Editor's Note: Republican strategist Alex Castellanos was a former campaign consultant for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and has worked on more than half a dozen presidential campaigns. Castellanos is a partner in National Media Inc., a political and public affairs consulting firm that specializes in advertising. He has produced many Republican political ads and has clients such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Alex Castellanos says Barack Obama's change theme has buckled to "top-down liberalism." (CNN) -- In theater, they say the second act is the hardest to write. It requires relentless focus and discipline. The writer must give himself fearlessly to one central idea and never waver, though temptation is the opposite: There are many paths a story can take. So it is in politics, as Barack Obama's campaign is learning. The clear campaign of change ran into trouble in Act II when it was tasked with explaining what change actually meant. Obama, as they say in show business, "ran out of script." The wind in his sails stalled in the hot calm of August and he has yet to recover. After John McCain's improbable resuscitation to seize the GOP nomination, the Arizona senator's top aides briefed him about his exacting challenge: He would go into the conventions trailing Obama by at least 8 percentage points and then battle back through the fall to parity. Yet, as cooler days and hotter rhetoric mark the start of the fall finale, it is Obama who finds himself clawing back, forced to attack, launching uncharacteristic partisan and personal attacks against a McCain who has "lost track" of and is "confused" about how many houses he owns. How did the soaring campaign of change become grinding politics-as-usual and crash so thunderously to earth? The Obama campaign's clear message in the primaries was a bottom-up, organic populism that cast voters themselves as the agents of change. "We are the change we have been waiting for," Obama told his supporters during the primaries. In return, they sang, "Yes we can." This heady mix of populism and change swelled his campaign into a cause. In marketing terms, it is called "voter as hero." Obama empowered his supporters, telling them they, not the old political establishment, could achieve anything. Bottom-up politics is one thing, however. Bottom-up government, another. When Barack Obama became the nominee of the national Democratic establishment, the candidate of hope ran into political reality: His party's canons of governing are the opposite of change. Barack Obama may believe "change doesn't come from the top down, it comes from the bottom up," but the leadership of his party doesn't. The national Democratic establishment, from the Daily Kos and MoveOn.org to Pelosi and Reid in Congress, still believe in top-down big-government from Washington, especially if they get to run the factory. Politically, they are industrial-age dinosaurs They believe the era of big government is back, not over. They would keep money and power in their hands, not devolve it to the average American. That was not something the Denver Democrats were eager to confess. Instead, they advocated a sly European-style socialism that would not speak its intent. "Decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege," the Democrats offered during the first night of their convention. A big-government health-care factory run by Washington? That's change? Why not the same for food, clothing and shelter? But relax, Joe Lunchbucket, an even bigger public-sector industrial plant will impose no cost on your family. Obama's party promises not to tax you, just business -- the people who sell you your groceries and gasoline and sign your paychecks. As Fred Thompson noted in his GOP convention speech, "They won't take any water out of your side of the bucket. Just the other side." This is not "voter as hero" but, instead, "voter as victim."

Question: What did Castellanos say Obama's message was?

Question: Obama's campaign taken over by what?

Question: What does Alex Castellanos say about Obama's message?

Question: Who said Obama's message was populism?

Question: Whose message is Alex talking about?

Answer: "top-down liberalism."

Answer: "top-down liberalism."

Answer: "top-down liberalism."

Answer: Alex Castellanos

Answer: Barack Obama's

Summary:
Alex Castellanos: Obama's message was populism and bottom-up change .
Obama campaign taken over by Democratic establishment, he says .
Castellanos: Democratic party champions big government and opposes change .
"Yes we can" turned into "Yes Washington can," Castellanos says .


Editor's Note: Sarah Bliss is a writer for the Tufts Daily, the leading news source for Tufts University. This article was brought to CNN.com by UWIRE, the leading provider of student-generated content. UWIRE aims to identify and promote the brightest young content creators and deliver their work to a larger audience via professional media partners such as CNN.com. Visit UWIRE.com to learn more. SUNY at Canton in New York has provided a designated "pet wing," home to a variety of animals. (UWIRE) -- As university residence halls seek to transition into more homey environments -- with additions like full kitchens and single-stall bathrooms -- pet ownership is still forbidden for the majority of dorm residents. But several universities, including MIT, have now added some pets to the "acceptable" list of dorm possessions. According to a recent article published by The Boston Globe, students at MIT who reside in four of the school's 11 undergraduate dormitories can bring cats with them to school, thanks to a policy implemented several years ago in an effort to curb students from housing forbidden animals. Other schools have jumped on the four-footed bandwagon: Stephen's College, a women's college in Columbia, Missouri, allows for many household pets, including dogs, provided that they are vaccinated and under forty pounds. And the SUNY at Canton in New York has provided a designated "pet wing," home to a variety of small caged animals and cats since 1996. While animal companionship is largely viewed as a welcome addition to family homes, there are many roadblocks that have deterred Tufts from altering its pet policy. "We don't have a policy that allows for dogs or cats or ferrets or monkeys -- you name it -- and ... the main reason is so many people have allergic reactions to animal dander," Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said. "It's one thing in a family, where everyone agrees that this is what they want and no one has an allergic reaction to the animal. But in a residence hall, where there is no such communication or agreement, it's hard and people are affected." While Tufts students are currently not permitted to have more than a small fish tank in the dorm setting -- in addition to service animals -- this has not always been the case. During a failed experiment that ended around a decade ago, faculty members, residence directors and graduate teaching assistants were allowed to own pets in an attempt to encourage residence. "We were trying to entice [people]to come live in the halls, and ... they wouldn't come unless you allowed the pets," Reitman said. "In order to pragmatically get [them] to come in, we said 'Okay, let's do this.' Then people said, 'No, this isn't fair, I can't live here.' Not many students complained, but enough did." According to Dr. Margaret Higham, medical director of Health Services, the prevalence of allergies and asthma on campus would make a more lenient pet policy problematic. In addition, dorm cleanliness would be noticeably impaired by the allowance of pets, she said. "Pets need to be taken care of ... Litter boxes need to be cleaned daily," Higham said. "The dorm rooms were not built with the need to ventilate for that type of situation. And what about fleas? Once they are introduced, they would spread rapidly through all of the furniture. I do not see students being able to care for animals adequately in the dorm setting." Even without canines currently roaming the quad, there has been a modest history of animal neglect that calls into question a student's ability to provide for an animal properly. "I think some fraternities in recent years did have animals," Reitman said. "There were concerns or complaints when spring break came along, because there is this animal, not cared for ...the animal activists came in here and said, 'That's no way to treat an animal,'" Reitman said. "A residence facility -- be it a sorority,

Question: What were the concerns given by a school dean?

Question: What are some of the reasons for concerns?

Question: What animal can students bring to MIT?

Question: What are concerns about pets in dorms?

Question: What college now allows cats?

Question: What are some universities adding to "acceptable" list?

Question: What is now acceptable in some dorms?

Question: What can students at MIT bring?

Question: What is being added to the list of dorm possesions?

Question: What was one school dean concerned about?

Question: What are some universities adding to the list of acceptible dorm possessions?

Answer: the main reason is so many people have allergic reactions to animal dander," Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said. "It's one thing in a family, where everyone agrees that this is what they want and no one has an allergic reaction to the animal. But in a residence hall, where there is no such communication or agreement, it's hard and people are affected."

Answer: many people have allergic reactions to animal dander,"

Answer: cats

Answer: allergic reaction to the animal.

Answer: Tufts University.

Answer: pets

Answer: pets

Answer: cats

Answer: some pets

Answer: many people have allergic reactions to animal dander,"

Answer: pets

Summary:
Some universities adding pets to "acceptable" list of dorm possessions .
Students at MIT can bring cats, according to Boston Globe article .
Allergens, fleas, mess listed as reasons for concern by one school dean .
I feel students have too much going on to take care of a pet, student says .


Editor's Note: The following story contains spoilers regarding the show "House." If you'd rather not know what happens, stop reading now. Kal Penn, left, with Peter Jacobson on "House," is joining the Obama White House. LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Dr. Lawrence Kutner killed himself on the latest episode of "House: MD," it was the beginning of a new career for actor Kal Penn. The demise of Penn's character cleared the way for the actor to move on to another "House," the White House. Penn, 31, will be an associate director for the Obama administration's Office of Public Liaison. "It seemed like something I would enjoy doing," Penn said. "I figured it was something to do." He's not retiring from acting, just pursuing a longtime desire for public service that was rekindled when he campaigned for Barack Obama's election, Penn said. Penn played a teen terrorist on Fox's "24" before joining the network's "House" two years ago. He's also known as Kumar Patel in the "Harold & Kumar" movie series. The White House job likely ends his Kumar roles, he said. In fact, he will not consider any acting jobs until he leaves the Obama administration, he said. Penn will take a big pay cut to work for the government, but he has committed to at least one or two years in the job, he said. His focus will be as a liaison for the arts community and the Asian-American community, he said. He filled a similar role in the Obama presidential campaign, he said. "We want to make sure that everyone's concerns are heard and they are familiar with the president's plans and proposals," he said. Penn said he spoke briefly with Obama after the election about "trying to find the right fit" for him in the administration. He said he has bittersweet emotions as he leaves Hollywood to search for an apartment in Washington next week. The writers' decision to have Dr. Kutner commit suicide ensures Penn will not return to the show, although he said he leaves on good terms. He felt "more than a little bit of shock and loss" to learn that his character would die in his final episode. Even though he spoke no lines in the episode -- and only his legs are seen when his body is found -- he was on the set for the filming, he said. CNN's KJ Matthews contributed to this story.

