Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Liberals feared that a Mitt Romney presidency could mean the end of the most significant piece of social legislation in half a century.

Conservatives feared a second Obama term would allow implementation of another massive entitlement program.

But for hospital administrators and businesses like health insurance companies and drug makers, the biggest fear on election night was that they would be left with an enormous mess to clean up.

Although the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, won't be fully in place until 2014, billions of dollars have already been distributed and the wheels of reform have begun to turn.

Seniors with Medicare prescription drug coverage are getting cash rebates. Young adults have joined their parents' insurance policies. Uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions are getting health coverage through Obamacare programs. Some states are setting up health insurance consumer assistance bureaus and drawing up the architecture for new exchanges where private health insurance will be sold and regulated.

Stopping all of that, which Romney vowed to do if not by edict then by throwing truckloads of sand in the government's regulatory gears, would have created chaos.

TIME.com: Obamacare's 'health panel'

The ability of critics to challenge the law's legitimacy was drastically reduced with the Supreme Court upholding its constitutionality earlier this year. But it is also important that Obama administration officials will be in charge during the law's full implementation. Hospitals, insurers, drug companies and patients can now expect a more orderly rollout of the Affordable Care Act over the next few years.

As Jennifer Haberkorn reported in Politico last week, the Obama administration recently reduced the flow of new regulations defining precisely how the legislative language of Obamacare would work in practice. The purpose of holding back new rules was to avoid controversy close to the election.

As Haberkorn reported, there's now a backlog of new regulations that are expected to be unveiled soon, including some that could affect wide swaths of the population. We still don't know, for example, what health services and expenses insurers will be required to cover under Obamacare.

At the same time, governors will soon decide whether to set up their own health insurance marketplaces to regulate individual and small business health plans. Many Republican governors had held off making this call until after the election. States that opt not to set up exchanges will open the door for the federal government to run them instead.

Thanks to a part of the Supreme Court Obamacare ruling that left the law's large Medicaid expansion as optional instead of mandatory for states, governors and state legislatures will also have to decide whether to widen eligibility for the public insurance program.

(Here's a reliable timeline of Obamacare provisions and when they are scheduled to go into effect.)

As Phil Galewitz reported for Kaiser Health News, some state-based Republicans may be persuaded to get on board with such pieces of the law now that it's definitely staying on the books:

"Mike Fasano, a Republican and one of the longest serving Florida lawmakers, said with the president's win, the GOP-dominated state legislature would 'take a hard look' at expanding Medicaid — despite the opposition of Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

"Fasano, who is moving from the state Senate to the state House next year, said Florida can't afford to miss out on new revenue without having its own plan to help more than 4 million residents who lack health insurance. He acknowledged that challenging Scott would be an uphill battle but said the governor's waning popularity might embolden lawmakers."

TIME.com: What the health care decision means for the country

Despite the Affordable Care Act's more certain future under an Obama second term, controversy over the law isn't over. The public is still largely split on its merits. Republican state lawmakers and governors won't suddenly and universally back the law. Republicans in Congress still have say over funding for some of its programs.

But the health care industry is now free from a great deal of uncertainty. Or at least it's free from this round of uncertainty. Any policy, business sector or law that's tangled up with politics will always retain a tinge of the unknown. See here.

This article was originally published on TIME.com

What Obama's re-election means for health care

Response: Although the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, it won't be fully in place until 2014. Obama administration officials will be in charge during the law's full implementation. There's a backlog of new regulations that are expected to be unveiled soon.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Westminster, Colorado (CNN) -- It seems like a simple question, but ask Victor Perez and Dulce Garcia what grade they're in and you won't get a traditional answer.

At almost any other school in the country, the 11-year-old friends would be in fifth grade. Not so at Hodgkins Elementary in Westminster, Colorado, where there are no grades and no grade levels. Here, children are grouped together in classes based on their ability, not their age

In literacy class, Victor and Dulce are both in level seven. In math, Victor is in level seven while Dulce is still learning level six.

"He's the highest in the class," said Dulce, who is proud of her friend's achievements.

The move to do away with grade levels throughout the Adams County School District began three years ago. Standards-based learning, as it's called, is founded on the belief that every child learns in different ways and at different speeds. With the school district on an academic watch list, educators here were eager to reverse the slide.

"Every single student is getting an individualized education," said Hodgkins Principal Sarah Gould, who helped usher in the reform at her school two years ago. "We are giving our kids exactly what they need when they need it."

Children work at their own level in each subject and must demonstrate proficiency in various learning targets, achieving a score of 75% or higher before they're allowed to move on to the next level.

During a recent visit to Jennifer Gregg's literacy class, students ranging in age from 8 to 10 were gathered in small groups or working on their own to hit their learning targets. Each table had a basket with books separated into four different reading levels.

Gregg says when she first heard about standards-based learning, she wondered, "How do you juggle that many levels in one classroom?"

Now, she sees the benefits, since students aren't frustrated by work that's too hard, nor bored with assignments that are too easy.

"The kids know exactly what they're working on ... and what they need to do, so it's very empowering for them," she said.

Gregg's students come to her when they're ready to take the proficiency test to move to the next level.

"I don't know if 'hounding' is the right word," Gregg said, "but they definitely will let you know...'Please sign me up.'"

Unlike traditional schools, students at Hodgkins can move up a learning level anytime they're ready, not just at the end of the year. When a visitor asked who had moved up a level in the 2010-11 school year, almost all hands shot up. A large bulletin board in the hallway displays the smiling faces of nearly 400 students who had changed levels in the month of March.

"The time is right for a system that focuses on individual students and lets them progress at their own pace," said education researcher Robert Marzano, who is helping the district develop standards-based learning, a system that was first introduced in the 1960s. "The conversation around the country is about that like it's never been before."

The Adams 50 school district is made up of about 10,000 students, mostly from Hispanic families. About 40% are still learning English. In the last decade, as demographics began to change, standardized test scores fell, leading the district to be placed on an academic watch list.

School board president Vicky Marshall said the district needed something drastic to turn it around. She set out to enlist teachers and parents, aware that without their support, the new system would fail.

High school teachers were among the first to embrace the idea, realizing students would have to have mastered material before moving levels.

Their response, according to Marshall: "'You mean, by the time they get to us they're going to know all ... of the prior material that they should know in biology, in math, in social studies, and I'm not going to have to spend the first three months of their freshman year figuring out what they don't know? ... Wow -- absolutely.'"

Parents, however, did have concerns, especially whether there would be a big age range in some classes.

"We were very quick to say, 'No, we're not going to have someone with a mustache ... sitting next to a 6- year-old.' That's just not going to happen," she said.

Instead, older children at lower levels are given extra help, as they are in traditional middle and high schools.

Standards-based learning in the Adams County School District is currently in place in kindergarten through ninth grade, and will be integrated through all high schools by 2014. But it's not for the faint of heart.

This particular approach was developed by the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition, a nonprofit organization that helped turn around a small, struggling school district in Alaska. Students there went from 0% attending college to nearly 90% going on to secondary education or the military.

The organization's executive director, Wendy Battino, said that in order for standards-based learning to work, schools must have strong leadership and shared vision. Of the approximately 300 schools that have attempted to enact this system, Battino said, half haven't been able to stick with it.

"Superintendents last 2-2½ years on average in this country. It's really hard to lead systemic change when you have that much turnover," Battino said.

Community and school support are critical, she said, "so when a leader does leave, you have enough shared vision and stakeholder support that they will hold onto this and it won't leave, despite the next leader."

The message is particularly relevant in Adams County, where the schools superintendent who brought the change recently resigned. And since school board members are are limited to two four-year term limits, the unanimous support may wane if standardized test scores don't improve. So far, they haven't.

In last years' CSAP test, only 39% of Hodgkins' third- graders tested proficient in reading. That's 8% lower than the previous year, before the new system was put in place.

School Board President Vicky Marshall explained that it would take three to five years for any type of major reform to show results.

"So I would say, if within three to five years we're not seeing the kind of results that we project, yeah, it probably could be at risk," she said.

Principal Gould is quick to point out that the initial drop in test scores was expected, since many kids were placed in lower levels to make up for gaps in their educations.

"Our hope and goal is that when this year's test scores come out and the following year's, that progression will just continue to increase," Gould said, adding that test scores don't paint the whole picture.

Discipline problems, Gould said, have decreased 76% in the past two years -- a sign, she said, that the system is working.

"When students are challenged exactly where they need to be," she said, "there's not a lot of time for students to be messing around in class."

Response: A Colorado school switched to standards-based learning. It means students learn according to ability, not their age group. District leaders say it will take 3-5 years to improve test scores.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962. Critics say the November 7 elections -- its first in two decades -- aim to create a facade of democracy.

The constitution requires more than 100 military nominees in parliament, which critics say is aimed at tightening the regime's grip on the Southeast Asian nation.

Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has said she will not vote in the elections.

Her party won a landslide election victory in 1990, but the military junta rejected the results.

The regime recently passed a law that made Suu Kyi ineligible to run because of a court conviction. The Nobel laureate has called the law unjust. Her supporters have said the conviction was a way to remove her from the election campaign.

Suu Kyi has spent most of the past 20 years under house arrest. The new law forced her party, the National League for Democracy, to choose between honoring her as its leader and risking the party being declared illegal -- or ejecting Suu Kyi from the party and contesting the election. It decided to skip the race.

