Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- A timeline of events leading to the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, according to documents from congressional investigators and testimony from witnesses to the disaster:

^12:35 a.m.

Oilfield services contractor Halliburton completes cementing on BP's Mississippi Canyon 252 well. In the hours leading up to midafternoon, crews conduct three positive pressure tests, in which fluid weight is placed on the seal.

^11 a.m.

BP and Transocean executives argue over changes in the drill plan for the well at a meeting aboard the rig.

^5:05 p.m.

An unexpected loss of fluid is observed in the riser pipe, suggesting there are leaks in the blowout preventer, a critical piece of equipment designed to shut down the well in the event of an emergency.

^5-7 p.m.

Negative pressure tests, in which crews reduce fluid pressure to test for leaks through the cement or well casing, show unexpected results. One draws 15 barrels of liquid out of the well instead of the expected five, raising more concerns about leaks. In a second, pressure on the rig's "kill line" -- a high-pressure pipe used to cut off the flow of oil -- falls to zero, while rising to 1,400 pounds per square inch in the drill line, indicating a buildup of natural gas.

^8 p.m.

BP ends testing and proceeds to replace remaining drill fluids with seawater. A BP investigator later suggests this is a "fundamental mistake."

^9:00 p.m.

More fluid is reported flowing out of the well than is being pumped in.

^9:10 p.m.

Well pump is shut down for a "sheen" test, but the well continues to flow. Drill pipe pressure unexpectedly increases.

^9:30 p.m.

Abnormal pressures and more fluid returns are observed. The well pump is abruptly shut down.

^9:50 p.m.

Gas surges from the well and up the riser. The supply ship Damon B. Bankston, which is tied up alongside Deepwater Horizon, reports drilling fluid spilling onto its deck and is told to move back 500 meters from the rig. Seconds later, the first explosion occurs.

^9:52 p.m.

Deepwater Horizon issues distress call. The order is given to abandon the rig. Eleven of the 126 on board are lost at sea when the platform sinks two days later.

Response: Documents from Congress, witness testimony detail events before leak. At one point, BP and Transocean executives argue over changes in the drill plan. Unexpected loss of fluid suggests leaks in the blowout preventer.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Colorado Springs, Colorado (CNN) -- Firefighters made little headway Thursday against a raging wildfire near Colorado Springs, Colorado, which has scorched close to 16,000 acres, destroyed 360 homes and claimed at least two lives.

Witnesses spoke to the two victims in the afternoon, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa told reporters.

"They said that they could see a glow to the west. They were packing their personal belongings, trying to get out," he said.

Earlier, county spokesman Dave Rose told CNN that the Black Forest Fire, burning northeast of the city, now appears to be the most destructive in terms of property lost in state history.

Some 750 firefighters were battling the blaze, which was 5% contained late Thursday. With the help of helicopters and air tankers, they established a loose perimeter.

"The fire is very, very active within the containment area, and we don't have a high level of confidence at all that we'll be able to hold all of these lines around this fire," Rose said.

The fire's evacuation area was 93,000 acres, affecting approximately 38,000 people and 13,000 homes, and the flames were estimated to have burned through 15,700 acres, said Maketa.

That marked a dramatic increase from the 8,500 acres officials said had been burned by Wednesday night, he noted.

After he spoke, residents of about 1,000 homes in Colorado Springs were told to evacuate.

"Wind is probably our No. 1 threat," the sheriff said. Combined with dry brush and high temperatures, the winds have fanned devastating flames.

Maketa struggled to find a phrase to describe how ferocious the fire is, settling on "very dynamic."

"If it's a draw, that's a victory today because we haven't had too many draws in the last couple of days," he said.

'The flames were there'

Among those who lost their home were husband and wife, Jaenette and Kristian Coyne.

"We literally had five minutes, and we left because it was, the flames were there," Jaenette Coyne told CNN's AC360 Thursday night.

She said she grabbed a baby album and a personal computer with pictures on it. She also took a firebox, which contained most of the couple's important documents.

The Coynes actually saw their home burn on live TV.

"It was probably the worst thing I've ever seen in my life. You have that moment where you say: 'Is that really my house?' But we know it was. However, now I'm grateful that I know. A lot of people here just don't know," Jaenette Coyne said.

In northeast Colorado Springs, CNN iReporter Heather Croze took photos outside her home, capturing a billowing plume of smoke. One shot shows just how wide the smoke was on the horizon.

A county fairground northeast of the Black Forest Fire looked like a Noah's Ark with families who fled with their animals to escape the looming inferno.

There were nearly 30 chickens, several hundred horses, a handful of cows and a couple calves, and many alpacas and miniature horses, according to the Elbert County Sheriff's Office. Assorted dogs, cats, goats and donkeys mingled with mules and llamas. Three stallions were there. And for good measure, one yak.

At least eight families also have taken refuge at the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa, the Denver Post reported, which is about 35 miles southeast of Denver.

Joanne Gaishin slept outside in her car after fleeing her home with 18 chickens and three turkeys. "I stayed in the front seat of my car with all of my fowl in there, with the roosters crowing in the morning," she told the paper.

'We have each other'

Paula Warren, one of thousands of residents forced to flee her home northeast of Colorado Springs, spoke about how difficult it was to leave and wonder if her home was all right.

"I thought I had about an hour, and it turned out to be about 20 minutes," she said. "I had a pillowcase full of socks, and that's basically all I have."

By Thursday afternoon, she got bad news. A friend called her to say that her home was on an online list of residences that had been designated as destroyed. Warren didn't know exactly where the friend had seen the information but she believed it to be true.

For a person who had just been told their home was gone, Warren had a cheerful attitude when talking with CNN, laughing and saying that she was just going to go back home when she could, hitch up a trailer on the property, live in that and rebuild her house.

Her home sat on five acres and she doesn't think the land has been damaged. "Trees are still standing," she said.

For now she and her two miniature horses are staying with a friend on the outskirts of Colorado Springs.

The animals have adjusted fairly well, she said.

"You can't just take 'em to a Motel 6," she said. "And my friend is very tolerant."

Like Warren, CNN iReporter Mike Schultz lost his home. He sent images of it burned to the ground, showing charred remains.

His wife, Caml Schultz, said their family was able to save only some photographs, paperwork and few items of clothes.

"But we have each other, and we're blessed. So many people have suffered loss, and so we're just thankful that we're here and safe and that we're loved, and that we have so many people that are willing to help take care of us," she said.

Working to protect homes

Sheriff Maketa praised the swift and strong help that civilian workers have been getting from National Guard and other military responders. Authorities said that they are watching neighborhoods and homes to do everything they can to keep them safe while combating the blaze.

Still, there have been losses.

Maketa said Thursday that 360 homes had been destroyed; another 14 were damaged.

Rose, the El Paso County spokesman, stressed later that those figures were preliminary, and said he would expect them to increase.

"There are areas of the Black Forest that we have not been able to get into at all to make any sort of assessment. So it's almost impossible to come up with another number, but it is safe to assume that that number will in fact rise," he said.

Ken Litch, a 12-year resident of the area, watched Wednesday as the Black Forest Fire gained ground on his home. There wasn't much else he could do.

"A hundred homes would be nothing," he told CNN affiliate KUSA. "Whatever is in its way, it's going to take."

The inferno is likely to continue for a couple more days as temperatures are forecast to stay in the 90s through Friday, with winds gusting up to 30 mph.

Famous bridge still intact

Another major fire in the state is the Royal Gorge Fire, which is burning 55 miles to the southwest, on the other side of Colorado Springs.

It burned several buildings around the iconic Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge, and threatened the bridge itself.

Authorities downgraded the number of acres burned from 3,800 to 3,100 late Wednesday. The wildfire was 20% contained, the state office of emergency management reported. Twenty structures have been lost to the flames.

"We have made good progress on the fire today without any accidents or injuries," said Dennis Page, incident commander for the fire.

The famous Royal Gorge Bridge that spans the Arkansas River is intact but needs to be inspected before it can reopen for tourists, a spokeswoman for the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park said.

The suspension bridge, which is 956 feet above the river and among the highest in the world, is made of more than 1,000 wooden planks.

"We did not know until today whether the bridge was still standing," Gorge Bridge and Park spokeswoman Peggy Gair said.

Gair says fire at the park burned a visitor's center, a tramway building, a carousel and several restaurants.

Are you there? Send an iReport

There were other fires in the state as well, including in Grand and Huerfano counties. Black Forest was the biggest of the blazes.

Gallery: Wildfire photographer Kari Greer goes inside the inferno

Paul Vercammen reported from Colorado Springs; Dana Ford and Ashley Fantz reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Dan Simon, Greg Botelho, Shawn Nottingham and Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

Response: NEW: The two victims may have been trying to evacuate. NEW: "If it's a draw, that's a victory today," sheriff says. The Black Forest Fire has scorched at least 15,700 acres. Some 360 homes are destroyed; 14 are damaged.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Attorneys and a federal judge are expected to meet in a North Carolina courtroom Friday afternoon for a status hearing regarding the pending criminal trial of John Edwards, the former presidential candidate and U.S. senator.

The hearing comes after attorneys on both sides filed several motions, many of them sealed from the public.