Question: What actor is going to join the white house?

Question: Actor said working on campaign last year re-ignited desire for what service?

Question: What re-ignited his desire for public service?

Question: What re-ignited his desire?

Question: What will Penn become part of?

Question: Penn will become part of which Office?

Question: What office is Penn joining?

Question: What is Penn joining?

Answer: Kal Penn,

Answer: public

Answer: Barack Obama's election,

Answer: was rekindled when he campaigned for Barack Obama's election,

Answer: the Obama White House.

Answer: of Public Liaison.

Answer: Public Liaison.

Answer: the Obama White House.

Summary:
"House" actor Kal Penn is leaving the show to join the Obama White House .
Penn will become part of Office of Public Liaison .
Actor says working on campaign last year re-ignited desire for public service .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Based on the sheer volume of bodies, Hajj should not work. As the world's largest pilgrimage and one of the Five Pillars of Islam, each year about 3 million people cram themselves into the relatively small holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to offer up this, the holiest of Islamic rites. In late 2008, I accompanied my parents on Hajj and managed to sneak a VBS video camera past state security and capture the trip as we saw it. The scene was insane, beyond what I could have ever imagined.

Over a four-day period, Mecca's population is more than doubled, with legions of devout Muslims making their way shoulder to shoulder through the dozen rituals that comprise Hajj. If it weren't for the solemn and religious underpinnings, it would be an unnerving assembly of human beings for such a concentrated space -- like what Woodstock might have been, but less annoying and without the hippies, drugs, and Carlos Santana.

Many Hajj rites have been dramatized in movies and elsewhere, but it is essentially a highly choreographed succession of religious tasks: circling the Ka'bah at the center of Masjid Al-Haram (the Grand Mosque), Sa`I (pacing between two holy sites), the famous Stoning of the Devil, loads of deep prayer and meditation. The point is to purge believers of sins and free them for the next chapter in their lives. It is required that each Muslim of means make the trip at least once.

See part two of Mecca Diaries at VBS.TV

Given the number of pilgrims and the extremely short span of time Hajj covers, it is virtually impossible to make the journey without the help of a tour group. There are dozens of agencies available to help usher visitors through the masses and ensure that all the requisite rituals are met.

But even with their guidance, completing all the tasks, navigating the various holy sites, and sticking to the hurried itinerary is extremely challenging. Compound the situation with several million people of every economic class and comfort from 100-plus countries across the globe -- many lined up asleep on the side of the road, praying on hilltops, and making their way to and from holy sites -- and it's no surprise that some pilgrims can't complete all the rituals.

But despite this monumental challenge, the bottom line was that doing the Hajj was amazing. It took us to another plane of existence, it forced a detachment from our lives, and it was unlike anything I've ever experienced.

Question: How many people too part in the pilgrimage?

Question: What year did Suroosh Alvi go and shoot footage?

Question: How many take part in the world's largest annual pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia?

Question: How many people took part in the pilgrimage?

Answer: about 3 million

Answer: 2008,

Answer: 3 million people

Answer: 3 million

Summary:
VBS.TV visits home for elderly prostitutes in sketchy Mexico City neighborhood .
Twenty-three women who are 60 or older live in the facility .
Crew attended bittersweet Mother's Day party with residents .


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Colombian tailor Miguel Caballero specializes in making garments that enable the wearer to get shot at point-blank range with nary an injury besides, maybe, a bruised ego. At-high-risk-of-catching-a-bullet demographics, such as rappers and politicians all over the world, rely on Miguel's handiwork. And, lucky me, when I was recently in Bogota for VBS.TV covering a few stories, I had the chance to visit Miguel's shop, learn about his protective clothing, and get shot in the gut by him. Seriously.

Upon arriving at Miguel's warehouse one sunny morning, I received a guided tour from a friendly office assistant. It all seemed totally benign -- sweet middle aged ladies stitching together jackets and blazers, smiling at me as I walked by. I could've been at American Apparel's Southern California warehouse.

But when I sat down with Miguel and he got into the whole spiel about why he made the type of clothing he did, nervousness started to set in. Was this guy seriously going to put a thin jacket on me and then shoot me with a real live handgun? The man is running a multimillion-dollar international business. Is he really so confident in his wares that he's going to risk it all by potentially killing a novice American journalist on camera?

The answer was yes. But first he had to finish telling me about himself.

Miguel explained his business model to me, and it was hard to dispute the logic. The world's an increasingly dangerous place for political leaders and citizens alike. Miguel is simply combining the need for safety with the natural desire to look good.

Watch more videos from around the globe on VBS.TV

And judging by his success, I'm not the only one who gets it. There were rumors that President Obama wore some of Miguel's goods during his inauguration. Plus, look at the automobile industry. Not long ago, Hummers were the province of soldiers in combat. Today, they're a staple of suburban strip malls. How long until Miguel's pieces follow suit?

By this point, Miguel seemed very determined to prove the reliability of his products to me. I figured it would be somewhat staged: I'd sign something, be ushered into a safe room, and he'd fire a couple blanks into some military grade flak jacket. Thanks and good night.

Instead, my new buddy Miguel popped the question mid-interview in his office. And it wasn't really a question. I believe he said, "Now we'll do a demonstration with you." Not exactly a request.

He stood up from his desk, opened a drawer, and casually pulled out a .38. This was happening very fast. He moved me over to the side of the room, outfitted me with some noise-reducing headphones, and offered me a black suede jacket. After instructing me to take a deep breath on "1" and prepare for a gunshot on "3," he shot me in the gut on "2."

Obviously I lived to tell the tale. But -- most importantly -- I like to think that I looked damn good doing it.

Question: Who are some of his clients?

Question: What kind clothing was made?

Question: What type of clothing does the tailor make?

Question: What did the VBS volunteer to test?

Question: Who are among Caballero's client?

Answer: President Obama

Answer: protective

Answer: protective

Answer: garments that enable the wearer to get shot at point-blank range with nary an injury

Answer: President Obama


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Getting into North Korea was one of the weirdest processes VBS has ever dealt with. After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists to come and cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang. Just before our departure, they suddenly said, "No, nobody can come." Then they said, "OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists." But they already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you're supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don't like jail. And we're willing to bet we'd hate jail in North Korea.

But we went for it. The first leg of the trip was a flight into northern China. At the airport, the North Korean consulate took our passports and all our money, then brought us to a restaurant along with our tour group. All the other diners left, and these women came out and started singing North Korean nationalist songs. We were thinking, "Look, we were just on a plane for 20 hours. Can't we just go to bed?" But this guy with our group who was from the L.A. Times told us, "Everyone in here besides us is secret police. If you don't act excited then you're not going to get your visa." So we got drunk and sang songs with the girls. The next day we got our visas. A lot of people we had gone with didn't get theirs.

We flew into North Korea that night. We were supposed to have three days before the games started, but as soon as we got on the ground they told us, "The games are happening now." We went straight to the stadium, and there were 40,000 people in the stands, portraying the history of the North Korean revolution with flip cards. On the playing field before them, about 60,000 people did wild synchronized-gymnastics routines. The 15 of us who made up the audience watched from a marble dais. We were the only spectators. Fifteen audience members for a 100,000-man extravaganza.

See the rest of the Vice Guide to North Korea

The next day, our grand tour began. We went to the International Friendship Museum, which comprises 2,000 rooms carved into the bottom of a mountain. The displays are all gifts from different world leaders. Joseph Stalin gave Kim Il-sung a train. Mao Zedong also gave Kim Il-sung a train. He got hunting rifles from communist East Germany's Erich Honecker and Romania's Nicolae Ceausescu and all the other Eastern-bloc guys. Madeleine Albright famously gave Kim Jong-il a basketball signed by Michael Jordan.

Perhaps the weirdest thing about North Koreans is that they genuinely don't seem to know that the rest of the planet hates and fears them. They believe (or maybe they really convincingly lie about believing) that the whole world admires and envies them and that they're the true light of socialism and Juche, which is their leader's philosophy of Communist self-reliance.

As the days went on, North Korea presented us with progressively stranger sights and encounters. Being there was like being nowhere else on the planet. Are we glad that we got into Pyongyang and were able to document it? Yes. But are we even gladder that we made it out? Watch our documentary on the trip and try to guess the answer.

Question: How many spectators were there for the 100,000 man show?

Question: Who got into North  Korea

Question: Where did the VBS.TV crew get into after months of negotiation?

Answer: Fifteen

Answer: VBS

Answer: North Korea


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Several events converged recently that conspired to take me back to the summer of 2006, the summer I snuck into Iraq. The first event was the Iraqi elections. The second was the Oscars. The third was a concert at a little bar tucked into a hip corner of the hippest neighborhood in the world -- Williamsburg, Brooklyn. These events all brought me a little closer to that time, a little closer to recalling the way things were back then. And I realized how much I had forgotten.

The summer/ fall of 2006 had a name -- at least it did in Iraq. It was called the Battle for Baghdad.

It was one of the most bloody periods of the war. The moment just before the Surge where hundreds of people -- hundreds of Iraqis -- were dying every day. I say we snuck into the country because we did.

We had been trying to obtain permission to get into the country legally, but it was proving very difficult. We heard through a friend that you could fly into Erbil through Germany. So we did. Without any papers we bought one-way tickets in cash from Erbil to Baghdad.