Read CNN reporter's firsthand account of Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis

Response: Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962. Junta-ruled country to hold first elections in 20 years. Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi not allowed to run. Her party won a landslide victory in 1990, but junta rejected results.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Athens, Greece (CNN) -- Greek leftist leader Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday laid out the radical agenda he hopes to pursue if he becomes prime minister, including the cancellation of severe budget-cutting measures forced on the country by international lenders.

Laws that cut pensions and salaries and those that "cancel basic workers' rights" must be annulled, Tsipras said as he started efforts to form a governing coalition in the wake of Sunday's parliamentary elections.

He also called for state control of the banks, which "remain in the hands of the managers who bankrupted the system," he said.

The Greek people voted clearly to reject the austerity demanded by international lenders, said Tsipras, leader of the Syriza Party.

The two parties that made the agreement with international lenders "don't have a majority any more to vote for the plundering of the Greek people," Tsipras told lawmakers.

He said he was planning to meet the leaders of those parties Wednesday but called on Evangelos Venizelos of PASOK and Antonis Samaras of New Democracy to renounce publicly the deal they made with international lenders before then.

Samaras said what Tsipras was proposing would result in Greece exiting the eurozone, and that the Syriza leader was doing everything possible to ensure no government would be formed.

Venizelos said PASOK would not form a coalition with Syriza, as the party would only participate in a coalition government that would secure Greece's position in the eurozone.

Greek media reported that Tsipras was preparing to send a letter to the European Union, but it was not immediately known what he planned to say.

Tsipras met Greek President Karolos Papoulias earlier Tuesday to get instructions to try to cobble together a government in the wake of elections that left the country's political system in chaos.

Syriza will have three days to form a government.

Communist Party leader Aleka Papariga spoke with Tsipras by phone but will not meet him, Syriza said.

Fotis Kouvelis of the Democratic Left, which splintered from Syriza in 2010, told Tsipras that when they met Tuesday Syriza needed the support of more than just the left, Tsipras' bloc said.

The Ecologist Greens also rejected Syriza's approach for support Tuesday, saying a road map to exit the crisis was needed.

Syriza came in second in the elections, in which seven parties got seats in parliament and no party captured more than 19% of the vote.

The Greek stock market dropped about 5% in early trading before recovering somewhat Tuesday. The market had fallen more than 6% Monday.

The Greek elections came the same day that French voters kicked out President Nicolas Sarkozy in favor of Socialist FranÃ§ois Hollande, who spoke out against austerity in his victory speech Sunday.

The failure of Greece's main center-right party to form a coalition government Monday added yet more uncertainty to the debt-ridden country's political situation.

New Democracy leader Samaras said he did "everything possible" to form a coalition, but none of the parties agreed to join with his party, which won first crack at forming a government after finishing first in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

Politicians have until May 17 to come up with a new working alliance or, if they cannot, set a date for another round of elections.

Syriza more than tripled its parliamentary representation to 51 seats out of 300 in the balloting.

Tsipras left little doubt Sunday about what direction his party would take in a new government.

"European leadership and especially (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel have to understand that austerity policies have suffered defeat," Tsipras said.

He called the election results "a message of a peaceful revolution."

The election results were widely seen as a message to politicians to back away from the harsh economic austerity measures imposed in Greece.

A European Commission spokeswoman said Monday that Greece needs time to work through its political process but reminded the country's leaders that they would be expected to abide by terms of a bailout program meant to avoid a crippling financial meltdown.

"The commission hopes and expects that the future government of Greece will respect the engagements that Greece has entered into," spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen told reporters.

New Democracy finished first in Sunday's voting but ended up with only 108 seats in Greece's 300-seat parliament.

Voters also delivered a rebuke to PASOK -- New Democracy's socialist partner in the outgoing coalition government -- stripping the party of 119 seats.

Together, the parties fell short of the 50% necessary to continue the coalition, requiring formation of a new government.

Last year, Greece's debt threatened to force it to drop Europe's common currency, the euro, prompting the European Central Bank and other lenders to swoop in with emergency funding. In exchange, they demanded that the government slash spending.

The resulting measures have led to tax increases and cuts in jobs, wages, pensions and benefits -- and significant public outcry.

The national unemployment rate for January, the latest month for which figures are available, was nearly 22%, prompting widespread protests and leading some young people to leave the country in search of work.

Youth unemployment is even higher than the national average of one in five out of work.

For two years, the country's massive amount of debt has threatened the stability of the 17-country eurozone.

Greece pushed through a huge debt swap in March to save it from disorderly default and clear the way for it to receive a second bailout from the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, worth â‚¬130 billion ($171.5 billion).

The debt restructuring deal gave some breathing space to the eurozone bloc, where fears that Greece might collapse had increased pressure on other debt-laden nations such as Spain and Italy.

The tribulations of New Democracy and PASOK were matched by triumphs of a number of other parties that were also-rans and in some cases nonexistent just a few years ago, propelled by voters angry about stringent austerity measures.

CNN's Antonia Mortensen and Matthew Chance contributed to this report.

Response: NEW: The leader of the socialist PASOK party says it won't support Syriza. New Democracy's leader warns the Syriza bloc could take Greece out of the eurozone. Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras is trying to form a government after elections that punished politicians. Greece should stand by the bailout terms, a European Commission spokeswoman says.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(Real Simple) -- I live in Chicago, and one of my best friends, Phyllis, lives in San Francisco, so we aren't able to see each other as often as we would like.

The times we do get together, we like to live it up, and for us, living it up always involves chowing down. So last January, when Phyllis sent me an e-mail saying she was coming for the weekend, I knew exactly what restaurant I wanted to take her to. It's called Tom's Steak House.

Most of its customers have been coming for decades; the waitresses have a good-hearted, cigarette-scented toughness about them; the steaks are the size of Cook County; and the salad dressings are served from a twirling "carousel," so that you can legitimately play with your food.

It's the kind of place that's frozen in time, where you just have to order a Rob Roy. After Phyllis arrived, I told her where we were headed that night. "You're going to love this place," I kept saying, and Phyllis, in turn, kept saying, "Oh boy."

But as the hour approached, a kind of lethargy set in. It was freezing outside, and we were so cozy inside, dressed in comfortable, slouchy clothes, listening to good music, turning on lights against a darkening winter sky. I asked Phyllis if she would mind if we stayed home. "We can have martinis and I'll cook, OK?" I said, and she readily agreed.

Real Simple: 5 inspirational friendships

What to make? I wondered. Suddenly I remembered that my neighbor Suzie had given me a recipe, saying, "I really liked this, and I think you will, too." It was for a sausage and bean ragout, and when I read the list of ingredients, I thought, Hmm. This does sound good. It's easy to make and even low-fat. I'm going to make it!

Then I never did. But now Suzie's recipe seemed just right for the occasion, even though neither Phyllis nor I, experienced (and good) cooks both, knew exactly what a "ragout" was.

I mixed up some martinis, put a CD on the stereo, cranked up the volume, and tied on my apron. While I browned spicy turkey sausage and onion and garlic, Phyllis sang along with the singer-songwriter Duffy and danced around the dining-room table.

It is one thing to see your friend dance around a table when she's 25, quite another thing to see her doing it when she's 62. I love a 62-year-old woman who doesn't shy from thrusting her pelvis out all over the place; I couldn't stop smiling.

Real Simple: When friendships go wrong

Then Phyllis lowered the volume on the stereo and came to sit down at the kitchen table. "I need to talk to you about something," she said. I stopped chopping basil and looked over at her. "It's very embarrassing for me," she said, and I saw tears well in her eyes.

Phyllis is an extremely honest person, often quite blunt. For the most part, I truly appreciate that kind of honesty, and so I'm willing to suffer whatever consequences may come along with it. But I got a little nervous.

I stood still, waiting. I thought she was going to criticize me, and I hoped that I could listen with an open mind and heart. Instead, what she said, in a very small, tremulous voice, was "I don't think you liked what I gave you for your birthday."

One month earlier, I had celebrated my 60th birthday -- a big one, I think most would agree -- and I had been excited to get Phyllis's gift. She's good at coming up with things you never would have thought of for yourself but instantly love.

What she gave me was letters I had written her over our many-years-long friendship. She had bound them into a book and then done something to every page -- enhanced it with color, with silver sprinkles of confetti, with little candy hearts, with autumn leaves, with rubber stamps of coffee cups, with cutout ads from vintage magazines, with collages of various sorts. It was a true work of art, a labor-intensive wonder, and I loved everything about it -- except the person I was in most of those letters.

Real Simple: How to be a good friend

Many of the pages represented a time of life when I was desperate and unhappy; I had written to her of pain and grief and fear and frustration, because she was my dear friend and I needed to talk to her, if not in person, then on paper.

So when I opened the book, I felt as if I had been given tapes from therapy sessions. I felt caught between gratitude and appreciation, and embarrassment and despair. I tried to convey my admiration at the time, but Phyllis would have been completely insensitive not to pick up on my ambivalence, and she is anything but insensitive.

So now, with us alone and in our stocking feet in my kitchen, she told me of her own sadness, of how she had told other friends that I had not liked what she had so earnestly and carefully and creatively done. I came over to embrace her, weeping myself. I said, "It's not your gift I didn't like -- it was me I wasn't so crazy about."

While the ragout simmered on the stove, we talked for some time. Phyllis reminded me that at one point she had offered me my letters back and I had told her I didn't want them, but she decided to go ahead and give them to me anyway -- with the best of intentions. "I wanted to show you how you had changed," she said.

Real Simple: Break out of your relationship ruts

True enough. The person who wrote those letters spent an awful lot of time feeling bad: about herself, about choices she had made, about life in general. That person did not look upon planet earth as a particularly good place to be, and in fact had articulated more than once the wish to be done with it all.

