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'Disaster' feared as oil slick creeps to shore

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano: This is a spill of national significance The US Coast Guard is investigating reports that oil has started washing ashore on the Gulf Coast from a leaking offshore well. Up to 5,000 barrels of oil a day are thought to be spilling into the water after last week's explosion on a BP-operated rig, which then sank. President Barack Obama has pledged "every single available resource" to help. The US navy has been deployed to help avert a looming environmental disaster. The Coast Guard said it had sent investigators to confirm whether crude oil had begun to wash up on parts of the Louisiana shoreline. President Obama's administration has banned oil drilling in new areas of the US coast pending investigations into the cause of the oil spill off Louisiana. "No additional drilling has been authorised and none will until we find out what happened," White House adviser David Axelrod told ABC television. Last month President Barack Obama eased a moratorium on new offshore drilling. 'Mind-boggling' David Kennedy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration described the oil spill as a very, very big thing." He told the Associated Press news agency that the clean-up efforts could be "mind-boggling". An emergency shrimping season was opened on Thursday to allow fishermen to bring in their catch before it was fouled by the advancing oil. The US government has designated the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as an "incident of national significance". This allows it to draw on resources from across the country. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and asked for federal funds to deploy 6,000 National Guard soldiers to help with the clean-up. The Louisiana coastline, with its rich shrimp and oyster beds, is the most threatened by the spill. There are also fears of severe damage to fisheries and wildlife in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Navy vessels are helping to deploy booms to contain the spill. President Obama has dispatched high-level administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, to the area. He said they would "ensure that BP and the entire US government is doing everything possible, not just to respond to this incident, but also to determine its cause". Speaking at the White House, Mr Obama also said: "While BP is ultimately responsible for funding the cost of response and clean-up operations, my administration will continue to use every single available resource at our disposal, including potentially the Department of Defence, to address the incident." Meanwhile, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said there was no reason so far to reconsider the president's recent decision to support plans for increased offshore drilling. "Our focus right now is: one, the area, the spill; and two, also to ultimately determine the cause of it and see the impact that that ultimately may or may not have," Mr Gibbs said. 'Devastating' Eleven workers are … [Read more...]

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Young sex slaves offered escape

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS * Group fights to prevent sexual trafficking of Nepal's women and girls * Anuradha Koirala, 61, started Maiti Nepal following an abusive relationship * More than 12,000 Nepali women and girls have been rescued and rehabilitated since 1993 * Do you know someone who should be a CNN Hero? Nominations are open now RELATED TOPICS * Nepal * India * Human Trafficking * HIV and AIDS * Domestic Violence Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) -- Geeta was 9 when she began wearing makeup, staying up until 2 a.m. and having sex with as many as 60 men a day. "I used to be really sad and frustrated with what was happening in my life," she said. The daughter of Nepalese peasant farmers, Geeta -- now 26 -- had been sold to a brothel in India by a member of her extended family. The family member had duped Geeta's visually impaired mother into believing her daughter would get work at a clothing company in Nepal. "The brothel where I was ... there [were] many customers coming in every day. The owner used to verbally abuse us, and if we didn't comply, [she] would start beating us with wires, rods and hot spoons." It was not until Geeta was 14 that a police officer rescued her and brought her to a safe house compound run by Anuradha Koirala. The 61-year-old woman and her group, Maiti Nepal, have been fighting for more than 16 years to rescue and rehabilitate thousands of Nepal's sex trafficking victims. "Families are tricked all the time," said Koirala. "The trafficking of the girls is done by people who are basically known to the girls, who can lure them from the village by telling them they are getting a nice job. It's a lucrative business." By raiding brothels, patrolling the India-Nepal border and providing safe shelter and support services, Koirala and Maiti Nepal have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 Nepali women and girls since 1993. Do you know someone who should be a CNN Hero? Nominations are open now According to the U.S. State Department, some 10,000 to 15,000 women and girls from Nepal are trafficked to India and then sexually exploited each year. Koirala's own history in an abusive relationship led her to her crusade. For most of her young adulthood, she taught primary school English in Nepal. But when her relationship took a violent turn, her life's "purpose and responsibility completely changed," she said. "Every day, there was battering. And then I had three miscarriages that I think [were] from the beating. It was very difficult because I didn't know in those days where to go and report [it], who to ... talk to." After the relationship ended, Koirala used a portion of her $100 monthly salary to start a small retail shop to employ and support displaced victims of sex trafficking and domestic violence. By the early 1990s, an increasing demand for help and persistent cases of violence against women compelled Koirala to do more. Maiti Nepal was her brainchild for giving voice, legal defense … [Read more...]