To me it was a really bad sign: who was in charge of the (expletive) show down there? There was a real feeling of desperation in the air when my friend Suroosh and I landed at the Baghdad International Airport. Someone in Iraq even told us that there was a rumor floating around that the U.S. forces were seriously considering building a moat around the city.

Once inside, we aligned to our mission: to find and interview the only heavy metal band in the country, Acrassicauda.

It wasn't easy, but we found the guys -- Faisal and Firas -- and spent a week interviewing them in locations that would keep them safe from accusations of collaboration with the enemy.

We met two of the nicest, warmest, funniest dudes, and through them our perspective on this war, and all war, was fundamentally changed. For the first time, I saw the war through the eyes of the oppressed, and saw it for what it was: (expletive) stupid. It was a stupid, stupid war. And the old men that conducted it, on both sides, were essentially the same ugly evil idiots; the same ideologues that championed their own particular visions of a new world order under the banner of their chosen gods -- money, freedom, oil, Allah -- take your pick.

See the rest of Heavy Metal in Baghdad at VBS.TV

The recent elections saw a flare in the random violence that characterized the hottest periods of the war and reminded me that the desire to kill is still very much alive in Iraq. That the cost of life is still very low.

The recent Oscars proved to me how myopic we still are about that war, about our role in it.

(Kathryn) Bigelow's champions film of champions ("The Hurt Locker") shows the Americans as the heroes, addicted to comradeship and the thrill of battle, and the Iraqis as the faceless aggressors resorting to cheap tactics and foul play. A rather disgusting narrative point of view, especially unnerving when you consider how determined Bigelow et screaming actors al were to create an apolitical discursive cocoon around their film. It's as though they were being willfully, culturally stupid, which is strange from a director that is considered, buy most accounts, to be an intelligent filmmaker.

Last night, I made my way to a little event at a little bar in Brooklyn. Almost four years since my trip to Iraq, and those awesome dudes -- Faisal, Firas, Marwan and

Question:
Where did VBS.TV travel to?
what kind of band is it?
where is the interview?

Answer: Iraq.

Answer: heavy metal

Answer: locations that would keep them safe from accusations of collaboration with the enemy.


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers. Viewer discretion advised.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- On January 22, 2006, the New York Times reported that all foreign journalists were being banned from Pakistan's tribal areas, which has been called "the most dangerous place in the world." A week before that, the CIA fired missiles remotely from a Predator aircraft into the Waziristan tribal area. They were hoping to eradicate a bunch of al Qaeda operatives. Instead, they killed 18 women and children.

One week before that, I arrived in Pakistan to visit Darra Adamkhel, the massive open-air market located deep in the tribal areas, where a frighteningly high percentage of Islamic holy warriors goes to buy their guns.

Gaining access to the tribal areas was next to impossible. It took months of pre-planning with the consul general of Pakistan in Montreal and top officials in Peshawar. They repeatedly denied us entry because, according to them, the Pakistani Army had too many "sensitive operations" going on in that region. Without my personal advantage (a family friendship with the governor of the Northwest Frontier Province), we never would have gotten in.

The government assigned me and my team a political agent named Naeem Afridi. He was born and raised in the tribal areas. He took care of us while we were there, and he was a godsend. You can't do anything in this part of the world without someone like Naeem.

See more stories on VBS.TV

Our driver stopped at a security point just outside the town center, where we were introduced to the Frontier Agency militia, six angry-dad-looking guys with AKs and sidearms. They became our personal bodyguards, and followed us through the tight warren of gun shops and factories, barren little brick rooms where upward of 1,000 guns are manufactured every day. Most of the work is done by hand.

The vendors are Pashtuns, who are basically the toughest people in the world. They comprised the majority of the mujahideen who kicked the Soviets out of Afghanistan in the late '80s.

These days, the town is rumored to be completely overrun by the Taliban. They purchase the guns, then cross the border to fight the U.S. army in Afghanistan, or they drive through the mountains to the south to fight the Pakistani army.

This summer, I went back to Pakistan, and found that the fuse on this powder keg has become even shorter. The Pakistani army has surged more troops into the tribal areas, attempting to eradicate the Taliban and al Qaeda. The U.S. and British troops are attempting to do the same thing on the other side of the border in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan itself has seen violence spread to its major urban centers, where extremists have been detonating bombs and taking over police stations.

But at the same time, there is a cultural explosion taking place, a vibrant art scene and metal and rock bands popping up everywhere. The whole situation has become ultra charged by the fact that there are tons of news channels operating uncensored by the insanely corrupt government.

For Pakistan, it's a volatile, turbulent, and fascinating moment in time.

Question: Who gained rare access

Question: how many guns are manufactured

Question: What area has been home base for the Taliban?

Question: How many guns are manufactured a day?

Answer: VICE,

Answer: 1,000

Answer: Pakistan's tribal

Answer: 1,000


Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is broadband television network of VICE. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers.

Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- For the launch of VICE magazine in Mexico, we decided to make an entire issue about Mexico, written entirely by Mexicans.

At the same time, we came up with the idea of producing a parallel version of that issue in video for VBS.TV and populate our site with documentaries about Mexico, local artists, local musicians and beautiful Mexican girls for the entire month.

Since then, we repeated the same concept when we launched the magazine in Brazil, and we produced an entire month of content about China during the Olympics.

Producer Santiago Stelley and I spent a few weeks in Mexico City producing an hour-long documentary about nighttime crime photographers, interviewing some of the best bands and artists in the city and shooting a project about B movies inspired by the lives of drug traffickers.

A couple of days before Mother's Day, I got to spend a few days at an amazing place called Casa Xochiquetzal (The House of the Beautiful Flowers), a retirement home for older prostitutes in Tepito, one of the sketchiest neighborhoods in the city.

I went there with Guillermo Rivero, who wrote the print version of the article, and I produced the documentary version of the same story. The house has a minimum age requirement of 60 and can accommodate up to 45 women. Right now, there are only 23 retired ladies of the night living there. The majority of them continue working, because there are still people who want to pay to have sex with them.

See the rest of House of the Setting Sun at VBS.TV

We had the opportunity to meet some of the women that live there, such as 86-year-old Reyna, who sang for us and told us stories of her youth, and Lourdes, a childless widow in her 60s who is still turning tricks.

We met Canela, a woman in her 80s who was soft spoken and looked incredibly tired. She had stopped working just a few years ago and now sells candies for a living. Finally, we spent some time with Paola, a 61-year-old who is still a sex worker and hopes to continue working for as many years as she can.

We ended up spending Mother's Day with them at what was perhaps the most bittersweet party I've attended.

The women were dancing and eating and drinking punch together, they joked around and seemed to be having a great time. But at some point, Paola started talking to me about her sons, whom she hasn't seen in years and never really visit her. She also talked about the kids of many of the other women in the house -- none of them present at this party -- to celebrate motherhood.

Most of these women actually ended up becoming prostitutes to support their children as their only means of survival.

I think the work that this house and its director Rosalba Rios do -- as weird and unusual as it may seem -- is incredibly valuable. Spending Mother's Day with these brave women forever changed they way l look at prostitution and without a doubt has been one of the most intense parties I've ever attended.

Question:
how many women were over 60?
how many womens live in the facility
what party did the crew attend?
how many women were in total?

Answer: 23

Answer: there are only 23 retired ladies

Answer: Mother's Day

Answer: 23


Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice.

Sonia Sotomayor is flanked by her supervisor, Warren Murray, and D.A. Robert Morgenthau, right, in 1983.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor graduated with honors from Ivy League schools. But she may have learned some of her most memorable lessons as a young prosecutor, following police into abandoned tenements and tracking down witnesses on the grimy streets of New York.

Sotomayor joined the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 1979 during an epic crime wave. Muggings, burglaries and assaults were rampant; homicides topped 1,800 a year. She was recruited from Yale Law School by Robert M. Morgenthau, Manhattan's district attorney. She was 25, and her starting salary was $17,000.

The cases in Trial Bureau 50 seasoned the idealistic young lawyer and honed her trial skills. She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears, former colleagues recalled.

New York City was awash in heroin, street crime and gun violence. To prepare for trials, she followed police into tenement shooting galleries, scaled rickety staircases in dilapidated buildings and fought off the stench of squalor to talk to reluctant witnesses.

Sotomayor's former colleagues and her legal foes describe her as intense, driven and politically astute.

As a prosecutor, she had a commanding presence and put in long hours, chugging several cans a day of the diet soft drink Tab and chain-smoking cigarettes. (She no longer smokes.)  Watch how she made an impression on fellow prosecutors »

Trial Bureau 50, with its crowded cubicles and walls painted the color of putty, has sent many lawyers onto distinguished careers in public service, including the late Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Kennedy Jr.

Sotomayor's five years there, say Manhattan prosecutors past and present, make her uniquely qualified for the nation's highest court. If confirmed, she would be the only justice who prosecuted criminal cases, presided over them and handled criminal appeals.  See what would set Sotomayor apart on the court »

"If you can handle a felony case load in New York County, you can run a small country," said Warren Murray, who ran the bureau when Sotomayor worked there, and still does.

"I think Sonia's most interesting days were in the district attorney's office," said Hugh H. Mo, a former homicide prosecutor who supervised Sotomayor and tried cases with her. "You can grow up in the projects and still be very sheltered. She got her education on the streets of Harlem."

Like most rookies, Sotomayor started with misdemeanors, juggling 60 to 80 cases at a time, working 12-hour days in the 1930s-era building on the tip of Manhattan, and pulling an occasional shift in night court.