The person I am now may have her share of dreary days -- who doesn't? -- but she is routinely dazzled by the truth of a simple equation: Life offers far more good than bad.

I had placed the gift in my study, in a place hidden from view but close at hand. I wanted it to be there whenever I was ready to look at it: to accept it as best I could, until I could accept it fully. And some time after my birthday, I found myself paging through Phyllis's gift.

It wasn't a fun read, exactly, but I was surprised by what I found. Certainly the letters showed how sad I had been, but they also illustrated that even in those dark days I had a pretty dang good sense of humor and a deep love for many things: my children, nature, art, food, the eccentricities and vulnerabilities of people.

Real Simple: Inspiring stories of marriage

I told Phyllis that I was sorry for how I had made her feel and that I hadn't told her I had come to appreciate the gift. We wiped away tears, forgave each other, and freshened our drinks.

Suzie's recipe was divine. We both kept saying, "Man, this is sensational," then smacking our lips and taking more. But the gift Phyllis and I enjoyed that day would never have happened if we had been out in public. We needed to be in our stocking feet, comfortable in the way that being in your best friend's kitchen makes you be.

I know now that the dictionary definition of ragout is "a richly seasoned stew of meat and vegetables." For me, it will always suggest another kind of mix: a warm kitchen on a winter's day, an old friend's candor and absolute trust, and a new friend's generosity in giving me a recipe, which is always about more than it seems.

That's because sharing the things that nourish us helps to fill an empty place. Sometimes that place is the stomach. Sometimes it's the heart. And sometimes, the best times, it's both.

Real Simple: 5 true love stories

Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple - CLICK HERE!

Copyright © 2011 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Response: Phyllis reveals to Elizabeth that she doesn't think Elizabeth liked her birthday gift. Elizabeth says the gift came with gratitude, appreciation, embarrassment and despair. "We wiped away tears, forgave each other, and freshened our drinks".


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Kennedy Space Center, Florida (CNN) -- The space shuttle Endeavour landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida early Wednesday, completing its 25th and final mission -- the next-to-last mission for NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program.

"Welcome home, Endeavour," Mission Control in Houston said.

The spacecraft touched down at 2:34 a.m. ET at the end of a nearly 16-day mission to the International Space station.

"It's sad to see her land for the last time, but she really has a great legacy," said shuttle commander Mark Kelly after Endeavour rolled to a stop in the darkness of a warm Florida morning

The youngest of the shuttles retires after 25 space flights. During 299 days in space, Endeavour orbited the earth 4,671 times and logged almost 122.9 million miles, NASA said. It first went into service in 1993.

Endeavour unlocked from the International Space Station late Sunday after spending more than 11 days linked to the orbiting laboratory, where the astronauts installed a cosmic ray detector. The $2 billion, 15,000-pound machine is already at work "gathering information that could improve our understanding of the universe," Kelly said.

"The retirement of Endeavour and the shuttle fleet will not end the human need to explore," Kelly said in comments from space that were posted on NASA's website. "It is and always will be part of who we are. The United States will build other spaceships better than those of today. Even if they are years in the future, they will nevertheless increase our knowledge of the world, generate an enormous benefit to the economy and inspire our children."

On July 8, space shuttle Atlantis is to make NASA's final shuttle flight.

Thousands of people turned out Tuesday night at Kennedy Space Center to watch it make the three-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad.

"Look how majestic it looks rolling out to the launch pad," said astronaut Sandy Magnus to reporters. "Look at that and see what we can do when we put our minds to it."

Response: Endeavour's 16-day mission took it to the international space station. The retirement will not end "the human need to explore," says Cmdr. Mark Kelly. The shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to take off on NASA's final space shuttle mission on July 8.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- For the fourth weekend in a row, The Hunger Games easily led the domestic box office, holding off three new wide releases from the top spot.

Lionsgate's $90 million blockbuster adaptation earned $21.5 million over the Friday-to-Sunday period, marking a slim 32 percent drop from last weekend. All told, The Hunger Games has earned $337.1 million after 24 days and seems headed for a final domestic total of about $375 million. The only other 2012 releases likely to reach those sorts of numbers are franchise films The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Internationally, The Hunger Games isn't yet the franchise-launching blockbuster that it is Stateside, but it is performing quite well week-to-week. The film is nearing the $200 million mark overseas, and as of Sunday, its worldwide total stands at $531 million. That figure should only climb with each subsequent sequel.

The Farrelly brothers' latest comedy, The Three Stooges, debuted in second place with an unexpectedly strong gross of $17.1 million. While that figure isn't gargantuan, the slapstick romp fared better with ticket buyers and critics than anyone expected, since ads for The Three Stooges, which highlighted the goofball physical comedy of the original 1930s film series, had many people thinking the film was a dud.

Fox spent a reported $30 million on the comedy, which stars Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, and Chris Diamantopoulos, and marketed it to comedy-craving men and young boys eager for a family option other than Mirror Mirror. This strategy proved effective: according to CinemaScore, the film played to audiences that were 59 percent male. Stooges earned a lackluster "B-" CinemaScore grade, though — crowds under 25 gave the film an "A-" and crowds 25 and up gave it a "C" — which could hurt its box office longevity. Still, this should prove to be a minor winner for Fox.

After three years on the shelf following MGM's demise, Joss Whedon's horror/comedy The Cabin in the Woods finally got its release, and over its debut weekend, the film scared up $14.9 million — a respectable result. Lionsgate faced a difficult challenge in marketing Cabin without giving away the film's plot, which is most effective when kept under wraps.

Encouragingly, the film, which Lionsgate acquired for slightly less than $20 million, ticked up from $5.5 million on Friday to $5.7 million on Saturday — a rare increase for frontloaded horror films and fanboy flicks (Cabin is both of these things). This may have been the effect of strong word-of-mouth and stellar critical reviews overall (the film stands at 93 percent "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes), although audiences polled by CinemaScore didn't prove overly enthusiastic. They gave the film a harsh "C" grade. Increasingly, CinemaScore grades don't seem to line up with critical opinions — this recently happened with Drive, which critics loved, but audiences issued a "C-" grade. Only time will tell whether word-of-mouth proves a boon or an anchor for Cabin, but it has a shot at becoming a mid-level sleeper hit.

In fourth place, Titanic 3D sank by only 33 percent to $11.6 million in its second weekend. After ten days, the 3-D re-release has pulled in $44.4 million, passing the re-release total of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, which earned $43.3 million total despite a strong $22.5 million start. Titanic should sail right past Beauty and the Beast 3D's $47.5 million gross over the next few days, and finish around $65 million. While that's lower than The Lion King's $94.2 million re-release total, and a bit less than many were expecting, Paramount spent just $18 million to convert the picture, so the the re-release will prove profitable — especially as a launching pad for the Titanic Blu-ray, set to hit stores soon.

American Reunion rounded out the Top 5 with $10.7 million, a 50 percent decline from last weekend. Universal's sequel has grossed $39.9 million against a $50 million budget, but given steep drops like this one, Reunion will end up the lowest-grossing title in the American Pie franchise.

Down in ninth place, Guy Pearce/Maggie Grace thriller Lockout started its run with a weak $6.3 million out of 2,308 theaters. The action film earned a "B-" CinemaScore grade.

In limited release, Weinstein's buzzy documentary Bully, which finally got a PG-13 rating after cutting a few F-words, earned a moderate (given the amount of press it has received) $534,000 from 158 theaters. The film has earned $814,000 after three weekends. Meanwhile, Blue Like Jazz, the Kickstarter-funded adaptation of Donald Miller's religious memoir, grossed an okay $281,000 from 136 locations. Because Jazz was funded by fans, the Roadside Attractions-distributed feature has minimal negative costs.

Among milestones, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island crossed $100 million domestically this weekend. The film, which stars The Rock, has earned over $315 million worldwide. Denzel Washington thriller Safe House passed $125 million. And 21 Jump Street reached $120 million, and is now set to pass The Vow as Channing Tatum's highest earner in 2012.

Check back next week to see how The Lucky One and Think Like A Man fare, and follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute box office news!

1. The Hunger Games -- $21.5 million

2. The Three Stooges -- $17.1 million

3. The Cabin in the Woods -- $14.9 million

4. Titanic 3D -- $11.6 million

5. American Reunion -- $10.7 million

See the full story at EW.com.

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

Response: 'Hunger Games' has dominated the box office since its release. The film beat out new releases 'The Three Stooges' and 'The Cabin in the Woods'. 'Titanic 3D' came in fourth place.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Washington (CNN) -- The Supreme Court gave unanimous support to an American father's court fight to regain custody of his daughter living overseas, saying the case is still active even if the child is out of the country.

This decision could establish important precedent on the discretion of U.S. courts to decide where youngsters caught in parental fights should stay. It also addresses a key question at the intersection of American and international law.

"This dispute is very much alive," the justices said in their ruling.

The jurisdictional matter before the high court involved a U.S. Army sergeant from Alabama and his Scottish-born wife, who returned alone to her home country with their daughter, Eris.

A federal court said the child should remain in Scotland since it was her "habitual residence" under international law. The court also said the custody issue was moot since the girl was overseas.

Lynne Chafin and her lawyers said the purpose of the Hague Convention treaty was to stop children like her 5-year-old daughter from bouncing back and forth between countries over custody.

Justices divided over international custody dispute

But the girl's father, Jeffrey Chafin, says the custody fight began in American courts where the girl was living at the time, and that his legal claims were never fully heard in those venues.

