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: dispute

text: and

text: underscores

text: having

text: state

text: laws

text: that

text: protect

text: traditional

text: one

text: man

text: one

text: woman

text: marriages

text: said

text: Staver

text: chairman

text: of

text: Liberty

text: Counsel

text: a

text: law

text: firm

text: that

text: fights

text: on

text: behalf

text: of

text: what

text: it

text: calls

text: traditional

text: families

text: Miller

text: said

text: in

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: doing

text: what

text: was

text: best

text: for

text: her

text: daughter

text: and

text: was

text: no

text: longer

text: a

text: lesbian

text: I

text: am

text: Isabella

text: 's

text: mom

text: I

text: did

text: conceive

text: her

text: I

text: birthed

text: her

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: 'm

text: raising

text: her

text: And

text: in

text: my

text: opinion

text: Isabella

text: needs

text: to

text: stay

text: with

text: me

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: time

text: because

text: I

text: am

text: the

text: only

text: person

text: that

text: she

text: identifies

text: as

text: a

text: mom

text: Miller

text: lives

text: with

text: Isabella

text: in

text: Winchester

text: Virginia

text: Jenkins

text: did

text: not

text: offer

text: an

text: immediate

text: reaction

text: to

text: the

text: ruling

text: but

text: said

text: in

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: only

text: fighting

text: for

text: her

text: rights

text: as

text: a

text: parent

text: Justice

text: will

text: be

text: served

text: for

text: Isabella

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: And

text: I

text: 'll

text: do

text: whatever

text: it

text: takes

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: with

text: her

text: for

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: I

text: can

text: or

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: without

text: her

text: for

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: but

text: I

text: 'm

text: her

text: mom

text: She

text: 's

text: born

text: here

text: in

text: Vermont

text: She

text: 's

text: always

text: here

text: Price

text: said

text: Jenkins

text: who

text: lives

text: in

text: Fair

text: Haven

text: Vermont

text: was

text: supposed

text: to

text: visit

text: Isabella

text: last

text: weekend

text: but

text: Miller

text: did

text: n't

text: appear

text: with

text: the

text: girl

text: Friday

text: 's

text: ruling

text: comes

text: a

text: week

text: after

text: the

text: California

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: 's

text: refusal

text: to

text: delay

text: its

text: recent

text: decision

text: legalizing

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: in

text: the

text: state

text: Massachusetts

text: also

text: allows

text: same

text: sex

text: marriages

text: Vermont

text: and

text: three

text: other

text: states

text: permit

text: civil

text: unions

text: and

text: other

text: states

text: give

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: couples

text: some

text: legal

text: rights

text: Virginia

text: amended

text: its

text: constitution

text: in

text: to

text: decree

text: that

text: marriage

text: is

text: defined

text: as

text: a

text: union

text: between

text: one

text: man

text: and

text: one

text: woman

question: Who allowed visitation?

answer: Vermont court

text: Vermont court

question: What was the relationship between Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller?

answer: female partner

text: female partner

question: Where did Miller move to?

answer: Virginia

text: Virginia

question: what did virginia ruling give vermon court?

answer: jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes.

text: jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes.

question: What did Miller get Virginia court to do?

answer: take jurisdiction of the dispute.

text: take jurisdiction of the dispute.

question: where did miller and vermont move?

answer: Virginia

text: Virginia


text:
Moscow (CNN) -- President Dmitry Medvedev said Friday he had ceded his presidency bid to the country's powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin because the latter is a more popular politician in Russia, who has higher chances to be elected.

"Prime Minister Putin is definitely the most authoritative politician in our country and his rating is somewhat higher (than mine)," Medvedev said in a taped interview with Russia's national TV networks.

Public opinion polls in Russia have invariably indicated that Putin has been ahead of Medvedev in popularity ever since they constructed their ruling tandem almost four years ago. According to the most recent poll, conducted by independent Levada Center, the approval rating of Medvedev stood at 62 per cent in September, compared to Putin's 68 per cent.

In his Friday television interview Medvedev said that he and Putin belong to "the same political force" and have "very close positions on all strategic and tactical issues" and therefore shouldn't compete or quarrel.

"Can we possibly imagine, for instance, (U.S. President) Barack Obama competing with (Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton?" Medvedev asked. "Both of them were bidding for the presidential nomination ... Both were from the Democratic Party, and (the party) finally decided which of them should run to gain the best election result. Our decision was the same," Medvedev said.

"We want to achieve a political result, to win the elections -- the parliamentary elections in December and the presidential elections in March -- not to be nursing our ambitions," Medvedev said. "Any responsible person's ambition is to serve his country, and I insist on that," he said.

Commenting on the statements made by some people that the outcome of the Russian presidential elections is "predetermined", Medvedev said, "I consider such statements absolutely irresponsible, deceitful, and even provocative."

"The decisions made at the congress are only recommendations to the party to support two people in the elections, no more than that," he said.

Last Saturday Medvedev called on the ruling United Russia party to endorse Putin for president in 2012. Putin in turn suggested that Medvedev should take over the role of prime minister if the party wins parliamentary elections in December, in what would be a straight swap of their roles.

The announcement ended more than two years of speculation about whether Putin or Medvedev, his hand-picked successor, would seek to run for a second term.

Putin had stepped down as president in 2008 because the Russian constitution at that time limited the office to two consecutive four-year terms.

Under amendments to the constitution that came into force on December 31, 2008, the presidential term was extended to six years.

This means that if Putin is elected in March 2012 for six years, he would be eligible to run for another six-year term after that, potentially keeping him in charge until 2024.

text: Moscow

text: CNN

text: President

text: Dmitry

text: Medvedev

text: said

text: Friday

text: he

text: had

text: ceded

text: his

text: presidency

text: bid

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: powerful

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Vladimir

text: Putin

text: because

text: the

text: latter

text: is

text: a

text: more

text: popular

text: politician

text: in

text: Russia

text: who

text: has

text: higher

text: chances

text: to

text: be

text: elected

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Putin

text: is

text: definitely

text: the

text: most

text: authoritative

text: politician

text: in

text: our

text: country

text: and

text: his

text: rating

text: is

text: somewhat

text: higher

text: than

text: mine

text: Medvedev

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: taped

text: interview

text: with

text: Russia

text: 's

text: national

text: TV

text: networks

text: Public

text: opinion

text: polls

text: in

text: Russia

text: have

text: invariably

text: indicated

text: that

text: Putin

text: has

text: been

text: ahead

text: of

text: Medvedev

text: in

text: popularity

text: ever

text: since

text: they

text: constructed

text: their

text: ruling

text: tandem

text: almost

text: four

text: years

text: ago

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: most

text: recent

text: poll

text: conducted

text: by

text: independent

text: Levada

text: Center

text: the

text: approval

text: rating

text: of

text: Medvedev

text: stood

text: at

text: per

text: cent

text: in

text: September

text: compared

text: to

text: Putin

text: 's

text: per

text: cent

text: In

text: his

text: Friday

text: television

text: interview

text: Medvedev

text: said

text: that

text: he

text: and

text: Putin

text: belong

text: to

text: the

text: same

text: political

text: force

text: and

text: have

text: very

text: close

text: positions

text: on

text: all

text: strategic

text: and

text: tactical

text: issues

text: and

text: therefore

text: should

text: n't

text: compete

text: or

text: quarrel

text: Can

text: we

text: possibly

text: imagine

text: for

text: instance

text: U.S.