"Some of the judges liked to use the new assistants to clear their calendars," Morgenthau recalled. "She quickly established herself as somebody the judges couldn't push around."

On her second trial, Sotomayor met Dawn Cardi, a rookie Legal Aid lawyer who was trying her first case. They became best friends.

"We were both baby attorneys," Cardi said. "She's really, really smart and very well-prepared. She was an excellent trial attorney. She had a talent for it."

Another defense attorney, Gerald Lefcourt, recalled Sotomayor as "a very zealous prosecutor," adding, "She didn't see gray. She only saw black and white."

Sotomayor moved up quickly in the D.A.'s office. It wasn't long before she was prosecuting murder cases.

To prepare for trials, she hit the streets, working junkies and street characters for information and comforting grieving families. The work was sometimes unnerving, but it could also provide an adrenalin rush.

"You could feel the violence. It was palpable," said Mo, who with Sotomayor accompanied detectives of Harlem's 28th precinct into top

Question: Who is Manhattan's DA?

Question: When did Sotomayor work in Manhatten DA's office?

Question: Who is the nominee

Question: When did she work in the Manhattan DA's office?

Question: Where did she work in 1983

Question: What was Sotomayor's first legal related job?

Question: Where did she work?

Question: What do former colleagues say about her?

Answer: Robert Morgenthau,

Answer: 1979

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: 1979

Answer: Manhattan District Attorney's office

Answer: Manhattan District Attorney's office

Answer: Manhattan District Attorney's office

Answer: She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears,

Summary:
Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor began her legal career as a prosecutor .
She worked in the Manhattan DA's office from 1979 to 1984 .
Her former colleagues remember Sotomayor as driven and focused .
Manhattan DA Robert M. Morgenthau on Thursday's Senate witness schedule .


Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice. Sonia Sotomayor is flanked by her supervisor, Warren Murray, and D.A. Robert Morgenthau, right, in 1983. NEW YORK (CNN) -- Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor graduated with honors from Ivy League schools. But she may have learned some of her most memorable lessons as a young prosecutor, following police into abandoned tenements and tracking down witnesses on the grimy streets of New York. Sotomayor joined the Manhattan District Attorney's office in 1979 during an epic crime wave. Muggings, burglaries and assaults were rampant; homicides topped 1,800 a year. She was recruited from Yale Law School by Robert M. Morgenthau, Manhattan's district attorney. She was 25, and her starting salary was $17,000. The cases in Trial Bureau 50 seasoned the idealistic young lawyer and honed her trial skills. She could shred a witness on cross-examination and move a jury to tears, former colleagues recalled. New York City was awash in heroin, street crime and gun violence. To prepare for trials, she followed police into tenement shooting galleries, scaled rickety staircases in dilapidated buildings and fought off the stench of squalor to talk to reluctant witnesses. Sotomayor's former colleagues and her legal foes describe her as intense, driven and politically astute. As a prosecutor, she had a commanding presence and put in long hours, chugging several cans a day of the diet soft drink Tab and chain-smoking cigarettes. (She no longer smokes.)  Watch how she made an impression on fellow prosecutors » Trial Bureau 50, with its crowded cubicles and walls painted the color of putty, has sent many lawyers onto distinguished careers in public service, including the late Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Kennedy Jr. Sotomayor's five years there, say Manhattan prosecutors past and present, make her uniquely qualified for the nation's highest court. If confirmed, she would be the only justice who prosecuted criminal cases, presided over them and handled criminal appeals.  See what would set Sotomayor apart on the court » "If you can handle a felony case load in New York County, you can run a small country," said Warren Murray, who ran the bureau when Sotomayor worked there, and still does. "I think Sonia's most interesting days were in the district attorney's office," said Hugh H. Mo, a former homicide prosecutor who supervised Sotomayor and tried cases with her. "You can grow up in the projects and still be very sheltered. She got her education on the streets of Harlem." Like most rookies, Sotomayor started with misdemeanors, juggling 60 to 80 cases at a time, working 12-hour days in the 1930s-era building on the tip of Manhattan, and pulling an occasional shift in night court. "Some of the judges liked to use the new assistants to clear their calendars," Morgenthau recalled. "She quickly established herself as somebody the judges couldn't push around." On her second trial, Sotomayor met Dawn Cardi, a rookie Legal Aid lawyer who was trying her first case. They became best friends. "We were both baby attorneys," Cardi said. "She's really, really smart and very well-prepared. She was an excellent trial attorney. She had a talent for it." Another defense attorney, Gerald Lefcourt, recalled Sotomayor as "a very zealous prosecutor," adding, "She didn't see gray. She only saw black and white." Sotomayor moved up quickly in the D.A.'s office. It wasn't long before she was prosecuting murder cases. To prepare for trials, she hit the streets, working junkies and street characters for information and comforting grieving families. The work was sometimes unnerving, but it could also provide an adrenalin rush. "You could feel the violence. It was palpable," said Mo, who with Sotomayor accompanied detectives of Harlem's 28th precinct into top

Question: Who worked in the Manhattan DA's office?

Question: As what did Sonia Sotomayor start her career?

Question: What profession is Robert M Morgenthau?

Question: Who said Sotomayor was driven and focused?

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: a young prosecutor,

Answer: Manhattan's district attorney.

Answer: former colleagues


Editor's Note: This is the last in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice.

Sotomayor was nominated to U.S. district court in 1991 and federal appeals court in 1997.

(CNN) -- Sonia Sotomayor had been a federal appeals court judge for about four months when Ellen Chapnick got a phone call in 1998.

The Columbia Law School lecturer's students had worked and studied with Sotomayor as part of a program at the school, but Chapnick figured the partnership had come to an end with the judge's new job.

"She called me up and said, 'You know, I really miss your students. Isn't there something we can do about that?'" recalled Chapnick, now Dean of the Social Justice Program at the school. "And, of course, a judge rarely asks a question when she doesn't know the answer."

That call, and the partnership that would continue another six years, captures the essence of the woman who has spent years on the federal bench, friends and colleagues said.

They remember a tireless worker spending late hours in her chambers or on projects like the college course: A tough decision-maker who would pick apart any lawyer foolish enough to come to court unprepared; a thoughtful jurist whose years as an aggressive prosecutor endeared her to law enforcement even as she developed a reputation as a social liberal; and a child of the Bronx who maintained a heart for people from all walks of life as she ascended to the legal world's loftiest positions.

"Her hobby is people," said Chapnick, who became friends with the woman now going through Senate confirmation hearings on her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. "I've been in situations with her when everybody else around the table is a lot 'less important' -- if you define importance by positions of power and prestige -- and she's asking them questions."  Watch Chapnick on how Sotomayor put students 'through the wringer' »

In 1984, Sotomayor, now 55, worked at Pavia & Harcourt, a "boutique" law firm in New York that focuses on international business issues.

Her job included representing Fendi, the Italian luxury goods company that wanted to crack down on imposters selling knockoffs of its high-end handbags.

Steven Skulnik, a colleague at the firm, remembered tagging along with Sotomayor on a police raid of a counterfeit operation in Harlem.

He waited in the van. Sotomayor charged out alongside the officers.

"She had no fear," said Skulnik, now with the New York firm Squire Sanders. "That's just her personality. She's the first one in."

He and others also recall her working long hours with a laser-like focus as she prepared for a case.

"[Co-workers] would walk by in the morning, and she'd be reading something or writing something," he said. "You'd say, 'Hi, Sonia,' and she wouldn't even look up. She didn't notice.

"She would really bore in and make sure there was nothing about the case that she didn't understand."

That dedication hit her private life, Sotomayor has admitted. She told ABC's "Good Morning America" in 1986 that her workload "was a contributing factor" in the divorce three years earlier from Kevin Noonan.

Work also made it difficult to date then, she said: "A man who calls you three times and all three times you answer, 'I've got to work late.' ... After the third time he begins thinking, 'Gee, maybe she's not interested.'"

She left the law firm to take up President George H.W. Bush's nomination in 1991 and served as a U.S. District Court judge from 1992 to 1998.

President Bill Clinton nominated her for a seat on the 2nd District U.S. Appeals Court in 1997, and she was confirmed more than a year later by the Senate to the

Question: where did she go to college?

Question: What is Sotomayor's hobby?

Question: what did  the former Columbia University colleague say about her

Question: In what way do colleagues recall Sotomayor?

Question: who is sotomayor?

Answer: Columbia Law School

Answer: people,"

Answer: "Her hobby is people,"

Answer: tireless worker spending late hours in her chambers or on projects like the college course: A tough decision-maker who would pick apart any lawyer foolish enough to come to court unprepared; a thoughtful jurist whose years as an aggressive prosecutor endeared her to law enforcement even as she developed a reputation as a social liberal; and a child of the Bronx who maintained a heart for people from all walks of life as she ascended to the legal world's loftiest positions.

Answer: federal appeals court judge

Summary:
Colleagues recall Sotomayor as tireless, focused worker .
"Her hobby is people," says friend, former Columbia University colleague .
Critics call her "prickly"; former aide says tough talk is saved for the bench .
Lifelong Yankees fan's most high-profile case ended baseball strike .