The Obama administration supported the father and the Supreme Court ultimately sided with him as well, saying his appeal could continue.

"The Hague Convention mandates the prompt return of children to their countries of habitual residence. But such return does not render this case moot; there is a live discussion between the parties over where their child will be raised," the justices said.

More than 80 nations are a party to the treaty, including the United States and Britain.

The case is: Jeffrey Chafin v. Lynn Chafin (11-1347)

CNN's Bill Mears contributed to this report

Response: Girl at center of custody dispute lives overseas with her mother. U.S. soldier's appeals were denied by lower court, but case now revived. International treaty terms tested limits of American law in custody battle.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Terry McMillan writes best-selling fiction, but it was real-life drama -- a very public divorce -- that garnered her some of her biggest headlines.

The nasty split with ex-husband Jonathan Plummer, the inspiration for the popular novel and movie "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dissected everywhere, from book blogs to "The Oprah Winfrey Show." A lawsuit, fraud allegations and public accusations all played out like plot points in one of her novels.

A lot has changed since then.

"I just ended up realizing I had become this other person that I didn't like," McMillan said. She is now friends with her ex ("I just spoke to Jonathan on the phone yesterday") and has set out to explore other family dramas in her trademark candid and funny style.

Her new book, "Who Asked You?," explores grandparents raising grandchildren -- a topic that has long fascinated her.

"One of the reasons that I write is because I'm more interested in looking, as opposed to looking away," McMillan said.

In the book, Betty Jean, or BJ, is the matriarch of a family that includes an ailing husband, two sisters, a son in jail, a daughter on drugs and a son who is trying to forget where he came from.

It delves into a serious topics from 15 viewpoints, an ambitious exploration of the inner lives of characters that are not normally given a voice.

Though it touches on drug abuse, coming out of the closet and prison sentences, "Who Asked You?" still features the typical McMillan humor and smart dialogue, connecting the themes through family and friendship.

And while she insists her personal life has been an inspiration for her fiction, it is not the template.

"A lot of the characters I write about aren't like me, with the exception there might be snippets or little particles of their personality that I might identify with," she said. "The fact that they think this might be real -- that means I did my job."

McMillan spoke to CNN about learning to trust her instincts, what she learned from a highly publicized divorce and where her life ends and art begins. An edited transcript of the conversation follows:

CNN: What inspired you to write "Who Asked You?"

Terry McMillan: What inspired me to write this book was my ongoing or longstanding concern and curiosity about grandparents, and grandmothers in particular, who raise their grandchildren.

I knew it would be a hardship story, and I didn't want it just to be that, based on the grandmother. So I also figured that there was another element that would probably lend itself to the story, one I was familiar with, and that is when you open your mouth to offer unsolicited advice, and people either resent it or don't use it or don't take it.

And, when people do this, not just me, but when people offer advice, they don't look at their own behavior.

CNN: You have spoken about drawing from real-life observations and experiences for previous novels. How do you balance that public persona that people really relate to, with the fictional stories that some might assume to be the story of your life?

McMillan: Well, I'll put it this way, I separate my personal life from what I write about regardless. This book is not necessarily a reflection of my own personal experiences. But there are certain things that are universal: disappointment, love, forgiveness, just a sense of responsibility, danger, etc. You just personalize that, you bring it down to ground level.

CNN: One of the stories you drew from personal experience was "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," about an older woman who falls in love with a much younger man while on vacation. Your subsequent divorce from Jonathan, your ex-husband who inspired the book, became a topic of discussion. What was the lesson you took away from that public divorce?

McMillan: You have to go through what you go through, regardless of what other people say. And you shouldn't have to apologize for grieving. I was grieving, and I was angry -- two bad combinations. And so I had to go through it.

It took awhile for me to realize that, to this day, I still love the Jonathan that I loved, that I was with eight of those 10 years. And I stopped holding myself emotionally hostage, and I stopped holding him responsible for it.

I think that's the lesson. But there's no time limit on grief or anger until you start realizing it's like a termite and it's eating you up. That's when you need to pay attention. And I realized also that I had given this man too much power over my life. And not only was he not worth it, but I was worth more.

CNN: Part of your appeal is having been such an authentic voice and being honest in sharing your personal life. Do you ever regret sharing some parts because of reactions or reviews like The New York Times that comment on your life as well as your books?

McMillan: No. The bottom line is this -- this book had nothing to do with my personal life. It wasn't even a reflection of it. The review was a short review, anyway; it was only two paragraphs. The entire first paragraph, she spent reviewing me. Which I thought was grossly unprofessional as well as just tacky.

And plus it was tinged with anger. It was anger in that first paragraph. I mean, I can handle a bad review, especially if there's something I can get out of it. I've been out here too long.

A lot of people make their own deductions about what's real and what's not real. Personally I don't really care, but when I go around and I do book tours, I often have cleared things up. And sometimes it shows up in print, and now with social media. There are people that know what I stand for and who I am.

CNN: What do you want people to know about you that they may not already know about you?

McMillan: That I'm a die-hard romantic. They might know that.

You get energized by (love). I don't care what kind of love it is -- it could be a baby, a puppy. Romantic love probably tops all of them. Maybe -- I haven't had a grandchild yet.

Response: Best-selling author Terry McMillan's new book is "Who Asked You?". The book explores the relationship of grandmothers raising grandchildren. McMillan: "I write ... because I'm more interested in looking, as opposed to looking away".


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Lower Saxony, the state hardest hit by Germany's tainted egg scandal, has lifted a quarantine on 3,000 poultry and hog farms after tests proved negative for increased dioxin levels, officials said Monday.

The state may lift the quarantine on more farms once additional test results come in Monday, said the state's ministry for consumer protection and agriculture.

Also Monday, Germany's minister for agriculture and consumer affairs, Ilse Aigner, published an initiative for animal feed safety in reaction to the scandal. The initiative calls for consideration of harsher punishments for violations of the law. The list was published after a crisis meeting between Aigner and representatives of the country's animal feed industry.

"Today, events like the discovery of dioxin animal are not merely local in nature anymore. They have regional and possibly even global effects in concerning public health and economic damage," the initiative says. "The federal ministries for consumer protection and justice together will explore the need to adjust current laws."

The initiative also calls for stricter registration rules and a strict separation of ingredients for animal feeds and those for other industrial processes.

Meanwhile, Danish investigators said Monday they are looking into the possibility that contaminated animal feed from Germany may have been given to hens in Denmark.

The feed, contaminated with dioxin, was purchased by a Danish firm late last year, said Kim Vandrup Sigsgaard with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

"There is an ongoing investigation to see if the contaminated feed was consumed by breeder hens, which are not meant for consumption," he said.

Such hens are bred for their eggs, and not sold for their meat, he said.

Sigsgaard said his agency was warned about the feed entering Denmark by the European Union's food safety system, the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, on Sunday.

Last week, Germany filed criminal charges against the company at the heart of the country's tainted egg scandal.

The company, Harles and Jentzsch, apparently knew for months that fatty acid it was delivering to animal-feed makers was contaminated with dioxin, said Christian Seifert, a spokesman for the agricultural ministry in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Criminal charges have been filed against the company, Seifert said, "because they did not immediately inform" the agricultural ministry that dioxin levels surpassed the allowed amount.

Authorities allege that the company sold about 3,000 tons of contaminated fatty acids to dozens of companies making animal feed across Germany. In response, the government quarantined more than 4,700 pig and poultry farms.

Harles and Jentzsch laboratory tests from March 2010 showed they exceeded the ceiling level for dioxin, he said.

"At that point they had to stop delivering this product and immediately inform the authorities. They did not do either," Seifert said.

Government officials learned of the higher concentrations of dioxin in December, he said.

Several attempts to reach Harles and Jentzsch last week for comment were unsuccessful.

Dioxin levels in the final feed product were diluted and it is likely they did not exceed allowed amounts, Seifert said.

"Of course that is no excuse. The conduct is still wrong," he said.

The farms shut down include not only ones raising chickens and other poultry, but also pig farms, said Pierre Vetter, a spokesman for Germany's Ministry for Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

State authorities quarantined all farms that received animal feed from companies affected, regardless of whether there is proof that the feed was contaminated, the ministry's website said.

"The state authorities are right to quarantine products -- eggs and meat -- that may have been exposed to contaminated feed, even if there is no concrete scientific evidence in all cases," Aigner said in a statement.

About 130,000 possibly contaminated eggs were exported from a company in Germany to a food company in Netherlands, where they were to be used in industrial food production, said Holger Eichele, a spokesman for Germany's Ministry for Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

The UK Food Standards Agency said a pasteurized mixture including some of the contaminated eggs was distributed in Britain.

"The mixing of the eggs will have diluted the levels of dioxins and they are not thought to be a risk to health," the agency said in a statement.

Dioxins are a family of toxic chemicals that share a similar chemical structure and have been characterized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as likely human carcinogens.

CNN's Laura Perez Maestro in London contributed to this report.

Response: NEW: Germany publishes initiative for animal feed safety. Lower Saxony says it may lift the quarantine on more farms. Denmark thinks some contaminated feed may have been given to hens there. A German official says a company knew its fatty acid was contaminated with dioxin.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:London (CNN) -- Portuguese coach Andre Villas-Boas was confirmed as the new manager of Chelsea Wednesday.

The 33-year-old will become the youngest manager in the English Premier League.

He moved to the west London giants after a payment of €15 million ($21.6 million) made to his former club Porto triggered a release clause in his contract.

Villas-Boas, who guided Porto to a treble last season, has signed a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge and will replace Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked in May.

