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Road to Ruin
Aired August 4, 2007 - 20:00 ET
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien. Tonight: an investigation into the bridge collapse that happened right here in Minneapolis. What went wrong? What larger questions does the tragedy raise about the state of our nation's infrastructure? (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN (voice-over): It happened in an instant. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The road was just disappearing underneath of us. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bridge started shaking. And then it was a complete freefall. O'BRIEN: A bridge tumbles down. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the bridge is gone. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought I was dead. I literally thought I was dead. O'BRIEN: For years, we have been warned, our country's infrastructure is falling apart, streets exploding, levees breaking, aging power grids failing, roads collapsing. Is our nation on a road to ruin? (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: We begin tonight with the latest on the catastrophe. Five people are now confirmed dead. At least 100 others were injured. Now, so far searchers have only been able to check out 12 of the 60 cars that are submerged in the murky Mississippi water. The NTSB says it's going to examine a second videotape of the collapse, and tomorrow President Bush will visit the disaster site. Now, on the bottom of your television screen is a ticker listing some of the thousands of the bridges throughout the United States that are in need of repair. And, at CNN.com, you can see a state-by-state list of all bridges similar in design to the one that collapsed right here in Minneapolis. The U.S. Department of Transportation wants those bridges inspected immediately. And now, as we look down at the wreckage from this rooftop on the Bridgewater Lofts, the overwhelming question is how could it have fallen so suddenly with no warning at all. CNN investigative correspondent Drew Griffin has been digging into that question for us. And what he's found really only adds to the mystery. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It struck so fast with such force, even those who were on the bridge had no idea what was happening. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It felt like the concrete just disappeared and you were just falling, just a freefall all the way down. And, when we hit, we hit hard. GRIFFIN: This surveillance camera video captures an event that bridge experts say would be almost impossible if they did not see it themselves. TED GALAMBOS, STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: I couldn't believe it. This just does not happen. It's not within my rational universe. GRIFFIN: For 40 years, the 35-W bridge carries up to 140,000 cars a day across the Mississippi River. Then, in seconds, and without any warning, it falls 64 feet into the river below. Dr. Ted Galambos is one of the foremost bridge engineers in the world. He's studied bridge failures most of his professional life. He cannot explain this one. (on camera): This looked like what? GALAMBOS: Sudden death. GRIFFIN (voice-over): Or was it? The Minnesota Department of Transportation has begun releasing its own bridge inspection reports for bridge 9340 that show this bridge may not have suffered sudden death, more of a long-term illness. DAN DORGAN, MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: In 1990, it was classified as a structurally deficient bridge. GRIFFIN: By 1993, the bridge was undergoing yearly inspections. In 2001, six years ago, due to concerns about fatigue cracking, the University of Minnesota conducted an extensive monitoring of the bridge, even placing strain gauges, like these, to measure if the bridge was weakening. All of these warnings, all of the problems, all judged not enough to stop the flow of traffic. Minnesota had decided it would not replace the bridge until the year 2020. The latest inspection just months ago concluded the bridge was safe. DORGAN: Obviously, something went terribly wrong. GRIFFIN: At a news conference Thursday, Dan Dorgan, the state's top engineer, had to admit the inspection process itself had failed. QUESTION: You're in charge of all these other bridges that have been inspected the same way. Are you a nervous man right here? DORGAN: Certainly, that's giving us cause to really look at our whole inspection program. So, yes, we're certainly concerned. GRIFFIN (on camera): Sixty miles up the Mississippi River here in Minnesota, in the town of Saint Cloud, is this bridge, the DeSoto Bridge. It is almost built the same exact style as the bridge that fell in Minneapolis. And it's from here, underneath, you can see the super-steel substructure. (voice-over): Underneath the DeSoto Bridge, we found classic signs of age, corrosion, rust, pieces of concrete crumbling. But, as bad as it looks, University of Minnesota's civil engineering head, Dr. Robert Ballerini, says steel beams just don't break. They bend. DR. ROBERT BALLERINI, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT: If I take a piece of chalk and I snap it, I will have no evidence whatsoever that it's about to fail. Steel, on the other hand, before it fails, it has to go through a plastic deformation. You will see it with your eyes actually bend. And that gives warning, hey, something is wrong here. I'm sick. Fix me. GRIFFIN (on camera): And that is what has engineers baffled. They say, even if there was a stress fracture in one or even two of these big beams, the bridge would have tilted, maybe rocked a little, and eventually pulled itself into the water. But that's not what happened. This entire structure would have had to collapse at the same time, meaning multiple beams would have to have multiple cracks almost simultaneously. BALLERINI: It collapsed relatively all at the same time, and I haven't even begun to think of what could have caused that sudden failure over the whole span of the bridge. GRIFFIN (voice-over): What lies ahead is a reconstruction of the parts of the skeleton that are left. Chunks of the broken bridge will be brought up from the river, resembled, and searched piece by piece for the fatal wound that years of inspections failed to find. (END VIDEOTAPE) GRIFFIN: And certainly that inspection report is very detailed, showing inspection after inspection showing multiple problems on this bridge. This bridge was really sick. In 2006, a 50-page report detailed all the cracks, the bruises and the bumps, and came up with one basic conclusion, that eventual replacement of this entire structure would be preferable. O'BRIEN: Now, Drew, the NTSB, which rarely speculates, as you well know, came out today early on and said they're focusing on the south end of the bridge. What do they know at this early juncture? GALAMBOS: They know that, at the south end of the bridge, the actually bridge separated, titled there. It didn't all collapse there. It shifted. And so what they are going to look at is to see, was there was separation? And, in fact, in this report, it shows some separation that they tried to Band-Aid. And that's what I think we have here. We have a bridge that had multiple problems that was Band-Aided together. And whether by political will or a budgetary decision, the decision was made to keep putting those Band-Aids on this bridge until 2020, when they would decide to replace it. O'BRIEN: How long will an investigation take? How long before we know exactly what the cause was? GRIFFIN: Usually, it takes a year. The engineer, who was 78, in our report says, I hope I'm alive when that report comes out. However, the NTSB, as you said, rarely comes out with any kind of inclination. They seem to be moving very quickly towards the south end of this bridge. O'BRIEN: It is. That's very unusual for them. Drew Griffin, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Still ahead this evening: Crumbling bridges aren't even the half of it. Why is so much of our nation's infrastructure falling apart? And the shock of cheating death. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SARAH MUNDY, SURVIVOR: I remember that woman in front of me in the silver -- I just remember when she was going down in front of me. And I just remember hoping that, oh, that she was OK, too. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'BRIEN: Next, the lucky survivors and the heroic rescuers tell us their stories. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: The bridge plunged so swiftly and so suddenly that drivers navigating the bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic had no warning. So many of those who survived are still in shock, and many who witnessed the collapse or tried to help still cannot believe just what happened here. Tonight, they share their stories of survival and common purpose in the wake of the disaster. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The concrete just disappeared and you were just falling, just a freefall all the way down. And, when we hit, we hit hard. O'BRIEN: Caught in a catastrophe. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were falling, literally falling. O'BRIEN: Amid tragedy, close calls. MUNDY: I just remember, when she was going down in front of me. And I just remember hoping that, oh, that she was OK, too. I don't know why. O'BRIEN: And calls to courage. (on camera): Days later, as it starts sinking in about how dangerous it was, and, honestly look behind you, how massive that collapse was... CAPT. SHANNA HANSON, MINNEAPOLIS FIRE DEPARTMENT: It doesn't even have to be days later. O'BRIEN (voice-over): In an instant, a bridge in the heartland of America disappears. For Captain Charlie Leekley, it was a front-row ticket to an unthinkable disaster. CAPT. CHARLIE LEEKLEY, EYEWITNESS: I saw a lot of people that didn't have a chance. It's a 65-foot drop, at least. O'BRIEN: Captain Leekley was taking a group of 48 tourists out on a paddleboat ride when the 35-West bridge collapsed right in front of him. (on camera): What did it sound like? LEEKLEY: Oh, it would be hard to describe. Like -- it displaced a considerable amount of water very quickly. And it came raining down like a waterfall of ash -- no, not ash, but dust and debris. O'BRIEN (voice-over): When the bridge fell apart, shock was the first reaction, rescue the next almost instant response. HANSON: When we were in the river, almost all of the stuff was moving somewhat. O'BRIEN: Shanna Hanson, a captain at Minneapolis Fire Station 14, was off duty when the bridge collapsed. With just a yellow rope and a life jacket, she plunged into the murky and dangerous waters of the Mississippi to search for survivors. O'BRIEN (on camera): It wasn't a scary scene for you personally? HANSON: Firefighters are trained to do this. It's not -- it's something that that is our office. And it's what we're supposed to be able to handle. O'BRIEN (voice-over): While everyday heroes helped save many, others were saved by mere luck. MUNDY: It's getting better, but, for the last couple days, it just constantly replays. O'BRIEN: Sarah Mundy was on the bridge as it crumbled right before her eyes. MUNDY: Well, I was traveling northbound, and, all of a sudden, I see the rock crumble from below the car in front of me, and just dust everywhere. And then the car in front of me disappears. O'BRIEN: She soon felt her car dropping, too. MUNDY: The worst part was not knowing -- the anticipation of what I was going to hit at the bottom. O'BRIEN: Sarah Mundy didn't tumble into the river. Her car was left teetering at the edge of a broken segment of the bridge, precarious, to be sure, but remarkably good fortune. MUNDY: I can't believe that I made it out OK with some bruised ribs and scratches. O'BRIEN (on camera): A few more feet and you would have been right there? MUNDY: Yes. (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: Joining us now, one of the first rescuers on the scene, Sergeant E.T. Nelson of the Minneapolis Police Department. He pulled dozens of people out of the wreckage. Thanks for talking to us, sir. We certainly appreciate it. How quickly were you able to get to the scene? SERGEANT E.T. NELSON, MINNESOTA POLICE DEPARTMENT: Within three or four minutes of the initial call. O'BRIEN: And what was it like? Some people have described it as silent. Others say people were screaming. What did you hear? NELSON: There were people screaming. It seemed like pockets of survivors here and there. Some were verbal. Some were not. It was a scene of total devastation. O'BRIEN: Some people, like Sarah Mundy, who we just saw in that piece, remarkably, showed me a scratch that she had. And she sort of bruised herself. Other people, you could see their cars just crushed, and not even to mention those who ended up, unfortunately, in the river. The bulk of the people who you were helping, where were they on the span? NELSON: The bulk of the people I encountered were on the span of the bridge, which was -- actually had fallen into the river. O'BRIEN: What were you able to do for them? NELSON: We made our way to that span using the bridge wreckage as a ladder, so to speak, and did a quick triage on those individuals, assessing their injuries, and then evacuated them from that span, as it's somewhat -- it is not very stable. O'BRIEN: Were there people you could not help? NELSON: Yes, there were. O'BRIEN: We heard from a firefighter who said, when you're a firefighter, you go into rescue mode, and it's not scary. Were you scared, with that structure and everything crumbling around you? NELSON: I agree with what the firefighter said. At the time of arrival, you assess the situation. You refer to your training. You have a job to do, and you do the job. That's what's expected of you. And, once it's all said and done and over, you look back on it, and it's not especially a place that I would be likely to return to. O'BRIEN: When it's all said and done, and you literally look back over it, can you believe what we're seeing here? NELSON: It is somewhat unbelievable, the amount of devastation in a matter of seconds, turning a commute, rush-hour commute, into one of total chaos. O'BRIEN: More than 40 cars, they still haven't even checked on the Mississippi there, under the water, submerged. NELSON: That's a lot of vehicles. And, quite frankly, I'm surprised it wasn't more. O'BRIEN: Sergeant E.T. Nelson, thank you for talking with us. We certainly appreciate your time. NELSON: You're quite welcome. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. NELSON: Have a good night. O'BRIEN: And thanks for all the rescues, too, of course. NELSON: You bet. O'BRIEN: When we come back in just a moment, beyond Minneapolis, because what happened here could happen anywhere in the country, a nation of thousands of crumbling bridges and dangerous dams. And who's to blame? You might start with the people you send to Congress. They're the ones who spend our money. We will take a look at that. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: We had been warned for decades that a massive hurricane would overwhelm New Orleans' levees, and it did. More than 1,800 people died. We're still being warned about the crumbling levees around Sacramento, California. Thousands of homes are at risk, while hundreds more are being constructed. Is that a disaster that is waiting to happen? And a construction firm sounded the alarm back in 1999 about problems with the bolts used to secure several two-ton concrete ceiling panels in Boston's famous Big Dig tunnel. Some of those panels fell onto a car last year and killed a woman. We have been warned for decades about decaying bridges, but it took the catastrophic failure right behind me for officials in Washington, D.C., to take action. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters has ordered the Federal Highway Administration to offer help to all 50 states so they can complete inspections of bridges like the one here. But is this a case of too little government action too late? (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN (voice-over): Very few of us expect a bridge to collapse when we're driving over it. And most of us don't plan for a horrific explosion in the heart of Manhattan while rushing to catch a train. But that's exactly what's happened in the space of a few short weeks. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys got to keep moving. O'BRIEN: It turns out a who may not be to blame, but a what, the infrastructure. RAE ZIMMERMAN, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Each event is becoming so much more catastrophic. That's more of an opinion, rather than based on hard data, but, you know, things like that steam explosion and the Minneapolis bridge, we don't see. O'BRIEN: We have been warned about the bridges. A 2005 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers listed more than 590,000 of them in the United States, many at the heart of the nation's interstate highway system. Nearly a third, more than 160,000, were classified as structurally deficient. ANDREW COATES, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS: That means that we have gotten to a point where we can expect to expend significant amounts of money on these bridges. O'BRIEN: There have been warnings over the years. In one of the most infamous such events in American history, a suspension bridge over the Ohio River, connecting West Virginia to Ohio, collapsed in December 1967; 46 people died. Or this spectacular crash. A bridge in Tacoma, Washington, sways four months after it was built in 1940. It had a nickname, "Galloping Gertie." And more, a 100-feet section of Interstate 95 near Greenwich, Connecticut, the Mianus River Bridge, collapsed in the summer of 1983. Three people died. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The accident was first reported to state police just before... O'BRIEN: In 1987, two spans of a bridge on Interstate 90 in Upstate New York collapsed; 10 people died. Just last month, an interstate highway bridge in Northern California went down. Fortunately, no one was killed. And the traffic just keeps getting heavier and heavier. COATES: As traffic increases, weights of truck increases, the cumulative damage to some of these bridges, fatigue and otherwise, is kind of rising at a high level. O'BRIEN: At a high level as well are concerns about those tangled water, steam and sewer lines that are buried beneath the streets of the nation's largest cities. This explosion, adjacent to New York City's Grand Central Station in early summer, was from a steam pipe that was 83 years old. It was just one tiny section of a grid of more than 100 miles, and ruptures of water mains are so common, they aren't even big news anymore. In fact, all over the country, the fundamentals that make up the nation's infrastructure are in poor shape. Take dams. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, of the 79,500 dams in the United States, about a third pose a high or significant hazard. ZIMMERMAN: We're sorting that out, and, yes, there is a measure of hazard, and they have emergency action plans for a lot of those dams. O'BRIEN: What about our aging railroad system? The Federal Railroad Administration charts every rail accident in the nation. In 2006, more than a third of those accidents were caused by track defects. All in all, it sounds like a mess. ZIMMERMAN: All of these problems should not cast a pall over infrastructure. It should rather redirect our attention to, how can we make it better? O'BRIEN: The Civil Engineers Association says, in an ideal world, where government money is no object, it would take about $9.5 billion a year over the next 20 years -- that adds up to $188 billion -- to fix it all. That, they concede, is unlikely to happen. COATES: Deferring repairs are just going to become more and more costly, so it's going to be a question of catching up, and the longer we wait, the bigger of price tag will be. (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: Stephen Flynn is the author of "The Edge of Disaster: Rebuilding a Resilient Nation," a shocking indictment of how we as a nation aren't doing what needs to be done to keep our communities safe. We spoke earlier today. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: You're the guy who said this was going to happen. Your worst-case scenario was right. STEPHEN FLYNN, SENIOR FELLOW IN NATIONAL SECURITY STUDIES, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Well, certainly, what we're dealing with here is the fact that we have a lot of infrastructure in this country, and we haven't been taking care of it very well. And it's aging, and not gracefully. And so it's inevitable at some point. It's going to break down on us, and, of course, here, tragically, in such a catastrophic way. O'BRIEN: At the end of the day, is it just about the money? It's expensive to fix crumbling infrastructure. FLYNN: Yes, it has a lot to do with the lack of money. But, of course, what makes us not spend is that we have taken it for granted. You know, most of this infrastructure was built by our parents and our grandparents, great-grandparents. So, infrastructure is just like our bodies. It starts to age and get more frail. And, if you don't invest in keeping it up, it's going to break. We used to have world-class infrastructure. I mean, the rest of the world would look at us and say, some day, they hope to have the kind of modern society we have. If you want to see world-class infrastructure, you have to go overseas now, because this kind of infrastructure was built a long time ago, without the kind of -- and, today, we're not providing the kind of care it needs to keep servicing us, never mind to be able to pass this legacy on to our children and our grandchildren. O'BRIEN: But certainly you're not predicting that this wrenched bridge, which we can see from just here, that is going to be a scene repeated in city after city after city country across this country, right? FLYNN: We're going to see failures. They are going to take lives and cause real disruption to our lives. Also, this vulnerability, this brittleness of our society, makes us far more attractive for terrorists, potentially, to hit us, because a little blow can go a very long ways. The fact is, we need to be more resilient, and we need to make investment in our infrastructure, this legacy we have inherited, a real national priority. (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: Stephen Flynn will be back with us later in our broadcast. But up next: While bridges decay, Congress spends hundreds of millions of dollars on pet projects. What's wrong with our nation's priorities? Then later, the bridges aren't the only weak link we have been warned about. What's being done about the 3,000 dams that have been classified as unsafe? (COMMERCIAL BREAK) ERICA HILL, NEWS ANCHOR: I'm Erica Hill at the CNN Center in Atlanta, ROAD TO RUIN continues in a moment, but first, here's a look at tonight's headlines. First, President Bush today, urging Congress to pass a bill making it easier for the government to eavesdrop on foreign terror suspects abroad, but negotiations between the White House and lawmakers over the issue broke down a short while ago. The president's push follows action by a special court earlier this year that restricted the eavesdropping ability of the intelligence community. Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al Maliki, welcoming back the National Soccer Team today after its return from the Asian Cup Championship win, but the regular Friday holy day curfew put a dampener on any large-scale celebrations in Baghdad. In Los Angeles, police say dogs belonging to Ving Rhames (INAUDIBLE) mauled a caretaker at the actor's home, today. The man's body was found on the lawn, four dogs were taken into custody. Rhames was not home at the time. And stocks taking a dive today, the Dow plummeted 280 points, the Nasdaq lost 65, the S&P was down over 39 points. I'm Erica Hill. Those are your headlines at this hour. Stay with CNN, ROAD TO RUIN with Soledad O'Brien continues in just a few minutes. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien in Minneapolis. Tonight, the bridge collapse, what may have caused it and what does it say about our nation's infrastructure? We're also hearing stories of survival. Like this one, Bill Wagner, who was driving a UPS truck across the bridge when it fell and he fell with it. He suffered three broken ribs and a collapsed lung, but he's talking with us tonight. Bill, nice to see you. How are you feeling? BILL WAGNER, UPS DRIVER, MN BRIDGE SURVIVOR: I feel sore. O'BRIEN: Yeah, I bet you do. But you look good. WAGNER: Well, I appreciate that. O'BRIEN: Tell me when you first realized that there was something very bad happening to the bridge. You were driving across with the truck. WAGNER: Right, and it was kind of surreal, the bridge started shaking. I mean, I lived out in L.A. for a while, and I know what an earthquake was, and it was just like an earthquake. It just started shaking and before I knew it, the bridge kind of started swaying side to side, and next thing I remember was I was looking straight ahead and I saw girders, and then it suddenly dawned on me that if I'm looking at girders, I'm on part of the bridge falling, and I'm looking underneath the bridge. O'BRIEN: I noticed before when you were sitting there, you were looking at our shot... WAGNER: I was. O'BRIEN: Which is a strange angle, and you probably haven't seen it a lot. Describe what you're thinking about when you see it from here. WAGNER: I really don't like to look at it, to be honest with you. O just -- just the thought of it brings back bad memories. I don't know if you know this, but that Tasty Truck out there, I worked for Tasty, and the guy, Paul, that died in that truck, I worked with him for five years. In fact, he had just passed me and we waved to each other. And next thing I knew, you know, that whole truck was on fire, so it hit me pretty hard. O'BRIEN: How were you able to get out? WAGNER: Well, I tell you, I was very fortunate that the side of the freeway that collapsed in, it took my truck, and the reason I was fortunate was because there was a busload of kids in front of me, and if it wouldn't have fallen off like that, I would have hit those kids. O'BRIEN: They missed the edge by what it looks like feet. WAGNER: And I was right behind them. O'BRIEN: If your truck had hit them, you would have pushed the busload of children through that crevice. WAGNER: That's right. So, I was kind of happy that I fell, but I got to tell you, you know, when I was falling -- and I fell about 30 feet -- when I was falling, the only thing that ran through my mind was, you're going to die. And I don't know how to explain it, other than the fact that I didn't feel sad, I didn't feel afraid, I just felt at peace. O'BRIEN: There were lots of people on that bridge pulling people out, some of the people who were survivors said they couldn't believe people were running to help, because they were so desperate to get off the bridge and away from the accident. WAGNER: Well, the interesting thing was is the kids that were on that bus, prior to entering that bridge, they were all given me the toot the horn deal, and I did, and the guy that was next to me, after Paul had passed me, he was laughing, because I had pulled the horn for them. And after I got out of my truck -- because when I was in my truck and I was upside down, I smacked my head on the top, it sounded like rain inside my truck and then I realized diesel fuel was coming all over inside the truck. So, my first instinct was, you know, diesel fuel doesn't burn, it's got to be really hot to burn diesel, but I thought if it gets on the engine, it could start a fire, or even electrical. So the first thing I thought of doing was turning off the ignition and shutting the engine down. By that point, I didn't even feel like I was hurt, I didn't feel like my ribs were broke, nothing. I just knew I had to get out of there. O'BRIEN: It's amazing to think you were able to save yourself, but also think of those kids in that bus. We've certainly seen lots of pictures of them. Bill Wagner, thanks for talking to us. I know it's tough to see it from this angle, so we certainly appreciate you doing that. WAGNER: Yeah, well, you know, actually, the toughest thing was, as big as I am, I couldn't help anybody. You know, that's really what I wanted to do, but I just couldn't. And I was just really grateful that the people that were there were helping not only me, but everybody else and taking the time to do it. O'BRIEN: Rescuers really did a tremendous job. WAGNER: Yeah, they were great and I don't think they're getting enough attention. O'BRIEN: Well, you've given it to them tonight, sir. WAGNER: I hope so. That's why I wanted to show up. O'BRIEN: Well, thanks for talking to us. We certainly appreciate it. WAGNER: Appreciate it, thank you. O'BRIEN: Still ahead, when a bridge fails, a community suffers clearly, but do you know that there are more than 3,000 American's dams that are classified as unsafe? And if they fail, well, the flooding could be catastrophic over huge areas. So, what's being done to fix them? We'll take a look. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: The bridge tragedy, here in Minneapolis, exposed the appalling condition, not only of America's bridges, but of the very infrastructure that we depend on every day, like roads, and pipelines, and dams, too. There are more than 80,000 dams in this country, and when it bursts, the disaster is catastrophic. CNN's Ted Rowlands has our report. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This Hollywood version of a dam break from the movie "Earthquake" may seem far- fetched, but over the years there has been several horrific real-life disasters caused by failed dams. ANNOUNCER: The water broke over the top. ROWLANDS: The first sign that huge dams might bring huge problems, came with a string of disasters in the 1970s. This amazing sequence of photos shows the collapse of the Teton Dam in Idaho, 14 people died downstream, towns inundated with water. Hundreds more died in other dam catastrophes in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and West Virginia. Now more than 30 years later, aging dams have engineers worried another round of failures is possible. LARRY ROTH, American SOC OF CIVIL ENGINEERS: Some of these dams are ticking time bombs and unfortunately you can't just look at the structure and determine that it's potentially going to fail imminently. ROWLANDS: In the last two years, there have been more than 20 significant dam failures in the United States, seven people killed just last year when the aging Ka Loko Dam gave way on the Hawaii island of Kauai. In 2005, a park in Missouri was leveled by a wall of water after a sudden dam failure, fortunately the park was almost empty and nobody was killed. According to the Society of Civil Engineers, of the 83,000-plus registered dams in the United States, more than 3,300 are classified as unsafe, 825 of them are in Ohio, 725 in Pennsylvania, and 193 in New Jersey. KEITH FERGUSON, CIVIL ENGINEER: And a failure can occur within minutes to hours worth of time under the worst circumstance. ROWLANDS: Colorado civil engineer, Keith Ferguson, is a member of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. He says the problem is pretty simple -- dams are built to last about 50 years, and many of them are getting very old. FERGUSON: Yes, the constant cycling of loads on these structures and the way they age, yeah they're getting worse with time. ROWLANDS (on camera): This dam in Colorado is owned and maintained by the federal government, but most dams in the country are privately owned, meaning it's up to individual states to make sure those dams are safe. The problem, according to experts, is that some states are not doing a very good job. (voice-over): Take New York, the state oversees 1,906 dams with only eight full-time employees. Maine has one inspector responsible for over 800 dams. In Texas, seven inspectors are responsible for more than 7,000 dams. And then there's the state of Alabama, which has more than 2,000 dams, but doesn't have any inspectors at all. ROTH: Our report card identified that there are 3,500 unsafe dams in the United States. Now, when I hear the word "unsafe," I don't know what it means to you, but to me it ought to be a red flag that something needs to be done. ROWLANDS: Fixing the problem means lots of money. Congress is currently considering allocating more than there $200 million for dam reconstruction. Experts, however, say that would just be a drop in the bucket. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates at least $10 billion is needed to solve a problem, which, as dams get older continues to get worse. (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: That was Ted Rowland's reporting for us. Back with us tonight, Stephen Flynn an expert on protecting our critical infrastructure. Stephen, if you had to give a grade to America's dams, what grade would they give? STEPHEN FLYNN, AUTHOR, THE EDGE OF DISASTER: Well, I don't have to give one, the American Society of Civil Engineers are the nation's top engineers. Look at all infrastructure, 15 categories, bridges came out the second best, dams got a "D" and the trends are not good at all. O'BRIEN: You know, in the piece, Ted was talking a lot about the lack of oversight at the various dams across our nation. Is it the problem that the lack of oversight is the issue? Or is it a money problem? FLYNN: They both go together, of course, there's not even money to inspect the dams. People don't know there's problems, so we didn't invest in fixing them. But what we're doing is we're crowding people near where these dams are, and when a dam breaks, it's a wall of water, people drown and die. These are models of engineering, as is so much of the infrastructure across this country, but you have to maintain it. You can't just be -- ignore it, you have to invest in it. O'BRIEN: And yet, it seems to me at least, it's kind of an invisible problem. I mean, you don't really talk about the dams, and certainly not the state that they're in. FLYNN: It's a crazy thing. It used to be a point of pride Americans had as a nation that we built the best infrastructure in the world. There was almost a competion going on in the world. Now the world is looking at this country and seeing things like this, seeing the flood system fail in Katrina. What does it say about this country? It says we essentially become like adolescents, we don't pay attention to the things around us. O'BRIEN: At the same time, as we both know, and a dam, I can tell you it's expensive to fix, it's not just the will of the people, it's actual dollars and cents. FLYNN: Dollars and cents and the jobs to fix these things are good jobs, so it goes back into the economy. We get benefits, and the infrastructure is essentially for keeping the quality of our life up to speed. You know, with roads, 3.5 billion hours are wasted of people sitting in traffic. That comes out that economists estimate $65 billion a year wasted sitting in traffic. There's an economic cost to having our infrastructure in the bad state it is. O'BRIEN: Well, clearly we can just look out and see not just the economic cost, but the cost in lives. There are 40, approximately, vehicles that are still in the Mississippi that they can't even inspect to see if there are people still inside of them. Do you think this is a big enough wake-up call, not just for the bridges, but the dams and all the infrastructure, too? FLYNN: I pray it is. I hope that Americans don't go back to sleep or think this is an isolated event. Our best engineering minds, we have the fact, the infrastructure is getting old, is not being maintained and we're demanding more from it. This is a formula for disaster. FLYNN: Stephen Flynn, thanks for talking with us, we certainly appreciate it. O'BRIEN: Thanks for having me. O'BRIEN: Coming up next, the disaster as it happened. Witnesses and rescuers, the people who made it out alive. We have their stories. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: Each person who made it out of the bridge collapse has a survival story, but none has a story quite like it the man you're about to meet. Here's Gary Tuchman. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Among the vehicles remaining on the wreckage on the destroyed Minneapolis bridge is this blue minivan. Its driver slammed on the brakes as the roadway collapsed, but the van wasn't going to stop on time, so the driver, Marcelo Cruz, took evasionive action. (on camera): And in the last second, you swerved into the wall? MARCELO CRUZ, SURVIVOR: Yeah, that's what I did. TUCHMAN: And that saved your life? CRUZ: Yeah. TUCHMAN (voice-over): His close call, harrowing, but maybe even more incredible -- because Marcelo Cruz is a paraplegic. He was by himself in the van and couldn't get out as the bridge crumbled and as fire started to rage. (on camera): How many cars did you see go into the water? CRUZ: Twenty, something like that. TUCHMAN (voice-over): Marcelo has a special hand brake and can normally get in and out of his van with a ramp, but his vehicle had stopped on a severe decline. (on camera): So if you would have gotten out of your van down the ramp -- the road is pointing... CRUZ: By myself. TUCHMAN: ...you would have ended up in the river? CRUZ: Yeah, with my wheelchair. TUCHMAN: With your wheelchair, you would have rolled into the river? CRUZ: Yeah. TUCHMAN (voice-over): While he waited helplessly, he heard a woman screaming. (on camera): What was she saying? CRUZ: Just "help me, somebody help me." That's stressful, because you want to do something, and you cannot do anything. TUCHMAN (voice-over): He doesn't know what happened to the woman, but finally help came for him. (on camera): So, who got you out? CRUZ: There were a couple people that helped me. TUCHMAN: Do you know who they were? CRUZ: No, probably they were working there -- workers. TUCHMAN: Probably pretty grateful to them? CRUZ: Yeah. There is my car. TUCHMAN (voice-over): Marcelo keeps seeing his van on the TV as he watches coverage OF the disaster with his mother, who was stunned when her son called her from the bridge. IGNACIA CRUZ, MARCELO'S MOTHER (through translator): I was very scared, I was crying because I couldn't control myself. He was in so much danger. TUCHMAN: The 26-year-old Mexican immigrant has suffered some back pain from the collapse, but because he no longer has his van, he had no way to go to the emergency room, so we were happy to drive him. Marcelo was left paralyzed after being shot and critically wounded by an unknown assailant seven years ago. So, he's no stranger to the hospitals. He was relieved the doctors here told him these injuries are not serious. He feels he's a very lucky man. (on camera): How has this changed your life? CRUZ: A lot, you know, because, now, I feel like I had to tell people, you know, they had to live every day, you know, like it's going to be the last day, you know, of their life. You know, they have to enjoy it, really enjoy, you know, every day. TUCHMAN (voice-over): This, coming from a man who says he's had two near-death experiences. (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: That was Gary Tuchman reporting for us. And while the tragedy here in Minneapolis raises lots of questions about what we are and really aren't doing to maintain our nation's infrastructure, it also shows us the true nature of the human spirit when suddenly a person is forced to fight for survival. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bridge on 35W has collapsed. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first thing I thought about when I was falling is: Oh my god, I'm going to die right before my first kid is going to be born. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After it had collapsed, it was eerily quiet for at least five minutes, probably even more, before we even heard a siren in the distance. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we couldn't tell if the cries were for help are from people that are trapped. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I realized this school bus was next to me. And me and a couple of other guys went over and started lifting the kids off the bridge. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were all screaming, they were all thinking they were going to die, even when we were safe, they were just -- they wanted their parents. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody was crying and -- for their mom, and they want to go home. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People were stunned, people where crying, people were scared. I don't know how this could happen. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not going to confirm fatalities. There are a number of fatalities. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The injuries were all pretty much consistent with blunt-force trauma. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We should all be grateful for the time we have here on this planet. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And then the biggest relief and scariest thing all together, that it was -- it was really close, it was really close. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, this is a catastrophe of historic proportions for Minnesota. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the horror of this incident, there's a silver lining that shines through, and that is the goodness of Minnesotans. (END VIDEOTAPE) O'BRIEN: Sorrow and fear, and heroism. We're back with Stephen Flynn our expert on protecting our critical infrastructure, once again. It's interesting to see to me, Stephen, to see, certainly today, as we've been reporting, you see the survivors coming to terms with the fact they made it out of that, which seems unsurvivable. You see the parents whose children have survived the bus that is this close to a gaping hole, and you think, well, wouldn't it be a loss if a lesson wasn't learned from this? FLYNN: It really would be a tragedy, truly compounding on this tragedy. You know, democracy works only if our citizens tell elected officials what priorities we want. Every day people need to insist on their elected officials to know what's going on, and what are you doing about it? They need to hold our politicians accountable for setting priorities and (INAUDIBLE) the resources to make sure this kind of tragedy is not repeated in communities around this country. O'BRIEN: A hundred and eighty-eight billion dollars is one estimate of what it would cost, just for the bridges part, not the dams or anything else we've been talking about. If the money was there, would that be enough? Or is it political will and more on top of it? FLYNN: Let me put that number in perspective. The total amount of money the federal government is providing the states to inspect dams -- $22 million is what we spend every hour in Iraq. This country spends a lot to make ourselves safe and secure, on national security. We need to think about how we can to invest that here, as well. We have the resources. We're the wealthiest country in the world. We have a gross domestic product of $14.2 trillion. We're at our wealthiest as a nation. Not investing in the infrastructure is a crime. But also there's a security rationale for doing it. The more resilient we are as a society, the less attractive it is for adversaries to hit us, here. You know, the president tells us time and again, the only way to win the war on terror is to go overseas. Well, part of the job has to be here at home as well, and we get a benefit about investing in our infrastructure and making it resilient, we prevent tragedies like this from happening, as well. O'BRIEN: Stephen Flynn, thank you again for being our guest throughout our hour. Before we go, you should about a CNN initiative that puts you, the viewer, in a position to impact your world. If you want to know how you can help in the aftermath of this bridge collapse, you can go right to cnn.com/impact. I'm Soledad O'Brien, that you for much for joining us and goodnight. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com


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By Katherine Malishewsky
Image: Modern League organizers (l-r) Eliana Gallego, Julie Rosen, Adam Rubin and Brittany Reilly in the Sackler Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the second annual Scavenger Hunt
The Docomomo US young professional's initiative, the Modern League, continues to grow and improve since its inception in September of 2012. Working with like-minded professionals in New York, Boston and now Florida, Docomomo US and Modern League organizers recap recent events and initiatives.
In the last few months, the Modern League has been keeping warm with the abundance of cultural events that take place indoors in New York. In January, the Modern League teamed up with the AIA's Emerging New York Architects (ENYA) committee for a Modern vs modern trivia night. The questions tested the participant's knowledge of Modernism and contemporary architecture with a grab bag round of 1990's pop culture.
In February, the Modern League continued to capitalize on the city's modern lectures and exhibits. Ruins of Modernity: Failure of Revolutionary Architecture in the Twentieth Century, hosted by New York Platypus, featured speakers Peter Eisenman, Reinhold Martin, Joan Ockman, and Bernard Tschumi on the nature of architecture and social revolution. The Modern League also ventured to The Museum of the City of New York's to check out the exhibit Designing Tomorrow: America's Worlds Fair's of the 1930's. No cultural event is complete without a thorough discussion and a glass of wine!
In order to promote the Docomomo US mission to the next generation of professionals and enthusiasts, the Modern League is focused on partnering with young people actively involved in Docomomo US chapters and growing in areas where a Docomomo chapter may not yet exist. The initiative's first big step in this direction includes working with a number of people within the Docomomo US/New England chapter to hold Modern League events in Boston. While still in the development stage, updates from the Boston area are expected in the coming months.
With the Docomomo US National Symposium in Sarasota, Florida just around the corner, the Modern League is also planning to team up for a fun meet up during the event. Note that although the Modern League is focused on young professionals, our events are open to everyone who is young at heart and interested in bringing more young professionals into the efforts of Docomomo US nationally and locally. More information on the Modern League initiative can be found on our website or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Making Saltpetre" Seminar in Boston, 2 April
This case study focuses on how Americans understood the workings of the natural world as they imperfectly made gunpowder for the Continental Army. It argues that paying attention to the interactions between humans and the natural environment leads to a richer understanding of the war, and that modern American attitudes towards the environment have important roots in the Revolutionary period.Juniata is known for its environmental study programs, and Prof. Hsiung is working on a history of the siege of Boston through the lens of environmental history.
The expert commenter on this paper will be Rob Martello from the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, who wrote a book on Paul Revere as manufacturer. I look forward to another uncommon perspective on the past. The paper is available online to seminar subscribers (in three pieces), and some hard copies might be available for members of the public to read before the discussion that afternoon.
American governments scrambled to promote the manufacture of gunpowder in 1775, but they had actually been trying that off and on for over a century. Back in June 1642, the Massachusetts General Court passed this resolution:
by raising and producing such materials amongst us as will perfect the making of gunpowder, the instrumental meanes that all nations lay hould on for their preservation, &c., do order that every plantation within this Colony shall erect a house in length about 20 or 30 foote, and twenty foote wide within one half year next coming, &c., to make saltpetre from urine of men, beasts, goates, henns, hogs, and horses' dung, &c.Urine provided nitrogen, a crucial ingredient of gunpowder. But it's not hard to think why towns didn't keep up that part of their local infrastructure.
(Satirical print from 1783 Britain courtesy of the Library of Congress.)


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Table of Contents
> Stem cell research
Stem cell research
Related terms
Future research
Author information
Types of stem cells
Related Terms
Adult stem cells, blastocysts, cell culture, differentiation, embryo, embryonic stem cells, ES cells,
in vitro
, inner cell mass, multipotent, multipotent stem cells, potency, proliferation, pluripotent, pluripotent stem cells, totipotent, totipotent stem cells, umbilical cord stem cells, unipotent, unipotent stem cells.
Differentiated cells are specialized for a particular function and do not have the ability to generate other kinds of cells or to go back to being undifferentiated, or unspecialized. Some examples of differentiated cells are heart muscle cells, nerve cells, and blood cells. Differentiated cells can grow for only so long before they die off to make room for newly differentiated cells that will replace them and perform the same function.
Stem cells, on the other hand, are undifferentiated cells and do not perform a certain function within the body. Stem cells have the ability to self-renew while maintaining an unspecialized state. In other words, stem cells can remain as stem cells and do not need to differentiate into another type of cell in order to grow and survive. However, they also have the ability to develop into differentiated cells such as nerve cells, muscle cells, or blood cells.