In December, attorneys for Edwards asked again to delay his criminal trial, saying Edwards had an unspecified medical issue.

Last year, the Justice Department charged Edwards with conspiracy, issuing false statements and violating campaign contribution laws. He has pleaded not guilty.

Last September, the trial was delayed until January 30 after Edwards' attorneys said he needed more time, in part due to his position as the sole caretaker of his two youngest children, ages 11 and 13, after his wife, Elizabeth, passed away in December 2010.

The motion to continue the trial for 60 days filed on December 22 said Edwards' "unexpected" medical issue is explained in a sealed exhibit. The issue will "prevent a trial of this matter during the January 2012 criminal term," according to the motion, and cannot be resolved before the end of the term.

Attorneys for Edwards, who was the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2004 alongside John Kerry, also say in the motion a January trial would not give them enough time to prepare, especially given the "unusual and complex" prosecution.

"Since this trial date was set, the government has produced as part of the discovery process an additional 103,102 pages of material including more than 91,000 e-mails as well as 26 voicemails received by cooperating witnesses between 2007 and 2010," the motion says. In addition, both the government and Edwards are seeking evidence from North Carolina state courts.

"Absent a continuance, Mr. Edwards' counsel will not be able to effectively use the evidence the government was obligated to provide him ... and this, in turn, threatens Mr. Edwards' right to effective counsel and a fair trial," according to the motion.

"This is not hyperbole. Mr. Edwards' counsel are experienced trial lawyers and they are and have been working hard -- long hours, late nights and weekends -- and they have not made it their practice to seek unwarranted continuances."

It is unclear if a decision has been made on whether the trial has been delayed.

A chief issue in the upcoming trial is whether money given to support Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, by the then-candidate's benefactors should have been considered campaign donations, a contention Edwards' team has disputed. They maintain the money was a gift to Hunter.

If convicted on all counts, Edwards could face 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.5 million.

Response: The trial was set to start January 30 after a delay in September. Edwards' attorneys are asking for 60 more days. They say they need time to review evidence provided by prosecutors.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Brisbane, Australia (CNN) -- Emergency services and Australian military personnel stepped up the search Friday for dozens of people still missing in Queensland as authorities and residents tried to assess the damage caused by the state's worst flooding in decades.

One of the 15 bodies recovered was found 80 kilometers from where the person had been washed away, said Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson. Some bodies might never be recovered, he said.

Floodwaters that carved a muddy trail of destruction through Brisbane, the state capital, have started to recede, but officials warn the cleanup will take months.

More than 20,000 homes were inundated after the normally subdued Brisbane River turned into a raging torrent as weeks of rain pushed it to more than 4 meters at high tide early Thursday.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh fought back tears as she described the damage inflicted by the state's "worst natural disaster in our history."

The search was concentrated to the west of Brisbane, near Toowoomba, which was all but submerged when a wall of water tore through the town on Monday.

"There has to be an expectation of further deaths and further bodies. ... We have to steel ourselves for that terrible outcome," said Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith.

Residents in Brisbane were being urged not to enter floodwater because of the risk of illness after sewage plants along the river were inundated.

Sightseers were warned to stay clear of the Brisbane River or risk hampering emergency service operations.

Some 200 people, including members of the Australian Defence Force, Special Emergency Services and police, searched vast tracts of land and swollen waters for 55 people still missing.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard spoke to reporters at Amberley Air Force Base outside Brisbane, where she was preparing to board a plane to tour the area. She said the number of ADF personnel deployed for rescue and cleanup work was being boosted to 1,200. That represents the biggest deployment of ADF personnel for a natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy devastated the northern Australian city of Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974, killing 71 people.

Aerial views of Brisbane showed islands of roofs and treetops jutting from a sea of muddy brown water -- or stranded high-rises jutting starkly from murky river overflow.

The Brisbane River, which slices through the city, peaked Thursday at 4.6 meters (more than 15 feet), about a meter below predictions and below the level set by the last major flood in 1974.

Officials had predicted a crest at 5.2 meters.

Bligh said 11,900 homes in Brisbane were fully flooded and 14,700 were partially flooded. In addition, about 2,500 businesses were fully inundated and 2,500 more were partially inundated, she said. Many of them will never again be habitable, she said.

"There's a lot of heartache and grief as people start to see, for the first time, what has happened to their homes and their streets," Bligh told ABC News 24. "In some cases, we have street after street where every home has been inundated to the roof level."

Queensland police have arrested 10 people on 18 charges of looting, Atkinson said. Nine of the incidents were in Brisbane and one in Ipswich. If convicted, offenders could face up to 10 years in prison.

Some 600 members of the Australian Defence Force were helping and more were expected, said Bligh.

She predicted that Brisbane's Central Business District was "largely operational," and will likely be fully operational next week, when power is expected to be restored to 10 office buildings.

The flooding in Brisbane follows flooding elsewhere in the state. Soon after Christmas, water from torrential rains swamped the northern city of Rockhampton, 600 kilometers (370 miles) north of Brisbane, triggering a massive recovery operation to rebuild the town.

Those floodwaters have been sweeping toward the coasts since then. So far, 70 towns and cities in Queensland have been affected by the flood, Bligh said.

Homeowners who had evacuated their properties started returning Thursday to assess the damage. Some rowed out on inflatable boats, surfboards and whatever else they could find. One man was seen walking in the murky water up to his chin.

Mark Grant reached his West End property, in central Brisbane, by kayak.

"I've got a couple of thousand dollars worth of surfboards under the house and we'd left the garage door open to avoid structural damage to the house and I wanted to get them before they floated out to sea," he said after paddling back to higher ground in his street, which was smeared with mud and littered with flood-damaged furniture.

He, his wife and three children abandoned their home on Tuesday evening after the water rose 1 meter inside their garage. By late Thursday, the brown, murky water had risen more than half a meter above the second floor.

The depth of the water surprised him. "We'd been advised by the council that the building height we built at was a meter above the 1974 floods when in fact it's quite a bit below the 1974 floods," he said. "It's only now that we've worked that out."

Farther down the street, Jody Jackson walked down her driveway, where sodden mattresses were piled on a muddy armchair and TV. She and her husband had been staying in the nearby hostel her husband manages, but abandoned it for the main flood evacuation center at the RNA Showgrounds.

They were among more than 1,000 people who slept Wednesday night on inflatable mattresses at the center. Numbers are expected to fall in coming days as people find alternative accommodations.

"We've been coming back and forward just to check" on the hostel, Jackson said. "It's not as bad as we expected."

But many others weren't so lucky. Elsewhere in the city, floodwater rose to rooftops, submerging houses and creating a logistical and financial headache for homeowners waiting for the water to drop so they could check the damage.

CNN's John Raedler contributed to this report.

Response: "There's a lot of heartache and grief," Bligh says. Fifteen dead and 55 missing, officials say. The search for survivors continues. More than 20,000 homes have been inundated.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:President Barack Obama officially begins his second term today, a day ahead of his public swearing in and all the pomp and ceremony of a U.S. presidential inauguration.

Because the Constitution calls for the president to be sworn in on January 20, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be sworn in for their second terms in relatively quiet ceremonies before they take their public oaths in front of the Capitol on Monday and before an audience spread down the National Mall.

Obama's Monday address will lay out the values and vision for his second term and acknowledge the division in Washington but won't address policy, a source with knowledge of the speech told CNN on the condition of anonymity. He'll lay out policy in his February 12 State of the Union address, the source said.

Obama to acknowledge divided Washington in inaugural address

Obama was still working on his speech on Saturday, the source said.

The nation's first African-American president also will become only the 17th U.S. leader to deliver a second inaugural address before joining the traditional parade up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

For his second inauguration, less than half of the estimated 1.8 million onlookers who crammed the Mall in 2009 are expected -- organizers expect 800,000 people to attend Monday's public ceremony.

13 reasons to follow the inauguration on CNN platforms

The smaller crowd this time around reflects the reality of second-term presidencies, when the novelty and expectations of a new leader have been replaced with the familiarity and experiences of the first four years.

Inauguration activities kicked off on Saturday with Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden leading volunteers across the country in National Day of Service Activities.

Obamas, Bidens participate in National Day of Service

The Obamas joined in a project at Burrville Elementary School in Washington, aiding volunteers who were staining a bookcase. Cameras at the school caught the president and first lady staining a bookcase.

The president told volunteers that his family would do volunteer projects on holidays, "So I was taught from a young age." Volunteering "is really what America is all about," he said.

The Bidens helped to put together care packages for service members deployed overseas at the National Guard Armory in Washington. Biden's office said volunteers at the armory would produce 100,000 packages.

"We still have 68,000 troops in harm's way in some of the most godforsaken territory in the world," Biden said, adding that the military members can find comfort "knowing that we back home just remember, we know what's going on."

Chelsea Clinton, honorary chairwoman of the Day of Service, said at a kickoff event on Mall that Saturday was the 19th anniversary of her father former President Bill Clinton signing the bill that designated a National Day of Service to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday honoring the late civil rights leader.

"When he signed the bill, he reminded us of what Dr. King called life's most persistent and urgent question: What are you doing for others?" she said. "And in my family, the only wrong answer to that question is 'nothing.' "

Later Saturday, singer Katy Perry headlined a concert for children of service men and women and Washington schoolchildren that was hosted by the first lady and Mrs. Biden. Singer Usher and the cast of the TV show "Glee" were among others who performed.