Editor's Note: This is the second in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, and revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice if confirmed. Sonia Sotomayor, here at her 8th-grade graduation, had to finish homework and chores before she could go out. BRONX, New York (CNN) -- The teenage Sonia Sotomayor was easy to spot in the halls of her New York high school. Her uniform was often askew -- a once-crisp shirt protruding out and over her skirt's waistband as she carried a pile of books. "She was focused so much on learning that she didn't notice," Mary Procidano, a classmate at Cardinal Spellman High School, recalled recently. Sotomayor, now nominated for the Supreme Court by President Obama, seemed to hit her stride at Spellman, a rigorous Catholic institution and educational oasis in a crime-stricken neighborhood of the Bronx. The schoolgirl first appeared shy and reserved, friends remember. But they soon got to know her as a hard-nosed, strong-willed girl, happy to debate friends, family or teachers. "When she opened her mouth and she spoke, she really felt whatever it was," said Jeanette Valdespino-Torres, a childhood friend. "And she wasn't just talking out of the top of her head -- it was something that she read, she studied, she looked, she knew. She would get into conversations at that age that I couldn't even touch."  Watch friends remember Sotomayor as a teenager » In the lunchroom Sotomayor would "hold court," various friends from her school years told CNN, sharing opinions on policies and social problems. She even led discussions around her home, an apartment in the sprawling 28-building Bronxdale Housing project that was so rife with drugs and crime that police often locked it down on Saturday nights, Sotomayor said in one speech. If she is confirmed by the full Senate Sotomayor, now 55, would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice. President Obama has spoken of her "inspiring life's journey." Sotomayor's 1972 graduating class knew they were a generation facing "change," said Jeri Faulkner, who was a freshman when Sotomayor was a senior. It was a time when the Vietnam War and social and economic strife were in the news daily. "There was a lot of change and turmoil, and they were very involved in it -- very, very involved in social issues; very, very ready to change the world," Faulkner, now Cardinal Spellman's Dean of Students, said of Sotomayor's class. "And Sonia, she was at the forefront of those discussions." A fixture on the debate team and in student government, Sotomayor was even a part of change inside Cardinal Spellman -- helping to write a unified constitution when male and female classes merged in 1971. Outside school, Sotomayor spent some vacations working at the United Bargains store in the Bronx, though she has admitted she was too young for a job. She also worked.with her mother at Prospect Hospital.  See photos of Sotomayor throughout her life » Hard work was a fixture of the Sotomayor household. Juan Sotomayor, Sonia's father, died when she was 9, leaving her mother, Celina, to fend for Sonia and her younger brother, also named Juan. Celina Sotomayor started at the hospital as a telephone operator and later became a registered nurse. She worked long hours to earn enough to send her children to better schools like Cardinal Spellman, which now boasts of its graduate with a banner on its pale brick facade. And she used spare money to buy the neighborhood's only encyclopedia. Sonia's mother was clear in what she expected from her daughter, said Valdespino-Torres. When she got home from work and stepped into the brick building, she always asked Sonia if she had done her homework, food shopping or laundry. "Only then, Sonia would be allowed to go out," Valdespino-Torres said.

Question: where did she grow up

Question: what High school classmate said she saw Sotomayor?

Question: what did the classmate say

Question: who died when she was 9

Question: Who is holding her confirmation hearing?

Answer: Bronx.

Answer: Mary Procidano,

Answer: "She was focused so much on learning that she didn't notice,"

Answer: Juan Sotomayor, Sonia's father,

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor,

Summary:
Sonia Sotomayor grew up in crime-ridden Bronx neighborhood .
Senators holding confirmation hearings on Supreme Court nomination .
Sotomayor's dad died when she was 9; mother instilled in her the value of education .
High school classmate said she saw Sotomayor "as a leader, for sure"


Editor's Note: This is the third in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, and revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice if confirmed.

Sotomayor won the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, the highest honor given to an undergraduate at Princeton.

PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- Sonia Sotomayor spent her first week at Princeton University obsessing over the sound of a cricket. Growing up in New York City, her only notion of this insect was Jiminy from "Pinocchio." She tore her dorm room apart looking for the critter every night.

Finally, her then-boyfriend and future husband visited and explained that the cricket was outside the room, where she had been holed up most of that week in 1972.

"This was all new to me: we didn't have trees brushing up against windows in the South Bronx," Sotomayor recalled in a speech to the Princeton Women's Network in 2002.

The freshman who was so taken aback by a cricket's chirping now has a more public challenge: Senate hearings on whether to confirm her as a Supreme Court justice, potentially the first Latina to hold such a post.

At one time, being different may have been difficult -- for it wasn't just Princeton's crickets that startled Sotomayor. The academics and the students on the leafy Gothic campus, with its ivy-covered dormitories and castle-like towers, also made her feel out of place.

Sotomayor, who was on a full scholarship, started "a little more on the shy side," said Sergio Sotolongo, who attended high school and Princeton with Sotomayor.

"She did mention that, as a freshman, she felt sometimes intimidated by others and didn't really raise her hand very much," said Sotolongo, now chairman and CEO of Student Funding Group in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.  Watch classmates, professor remember Sotomayor »

As a first-year student, Sotomayor felt what she's called a "chasm" between herself and her classmates. She really only knew the Bronx and Puerto Rico, while her classmates spoke of European vacations and skiing. She said in 1990 that she felt she was a "product of affirmative action" and questioned whether she would have been accepted into the Ivy League using "traditional numbers" from test scores alone.  See how many of the Supreme Court justices went to Ivy League schools »

She would certainly have looked different to her classmates, with relatively few Latinos or minorities at Princeton during her college years. Even being a woman was different for Sotomayor's class -- the college had opened its doors to women three years earlier, but male students were still superior in numbers and (in some cases) attitudes.

Judith Perlman, who lived down the hall, explained: "I'd go to class and I would say things, and the professor would say, 'Oh, we usually express ourselves in a more gentlemanly fashion here.'"

Perlman and Sotomayor shared "girl talk" but about what they wanted to do with their lives, not about things like fashion, which interested neither.

Academically, Sotomayor also faced a gap. She would later graduate summa cum laude and be awarded the top undergraduate honor, the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, but she stumbled that first year.

Peter Winn, who taught Sotomayor and was her thesis adviser, said her early writing reflected the fact that her first language is Spanish.

"She could be very assertive and very articulate, but not initially," said Winn, now a professor at Tufts University.

"Sonia was someone who entered Princeton as a young woman with enormous potential, and one of the things that happened at Princeton was, she learned how to fulfill that potential," he said.

Nancy Weiss Malkiel, now dean of the college, agreed with Winn, writing in an e-mail that Sotomayor came to Princeton "with high intelligence and great ability, but without a very sophisticated grounding in the study of history."

Malkiel, who taught history,

Question:
Who arrived at Princeton in 1972?
who is Sonia Sotomayor?

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor

Answer: Judge

Summary:
Sonia Sotomayor arrived at Princeton in 1972 in fourth co-ed class .
She read children's classics to enhance her English writing skills .
She launched a Puerto Rico action group and campaigned for Latinos .
By the time she went to Yale, she was confident and outgoing, classmate recalls .


Editor's Note: This is the third in a five-part series exploring Judge Sonia Sotomayor's background and life with those who know her, and revealing the experiences that might shape her views as a Supreme Court justice if confirmed. Sotomayor won the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, the highest honor given to an undergraduate at Princeton. PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- Sonia Sotomayor spent her first week at Princeton University obsessing over the sound of a cricket. Growing up in New York City, her only notion of this insect was Jiminy from "Pinocchio." She tore her dorm room apart looking for the critter every night. Finally, her then-boyfriend and future husband visited and explained that the cricket was outside the room, where she had been holed up most of that week in 1972. "This was all new to me: we didn't have trees brushing up against windows in the South Bronx," Sotomayor recalled in a speech to the Princeton Women's Network in 2002. The freshman who was so taken aback by a cricket's chirping now has a more public challenge: Senate hearings on whether to confirm her as a Supreme Court justice, potentially the first Latina to hold such a post. At one time, being different may have been difficult -- for it wasn't just Princeton's crickets that startled Sotomayor. The academics and the students on the leafy Gothic campus, with its ivy-covered dormitories and castle-like towers, also made her feel out of place. Sotomayor, who was on a full scholarship, started "a little more on the shy side," said Sergio Sotolongo, who attended high school and Princeton with Sotomayor. "She did mention that, as a freshman, she felt sometimes intimidated by others and didn't really raise her hand very much," said Sotolongo, now chairman and CEO of Student Funding Group in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.  Watch classmates, professor remember Sotomayor » As a first-year student, Sotomayor felt what she's called a "chasm" between herself and her classmates. She really only knew the Bronx and Puerto Rico, while her classmates spoke of European vacations and skiing. She said in 1990 that she felt she was a "product of affirmative action" and questioned whether she would have been accepted into the Ivy League using "traditional numbers" from test scores alone.  See how many of the Supreme Court justices went to Ivy League schools » She would certainly have looked different to her classmates, with relatively few Latinos or minorities at Princeton during her college years. Even being a woman was different for Sotomayor's class -- the college had opened its doors to women three years earlier, but male students were still superior in numbers and (in some cases) attitudes. Judith Perlman, who lived down the hall, explained: "I'd go to class and I would say things, and the professor would say, 'Oh, we usually express ourselves in a more gentlemanly fashion here.'" Perlman and Sotomayor shared "girl talk" but about what they wanted to do with their lives, not about things like fashion, which interested neither. Academically, Sotomayor also faced a gap. She would later graduate summa cum laude and be awarded the top undergraduate honor, the Moses Taylor Pyne Prize, but she stumbled that first year. Peter Winn, who taught Sotomayor and was her thesis adviser, said her early writing reflected the fact that her first language is Spanish. "She could be very assertive and very articulate, but not initially," said Winn, now a professor at Tufts University. "Sonia was someone who entered Princeton as a young woman with enormous potential, and one of the things that happened at Princeton was, she learned how to fulfill that potential," he said. Nancy Weiss Malkiel, now dean of the college, agreed with Winn, writing in an e-mail that Sotomayor came to Princeton "with high intelligence and great ability, but without a very sophisticated grounding in the study of history." Malkiel, who taught history,

Question: who arrived at Princeton in 1972 in fourth co-ed class?