They can proliferate, or self-renew, indefinitely. Adult stem cells are able to develop only into the tissue or organ from which they originally developed. These stem cells can act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells, but can also maintain the normal cellular turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin, or intestinal tissues.
By studying stem cells scientists may better understand the process of embryonic development. Furthermore, stem cell research may reveal how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms.
One important area of stem cell research includes understanding how a stem cell can remain undifferentiated until a specific type of cell is needed for tissue repair and what internal and external signals are involved in getting a stem cell to proliferate. Internal signals may be coded by genes, which are contained in the cell's chromosomes. External signals include molecules secreted by other cells and within the cell's environment, and by physical contact with other cells.
Stem cells can be grown
in vitro
, meaning they can be grown in a laboratory, thereby providing a controlled environment without any known factors that may influence their growth.
Through stem cell research, scientists hope to develop cell-based therapies to treat certain conditions. Such therapies, also known as regenerative or reparative medicine, are being studied for use in several diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and heart disease.
Embryonic stem cells
: Human embryonic stem (ES) cells used in stem cell research are derived from embryos grown in an
in vitro
fertilization clinic and donated for research purposes. They are not grown in a woman's body.
Embryonic cells may be grown, or cultured, in a laboratory for research purposes. In stem cell research, the inner cell mass, which is the source of ES cells, is placed in a culture dish containing a nutrient broth known as culture medium. Here, the cells divide and spread over the surface of the dish.
When the stem cells begin to fill the plate, they are divided among several new plates to prevent overcrowding. It is also important at this stage to keep the stem cells undifferentiated. This process, called subculturing, may be repeated for several months and may generate millions of embryonic stem cells. These can be frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen for an indeterminate period of time; there is evidence that stem cells have been viable after being frozen for up to 15 years. Frozen cells may also be shipped to other laboratories, where they may be used for further cultures and experimentation.
When stem cells are maintained in the laboratory, they are routinely tested for traits that are specific to undifferentiated stem cells. This is necessary to make sure that the stem cells have not begun to differentiate into specific cell types.
To generate cultures of specific types of specialized or differentiated cells, scientists try to control the environment in which the stem cells grow. This may include changing the culture medium, altering the growing conditions, or inserting specific genes. The process of producing specific cells from stem cell cultures is known as directed differentiation and is conducted with multipotent cells.
Directed differentiation may allow scientists to use stem cell research to treat Parkinson's disease, diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, Purkinje cell degeneration (a type of cell in the brain located in the cerebellum that is responsible for all motor output from the brain), Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and loss of vision and hearing.
Adult stem cells
: Adult stem cells are undifferentiated or non-specialized cells, found in adult tissues. They tend to grow into cell types from the tissue in which they are located for the purpose of repairing tissue damage and maintaining normal cell renewal. Adult stem cells located in the bone marrow, for example, might develop into any one of the several types of blood cells. If removed from their location and placed elsewhere, however, it is possible for adult stem cells to develop into different types of cells. This quality is called plasticity.
Research using adult stem cells is a growing area of interest. If adult stem cells can be used in transplantation and the differentiation process can be controlled, these cells may become the foundation of many disease therapies.
Adult stem cell research focuses on the use of hematopoietic stem cells, which form all the types of blood cells in the body, and bone marrow stromal cells, which form bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous connective tissues. Tissues that contain adult stem cells include the bone marrow, blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, skin, and liver. In addition, the adult brain contains stem cells that can be used to generate nerve cells.
Additional research uses epithelial stem cells, which are located in the lining of the digestive tract to generate absorptive cells, goblet cells, Paneth cells, and enteroendocrine cells, which are all located in the intestine. Skin stem cells, which are located in the basal layer of the skin and at the base of hair follicles, can generate keratinocytes, hair follicle cells, and skin cells.
Adult stem cells are currently the only type of stem cell used to treat human disease. Hematopoietic stem cells found in the bone marrow have been used in bone marrow transplants for more than 40 years. Other uses of these cells include leukemia, lymphoma, and several inherited blood disorders. Early research suggests that adult stem cells may be useful in the treatment of diabetes, advanced kidney cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and spinal cord injuries, among others.
There are several differences between embryonic and adult stem cells. While embryonic stem cells can be generated indefinitely, there is a limited amount of adult stem cells. While embryonic stem cells may develop into any cell type, adult stem cells are more specific. Adult stem cells may offer patient-specific advantages, such as a low risk of tissue or organ rejection.
Stem cell research may have numerous applications.
Replace damaged tissue
: Stem cell research has the potential to be used in cell-based therapies, which treat patients by transplanting specialized cells. Stem cells found in the bone marrow, for example, may be transplanted into patients with leukemia to generate new blood cells. New research has shown that human bone marrow stem cells may be used to regenerate liver cells, and scientists hope that stem cells will be able to repair the spinal cord following injury.
: The process of aging results from cells lacking the ability to repair themselves. Stem cells could potentially be used in what is being called restorative medicine, which aims to produce therapies that can extend an individual's lifespan.
: Although research has shown that cancer stem cells are rare, the presence of just once cancer stem cell is sufficient to initiate and maintain a malignant tumor. It is important that researchers learn how a stem cell can give rise to a malignant tumor; this may help find a cure for cancer.
Disease and injury
: Stems cells can be used to replace cells that have been damaged or lost during the course of an injury or disease. Therefore, stem cells are being investigated as a treatment for various diseases, including diabetes, advanced kidney cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and spinal cord injuries.
New drug testing
: Current testing of new drugs is conducted using laboratory animals, such as rats. Research has shown that a drug that is not toxic in a rat may very well be toxic in a human; therefore, these methods can be unreliable. Before testing new drugs or chemicals in human trials, they can be tested on stem cells. In the laboratory, stem cells could be manipulated to grow into specific types of cells (for example, cancer cells) in order to test the effect of a certain compound (for example, a new cancer drug). This may offer safer, cheaper, and more acceptable testing alternatives.
Testing gene therapy
: Gene therapy is the process by which genes are inserted into an individual's cells with the goal of treating or preventing a disease. Research has shown that it is possible for bone marrow stem cells to differentiate into other kinds of cells, such as cells that line lung tissue. It is also possible for scientists to change a defective gene in these cells so that once they are introduced into the body they no longer express the defective gene. This research has been conducted in patients with cystic fibrosis, a disease characterized by a certain genetic mutation.
The use of stem cells in research is intensely debated, largely due to the ethical concerns regarding the use of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Many groups oppose ES cell research because human embryos are sacrificed to produce ES cell lines.
In addition, pro-life activists argue that all human embryos have the right to live, regardless of why they are created.
Proponents of ES cell research argue that, with consent, excess embryos from
in vitro
fertilization procedures should be made available research purposes. Some believe that the outcomes may bring dramatic improvements to the field of medicine.
The use of a single-cell biopsy, which allows for a single cell to be removed from an embryo 2-3 days after
in vitro
fertilization, would allow scientists to generate embryonic stem cells without embryonic destruction. Stem cells can also be obtained in other ways that do not require the destruction of an embryo, such as through the umbilical cord and from human bone marrow.
In response to this debate, the National Institutes of Health's Department of Clinical Bioethics offers additional resources about the ethics of stem cell research.
The use of stem cells in research is intensely debated, largely due to the ethical concerns regarding the use of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Many groups oppose ES cell research because human embryos are sacrificed to produce ES cell lines.
In 2001, President George W. Bush approved federal funding for research of more than 60 pre-existing stem cell lines that have already been isolated from embryos. The embryos from which the existing stem cell lines were created had already been destroyed.
Federal funds are not available to isolate stem cells from additional embryos that have been fertilized in a laboratory and then donated for research purposes. Because the government does not currently support using embryos for research, it may only be conducted with private funds.
Future research
Stem cell research may have the potential to help scientists understand how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cell research may also make possible cell-based therapies to treat disease, to test drugs, and to understand birth defects. Areas of potential use for stem cells include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and heart disease.