Katy Perry brings 'Fireworks' to inauguration kids' concert

The Saturday event was to recognize the sacrifices and "level of maturity that is required from military kids," the first lady said.

"It means always thinking about things that are so much bigger than yourself. It means growing up just a little faster and working just a little harder than other kids," she said. "And it means doing the greatest thing you can ever do with your life at such a young age, and that is to serve our country."

On Sunday, the vice president will take his official oath shortly after 8 a.m. at the Naval Observatory, his official residence, and the president will take his at the White House shortly before noon.

Obama and Biden will travel to Arlington National Cemetery after Biden's swearing-in for a traditional wreath-laying ceremony.

In the evening, the Obamas will watch Latino acts at "In Performance at the Kennedy Center," which is followed by the Let Freedom Ring concert. The Red, White and Blue Inaugural Ball and Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball are also scheduled in the capital.

The president will speak to donors at a Candlelight Celebration and the National Building Museum on Sunday night.

Viewer's guide to the inauguration

Monday's events will be a bit down-sized from Obama's first inauguration. After events in front of the Capitol, the Obamas and Bidens will lead the traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, there are only two presidential balls this year, down from the 10 staged in 2009.

While the anticipated crowd for Monday's events is expected to be about half of those who gathered four years ago, the temperature will be a bit higher than in 2009 when the high hovered around the freezing mark. While the early morning temperature will be in the 20s, the forecast calls for a high temperature in the upper 30s or low 40s. Still, organizers cautioned attendees to bundle up because of prolonged exposure to the cold as they watch the events and make their way to and from them.

Response: President and vice president sworn in officially on Sunday before public ceremony on Monday. Obamas and Bidens led volunteers in National Day of Service on Saturday to honor Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.. Sunday's events include concerts, balls and Obama thank-you to donors. Monday's crowds expected to be about half of those who gathered in D.C. in 2009.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Washington (CNN) -- The Fukushima Daiichi disaster is focusing attention on a problem that has bedeviled Washington policymakers since the dawn of the nuclear age -- what to do with used nuclear fuel.

Currently, spent fuel -- depleted to the extent it can no longer effectively sustain a chain reaction -- is stored in large pools of water, allowing the fuel to slowly cool and preventing the release of radiation.

But events in Japan, where two of the six spent fuel pools at the Fukushima Daiichi facility were compromised, have raised questions about practices at the nation's 104 nuclear reactors, which rely on a combination of pools and dry casks to store used fuel.

"I truly believe we must re-think how we manage spent fuel," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, said at a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday.

In California, Feinstein said, fuel removed from reactors in 1984 is still held in spent-fuel pools, well beyond the minimum five to seven years required by federal regulators. "It's hard to understand why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not mandated a more rapid transfer of spent fuel to dry casks," Feinstein said.

Currently, there is no maximum time fuel can remain in spent fuel pools, the NRC said Wednesday. As a result, critics say, nuclear plants have made fuel pools the de facto method of storing fuel, crowding pools with dangerous levels of fuel, industry critics say.

As of January 2010, an estimated 63,000 metric tons of spent fuel was in storage at U.S. power plants or storage facilities, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

"For the history of our nuclear power program, I would say, the storage of spent fuel... has been an afterthought," Ernest Moniz, a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, testified. "I believe we should really start thinking hard about consolidated storage, presumably in federal reservations, to solve a host of problems."

The NRC and industry critics differed on whether spent fuel pools are safe.

"Spent fuel pools are considered 'safety significant' systems, so they meet a lot of the same standards that the reactor itself would have to meet," said Greg Jaczko, chairman of the NRC. "For example, the spent fuel pools themselves are required to withstand the natural phenomena like earthquakes and tsunamis that could impact the reactor itself."

David Lochbaum, a nuclear physicist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, disagreed.

"At many sites there is nearly 10 times as much irradiated fuel in spent fuel pools as in the reactor core," he said. "The spent fuel pools are not housed in robust concrete containment structures designed to protect the public from the radioactivity they contain. Instead the pools are often housed in buildings with sheet metal siding like that in a Sears storage shed," Lochbaum said.

"I have nothing against the quality of Sears storage sheds but they are not suitable to nuclear waste storage," he said.

A nuclear industry representative said the "lack of a national strategy" on waste storage is exacerbating the problem, since it does not know whether to place spent fuel in permanent, on-site containers, or containers suitable for transport.

"We want to limit the number of times we have to handle used fuel. We want to be able to take it out of the pool once, put it in a cask... Not all casks are designed for transportation for example," said William Levis, a power company president speaking for the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Jaczko said spent fuel pools don't endanger the public. "We don't have a maximum time (fuel can stay in the pools)," he said. "But we do analyze the fuel. (Fuel) goes through a very rigorous analysis to ensure that (it can be added to the pool) safely and securely."

A high-ranking energy department official, meanwhile, said a commission studying the issue of spent fuel will issue an interim report by July 29. The commission was formed after the Obama administration killed a plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.

Response: Events in Japan have raised questions about spent-fuel storage in the United States. The U.S. has 104 nuclear reactors, which rely on pools of water and dry casks for storage. An estimate by the NRC said some 63,000 tons of spent fuel was stored in the U.S.. The NRC and industry critics disagree on whether spent fuel pools are safe.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Washington (CNN) -- Sanctions. International monitors. Increased jet fighters in the region.

Trying to figure out how the United States and its European allies will respond to Russia's Crimea incursion gets confusing.

The tense showdown over Ukrainian sovereignty offers few easy answers, with differing priorities between Washington and the European Union adding to the confusion.

Here is a look at where Western allies stand:

Military

United States -- It is hard to imagine a scenario that would cause U.S. troops to get involved in Ukraine.

At the same time, the Obama administration can't rule out any option as it pushes for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine aimed at de-escalating the current crisis and laying the groundwork for peaceful coexistence going forward.

The Pentagon has announced the addition of six F-15 fighter planes to the four currently on a NATO mission in the Baltics. Previously, Washington halted ongoing military cooperation with Russia.

After a series meetings Wednesday with European, Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in Paris, Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters that "all parties agreed today that it is important to try to resolve the issues through dialogue." He added: "They don't believe that any of us are served by greater or further confrontation."

Europe -- The last thing the European Union wants is an armed conflict in its backyard. Only if Russian forces moved into eastern Ukraine would consideration be given to bolstering NATO forces in neighboring countries.

While no obligation exists for NATO to militarily defend Ukraine against Russian aggression, the United States and Britain -- along with Russia -- committed to protecting Ukrainian independence and territorial integrity in 1994 when Kiev gave up its nuclear arsenal that dated back to the Soviet era.

What happens now to Ukraine will have an impact on nuclear nonproliferation programs elsewhere, Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned Thursday.

His implication was clear: failure to effectively respond to Russia's aggression in Crimea would embolden North Korea and Iran to further resist Western efforts to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons.

Sanctions

The United States -- President Barack Obama said Thursday that he signed an executive order that laid the groundwork for sanctions against people and entities deemed responsible for the crisis.

The executive order provides the legal basis for sanctions against specific people and entities, but White House spokesman Jay Carney later told reporters no individuals were specifically targeted.

Visa bans are already in effect for some Russian and Ukrainian officials, and the freezing of assets and property could be forthcoming.

The moves fall short of broader economic sanctions aimed at Russia's state-owned banks and energy industry sought by some in Congress.

"This action by Russia cannot go unchallenged," Republican Rep. Ed Royce of California, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Thursday at a hearing where the panel approved a non-binding resolution backing sanctions.

Europe -- Closer proximity to Russia and crucial economic ties make the issue of sanctions more difficult for European countries. Already, Russia threatens to retaliate with its own sanctions if the United States and Europe take such a step.

Russia is the European Union's third-biggest trading partner after the United States and China, with goods and services worth more than $500 billion exchanged in 2012. About 75% of all foreign direct investment in Russia originates in EU member states, according to the European Commission.

In addition, Russia is the single biggest supplier of energy to the European Union. British energy firm BP is the second-largest shareholder in Russia's leading oil producer Rosneft, and some of the biggest energy companies in Germany, the Netherlands and France are invested in a joint venture with Russian gas giant Gazprom.

"If and when any sanctions are placed on Russia, they are likely to be targeted on key officials rather than on the wider economy," said Neil Shearing, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics. "Europe is too dependent on Russian energy to countenance full-blown trade restrictions."

On Thursday, the European Union threatened limited steps if no substantive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine start in coming days.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy told reporters in Brussels that "in any absence of results, the EU will decide on additional measures such as travel bans, asset freezes, and cancellation of the EU-Russia summit."

Later, Kerry told reporters that no serious gap existed between the U.S. and EU approaches, adding that " there may be some differences of opinion about timing or about one choice over another."

Aid

United States -- Kerry announced $1 billion in loan guarantees for Ukraine this week as part of the Obama administration's effort to publicly support the interim government and provide incentive for Ukraine to continue to align itself with the West through the European Union instead of Russia.