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Wayward driving hampers Tiger at Quail Hollow

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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In rough start, Woods hits just four of 14 fairways, nine of 18 greens in regulation By Mark Soltau / TigerWoods.com CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Tiger Woods knew he would have challenging days following a five-month layoff, especially on difficult courses. Thursday was such a day. Seldom in sync with his swing, Woods struggled to a 2-over-par 74 at Quail Hollow Club in the first round of the $6.5 million Quail Hollow Championship. Bo Van Pelt carded the low score of the day with a 65. The top-ranked Woods hit only nine of 18 greens and four of 14 fairways in regulation. Only a sharp short game -- Woods used 28 putts -- prevented further damage. "It wasn't the driver, it was everything," said Woods, who was making only his second start of 2010. "I had a two-way miss going, which was great, all day." Woods, who won here in 2007, has three top-five finishes here in four starts. An early back-nine starter with Stewart Cink and Angel Cabrera, Woods began strong, crushing his opening drive down the par-5 10th fairway. He came up just short of the green in two and hit a deft pitch shot three feet from the hole for an easy birdie. It would be the only fairway he found on the side. Playing in cool conditions -- in which breaths were visible -- and with heavy dew in the rough, Woods made a nice par-save at the 11th, getting up and down from just short of the green on the par 4. At the 456-yard, downhill, par-4 12th, Nick Watney made an eagle in the group in front, holing out his second shot with a 6-iron. Woods wasn't as fortunate, driving into the left rough. He then punched a low hook just short of the green, hit his third shot 12 feet right of the hole and missed his par putt. Woods hit a nice tee shot at the 200-yard, downhill, par-3 13th, finishing nine feet right of the hole. His birdie try slid low-left, and he settled for a par. At the short, water-flanked, par-4 14th, Woods laid up off the tee, played to the center of the green and two-putted for a par from 25 feet. He made a great par-save at the uphill, par-5 15th. After driving under a holly tree on the right, Woods did well to punch out down the fairway but wound up in thick rough, just above the water on the left side of the hole. His third shot wound up in a left, greenside bunker, where he blasted seven feet short of the cup and converted the putt. Woods' driving woes continued at the long, par-4 16th, where he pulled his shot into the left rough and was fortunate to have a backswing. His approach finished just left of the green, and he chipped to three feet and saved par. At the tough, 217-yard, par-3 17th, Woods found water off the tee, reteed and two-putted for a double bogey. "Just a bad shot," he said. The demanding, par-4 18th also got him, as he drove into a creek along the left side of the fairway. Woods took a drop, hit his third shot just short of the green and chipped to three feet to salvage a bogey, making the turn in 3-over 39. With the course blanketed in warm sunshine, … [Read more...]

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How to Build a Better Husband

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Picked a fixer-upper? New research shows you can mold your partner into a better version of himself. Psychology researcher Eli Finkel, Ph.D., likes to describe a hypothetical couple named Dave and Jasmine. Dave always dreamed of being charming and outgoing, but self-doubt made him a wallflower. Then he met Jasmine. She laughed at his jokes and eagerly set up his one-liners: "Tell the one about the guy who … " With Jasmine cheering him on, Dave became more confident. Now he's a new man — the life of every party. This kind of transformation — in which one partner encourages the other to become the person he or she wants to be — can have powerful effects, says Finkel, associate professor of social psychology at Northwestern University. He and his team recently studied the process by which partners sculpt each other, known as the Michelangelo phenomenon, and according to their research, it can improve the health of the relationship and each partner's happiness level. "Personal growth is satisfying — and having a partner help with that growth makes the relationship satisfying," says Finkel. But the point here isn't to "fix" what you perceive as your partner's flaws. "The Michelangelo effect works only if your ideal image of your partner dovetails with his own, and vice versa," he says. "In the case of Jasmine and Dave, she helped him acquire the qualities he wanted to acquire." Partners can help each other do that by being explicit about their goals and ambitions. Have a frank talk about who you want to be in ten years — whether it's more outgoing, more patient, or more adventurous, suggests Finkel. Doing so can help ensure that you understand and support each other's vision for "how I see my best life." More from Oprah.com:Why one woman is moving out, but staying married … [Read more...]

