Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Vancouver, British Columbia (CNN) -- The tragic death of a trainer at Sea World last week revived a number of long simmering questions. While we still grapple with "how did this happen?" the central question for many revolves around the role of large mammals -- like Tilikum the killer whale -- in zoos and aquariums: Should they be there or not?

Animals in zoos, aquariums and museums play an important and powerful part in our cultural and formal educational processes. Humans are inherently interested in nature. We are not very far removed from a time when being knowledgeable about nature was vital to life; you either knew how to find your dinner or you were dinner.

Today, with well over 50 percent of our populations living in cities, we are rapidly becoming divorced from the realities of the animal world. The dialogue we see in the media, read on blogs and hear in conversation makes it clear that many people have lots of ideas about what's happening in our natural world, much of it not correct.

This lack of knowledge is concerning in a world beset by environmental problems, where species are disappearing at an alarming rate. We need people to understand the changes taking place in our natural systems and appreciate that each of our actions has an impact. More interest and knowledge, not less, is essential.

Zoos and aquariums provide access and a vital connection to the world of wildlife and our environment, helping to foster an understanding of nature and how it works, and an appreciation for why it matters.

Most professionally operated zoos and aquariums, such as those accredited by the Canadian or American Associations of Zoos and Aquariums, are dedicated to increasing engagement and raising awareness and participation in conservation issues. They conduct active programs that aid species survival, research and conservation, both at their public display facilities and in the field.

The Vancouver Aquarium has operated our Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) program since the mid 1960s. Each year, hundreds of marine mammals are rescued from situations of distress and rehabilitated by our dedicated team of staff and volunteers, led by our veterinarian. Their goal is to return marine mammals to good health so they can be released back to the ocean.

The Vancouver Aquarium has not had killer whales on exhibit since 2001. However, our orca research continues in the field with experts working off the British Columbia coast to observe and study social interaction, behaviors, migrations, and feeding patterns.

We do have beluga whales, including two calves born recently. Belugas are ideally suited to an aquarium environment. The calves' births have allowed researchers to study the social structure of a beluga family, and in collaboration with the University of British Columbia we have conducted beluga vocalization studies since 2002 to understand contact calls and other forms of communication between these beautiful and communicative animals.

As our visitors see beluga whales and learn about their communication, natural history and the challenges they face due to climate change in the Arctic, a unique chain is created, moving from initial amazement of observing these creatures to the inspiration to care about them and finally to take action, in large or small ways, to protect their future by conserving their natural environment.

We see our role as more important now than ever before. The time of simply displaying animals merely as curiosities is, thankfully, over.

Our aquarium, and many others like it, represents often the only -- and the best -- opportunity for urbanites (particularly youth) to establish a connection with the natural world of animals. Sadly, many of us will never experience the joy and wonder of encountering animals in their natural habitat. But can get learn about them up close and personal in a modern and reputable aquarium or zoo.

If you have had the good fortune to spend time in such an institution, and have seen the sense of awe and wonder on the faces of youngsters meeting a sea otter, for example, for the first time, you'll know what this is all about.

What's more, having access to, and learning about, Tilikum and other whales in aquariums and marine parks since such amazing creatures were first displayed in the mid-1960s, has totally changed people's perceptions about them.

Before then, killer whales were feared, termed "wolves of the sea", and even had a bounty on their heads in some places; being able to see them personally helped spark people's curiosity and interest. The resulting change in public perception was dramatic and swift, leading to their protection by the U.S. government in the 1970s under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Today, most people revere killer whales and understand a great deal more about the challenges this species faces around the world -- with overfishing depleting their food supply, the impacts of climate change and pollution threatening their environment and their ultimate survival.

With so many changes confronting nature and the animals that make it their home, human understanding and appreciation is critical. Animals that people are privileged to see in professional zoos, aquariums and similar institutions are vital to engagement, inspiration and conservation.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dr. John Nightingale.

Response: John Nightingale says death of whale trainer raises questions about displaying captive animals. Urbanization make zoos, aquariums vital to education, understanding, he says. Such institutions show why preserving environments is important, he says. Nightingale: Seeing creatures up close makes people more inclined to conservation.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:San Diego, California (CNN) -- Nearly six years ago, I left Texas to move back home to California.

I must have been the only one. U.S. Census Bureau data released this week confirm that, during the last decade, the tide was definitely going the other way.

The Lone Star State was the undisputed winner in the 2010 population sweepstakes. Its prize: more congressional seats awarded through reapportionment than any other state. Texas added four House seats and increased its number of electoral votes to 38. That will be second only to California, which has 55 electoral votes.

California, which grew rapidly through the 20th century, only increased at the national average in the past 10 years. It didn't add any House seats this year.

The other winners in the census lottery include Florida, which picked up two new seats in Congress. Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Utah, South Carolina and Washington all picked up one extra seat. It is a much bleaker story in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Massachusetts, which lost seats.

Why did you move -- or stay -- in the last few years? Tell us on iReport!

It makes for quite a sea change. We are seeing the transfer of influence and prominence away from what has long been considered the power corridor of Boston, Washington and New York and toward the Sunbelt.

Texas is the buckle in that belt. If you want to catch a glimpse of the future, you don't go to Alexandria or Syracuse or Worcester. You go to Austin, Houston or San Antonio.

A generation or two ago, Americans left the Northeast and headed west to California in search of the Pacific, milder climate, bountiful farmland and a spirit of tolerance. Now, they're still leaving the Northeast -- but also leaving California -- to head to Texas in pursuit of lower taxes, less government regulation, lower home prices and a spirit of independence.

I have plenty of friends and family in Texas, and they have good reason to celebrate this holiday season. After all, this is a place that is used to coming in second. Texas is the second-largest state in area, behind Alaska. And it's the second-most populous state next to California. But in terms of population growth, it's second to none.

Texas is a beautiful and extremely livable state, with scenic vistas and hospitable people. But somewhere in its bloodstream, there is an inferiority complex. It's just as well that my friends in Dallas can fly to Los Angeles or New York in just a few hours, because the city is always aspiring to be thought of as being sophisticated as Los Angeles and New York.

While some pundits are saying that this population shift to the Southwest is good news for Republicans, I'm not so sure that's true.

Texas is still a red state, but there is some evidence that it's trending purple. Election results confirm that Dallas County and Harris County, which includes Houston, are home to more Democrats than they used to be. There is still a lot of red in the panhandle and western Texas, to be sure.

But demographics don't lie. You can't talk honestly about population growth in Texas without acknowledging two things.

First, much of it is coming from transplants from blue states such as California. They are packing up preformed liberal tendencies and taking them into the land of the blue bonnets. According to The Dallas Morning News, an average of 80,000 Californians moved to Texas each year from 2006 to 2008.

Second, much of the rest of Texas' population growth is tied to the phenomenal increase in the Hispanic population. That's another subset that tends to lean left politically. According to Bill Frey, a demographer with the Brookings Institution, Hispanics made up more than half the new arrivals to Texas. The same goes for Arizona, Florida and Nevada.

That's not surprising. The larger story likely to come out of the 2010 census is that the Hispanic population is exploding.

The data showing the racial/ethnic breakdown of the U.S. population won't be released until February. But already there is reasonable speculation that the Hispanic population could be somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 million, or about 19 percent of the total U.S. population, which is now 308.7 million. And in Texas, Hispanics will likely account for nearly 40 percent of the state's population.

There is no question that, as a result of the population shifts of the past 10 years, Texas and states out West are coming into their own and will have more power and influence to steer a new course for the country. But who will these states be steered by? Whom do you think?

Welcome to the new America. Or should I say, "Bienvenidos?"

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr.

Response: U.S. Census shows growth in Southwest, with Texas gaining quickly. Lone Star State is gaining four seats in House, the most of any state. He says people are coming in search of lower taxes, less regulation, cheaper housing. Growth of Hispanic population is a major factor driving increase in Texas, he says.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso has signed a three-year deal with Ferrari that will keep him at the Italian motorsport giants until 2016.

The Spaniard has only been with Ferrari for one full season after joining from McLaren at the end of the 2009 campaign but has stated his desire to finish his career with the team.

"I am very happy to have reached this agreement," Alonso said on Ferrari's official web site. "I immediately felt comfortable within Ferrari and now it feels to me like a second family.

"I have the utmost faith in the men and women who work in Maranello and in those who lead them: it is therefore natural for me to decide to extend my relationship in the long term like this, with a team at which I will no doubt end my Formula One career one day."

Alonso missed out on the drivers' championship by four points to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel in 2010 but has suffered a disappointing start to the current campaign.

He is fifth in the standings, 52 points behind leader Vettel, but did claim his first podium finish at the Turkish Grand Prix earlier this month.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said of the new deal: "It is a great pleasure to have renewed our agreement with a driver who has always demonstrated a winning mentality even in the most difficult circumstances.