"Chelsea football club is delighted to announce that Andre Villas-Boas will be the club's new manager," read a statement on the team's official website.

Could Villas-Boas succeed at Chelsea?

"His ambition, drive and determination matches that of Chelsea and we are confident Andre's leadership of the team will result in greater successes in major domestic and European competitions."

The former Academica coach worked as a scout for the four-time English champions under compatriot Jose Mourinho, who is now in charge of Real Madrid.

Mourinho -- like Villas-Boas -- guided Porto to a trio of domestic and European honors in 2003, before winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups as Chelsea boss between 2004 and 2007.

Is Villas-Boas the new 'Special One'?

Turkey head coach Guus Hiddink had been linked with the vacant position after he enjoyed a successful temporary spell with Chelsea in 2009, but billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has opted for Villas-Boas.

Former AC Milan coach Ancelotti was dismissed after a trophy-less campaign saw Chelsea finish second in England's top division, despite delivering a league and FA Cup double the previous year.

Abramovich will hope Villas-Boas can secure Chelsea the European Champions League, an honor which has so far eluded the Russian since he gained control of the club in 2003.

Meanwhile, seven-time French champions Lyon announced the appointment Wednesday of Remi Garde as their new manager.

The former French international has been in charge of the club's youth set-up and replaces Claude Puel, who left Monday with a year left on his contract.

Garde was capped six times by his country and played for Lyon for nine years before moving on to Strasbourg and Arsenal in the English Premier League.

Response: Chelsea confirms Portuguese coach Andre Villas-Boas as new manager. Villas-Boas led Porto to treble last season and succeeds Carlo Ancelotti. Former Academica coach will become Premier League's youngest manager. Remi Garde takes charge of seven-time French champions Lyon.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- I'd already run about half the marathon when the next refreshment table came into view.

Thirsty and needing to stay charged for the next 13 miles, I elbowed my way through the crowds of runners and grabbed my drink of choice.

A nice glass of full-bodied red wine.

This is how it rolls at the Marathon du Medoc, an annual festival of wine and running near Bordeaux, France, in which competitors strive to complete 26 miles and almost as many glasses of the local vin.

Now in its 30th edition, the race is something of a legend for marathon runners.

Last year I was among 3,300 runners from 53 different nations -- Japan, Canada, Australia -- joining 5,200 competitors from across France.

Sure, there are prestige races in London, New York, and Chicago, but the gustatory element is lacking. Even the Paris marathon fails to offer much more than bananas and water.

Instead, this marathon weaves through scenic vineyards in the Medoc region, starting in the town of Paulliac, where some of the best Bordeaux wines are produced.

The run has a time limit of six hours and 30 minutes and is nicknamed "the longest marathon in the world" with little exaggeration.

In 2013, only about 1,100 runners finished under four hours and thirty minutes -- the other 7,400 were in no rush, if they finished at all.

Hairy body suits

To compare, the 2013 Paris marathon had an average speed of four hours and 10 minutes.

As if it's not enough that we're all drinking, the marathon is themed each year, with nearly every participant dressed in costumes.

Last year's theme, "sci-fi," saw runners dressed as aliens, "Avatar" characters and a few daring Chewbaccas in full hairy body suits.

For this year's race on September 13, 2014, 10,000 competitors are expected to dress to the theme of "Carnival around the world."

Increasingly popular, places are hard to come by and many entrants race it competitively to win prizes of -- yep -- wine.

While the Medoc hasn't resorted to operating the lottery entry systems recently adopted by the Chicago and Paris marathons, competitors now face an online scramble to sign up during several registration waves scheduled by organizers.

With more runners than ever expected, locals in Paulliac are getting ready for the 2014 event.

Organizers, too, are bracing themselves, preparing more medical care and water stops than typical marathon events to help runners through the stresses and strains of long-distance drinking.

Competitors, meanwhile, are likely putting in last-minute training -- early morning runs and extended evenings at their local bars.

Polish national Hanna Gierzynska-Zalewska, a Medoc Marathon connoisseur, will run it for the third time this year.

"There are people from all over the globe running this marathon but somehow at that race we all speak the same language," she says, "and it's not only the wine talking."

Marathoner Tarun Kumar, 42 years old from Mumbai, is hoping the race will bring the fun back to running, but is hesitant about the unique refreshments.

"Wine, food along the course would be hard to resist and I have no idea how my body will react," he says.

Dance break

Back on the road during my attempt, jogging from chateau to chateau through the vineyards, most of the other marathoners were staying hydrated as I was, tastings each property's wares.

It's not every day the Rothschild family opens up its chateau to thousands of sweaty runners, but there we were, stretching our calves, glasses in hand.

The runner's high mixed with slight inebriation and at about the 22-mile mark there was what seemed to be an obligatory dance break as we neared the home stretch.

In a bit of pain but eager to complete the last few miles, we guzzled bits of steak, ice cream and oysters with white wine (never red with oysters -- we're not animals).

My belly full and my mind slightly adrift, I crossed the finish line with the rest of the pack, ready for a good stretch and nap.

My time of six hours and nine minutes wasn't going to break any records, but I thoroughly enjoyed every glass of wine offered along the way.

I wasn't the only one.

Amy Carlson traveled from Minnesota to do the marathon in 2013 -- her first ever despite a distaste for running.

She donned a space cowboy suit, complete with antenna sticking out of a cowboy hat and silver body paint for the race.

"I've watch other marathons where friends have run and everyone looks so miserable, checking their watches," Carlson said.

"This event was a joyous 26.2 mile block party."

Marathon du Medoc, September 13, 2014; 5, Rue Etienne Dieuzede, Pauillac; +33 5 56 59 17 20

Bryan Pirolli is a freelance journalist based in Paris.

Response: Held annually in southeastern France, the Marathon du Medoc pits runners against 26.2 miles and many glasses of wine. Last year 3,300 runners from 53 different nations joined 5,200 competitors from across France. Organizers lay on extra water stations and medical provisions to help runners cope with the rigors of a boozy run.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- If Super Bowl Sunday is a day you look forward to with great anticipation each year, if it is a day that you equate with excitement and good times, there's something you should know:

You may have a politician to thank for your happy feelings.

On the other hand, if Super Bowl Sunday is a day you dread each year, if you are dismayed by the notion that the day has turned into a lockstep secular holiday during which most of the nation seems hypnotized for hours on end, there's something you should know:

You may have a politician to blame for your grumpy feelings.

In both cases, it's the same politician:

President Theodore Roosevelt.

A persuasive argument can be made that, were it not for what Roosevelt did during a meeting in the White House toward the end of 1905, football as we know it today would not be a part of American life. There never would have been a National Football League -- at least not the wildly popular NFL that has become such a sports, business and cultural institution -- and Americans would almost certainly be spending Super Bowl Sunday in a completely different way.

Here's the short version of what happened:

Early in the 20th century, football, as played on college gridirons, was something close to a street fight. The rules were lax at best, and were routinely ignored. During the 1905 season alone, 18 college and amateur players died. And despite the growing violence (or, who knows, maybe because of the growing violence), fans were flocking to the games -- the sport was gaining followers.

So, if the fans liked what they were seeing, what was the problem?

The problem was that a serious movement was afoot to ban the sport -- to get rid of football.

Remember, the NFL did not exist -- the college game was the top level of the sport. Harvard's president, Charles W. Eliot, was leading the charge to abolish football, and it began to look as if he and his allies had a chance of doing just that. To give you an idea of just how seriously the get-rid-of-football movement was being taken, the New York Times ran an editorial expressing concern over "Two Curable Evils" in American life: lynchings and football.

Enter Theodore Roosevelt.

There is ample historical documentation of what Roosevelt did, but as my guide through the thicket that football entered and from which it eventually emerged and thrived, I sought the assistance of author John J. Miller, whose meticulously researched book, "The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football," is the gold standard.

Roosevelt, Miller told me, loved football, but had never played the game -- by the time he was president, Roosevelt cut a brawny, outdoorsmanlike, Hemingwayesque figure (well, Hemingway hadn't been heard of in those years, but you get the picture), yet as a boy he was small, sickly and wore eyeglasses. When he was serving in the White House and football was under fire, he wanted the game to survive, "but he realized that the critics had a point. ... He loved the sport and thought it was great, but he recognized there was a threat to it. ... He was concerned that we would lose the game."

Thus, Roosevelt convened a meeting in the White House of the most influential men in college football. Present were Walter Camp, the leading figure in the formative years of the game, as well as representatives from Harvard, Princeton and Yale. According to Miller, Roosevelt told them: "Football is on trial. Because I believe in the game, I want to do all I can to save it." He impressed on them that genuine, substantive changes must be instituted.

Miller said that Roosevelt did not use the "big stick"-- he did not threaten and he did not pound the table. "I see nothing but levelheadedness on Roosevelt's part," Miller said. "He was a great politician. He knew how to negotiate and make a point." (Roosevelt, after all, would win the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating a treaty between Russia and Japan, who went to war in 1904).

With the football men, Miller told me, Roosevelt certainly had "sufficient skills to bring people to the table and bring concessions and agreement."

He got it. There was some resistance during and after the meeting, but eventually football's leaders would agree to get rid of many of the elements that had turned the sport into all-but-unregulated brutality. Rugby-style mass formations, and gang tackling, were outlawed; the distance needed for a first down was changed from five yards to ten, which made it essential to come up with plays that didn't necessarily go straight through the center of the line; a neutral zone was instituted at the line of scrimmage; and -- most important -- a new kind of play was put into the rulebook:

The forward pass.