Answer: Sonia Sotomayor


Editor's Note: This story details how two members of the CNN Special Investigations Unit reported a story about controversial plans to spend $31 million to enhance two remote crossings on the border between the United States and Canada.

The road to the border was so quiet it was safe for Drew Griffin to sit in the middle of it.

SCOBEY, Montana (CNN) -- We were driving through some of the most remote country in the United States, chasing a story that seemed hard to believe.

The Department of Homeland Security had announced it was spending $31 million to enhance and upgrade two remote border crossings -- just 12 miles apart -- on the border between Montana and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The spending was lauded by Montana's two senators, even though only an average of 22 cars a day traveled through these border posts.

We hopped a plane from Atlanta, Georgia, to Billings, Montana, and then headed to Scobey and Whitetail. The six-hour drive took us through some of this nation's most beautiful country into the high plains of the Missouri River Region. It was a drive punctuated with glimpses of cows and antelopes, but few people.

In fact, Burl Bowler, editor of the Daniels County Leader newspaper, which serves the border towns, advised us where to stop for gas en route, so we wouldn't run out and then really be in trouble.

Besides seeing a part of the country where Lt. Col. George Custer took his last stand, there was the added benefit (sorry CNN management) of having no phone or Blackberry access. In that respect, it was a peaceful drive.

When we got to Scobey, the few people we encountered couldn't have been nicer. Everyone we passed stopped, said hello, or waved. But encountering people was the problem -- and in fact, the story: We just didn't encounter that many. Certainly not at the border, where we stood and even sat in the middle of the road to show viewers how few people travel to and from Canada here.  Watch just how quiet the border crossing was »

The Scobey border crossing itself seemed perfectly adequate. But the Department of Homeland Security had warned its agents not to allow us inside, so we don't know what the interior is like. If we came in, we would be too disruptive, one government spokesman had informed us. In Scobey, that claim seemed a little far-fetched, since there wasn't anything going on here -- disruptive or otherwise.

On the Canadian side, farmer Marc Chabot, a U.S. citizen whose family has farmed the area on both sides of the border for generations, said he was grateful for the money his senators -- Democrats Max Baucus and Jon Tester -- steered to northeast Montana. But, he said, like others in the community, he gasped when he learned of the plan to spend $31 million expanding two border crossings that are rarely used.

"It would be wiser spent on something more useful to the public generally," he told us, adding that come winter, the average of 20 cars crossing a day in Scobey drops to almost none.

Editor Burl Bowler told us the area could certainly use stimulus money for jobs, but not at the border. We asked both Bowler and Chabot about the possibility of terrorists creeping across the frontier.

Both said that after the attacks of September 11, 2001, everyone needed to be more mindful of the porous border. But Chabot said the government had the area fairly well covered. "Trust me, they know we are here right now," he said.

And a massive new building costing more than $15 million in Scobey, Montana, wasn't exactly a deterrence to someone set on harming the United States, he added. Chabot joked that any stranger in the area certainly would not be a stranger long, since everyone knew everyone -- a point echoed by Bowler, who pointed out that while he hadn't told many people that CNN was coming to town, everyone seemed to know it anyway.

In Whitetail, it was even quieter

Question: What distance are the crossings apart from each other?

Question: How much is DHS planning to spend?

Question: What amount did DHS plan to spend?

Question: What has been DHS plan to spend on remote border crossing?

Answer: 12 miles

Answer: $31 million

Answer: $31 million

Answer: $31 million

Summary:
DHS planned to spend $31 million to upgrade remote border crossings .
The crossings are 12 miles apart and get little to no traffic .
Laredo, Texas, by comparison, gets 66,000 crossings a day .
Laredo will not receive any of the $400 million in DHS border stimulus funds .


Editor's Note: This story details how two members of the CNN Special Investigations Unit reported a story about controversial plans to spend $31 million to enhance two remote crossings on the border between the United States and Canada. The road to the border was so quiet it was safe for Drew Griffin to sit in the middle of it. SCOBEY, Montana (CNN) -- We were driving through some of the most remote country in the United States, chasing a story that seemed hard to believe. The Department of Homeland Security had announced it was spending $31 million to enhance and upgrade two remote border crossings -- just 12 miles apart -- on the border between Montana and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The spending was lauded by Montana's two senators, even though only an average of 22 cars a day traveled through these border posts. We hopped a plane from Atlanta, Georgia, to Billings, Montana, and then headed to Scobey and Whitetail. The six-hour drive took us through some of this nation's most beautiful country into the high plains of the Missouri River Region. It was a drive punctuated with glimpses of cows and antelopes, but few people. In fact, Burl Bowler, editor of the Daniels County Leader newspaper, which serves the border towns, advised us where to stop for gas en route, so we wouldn't run out and then really be in trouble. Besides seeing a part of the country where Lt. Col. George Custer took his last stand, there was the added benefit (sorry CNN management) of having no phone or Blackberry access. In that respect, it was a peaceful drive. When we got to Scobey, the few people we encountered couldn't have been nicer. Everyone we passed stopped, said hello, or waved. But encountering people was the problem -- and in fact, the story: We just didn't encounter that many. Certainly not at the border, where we stood and even sat in the middle of the road to show viewers how few people travel to and from Canada here.  Watch just how quiet the border crossing was » The Scobey border crossing itself seemed perfectly adequate. But the Department of Homeland Security had warned its agents not to allow us inside, so we don't know what the interior is like. If we came in, we would be too disruptive, one government spokesman had informed us. In Scobey, that claim seemed a little far-fetched, since there wasn't anything going on here -- disruptive or otherwise. On the Canadian side, farmer Marc Chabot, a U.S. citizen whose family has farmed the area on both sides of the border for generations, said he was grateful for the money his senators -- Democrats Max Baucus and Jon Tester -- steered to northeast Montana. But, he said, like others in the community, he gasped when he learned of the plan to spend $31 million expanding two border crossings that are rarely used. "It would be wiser spent on something more useful to the public generally," he told us, adding that come winter, the average of 20 cars crossing a day in Scobey drops to almost none. Editor Burl Bowler told us the area could certainly use stimulus money for jobs, but not at the border. We asked both Bowler and Chabot about the possibility of terrorists creeping across the frontier. Both said that after the attacks of September 11, 2001, everyone needed to be more mindful of the porous border. But Chabot said the government had the area fairly well covered. "Trust me, they know we are here right now," he said. And a massive new building costing more than $15 million in Scobey, Montana, wasn't exactly a deterrence to someone set on harming the United States, he added. Chabot joked that any stranger in the area certainly would not be a stranger long, since everyone knew everyone -- a point echoed by Bowler, who pointed out that while he hadn't told many people that CNN was coming to town, everyone seemed to know it anyway. In Whitetail, it was even quieter

Question: How many miles apart are they?

Question: How much distance is between crossings?

Question: How much crossings does Laredo get a day?

Question: what will the money go to

Question: Who planned to spend $31 million?

Question: How much does DHS plan to spend?

Question: How many crossings a day do they get?

Answer: 12

Answer: 12 miles

Answer: 22 cars a

Answer: expanding two border crossings that are rarely used.

Answer: The Department of Homeland Security

Answer: $31 million

Answer: 22 cars a


Editor's Note: Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington joined the Mt. Vernon Boys & Girls Club in New York at the age of 6 and remained an active member for the next 12 years. The actor credits his early years spent at the club with changing the direction of his life. Since 1994, he has served as a volunteer national spokesman for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, appearing in public service announcements on television and in print. He's also a member of the group's board. Denzel Washington says America's leaders need to pay attention to the crisis affecting our children. (CNN) -- With the political season in full swing, much is at stake for America. The economy is in a downward spiral. We have an energy crisis. Our jobless rate is on the rise. These are the subjects that generate headlines and much debate among the candidates. But there is an underlying problem that we as a nation have not addressed, a situation that should concern any American with an eye on the future, regardless of party affiliation. It is the crisis affecting our children: • Nearly 30 percent of this year's freshman class will drop out of high school, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That number jumps to 40 percent in some urban areas. • The obesity rate for our kids has gone up by as much as 300 percent since 1980, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, triggering a host of health-related problems, from diabetes to heart disease. • Young people account for more than 20 percent of violent crimes in the United States, according to statistics cited by Duke University's Center for Child and Family Policy. Violent juvenile crime peaks between 3 and 4 p.m., at the end of the school day. These facts are grim enough. Factor in persistent patterns of poverty, gang activity, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy, and you have a generation of Americans that will be unprepared -- indeed, unable -- to meet the challenges posed by a complex world. We expect our leaders to lead. But as citizens, we shouldn't simply sit back and hope that politicians stand up to the test.  We can participate in the political process, advocating for policies that will benefit the health, education and well-being of young Americans, because we must do a better job of preparing our youth to lead. It is daunting to think about solving such a widespread crisis. But there are youth-serving organizations that can and do play a key role in effecting positive change -- places such as Boys & Girls Clubs, with a long track record of helping young people turn things around, get an education, lead healthy lives and become effective leaders. I know, because I was one of those kids. Club staff taught me right from wrong and made the lesson stick. They planted the seeds early on that led me to envision myself as a high school graduate, a college graduate and an achiever in whatever field I chose. Boys & Girls Clubs do this today for millions of kids, offering everything from homework help to career exploration, performing a daily miracle that turns hope into opportunity. Urging children and the adults in their lives to "Be Great," these clubs communicate the idea that there is potential for greatness in every child. This powerful call to action reminds us that we can all play a role in helping youth realize their dreams. So I ask you to join me in this effort. There are many ways to help: • Volunteering at a local youth organization. • Leading by example. • Donating to charities that make a difference. In partnership with government, schools, community leaders and parents, we can create a network and culture in which everyone embraces the importance of a positive future for our youth. But right now, with Election Day fast approaching, ask your local, state and national candidates what they are doing to help our young people become tomorrow's leaders. Ask them to make children a top priority and tell them that you hold them accountable. If we all become advocates

Question: What does Denzel Washington thing is a key priority

Question: What does the Boys and Girls Clubs do

Question: what Denzel washington says?