"Fernando has all the required qualities, both technically and personally to play a leading role in the history of Ferrari and I hope he will be enriching it with further wins very soon."

Vettel has spoken of his desire to represent the Italian team one day, but with Ferrari's other driver, Brazilian Felipe Massa, having another season after this to run on his contract, it won't happen until 2013 at the earliest.

There had also been speculation that Ferrari would pursue an interest in McLaren's English driver and 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, but he is tied to the British-based team until 2012.

Alonso has competed in 23 races with Ferrari, with five wins, 11 podiums, two pole positions and 293 world championship points to his name.

Mwanwhile, MotoGP could be set to expand for the 2012 season.

The sport's governing body said 11 teams boasting 16 riders had advanced to the next stage of selection to compete in the motorbike world championship.

Response: Fernando Alonso extends his contract with Ferrari until 2016. Two-time world champion Alonso pens a three-year deal with the Italian giants. The Spaniard finished second to Sebastian Vettel by four points in 2010. MotoGP could be set to expand for the 2012 season.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:NEW YORK (CNN) -- As his presidency nears its end, a reflective President Bush suggested Tuesday that he regrets some of his more blunt statements on the war on terrorism over the last eight years and said he wishes he had not spoken in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner only a month after U.S. troops in Iraq were deployed.

President Bush says his wife told him that as president, he should watch his words carefully.

"I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said," Bush told CNN's Heidi Collins when asked to reflect on his regrets over his two terms as president. "Like 'dead or alive' and 'bring 'em on.' My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States, be careful what you say."

The interview, aboard the USS Intrepid in New York, came after the president addressed a Veterans Day ceremony.

Shortly after the attacks of September 11, the president said of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden: "I want justice. There's an old poster out West that said, 'Wanted, dead or alive.' "   Watch President Bush talk about his regrets »

Bush was also criticized in 2003 for his answer addressing insurgents in Iraq.

"There are some who feel like that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring 'em on," he said then.

On Tuesday, the president also referenced the moment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, during which he declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq.

"They had a sign that said 'Mission Accomplished.' It was a sign aimed at the sailors on the ship, but it conveyed a broader knowledge. To some it said, well, Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over, when I didn't think that. But nonetheless, it conveyed the wrong message."

The president, whose legacy is sure to be hotly debated for decades, said there also is much he is proud of.

"I am proud to be the commander in chief of people who are so selfless and so courageous that they would volunteer to serve our country in a time of war," he said. "I'm proud when I see people feed the hungry. I'm proud when I'm in Africa and see volunteers helping those citizens dying of HIV/AIDS."

In the wide-ranging interview, the president also discussed his Monday meeting with President-elect Barack Obama and said he consulted former President Clinton before his meeting with the future commander in chief.

"I remember the conversation I had with my predecessor Bill Clinton," Bush said. "As a matter of fact, [I] called him yesterday and said, 'Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president, and I remember how gracious you were to me. I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me.' ''

Bush described the atmosphere in his Oval Office meeting with Obama as relaxed and said he offered the future president advice on the transition process. Bush also said Obama was specifically interested in how his two young daughters would adjust to life in the White House.

"It was interesting to watch him go upstairs," Bush said. "He wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep. Clearly, this guy is going to bring a sense of family to the White House, and I hope Laura and I did the same thing. But I believe he will, and I know his girls are on his mind and he wants to make sure that first and foremost, he is a good dad. And I think that's going to be an important part of his presidency."

Bush said he plans to return to Texas after he leaves office January 20 and "may write a book" but otherwise has few plans. "No doubt I'm heading straight home. I miss Texas; I love Texas; I've got a lot of friends in Texas.

"I'll probably get back and take a deep breath," he said.

Bush said he has begun to think about an outline for the book.

"I want people to know what it was like to make some of the decisions I had to make," he said. "In other words, what was the moment like? And I've had one of those presidencies where I've had to make some tough calls, and I want people to know the truth about what it was like sitting in the Oval Office."

Bush expressed regret that Republican presidential nominee John McCain did not win the presidency but called the election of Obama "good for our country."

"The election of Barack Obama is an historic moment for our country. There are a lot of people in America who did not believe they would ever see this day. It is good for our country that people have hope in the system and feel vested in the future and President-elect Obama has a great opportunity," Bush said. "I really do wish him all the best. I am just as American as he is American, and it is good for our country that the president succeeds."

Response: In CNN interview, president reflects on his term. "Mission Accomplished" banner, "dead or alive" comment among his regrets. He says meeting with Obama was relaxed, Obama will bring sense of family. Bush says Texas, book in his post-presidential future.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- The sudden death of Academy Award-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams has sent shock waves throughout the world. The 63-year-old was not only known for bringing laughter to so many throughout his career but for bringing compassion to his philanthropic causes as well.

Impact Your World remembers Williams' generosity by looking at some charities with which he worked.

Robin Williams' legacy: A big heart for charity

The United Service Organization (USO) was a perfect fit for the comedian. The goal of the organization is to lift the spirits of American troops, and that's exactly what Williams did. During his USO tours, the "Good Morning, Vietnam" star traveled to war zones entertaining troops from Afghanistan to Kuwait.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to curing spinal cord injuries, tweeted:

The entertainer and Christopher Reeve were very close friends. They formed an inseparable bond as roommates while studying at New York's Julliard School.

Williams was the first to bring a smile to his college buddy's face after Reeve's 1995 horseback riding accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. In Reeve's autobiography "Still Me," he wrote how Williams made a surprise hospital visit impersonating a Russian proctologist and was going to perform an exam on him!

The comedic actor was a friend to people of all ages.

Just like his "Patch Adams" character, Williams brought smiles and laughter to sick children. He visited kids battling cancer one-on-one and signed autographs at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

In 2006, the father of three was honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award at Celebrity Fight Night. The annual event raises money primarily for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix. Reba McEntire has emceed the benefit dinner and auction for the past nine years and recalled her favorite memory of Williams.

She added, "I will miss Robin so much, as we all will. Thank God we have so many wonderful memories of him, his wit, talent, big heart and generosity."

The late actor was also involved with Comic Relief to raise money for those in need, especially America's homeless.

He hosted a series of HBO TV specials with comedian friends Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg.

Comic Relief founder Bob Zmuda remembered Williams' generosity on CNN's "New Day": "Robin was the one from the get-go that was really insistent that we would raise funds for the homeless community. Robin was kind of born with a silver spoon in his mouth. ... I think he felt that he was given so much and that he needed to give back and he truly did."

Complete coverage of Robin Williams

Videos: The world according to Robin Williams

Response: Robin Williams was involved in several charitable causes. He toured with the USO and volunteered with St. Jude Children's Hospital. The comedian also served on the board of The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- "Saturday Night Live" had some fun recently at the expense of undecided voters. Bill Maher took it a step further on his HBO show "Real Time," calling those who have yet to make up their minds in the presidential election "ignorant."

The jokes may be funny, but both campaigns are taking the final phase of the election season very seriously.

The stakes are high in the first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney, set for Wednesday night in Denver. As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said so aptly over the weekend, "This whole race is going to be turned upside down come Thursday morning."

Opinion: Obama, light a cig; Romney, throw deep

That's not just Jersey bluster. Both Obama and Romney are hoping to land a knockout punch -- a moment where they can break through for good. For viewers everywhere, expect great drama.

Undecideds

The notion that the final month of the election may not matter is, well, ignorant. Presidential debates can make a difference.

Opinion: Swing voters want to hear specifics

Let's look back to 2000. The final debate was "enough to turn a neck-and-neck race into a solid lead for GOP Texas Gov. George W. Bush" over Al Gore.

What did it?

"The debate appears to have made Republicans more enthusiastic about voting while turning some Democrats away from the polls," according to a CNN poll at the time.

Same thing in 2004. After the second presidential debate of the cycle, CNN wrote that Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry "appears to be holding the ground he gained against President Bush after the first presidential debate." It tightened a race that was at one point looking like a Bush runaway. (True, Bush won most of electoral votes, but the difference in popular votes was within 3 percentage points.)

Maher and SNL can poke fun at the undecided voters, but these people matter -- especially in a tight race like the one between Obama and Romney -- since they make up a small but solid percentage of the electorate.

The undecideds will have three more chances to make a decision, including a debate on October 16 that will be moderated by "State of the Union" anchor Candy Crowley.

Unsatisfieds

Recently, 40% of Americans "say they are not too or not at all satisfied, marking the lowest level of candidate satisfaction since the 1992 presidential election." That's a lot of Americans who aren't ready to enthusiastically embrace a candidate or start convincing their friends that their choice is the right one.

What about the last presidential election? In 2008, 72% of voters said they were satisfied with the choices, perhaps because both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin were dynamic.