"It revolutionized the game," Miller said. "It spread out the action. It opened up the field." Football became more thrilling to watch; the college game boomed, the NFL was born.

Speaking of which: With today's new concerns about football violence and long-term injuries, could a president in the 21st century convene a meeting to try to accomplish what Roosevelt did?

John Miller doubts it.

"One reason a president of the United States might not get involved is fear of public failure," he said. There was no Internet when Roosevelt brought the football men to the White House; there was no television; there were no radios in American homes. He had been able to pull the whole thing off relatively quietly. If football leaders were called to the White House today, the whole country would know it in advance, and for any president, "the risk of getting involved at that level is the risk of not succeeding."

So, I asked, on Super Bowl Sunday, what is the proper way to regard Teddy Roosevelt?

It's simple, Miller said: "He was football's indispensable fan."

Join the conversation on Facebook

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene.

Response: Bob Greene says we may have Theodore Roosevelt to thank for football as we know it. He says lax rules and high injury in the early 1900's prompted a call to ban the sport. He says Roosevelt intervened to persuade teams to formalize rules, hence cutting injury. Greene: Expert writer on the subject says not likely a president today could pull this off.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- The long-rumored Facebook phone might finally be ready to make its debut.

The company is expected to announce a new HTC smartphone running a special Facebook-centric version of Android on Thursday, according to numerous rumors and leaks on tech sites and major publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and 9to5Google.

Expanded smartphone integration is a logical step for the social media company, which has been working hard to increase its mobile presence and make more money off of mobile advertising.

The only official hint doled out by Facebook so far is that the announcement has something to do with Google's Android mobile operating system, with the invite asking press to "Come see our new home on Android" at its Menlo Park, California headquarters.

Rumors of a Facebook phone have been swirling for years, but CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly denied the company was "building" a phone, saying Facebook was not interested in becoming a hardware company.

Those carefully worded denials should still stand. If rumors prove true, Facebook hasn't built a phone, it's just partnered with a phone manufacturer to place its service and apps more front and center on a typical Android smartphone.

That device is expected to be an HTC 4.3-inch smartphone called the HTC First that bears a passing resemblance to the iPhone, comes in multiple colors, and packs in the usual mid-range specs at moderate price. There doesn't seem to be much that's exceptional or new about the hardware itself beyond the Facebook makeover.

Screens shots that purportedly show the new Android homepage, possibly called Facebook Home, show buttons along the top for common Facebook actions, such as updating a status, posting a photo or checking into a location, and icons for the major Facebook apps including Instagram and Messenger in the center of the screen.

Facebook might also release a similar new standalone Facebook Android app for all Android phones.

The homepage retooling would expand Facebook's reach beyond the standalone Facebook app, spreading its presence into more parts of the smartphone experience. People would end up spending larger amounts of time using the social network's features, in turn giving Facebook more opportunities to collect data and serve up relevant ads.

Smartphone users are already checking Facebook an average of 14 times a day, according to a recent survey by IDC. Facebook was the most popular mobile app across platforms in 2012 in the U.S. according to comScore, and in January more people were checking Facebook on their mobile devices than desktop computers for the first time.

If priced low enough, a Facebook-centric phone could be appealing to Facebook fans in developing countries, where the network is popular and smartphone sales are still rising sharply. The partnership could also be a boost for Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC, which has been struggling to keep up with smartphone leaders Samsung and Apple.

Facebook has been focusing intensely on mobile since going public in mid-2012. In the past year it has revamped its iOS and Android mobile apps and started displaying ads on mobile devices. As a result, the company has had signficant success making money on mobile. According to a recent report from research company eMarketer, Facebook is currently the second largest mobile ad publisher in the U.S. after Google, and is expected to make $964.9 million in mobile ad revenue in 2013.

This is the third major product announcement from Facebook in recent months. The first was for Graph Search, an advanced search tool for more effectively drilling down into your Facebook to network to find people and pages and companies. Last month the company unveiled a redesigned news feed that looks more like its mobile apps.

Response: Facebook is making an Android-related announcement on Thursday. The company is expected to unveil a new HTC phone with additional Facebook features. It could also debut a new stand-alone Android app.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:New York (CNN) -- Two African runners won the 2010 New York City Marathon Sunday, marathon officials announced.

Runners Edna Kiplagat, from Kenya, and Gebre Gebremarian, of Ethiopia were the first female and male finishers to cover the 26.2-mile course that cuts through New York City's five boroughs.

Having just won first prize in the 2010 Los Angeles marathon, Kiplagat was the first woman to finish the race coming first in 2 hours and 28 minutes.

Gebremarian, the fastest man in the race, crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 8 minutes.

Much of the celebrity limelight in the usually star-studded race was focused on a man whose fame derived from his sprints inside the gloomy pit of a Chilean mine.

Chilean miner Edison Pena -- one of 33 miners trapped underground for more than two months before they were rescued -- completed the New York Marathon Sunday, taking five hours and 40 minutes to cover the 26.2-mile course.

Pena, otherwise known as "the runner" by fellow miners who spent 69 days trapped with him in a gold and copper mine, set out to cover the course along with thousands of other runners..

During a press conference after the race, Pena said running the marathon was a way to cope with the trauma of being trapped and fearing for his life.

"What I did today was also a symbol of bravery and a struggle against myself against the pain that I have been feeling. This I want to make very clear," he said.

With appearances on David Letterman, where he showed his devotion for Elvis Presley amid applause, Pena attracted attention from nearly every press outlet and every street fan who held signs while he ran the marathon.

"The experience was wonderful," said Pena. "I am not from this country but I kept seeing signs that said 'Go Edison'...and people would say 'Let's go Pena'...the warmth of the north American people is amazing," said Pena.

Pena -- a triathlete -- was invited by the NYC Marathon after stories spread about his daily runs in the mine to keep himself fit.

"When I ran, I thought I was going to beat destiny," he said. "I told the mine, 'I'm gonna outrun you. I'm gonna run till you're tired and bored of me.'"

The 12th miner to be rescued, he also became known for singing Elvis songs during his confinement.

Star-gazing part of the experience of watching some 45,000 runners in the marathon. Actress Katie Holmes, rapper entrepreneur P-Diddy, rocker Alanis Morissette, former Gov. Mike Huckabee and TV chef Bobby Flay have all competed in the marathon.

The NYC Marathon is one of the most popualr marathons in the world, drawing more than 100,000 applicants annually.

Response: Gebre Gebremarian of Ethiopia won the men's category in the 2010 NYC marathon. Edna Kiplagat, from Kenya, won the women's race. But a Chilean miner proved to be one of the main attractions of the race. Edison Pena ran daily during his captivity in the mine.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Doctors for several people in New York suffering from a mystery disorder that led them to develop tic-like symptoms say their patients are starting to feel better.

Out of more than a dozen who developed uncontrollable twitching and verbal tics, three say they feel completely better and six say they are significantly better, according to Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, medical director at DENT Neurologic Institute in western New York.

"The media focus, the questions on whether it is environmental or toxins, all that adds confusion, anxiety and difficulty," said Mechtler, who has treated some of his patients with psychotherapy and behavioral therapy, as well as prescribed medication for anti-anxiety, depression and headaches.

A second doctor from New Jersey, Dr. Rosario Trifiletti, diagnosed some of the patients with PANDAS -- Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections -- and has been treating them with antibiotics.

Lana Clarks, mother of one of Trifiletti's patients, told HLN's "Dr. Drew" that her daughter, Lauren Scalzo, has fewer "headaches, stomachaches, no tic-ing and she's been more energetic."

Marge Fitzsimmons, 36, who is among those who came down with the mysterious symptoms, says she is still experiencing some symptoms but feels much better and is soon expected to return to work full time.

The incidents occurred in the small town of LeRoy beginning in mid-October. All of the patients -- with the exception of Fitzsimmons -- are students at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School.

Doctors have diagnosed most of them with conversion disorder, saying that stress is the likely root of their physical problems.

"What happens is there is traditionally some kind of stress or multiple stressors that provoke a physical reaction within the body," said Dr. Jennifer McVige, a neurologist who has evaluated several of the teens. "This is unconscious, it is not done purposefully and it's almost like ... the stress wells up in your body has to come out in some way shape or form."

The medical mystery in LeRoy has attracted the attention of activist and investigator Erin Brockovich, who came to the village of 8,000 people in western New York after learning about a 41-year-old toxic spill a few miles from the school. Brockovich and an associate suspect that the illnesses are related to the cyanide and trichloroethylene (TCE) that was spilled during a December 1970 train wreck.

CNN's Sheila Steffen contributed to this report.

Response: Some of the high school girls are feeling better. Some students on antibiotics also improving. The incidents occurred in the small New York town of LeRoy.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Washington (CNN) -- The top Senate Republican on Tuesday laid out a hard-line negotiating stance on upcoming budget battles, rejecting any tax increases and demanding "significant" reforms in exchange for his vote to raise the debt ceiling.

"We're going to require as a condition for raising the debt ceiling something really important about the debt," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, told reporters.

Without providing specifics, McConnell said it would take "something the markets would view as significant, something the American people would view as significant, something foreign countries would view as significant" in order for him to vote to increase how much the United States can borrow.

Congress must reach an agreement on the debt ceiling before the United States reaches its legal borrowing limit of $14.29 trillion.

McConnell said the Treasury Department has indicated the nation would reach its debt ceiling "sometime between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July."

He called for "something real, something measurable" that will begin to reduce the national debt.