Obama called Thursday for Congress to support assistance for the Ukrainian government from both the United States and the International Monetary Fund. A few hours later, the Republican-led House overwhelmingly approved an aid package to authorize the previously announced loan guarantees.

Such support offers a trifecta of being unilateral, enjoying political support at home and backing the goal of bolstering Ukraine.

Europe -- The European Union announced Wednesday it will offer Ukraine at least $15 billion in aid as the country struggles with dwindling cash and the military standoff with Russia.

The package would provide Ukraine with assistance over the next few years, said Jose Manuel Barroso, the head of the EU's executive body, the European Commission. On Wednesday, Ukraine said it would be unable to pay its February natural gas bill to Gazprom.

European aid is the easiest way to show immediate support for Ukraine while avoiding risks of counter-sanctions and other retaliation.

Diplomacy

United States -- The United States is working with European allies to create an "exit ramp" for Putin to be able to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.

Their plan would call for Russian troops in Crimea to return to their barracks, and international observers to come to Ukraine to monitor the situation on the ground, where Russia complains of persecution against ethnic Russians.

In addition, the United States seeks to isolate Russia diplomatically, joining other members of the G8 group of industrial powers in pulling out of preparatory meetings for the scheduled June summit in Sochi, Russia.

The foundation of the U.S. stance is for Ukraine to maintain its independence and territorial integrity, while also recognizing Russia's historical and economic ties to Ukraine.

Obama said Thursday he was "confident" that the international community was "moving forward together" in responding to what he called the Russian intervention.

Europe -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Obama on Tuesday about the diplomatic exit ramp, but initial indications Thursday showed little progress with Russia on agreement.

Reflecting the standoff, Merkel said Thursday that the European Union wants to do everything it can to settle the Ukraine crisis diplomatically, but she warned that without any "diplomatic possibility," steps such as asset freezing and visa limitations would be options.

CNNMoney's Mark Thompson, Alanna Petroff and Charles Riley and CNN's Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.

Response: Where do Washington and the European Union stand on the Ukraine crisis?. No one wants an armed conflict, especially in the EU's backyard. Europe's economic ties with Russia make it less likely to back strong sanctions. NEW: The U.S. House authorizes loan guarantees for Ukraine.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick arrived at his home in Hampton, Virginia, on Thursday morning.

Michael Vick, left, arrives at federal court with attorney Billy Martin in Richmond, Viriginia, in 2007.

"He is happy to be reunited with his family," said Chris Garrett, a spokesman for Vick.

Vick was released from a federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, on Wednesday.

He will serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement in Virginia, his publicist Judy Smith said. Vick is a native of Newport News, Virginia.  Watch a panel discuss his release »

Vick, 28, pleaded guilty in August 2007 to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia.

He could return to professional football as soon as September if reinstated by the NFL, according to the sports agent who negotiated Vick's 10-year, $140 million contract with the Falcons. Meanwhile, Vick's attorneys have said he will work at a Newport News construction firm after his release and he has also agreed to participate in a documentary for $600,000.

Last month, a federal bankruptcy judge denied a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan presented by Vick and urged him to offer another plan. The original plan called for Vick to come up with $750,000 to $1 million in cash to be paid to creditors, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro said, but he said he saw no evidence Vick could come up with that much. Santoro suggested Vick's next plan not call for him to keep two houses and three cars, as did the rejected proposal.

In testimony, Vick acknowledged committing a "heinous" act and said he should have acted more maturely. He said he has been earning 12 cents an hour as an overnight janitor in prison. His Falcons salary, he said, was between $10 million and $12 million. He acknowledged failing to handle his money well.

After his release, Vick will work with the Humane Society of the United States on anti-dogfighting campaigns, Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle told CNN Tuesday.

Vick will work on programs aimed at preventing youths from getting involved in dogfighting, and on programs to assist young people who have already been involved in the blood sport.  Watch more about Vick's dogs »

Pacelle said the Humane Society was approached by Vick's representatives. He said he has traveled to Kansas twice to meet with the former quarterback, and during the second visit, the two discussed how Vick could use his sway over youths to discourage them from involvement in dogfighting, as well as help those who were apprehended in connection with it.

Details have not yet been hammered out, Pacelle said, but will be in the next couple of days. iReport.com: Does Vick deserve a second chance?

More attention has been paid to dogfighting as a result of Vick's case, Pacelle said. The Humane Society, which offers rewards for tips involving dogfighting, has recently paid out $40,000 in five cases, he said.

CNN's Marylynn Ryan contributed to this report.

Response: Ex-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick released from prison on Wednesday. Vick will serve last two months of sentence in home confinement. Attorneys have said Vick will work at construction firm; Vick has OK'd documentary. Vick, 28, pleaded guilty in 2007 to bankrolling a dogfighting operation in Virginia.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Bridget Cutler was still adjusting to being a new mom when she read a magazine article that changed her life.

"It was about a mother who decided to give her child up for adoption because she couldn't stand to hear her crying from hunger," Cutler remembered. "I just thought that no mother should ever be faced with that choice."

It can cost close to $250,000 to raise a child in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- and that is just for the basics. It's especially tough for families in New Jersey, where one in eight people struggle to make ends meet.

The following day, Cutler called her "mom friends" and started collecting gently used baby items.

"I had the intention, originally, of finding a local organization to donate them to that would benefit my neighbors," said Cutler, 34.

When she did not find what she was looking for, Cutler's idea for Moms Helping Moms was born. Since 2011, the nonprofit has distributed diapers, clothing, nursing supplies and other baby essentials for hundreds of infants and toddlers in New Jersey.

"So many people have such an abundance, and so many others strive to afford even the basics," Cutler said. "What we're doing is trying to bridge that gap."

A fair start in life

Moms Helping Moms started with one garage sale that Cutler held at her home -- except everything was free. The drive was a success, and she met many mothers in need and many mothers who wanted to help her build the organization.

Today, Cutler and her volunteers solicit donations of new or gently used baby items in their neighborhoods.

Cutler knows that it can be difficult for some parents to part with their children's things.

"I wanted to assure these people who were donating so generously to us that these things were absolutely going into hands that needed them," she said.

Cutler finds recipients through social workers and other nonprofits. She works with homeless mothers, teen moms and families who have fallen on hard times and just need a boost.

Jasmine Harding suffered complications during her last pregnancy. The mother of three was out of work for nearly 10 months, and she and her partner struggled to afford everything they needed.

"I never thought that I would be in this position. I've had a job since I was 16," Harding said.  "I'm their mom, and I should be able to do whatever it is that I need to do for them."

Basic needs and beyond

At a recent Moms Helping Moms event, Harding received clothing, diapers and a stroller. Now she is able to push her 3-month-old daughter to day care before heading to her new job.

For families like Harding's, the drives are not just about getting free baby gear. They provide an opportunity to get financially back on their feet.

"New clothes, diapers and wipes, they're a constant expense," Harding said. "With the things that I got today, that will allow me to put that money towards something else, like my rent or my bills."

Cutler and her group aim to provide more than just goods to the moms they serve. Volunteers offer support and guidance, giving recipients a sense of community they may not otherwise have.

For Cutler, a mother of two, running this nonprofit truly is a labor of love. She recently left her job to devote more time to her group's efforts.

"Every child deserves all the same things in life. They deserve all of the basics," Cutler said. "If what we're doing helps bridge the gap between people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, even in a small way, then it's definitely worth all the hard work."

Want to get involved? Check out the Moms Helping Moms website at www.momshelpingmomsfoundation.org and see how to help.

Response: Moms Helping Moms was born when Bridget Cutler met moms in need in her community. The nonprofit got its start when Cutler held a garage sale in which all items were free. Since 2011, it has distributed diapers, clothes, nursing supplies and other baby gear. Donated new or gently used items go to homeless moms, teen moms and families in need.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(EW.com ) -- 300: Rise of an Empire speared its competition and kept on raking in the dollars on its opening weekend.

Warner Bros. and Legendary's hyper-stylized 3-D sequel earned an estimated $45 million from 3,470 theaters. Despite lackluster reviews, audiences turned out in droves to watch Eva Green's Atremisia and the rest of the scantily clad warriors take to the sea for battle in the $108 million pic. Smart People director Noam Murro took the helm from Zack Snyder this time around â€” though Snyder produced and wrote the film. Audiences (62 percent male) slapped the epic with a B Cinema Score.

The lure of IMAX helped. The 342 IMAX screens brought in $6.8 million (or 15 percent) of the film's weekend earnings, while 3-D showings accounted for 63 percent of the grosses. 300: Rise of an Empire is also performing quite well internationally with $87.8 million from 58 markets. Still, it doesn't even come close to Zack Snyder's $70 million March 2007 opening for 300. Nevertheless, the sequel should enjoy a healthy box office life.

DreamWorks Animation's Mr. Peabody and Sherman (Cinema Score: A) opened in the No. 2 spot this weekend with an estimated $32.5 million from 3,934 theaters, exceeding studio and analyst expectations for the $145 million movie. Audiences were slightly more female (54 percent) and 52 percent were over 25. Despite the stellar A Cinema Score, it seems younger audiences were even more enthusiastic: The 25 and under crowd gave it an A+. The brilliant dog and his eager young companion will likely enjoy at least one more good weekend at the box office before Muppets Most Wanted screams into theaters on March 21.