What does this mean for 2012? Namely, that a big voting bloc is waiting for the candidates to prove their worth.

Opinion: Why debate is crucial for Obama, too

The unsatisfieds are voters who feel their needs are not being met by the campaign stump speeches and talking points. CNN's Halimah Abdullah took a look at these "slivers" of voters. Abdullah profiled a man who voted for Obama in 2008 but has grown disillusioned. This man has a specific list of items that he finds politically appealing, but neither campaign has satisfied him so far. He plans to tune in to the debates which may sway him.

Late deciders

Like the unsatisfied voters, there is a group of voters who haven't started to pay attention to the race.

They're not glued to the 24-hour news cycle of cable TV or the blogosphere. They're not remotely as invested as the inside-the-beltway crowd. But they do vote, and the debates are a critical last-minute stop for them.

Opinion: Will candidates let returning troops fall off the fiscal cliff?

In the 2004 election, which at first looked like a big Bush victory before the debates in the last month, 10% of voters said they decided in the final 30 days, and Kerry captured 54% to Bush's 44% of this group.

Similarly, in the 2008 race, 15% of the voters made their decision in the last month, with more than 50% going for Obama. In 1996, Clinton received more of the last-minute deciders.

Persuadables

There's one more category of people who Obama and Romney will be looking to lock up during the debates. These are the persuadable voters.

They are voters who lean one way or the other but aren't sure whether they will cast a ballot.

In the latest CNN poll, a large percentage of respondents fell into this category. Among Obama supporters, 26% of likely voters "moderately" support him while 30% of registered voters "moderately" support him. Among Romney supporters, 28% of likely voters "moderately" support him and 35% of registered voters support him.

These numbers are not insignificant. In a race that involves both rallying the base and attracting independents, especially in the swing states, turning moderate support to strong support as well as registered voters to likely voters can be a key to victory.

2012 finale

Like any election, this one is defined by key moments. Certainly, Romney's victory in the primary was one. Mitt and Ann Romney's speeches at the Republican National Convention -- and, likewise, Barack and Michelle Obama's at the Democratic National Convention -- were as well.

Since the conventions Democrats have gained ground and a secretly taped video of Romney's offhand comments about 47% of Americans not paying taxes has surfaced. It would be surprising if Obama doesn't allude to Romney's comment in some way, even if in passing.

Opinion: Romney's best bet is to be Mr. Fix-it

On the foreign policy front, a terrorist attack in Libya on September 11 left a U.S. Ambassador dead, and questions remain glaringly unanswered regarding the Obama administration's handling of security in Libya. Romney is expected to bring up this issue.

Back in late February was the "season finale" of the primary debates, which in retrospect seemed like the ultimate reality show with more twists and turns than a "Real Housewives" reunion. Now we get the season premiere of the general election debates with four highly anticipated episodes before the 2012 series finale. The comedy shows can have their fun -- but the real drama begins tonight in Denver.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Steve Krakauer.

Response: Wednesday night is the first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney. Steve Krakauer: The four upcoming debates can make a huge difference. He says both campaigns try to sway the undecided, unsatisfied and late deciding voters. Krakauer: Expect drama to begin in the election season finale in Denver.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has been named as the top men's seed for this year's tournament, with French Open winner Maria Sharapova heading the women's singles seedings.

World number one Djokovic retains the top seeding at the All England Club despite his defeat to Rafael Nadal in the French Open final earlier this month.

The Spaniard is seeded second ahead of six-time champion Roger Federer, who is seeking a first grand slam win since the 2010 Australian Open.

Great Britain's Andy Murray, a losing semifinalist for the last three years, is seeded fourth.

However, the Scot's preparations suffered a blow on Wednesday when he was beaten by Janko Tipsarevic at The Boodles exhibition tournament in Buckinghamshire.

It was Murray's second successive defeat on grass, following his surprise early exit from the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club last week.

France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who suffered an injury scare when he injured a finger at the Aegon Championships, is seeded fifth for Wimbledon.

He will not be joined by fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils as the world number 15 has failed to recover from a knee injury in time for the championships.

The Wimbledon women's singles seedings reflect the current WTA Tour rankings, with world number one Sharapova selected top.

She is followed by world number two Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, with reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova seeded fourth.

Australia's Sam Stosur is the fifth seed, with four-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams seeded sixth.

Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal was named as the flag carrier for Spain at the London 2012 Olympics on Wednesday.

Sharapova and Djokovic were handed similar roles for Russia and Serbia respectively earlier this month.

Response: Champion Novak Djokovic is top men's seed for Wimbledon. Serbian is ahead of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Fourth seed Andy Murray loses warmup match. Maria Sharapova is top seed in women's singles, with Serena Williams sixth.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- On October 1, 1982, the first commercial compact disc, Billy Joel's "52nd Street," was released in Japan. In the 30 years since, hundreds of billions of CDs have been sold, Joel has stopped recording pop music and the music industry has moved on to the next hot medium.

When the first CD player was released that same day, it was described as a "new digital record player, using laser beams" by United Press International. Spun out of the far less successful Philips' laser disc technology (remember those?), the CD was a result of Philips and Sony combining forces.

The compact disc was actually invented several years earlier. The first test CD was Richard Strauss's "Eine Alpensinfonie," and the first CD actually pressed at a factory was ABBA's "The Visitors," but that disc wasn't released commercially until later.

Mass adoption didn't happen immediately -- CDs wouldn't overtake cassette tapes until the late 1980s. The first album to sell 1 million copies in the CD format and outsell its vinyl version was Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms," released in 1985.

As with most new technologies, one reason for the slow spread of CDs was their steep price tags. The Sony CDP-101 player sold for the equivalent of $730 when it first hit Japanese shelves in 1982. Accounting for inflation, that's about $1,750 today. The audio CDs themselves were $15, which is $35 in 2012 dollars.

Because getting a new player and replacing an entire music collection was costly, audio manufacturers were savvy enough to market the first CD players to classical music fans, who were more likely to care about sound quality and have extra disposable income.

When they arrived, CDs were hailed for their pristine sound. But whether the audio quality of CDs is greater than vinyl remains a hotly debated topic among hi-fi enthusiasts.

"For most people who weren't audiophiles, the switch to CDs was a revolution. It took away all the audio noise," said Mark Katz, a music professor at the University of North Carolina and author of "Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music."

Young listeners opting to stream, not own music

Some will still argue that records sound better than CDs, but that is only plausible when people take meticulous care of their albums, listening to them in scratchless, snap-crackle-and-pop-free condition. Most people don't consume music in a vacuum. Even today, the average music fan will listen to tunes on cheap earbuds in an environment filled with background noise, and is likely unable to be able to tell the difference between a CD and an MP3, says Katz.

The compact disc changed technology, and went on to be used for data and video storage, evolving into re-writeable media and Blu-Ray DVDs.

The shiny little platter also changed how people interacted with their music.

"Changing formats usually has greater impact on the way people listen, consume and disseminate the music, but it also does have an impact on the creative side," said Katz.

The first compact discs could hold up to 74 minutes of music (the rumor was that the length of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony established that standard) or at least several songs more than a vinyl LP. This longer length allowed composers to write longer works without worrying about side breaks -- where listeners would have to flip over a record or cassette.

Convenience was another huge change. The discs were small, just 4.5 inches in diameter, and could be carted around far more easily than records. Listening to music on a CD was easier -- there was no standing up to flip over the record or tape, less time spent searching for the song you wanted to hear right then. Some CD players even allowed you to program what songs played or didn't, and in what order.

Three decades later, it may be surprising to some that CD sales, and Billy Joel's career, are still alive. Though their market share is plummeting, CDs still account for the majority of album sales in the U.S. In the first half of 2012, 61% of all albums sold were CDs, according to the Nielsen Company and Billboard.

Even so, CDs are gradually being overtaken by digital files. At first, MP3s were burned from CDs onto computers, traded on peer-to-peer networks such as Napster and the Internet's back alleys. Then Apple released the iPod, and its iTunes store turned digital music files into a legitimate business. Now popular services like Spotify and Pandora let users stream music from anywhere, and Amazon and Apple are encouraging people to store their digital libraries in the cloud.

Like CDs before them, this new format is changing both the creation and consumption of music. Musicians no longer have to wait until an album is finished to release tracks -- they can sell them one at a time. Length of a song isn't an issue, just file size. Listeners have more flexibility than ever, with unlimited mix-and-match options. And increasingly, they're opting to download single songs over albums.

And in an age when computer users can conjure almost any song they want with a few taps or mouse clicks, music stores themselves are disappearing.

Katz doesn't think CDs and physical music storage will ever vanish altogether. People like tangible things, and form meaningful relationships with objects they can hold and look at -- more so than strings of ones and zeros. That explains why vinyl sales are up, often among young hipster types who weren't even alive when vinyl was the dominant medium.