McConnell also made clear that he opposes generating more revenue through higher taxes to tackle the deficit and debt problems.

"From my point of view, taxes are not on the table because we don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem," McConnell said.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, suggested mandatory caps on government spending and a balanced budget amendment as possible reforms to accompany a measure raising the debt ceiling.

"We're only talking about doing this if we can be assured there are guarantees in place that spending doesn't get out of control again," Cantor said of allowing more borrowing by the federal government.

A few minutes after McConnell spoke, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, noted that Republicans and Democrats have widely differing views on how best to strengthen the nation's fiscal situation.

Reid accused Republicans -- including House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, who has released a 2012 budget proposal -- of seeking to protect the wealthy and their special interests.

"The only thing Republicans fought to protect were the richest of the rich," Reid said of last week's budget negotiations on a spending plan for the rest of the current fiscal year.

"It is clear once again that the two parties' priorities are significantly different," Reid said of Ryan's proposal, adding it would provide no help for the middle class.

Obama, who is presenting his long-term debt reduction plan on Wednesday, should address inequities in the tax code that benefit moneyed interests, Reid said, calling for a halt to subsidies for oil companies and deductions for companies that transfer jobs overseas.

Reid also said additional revenue must be part of any long-range fiscal solution. He didn't give specifics, but Democrats generally favor increasing the tax rate for families earning more than $250,000 a year to the levels of the 1990s, before tax cuts implemented by the Bush administration.

In addition, Reid rejected the contention that reforming Social Security must be part of deficit reduction strategy, saying: "That has nothing to do with the deficit. Zero. Social Security has not contributed one penny to the deficit."

As Washington battles over spending cuts, the Treasury Department reported Tuesday that the deficit for the first six months of the 2011 fiscal year has reached $829.4 billion.

According to the latest monthly figures from Treasury, in March the federal government took in $150.9 billion, but outlays were $339 billion, for a monthly deficit of $188.2 billion.

That's slightly better than the $222.5 billion deficit in February, probably because the looming tax filing deadline increased receipts.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who is part of the Democratic caucus, said the deficit issue requires a comprehensive approach in which "everyone is going to have to take some loss."

"We can't keep spending a trillion and a half more every year than we're bringing in, even though it's hard now to say we have to cut these programs," Lieberman said. "If we don't begin to do that, and at some point think about raising taxes, the whole American economy will come close to collapse."

CNN's Scott Spoerry, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett and Tom Cohen contributed to this story.

Response: NEW: Rep. Cantor suggests mandatory spending caps and a balanced budget amendment. Sen. McConnell rejects any tax hikes and demands "significant" reforms. Sen. Reid says Republicans only want to protect the very wealthy. President Obama will lay out his long-term deficit reduction plan Wednesday.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune testified in a trial Monday that he had no intention of hurting anyone when he protested Japan's whale hunt.

The New Zealand activist from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, standing trial in Tokyo District Court, said that he believed bottles of butyric acid he threw at the Shonan Maru 2 whaling ship were non-toxic and would not harm anyone.

Bethune faces five charges, including assault against whalers and trespassing into a whaling vessel.

He pleaded guilty last week to all charges but assault. If convicted, Bethune faces a maximum of 15 years behind bars.

At Monday's hearing he tearfully described the January collision between the Shonan Maru 2 and the Sea Shepherd's multi-million-dollar speedboat, the Ady Gil. The crash sunk the Ady Gil, which Bethune captained.

Weeks later, Bethune jumped aboard the Shonan Maru 2 and attempted to make a citizen's arrest of the captain. He was arrested and brought back to Japan to face criminal charges.

In court last week, Bethune admitted to all the charges, except for assault.

"I admit that I boarded the Shonan Maru, but I believe that I have good reason to do so," he said. "I admit that I fired the butyric acid, but there were additional circumstances that we will discuss in court."

Prosecutors say the butyric acid burned two crew members of the Japanese whaling fleet, but Sea Shepherd calls it a harmless, albeit rancid, liquid. Butyric acid is found in rancid butter and vomit.

Bethune's case is the first time a Sea Shepherd activist has been tried in a Japanese criminal court in the group's long-running battle with Japan's whalers in the icy waters of the Antarctic.

Japan annually hunts whales in the Antarctic, despite a worldwide moratorium on whaling, under the loophole that a country may legally do so if its purpose is scientific research.

Sea Shepherd has claimed the science argument is a sham, noting that the whale meat then gets sold in Japanese markets and served in restaurants.

A verdict is expected June 10.

CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki and Junko Ogura contributed to this report.

Response: Anti-whaling activist facing charges of assault, trespassing. Peter Bethune says he did not intend to harm anyone. Bethune admits he threw butyric acid at Japanese whaling ship. Activists were protesting Japan's whale-hunting practices.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Egypt's attorney general issued an order Monday freezing the assets of former President Hosni Mubarak and his family and prohibiting them from leaving the country.

Attorney General Abdel Maguid Mahmoud ordered the moves after Mustafa Bakri, a member of Egypt's parliament who lost his seat after filing corruption cases against various officials, provided documents indicating Mubarak's family has secret bank accounts totaling more than  200 million Egyptian pounds ($147 million), according to EgyNews.

"I submitted the corruption documents on Sunday night and on Monday morning I was called in by the public prosecutor for investigation, and he asked me to rush to his office." Bakri told CNN. "The attorney general, himself, went over the documents in my possession and then issued his orders to bar Mubarak and his family from travelling and to impound their assets."

Mahmoud ordered the freeze for property owned by Mubarak, his wife Suzanne, his two sons Alaa and Gamal Mubarak, and their wives and children, EgyNews reported. The seizures include "movable properties, real estate, stocks, bonds and various financial assets."

It wasn't immediately clear how the order differed from a similar one reported last week.

Mubarak, through his attorneys and in official filings, has described reports of immense wealth as "fabrications and baseless rumors."

But Bakri said the documents he provided to Mahmoud "are the first solid and concrete evidence on the fortune collected illegally by Mubarak and his family."

Mubarak, who resigned February 11 after 18 days of protest against his rule, is believed to be staying at his residence in Sharm el-Sheikh.

CNN's Mustafa Al-Arab and Saad Abedine contributed to this report

Response: NEW: Former lawmaker says documents he filed are "solid and concrete" evidence of wrongdoing. Egypt's attorney general orders the assets of former President Mubarak and his family frozen. Mubarak's family is also prohibited from leaving the country. Mubarak resigned February 11 after 18 days of protests against his rule.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Tokyo (CNN) -- Video posted to YouTube shows the dramatic moment a food stall exploded at a fireworks festival in Japan on Thursday evening.

More than 100,000 people had gathered for the annual pyrotechnic display in Fukuchiyama city, said the local chamber of commerce and industry, which organized the event.

The video shows flames leaping from the stall's awning, then screams after a second explosion less than two minutes later.

People are seen lying on the ground receiving treatment, before firefighters race to the scene.

Sixty people were taken to a number of hospitals, suffering from varying degrees of burns, authorities said.

At one hospital alone, 16 people ages 8 to 85 years were treated for serious burns. Others were taken to more than 10 hospitals, some outside Kyoto prefecture.

Police are investigating the cause of the blaze, which local media said was believed to have started when the operator of a food stall that sells "baby kasutera," a popular sponge-cake in Japan, tried to refuel his generator.

Response: Dozens injured when food wagon explodes at fireworks festival. Blast happened before fireworks started at Fukuchiyama city in Kyoto. It's believed food vendor was trying to refuel generator when blast occurred.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Apple appears to be testing out motion control features that will let people control their iPhones by moving their heads.

The feature, first reported by 9to5 Mac, was discovered in the developer version of Apple's latest mobile operating system, iOS 7, and is not yet publicly available. It is an option in the Accessibility menu that overrides the usual touchscreen controls.

It works by using the front-facing iPhone or iPad camera to detect head movements, according to the report. When on, the system automatically runs through every option on the device screen until the user selects the one he or she wants by turning his or her head to one side.

The left or right head movements can be assigned to different tasks, including returning to the main home screen, displaying notifications or activating voice assistant Siri. (You can watch a video demonstration here.)

The approach appears time-consuming, but being able to navigate the phone interface this way with head movements could potentially be useful for people with limited mobility or other disabilities that make touch or voice interfaces difficult to use.

The new version of the iOS mobile operating system is still in beta testing, when its features are used by developers creating new apps while Apple fixes bugs and polishes the interface. Regular iPhone users will be able to upgrade to iOS 7 in the fall.

The head-movement feature is meant as an accessibility option, but it's easy to imagine similar motion control features becoming more commonplace on devices in the future.

Motion detection technology that lets you control a computer interface has taken off in the past few years. The Microsoft Kinect and a soon-to-be-released device from Leap Motion use powerful depth sensor cameras. The Kinect can detect a person's skeleton, face and even expressions. The Leap detects gestures such as finger movements.

In a pinch, regular smartphone cameras can perform some minor motion detection features, but they are still in the early stages and need work before they are good enough to be practical tools.

Motion control options are already popping up in smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy S4 supports eye scrolling, moving a page when the user's eyes look up or down, and detecting when motion has stopped.

If you look away from a video while it is playing, it can automatically pause. It also supports gestures, such as picking up calls when you wave a hand over the device.

Response: A new feature being tested in iOS 7 lets you control the iPhone interface with head movements. The feature, reported by 9to5 Mac, is an accessibility option that can help the disabled. There is no guarantee the option will be in the final version of iOS 7 when it comes out in the fall.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- iPhone 5 owners can now get broken display screens replaced while they wait at Apple retail stores, in what could be the first step in a move to make repairs quicker and cheaper.