Liam Neeson's tense thriller Non-Stop snagged the third place spot with $15.4 million â€” a 46.7 percent drop from its debut. The Jaume Collet-Serra pic now boasts a $52.1 million domestic total. Meanwhile, The Lego Movie dropped 47 percent and claimed the No. 4 spot with $11.1 million. The animated building blocks have made about $225 million domestically in five weeks in theaters. Finally, in fifth place, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey's biblical epic Son of God fell 60 percent and took in an estimated $10 million in its second weekend in theaters, bringing its domestic total to $41.5 million.

Here's the top five:

1. 300: Rise of an Empire -- $45.05 million

2. Mr. Peabody and Sherman -- $32.5 million

3. Non-Stop -- $15.4 million

4. The Lego Movie -- $11.1 million

5. Son of God -- $10 million

In the speciality box office world, Wes Anderson's art caper The Grand Budapest Hotel earned an estimated $800K from four theaters. Its $200K per-screen average is the highest ever for a live-action film. According to Fox Searchlight, sell-out crowds even caused extra showings to be added on the spot. For those not in New York or Los Angeles, the film will open in 17 new markets this weekend.

Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master was the previous record-holder with $147K per theater. Budapest's debut also pushes Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (opened to $130k per theater average) to the No. 3 spot.

Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave also expanded into 1,000 theaters this weekend, earning $2.2 million and a spot in the top 10.

See the original story at EW.com.

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© 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Response: IMAX screens for "300" brought in $6.8 million. "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" can in second place. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" set a record.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Roger Ebert was seldom at a loss for words.

His debates with Gene Siskel, his longtime co-host on a succession of movie-review television shows, sometimes seemed to start before the introduction and often appeared to continue well after the credits rolled. He wrote reviews, columns, interviews and articles, an astonishing collection of work that spanned more than four decades with the Chicago Sun-Times, freelance contributions for magazines such as Esquire, CD-ROMs (Ebert's movie guide was one of the sources for the popular Cinemania) and rogerebert.com. He hosted festivals for underappreciated films. He gave running travelogues from Cannes and Toronto.

He tweeted, Facebooked, corresponded with film lovers and held court with words long after his physical voice was silenced by cancer a decade ago.

Ebert lost his battle with cancer Thursday. He was 70.

What a voice he had: firm, plain, brooking no claptrap and telling you exactly what he thought, a throwback, he said, to his newspaper reporter days. (Chicago, then and now, was full of such cheerily blunt personalities: Mike Royko, Irv Kupcinet, Studs Terkel -- perhaps to be expected in the birthplace of "The Front Page.")

Opinion: Ebert's sheer love of life

Above all, he was easy to relate to. Like many of his readers, I didn't always agree with Ebert, but I could understand his viewpoint. He understood movies were these complex machines of directors and actors and special effects guys and studio suits holding bags of money, machines that -- when they worked -- were magical, like dreams. And when they didn't, he could be a compassionate man, more forgiving than many other critics.

Unless he felt as if the filmmakers had betrayed the arrangement between them and the audience. Then, watch out, because he would say what many of us might want to.

When Vincent Gallo, the writer-director of the Ebert-panned "The Brown Bunny," called Ebert a "fat pig with the physique of a slave trader," Ebert retorted, "One day I will be thin, but Vincent Gallo will always be the director of 'The Brown Bunny.' "

He titled one of his books "I Hated, Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie" (a line from his review of "North," a Rob Reiner misfire) and another "Your Movie Sucks" (the closing phrase to an open letter he wrote actor Rob Schneider).

However, Ebert was as fast -- if not faster -- to give praise. He and Siskel panned the 1987 Christopher Reeve movie "Street Smart," but both highlighted the performance of a then-little known actor named Morgan Freeman, who played a pimp. Freeman was nominated for an Oscar, with Siskel and Ebert's praise probably playing a key role, since the film came and went quickly.

And when Gallo recut "The Brown Bunny," Ebert went to see it again -- and this time, he gave it a coveted "thumbs-up."

"The film's form and purpose now emerge from the miasma of the original cut, and are quietly, sadly, effective. It is said that editing is the soul of the cinema; in the case of 'The Brown Bunny,' it is its salvation," he wrote.

Opinion: What the Internet owes to Roger Ebert

Thumbs-up

The fact that such controversies could make headlines emphasizes the importance of Roger Ebert to the movies, especially now that we live in a pop culture where everybody's a critic.

There had been film critics on TV before Siskel and Ebert -- Judith Crist and Gene Shalit among them -- and film criticism had existed since the dawn of the medium. But it was generally taken seriously only by cinephiles, the folks who followed The New Yorker's Pauline Kael or The Village Voice's Andrew Sarris.

Siskel and Ebert made it approachable. Both were Midwesterners, a notable point at a time when most film criticism came from the coasts. And, through their TV show, the two approached film criticism the way movie fans, freshly released from a weekend showing at the cineplex, might talk about what they just saw.

"They turned talking about cinema into an American pastime," the Detroit Free Press' Julie Hinds wrote in tribute.

Their success wasn't guaranteed. The pair -- forever immortalized as "The Bald One" (Siskel) and "The Fat One" (Ebert) -- worked for rival Chicago newspapers and were regularly at each other's throats before being paired on a review show, "Opening Soon at a Theater Near You," in 1976.

"Professionally speaking, their daily aim was to bludgeon each other via newsprint, their medium/blunt object of choice," wrote Josh Schollmeyer in his wonderful Siskel-and-Ebert oral history, "Enemies, A Love Story." Siskel had great contacts; Ebert had a Pulitzer Prize, the first ever awarded a movie critic.

Ebert kept us entertained 'At the movies'

Their chemistry, however, was undeniable. And as "Opening" turned into "Sneak Previews" turned into "At the Movies" turned into "Siskel & Ebert and the Movies," the two became equal parts knockabout vaudeville team -- frequently guesting on Johnny Carson and David Letterman's late-night shows, where their debates were very obviously unscripted -- and influential movie critics, willing to showcase all variety of new releases in a pre-Internet age when middle America wasn't besieged by all manner of movie minutiae and clips weren't a click away.

They were, in a word, refreshing -- especially for those of us, like me, who grew up far from the film centers of New York and Los Angeles. Where else could you get a sense of movies that might never come to your town? Where else could you take part, even from your living room, in the debate between two guys who really knew their stuff, and were entertaining as hell to boot?

The show's format was frequently copied, but Siskel and Ebert were the undisputed kings of the genre -- triumphant to the point where they trademarked their "thumbs-up" summary judgment. By the end, the two men had become almost like brothers -- competitive, yes, but also fiercely protective of each other. Siskel died in 1999, but reading Ebert's 2011 memoir, "Life Itself," you'd think he was still around to needle his fellow critic.

Remembering Ebert: Tweets pour in

The balcony is closed

Ebert changed with the times. He adapted to the Internet quickly, and though he continued with the TV show -- which moved from public TV to syndication in the 1980s -- it was obvious that the new medium was the right place for him. (Ebert finally left the show in 2008, though guest hosts had been filling in since 2006; it was canceled in 2010.)

"We don't sit down every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. and wait for a show to come on television," television executive Mary Kellogg said in "Enemies." "People want instant gratification; they want to read or see his review the moment they decide to go to a certain movie."

Ebert himself approved.

"I think that the Internet has provided an enormous boost to film criticism by giving people an opportunity to self-publish or to find sites that are friendly," he said.

There were controversies here and there. Ebert was criticized for reviewing a film he'd only seen a portion of. Some of his readers believed he'd gone soft; just in the last few months, he gave at least three (out of four) stars to such panned films as "Taken 2" (21 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and "Stand Up Guys" (36 percent).

But nobody denied his impact. He was widely quoted and widely recognized, perhaps the most famous film critic in the world.

Ebert in his own words

These days, when pop culture runs through the very capillaries of the Internet, it's easy to knock film critics. Who are they to rain on our entertainment parade? Can't we just enjoy the view provided by "Transformers 3" without having to think about it?

Ebert, as the top of the heap, probably heard his name associated with these thoughts more than most. What made him special was both his joy in the medium, and his unabashed enthusiasm in asking for something more. Go ahead and love movies, but give them some thought, too.

He conveyed all this through his words -- his vital, incisive, energetic, determined words.

He said it best himself.

"However you came to know me, I'm glad you did and thank you for being the best readers any film critic could ask for," he wrote in his last column, "A Leave of Presence," published Tuesday. "Thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."

Lights down, please.

Response: At a time when critics mostly hailed from the coasts, he was a Midwesterner people related to. He had a firm, plain, brooking-no-claptrap voice and said exactly what he thought. There were controversies here and there, but nobody denies his impact on movie criticism. Ebert, 70, lost his battle with cancer Thursday.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:East Coasters, if intense rains and strong winds ruin your Fourth of July holiday, you will have Arthur to blame.

That's the name of the first named storm of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season. Arthur is now churning off the coast of eastern Florida.

As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, the center of Tropical Storm Arthur was stalled about 90 miles east-southeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, and 95 miles north-northwest of Freeport in the Bahamas.

But Arthur isn't expected to remain stationary for long, with the National Hurricane Center predicting it will drift northwest before turning north on Wednesday.