text: President

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: competing

text: with

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: Medvedev

text: asked

text: Both

text: of

text: them

text: were

text: bidding

text: for

text: the

text: presidential

text: nomination

text: Both

text: were

text: from

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Party

text: and

text: the

text: party

text: finally

text: decided

text: which

text: of

text: them

text: should

text: run

text: to

text: gain

text: the

text: best

text: election

text: result

text: Our

text: decision

text: was

text: the

text: same

text: Medvedev

text: said

text: We

text: want

text: to

text: achieve

text: a

text: political

text: result

text: to

text: win

text: the

text: elections

text: the

text: parliamentary

text: elections

text: in

text: December

text: and

text: the

text: presidential

text: elections

text: in

text: March

text: not

text: to

text: be

text: nursing

text: our

text: ambitions

text: Medvedev

text: said

text: Any

text: responsible

text: person

text: 's

text: ambition

text: is

text: to

text: serve

text: his

text: country

text: and

text: I

text: insist

text: on

text: that

text: he

text: said

text: Commenting

text: on

text: the

text: statements

text: made

text: by

text: some

text: people

text: that

text: the

text: outcome

text: of

text: the

text: Russian

text: presidential

text: elections

text: is

text: predetermined

text: Medvedev

text: said

text: I

text: consider

text: such

text: statements

text: absolutely

text: irresponsible

text: deceitful

text: and

text: even

text: provocative

text: The

text: decisions

text: made

text: at

text: the

text: congress

text: are

text: only

text: recommendations

text: to

text: the

text: party

text: to

text: support

text: two

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: elections

text: no

text: more

text: than

text: that

text: he

text: said

text: Last

text: Saturday

text: Medvedev

text: called

text: on

text: the

text: ruling

text: United

text: Russia

text: party

text: to

text: endorse

text: Putin

text: for

text: president

text: in

text: Putin

text: in

text: turn

text: suggested

text: that

text: Medvedev

text: should

text: take

text: over

text: the

text: role

text: of

text: prime

text: minister

text: if

text: the

text: party

text: wins

text: parliamentary

text: elections

text: in

text: December

text: in

text: what

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: straight

text: swap

text: of

text: their

text: roles

text: The

text: announcement

text: ended

text: more

text: than

text: two

text: years

text: of

text: speculation

text: about

text: whether

text: Putin

text: or

text: Medvedev

text: his

text: hand

text: picked

text: successor

text: would

text: seek

text: to

text: run

text: for

text: a

text: second

text: term

text: Putin

text: had

text: stepped

text: down

text: as

text: president

text: in

text: because

text: the

text: Russian

text: constitution

text: at

text: that

text: time

text: limited

text: the

text: office

text: to

text: two

text: consecutive

text: four

text: year

text: terms

text: Under

text: amendments

text: to

text: the

text: constitution

text: that

text: came

text: into

text: force

text: on

text: December

text: the

text: presidential

text: term

text: was

text: extended

text: to

text: six

text: years

text: This

text: means

text: that

text: if

text: Putin

text: is

text: elected

text: in

text: March

text: for

text: six

text: years

text: he

text: would

text: be

text: eligible

text: to

text: run

text: for

text: another

text: six

text: year

text: term

text: after

text: that

text: potentially

text: keeping

text: him

text: in

text: charge

text: until

question: Who does Medvedev say has a better chance of being elected?

answer: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

text: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

question: who is Medvedev ?

answer: President

text: President

question: What did Medvedev say?

answer: powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin because the latter is a more popular politician in Russia, who has higher chances to be elected.

text: powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin because the latter is a more popular politician in Russia, who has higher chances to be elected.

question: Who has Putin suggested take over as prime minister?

answer: Medvedev

text: Medvedev

question: Who has Putin suggested take over?

answer: Medvedev

text: Medvedev

question: What does Putin belong to?

answer: "the same political force"

text: "the same political force"


text:
(CNN)  -- The Public Utility Commission of Texas will review the case of a cancer patient fighting to keep her electricity on to power her oxygen machine, the commission told CNN on Wednesday.

Mable Randon, who has stage 4 cancer, was denied help paying for electricity, which she needs to power her oxygen tank.

CNN affiliate KHOU of Houston, Texas, said calls poured in from as far away as Connecticut after the station aired its story on Mable Randon, a stage 4 cancer patient who received a cutoff notice after she fell behind on her bills.

"I'm on a set income," she told KHOU. "My husband lost his job. He finds a little work every now and then, but it's hard."

She applied to CenterPoint Energy's Critical Care Program which helps maintain service for people who depend on electric-powered life support systems, but she was rejected.

"I'm fighting for my life, and I thought people at the power company would help me," said Randon, who uses a wheelchair. "I just thought they'd make some kind of exception for me."

Randon's power will stay on until the commission examines the facts in the case, said Terry Hadley, spokesman for the commission.

CenterPoint told Randon she failed to meet the criteria. Spokeswoman Alicia Dixon told KHOU that Randon could have bought a battery-powered oxygen machine. The critical care program has thousands of applicants, and only 300 of them have been accepted, she said.

"This program is a communication program, not a guarantee of uninterrupted power, even to customers who are on the list," she said.

Since the rejection, Randon said she is "up and down all night," partly because she is worried about whether the power will be on when she wakes up.

"They have no consideration for life," she said. "It's just like they don't care."

CenterPoint spokeswoman Leticia Lowe said the company does not send electric bills; it merely owns the wires and poles and is directed to disconnect power by retail electric providers.

Randon's electric company is Freedom Power, she said. CNN's attempts to contact Freedom Power were unsuccessful Wednesday. As of Tuesday, CenterPoint had not received a notice from Freedom Power to disconnect Randon's service, Lowe said.

Following the KHOU report, CenterPoint received calls from viewers, she said. But the company can do nothing since they don't bill Randon.