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How I Knew She Was a Keeper

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Guys share when they knew they'd found The One It happens to most men sooner or later: He's dating someone, things are going well, then... wham! The woman does something small and seemingly inconsequential that makes him fall for her, hard. What, you may be asking yourself, is that special element that changes his thinking from "She's fun" to "She's The One?" Well, it turns out men are more than happy to walk down memory lane and reveal those pivotal moments—and Catherine Cardinal, Ph.D., dating expert and author of The Cure for the Common Life, explains what women everywhere can learn from their stories! "She got my weird sense of humor" The case history: "Not long after we'd begun dating, Anneli unexpectedly showed up on the set of a short film I was making. The scene we were shooting was… how can I put it? A little bit crude. I've dated girls that have been kind of uptight about stuff I think is hysterical, so after the scene was over I didn't know what to expect. I was relieved — and kind of surprised — to see that it made her laugh. In fact, she was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face and she could barely breathe. That's when I knew I had a good one. Two months later I proposed." —Matt Ballard, 35, New York, NY; married to Anneli for two years Love lesson learned: A shared sense of humor is essential Let's face it: No matter how much you love someone, your life together will get dull if you can't laugh your way through it. "Choosing someone who is not rigid and who can let go with a good belly laugh, especially over the same things you find funny, is a win-win situation," says Dr. Cardinal. "It ensures you'll have an animated, lively life." And how great is it to know your mate finds you fun and entertaining? In other words, she gets you! "She challenged me to do the right thing" The case history: "I knew Marianne was The One when she encouraged me to work through a tough situation I was having with a co-worker. She allowed me to vent but also challenged me to see things from another perspective and not take the easy way out and ignore the situation, which was my impulse. Because of her influence, I was able to approach my co-worker and get a better understanding of where he was coming from. After that I knew Marianne would never be someone who walked behind me, but someone who would always stand next to me." —Ken Kish, 33, San Clemente, CA; married to Marianne for six years Love lesson learned: Disagreements can help you grow closer It's easy to unconditionally support someone's every decision. Challenge your date to live up to certain standards, though, and you'll gain even more points by showing you've got a backbone—and that he or she will become a better person as a result. "Anyone who encourages you to face a challenge is more likely to be a consistent, predictable partner—and one who realizes that unless you grow, you both get held back," says Dr. Cardinal. "She allows me to pursue my passion, … [Read more...]

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Dating and Mating Rituals … Decoded

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Anthropology professor Dr. Helen Fisher shares what's really going on with your date's body language… When it comes to flirting in the hopes of finding The One, what works? The direct approach, "Hey, I couldn't help but notice your beautiful eyes"? Subtle glances? Playing hard to get? These were among my questions as I headed out on a field trip with Dr. Helen Fisher, a professor of anthropology at Rutgers University, and the author of Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love. Dr. Fisher has devoted her career to understanding human mating rituals — and her knowledge applies perfectly, she added, to today's pickup scene. "Even in this modern age, humans adhere to courtship strategies that are as old as the hills, and used throughout the animal kingdom," says Dr. Fisher. And that's why she and I headed out for a night of café- and bar-hopping, to observe what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to mingling and the human mating call. Six hours, two coffee shops, and one — or was it two? — bars later, we had some interesting findings. Come along with us as we make the rounds — and learn! Destination #1: The classic coffee bar for flirting how-to's Our first stop: Starbucks. To me, the woman in the green shirt is sipping a cappuccino and catching up with friends. But in Dr. Fisher's eyes, something much more primordial is happening: The woman in green is on the hunt, and has already staked out her quarry — a tall man in a blue-checkered button-down sitting next to her. "See how her body's twisted toward him in the 'crouch' position, with her hands near her face when she laughs?" Dr. Fisher whispers to me as she sips her chai latte. "It's the 'broken wing' tactic. She's sending a subtle signal his way that says, 'protect me.' Men love that." Indeed, Dr. Fisher says that secret signals of sexual attraction are at work whenever people mingle. The way you sit down with your cappuccino or Corona begins the courtship dance. "The first thing all animals do when attempting to find a mate is to set up their territory," says Dr. Fisher. People who place laptops on their table or their coat and bags on a chair next to them, she explains, are attempting to carve out a perimeter so they can proceed to the next stage of courtship: Attracting attention. "Notice how that guy's stirring his drink with his entire arm?" Dr. Fisher points out. "He'd never bother to do that at home." The man then casually stretches his arms back in a gesture Dr. Fisher calls the "chest thrust" to appear as large and formidable as possible. "Pretty much all courtship postures fall into two categories: Attempts to look big and attempts to look little," she explains. Traditionally, men generally try to look big, or "loom," while women try to look small, or "crouch." The direction someone's feet are pointing can also convey interest: Smitten women turn pigeon-toed; men pivot outward. "Feet can be a real giveaway," says Dr. Fisher. "People are quite conscious … [Read more...]