An Apple Store employee confirmed by phone Tuesday that cracked iPhone 5 screens can now be replaced on site for $149. An Apple spokesperson later confirmed as much.

Previously, the repair would have required mailing in the phone and would have cost $229 for customers who hadn't purchased the company's AppleCare insurance.

The move comes less than a month after, according to reports, Apple employees were informed of a new policy under which the company plans to begin repairing mobile devices instead of routinely replacing them.

The blog AppleInsider quoted an unnamed Apple tech-staff member saying the shift would save the company $1 billion.

As of now, older iPhones, along with iPads and iPods, can't get the on-site screen fix. But more options may be on their way.

The AppleInsider post, which accurately reported that display replacements would be rolled out in June, said that by July, cameras, sleep/wake buttons and logic boards also will be replaced in stores. The Apple spokesperson would not comment on plans.

Apple Store employees already had been able to repair or replace parts like speakers, receivers and batteries.

While trimming its own costs, Apple also could be cutting into a cottage industry that's sprung up around its market-leading smartphones and tablets -- third-party repairs.

On the iPhone repair site Quick iFix, the price to fix the display on an iPhone 5 had dropped to $139 on Tuesday, down from $174 last month.

Response: Apple retail stores now repair iPhone 5 displays while you wait. Fixing a screen costs $149, down from $229 for a replacement. Reports say the change is first of more in-store repairs planned.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Fabio Coentrao from Benfica on Tuesday, with the Portugal international signing a six-year deal.

The 23-year-old defender is the fifth new signing to arrive at the Bernabeu since the off-season transfer window opened with the culmination of the most recent league campaign.

The left-back, who was one of his country's stand-out performers at the 2010 World Cup, said it was a dream come true to join the nine-time European champions.

"Every footballer dreams of playing for Real Madrid," the defender told Real's official web site.

"I wanted to since I was a child. I used to imagine playing for this team. It was my dream and it has now come true. I hope to earn continuity and to show people I'm ready to play here."

The move will see Coentrao link up with his compatriot Jose Mourinho, the head coach who led Los Blancos to second place in the Spanish First Division last season.

"He is the best coach in the world," Coentrao said of the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss. "It makes me proud to have the chance to work with him."

Coentrao, who previously played in Spain during a loan spell with Real Zaragoza in 2008, has played for Portugal on 12 occasions since making his debut in 2009.

Coentrao joins fellow new arrivals at Real, Turkish international duo Nuri Sahin and Hamit Altintop, who moved from Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich respectively.

Winger Jose Callejon has arrived from Espanyol and young French defender Raphael Varane has been signed from Lens.

Elsewhere, Manchester City completed their second signing of the week after Roberto Mancini's team announced the acquisition of Montenegro defender Stefan Savic.

The 20-year-old joins the City of Manchester Stadium outfit from Partizan Belgrade on a four-year contract.

Savic's arrival comes just two days after the Citizens completed a deal for left-back Gael Clichy, who moved from English Premier League rivals Arsenal.

The center-back faced a number of his new teammates during Montenegro's 0-0 draw with England in October 2010, and is looking forward to working with so many international players.

"I never imagined that I'd be teammates with all those City players within a year and I'm so happy to be at this club," Savic told City's web site.

"I watch the Premier League all the time and I know it's the place to be so I am just looking forward to helping this club achieve great things. We have an incredible stadium and I've seen how passionate the City fans are many times on TV.

"Montenegro play England later this year so I'm expecting to have some great banter with the England lads. I'm just really happy to be a City player."

There was also transfer activity at Inter Milan on Wednesday, as they agreed a deal with Argentine team Velez Sarsfield for attacker Ricardo Alvarez.

Inter have agreed to pay $17m for 90% of the 23-year-old's contract with an option to purchase the remaining 10% at a later date, according to Velez's web site.

Meanwhile, Scottish champions Rangers have completed a deal for Almeria's Juan Manuel Ortiz.

The 29-year-old former Atletico Madrid winger has signed a three-year contract at Ibrox.

Response: Real Madrid have completed the signing of Portugal defender Fabio Coentrao. Coentrao will join from Benfica for a fee believed to be in the region of $43 million. NEW: Manchester City have announced the arrival of Stefan Savic from Partizan Belgrade.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- While many now recognize the scientific explanation for a solar eclipse, the phenomenon is still marked with tradition and sometimes suspicion in Hindu-majority India.

People test the "sky watching telescope" at the Gujarat Council of Science City in India.

The "exceptionally long" eclipse that will cross half the planet Wednesday will be able to be seen by virtually all of the population of China and India.

For beggars in India, the occasion means an extra day of receiving alms and food.

The panhandler in Sandeep Jaggi's neighborhood normally visits the block every week on Tuesdays and Saturdays, as well as the days of a new and full moon.

And because his patrons mark an eclipse with alms-giving, prayers and bathing, he rarely misses the chance to meet them on this day as well.

"It's a family tradition and I follow it," says 34-year-old Jaggi. He will fill the beggar's small steel pail with mustard oil and coins and his disheveled sash with lentils.

For others in the country, the eclipse is not a reason to celebrate, but a more ominous phenomenon. Send us your photos of the eclipse

Most pregnant women hope to avoid giving birth during an eclipse.

"None of the expectant mothers under my treatment are willing to have deliveries on Wednesday," Shivani Sachdev Gour, a gynecologist at New Delhi's Fortis La Femme hospital, told CNN.

In fact, there are critically ill patients who do not want to be in the hospital on the day of the eclipse, she said.

Indian astrologers even advise expectant mothers to stay indoors when this celestial event occurs.

"It may not cause any physical harm to the baby, but it may affect the child's overall personality," said R.K. Sharma, who describes himself as a "remedial astrologer."

A solar eclipse, he says, weakens the sun god temporarily because of an encounter with dragon Rahu and leaves some cascading results everywhere.

"Bathing in holy rivers and ponds during this time thus helps protect health and develop positivism and greater will power," he explained.

About 1.5 million people are expected at one such pond -- the Brahmsarovar, or the pool of Hindu god Brahma -- in northern India on Wednesday.

"They offer prayers to the sun god and take holy dips during an eclipse," said Ashok Kumar Bansal, the sub-divisional magistrate of Kurukshetra, an ancient Hindu city.

But the century's longest total solar eclipse is not just about the dragon-sun combat, it also means business for some.

Travel firms in India have plans in place to cash in on the phenomenon.

Cox and Kings India has a planeload of eclipse watchers heading for the eastern state of Bihar, one of the most preferred locations for sighting the event.

The plane will hover over Gaya in Bihar and return to New Delhi the same day, company spokesman Thomas C. Thottathil told CNN.

Passengers were given two options: to book a "sunside" seat facing the eclipse for about $1,640, or reserve an "earthside" seat for about $610, Thottathil added.

"And it's a sold out flight now!" he said.

Response: Solar eclipse marked with tradition and often suspicion in Hindu-majority India. Most pregnant women in India hope to avoid giving birth during eclipse. Some critically ill patients do not want to be in hospital on day of eclipse. Astrologer: Eclipse weakens sun god because of encounter with dragon Rahu.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN)Dolce & Gabbana went familial for fall at its fashion show in Milan on Sunday, dedicating its collection to "mamma" with nary a pair of "mom jeans" in sight.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who are behind the Italian brand, sent models down the runway in decidedly feminine dresses and skirts adorned with roses, lace and even embroidered doodles by the designers' own nieces and nephews.

Many of the looks featured saccharine needlework phrases like "I love you, mamma" and "Per la mamma più bella del mondo" (for the most beautiful mother in the world) as a tableau vivant of moms and daughters stood and posed as a backdrop for the runway.

Even the usually stoic-faced front row couldn't help but applaud and smile as a few models carried their own high-fashion progeny down the runway.

Response: Dolce & Gabbana dedicated their fall fashion show to moms. Some of the models carried their own babies down the runway.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- If there's one thing we've learned about the CNN iReport community, it's that you all love to capture celestial events.

Thursday's partial solar eclipse was no exception.

The eclipse reached its height at 5:45 p.m. ET, NASA said, meaning the eastern half of the country should have gotten a view before the backdrop of golden twilight hues. People living in the Central Time Zone had the best view.

As the moon clipped the sun, it appeared like a fingernail. Or, according to iReporter and independent journalist Georgianne Nienaber, like an iconic arcade game character. "The moon took a little chunk out of the sun, like Pac-Man," she said. Neinaber spent her evening in Sanibel Island, Florida, getting the perfect shot of the eclipse.

Of course, staring at the sun is never a good idea, even during an eclipse.

"Don't stare," NASA urged. "Even at maximum eclipse, a sliver of sun peeking out from behind the Moon can still cause pain and eye damage. Direct viewing should only be attempted with the aid of a safe solar filter."

Greg Hogan of Kathleen, Georgia, attached his camera to a telescope with a solar filter in order to photograph the show. Hogan, who usually photographs the moon, started experimenting with sun photography this week.

The effort was worth it, he said. "It was epic!"

The above photos were snapped by iReporters across the country, all with the aid of filters or other creative methods of viewing the eclipse indirectly. Check out the gallery and share your own eclipse photos here.

Response: Thursday's partial eclipse reached its peak at 5:45 p.m. ET. People in the Central Time zone got the best view, NASA says. NASA: Protect your eyes with special filters or indirect methods when viewing any eclipse. Did you catch the eclipse? Share your best photos with CNN iReport.