CNN's Divina Mims contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: The

text: Public

text: Utility

text: Commission

text: of

text: Texas

text: will

text: review

text: the

text: case

text: of

text: a

text: cancer

text: patient

text: fighting

text: to

text: keep

text: her

text: electricity

text: on

text: to

text: power

text: her

text: oxygen

text: machine

text: the

text: commission

text: told

text: CNN

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: Mable

text: Randon

text: who

text: has

text: stage

text: cancer

text: was

text: denied

text: help

text: paying

text: for

text: electricity

text: which

text: she

text: needs

text: to

text: power

text: her

text: oxygen

text: tank

text: CNN

text: affiliate

text: KHOU

text: of

text: Houston

text: Texas

text: said

text: calls

text: poured

text: in

text: from

text: as

text: far

text: away

text: as

text: Connecticut

text: after

text: the

text: station

text: aired

text: its

text: story

text: on

text: Mable

text: Randon

text: a

text: stage

text: cancer

text: patient

text: who

text: received

text: a

text: cutoff

text: notice

text: after

text: she

text: fell

text: behind

text: on

text: her

text: bills

text: I

text: 'm

text: on

text: a

text: set

text: income

text: she

text: told

text: KHOU

text: My

text: husband

text: lost

text: his

text: job

text: He

text: finds

text: a

text: little

text: work

text: every

text: now

text: and

text: then

text: but

text: it

text: 's

text: hard

text: She

text: applied

text: to

text: CenterPoint

text: Energy

text: 's

text: Critical

text: Care

text: Program

text: which

text: helps

text: maintain

text: service

text: for

text: people

text: who

text: depend

text: on

text: electric

text: powered

text: life

text: support

text: systems

text: but

text: she

text: was

text: rejected

text: I

text: 'm

text: fighting

text: for

text: my

text: life

text: and

text: I

text: thought

text: people

text: at

text: the

text: power

text: company

text: would

text: help

text: me

text: said

text: Randon

text: who

text: uses

text: a

text: wheelchair

text: I

text: just

text: thought

text: they

text: 'd

text: make

text: some

text: kind

text: of

text: exception

text: for

text: me

text: Randon

text: 's

text: power

text: will

text: stay

text: on

text: until

text: the

text: commission

text: examines

text: the

text: facts

text: in

text: the

text: case

text: said

text: Terry

text: Hadley

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: commission

text: CenterPoint

text: told

text: Randon

text: she

text: failed

text: to

text: meet

text: the

text: criteria

text: Spokeswoman

text: Alicia

text: Dixon

text: told

text: KHOU

text: that

text: Randon

text: could

text: have

text: bought

text: a

text: battery

text: powered

text: oxygen

text: machine

text: The

text: critical

text: care

text: program

text: has

text: thousands

text: of

text: applicants

text: and

text: only

text: of

text: them

text: have

text: been

text: accepted

text: she

text: said

text: This

text: program

text: is

text: a

text: communication

text: program

text: not

text: a

text: guarantee

text: of

text: uninterrupted

text: power

text: even

text: to

text: customers

text: who

text: are

text: on

text: the

text: list

text: she

text: said

text: Since

text: the

text: rejection

text: Randon

text: said

text: she

text: is

text: up

text: and

text: down

text: all

text: night

text: partly

text: because

text: she

text: is

text: worried

text: about

text: whether

text: the

text: power

text: will

text: be

text: on

text: when

text: she

text: wakes

text: up

text: They

text: have

text: no

text: consideration

text: for

text: life

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: just

text: like

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: care

text: CenterPoint

text: spokeswoman

text: Leticia

text: Lowe

text: said

text: the

text: company

text: does

text: not

text: send

text: electric

text: bills

text: it

text: merely

text: owns

text: the

text: wires

text: and

text: poles

text: and

text: is

text: directed

text: to

text: disconnect

text: power

text: by

text: retail

text: electric

text: providers

text: Randon

text: 's

text: electric

text: company

text: is

text: Freedom

text: Power

text: she

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: attempts

text: to

text: contact

text: Freedom

text: Power

text: were

text: unsuccessful

text: Wednesday

text: As

text: of

text: Tuesday

text: CenterPoint

text: had

text: not

text: received

text: a

text: notice

text: from

text: Freedom

text: Power

text: to

text: disconnect

text: Randon

text: 's

text: service

text: Lowe

text: said

text: Following

text: the

text: KHOU

text: report

text: CenterPoint

text: received

text: calls

text: from

text: viewers

text: she

text: said

text: But

text: the

text: company

text: can

text: do

text: nothing

text: since

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: bill

text: Randon

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Divina

text: Mims

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who is reviewing Randon's case?

answer: Public Utility Commission of Texas

text: Public Utility Commission of Texas

question: What happened to Mabel Randon?

answer: has stage 4 cancer, was denied help paying for electricity,

text: has stage 4 cancer, was denied help paying for electricity,

question: Who is reviewing the case?

answer: The Public Utility Commission of Texas

text: The Public Utility Commission of Texas

question: What was Randon told to buy?

answer: battery-powered oxygen machine.

text: battery-powered oxygen machine.

question: What stage is Randon's cancer?

answer: 4

question: What did she apply for?

answer: CenterPoint Energy's Critical Care Program

text: CenterPoint Energy's Critical Care Program

question: Where did this happen?

answer: Houston, Texas,

text: Houston, Texas,


text:
HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pennsylvania (CNN)  -- The president of The Valley Swim Club on Friday strongly denied charges of racism after his club canceled the swimming privileges of a nearby day care center whose children are predominantly African-American.

John Duesler said he underestimated the number of swimmers who would come to swim at the club.

"It was never our intention to offend anyone," said John Duesler. "This thing has been blown out of proportion."

Duesler said his club -- which he called "very diverse" -- invited camps in the Philadelphia area to use his facility because of the number of pools in the region closed due to budget cuts this summer. He said he underestimated the amount of children who would participate, and the club's capacity to take on the groups was not up to the task.

"It was a safety issue," he said.

The Creative Steps Day Care children -- who are in kindergarten through seventh grade -- went to The Valley Swim Club in Huntingdon Valley on June 29 after the center's director, Alethea Wright, had contracted to use the club once a week.

During their first visit, some children said they heard club members asking why African-American children were there. One youngster told a Philadelphia television station a woman there said she feared the children "might do something" to her child.  Watch Wright react to comments allegedly aimed at the children Â»

Days later, the day care center's $1,950 check was returned without explanation, Wright said.

She was dismissive of Duesler's comments Friday.

"He knows what happened at the pool that day," Wright told CNN in a telephone interview. "I was embarrassed and humiliated."

She called it an "unfortunate situation," adding, "I know what happened; the members know what happened and a higher power knows what happened."  Watch the club president say racism is not at play Â»

After news reports of the incident, the office of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pennsylvania) said Specter sent a letter to the club president asking him to reinstate the contract with Creative Steps, saying, "I think that you would agree that there is no place for racism in America today."

Duesler said he appreciates the senator's concern, but the club's board has yet to make a decision of how it will proceed.

"If we're going to revise our policies here, we need to make it so for all the camps," he said. "I just don't think we're prepared for that."

Duesler earlier in the week told two Philadelphia television stations the children had changed "the complexion" and "atmosphere" of the club, a comment that protesters outside the facility Thursday said showed that racism was involved.

Bernice Duesler, John Duesler's wife, called the negative response her husband has faced since the incident "unbearable."

"He's not one of the good guys -- he's one of the great guys," she said, holding back tears. "He doesn't deserve this."

She added, "If there really was a racial issue that happened, my husband and I would be the first one[s] picketing."

Jim Flynn, who said he was one of the club members who made a complaint against the children, told CNN this week it was not racially motivated.

"There were a lot of children in the pool and not enough lifeguards," he said. "As general members we were not told that they were coming. If we knew, we could decide to not come when the pool was crowded or come anyway. We could have had an option."

He also said invitations to two other day care centers, neither of which contained minority children, had previously been withdrawn.