Ongoing research is focused on identifying different types of adult stem cells, and in which tissues they exist. Scientists are also studying the extent of adult stem cell plasticity, which refers to their ability to develop into various types of specialized cells; the extent to which adult stem cells can be manipulated; and what the signals are that determine proliferation and differentiation of adult stem cells.
Future research will most likely examine the usefulness of stem cells in gene therapies. This would allow scientists to change a defective gene in an individual's stem cells and then allow these cells to differentiate into a particular cell with a restored gene. This may help in recovery from a variety of diseases with a genetic basis.
Author information
This information has been edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).
Adewumi O, Aflatoonian B, Ahrlund-Richter L, et al. Characterization of human embryonic stem cell lines by the International Stem Cell Initiative. Nat Biotechnol 2007;25(7):803-16.
Barrilleaux B, Phinney DG, Prockop DJ, et al. Review: ex vivo engineering of living tissues with adult stem cells. Tissue Eng 2006;12(11):3007-19.
Becker AJ, McCulloch EA, Till JE. Cytological demonstration of the clonal natural of spellen colonies derived from transplanted mouse marrow cells. Nature 1963;197:452-4.
Gimble JM, Katz AJ, Bunnell BA. Adipose-derived stem cells for regenerative medicine. Circ Res 2007;100(9):1249-60.
Goldman S, Windrem M. Cell replacement therapy in neurological disease. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2006;361(1473):1463-75.
International Society for Stem Cell Research. .
National Institutes of Health. Bioethics resources on the web. .
National Institutes of Health. Stem cell information. .
Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. .
Shostak S. (Re)defining stem cells. Bioassays 2006;28(3):301-8.
Tuch BE. Stem cells: a clinical update. Austral Fam Phys 2006;35(9):719-21.
Types of stem cells
First identified in 1998, stem cells are found in blastocysts, which are the structures found in the early growth stages of an embryo, prior to implantation on the uterine wall. The function of stem cells in an embryo is to differentiate into specialized tissues within the embryo to form the heart, lungs, brain, and other organs and tissues.
Stem cells are often classified by the tissues from which they are derived. They may also be classified by their potency, which refers to the potential of a stem cell to self-renew and differentiate into different types of tissues.
Totipotent stem cells
: Totipotent stem cells are produced from the fusion of an egg and a sperm cell. Cells produced by the first few divisions of the fertilized egg are also totipotent.
Pluripotent stem cells
: Pluripotent stem cells are the descendants of totipotent cells and can become any type of cell. These are different from totipotent cells because they can self-renew.
Multipotent stem cells
: Multipotent stem cells can produce cells of only a closely related family of cells. For example, hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Unipotent stem cells
: Unipotent stem cells can produce only one cell type, but have the property of self-renewal, which distinguishes them from non-stem cells.
Embryonic stem cells
: Embryonic stem (ES) cells are the pluripotent descendants of totipotent stem cells and can become any type of cell. ES cells are derived from the blastocyst. After the blastocyst implants into the wall of the uterus, it further develops into the embryo and its surrounding tissues, such as the placenta and the amniotic sac.
Human ES cells were first isolated in 1998 and are used in stem cell research. These cells were derived from blastocysts grown in an
in vitro
fertilization clinic, rather than inside a woman's body. With consent from the family, they were then donated by the clinic for research purposes. During
in vitro
fertilization, it is typical for a number of egg cells to become fertilized and for only a proportion of those fertilized cells to be implanted into a woman's uterus. Therefore, upon consent of the family, the embryos that are not implanted may be donated for research purposes.
On August 9, 2001, the President of the United States announced that federal funds may be used for research using embryonic stem cells if certain criteria are met. These criteria include that the stem cells were obtained prior to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 9, 2001; that the stem cells were obtained from an embryo that was created for reproductive purposes and no longer needed; that informed consent was obtained for the donation of the embryo; and that the donation did not result in financial gain to any involved party.
Umbilical cord stem cells
: The umbilical cord, which connects an embryo or fetus to the placenta while in the womb, is another source of stem cells. Some parents are electing to save the blood from their child's umbilical cord so that it is available in the event that a family member develops a disease in which stem cells could be useful, such as a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia. Similar to embryonic stem cells, umbilical cord stem cells are pluripotent and can develop into any type of cell.
Adult stem cells
: Many different types of stem cells are found in adult tissues. They are unlike embryonic stem cells in that they can only grow into cell types of the tissue where they are located, and they are involved in tissue repair and in helping to maintain normal cell renewal. For example, bone marrow stem cells are found in the bone marrow and can develop into any one of the several types of blood cells. It was thought that all adult stem cells were multipotent, in that they could produce only cells of a closely related family of cells. However, research has shown the potential of bone marrow stem cells to differentiate into functioning liver cells.
Copyright © 2011 Natural Standard (
The information in this monograph is intended for informational purposes only, and is meant to help users better understand health concerns. Information is based on review of scientific research data, historical practice patterns, and clinical experience. This information should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Users should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for specific questions regarding therapies, diagnosis and/or health conditions, prior to making therapeutic decisions.
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text: New York-based, nature-inspired, fine, contemporary brand, Meira T is perfect for exuding pretty, polished reverie. Calling upon 14 and 18K gold, diamonds, coloured gemstones, and designer Meira Tugendhaft's worldly influences, Meira T boasts modern, elegant finery. When it comes to cutting an accomplished, refined dash, it has to be Meira T. Add dazzling, understated luxury to all your day-to-night ensembles with Meira T necklaces. These considered and carefully crafted, heirloom-like gems are a shortcut to sparkling style.


text:
Year-end message from IUCN's Director General, Julia Marton-Lefèvre
2008 is ending on a challenging note for all of us. The economic crisis is threatening the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide; insecurity and conflict are still daily realities in many parts of our world, and pressing environmental issues are not being addressed with the urgency they deserve. If we are to turn things around and see urgently needed changes in our 'planet in peril', 2009 will have to be different.
Thankfully, there are some reasons to hope. IUCN's Congress last October showed the interest, dedication, desire for action of an increasingly diverse environmental movement. In Barcelona we saw IUCN at its best: members, partners and friends exchanging practical ideas, sharing knowledge and renewing their commitment for action. We now need to convey this message loud and clear everywhere we live, in every meeting we attend and through everything we do.
The possibility of seeing a US Administration joining European efforts in becoming fully engaged in climate negotiations and investing massively in alternative energy is an encouraging sign. The government and people of China are also taking these matters seriously through their quest for a 'Harmonious Society', and indeed one consequence of the financial crisis has been to broaden the group of those involved in finding solutions. If emerging economies become involved in confronting the financial crisis, the same should happen in discussions on climate.
On a more personal note, I wish to share my enthusiasm and confidence about the future of IUCN. I believe that we all came out of Barcelona with a renewed sense of purpose, with an energized membership conscious of having sent a strong message on the need to work together better and a shared desire for concrete action. This message that we can do more, with Commissions, Members and Secretariat working seamlessly and transparently together, was heard loud and clear. With a new and inspiring President and Council, we now need to maintain the momentum and take our Union to a higher level. And with our new programme, we must set the tone and pace in 2009 to make concrete and measurable progress towards a more just and sustainable world.
I cannot take leave of 2008 without thanking Valli Moosa, our former President and his Council, for their dedication and support of the Union. They can be proud of having served our cause well during their term.
And of course, I would like to thank all of IUCN's Members, the dedicated Commissions and our staff, for their on-going commitment to keep nature alive. We will have a very busy year in 2009, but I am confident that together, we are up to the challenge.
Julia Marton-Lefèvre
Gland, December 2008


text:
Suppose you have a set of 4 elements {A,B,C,D}, but without specifying their order. Now, if you want to specify which precedes which, that would mean you need to provide more information.
But at the same time, writing down the ordered list {B,C,A,D} doesn't take more text. That's probably because order is implicit when writing down things, even when I say that {A,B,C,D} is unordered, the way I write it down has order, I just tell you to ignore it.