"There is the basic human fact of connection with physical objects, that won't change," said Katz.

Compact discs are unlikely to evoke the nostalgia many people feel for vinyl records, with their spiraling black groove and sometimes trippy cover art. And to people born in this century, they're already becoming a retro curiosity.

Streaming debate strikes chord with music fans

But a generation of music fans grew up on them -- Nirvana, Public Enemy, Billy Joel and all.

Response: On October 1, 1982, Billy Joel's "52nd Street" was released commercially on CD. CDs wouldn't overtake cassettes in popularity until the late 1980s. CDs remain popular but are losing ground to MP3s and streaming music. Whether the audio quality of CDs is greater than vinyl remains a hotly debated topic.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Rarely has an animal birth been more hotly anticipated but the equine answer to the Royal Baby has taken its first tentative steps at the home of racing, Newmarket in eastern England.

On Sunday, Song produced the first filly to the superstar stallion Frankel at the National Stud, and despite it being just a few days old, the expectation on it to succeed on the racecourse is already huge.

An anticipated 130 foals will be born to Frankel in 2014, none of which will race for two years but with the potential for some sporting sibling rivalry come 2016 at the earliest.

Song is owned by Khalid Abdul Rahim, of Bahrain, who paid $1.3 million for the mare when she was already in foal to Frankel.

Director of The National Stud Brian O'Rourke described the new offspring as "a very nice quality, athletic individual," adding that both "mare and foal are doing well."

There is even footage online of the foal taking some of its first steps in Newmarket. Mother and foal will stay together for at least five months.

Frankel earned owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, a Saudi prince, more than $4m in prize money during an illustrious racing career, which included a record nine consecutive Group 1 wins and ended with victory in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October last year.

However, Frankel, who went to work in his new role at stud in February last year, is now earning his owners infinitely more with a whopping fee of $160,000 for every mare sired and hence earnings of nearly four times his career winnings this year alone.

The offspring of 2001 Epsom Derby winner Galileo, Frankel boasts an impressive pedigree, but predicting how Frankel foals may fare is by no means an exact science.

Despite the sums paid for the mares and foals in question, she could well prove a flop.

Despite that there are high hopes for the filly and Frankel's first foal, a colt, born just a few days earlier at Coolmore Stud in Ireland to a mare called Chrysanthemum. That colt is valued at Â£6m and has been quoted as a 100-1 shot to win the 2017 Derby.

As for the filly foal in Newmarket, she remains unnamed with suggestions for a possible moniker to the offspring of Frankel and Song, currently including Sinatra or My Way.

Response: Mare Song produces first filly to superstar stallion Frankel. Anticipated 130 foals will be born to Frankel in 2014. Song owned by Khalid Abdul Rahim of Bahrain.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Bill Clinton and George W. Bush sounded like old college buddies when they appeared in Washington on Monday.

You'd never know that Clinton was the candidate who made Bush's father a one-termer, or that Bush ran for office in 2000 promising to restore "honor and dignity to the White House" after Clinton left.

Things are genial now that both men have their presidencies behind them and are focused on their legacies as former presidents. They appeared together on Monday to announce a new leadership program through their respective foundations.

But at times, it appeared the announcement took a back seat to the presidents' relationship. The two former commanders in chief joked with and about each other, told stories about their relationship, and even offered commentary about the number of selfies each is asked to take.

"He used to call me twice a year, in his second term, just to talk," Clinton said about Bush. "We'd talk -- depending on how much time he had, 'cause he was busier than me -- somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes, for several years. It meant a lot to me."

Clinton said he and Bush "talked about everything in the right world. He asked my opinion, half the time he disagreed with it. But I felt good about that, I thought that was a really healthy thing."

Bush and Clinton were together Monday to announce the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a partnership between their respective presidential centers, as well as George H.W. Bush's and Lyndon B. Johnson's centers.

The program's aim is to bring "motivated leaders across all sectors an opportunity to study presidential leadership and decision making and learn from key administration officials, practitioners, and leading academics."

It is well-documented that Clinton has grown closer with the Bush family since his presidency. Clinton and George H.W. Bush worked together after the Asian tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, while Clinton and George W. Bush worked together after the 2010 Haitian earthquake.

Monday's event was a mutual admiration festival. As Clinton heralded their post-presidency friendship, he regularly touched Bush's arm. When the Arkansas Democrat reflected positively on Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, Bush 43 looked at Clinton and said, "Thank you, you are right."

When Bush gave Clinton advice on becoming a grandparent -- "Get ready also to be, like, the lowest person in the pecking order in your family" -- the two laughed and shared a hearty handshake.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are expecting their first grandchild this fall as their only daughter, Chelsea Clinton, is pregnant. Hillary Clinton attended Monday's event and sat near the back.

During the event, Bill Clinton's phone rang and the former president joked that "only two people have this number and they are related to me."

"I hope I'm not being told I'm about to become a premature grandfather," Clinton said to a chorus of laughs.

The former presidents were asked to reflect on each other's leadership qualities.

Clinton said Bush was decisive and did what he thought was best for the country, even if Clinton sometimes disagreed with him.

"I actually learned a lot watching him over the years," Clinton said.

Bush, in a briefer answer, said Clinton was an "awesome communicator" who can "really lay out a case and get people all across the political spectrum to listen."

"[There is] a lot to admire about Bill Clinton," Bush said, before noticing that he had said less than Clinton had.

"Is that enough?" Bush said. "It was a lot shorter than your answer, I know."

The differences between Bush and Clinton were also on full display. Clinton offered wordy, detailed answers, while Bush used more folksy one-liners and quips to engage the crowd. Both joked about how Bush often said he "didn't do" nuance.

Clinton said that before the event they "were laughing about having to go to restaurants and having to spend our time taking selfies" with fans.

Without skipping a beat, Bush said, "At least they are still asking, you know."

Bush takes Ice Bucket Challenge, challenges Clinton

Response: Bush and Clinton's genial relationship now that both have left office is on full display. The duo is in Washington on Monday to announce a new leadership program. Bush calls Clinton an "awesome communicator," finds "a lot to admire". Clinton says he "learned a lot watching (Bush) over the years".


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:Washington (CNN) -- Toward the end of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's surprise appearance at the TED Women conference Wednesday, she told the story of a girl and her father in a developing country.

"This teenage girl's father expected to force her into early marriage, but she had been to school and she received a cow, perhaps through the Heifer project,  to encourage her to stay in school. When her father demanded she drop out of school and get married, she said no. When he insisted, she insisted right back.

"And finally she pulled out her trump card: 'If I leave and get married, I'm taking my cow, that cow belongs to me.' So guess what. She stayed in school, she was spared an early marriage, all because her father couldn't bear to part with the cow."

TED.com: Sheryl WuDunn on oppression of women

Clinton devoted her talk to the importance of empowering women and girls around the world, and the audience of 700 at the International Trade Center responded enthusiastically.

"Let women work and they drive economic growth across all sectors. Send a girl to school even just for one year and her income dramatically increases for life, and her children are more likely to survive and her family more likely to be healthier for years to come. Give women equal rights and entire nations are more stable and secure. Deny women equal rights and the instability of nations is almost certain."

Clinton said the goal of empowering women and girls is a "central tenet" of American foreign policy. "Women's equality is not just a moral issue, it's not just a humanitarian issue, it is not just a fairness issue," she said, "It is a security issue, it is a prosperity issue, and it is a peace issue.

"Therefore when I talk about why we need to integrate women's issues into discussions at the highest levels everywhere in the world, I'm not doing it just because I have a personal commitment or because President Obama cares about it. I'm doing it because it's in the vital interests of the United States of America."

Clinton said the status of women will be a key part of a new document the State Department is planning to release this week. Modeled on the Defense Department's review every four years of U.S. defenses, the "quadrennial diplomacy and development review" will assess American foreign policy.

TED.com: Zainab Salbi on women and wartime

Clinton spoke of an array of initiatives and programs the State Department is using, many involving technology that can empower women. Among them is a program in the wartorn Democratic Republic of Congo that enables women who are the victims of violence to record and transmit their testimony in criminal cases through the use of mobile phones.

Clinton's talk did not mention the ongoing worldwide controversy over the release of thousands of U.S. diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks. She did pay tribute to Elizabeth Edwards, who died the day before her talk.

"She lived with a fierce intelligence, a passion, a sense of purpose," Clinton said. "She would have appreciated this event, where we are coming together to look for solutions."

The TED Women conference was a new event organized by TED, a nonprofit that runs conferences and makes talks available on its website, and by the Paley Center for Media.