Girard College, a private Philadelphia boarding school, told CNN on Thursday it would offer Creative Steps Day Care use of its facilities this summer.

text: HUNTINGDON

text: VALLEY

text: Pennsylvania

text: CNN

text: The

text: president

text: of

text: The

text: Valley

text: Swim

text: Club

text: on

text: Friday

text: strongly

text: denied

text: charges

text: of

text: racism

text: after

text: his

text: club

text: canceled

text: the

text: swimming

text: privileges

text: of

text: a

text: nearby

text: day

text: care

text: center

text: whose

text: children

text: are

text: predominantly

text: African

text: American

text: John

text: Duesler

text: said

text: he

text: underestimated

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: swimmers

text: who

text: would

text: come

text: to

text: swim

text: at

text: the

text: club

text: It

text: was

text: never

text: our

text: intention

text: to

text: offend

text: anyone

text: said

text: John

text: Duesler

text: This

text: thing

text: has

text: been

text: blown

text: out

text: of

text: proportion

text: Duesler

text: said

text: his

text: club

text: which

text: he

text: called

text: very

text: diverse

text: invited

text: camps

text: in

text: the

text: Philadelphia

text: area

text: to

text: use

text: his

text: facility

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: pools

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: closed

text: due

text: to

text: budget

text: cuts

text: this

text: summer

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: underestimated

text: the

text: amount

text: of

text: children

text: who

text: would

text: participate

text: and

text: the

text: club

text: 's

text: capacity

text: to

text: take

text: on

text: the

text: groups

text: was

text: not

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: task

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: safety

text: issue

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: Creative

text: Steps

text: Day

text: Care

text: children

text: who

text: are

text: in

text: kindergarten

text: through

text: seventh

text: grade

text: went

text: to

text: The

text: Valley

text: Swim

text: Club

text: in

text: Huntingdon

text: Valley

text: on

text: June

text: after

text: the

text: center

text: 's

text: director

text: Alethea

text: Wright

text: had

text: contracted

text: to

text: use

text: the

text: club

text: once

text: a

text: week

text: During

text: their

text: first

text: visit

text: some

text: children

text: said

text: they

text: heard

text: club

text: members

text: asking

text: why

text: African

text: American

text: children

text: were

text: there

text: One

text: youngster

text: told

text: a

text: Philadelphia

text: television

text: station

text: a

text: woman

text: there

text: said

text: she

text: feared

text: the

text: children

text: might

text: do

text: something

text: to

text: her

text: child

text: Watch

text: Wright

text: react

text: to

text: comments

text: allegedly

text: aimed

text: at

text: the

text: children

text: Â

text: Days

text: later

text: the

text: day

text: care

text: center

text: 's

text: check

text: was

text: returned

text: without

text: explanation

text: Wright

text: said

text: She

text: was

text: dismissive

text: of

text: Duesler

text: 's

text: comments

text: Friday

text: He

text: knows

text: what

text: happened

text: at

text: the

text: pool

text: that

text: day

text: Wright

text: told

text: CNN

text: in

text: a

text: telephone

text: interview

text: I

text: was

text: embarrassed

text: and

text: humiliated

text: She

text: called

text: it

text: an

text: unfortunate

text: situation

text: adding

text: I

text: know

text: what

text: happened

text: the

text: members

text: know

text: what

text: happened

text: and

text: a

text: higher

text: power

text: knows

text: what

text: happened

text: Watch

text: the

text: club

text: president

text: say

text: racism

text: is

text: not

text: at

text: play

text: Â

text: After

text: news

text: reports

text: of

text: the

text: incident

text: the

text: office

text: of

text: Sen.

text: Arlen

text: Specter

text: D

text: Pennsylvania

text: said

text: Specter

text: sent

text: a

text: letter

text: to

text: the

text: club

text: president

text: asking

text: him

text: to

text: reinstate

text: the

text: contract

text: with

text: Creative

text: Steps

text: saying

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: you

text: would

text: agree

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: place

text: for

text: racism

text: in

text: America

text: today

text: Duesler

text: said

text: he

text: appreciates

text: the

text: senator

text: 's

text: concern

text: but

text: the

text: club

text: 's

text: board

text: has

text: yet

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: decision

text: of

text: how

text: it

text: will

text: proceed

text: If

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: revise

text: our

text: policies

text: here

text: we

text: need

text: to

text: make

text: it

text: so

text: for

text: all

text: the

text: camps

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: just

text: do

text: n't

text: think

text: we

text: 're

text: prepared

text: for

text: that

text: Duesler

text: earlier

text: in

text: the

text: week

text: told

text: two

text: Philadelphia

text: television

text: stations

text: the

text: children

text: had

text: changed

text: the

text: complexion

text: and

text: atmosphere

text: of

text: the

text: club

text: a

text: comment

text: that

text: protesters

text: outside

text: the

text: facility

text: Thursday

text: said

text: showed

text: that

text: racism

text: was

text: involved

text: Bernice

text: Duesler

text: John

text: Duesler

text: 's

text: wife

text: called

text: the

text: negative

text: response

text: her

text: husband

text: has

text: faced

text: since

text: the

text: incident

text: unbearable

text: He

text: 's

text: not

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: good

text: guys

text: he

text: 's

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: great

text: guys

text: she

text: said

text: holding

text: back

text: tears

text: He

text: does

text: n't

text: deserve

text: this

text: She

text: added

text: If

text: there

text: really

text: was

text: a

text: racial

text: issue

text: that

text: happened

text: my

text: husband

text: and

text: I

text: would

text: be

text: the

text: first

text: one[s

text: picketing

text: Jim

text: Flynn

text: who

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: club

text: members

text: who

text: made

text: a

text: complaint

text: against

text: the

text: children

text: told

text: CNN

text: this

text: week

text: it

text: was

text: not

text: racially

text: motivated

text: There

text: were

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: children

text: in

text: the

text: pool

text: and

text: not

text: enough

text: lifeguards

text: he

text: said

text: As

text: general

text: members

text: we

text: were

text: not

text: told

text: that

text: they

text: were

text: coming

text: If

text: we

text: knew

text: we

text: could

text: decide

text: to

text: not

text: come

text: when

text: the

text: pool

text: was

text: crowded

text: or

text: come

text: anyway

text: We

text: could

text: have

text: had

text: an

text: option

text: He

text: also

text: said

text: invitations

text: to

text: two

text: other

text: day

text: care

text: centers

text: neither

text: of

text: which

text: contained

text: minority

text: children

text: had

text: previously

text: been

text: withdrawn

text: Girard

text: College

text: a

text: private

text: Philadelphia

text: boarding

text: school

text: told

text: CNN

text: on

text: Thursday

text: it

text: would

text: offer

text: Creative

text: Steps

text: Day

text: Care

text: use

text: of

text: its

text: facilities

text: this

text: summer

question: What did the day care director say

answer: She called it an "unfortunate situation,"

text: She called it an "unfortunate situation,"

question: What did happen at the pool that day?

answer: During their first visit, some children said they heard club members asking why African-American children were there. One youngster told a Philadelphia television station a woman there said she feared the children "might do something" to her child.

text: During their first visit, some children said they heard club members asking why African-American children were there. One youngster told a Philadelphia television station a woman there said she feared the children "might do something" to her child.

question: Who will decide whether to reinstate the contract?

answer: o the club presiden

text: o the club presiden

question: What club is very diverse?

answer: The Valley Swim

text: The Valley Swim

question: What is the name of the swim club president?

answer: John Duesler

text: John Duesler

question: What has the club still to decide

answer: o make a decision of how it will proceed

text: o make a decision of how it will proceed

question: Who is the swim club president

answer: John Duesler

text: John Duesler


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A 16 year-old Australian schoolgirl is hoping to achieve a sailing feat that is so tough it has brought many experienced men and women to the brink of death.

Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson of Australia plans to sail solo around the world

Jessica Watson, of Mooloolaba, Queensland, plans to set out on a solo round-the-world sailing mission in November -- and hopes to become the youngest person to ever sail non-stop around the world alone.

But with the impending weeks of solitary confinement, freeze-dried foods, changing conditions and threat of injury, illness or death -- why would she want to do it?

Watson told CNN her inspiration had come from fellow Australian Kay Cottee, who became the first woman to sail the globe alone, without stopping; and German-born Australian Jesse Martin, who still holds the record as the youngest person to do it.

Martin achieved his feat in 1999 aged 18 (at the finish), and subsequently wrote a book titled "Lionheart: A Journey of the Human Spirit."

"I read Jesse's book and that was inspiring. If you had to put it down to one thing that encouraged me to do this that would be a good one," Watson said.

Since deciding she wanted to take on what she describes as the "Everest of the ocean" about four years ago, Watson has been doing all she can to gain the best preparation for the adventure.

She has already sailed "mock solo" across the Tasman Sea, which flows between Australia and New Zealand, at 15 and has been sailing since she was 8 years-old.

"I've been talking to people [who have done it] about it all, and I'll get in some good solo miles before I go," she said.

Despite the experience she has gained, Watson admits there are some aspects of the journey that remain unknown.

"There are definitely things I'm nervous about -- like the big waves and gear failure. But, it's amazing the detail of preparation we can get and what you can do with technology.

"Though, there's no telling how you'll handle yourself when you're out there for eight months until you're actually out there."

Watson's journey around the globe is part of what seems to be an increasingly popular trend among young sailors.

Seventeen year-old Briton, Mike Perham is currently part-way through his attempt to sail the world solo for charity.

Perham is at present stuck in Tasmania, Australia, with gear problems and faces the daunting task of sailing around Cape Horn during the winter season.

Still, he has come a long way when many people had raised concerns about the voyage before he departed.

On his daily blog, Perham writes about the challenges of being at sea alone, "The first few days at sea are always the worst -- the lack of sleep leaves me feeling drained all the time but I know I just need to keep pushing on, knowing that I'll soon acclimatize and that things are going to get better and better."

Another teenager -- 16 year-old Zac Sunderland, who is from California -- is also on a mission to become the youngest sailor to achieve the feat. Sunderland has also progressed from his departure point in California, through the Panama Canal, and into the Atlantic Ocean.

For Perham, Sunderland and Watson it was the high level of communications technology at the teenagers disposal as they sail that has convinced their parents to allow them to attempt their journeys. Would you allow your teenage daughter or son to sail solo around the world? Tell us below in the SoundOff box

On Sunderland's Web site his father, Laurence, said, "Although Zac is alone as he sails, he really has so much help.

There will always be people who will disagree with our decision to let Zac go on this trip. It was his idea and it is his desire to continue."

Watson said her parents had also been supportive from the outset.

For the young sailor, the next big challenge is preparing the boat for departure and securing a final sponsor to help fund the journey.

She said her life is primarily geared towards the challenge this year.

"It might take a little bit longer to finish school ... this puts everything else on hold."