The system is expected to go east of northeast Florida sometime Wednesday, before moving north and possibly affecting the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Thursday night.

By then, it may have changed to Hurricane Arthur, if it gets stronger, as forecasters expect. To reach that status, the storm must have sustained winds of at least 74 mph.

Already on Tuesday, parts of eastern Florida, from Fort Pierce to Flagler Beach, were under a tropical storm watch given the possible combination of powerful winds and heavy rains.

Grand Bahama Island saw sustained winds of 47 mph and a gust of 61 mph on Tuesday, according to the Miami-based hurricane center. Such winds may be the least of the worries for the Caribbean island chain, parts of which could end up drenched in 6 inches of rain through Wednesday.

Arthur is expected to produce significant, but slightly less, rainfall in the United States.

The hurricane center forecast calls for as much as 5 inches through Wednesday in Florida, with 1- to 3-inch totals more likely.

Other parts of the East Coast also are expected to be affected as the storm churns north.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said the fact that the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands, is hard to get onto and off of may make the situation difficult for those who are planning to spend their July Fourth holiday there.

The islands are low and rain could easily wash onto the roads, making them impassable even before the eye of the storm makes landfall, he said. All preparation for the storm should be done as soon as possible, he stressed.

On Tuesday afternoon CNN affiliate WWAY in Wilmington, North Carolina, was asking its readers to take a survey measuring how concerned they are about Arthur. Will it make them "batten down the hatches" or be just "another day at the beach," or does it matter, "as long as it's gone in time for fireworks"? There's also an option for "don't know/don't care."

Lee Nettles, the executive director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, said his office hasn't received any panicked or alarmed calls from anyone.

"You take every storm warning seriously," he said. "But, for the most part, folks aren't overly concerned."

After hitting the Carolinas, the system is likely to turn northeast, forecasters said.

By then, it could drench cities like Washington, New York and Boston, But it's unclear just how torrential the downpour might be or how it could affect Independence Day festivities, CNN's Myers said.

The good news is that none of the current National Weather Service forecasts for those three cities are predicting winds in excess of 10 mph through Thursday, at least. But there is a better than average chance that heavy rain could hit them all.

Here's a look at what you need to know about Independence Day

Response: Tropical Storm Arthur is stationary off Florida; expected to head up the coast later. A tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of Florida's eastern coast. Arthur is expected to strengthen into a hurricane. This is the first named storm in the Atlantic hurricane season.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Even though he sailed to the White House on the wings of his soaring rhetoric, President Barack Obama could find that he is on mission impossible as he launches his media blitz on Syria this week -- six television interviews on Monday and a dramatic prime time address on Tuesday. Perhaps he will persuade a skeptical public, but it is surely the toughest speaking assignment of his presidency.

Surprisingly, he is now tripling down on his Syrian bet.

First he drew the red line, uncertain whether President Bashar al-Assad would call his bluff. Then he doubled down by insisting on a vote from an unreliable Congress. Now he is placing almost all his chips on the table by betting on his capacity to turn around public opinion.

If he wins over the public, he will likely win Congress, too, but if he fails, he will have turned a problem in Syria into a crisis in his presidency. (Someday, in their memoirs, will White House insiders please tell us what they were thinking?)

There are at least two major hurdles in his path as he seeks to persuade the public. First, he will be trying to change opinion that has already started to harden against him. Second, the bully pulpit may not be as powerful as often imagined.

The intensity factor

It's hard to remember a public terrain as rough as this one for a president in the past few decades. Weary of war and wary of another, Americans are in no mood to rally behind this call to arms -- many don't see it as our fight, they worry that it will drag us in deeper and even some of his most ardent supporters think the president and his team don't have a firm grip on the wheel.

A Gallup poll late this past week found that a majority of the public (51% to 36%) is opposed to a Syrian strike. That is the lowest level of support Gallup has found for any intervention in two decades. Moreover, the "intensity factor" runs much more strongly among opponents -- just look at the avalanche of their calls and e-mails to Capitol Hill.

The president has been arguing his case for nearly three weeks, and so far, he doesn't have many converts on the Hill. That's among Democrats as well as Republicans. CNN's whip count suggests that he could win a tight vote in the Senate (his speech may work best there), but a strike resolution is in serious trouble in the House. The Washington Post count shows that as many as a third of House Democrats may vote no.

Even overseas, among nations much closer to Syria, the president's rhetorical offensive has fallen short. No president in modern times has had such a tiny coalition behind him. Eighteen nations contributed to the intervention in Libya. President George W. Bush had 48 nations in the coalition that attacked Saddam Hussein. This time around, Obama will have only a handful supporting his intervention and most will be cheering from the sidelines.

A shaky pulpit

This controversy is also coming at an inopportune moment for the president. Early on at the White House, he could command massive, almost adoring audiences at every major address. But with the exception of his speech announcing the killing of Osama bin Laden, the numbers tuning in have dropped, viewers tend to be more partisan and television commentators have toughened up on him. Notably, his two Syrian interviews on television so far have drawn only modest audiences.

It has been little noticed but is important now that Obama has also had more success selling himself than his policies.

Obama's speeches -- despite their rhetorical strength and skilled delivery -- have had little success in moving his agenda forward. Americans still like him, but they tend to make up their own minds about his policies. Witness his inability, even now, to build a public majority in favor of Obamacare. The White House would argue that a majority have supported his stands on gun control and gay rights, but is that because of his speeches or because of demographic shifts and events such as the Newtown elementary school massacre?

Indeed, there is now a debate among political scientists whether the bully pulpit is all that it is cracked up to be, especially in contemporary politics.

Professor George Edwards of Texas A&M University and a dean among political scientists concluded in his 2006 book, "On Deaf Ears: The Limits of the Bully Pulpit," that we have a highly inflated view of how much presidents have been able to change public minds through their speeches.

He presents numerous cases to support his argument and one that is especially relevant today:

President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a legendary ability to connect with Americans through his fireside chats, but when it came to convincing a skeptical public about his Supreme Court-packing bill in his second term, the fire fizzled out. Edwards' data also suggests that presidents only succeed in mobilizing the public when opinion is already in their favor. This is clearly not the case with Syria.

To our memory, the last Oval Office address that dramatically moved the public opinion needle over military conflict came in late 1983 when President Ronald Reagan spoke to the country about a bloody attack on marine barracks in Lebanon and U.S. intervention in the tiny island of Grenada. Public support for military action jumped 10 points in immediate polling. But in that case, Reagan was telling a story about what had already happened to a public whose majority already favored intervention. He was not asking them to rally round a new, uncertain venture, and he was also still in his first term when audiences were big.

This is not to argue that all is lost for Obama on Tuesday night. Big speeches can reframe issues. They can unite us behind a higher purpose. They can push us to question our firmly held beliefs. Obama does have unusually persuasive powers. Perhaps he can come up with fresh arguments that will bring undecideds in his direction. Perhaps he will have horrific new evidence of how brutal al-Assad is.

Perhaps ... perhaps, but if he has new arrows in his quiver, he likely would have shot them by now.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Gergan and Dan Katz

Response: Gergen, Katz: Rarely has a president faced as tough a public mood as does Obama. They say he has ability to get people to like him but may not be persuasive on Syria. Authors: Public mood seems strongly against intervention. Researchers say the impact of the White House "bully pulpit" has been exaggerated.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:London (CNN) -- Special coins designed to mark the christening later this month of Prince George, the baby son of Prince William and his wife, Catherine, go into production Tuesday in Britain.

Prince George, who was born in July, is the first royal baby to be honored with a christening coin from the Royal Mint.

Catherine's first appearance since royal baby was born

The design of the coins, to be produced by the Royal Mint in a range of sizes and materials, has been approved by his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Mint said.

Members of the public can buy the keepsakes, which start at 13 pounds ($21) for the simplest type but rise to a whopping 50,000 pounds ($80,000) for a version containing a kilogram of gold.

Royal baby photos: Cozy or bad?

The inscription on the coin reads, "To celebrate the Christening of Prince George of Cambridge 2013" and is flanked by two harp-playing cherubs.

The christening will be performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, on October 23 at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace.

A special silver coin was also issued to mark Prince George's July 22 birth. He is third in line for the throne after his grandfather, Prince Charles, and father, Prince William.

Response: Special coins to mark the christening of Prince George go into production. He will be christened this month at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace. The coins are available for sale, with the largest gold version priced at $80,000.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, speaking to mobile tech leaders in Barcelona, said WhatsApp,  the mobile messaging app purchased by the social media giant last week, was "worth more than $19 billion."

Zuckerberg's comments at Mobile World Congress, referencing the eye-watering price paid for WhatsApp, were met with surprise.

But Zuckerberg said the company was "a great fit for us. Already almost half-a-billion people love using WhatsApp for messaging and it's the most engaging app we've ever seen exist on mobile so far.

"It's on a path to connecting a billion people. There are very few services in the world that can reach that level and they're all incredibly valuable."

Zuckerberg said there were no plans to harvest data from WhatsApp messages, in answer to a question from the audience. "That's the service that people want, we would be silly to change it."

Asked if he thought concerns over privacy could be a problem for Facebook as it aims for greater global penetration, he said: "The NSA issue is a real issue, especially for American internet companies.