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Doc Love: You're All-In, But She's Not

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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This week’s question comes from a guy who fell too hard, pushed too hard and lost hard. His problem? He’s all-in, but she’s not. reader’s question Hey Doc, I hope you can be patient with me. I did everything wrong and I know it. too much, too soon I’m 28 and work with an amazing girl, Kelsey. From the very first moment I saw her I thought she could be the one. I wanted to meet her like crazy but I didn’t go for it for two reasons: First of all, because she is so beautiful that I wouldn’t even dream that a girl like her would be available. Second, I’m not a fan of dating people I work with. But I really liked her! One day, a few months after I first saw her, we talked on the phone for a business reason. The talk was so warm that she invited me to her office for coffee. We met, and I could sense that she liked me too. At that point we started talking via e-mail. Everything looked good so I asked for her phone number and called her the same night. She started bombing me with calls. She even asked if I was single. two strikes and a base hit A few days later, Kelsey said that she just came out of a five-year relationship. (She dumped the guy.) She told me it was a bad period for her and she didn’t want to rush things, but she liked me a lot and wanted to take it really slow. Over the following days I asked her twice to go out, but she said it was too soon. I didn’t ask her again and suddenly, one night, she said she wanted to see me the following day. We went out for a drink and then she asked me to take her to the beach. I tried to kiss her but she backed off. She told me that kissing me would make things more complicated because then she would start to feel things for me. I told her no problem, take your time and perhaps we can go out some other time if you want to. Then she grabbed me and kissed me and we made out for hours. I left with the feeling that we finally made a start. The next night, I was out with friends and sent Kelsey a couple of instant messages early in the morning; she didn’t reply. The next morning Kelsey told me that she felt pressure. She kissed me at the beach because she thought that she could overcome that feeling of pressure, but it didn’t work out for her after all. She told me that at the moment she couldn’t offer anything to me. All she wanted is to be with her friends and have fun. I told her that she can have as much space and time as she wants, and that I like her so much I can wait for her to clear her mind. he’s all-in We haven’t spoken for days since, apart from one time at work for business. I know I rushed things a hell of a lot and revealed too much. I know that I probably did all the wrong things because I'm stuck on her, but please coach me. My question is: What should I do now? I want Kelsey. I am sure you think I’m an idiot, but Kelsey is the woman of my life. Her birthday is next week. Should I give her a present? Send flowers? Thanks for any insight. Shelton - who’s all-in, … [Read more...]

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'Should Obscenity Be Illegal?'

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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WASHINGTON — Reason.tv again takes a look at Evil Angel founder John Stagliano's obscenity prosecution that is scheduled to go to trial this summer. Reason.tv has just released a 6:15-minute news short produced by staffers Dan Hayes and Nick Gillespie titled "Should Obscenity Be Illegal?". Stagliano, who faces a possible term that could mean imprisonment for the rest of his life if convicted, makes a compelling case with his statements on whether obscenity prosecutions make sense because the productions are created and consumed by consenting adults in private. "I make my porno movies for the people who love porno," Stagliano said in the news video. "They are my fans that's who I make it for." Stagliano faces up to 32 years in federal prison for distributing "Milk Nymphos" and "Storm Squirters 2: Target Practice" and a promotional video for similar material on his website. He contends in Reason.tv's piece that if the government can try his case, prosecutors could extend it to even lighter fare, despite not clearly spelling out what obscenity really is. "I didn't know I was breaking the law," he said. The prosecution of adult material is "another area where the government thinks it should be able to run our lives. They could easily extend that from looking at porn to consuming fast food" and other activities. Reason.tv, in the video, attempts to compare age-old works of art that also were deemed obscene — "Lady Chatterley's Lover," "Ulysses" and "I Am Curious Yellow"— to show that such prosecutions are subjective and selective. Separately, federal prosecutors this week filed an opposition to Stagliano's motion to preclude evidence in his 2008 copyright case against Kaytel. Prosecutors says they want three documents introduced to the jury that will decide Stagliano's case. The government wants to introduce Stagliano's testimony, deposition and the first amended complaint in the Kaytel case. But Stagliano attorney Allan Gelbard said they plan to squash the request. "We don't want prosecutors to use the earlier copyright case in these court proceedings," Gelbard told XBIZ. "It's not what we want the jury to hear. We don't want to bring it up at all." … [Read more...]