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: A

text: year

text: old

text: Australian

text: schoolgirl

text: is

text: hoping

text: to

text: achieve

text: a

text: sailing

text: feat

text: that

text: is

text: so

text: tough

text: it

text: has

text: brought

text: many

text: experienced

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: to

text: the

text: brink

text: of

text: death

text: Sixteen

text: year

text: old

text: Jessica

text: Watson

text: of

text: Australia

text: plans

text: to

text: sail

text: solo

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: Jessica

text: Watson

text: of

text: Mooloolaba

text: Queensland

text: plans

text: to

text: set

text: out

text: on

text: a

text: solo

text: round

text: the

text: world

text: sailing

text: mission

text: in

text: November

text: and

text: hopes

text: to

text: become

text: the

text: youngest

text: person

text: to

text: ever

text: sail

text: non

text: stop

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: alone

text: But

text: with

text: the

text: impending

text: weeks

text: of

text: solitary

text: confinement

text: freeze

text: dried

text: foods

text: changing

text: conditions

text: and

text: threat

text: of

text: injury

text: illness

text: or

text: death

text: why

text: would

text: she

text: want

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: Watson

text: told

text: CNN

text: her

text: inspiration

text: had

text: come

text: from

text: fellow

text: Australian

text: Kay

text: Cottee

text: who

text: became

text: the

text: first

text: woman

text: to

text: sail

text: the

text: globe

text: alone

text: without

text: stopping

text: and

text: German

text: born

text: Australian

text: Jesse

text: Martin

text: who

text: still

text: holds

text: the

text: record

text: as

text: the

text: youngest

text: person

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: Martin

text: achieved

text: his

text: feat

text: in

text: aged

text: at

text: the

text: finish

text: and

text: subsequently

text: wrote

text: a

text: book

text: titled

text: Lionheart

text: A

text: Journey

text: of

text: the

text: Human

text: Spirit

text: I

text: read

text: Jesse

text: 's

text: book

text: and

text: that

text: was

text: inspiring

text: If

text: you

text: had

text: to

text: put

text: it

text: down

text: to

text: one

text: thing

text: that

text: encouraged

text: me

text: to

text: do

text: this

text: that

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: good

text: one

text: Watson

text: said

text: Since

text: deciding

text: she

text: wanted

text: to

text: take

text: on

text: what

text: she

text: describes

text: as

text: the

text: Everest

text: of

text: the

text: ocean

text: about

text: four

text: years

text: ago

text: Watson

text: has

text: been

text: doing

text: all

text: she

text: can

text: to

text: gain

text: the

text: best

text: preparation

text: for

text: the

text: adventure

text: She

text: has

text: already

text: sailed

text: mock

text: solo

text: across

text: the

text: Tasman

text: Sea

text: which

text: flows

text: between

text: Australia

text: and

text: New

text: Zealand

text: at

text: and

text: has

text: been

text: sailing

text: since

text: she

text: was

text: years

text: old

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: talking

text: to

text: people

text: who

text: have

text: done

text: it

text: about

text: it

text: all

text: and

text: I

text: 'll

text: get

text: in

text: some

text: good

text: solo

text: miles

text: before

text: I

text: go

text: she

text: said

text: Despite

text: the

text: experience

text: she

text: has

text: gained

text: Watson

text: admits

text: there

text: are

text: some

text: aspects

text: of

text: the

text: journey

text: that

text: remain

text: unknown

text: There

text: are

text: definitely

text: things

text: I

text: 'm

text: nervous

text: about

text: like

text: the

text: big

text: waves

text: and

text: gear

text: failure

text: But

text: it

text: 's

text: amazing

text: the

text: detail

text: of

text: preparation

text: we

text: can

text: get

text: and

text: what

text: you

text: can

text: do

text: with

text: technology

text: Though

text: there

text: 's

text: no

text: telling

text: how

text: you

text: 'll

text: handle

text: yourself

text: when

text: you

text: 're

text: out

text: there

text: for

text: eight

text: months

text: until

text: you

text: 're

text: actually

text: out

text: there

text: Watson

text: 's

text: journey

text: around

text: the

text: globe

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: what

text: seems

text: to

text: be

text: an

text: increasingly

text: popular

text: trend

text: among

text: young

text: sailors

text: Seventeen

text: year

text: old

text: Briton

text: Mike

text: Perham

text: is

text: currently

text: part

text: way

text: through

text: his

text: attempt

text: to

text: sail

text: the

text: world

text: solo

text: for

text: charity

text: Perham

text: is

text: at

text: present

text: stuck

text: in

text: Tasmania

text: Australia

text: with

text: gear

text: problems

text: and

text: faces

text: the

text: daunting

text: task

text: of

text: sailing

text: around

text: Cape

text: Horn

text: during

text: the

text: winter

text: season

text: Still

text: he

text: has

text: come

text: a

text: long

text: way

text: when

text: many

text: people

text: had

text: raised

text: concerns

text: about

text: the

text: voyage

text: before

text: he

text: departed

text: On

text: his

text: daily

text: blog

text: Perham

text: writes

text: about

text: the

text: challenges

text: of

text: being

text: at

text: sea

text: alone

text: The

text: first

text: few

text: days

text: at

text: sea

text: are

text: always

text: the

text: worst

text: the

text: lack

text: of

text: sleep

text: leaves

text: me

text: feeling

text: drained

text: all

text: the

text: time

text: but

text: I

text: know

text: I

text: just

text: need

text: to

text: keep

text: pushing

text: on

text: knowing

text: that

text: I

text: 'll

text: soon

text: acclimatize

text: and

text: that

text: things

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: get

text: better

text: and

text: better

text: Another

text: teenager

text: year

text: old

text: Zac

text: Sunderland

text: who

text: is

text: from

text: California

text: is

text: also

text: on

text: a

text: mission

text: to

text: become

text: the

text: youngest

text: sailor

text: to

text: achieve

text: the

text: feat

text: Sunderland

text: has

text: also

text: progressed

text: from

text: his

text: departure

text: point

text: in

text: California

text: through

text: the

text: Panama

text: Canal

text: and

text: into

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: Ocean

text: For

text: Perham

text: Sunderland

text: and

text: Watson

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: high

text: level

text: of

text: communications

text: technology

text: at

text: the

text: teenagers

text: disposal

text: as

text: they

text: sail

text: that

text: has

text: convinced

text: their

text: parents

text: to

text: allow

text: them

text: to

text: attempt

text: their

text: journeys

text: Would

text: you

text: allow

text: your

text: teenage

text: daughter

text: or

text: son

text: to

text: sail

text: solo

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: Tell

text: us

text: below

text: in

text: the

text: SoundOff

text: box

text: On

text: Sunderland

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: his

text: father

text: Laurence

text: said

text: Although

text: Zac

text: is

text: alone

text: as

text: he

text: sails

text: he

text: really

text: has

text: so

text: much

text: help

text: There

text: will

text: always

text: be

text: people

text: who

text: will

text: disagree

text: with

text: our

text: decision

text: to

text: let

text: Zac

text: go

text: on

text: this

text: trip

text: It

text: was

text: his

text: idea

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: his

text: desire

text: to

text: continue

text: Watson

text: said

text: her

text: parents

text: had

text: also

text: been

text: supportive

text: from

text: the

text: outset

text: For

text: the

text: young

text: sailor

text: the

text: next

text: big

text: challenge

text: is

text: preparing

text: the

text: boat

text: for

text: departure

text: and

text: securing

text: a

text: final

text: sponsor

text: to

text: help

text: fund

text: the

text: journey

text: She

text: said

text: her

text: life

text: is

text: primarily

text: geared

text: towards

text: the

text: challenge

text: this

text: year

text: It

text: might

text: take

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: longer

text: to

text: finish

text: school

text: this

text: puts

text: everything

text: else

text: on

text: hold

question: Which others are currently at sea?

answer: Seventeen year-old Briton, Mike Perham

text: Seventeen year-old Briton, Mike Perham

question: Jessica Watson was how old?

answer: Sixteen-year-old

text: Sixteen-year-old

question: What does Jessica Watson planning on doing?

answer: sail solo around the world

text: sail solo around the world

question: Who plans to sail around the world?

answer: Jessica Watson

text: Jessica Watson

question: Who is Watson inspired by?

answer: Kay Cottee,

text: Kay Cottee,

question: Who is currently at sea?

answer: Mike Perham

text: Mike Perham

question: What is Jessica Watson's age?

answer: Sixteen-year-old

text: Sixteen-year-old

question: Who inspired Jessica Watson to sail solo?

answer: Kay Cottee,

text: Kay Cottee,


text:
(CNN) -- The 32-year-old Texas man who died in a shark attack over the weekend while scuba diving off Western Australia was remembered Sunday by his sisters as "unique" and "one of a kind."

Sharon Wainwright of Panama City, Florida, identified the victim as her son, George Thomas Wainwright.

His sisters, Brenda Wainwright and Wanda Brannon, spoke to CNN affiliate WMBB-TV.

"It's devastating. It's hard to even wrap your head around. I can't believe he's gone. I think it was just wrong place, wrong time because he was very wise. I would trust him with anything to do with being on the water," said Brenda Wainwright.

She described her brother as "unique ... that rare combination of incredibly intelligent, very kind, great sense of humor."

Police said Saturday the man was scuba diving with two friends near Rottnest Island, a popular tourist destination about 15 miles off the Australian mainland, when the attack occurred.

The man's friends, who were not in the water at the time, noticed an abnormal amount of air bubbles rising to the surface in the area where he was diving, followed by a plume of blood, said police spokesman Michael Wear.

Moments later, the man's body rose to the surface. Police said he succumbed to his injuries not long after the incident. Following a preliminary review of bite marks on the body, authorities said he is believed to have been killed by a great white shark.

"He was in the water by himself, I believe," Sgt. Greg True of Western Australia police told CNN affiliate Channel Nine. "There's been some pretty massive injuries inflicted."

Sharon Wainwright told CNN her family was notified of the incident Saturday morning. Authorities said the man had been living in Western Australia.

Wainright's relatives expect his body to arrive in Florida in about four days, Sharon Wainwright said.

Saturday's attack was the second fatal shark attack in the past two weeks near the city of Perth, capital of the state of Western Australia.

"He was one of a kind," the victim's sister, Brannon, told WMBB.

"He's more than just a quick news spot. He was our brother and we loved him. He will be missed."