"Trust is just such an important thing when you're thinking about using any service where you're going to share important and personal information.

"We continue to work to be sure we can share everything that the government is asking of us."

"The government kind of blew it on this. Governments have a responsibility to protect folks and to also be transparent about what they're doing and I think they've just been way over the line in terms of sharing what they are doing.

"But they are only now starting to get to the range of where they should have been. I think this whole thing could have been avoidable and it would have been a lot better for the internet."

Asked if Facebook would consider bidding again for Snapchat, Zuckerberg said: "After buying a company for $16 billion you're probably done for a while."  Snapchat reportedly turned down a $3 billion offer from Facebook last year.

Zuckerberg's debut at the trade show, the biggest of its kind in the world, underlines the importance of mobile to the future of the social media giant.

While audience interest was in WhatsApp, Zuckerberg -- on stage with technology journalist and writer David Kirkpatrick --- was at the show to promote Facebook's work with Internet.org.

Facebook partnered with technology leaders, nonprofits, local communities and experts for the initiative.

Zuckerberg said the goal of Internet.org is to ensure everyone in the world has access to the internet in some form, either for a small cost or for free. He said this could be achieved by improving mobile infrastructure and reducing the amount of data required to use services.

"Most people in the world don't have access to the internet at all ... it's about 2.7 billion people today. It's growing way slower than you would imagine. Our vision is to try to connect everyone."

Earlier Monday, Facebook announced it would help roll out an online education program in Rwanda. The deal, which will initially be offered to university students, has been done in partnership with telecommunications giant Airtel, which is providing free educational data for a year to those who sign up and Nokia, which is offering discounted smartphones to those participating.

Pamela Clark-Dickson, senior analyst at Informa, said Zuckerberg's appearance in Barcelona made sense given that mobile is key to Facebook's strategy.

"It gives him the opportunity to engage with key mobile operator partners, which will be important in the wake of Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp," she said.

"Mobile operators will be keen to discuss with and to learn from Zuckerberg his plans for developing Facebook further as a service from which he can generate revenues from mobile."

Clark-Dickson said the announcement in Barcelona by WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum that the messaging service will add voice calls to its product in the second quarter of 2014 will also be something that mobile operators will want to talk to Zuckerberg about.

Response: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. During his speech, Zuckerberg said WhatsApp was 'worth more than $19 billion'. It is his first appearance at the show and come a week after Facebook bought WhatsApp. Analysts said it underlined Facebook's commitment to mobile tech.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Over the past week, two popular Internet messaging companies, SnapChat and Skype, were hacked. SnapChat's 4.6 million users' user names and cell phone numbers were posted online. A hacker group posted messages to Skype's official blog and social media accounts.

These are just the latest in a long list of tech companies that fail to provide adequate protection of their users' personal data.

Do companies that offer free services have an obligation to protect our communications? Yes, absolutely.

SnapChat is an app for phones that allows people to send photos and short videos to friends and promises to delete them once viewed, Ã  la Mission Impossible.

In August 2013, a group of security researchers publicly reported weaknesses in SnapChat's programming interfaces that could allow data exfiltration and manipulation. They withheld the specific details that would enable someone to easily exploit the flaws.

If you're mad at your critics, you might ignore them and quietly fix the flaws. If you're appreciative you might engage them in a dialogue, thank them and work out some time to fix things before telling the public about it.

But it seems the founders of SnapChat chose instead to stick their heads in the sand.

After four months without response, the security researchers grew impatient and decided to publicly disclose the details on Christmas Day, including code they had written that would allow almost anyone to abuse SnapChat's service.

SnapChat then blogged that it knew about the flaws, but was satisfied with the changes it implemented and didn't expect the service to be exploited. The next day someone posted the user names and phone numbers of the 4.6 million SnapChat users that they had extracted using the security weaknesses.

While some can make excuses for SnapChat by saying the company is young, hence inexperienced, a breach is still a breach. Skype, a division of Microsoft, can't even say that.

Skype had the dubious distinction of being the first major Internet company to be compromised in 2014. It is the latest victim of a group called the Syrian Electronic Army, which has targeted numerous media companies over the years, including The Financial Times, BBC, NPR, Associated Press and Reuters.

With more than 3 million followers on Twitter and 27 million "likes" on its Facebook page, you would expect the security of a company like Skype to be carefully managed. How did this so-called electronic army penetrate its defenses? It must have been an extremely sophisticated hack, right?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. The Syrian Electronic Army is famous for using phishing, a simple tool that persuades users to disclose their user names and passwords through cleverly worded e-mails.

The primary defense against phishing, aside from never clicking suspicious links or attachments in e-mails, is to use two-factor authentication. The first factor is something we know, typically a password. By adding a second factor -- something you have such as a phone or special keychain token -- attackers not only must acquire your password, but also gain access to a piece of randomly generated information sent to a physical device.

The social media accounts of Skype that were accessed by the Syrian Electronic Army had optional two-factor authentication available, but it was apparently not enabled by Skype. As a result, Skype's blog featured a headline: "Hacked by Syrian Electronic Army ... Stop Spying!" Similar messages were posted on its Twitter and Facebook pages.

Skype acknowledged in a tweet: "You may have noticed our social media properties were targeted today. No user info was compromised. We're sorry for the inconvenience."

But Snapchat's response to the incident is shameful. The company attempted to justify its mistake and promised it will change the app to allow opting-out of one feature without any acknowledgment of the damage done to its users or even a commitment to fixing the list of problems identified by the researchers.

If this was 2012, I might be a little more forgiving. Back then most services didn't offer protections like two-factor authentication or those protections were not flexible enough to work for social media accounts. But this is 2014. All of these social media services offer protection free, designed to prevent this very type of attack.

Didn't Skype think the 27 million people who "liked" them on Facebook and the more than 3 million people who follow them on Twitter deserve to be protected from potentially malicious posts?

Companies that can't seem to get enough of our personal information need to be held accountable. The least they can do is be responsible and keep our data safe. The safeguards exist and the tech fixes are not hard. So, what are they waiting for?

For consumers, don't become complacent to the barrage of announcements explaining how another 5 million records were stolen due to negligence. Demand accountability.

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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Chester Wisniewski.

Response: SnapChat's 4.6 million user names and cell phone numbers were posted online. Chester Wisniewski: Safeguards exists and tech fixes are easy, so why the breach?. He says Skype, SnapChat have obligation to make sure their services are secure. Wisniewski: We must demand accountability from companies to protect our private data.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on health care reform, the justices have one thing in common, and one thing in common with a growing cohort of Americans: They are aging.

America faces an unprecedented wave of aging as members of the iconic baby boomer generation turn 65. This year alone, 4 million Americans will join the growing ranks of senior citizens. The Affordable Care Act strengthened the Medicare system that this growing senior population relies on.

Health care reform reduces the cost of prescription drugs, brings down costs for patients using private Medicare supplements and increases access to free preventative services. The Affordable Care Act makes health care more affordable for senior citizens and ensures that doctors are compensated fairly for their services.

While Medicare certainly needs adjusting, if the law is overturned, the challenges of Medicare financing will only get worse.

For the millions of senior citizens and about-to-be seniors in America the improvements brought by  health care reform are just an important first step. We must protect the progress made by the Affordable Care Act, but much more is needed to support our rapidly growing older adult population to help them live independently, at home and in our communities with dignity.

A vital home care work force has developed to meet these needs, and its interests are inextricably bound to the future of health care.

The average hourly wage of a home care worker in the United States is less than $10 per hour. Poverty wages and a lack of benefits, training and career pathways mean turnover is constant. The work force can barely meet the current need for care, supports and services, let alone what's to come. More families are turning to immigrant women of color to provide care for their loved ones.

These women work tirelessly to feed and bathe our nation's senior citizens, serve as a go-between with family and doctors, count medication, even take care of pets, and yet they are denied basic wages, let alone benefits, worker protections and pathways to citizenship. In fact, one out of two direct care workers supplements his or her income with food stamps, Medicaid or public benefits, compounding our overall challenge.

News explainer: Health care's big four issues: What the justices are tackling

We need to create more jobs in America, address the need for home care, and improve the quality of care jobs all at the same time. In so doing, we can create precisely the type of economic growth we need in this moment.

These are issues that concern us all including, ultimately, Supreme Court justices.

Of course, the Supreme Court justices have lifetime appointments that include access to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, one of the largest insurance pools in the country, which ensures the jurists aren't subject to the sorts of limits for pre-existing conditions and inflated premiums that most insured Americans have long faced.  And if they choose to leave the bench, the justices can opt to keep their coverage -- meaning they won't have to rely on Medicare to nearly the extent most elder Americans do.

News: Timeline of the health care law

But someday, they may want an in-home care worker to help them through the challenges of aging.

The Affordable Care Act was a great leap forward in improving a health care system that isn't working well for senior citizens, workers or any of us. With our senior population growing by the second, or every eight seconds to be exact, we need to move forward quickly toward more improvements, not roll back the ones we've made.

According to polls, the American people know that the Supreme Court won't rule based on the Constitution alone. Politics clearly influence such decisions. But if the justices would just think of themselves as senior citizens and soon-to-be-seniors, they would uphold the Affordable Care Act for the sake of older Americans, care workers and our shared future.