Clinton said the effort to empower women and girls faces cultural barriers: "The low value that many families and societies place on girls makes possible many of the worst abuses they suffer. But even among girls who are spared the worst, too often it is a girl who is still the first to drop out of school, the last to be fed, the last to receive medical care. And in too many places, she is taught there are special limits to what is possible for her.

"We need to reach out to faith leaders and community leaders to change the perception and treatment of girls, and to persuade men and boys to value their sisters and their daughters, their talents and their intrinsic worth."

Response: Hillary Clinton spoke at the TED Women conference on U.S. policy on girls, women. She said empowering girls and women is vital for peace and security. Clinton said sending a girl to school increases her earnings and improves her family's health. Empowering girls faces cultural obstacles that must be overcome, she said.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:NEW YORK (CNN) -- The numbers were good for "Knowing."

In "Knowing," a physics professor (Nicolas Cage) ponders patterns in a list of numbers.

The film, about a physics professor who sees clues for disastrous events in a time capsule's list of digits, overcame some pretty long odds at the box office -- going against the Paul Rudd-Jason Segel comedy "I Love You, Man," the Julia Roberts-Clive Owen romantic thriller "Duplicity" and some fairly scathing reviews -- to emerge as the weekend's No. 1 film.

Though star Nicolas Cage wouldn't have predicted the outcome, in an interview before the film's release, he did talk about the power of positive thinking.

"I'm a huge believer of the human spirit," he told CNN. "I think people are amazing. I think what we have accomplished is incredible. ... If you think positive and you apply the guts and ingenuity that mankind has been doing forever, at least in our existence, I believe we get through anything."

Cage's character, John Koestler, is a science professor whom Cage describes as "someone who is reawakening to his faith." He begins the film believing that everything is random, but as the film continues -- and he seeks to alert the world of a coming catastrophe -- "he believes there is cause and effect and perhaps even a divine mind," Cage said.

The film begins in 1959, with students burying items in a time capsule at an elementary school. One of the children, however, creates an image of seemingly random numbers. Fifty years later, when the capsule is opened, Koestler's son receives the page of numbers, and his father realizes that they correspond to major disasters of the past half-century.

Koestler determines that three events have yet to occur and sets out to meet the clairvoyant child's now grown daughter. The final event threatens life on Earth itself, and the group begins a race against time, with unusual consequences.

Critics were not impressed. The film earned a 25 percent rating on the review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com, with some reviewers in full-on mockery mode.  Watch Mr. Moviefone review "Knowing" and other films »

"It's increasingly hard to believe that Cage won an Oscar in 1996 (for 'Leaving Las Vegas')," wrote USA Today's Claudia Puig in a 1½-star review. "In the past decade, he has made some awful choices, and his range has seemed to grow more limited."

"It's so inept that you may wish you were watching an M. Night Shyamalan version of the very same premise," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman, referring to the director whose last two films, "Lady in the Water" and "The Happening," were two of the most detested films of recent years.

But the film's apocalyptic theme obviously strikes a chord, something director Alex Proyas ("Dark City") saw early on.

Proyas told CNN in a pre-release interview that "you can read [the film] as biblical if you choose to," but he prefers to see it as "spiritual."

"I try to leave it very open-ended," he said. "I try to think of it as more a spiritual place than a biblical one." Cage's character, he said, is on a spiritual quest in the midst of what could be global destruction.

Rose Byrne, who plays the clairvoyant child's daughter, Diana, called the film "kind of a theological discussion."

"That's always an exciting topic," she said. "It's bridging the gap between science and spirituality. That always makes things thought-provoking, and I like that with any piece of art."

Byrne said that "Knowing" taps into some of the end-times anxiety that's been in the air in recent years, which perhaps could help find an audience. (As she was talking before the film's release, she didn't realize how much of an audience.)

"I think it's a common thing in life," she said of end-of-the-world fears, referencing one of the latest making the rounds -- the Mayan calendar's Long Count end in 2012 -- in making her point.

Proyas observes that given such worries, the film can be a wake-up call for such concerns as global climate change.

"There is a symbolic aspect to what is happening and what the story is about, and to get people to pay attention to what could happen," he said.

But, he adds, it's also just a movie.

"I believe in the entertainment value of movies -- very much so," he said. "I ... want to make it good for the audience. I really want people to be there and experience something powerful and resident, both in terms of ideas and emotions ... and also with this film trying to do something different. It's a challenging film, and it takes some unexpected turns."

Response: "Knowing" was weekend's No. 1 film. Apocalyptic thriller stars Nicolas Cage as professor who sees clues in numbers. Film taps into themes of religion, spirituality, end-times concerns, say makers.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Look out air travelers. A congressional slugfest over the U.S. deficit is threatening to trigger higher airfares and widespread slowdowns at the nation's airports.

Remember that big fight in Congress last year over the national budget deficit? Eventually Congress and the White House agreed to scheduled budget cuts that are so deep that lawmakers would be forced to come together on tough choices. Washington wonks call these cuts "sequestration."

Related story: Sequestration is the 'dumbest thing'

The Federal Aviation Administration is in the cross hairs for sequestration -- with a possible $1 billion in mandatory cuts scheduled to occur as soon as January. The FAA chief warned of the impact of such cuts. And a new study says the cuts would result in fewer air traffic controllers, customs officers and security officers. The FAA's sweeping overhaul of the U.S. air traffic system also would take a hit.

NextGen, as it's called, is aimed at improving efficiency and increasing safety.

"If the sequester were to occur, we would face some very drastic cuts in services and these investments," said FAA acting administrator Michael Huerta, in an October speech. "These cuts would impact air traffic control services, NextGen implementation, and aircraft certification -- all of which are critical to our ability to move forward with aviation in this century.

"They would result in significantly less efficient and less convenient air travel service for the American traveling public. We will always, however, maintain the highest levels of safety."

It's anybody's guess -- and up to Congress -- whether the cuts will actually happen. But groups representing pilots and the aerospace industry say it's time to get nervous.

Opinion: Clock ticking on defense cuts

Marion Blakey, who headed the FAA during the George W. Bush administration and who now leads an aerospace industry lobbying organization, warned in August that just the threat of the cuts is already having a chilling effect. Consumers should be worried, she warns.

"This will affect their ability to fly when they want and how they want," Blakey says. "It will certainly be a drag on the airlines, which then will incur great cost, which then will be passed on to the consumer or it will cut into the carriers' very meager profits and that's not healthy."

Blakey's group, the Aerospace Industries Association, and Econsult Corp. released a study in August that paints a worst-case scenario, including possible closure of 246 airport control towers, 1,500 fewer air traffic controllers and the loss of 9,000 security screeners and 1,600 customs officers.

Obviously, fewer controllers, screeners and customs people would throw a wrench into an already stressed air travel system.

"A billion dollars is a body blow to the FAA," Blakey says.

For industry planners, Blakey says January is right around the corner, and making industry decisions amid such uncertainty comes with an economic price that will affect the consumer.

Not only would airline passengers feel the cuts, but pilots of small aircraft, known as general aviation, or GA, will see ramifications, both in safety and efficiency, says Melissa Rudinger, senior vice president of government affairs at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

The cuts could include the shut down of more than 200 control towers, "which operate almost exclusively at GA locations," she says.

"It's unclear to us how the FAA would go about literally closing the doors and turning out the lights," she says. "But there's definitely a safety risk that would have us concerned."

Safety would not be an issue, Blakey says.

"I have every confidence they'll keep it safe," she says, although she expects FAA controllers will slow traffic at small airports by reducing hours of operation and capacity.

"I do not anticipate that the FAA will reduce hours and personnel at the nation's big air traffic control centers and the TRACON radar tracking centers," she says.

For now, many in the aviation industry are taking a wait-and-see attitude.

"There is a great deal of uncertainty about whether sequestration will actually happen and what the real impact would be on commercial aviation," writes a spokeswoman for the airline industry trade group Airlines for America.

Other groups aren't talking at all.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association wouldn't comment in August, and the FAA referred questions to the Office of Management and Budget.

The OMB has 30 days to analyze the sequestration legislation and to make recommendations to the White House. An internal OMB memo (PDF) in July said sequestration would be "highly destructive to national security and domestic priorities, as well as to core government functions," and that Obama has submitted deficit reduction proposals to Congress aimed at avoiding the cuts.

The cuts would delay deployment of the multibillion-dollar NextGen program by at least a decade, according to the study.

"It's a very big deal to keep that on track," Blakey says. "It's going to get hit; it's just a question of how much."

This is not just about FAA, Blakey says. Think about the idea of cutting 9,000 Transportation Security Administration screeners. "How do you like the lines now? How are you going to like them then?"

She says, "People would like to treat this as a hypothetical or a simple congressional debate." But the threat will grow, she warns, unless "people step up and try again to address the long-term issues" surrounding the nation's debt and deficit -- or they postpone the FAA cuts to give themselves more time for a compromise.