CNN's Jeremy Ryan and Kara Devlin contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: The

text: old

text: Texas

text: man

text: who

text: died

text: in

text: a

text: shark

text: attack

text: over

text: the

text: weekend

text: while

text: scuba

text: diving

text: off

text: Western

text: Australia

text: was

text: remembered

text: Sunday

text: by

text: his

text: sisters

text: as

text: unique

text: and

text: one

text: of

text: a

text: kind

text: Sharon

text: Wainwright

text: of

text: Panama

text: City

text: Florida

text: identified

text: the

text: victim

text: as

text: her

text: son

text: George

text: Thomas

text: Wainwright

text: His

text: sisters

text: Brenda

text: Wainwright

text: and

text: Wanda

text: Brannon

text: spoke

text: to

text: CNN

text: affiliate

text: WMBB

text: TV

text: It

text: 's

text: devastating

text: It

text: 's

text: hard

text: to

text: even

text: wrap

text: your

text: head

text: around

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: believe

text: he

text: 's

text: gone

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: was

text: just

text: wrong

text: place

text: wrong

text: time

text: because

text: he

text: was

text: very

text: wise

text: I

text: would

text: trust

text: him

text: with

text: anything

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: being

text: on

text: the

text: water

text: said

text: Brenda

text: Wainwright

text: She

text: described

text: her

text: brother

text: as

text: unique

text: that

text: rare

text: combination

text: of

text: incredibly

text: intelligent

text: very

text: kind

text: great

text: sense

text: of

text: humor

text: Police

text: said

text: Saturday

text: the

text: man

text: was

text: scuba

text: diving

text: with

text: two

text: friends

text: near

text: Rottnest

text: Island

text: a

text: popular

text: tourist

text: destination

text: about

text: miles

text: off

text: the

text: Australian

text: mainland

text: when

text: the

text: attack

text: occurred

text: The

text: man

text: 's

text: friends

text: who

text: were

text: not

text: in

text: the

text: water

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: noticed

text: an

text: abnormal

text: amount

text: of

text: air

text: bubbles

text: rising

text: to

text: the

text: surface

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: where

text: he

text: was

text: diving

text: followed

text: by

text: a

text: plume

text: of

text: blood

text: said

text: police

text: spokesman

text: Michael

text: Wear

text: Moments

text: later

text: the

text: man

text: 's

text: body

text: rose

text: to

text: the

text: surface

text: Police

text: said

text: he

text: succumbed

text: to

text: his

text: injuries

text: not

text: long

text: after

text: the

text: incident

text: Following

text: a

text: preliminary

text: review

text: of

text: bite

text: marks

text: on

text: the

text: body

text: authorities

text: said

text: he

text: is

text: believed

text: to

text: have

text: been

text: killed

text: by

text: a

text: great

text: white

text: shark

text: He

text: was

text: in

text: the

text: water

text: by

text: himself

text: I

text: believe

text: Sgt

text: Greg

text: True

text: of

text: Western

text: Australia

text: police

text: told

text: CNN

text: affiliate

text: Channel

text: Nine

text: There

text: 's

text: been

text: some

text: pretty

text: massive

text: injuries

text: inflicted

text: Sharon

text: Wainwright

text: told

text: CNN

text: her

text: family

text: was

text: notified

text: of

text: the

text: incident

text: Saturday

text: morning

text: Authorities

text: said

text: the

text: man

text: had

text: been

text: living

text: in

text: Western

text: Australia

text: Wainright

text: 's

text: relatives

text: expect

text: his

text: body

text: to

text: arrive

text: in

text: Florida

text: in

text: about

text: four

text: days

text: Sharon

text: Wainwright

text: said

text: Saturday

text: 's

text: attack

text: was

text: the

text: second

text: fatal

text: shark

text: attack

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: weeks

text: near

text: the

text: city

text: of

text: Perth

text: capital

text: of

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: Western

text: Australia

text: He

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: a

text: kind

text: the

text: victim

text: 's

text: sister

text: Brannon

text: told

text: WMBB

text: He

text: 's

text: more

text: than

text: just

text: a

text: quick

text: news

text: spot

text: He

text: was

text: our

text: brother

text: and

text: we

text: loved

text: him

text: He

text: will

text: be

text: missed

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Jeremy

text: Ryan

text: and

text: Kara

text: Devlin

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: what does the victim sister say

answer: "It's devastating.

text: "It's devastating.

question: who died in scuba diving

answer: George Thomas Wainwright.

text: George Thomas Wainwright.

question: What did the authorities believe happened to Thomas?

answer: been killed by a great white shark.

text: been killed by a great white shark.

question: what is expected in florida

answer: his body to arrive

text: his body to arrive

question: Who died while scuba diving?

answer: George Thomas Wainwright.

text: George Thomas Wainwright.

question: that way George Thomas died?

answer: shark attack

text: shark attack


text:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A yellow taxi sits idle at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, leaving its Somali immigrant driver visibly frustrated.

Abdullah Hagi, a cabdriver in Atlanta, Georgia, has had to cut back on expenses as the economy has declined.

"I've been here two hours, and you're my first customer," Abdullahi Hagi, formerly of Mogadishu, said as he tightened his grip on the leather-bound steering wheel. "When the economy is bad, people don't ride cabs."

Often considered a bellwether for consumer spending, cabdrivers and the tough times they now face could mean worse times for relatives living in places like Somalia, where war and famine have made remittances from emigres like Hagi more important.

Amid a financial crunch that has many of Hagi's customers feeling the pinch, fewer fares and mounting bills have not stopped him from sending a big chunk of his paycheck home to his family.

Despite a bit more empty space in his hand-stitched wallet, Hagi said he has worked out a solution to keep his family fed back home. He is pooling his paycheck with fellow cabdrivers.  Watch how cabbie gets by with less Â»

An informal lending system has emerged in major U.S. cities, akin to an old-world style of community banking that is fending off starvation in places like Somalia. In Atlanta, cabdrivers lend to each other based on need, depending whose family is in more dire straits.

"I could never borrow from any bank," Hagi admits. "You take loans, not from institutions but from friends."

However, Hagi is still struggling to make ends meet.

"Should I pay the student loan or should I pay for my starving relatives?" he asked. "That's the kind of choice you've got to make every day."

"Lately, it's been getting harder and harder to accumulate enough to survive and also send back home," he added, shifting his weight in the cab's cracked leather seats. "You try to cut corners in your lifestyle to be able to send money to your people because they're always in much worse condition -- always on the brink of collapse or starvation."

Hagi and his family are not alone. Figures from the United Nations put nearly half of Somalia's population in need of humanitarian assistance, according to a report released in September.

One in six Somali children under the age of 5 are acutely malnourished, the report found, and food is getting more costly.

The price of sorghum, used for grain and found on the dinner plates of most Somali households, soared 600 percent since last year, according to a separate U.N. report. Civil war and drought have made food both scarce and a source of political power.

Pitched battles between an Islamic insurgency and Ethiopian-backed transitional government forces have left thousands dead and rendered what many have called a "failed state" now teetering on the brink of its worst humanitarian crisis in over a decade, according to a World Food Program report.

The United Nations says "all information indicates that the key factors driving this humanitarian crisis will continue to worsen over the coming months."

That crisis, coinciding with a financial one that clobbered Wall Street and sent U.S. automakers begging for bailouts, may leave cabdrivers like Hagi facing the perfect storm.

"You cut your groceries. You cut even the clothes you buy the kids. You cut everything," he said. "Whatever you can think of."