CNN iReport: The real people behind health care reform

Response: Ai-jen Poo: Like the rest of us, Supreme Court justices are aging, will need good health care. She says Affordable Care Act improves availability, costs of care for senior citizens. She says home care workers a growing need as boomers age, but wages and protections lag. Writer: U.S. should foster and value home care workers; even justices may need them one day.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- When they can see the world, save cash and get that surgery you wanted, it's no wonder that increasing numbers of travelers are hopping on a jet in search of cut-price healthcare.

The worldwide medical tourism industry is said to be growing by up to 25% each year as patients with passports head abroad for procedures costing as much as 80% less than at home.

Partly fueled by 1.2 million Americans, it's a sector now estimated to be worth up to $55 billion.

But where are the best destinations for medical tourism?

Last month, the UK-based International Medical Travel Journal staged its first annual award ceremony recognizing what it says are the top facilities offering treatment to visitors.

While many of these establishments offer care for potentially life-threatening cancer or heart problems, patients are just as likely to be seeking cosmetic work to their face, teeth or torso.

IMTJ's managing editor Keith Pollard says the awards, staged in Dubai, are the industry's first independent stamps of approval on medical tourism providers.

Airline travel discounts part of package

"All our winners exemplify the way the medical tourism industry should be run -- professional, offering exceptional patient care and providing the best possible medical outcomes," Pollard says.

The IMTJ divided its winners into categories, including best hospital, specialist patient center, dental clinic, fertility clinic, travel agency and website.

Malaysia emerged as one of the prime destinations, with victories in three categories.

Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur, a 330-bed care center that offers airline travel discounts to inbound patients on its website, took the hospital accolade.

Kuala Lumpur's Prince Court Medical Center won best fertility clinic, while its International Dental Specialist Center was named as the best place for teeth tuneups.

Jordan was named as the best overall destination for what judges said was a remarkable success in handling 250,000 international patients.

Click here for a full list of the 2014 Medical Travel Awards winners.

Response: Worldwide medical tourism industry said to be growing by up to 25% each year. The International Medical Travel Journal has staged its first annual award ceremony recognizing best treatment centers. Malaysian facilities scooped three awards, winning in hospital, dental and fertility clinic categories.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Academy-Award winning actress Patricia Neal, whose off-screen life was one of dramatic triumph over adversity, died Sunday at her home in Edgartown, Massachusetts. She was 84.

Neal died of complications from lung cancer, according to the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center.

"The theatre and movie world has lost a great talent but, at the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center, we have also lost a friend," said a statement from the Knoxville, Tennessee, center that bears the actress' name and assists people in recovering from strokes and brain injuries.

Neal suffered several strokes and kept acting.

Neal is best known for her role as Alma in "Hud," where she played a housekeeper who did not fall for cowboy Paul Newman's charms. She won an Academy Award for the role.

Soon after her Oscar win, Neal suffered back-to-back strokes -- three in all. For a while, she lost her ability to speak and walk. But she returned to the screen -- and to another Oscar nomination -- for the movie "The Subject Was Roses."

"Ms. Neal took great joy in meeting patients and their caregivers every time she visited Knoxville," said a statement from the Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center where the Neal rehabilitation center is located. "We will always remember her elegance and sincerity. She will be greatly missed."

Neal also won a Golden Globe award for her performance as Olivia Walton in 1971's "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story," the television movie that served as the pilot episode for the TV series "The Waltons." Concerns over Neal's health and her ability to handle the difficulties of a weekly television series led the producers to offer the role to Michael Learned when the show when into production.

Response: NEW: Neal died of complications from lung cancer. She is best known for her role in "Hud," for which she won an Oscar. Shortly afterward, she suffered three strokes. Neal recovered and continued acting.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- When Barbie burst onto scene in a black and white swimsuit in 1959, she was considered a rebel who embodied both "the sensuality of Marilyn Monroe and the innocence of Debbie Reynolds."

Now, she's returning to her "fashion model" roots in an updated version of her iconic zebra swimsuit, and not everyone's pleased.

Barbie caused a stir when Mattel and Sports Illustrated revealed last week that she would appear in the 50th anniversary edition of its annual swimsuit edition, which hit stands Tuesday. The partnership includes a promotional cover-wrap that will appear on 1,000 copies declaring Barbie "the doll that started it all," a four-page advertising feature inside the magazine and video outtakes posted online. The doll is also for sale at Target.

The official Barbie Twitter account tweeted about the campaign February 10.

Responses to the tweet foretold the ensuing controversy, with one person calling "unapologetic" an "ill-advised hashtag." Another person asked if "unapologetic" really meant #sorrynotsorry.

A post on "Mommyish" blog, "The Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Will Feature Barbie, So Your Daughter Can Feel Bad Too," underscored criticism of the partnership for using a children's toy to promote sexualized images intended for adults. It further complicates Barbie's legacy for parents unsure of whether to view her as a positive or negative role model.

Mattel, however, stands by Barbie's "unapologetic stance."

"This is not a program targeted towards girls. As a brand that is always a part of the cultural conversation, Barbie, for the first time, has an active voice in the debate with her #unapologetic stance. The goal of the campaign is to empower fans to engage and celebrate all that makes them who they are," a Mattel spokeswoman said.

The 2014 swimsuit issues celebrates "legends," and Mattel said Barbie is a fitting example.

"As a legend herself, Barbie has always been a lightning rod for controversy and opinions. Posing in SI gives Barbie and her fellow legends an opportunity to own who they are and celebrate what they have accomplished."

For some, it works. As one person said in response to a question posed on Twitter, "no little girl reads Sports Illustrated. It's literally a doll in a bathing suit, calm down society."

For others, the issue was not so cut and dry.

"When you look at the history of Barbie and how she's 'grown' in career choices I believe she's a positive example ... and quite frankly, a more positive image than the SI models," Utah grandmother Holly Albrecht said on Twitter.

"Children KNOW Barbie is a toy but the 'skinny' models tell society ... that a woman must be skinny to be accepted as beautiful; a far more negative example than Barbie," she said. "Parents need to remember THEY should to be the positive role in their child's life, not toys or Hollywood or athletes."

But a growing body of research suggests that children are influenced not only by what they see in the media, but by the toys with which they play.

"People who say it is just a doll obviously don't realize how it shapes thinking while playing house," nonprofit executive Alia Salem said on Twitter. "If the image of what (you're) imagining yourself as is never attainable and is billed as what to strive for, you'll always be disappointed."

Her comments echo why many of the campaign's critics saw something especially "creepy" -- or tone deaf -- in placing a toy intended for children in the pages of a magazine targeting adults.

"I am #unapologetic for being grossed out by Mattel's desperation. Pairing up with Sports Illustrated to put Barbie on a cover mag? #yuck," digital strategist Jessica Lee said on Twitter.

Barbie and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition have both been accused of promoting idealized beauty in their own ways. For many, the campaign was problematic because they say the swimsuit edition objectifies women and promotes a homogenous view of beauty.

"It's actually kind of perfect," said Occidental College professor Lisa Wade, a feminist and media critic. "Barbie is the perfect model for the SI swimsuit issue. It's always been about celebrating conventional definitions of attractiveness for women, and Barbie is an icon of idealized femininity.

"Both Barbie and the swimsuit issue have been making women and girls feel inadequate for decades. It's a perfect partnership."

Others took issue with blurring the line between women as objects and actual plastic objects.

"Yes, the swimsuit edition is made up entirely of hypersexualized images of women, but this pairing blurs a new line. Barbie is not a woman, she's an inanimate object. Juxtaposing her alongside real women as though the two are indistinguishable is dehumanizing, and in a literal sense, objectifying," said Nicole Rodgers, editor-in-chief of RoleReboot.org, an online magazine that focuses on culture and gender roles.

It also comes at a time when many are demanding representations of women without airbrushing or Photoshop, she said.

"Featuring a plastic doll as an object of admiration and desire feels like a slap in the face," Rodgers said.

Throughout the controversy, Mattel has remained "unapologetic," citing Barbie's 150 careers, her turns in 26 animated movies and partnerships with renowned fashion designers as evidence that you can be "capable and captivating."

But nobody is thinking about Barbie's career trajectory or its positive examples when she's wearing a one-piece in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition, said California State University-Long Beach professor Shira Tarrant, author of "Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex, and Power."

"I would never want to deny anyone love for Barbie," she said, "but my concern is when we use her to present this hyper-sexualized model of beauty."

After all, CEO Barbie and Dr. Barbie weren't the dolls appearing in SI.

"When you look at how the lives of women have changed since the doll originally launched, the choice strikes me as particularly tone deaf in 2014," said Rodgers, of RoleReboot.org. The fact that "the version they want to focus their marketing blitz on is a sexy bikini Barbie tells us something."

What do you think of Barbie's appearance in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition? Have your say in the comments, on Twitter @CNNLiving or on CNN Living's Facebook page!

Response: Barbie's appearance in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue is causing a stir. Barbie featured in magazine is also for sale at Target. Mattel says campaign's goal is to empower fans to celebrate what makes them unique. Critics say "unapologetic" campaign blurs lines between real women, inanimate objects.