Question: what voters need?

Question: what washington says?

Question: What are the issues according to Washington

Answer: America's leaders need to pay attention to the crisis affecting our children.

Answer: offering everything from homework help to career exploration,

Answer: America's leaders need to pay attention to the crisis affecting our children.

Answer: to pay attention to the crisis affecting our children.

Answer: America's leaders need to pay attention to the crisis affecting our children.

Answer: the crisis affecting our children.

Summary:
Denzel Washington: In a year of many issues, children are key priority .
Washington: Voters need to hold politicians accountable for helping young people .
Education, crime, obesity are all issues relating to youth, Washington says .
There are many ways to help, including Boys & Girls Clubs, he says .


Editor's note: "Glenn Beck" is on Headline News nightly at 7 and 9 ET. Glenn Beck says to always question conventional wisdom. NEW YORK (CNN) -- "The people who survived the Great Depression were the ones who had money to buy when everybody else was selling." -- My grandfather I learned a lot from my grandfather, but that might have been the greatest lesson he ever taught me. He wasn't just talking about managing money, he was talking about managing life -- and his words have stuck with me since I was a child. A few years back, I was taking a theology course and the professor recommended only the books whose authors he agreed with. I read those books, but I also asked that professor which books he thought had it completely wrong -- and I read those too. Then I made up my own mind. After all, following the herd is fine until they all run off the side of a cliff together. Less than a year ago, a recession was the last thing on anyone's mind. In fact, over the summer, as I was questioning the conventional wisdom, I read an article on my television show that quoted a financial expert as saying, "It is the strongest global market that we've seen in the history of measuring these things." That's when I realized how fast the herd was approaching the cliff. But with predictions of a recession now more common than Fed rate cuts -- and that's saying something -- maybe now it's time to look at a worst-case scenario. After all, considering all sides of an issue, no matter how extreme they may be, doesn't make you a crazy person; it makes you an educated one. So to understand what a real meltdown could look like, I turned to Nouriel Roubini, chairman of RGE Monitor and professor of economics at New York University's Stern School of Business. He's also a former adviser to the U.S. Treasury Department. Professor Roubini recently laid out what he called the "12 steps to financial disaster." Unfortunately, they were really complicated, and I have severe ADD, so I've boiled them down into five phases that even a rodeo clown like me can understand. I think of these like our military's "DEFCON" -- or defense readiness condition -- scale, except that this countdown could end in the meltdown of your bank account: • DEFCONOMY FIVE How you'll know we're here: The housing downturn turns into a free fall, making it the worst collapse in our country's history. That not only triggers massive numbers of foreclosures and lost household wealth, but it also sets off another large wave of bank write-downs. Odds we get here:  Roubini told me that it's "extremely likely, even unavoidable" that we hit this stage because "the excess supply of new homes in the market is like we've never seen before." Prices, he believes, "need to fall another 10 to 20 percent before that clears." • DEFCONOMY FOUR How you'll know we're here: Americans upside-down on their mortgages and unable to pay their home equity loans begin defaulting on other debt, like credit cards, car loans and student loans. In addition, bond insurance companies lose their perfect credit ratings, forcing already troubled banks to write down another $150 billion. Odds we get here: High. Roubini says that 8 million households are already upside-down on their mortgages and he thinks we could see that number go to between 16 million  and 24 million by the end of 2009. A lot of those people, he believes, will simply walk away from their homes and send their keys back to the bank. • DEFCONOMY THREE How you'll know we're here:  Some banks begin to crack under the pressure of continuing write-downs and mounting defaults by consumers. A national or large regional bank finally collapses, triggering hedge fund failures and general chaos on Wall Street, potentially leading to a 1987-style market crash.

Question:
What kind of scale was laid out?
what did glen say
What is the DEFCONOMY scale?

Answer: "12 steps to financial disaster."

Answer: "The people who survived the Great Depression were the ones who had money to buy when everybody else was selling."

Answer: defense readiness condition

Summary:
Glenn Beck lays out the DEFCONOMY scale .
Beck ponders: Will the economy collapse into "The Greater Depression"?
"Maybe now it's time to look at a worst-case scenario," he says .
Then again, maybe not: Be prepared is the key .


Editor's note: A gunman killed 10 people and himself Tuesday in southern Alabama. It's the most recent example of mass killing sprees that have traumatized communities over the years. Here's how one city responded. In the worst mass shooting in the U.S. at the time, a gunman killed 23 customers in a Texas cafeteria in 1991. (CNN) -- On October 16, 1991, 35-year-old George Hennard drove a pickup truck into Luby's cafeteria in Killeen, Texas, and fatally shot 23 people and wounded more than 20 before killing himself. For more than 15 years, the city next to the sprawling Fort Hood military base had the dubious distinction of being the site of the deadliest mass shooting in the United States -- until a student killed 32 people and himself at Virginia Tech in 2007. "You can never prepare for an incident like this," says Killeen city councilman Fred Latham, who was mayor pro tem of the city, which had a population of about 66,000 at the time of the shooting. But Killeen's experience shows a city can survive the grief, pain and stigma of such an incident. About 80 people were in the cafeteria, many of them taking their bosses to lunch for National Bosses Day when Hennard arrived. He methodically chose his victims, most of whom were women, before he was wounded by police and shot himself. Latham, who is 60 and a real estate broker, has been on the city council off and on for 16 years. He spoke to CNN.com Wednesday. CNN: What are your memories of that day in October? Latham: It was a tragic day in our history, Many of the people who were killed or injured I personally knew. It was just a big shock that anything like that could ever happen in our community. CNN: Where were you when it happened? Latham: I was with the mayor and the Waco city engineer, looking at potential road improvements and we just happened to be driving near where Luby's was, and we saw some roadblocks being set up and we knew something terrible had happened. There were police cars and barricades and you had the sense that something was wrong. CNN: What are your memories of the days after the shooting? Latham: The community came together as far as trying to help resolve the issues with the people who were victims or their families who were trying to get through it. There were a lot of human resource agencies that came, American Red Cross, a lot of counselors. It was just overwhelming. I think the phones into Killeen were jammed from people all over the country trying to check on their family members. Luby's was the kind of place that would attract any kind of person. That was Bosses Day that particular day, so you had a lot of extra business there, I'm sure. And many of the people were in our school district. Our school district is one of the biggest employers in the region. So when you had administrators or people in that administration office killed, they're going to be known by many, many people. The commanding general at Fort Hood sent in helicopters and all kinds of extra assistance that might be needed. ...Fort Hood is the major employer in the area. At that time there were some 42,000 assigned troops there and some soldiers were actually killed. You can never prepare for an incident like this from somebody that just goes off. How they pick a destination you don't know. This person drove all the way from Belton, which is about 16 miles to our east. He wasn't a Killeen resident, so how he picked Luby's you don't know. He actually drove through the front window and the people that were in the restaurant thought maybe he had an accident where you try to apply the brakes and hit the gas pedal. .... When he came out shooting, the people were kind of trapped. I was proud of our community as to how they handled the situation and overcame all the adversity. Everybody was concerned about the welfare of the families and the

Question: Who said you can never prepare for an incident like the one in Kileen, Texas?

Question: What was the gunman's death toll?

Question: Who was the gunman in Killeen?

Question: When did the gunman drive into a cafeteria?

Question: Number of people killed in the massacre?

Question: What year did a gunman drive a pickup into a cafeteria?

Question: What town did this occur in?

Question: What occurred in Killeen, Texas?

Answer: Fred Latham,

Answer: 10 people and himself

Answer: George Hennard

Answer: October 16, 1991,

Answer: 10

Answer: 1991.

Answer: Killeen, Texas,

Answer: George Hennard drove a pickup truck into Luby's cafeteria

Summary:
Fred Latham: "You can never prepare" for an incident like the one in Killeen, Texas .
In 1991, a gunman drove a pickup into a cafeteria and killed 23 people .
Latham says the city raised money for victims and bounced back .
Latham: Communities are resilient but they will never forget what happened .


Editor's note: A nationally syndicated columnist, Roland S. Martin is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith" and "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America." Visit his Web site for more information.