Response: Budget battle may result in slower air travel, higher fares. FAA cuts could lead to fewer controllers, security and customs officers, study says. Ex-FAA chief: Fear of the cuts is already having a chilling effect.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Speaking Saturday at the Summit of the Americas, President Barack Obama said it is reasonable to debate alternatives in the war on drugs, but insisted legalizing drugs wasn't a valid option in the United States.

Obama voiced his view in his first public remarks at the hemispheric event during a meeting of business leaders, where he was part of a panel alongside Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

The possibility of drug legalization has gained traction in Central America, which is being squeezed between suppliers to the south and consumers to the north.

Yet the idea goes against decades of the prohibitionist policy backed by the United States, which is largely followed and enforced in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Santos noted Saturday that people in his native Colombia, too, have called for different ways to approach illicit drugs.

"Sometimes we pedal and pedal and pedal, and we feel like we are on a stationary bike," he said of the war on drugs. "I think the time has come to simply analyze if what we are doing is the best we could be doing, or if we can find an alternative that would be more effective and less costly to society. This is a topic of extreme political sensitivity."

He added, "One extreme can be to put all users in prison. On the other extreme, legalization. In the middle there may be more practical policies, such as decriminalizing consumption but putting all the efforts into interdiction."

The first thing that regional leaders should do, Santos said later at the summit's opening session, is seriously and collaboratively examine how to tackle drug trafficking "without dogma, without prejudice."

"This summit is not going to resolve this issue," he said. "But it can be a starting point to begin a discussion that we have been postponing for far too long."

Obama earlier Saturday left the door open for debate, but made it clear that the United States has a firm stance.

"I think it is entirely legitimate to have a conversation about whether the laws in place are doing more harm than good in certain places," Obama said. "I personally, and my administration's position is, that legalization is not the answer."

Much attention in the run-up to the summit was on the drug issue, as well as on leaders from the hemisphere who are not present in the coastal city of Cartagena, Colombia.

Venezuela's foreign minister told reporters Saturday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will not attend because of health reasons. Chavez had recently returned to his country from Cuba, where he underwent cancer treatment.

Cuba, which is not a member of the Organization of American States, was not invited to join the leaders. But there was a last-minute push by Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa to get Cuban leader Raul Castro a seat at the table.

Correa boycotted the summit because of Cuba's exclusion.

Santos, a key U.S. ally, said in his opening remarks Saturday that it was time to overcome such issues -- calling it unthinkable if Cuba is not part of the next Summit of the Americas, as well as nearby Haiti.

The United States has "never been more excited" to work as equal partners with countries in Latin America, Obama said earlier Saturday -- a vow that's been made before by U.S. presidents, but that nonetheless drew applause from the audience of business leaders.

The president presented an upbeat assessment of hemispheric relations, touting a 46% increase in trade between the United States and Latin American and Caribbean countries.

"This hemisphere is very well positioned in the global economy," he said.

Rousseff spoke of a need for a "virtuous relationship" based on respect and equality among economies, while Santos said he welcomed a "change of mentality in relations between north and south."

Obama pointed out one change he'd like to see: "I think in Latin America, part of the change in mentality, is also not always looking at the United States as the reason for everything ... that goes wrong."

There are many examples of increased cooperation between the United States and Latin America, but they are not always flashy and don't draw the same type of attention that conflicts do, Obama said.

"Oftentimes in the press, the attention at summits like this ends up focusing on the controversies," the president added. "Sometimes those controversies date back to before I was born."

The summit's start was momentarily overshadowed by two security incidents -- one involving bomb blasts and another involving Secret Service in Colombia to protect the U.S. delegation.

Roughly a dozen Secret Service agents and officers are being investigated over early findings that they allegedly brought back several prostitutes to a hotel in Cartagena, two U.S. government sources familiar the investigation told CNN.

The Secret Service personnel have since been sent back to the United States.

Separately, two small blasts occurred nearly back-to-back Friday in Cartagena.

The explosions -- one near a bus station and another near a shopping mall -- occurred a good distance away from where world leaders were gathering, said Alberto Cantihho Toncell, a spokesman for the Colombia National Police.

There were no casualties, and only minor damage was reported, Toncell said.

The explosions came on the heels of a similar one earlier in the day near the U.S. Embassy in the capital city of Bogota, authorities said.

CNN's Dan Lothian contributed to this report.

Response: NEW: Colombia's president says it is unthinkable if Cuba isn't at the next summit. NEW: Santos adds the summit can be a "starting point" for talks on illicit drugs. Obama says debate is fine, but insists legalization isn't an option in the U.S.. The United States wants strong relations with Latin America, Obama says.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- It would take you almost five solid months -- without sleeping or bathroom breaks -- to watch every sporting event at this year's Summer Olympics. More than 3,500 hours of competition from London will be crammed into just 17 days.

In the past, people had to settle for watching the delayed, edited bits broadcast on TV or websites, but technology and viewing habits have changed. This year, 40% of people plan to follow the games on more than one device, with 35% checking in on their tablets and 27% using their smartphone, according to a new study by Harris Interactive.

Fans asked to tweet from Olympics only if it's 'urgent'

So what are the best ways for today's mobile, multiple-screen owning, Twitter-loving generation to follow the Olympics Ã  la carte? We offer these five:

Live streaming, with a catch

First, the good news: It's finally possible to stream any Olympic event live online, on a tablet or from your smartphone. After years of tape-delayed broadcasts and online video, NBC has caught on that viewers want to follow the Olympics on multiple devices in real time, and is offering the live options in addition to its regular television programming.

The bad news is that anyone in the U.S. who wants to enjoy live streaming of the games needs to have a current cable, satellite or telco TV subscription that includes MSNBC and CNBC (for some areas this may mean be more than just basic cable). You will be prompted on the NBC site and in NBC apps to choose your provider from a list and log in with your official username and password in order to access any live streams.

Cord cutters -- those who have canceled their cable and primarily watch TV online through services like Hulu and Netflix -- are out of luck, however. They can sign up for cable and cancel after the games are over, but there's no one-time payment option just to access live streaming. NBC wants mobile and online options to complement the TV coverage, not replace it.

NBC, which is owned by the largest cable provider in the United States, Comcast, paid $1.18 billion for the rights to this year's Olympics. The network makes a good portion of that amount back on television advertising, which still generates more revenue than online ads.

Online

The Internet portal for all video in the U.S. is NBCOlympics.com. On the main video page, anyone can view the select clips that NBC posts after watching a short ad. These clips are a combination of highlights from events, interviews, profiles, and peeks behind the scenes. Sort by your sport of choice or type of video.

How to avoid Olympics spoilers

The site is also providing live streams of any sport to cable, satellite or telco TV subscribers. Called LiveExtra, the service will live stream some Olympic trials and every single Olympic sport. You can watch online or through the complimentary app. It's the only option for live streaming in the U.S.

Though hosted through YouTube, all of the videos on the NBCOlympics are in Flash. To view them on iPhones, iPads or other mobile devices, go to the mobile version of the site, m.nbcolympics.com. You can also download one of the official apps to watch official NBC Olympic video on your iOS or Android device.

For the first time, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will live stream 11 high-definition channels simultaneously over YouTube for 64 territories in Asia and Africa that don't have broadcast deals, but those streams will not be accessible outside of those countries. Foreign news websites such as the BBC will also have videos, but again, most will be blocked for U.S. viewers.

Mobile apps

NBC created two official apps for Android and Apple mobile devices, NBC Olympics and NBC Olympics Live Extra, and both are free to download. NBC Olympics has no live video, but tons of content that can be enjoyed by anyone for free, including news, results, video highlights, and the intriguing-sounding Twitter heat map.

NBC Olympics Live Extra app is a mobile version of its LiveExtra online service and requires a cable, satellite or telco subscription. View any event live, watch replays of the ones you missed, and check out medal ceremonies and alternative camera views. Look over the in-app schedule and set up notifications for the events you don't want to miss. (Avid streamers should be careful not to go over their monthly data limits.)

There are two official apps for the London 2012 Olympics, and they're available for a mix of platforms including iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7. Official London 2012: Results App has live updates of results, as well as schedules, news, background on sports and athlete profiles. You can follow specific countries and set up custom alerts. The second app, Official London 2012: Join In App, is more for people attending the games, and has schedules and locations for the various Olympic-related festivities going on in London.

The free BBC Olympic iOS and Android app will have a steady stream of quality Olympics news, including a running tally of medals won and live reporting from the BBC journalists attending events.

Social media and news

Perhaps you have no interest in seeing your favorite diver's perfectly executed reverse 3 1/2 somersault tuck. You just want to know who got the gold as soon as it happens. Individual sports have official, automated Twitter feeds that will tweet out the results as they happen. You can narrow it down to just the events you're interested in and follow those feeds (say @L2012Trampoline or @L2012Judo), or keep an eye on all of them at once by following the London 2012 official Twitter list of automated feeds. The official London 2012 feed is @London2012.