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Judge Sets Settlement Conference for Pink Visual Suit

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Scheduling a conference a routine move in such legal action NEW YORK—According to documents filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck has ordered a settlement conference for May 19 between the parties in a copyright infringement lawsuit involving plaintiff Ventura Content and defendant Mansef Inc. The Order signed by Peck requires that counsel attending the conference “must have full settlement authority and their client(s) must be present at the conference, as must a representative of the client's insurance company where the decision to settle and/or amount of settlement must be approved by the insurance company.” By May 12, the parties must file a confidential settlement memorandum with the court that explains “the factual and legal background of the case as it impacts on settlement negotiations; the status of prior settlement discussions between the parties, if any; and the party's settlement proposal (range).” In the document the judge strongly suggests that the memo not exceed 15 pages and the settlement proposal “should be the realistic settlement range of that party, not just the party's ‘opening bid.’” Scheduling the settlement conference is a routine move in such legal action and indicates no prediliction on the part of either ligitant to settle. According to one source, “Judges always order opposing parties in civil litigation to try to settle." AVN originally reported on the lawsuit in February. Ventura Content, the copyright-holding company for adult content producer Pink Visual and the TopBucks network, filed a multimillion-dollar copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Mansef, Inc., a Canadian-based company also know as Mansef Productions, and 6721851 Canada Inc. The complaint alleges that the defendants own and operate four tube sites—www.keezmovies.com, www.extremetube.com, www.pornhub.com and www.tubeb.com—and that by means of those sites they have willfully engaged in direct and contributory copyright infringement as well as inducement of copyright infringement. … [Read more...]

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US oil slick 'five times bigger'

April 29, 2010 By 1 Comment
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Vessels swept some oil into a fire-resistant boom for a "test burn" The US Coast Guard says five times as much oil as previously thought could be leaking from a well beneath where a rig sank in the Gulf of Mexico last week. Rear Admiral Mary Landry said 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) a day were now thought to be gushing into the sea 50 miles (80km) off Louisiana's coast. A third leak had also been discovered at the site, Adm Landry said. One fire-fighting expert told the BBC the disaster might become the "biggest oil spill in the world". "Probably the only thing comparable to this is the Kuwait fires [following the Gulf War in 1991]," Mike Miller, head of Canadian oil well fire-fighting company Safety Boss, told BBC World Service. "The Exxon Valdez [tanker disaster off Alaska in 1989] is going to pale [into insignificance] in comparison to this as it goes on." If US Coast Guard estimates are correct, the slick could match the 11m gallons spilt from the Exxon Valdez within less than two months. Earlier, a coast guard crew set fire to part of the oil slick, in an attempt to save environmentally fragile wetlands. The "controlled burn" of surface oil took place in an area about 30 miles (50km) east of the Mississippi river delta, officials said. But Mike Miller warned that burning off leaking oil was not a long-term solution at all. "The object of this game is to shut off the flow," he said. Engineers are believed to be working on a dome-like device to cover oil rising to the surface and pump it to container vessels but it may be weeks before this is in place. ANALYSIS Andy Gallacher Andy Gallacher, BBC News, Venice, Louisiana Despite efforts to burn off the oil, the crews here are now battling against the odds. The US Coast Guard's discovery of another leak spewing oil from the collapsed rig has many here bracing for an environmental disaster on a huge scale. An estimated 5,000 barrels of oil a day are now pouring into the Gulf of Mexico and forecasters say a new weather front could push the slick towards this coastline at an even faster rate. The state of Louisiana is now asking for emergency assistance as the oil slick draws closer. It now seems inevitable that Louisiana's coastline will be hit and at least another two states could be affected. Weather forecasters have meanwhile warned that changing winds could drive the oil slick ashore by Friday night. Adm Landry said experts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had increased their estimate for the leak based on aerial surveys, applying dispersants, studying the trajectory of the slick, local weather conditions, and other factors. "This is not an exact science when we estimate the amount of oil. However, the NOAA is telling me now they'd prefer we use at least 5,000 barrels a day," she told reporters in New Orleans. Adm Landry also said she had been told of "a new location of an additional breach in the riser of the deep underwater well", about 5,000ft … [Read more...]

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