Roland S. Martin says Sasha Obama is from a generation raised in a diverse world and open to possibility.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- There are so many things that we could take away and remember forever regarding the inauguration of the first African-American president in the history of the United States, but I'll always remember the laughter of a little girl.

Shortly after President-elect Barack Obama finished the oath and became President Barack Obama, he joined hands with his family and waved to the cheering voices of 1.8 million people packed from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.

People cried, others hugged, celebrities and everyday folks snapped photos to capture the moment.

There really was an amazing energy that permeated the crowd as we all witnessed a barrier come tumbling down before our eyes.

But what stood out for me was a moment when President Obama looked down at his 7-year-old daughter, Sasha, and she said something to him, and then let out this huge laugh.

I don't know whether it was her statement or his response, but the bubbly child was having the time of her life. The sheer joy that was on her face as she grinned from ear to ear caused me to just start laughing as I watched her reaction.

I was shooting photos from the CNN platform just across from where he spoke, and one of the many images was of a beaming Sasha alongside her mom and 10-year-old sister, Malia.

Can you imagine what was going through this young girl's mind, to see her father stand there and take the oath of office?

As I saw her that day, and later bouncing along a sidewalk as she walked with her father, my niece Anastacia came to mind. Their smiles and bouncy walk are so much alike, and both are the same age.

These young girls, and countless other black children, among others, will grow up in an America where what they can imagine is backed up by what they see. Despite the reality that racism hasn't left us, these children have the advantage of not being burdened with being separated by race.

So much has been written about today's generation living in a world where hip-hop music brought them all together in one room, coupled with the diverse images on television and movies. Their reality is not the reality of their parents, and we will see that play out a lot in the future.

What also is most compelling about this age of Obama is how he has been received thus far internationally. Many political experts are simply stunned that a man who has only been on the national stage for five years would have so much good will across the pond.

Of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that President George W. Bush and his team were seen as running roughshod over their international partners, praising them when they needed something, and savaging them when they disagreed with the U.S. position.

Yet what we also can't ignore is that Obama's skin tone also plays a central role. Americans may be shocked to find out that people of color make up two-thirds of the world population.

They know all too well about America's pathetic and violent history of enslaving and later oppressing African-Americans, and it was always seen as ridiculous for U.S. officials to condemn human rights abuses abroad while racial and other forms of discrimination existed in their own backyard.

Obama's election sends a powerful signal to the world that Americans are backing up their rhetoric and ideals with action, and Obama serves as that powerful symbol.

Barack Hussein Obama now has the opportunity to show those who voted for him -- and those who didn't -- that the change he often spoke about can come to pass.

If he is able to fulfill many of the promises he made during the campaign,

Question:
who is growing in a world of diversity?
Where were the Obamas born?
Who is Sasha Obama?
WHo took the oath?

Answer: Sasha Obama

Answer: America

Answer: his 7-year-old daughter,

Answer: Barack Obama

Summary:
Roland Martin: Sasha Obama laughed joyously after her father took the oath .
He says her generation won't have the same racial burden as its parents .
Martin: Sasha is growing up in a world of diversity, with great possibilities .
Martin: In a diverse world, Obama's skin tone strengthens America .


Editor's note: A nationally syndicated columnist, Roland S. Martin is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith" and "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America." Visit his Web site for more information. He is host of "No Bias, No Bull" at 8 p.m. ET on CNN while Campbell Brown is on maternity leave. Roland Martin says Michael Vick has served his sentence and should be allowed back on the field. (CNN) -- When Michael Vick completes home confinement in July, he will have served the 23-month prison sentence imposed after he pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges. After his release from a Kansas prison Wednesday, he headed to his home in Virginia to serve the final two months under home confinement, because all the beds at halfway houses in the area are taken. But that hasn't deterred the Vick haters who are still in an uproar over the heinous details of his dogfighting kennel. Yes, reading the details of the treatment of the dogs, including the killing of some of them, could make anyone sick. Yet what's the point of sentencing someone to jail, then having them serve their time and be released if we still want to imprison them for the rest of their lives? Frankly, I'm sick of Americans who talk all day about "do the crime, then do the time," then still want to treat a man like a criminal when he gets out of prison. This doesn't just apply to Michael Vick. Look at all the individuals who are sent to prison, get out and then can't find a job. Why? Because they have the Scarlet Letter on their record, which is a big fat "F" for felon. Don't think I'm looking for any sympathy for someone who goes to jail. I firmly believe that you deserve all that you get for breaking the law. But listening to some of these zealots go on and on and on about Vick needing to continue to be punished is ridiculous! The judge in Vick's case has imposed a number of restrictions. One of them is that he can't ever own a dog again. OK, gotcha. But to say the man shouldn't be allowed to play in the NFL is D-U-M-B. The crimes of which he was convicted had nothing to do with playing sports. Remember Wall Street star Michael Milken? When he was sent to jail for securities fraud, he was banned from working on Wall Street again. I get that. He was an insider and allowing him back into the financial game would have been atrocious. I get it when someone is convicted of molesting children that they can't live within a certain distance of a school or be left alone around children when released. But there is nothing related to Vick's crime that says he should not be allowed to play professional football. What is particularly galling is that, right now, you have any number of football players who have beaten people -- including their wives and girlfriends -- served time for drunk driving or committed other crimes, yet they have resumed their careers. The same goes for teachers, radio and television broadcasters, politicians and others. So is this any different because it involved dogs? Are we to say that the horrible treatment of dogs is vastly different than mistreatment of human beings? The critics will likely say, "These men are role models. Kids look up to them. They should have no business on the field." Yet some of these same kids are living with fathers and mothers who are felons. So are we supposed to remove them from the home as well? Enough with the public bullying. Vick was sentenced and served his time. And now he's gotten out. If you want to be angry with him, fine. But please, cut the sanctimonious crap. He deserves to make amends and get on with his life. If you were in his shoes, you would want to do the same. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland

Question: Roland Martin said by July, who will have finished his 23-month sentence?

Question: When will Vick's sentence finish?

Question: How long was the sentence?

Question: What did Roland Martin say?

Question: Which month does Michael Vick's sentence end?

Question: Who argues that Vick shouldn't be allowed to play?

Question: Who said that Vick should be able to work productively?

Question: How long was Michael Vick's sentence?

Answer: Michael Vick

Answer: July,

Answer: 23-month

Answer: Michael Vick has served his sentence and should be allowed back on the field.

Answer: July,

Answer: The judge

Answer: Roland Martin

Answer: 23-month prison


Editor's note: A nationally syndicated columnist, Roland S. Martin is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith" and "Speak, Brother! A Black Man's View of America." Visit his Web site for more information. Roland Martin says men are harming their health by their reluctance to go to the doctor. (CNN) -- A couple of years ago, my dad told me that he had a cataract in his eye and could barely see out of it and that he needed to get it fixed. "Cool. Go to the doctor and get it taken care of," I said. "I will," he replied. One month became three; three months turned into six months; and a year later and numerous calls later by a ticked-off son, he still had not gone to the doctor. So one morning, when I was hosting the 6 to 9 a.m. talk show shift on WVON-AM in Chicago, Illinois, I told my producer, Geneen Harston, to call my dad, but don't tell him he'll be on the air. When the commercials ended, I pulled him up on the air and asked, "So, dad, have you made that doctor's appointment?" He started to laugh and said that he had done so the day before and that he was seeing the doctor later in the week. Luckily, he followed through, and they discovered that he had another one growing in the other eye. Both eyes were taken care of, and all has been well since. Yet what ticked me off was that here was a guy with insurance, a son who could pay for the bill even if he didn't, but he still refused to go to the doctor!  Watch Roland's commentary segment » My dad's story is all too common to a lot of you who must deal with fathers, brothers, uncles, husbands and male cousins, church members and co-workers, who are obstinate and absolutely refuse to go to the doctor. "Oh, I'll be fine." "I can handle the pain." "I don't want a doctor poking on me." "If it's bad, I'm sure it would hurt worse." All typical responses, and all pretty dumb. Yes, it's true that women all around the globe have outlived men for years. In the United States, the life expectancy for men is 74 and for women is 80. Yet when that is broken down racially, there is a huge gap between whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians. Men are dying earlier due to prostate cancer, heart disease, stroke and other maladies, and their actions play a large role in it. Black men in particular drive me nuts. I've heard several mention that their aversion to doctors stems from the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, the study conducted between 1932 and 1972 that monitored black sharecroppers who were infected with the disease but didn't treat them, much less inform them that they had it. That program by the U.S. Public Health Service was hideous but shouldn't be used as an excuse today. Men can no longer be so hard-headed about their health. I've given speeches on this issue and told married women that they should say, "no doctor's visit, no sex." That'll get his attention! We all love the men in our lives. But being silent means we are aiding them in their health dilemma, and that's wrong. If it means lovingly reminding, fine. If you have to badger them, whatever. Just like Dad told us to eat our vegetables when were kids, saying we'll be better off as adults because of it, we should tell Dad or any other man to stop acting like a child and go see the doc. It really could save their life. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Roland Martin.

Question: What does Martin say about men's life expectancy?

Question: What do black men cite?

Question: What makes no sense?

Question: What does Roland Martin say?

Question: What do men have?

Question: What did Roland Martin say?

Answer: are dying earlier

Answer: that their aversion to doctors stems from the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment,

Answer: taken

Answer: men are harming their health by their reluctance to go to the doctor.

Answer: reluctance to go to the doctor.

Answer: men are harming their health by their reluctance to go to the doctor.