Twitter takes the Olympic gold for speed

This year a lot of the fun will be following the athletes themselves. You can look up your favorites or follow this list of verified Olympic athlete Twitter accounts, the London 2012 list of Olympians or find a list just for your preferred sport of team, like Team USA.

If you want more color, find a hashtag for the event you're interested in to get live tweets of the excitement as it happens from attendees and journalists. There's also an official London 2012 Facebook page you can like to get updates.

And of course, there are old-fashioned news sites and blogs filled with words and pictures. There are 21,000 journalists in London covering the Olympics (outnumbering the 10,500 athletes competing).

With all the content online, on TV and on social media, keeping up with the Olympics won't be nearly as much of a challenge as avoiding spoilers.

Television

Oh right, there's TV, too. If you have cable, you can catch NBC's coverage scattered across a number of its channels: NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo and Telemundo. Check the schedule for your location, sorted by time or sport, at the NBC Olympics site.

If you don't have cable, you can still tune into NBC over the air for nearly round-the-clock coverage, including the four-hour prime-time broadcast that will show the most popular events mixed in with the usual profiles and athlete interviews. The channel will broadcast a total of 217 hours of Olympic coverage.

Opinion: Is it really #NBCfail?

Response: This is the first year the Olympic games will be available as live streams in the U.S.. The events can be watched on TV, computers, tablets and smartphones. Only cable, satellite and telco TV subscribers will be able to watch live streams.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:San Diego, California (CNN) -- You're a mean one, Mr. Gingrich.

Well, not really. Those of us who know Newt Gingrich tend to describe him as not only intelligent but also charming. Some members of the Washington press corps will admit as much, even though they usually don't agree with Gingrich's views.

No matter. Facts shouldn't get in the way of a good smear. And at the moment, the left is trying to dampen the appeal of the former House speaker and current GOP presidential front-runner by likening him to a green and hairy Dr. Seuss character who tries to steal Christmas.

Only in the real life version, Gingrich is supposedly at war with the poor for saying this: "Really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works, so they literally have no habit of showing up on Monday."

That narrative was front and center again this week as Gingrich explained his remarks to reporters gathered at a New York press conference, emphasizing that he believes the secret to getting America working again is to teach some Americans how to work.

"I've been talking a little bit about the importance of work," Gingrich said, "particularly as it relates to people who are in areas where there are public housing where there are relatively few people who go to work."

At one point, Gingrich turned the tables on the reporters and asked them a question. He wanted to know, "How many of you earned some money doing something before you were 10 years old, whether it was cutting grass or babysitting or something?"

Talk to hugely successful people, Gingrich said, and most of them will say that they got an early start learning about jobs and responsibility and earning money for their labor. Tragically, that's not happening with many young people today. Gingrich pointed out that, for instance, among African-American teenagers, the unemployment rate is a staggering 43%.

Now, you can spin a statistic like that one of two ways. You can say these unemployed black teenagers are helpless victims and the system is working against them. Or you can say that many of these teenagers are unemployable because no one ever taught them the skills necessary to hold down a job.

Gingrich thinks government should have a hand in creating a "pathway to work" so "people get in the work habit and learn the skills to be successful."

Bravo for Newt. Politicians don't usually speak this way, which is why so many of them have mastered the art of talking for hours without saying anything of importance. I can't imagine Mitt Romney saying these things; he's too busy telling people what they want to hear to tell them what they need to hear. This subject is as important as they come, and Gingrich deserves credit for kicking off the discussion, especially since he was sure to be pummeled for stating the obvious.

Here's the obvious: Americans have lost their work ethic, and some never had one to lose. They grow up -- or put more precisely, they're raised -- thinking of so many jobs as beneath them that they wake up one day not knowing how to do any job.

Gingrich was right on the money. But I would go further than he did. This isn't just a problem for black Americans; it's a problem for all Americans. In fact, as someone who speaks to groups all over the country and who spends a fair amount of time visiting high schools and colleges, I worry less about students from poor families who lack resources and opportunities than I do about those from the upper-middle class who lack passion and purpose.

Poor kids often have a fire in their belly, a desire to improve their lot and help their parents. Upper-middle class kids can be harder to motivate, especially if they've never been taught to work by their parents.

You think I'm kidding. I remember once seeing a 21-year-old struggle with how to hold a broom and sweep the floor. It wasn't his fault. No one had ever taught him how to do that chore -- or any other. Whenever I write about young people and the jobs they won't do, I hear from dozens of employers with stories of their own. The common theme in all those e-mails is that we've been too soft on our kids and haven't demanded enough from them, something we hardly notice because we've allowed illegal immigrants to pick up the slack.

Parents used to make their children work after school, or on weekends, or during summer break, to earn extra money to buy what they wanted. They gave them a list of chores to do to earn their allowances. No chores, no allowances. Today, parents find it easier to skip the chores and buy their kids what they want, which is no good for anyone and no good for society.

You know what is good? This conversation, and others like it. No subject this important should be off limits. After all, how do we fix a problem if it is considered taboo to even mention it?

Newt Gingrich had the courage to mention the problem of America's vanishing work ethic, and emphasize the need to restore it. And for that, Americans should be thankful.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr.

Response: Newt Gingrich said poor teens don't see people working so don't learn work habits. We have lost our work ethic, Navarrette says. Not just poor kids: richer kids lack purpose. Navarrette: Gingrich got in hot water talking about it, but it should not be a taboo subject.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(EW.com) -- To promote her Fox comedy "Raising Hope" (which begins its third season October 2), Martha Plimpton pitched a funny idea.

"People are always trying to come up with creative ways of engaging the viewers," she tells EW. "And I thought well, I play a housekeeper on a show, what if I went and cleaned the house of "Raising Hope's" biggest fan. In my uniform."

The network thought she was joking, but she was serious. The contest begins today at www.fox.com/cleansweep.

Through October 8, fans can enter by submitting their best "Awkward Family Photo" and a paragraph stating why their family is just like the Chance family and why they deserve a house call from Martha and her TV husband Garret Dillahunt. Yes, he's coming along to, to make like his character and mow the winner's lawn. (And okay, they'll have professional crews there to help them.)

"Raising Hope" creator Greg Garcia will select the winner from the top 10 finalists in mid-October, and Plimpton and Dillahunt will get their hands dirty later that month or in early November.

Entertainment Weekly: What does this say about your commitment to promoting your show?

Martha Plimpton: Well, I think it says a lot about my commitment to promoting the show. [Laughs] It's a funny thing: A lot of people who haven't seen the show yet say they haven't watched because they're not really sure what it is. They think it's about a baby, or that it's extremely dumb or something. But I think this show is a lot smarter than people realize. The writing is very, very sharp. If dare I say it, it's a lot more sophisticated underneath. [Laughs] Do you know what I mean? The exterior is really ridiculous and silly, but there's real sophistication in the writing, and I'm really proud to be a part of it. And I think it's really smart, and it makes me laugh. If it makes me laugh, well, I'm sorry, but then it must be good. [Laughs] Because I don't laugh at a lot of things.

I'm thrilled that we got a third season. I very much would like for people to enjoy this show as much as I do. I want to share it with the largest amount of people I can. And I will do what is necessary.

Muppets: 'Blue Brothers' sing for EW!

Clearly. Have you given Greg Garcia any guidelines for choosing the winner?

We should stay away from hoarders, crime scenes, and people with too many cats. I'm not bringing a hazmat suit.

What's your personal cleaning specialty that fans should be aware of?

I am excellent with laundry. For example, as a laundry expert, I never use fabric softener on towels because it makes them less absorbent. I don't know if your readers know this. You should not put Bounce sheets or fabric softener in with your towels. You should dry them separately without fabric softener, so they stay absorbent.

And I'm kind of a bed fascist. I don't know if I'll be doing this in the home of our winner, but I like to iron my sheets. I'm that kind of odd person weirdo.

See the original article at EW.com.

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Response: Martha Plimpton will clean a fan's house to promote her Fox comedy "Raising Hope". Fans can enter to win a house call from Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt through October 8. The "Raising Hope" creator will select the winner from the top 10 finalists in mid-October.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- "An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment." -- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black, New York Times Co. vs. Sullivan, 1964

It's downright disgusting to listen to conservative and Republican lawmakers, presidential candidates, business owners and media commentators use such vitriol to describe the Occupy Wall Street protesters as hell-bent on destroying America.

How in the world can anyone even form their lips to say such a thing when this very country was founded on the basis of dissent?

Self-professed rodeo clown Glenn Beck castigates the Occupy Wall Street protesters, but he's always running off at the mouth about the Founding Fathers and how brilliant they were.