There may not be much more to cut. For now, cabdrivers like Hagi are turning to each other to keep food on the family table back home.

text: ATLANTA

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: A

text: yellow

text: taxi

text: sits

text: idle

text: at

text: Hartsfield

text: International

text: Airport

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: leaving

text: its

text: Somali

text: immigrant

text: driver

text: visibly

text: frustrated

text: Abdullah

text: Hagi

text: a

text: cabdriver

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: has

text: had

text: to

text: cut

text: back

text: on

text: expenses

text: as

text: the

text: economy

text: has

text: declined

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: here

text: two

text: hours

text: and

text: you

text: 're

text: my

text: first

text: customer

text: Abdullahi

text: Hagi

text: formerly

text: of

text: Mogadishu

text: said

text: as

text: he

text: tightened

text: his

text: grip

text: on

text: the

text: leather

text: bound

text: steering

text: wheel

text: When

text: the

text: economy

text: is

text: bad

text: people

text: do

text: n't

text: ride

text: cabs

text: Often

text: considered

text: a

text: bellwether

text: for

text: consumer

text: spending

text: cabdrivers

text: and

text: the

text: tough

text: times

text: they

text: now

text: face

text: could

text: mean

text: worse

text: times

text: for

text: relatives

text: living

text: in

text: places

text: like

text: Somalia

text: where

text: war

text: and

text: famine

text: have

text: made

text: remittances

text: from

text: emigres

text: like

text: Hagi

text: more

text: important

text: Amid

text: a

text: financial

text: crunch

text: that

text: has

text: many

text: of

text: Hagi

text: 's

text: customers

text: feeling

text: the

text: pinch

text: fewer

text: fares

text: and

text: mounting

text: bills

text: have

text: not

text: stopped

text: him

text: from

text: sending

text: a

text: big

text: chunk

text: of

text: his

text: paycheck

text: home

text: to

text: his

text: family

text: Despite

text: a

text: bit

text: more

text: empty

text: space

text: in

text: his

text: hand

text: stitched

text: wallet

text: Hagi

text: said

text: he

text: has

text: worked

text: out

text: a

text: solution

text: to

text: keep

text: his

text: family

text: fed

text: back

text: home

text: He

text: is

text: pooling

text: his

text: paycheck

text: with

text: fellow

text: cabdrivers

text: Watch

text: how

text: cabbie

text: gets

text: by

text: with

text: less

text: Â

text: An

text: informal

text: lending

text: system

text: has

text: emerged

text: in

text: major

text: U.S.

text: cities

text: akin

text: to

text: an

text: old

text: world

text: style

text: of

text: community

text: banking

text: that

text: is

text: fending

text: off

text: starvation

text: in

text: places

text: like

text: Somalia

text: In

text: Atlanta

text: cabdrivers

text: lend

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: based

text: on

text: need

text: depending

text: whose

text: family

text: is

text: in

text: more

text: dire

text: straits

text: I

text: could

text: never

text: borrow

text: from

text: any

text: bank

text: Hagi

text: admits

text: You

text: take

text: loans

text: not

text: from

text: institutions

text: but

text: from

text: friends

text: However

text: Hagi

text: is

text: still

text: struggling

text: to

text: make

text: ends

text: meet

text: Should

text: I

text: pay

text: the

text: student

text: loan

text: or

text: should

text: I

text: pay

text: for

text: my

text: starving

text: relatives

text: he

text: asked

text: That

text: 's

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: choice

text: you

text: 've

text: got

text: to

text: make

text: every

text: day

text: Lately

text: it

text: 's

text: been

text: getting

text: harder

text: and

text: harder

text: to

text: accumulate

text: enough

text: to

text: survive

text: and

text: also

text: send

text: back

text: home

text: he

text: added

text: shifting

text: his

text: weight

text: in

text: the

text: cab

text: 's

text: cracked

text: leather

text: seats

text: You

text: try

text: to

text: cut

text: corners

text: in

text: your

text: lifestyle

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: send

text: money

text: to

text: your

text: people

text: because

text: they

text: 're

text: always

text: in

text: much

text: worse

text: condition

text: always

text: on

text: the

text: brink

text: of

text: collapse

text: or

text: starvation

text: Hagi

text: and

text: his

text: family

text: are

text: not

text: alone

text: Figures

text: from

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: put

text: nearly

text: half

text: of

text: Somalia

text: 's

text: population

text: in

text: need

text: of

text: humanitarian

text: assistance

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: report

text: released

text: in

text: September

text: One

text: in

text: six

text: Somali

text: children

text: under

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: are

text: acutely

text: malnourished

text: the

text: report

text: found

text: and

text: food

text: is

text: getting

text: more

text: costly

text: The

text: price

text: of

text: sorghum

text: used

text: for

text: grain

text: and

text: found

text: on

text: the

text: dinner

text: plates

text: of

text: most

text: Somali

text: households

text: soared

text: percent

text: since

text: last

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: separate

text: U.N.

text: report

text: Civil

text: war

text: and

text: drought

text: have

text: made

text: food

text: both

text: scarce

text: and

text: a

text: source

text: of

text: political

text: power

text: Pitched

text: battles

text: between

text: an

text: Islamic

text: insurgency

text: and

text: Ethiopian

text: backed

text: transitional

text: government

text: forces

text: have

text: left

text: thousands

text: dead

text: and

text: rendered

text: what

text: many

text: have

text: called

text: a

text: failed

text: state

text: now

text: teetering

text: on

text: the

text: brink

text: of

text: its

text: worst

text: humanitarian

text: crisis

text: in

text: over

text: a

text: decade

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: World

text: Food

text: Program

text: report

text: The

text: United

text: Nations

text: says

text: all

text: information

text: indicates

text: that

text: the

text: key

text: factors

text: driving

text: this

text: humanitarian

text: crisis

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: worsen

text: over

text: the

text: coming

text: months

text: That

text: crisis

text: coinciding

text: with

text: a

text: financial

text: one

text: that

text: clobbered

text: Wall

text: Street

text: and

text: sent

text: U.S.

text: automakers

text: begging

text: for

text: bailouts

text: may

text: leave

text: cabdrivers

text: like

text: Hagi

text: facing

text: the

text: perfect

text: storm

text: You

text: cut

text: your

text: groceries

text: You

text: cut

text: even

text: the

text: clothes

text: you

text: buy

text: the

text: kids

text: You

text: cut

text: everything

text: he

text: said

text: Whatever

text: you

text: can

text: think

text: of

text: There

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: much

text: more

text: to

text: cut

text: For

text: now

text: cabdrivers

text: like

text: Hagi

text: are

text: turning

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: to

text: keep

text: food

text: on

text: the

text: family

text: table

text: back

text: home

question: How much of the population is in need?

answer: nearly half

text: nearly half

question: Who is the woes taking a toll on?

answer: Somali children

text: Somali children

question: What percent need humanitarian aid?

answer: nearly half

text: nearly half

question: According to U.N, hwo many of Somalia's population i need of humanitarian aid?

answer: nearly half of

text: nearly half of

question: What do many families rely on?

answer: humanitarian assistance,

text: humanitarian assistance,

question: Who do the economic woes take a toll on?

answer: relatives living in places like Somalia,

text: relatives living in places like Somalia,