Without dissent and protest, there is no United States of America! It's as if these folks never picked up a history book to understand how this nation was formed. The very notion of a United States of America started with someone saying, writing and screaming, "Enough is enough!" And when more and more of the early settlers became enraged at the heavy-handed actions of the British, that's when we were on our path to the American Revolution.

Do any of these so-called strict constructionists even read the very U.S. Constitution they love to wave in the faces of their critics?

Every American, no matter if you're young or old; rich or poor; red state or blue state; Black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Native American; has the freedom to assemble and freedom of speech, which is at the heart of these protests.

In this same space, I praised the tea party for not sitting around and complaining. Instead, they organized and mobilized to affect the political discourse in the Republican Party and have definitely had their voices heard. I may disagree with a number of things the tea party advocates, but there is no way I would condemn them for doing it. As Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas said, "The right to revolt has sources deep in our history."

It's increasingly clear that some Americans love to talk a good game about protests, yet hate it when someone who opposes their views decides to stand up and be heard.

Remember all of those political voices championing the people of Iran taking to the streets to protest? How about Tunisia? Egypt? Libya? Bahrain? What would this world be without protest?

We would have never seen freedom in Eastern Europe were it not without the people there, in the words of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, being "sick and tired of being sick and tired." Praise God that the children of South Africa, led by the African National Congress, didn't ignore the calls of history. If so, Nelson Mandela would be dying in jail and freedom would have never ended apartheid.

This nation would not have been forced to make real the very principles cited in the Declaration of Independence, or treat every human being as an equal, were it not for the civil rights movement. Those brave men, women and children chose not to accept the status quo, and this nation and the world are much better off because they did.

As a supporter of Occupy Wall Street, I understand fully the sentiment that is being expressed. The massive corporate greed that has devastated the wages of the common worker, and seen the pay of a bunch on Wall Street go through the stratosphere for literally making nothing tangible, has been immoral and obscene.

Wall Street and their protectors in Washington -- Democrat and Republican -- say nothing is wrong with making a profit. That is absolutely true. But what is shameful and outlandish is to watch the American taxpayer save the jobs (and big bonuses) of these financial miscreants, only to see them jack up fees left and right. Without the American people they would have had to pack up their belongings and hit the pavement. Instead, they refuse to work with homeowners struggling to meet the big mortgage payments that Wall Street helped underwrite; then sell in exotic transactions that wrecked this nation's financial infrastructure.

Conservatives call this an assault on capitalism. No, Occupy Wall Street is about trying to bring some decency and honesty back to an industry that used to have some. Instead, what we have today are literal financial pirates trying to take the largest booty they can find. They don't care about the long-term health of this country. It's all about the next quarterly earnings reports and their massive year-end bonuses.

This fight that Occupy Wall Street is engaged in is nothing short of a battle for the soul of this nation. Are we going to continue to allow ourselves to be held hostage by the big banks? Will we continue to allow them to trample over us with their "too big to fail" attitude?

No, no, and hell no. It's time to bring these Goliaths to their knees by any means necessary. That mean the young and righteous Davids must protest, march, sit-in, work the halls of Congress and state capitals nationwide, and make it clear that as long as Wall Street, its lobbyists and political protectors continue to mistreat the common man and woman, they are our mortal enemy.

Now is not the time to dismiss the protesters as a bunch of lefty college students with no guidance, no substance and no mission. Instead of listening to politicians pimp the next generation, these folks are saying in the words of the founders of the nation's first black newspaper, Freedom's Journal: "We wish to plead our own cause; too long have others spoken for us."

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland Martin.

Response: Without dissent and protest, there is no United States, Roland S. Martin says. Characterizing Occupy Wall Street protesters as anti-American is disgusting, he says. Martin: It's not an assault on capitalism, but a call for decency in in the financial industry.


Prompt:
Explain the text in one sentence.
 Text:(CNN) -- Just one in seven engineers are female, only 27% of all computer science jobs are held by women, and "women have seen no employment growth in STEM jobs since 2000" reports Forbes.

Women who work in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, and those who campaign for higher numbers of women in these fields, think they have some solutions to this growing problem.

1. "The toys and games that young girls play with mold their educational and career interests; they create dreams of future careers." says Andrea Guendelman, co-founder of Developher.

"Extensive research shows that certain toys and games can help young children develop the spatial logic and other analytical skills critical to science, technology, engineering and math.

"A huge part of the reason women are not entering these fields and huge part of the solution starts at the very beginning."

2. "Introduce girls early to role models of other women In STEM" suggests Regina Agyare, founder of Soronko Solutions.

"[These women] will mentor them and introduce them to STEM through games and practical learning experiences."

3. "It's important to engage girls in STEM at an early age and keep them interested." adds Patty L. Fagin, PhD, Head of School at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart.

"Girls start out as strong in math and science as boys, but lose interest along the way; we call this the "leaky pipeline." Grow the pipeline, keep girls engaged, and we'll increase the number of women in STEM.

"Create opportunities for success and safe environments in which to fail. They'll learn to persevere and develop a growth mindset, so critical to success in STEM fields ... instead of "this is hard, I can't do it," they will believe, "I can try another way."

"Girls want to make a difference, so give them hands-on, real-world problem-solving activities to show STEM is relevant and fun.

"Expose girls to the different areas of STEM and provide women mentors for girls and young women, so they, in turn, will mentor other girls."

4. "There's no magic recipe for getting girls into STEM, but we know early and positive exposure makes an impact." Karen Horting, CEO and Executive Director at the Society of Women Engineers told CNN.

"Our Invent it. Built it. program Oct. 25 in Los Angeles will expose girls in the sixth to eighth grade to the creative, collaborate nature of a rewarding career in engineering.

"Registration continues through Oct. 11 and additionally provides educators and parents with the tools they need to nurture the future engineers in their lives."

5. "Start them young." is Michelle Sun, Founder and CEO of First Code Academy's advice.

"STEM fields are often thought of as a career path for the boys, globally and no less common in Asia.

"We observe brothers in a family are more likely to be enrolled to our kids coding classes. However, the amazing thing we found, with students from 8 - 11 years old, is that our female students come to our programs with minimal preconception of what programming is about.

"They approached it with much enthusiasm and confidence, just as any other hobbies or subjects.

"By starting them young, we provide them a chance to experience the STEM field first hand."

6. "I believe one on one mentoring programs with accomplished female STEM professionals will help bring girls in to the STEM field." says Adeola Shasanya who recently co-founded Afro-Tech Girls and works at the Lagos State Electricity Board as an Electrical Engineering and Renewables Consultant.

"Fun technical workshops could also help spark a STEM interest for girls.

"I believe work shadowing a female stemist in a typical work environment could enlighten the girls on what work would be like as a STEMist."

7. Haiyan Zhang, Innovation Director at Lift London, Microsoft Studios believes confidence is key; "Insatiable curiosity and the self confidence to make change in the world -- two qualities that are key to instil in the female innovators of the future.

"Science, technology, engineering and mathematics become the tools with which to explore curiosity and to create change."

8. "Women are the future of technology and today's technology is fun and cool." says Weili Dai, President and Co-founder of Marvell Technology Group

"It's not just about developing "nerdy" stuff it's about turning technology into fashionable and user-friendly smart solutions.

"A woman's natural talent is design, and the look and feel, and making these things fit into our lifestyles."

"I believe by embracing STEM and leveraging inherent strength of women -- the sense of responsibility, passion, compassion, and pride we dedicate to family and community -- and applying it to business can make women the X factor in the new era of global growth and prosperity for the "Smart Life and Smart Lifestyle.""

9. "Time and again, I hear from women who chose their STEM career because they were inspired by a successful woman who proved it could be done." adds Suw Charman-Anderson, Founder of Ada Lovelace Day.

"Role models are incredibly important, both to girls and to women, and we need to show girls just how exciting, fulfilling and enjoyable a career in STEM can be."

"We must prove that there is a path for them to tread by telling the stories, past and present, of the women who've built, invented, discovered and explained the world around us, but who so often go unmentioned."

10."To get more girls in STEM let's go for collective action..." says Julie Kantor, Chief Partnership Officer at Million Women Mentors.

"Of 368,000 high school girls who want to pursue STEM only 4% said they had a mentor encouraging them. Commit to mentoring a girl or young woman in STEM skills. Or offer an internship with a designated mentor at your company.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's get a million STEM mentors by 2018."

Read: 12 inspirational quotes from women scientists

Relive: Twitter chat as it happened: 'How can we get girls into STEM?'

Quiz:10 female scientists you should know

Response: The shortage of women in STEM industries is a growing problem. As part of Leading Women's month of STEM coverage we asked experts for a solution. Women in STEM gave us a range of solutions from toys to mentoring.