So which is true? Does order carry additional information, and if so, why don't ordered lists take more text to describe than unordered ones?


text:
Concord Real Estate
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County and is a major regional suburb of the East Bay. Its large and vibrant downtown focal point, Todos Santos Plaza, hosts in addition to its exquisite shops and restaurants, a farmers' markets and free concerts. Concord is home to SunValley Mall, one of the largest malls in the U.S., and its own Solano Drive-In is the only one within 100 miles of San Francisco. Concord has a world of entertainment at its fingertips including Six Flags Waterworld, Sleeptrain Pavilion, Pixieland Amusement Park, The Jungle and Concord Skate Park. This inviting suburb is home to the thirteen-time World Champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps and the renowned Willows Theatre Company. With all its excitement and vitality, Concord is adorned with older pre-WWII homes and newer, recently developed homes, condos and apartments, making it a great place to call home.
Concord Property Info
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text:
Phil: So, it looks like the Internal Revenue Service has decided that conservatives should be denied their rights simply because they are conservative. And you wonder why other conservatives and I sometimes question whether government is of, by and for all the people.
Ethan: This issue is definitely a significant problem if it turns out that they actually targeted groups based on ideology. I was glad President Barack Obama condemned it so quickly and then sought the resignation of IRS Acting Commissioner Steven Miller.
Phil: He did say all the right things. Facts, I predict, will prove that he didn't do all the right things. Government power was abused and used to intimidate people exercising their constitutional rights well before the last election.
Ethan: Please tell me you aren't insinuating that Obama was involved in this controversy? Even Bill O'Reilly has been slamming conservatives for this guilt-by-association McCarthyism.
Phil: Please don't put words in my mouth. I am suggesting that policy is set by the president. Evidence shows that his appointed leaders knew of this and lied to Congress. Their inaction condoned this abuse.
Ethan: Apparently, I am not putting words in your mouth because you are still insinuating the president was involved. Every time there is a controversy, you folks seem to believe that all roads lead to the White House. You know what? Sometimes, most of the time, they simply don't.
Phil: Does your opinion change when you learn that Obama's half-brother was improperly running a tax-exempt organization for two years before he complied with the law? In his situation he was granted retroactive tax exempt status within 30 days!
Ethan: Do you also believe that singer Paul McCartney is dead and that former Cuban President Fidel Castro tried to shoot John F. Kennedy? Honestly, the bigger problem is that it appears the IRS spent a ton of time going after these small groups, while the big "non-profits" like Crossroads and Priorities USA were never investigated. These two groups, from both sides of the aisle, spent hundreds of times what the smaller groups spent.
Phil: Now you're suggesting Obama appointees should have targeted other similarly minded organizations? All the while expediting Democratic progressive advocacy groups?
Ethan: "Obama appointees?" The entire IRS has only two political appointees, and the guy in charge was appointed by former President George Bush. But, whichever ideology or whichever administration, government should not focus on little fish and let the big fish slide. The IRS should be hard on all groups that want to be tax exempt. I run a not-for-profit, and I am happy to withstand the scrutiny.
Phil: Obama's two Treasury Secretaries Timothy Geithner and Jack Lew (also former chief of staff) are Obama appointees, and they both oversaw the IRS during the year and a half this abuse of power was happening and did nothing. Using your defense, the only people who report to Obama and take responsibility for his orders is Seal Team 6.
Ethan: You should have joined the CIA; you see operatives everywhere. Here is the bottom line; no one needs tax exempt status to exercise their constitutional rights. They want tax exempt status to avoid paying taxes and get donations that they don't need to publicly report. If they want special status, they should be scrutinized.
Phil: Well, isn't that the point here? Powerful government targeted people simply because they wanted to advocate smaller government and less taxes.
Ethan: It is a problem that certain groups were singled out. What isn't a problem is whether the IRS should be scrutinizing 501(c)4 organizations across the ideological spectrum. Treat both sides equally, and be tough.
Phil: Well, the fact is they weren't treated equally. Those who don't agree with the president's policies were targeted. Not only that, it looks like the IRS even shared confidential information with progressive and liberal groups.
Ethan: Well, that organization, ProPublica, is a government watchdog group that asked the IRS for the applications. The IRS certainly should not have sent them, but once they realized what happened, they immediately knew it was a mistake and tried to get them back.
Phil: Mistake? C'mon, Ethan. They sent nine confidential applications of conservative groups to a bunch of liberal journalists. If the tables were turned, you'd be demanding the president be held personally responsible.
Ethan: Why would I hold the president of the United States accountable for what the inspector general has determined was limited to "first line management" in Cincinnati? And look, ProPublica is run by the former managing editor of the Wall Street Journal, so your ideological bent is a bit of a stretch. Your paranoia runs a little too deep.
Phil: What difference does it make who runs ProPublica (another tax exempt organization)? Step away from your political tactics, and consider the impact of what they did with their power to deny, intimidate and tyrannize. This behavior proves that Americans who believe government is trampling on their rights are right.
Ethan: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Look, no one is defending the IRS. But "tyrannical?" Whether it is Benghazi, guns or the IRS, your team always overreacts. Stalinism has not arrived in the United States.
Phil: Perhaps not, but maybe now you understand why we conservatives believe a small, efficient, less-intrusive government will make America better.
Ethan: Have no fear. I'll be there for you when the black helicopters arrive.


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Male civil servants who retired early significantly decreased their probability of dying within the next five years, according to a recent Dutch study. Researchers at the Tinbergen Institute of VU University Amsterdam studied the effects of a one-time policy decision in 2005 that allowed certain civil servants to retire at age 55 with benefits, versus the typical early retirement age of 61 or 62 and the full retirement age of 65.
Researchers hypothesized that workers might have benefitted from an immediate reduction in stress when they retired, boosting their health. They did not draw the same conclusion about female civil servants, who were much less likely to die within five years to begin with.
Researchers were interested in the policy implications of their findings. If employers let their workers retire early, it may impose longevity risk to their pension funds, which "would need to anticipate this to prevent sustainability problems." (That kind of advice sounds almost quaint on this side of the Atlantic, where no amount of anticipating is going to be able to fix many municipalities' pension woes.)
The literature is decidedly mixed on the merits of early retirement. A French study announced last month found that the risk of dementia declined with each additional year a person put off retiring, suggesting that the mental stimulation of work can help bolster brain health.


text:
Factsheet: November 10, 2011
Union Electric Company
Docket No. P-459-310/Osage
Frequently Asked Questions
Will FERC be taking away my property rights?
No. Nothing in Amerens Shoreline Management Plan, the July 26 order or this order has any impact on property rights. Whatever rights landowners have in lands within the boundaries of the Osage Project whether conferred by deed, lease, easement or other conveyance have not been and will not be altered by FERCs actions.
Did FERC reject Amerens proposal to grandfather existing structures? Did FERC reject Amerens Shoreline Management Plan (SMP)?
No. In the July 26 order, FERC generally approved Amerens proposal, which specifically provided that many existing structures would not be grandfathered, and made a few procedural changes. In this most recent order, FERC makes clear that it is accepting Amerens new proposal to grandfather existing structures that were built before March 28, 2008.
What did FERC order Ameren to do with respect to the SMP?
- Ameren must revise the project boundary to remove from within the project lands any lands that are not needed to operate the project effectively. By doing this, FERC expects that the majority of nonconforming or encroaching structures (those structures that did not receive formal approval to build) no longer will be under FERC jurisdiction and therefore no longer will be covered by the SMP.
- After redrawing the project boundary, if any nonconforming or encroaching structures remain that affect the project, Ameren must work with the owners of those structures to reach a solution that can satisfy both project operation requirements and the needs of the owners.
- Once these consultations are completed, Ameren must file a plan at FERC for dealing with any remaining encroachments. For example, Ameren could find lands elsewhere within, or to be added to, the project boundary that could meet the project purpose so that a structure does not have to be removed.
- Ameren must file its plan to modify the project boundary by June 1, 2012.
Why is this all happening now? Hasnt the Osage project been around for 75 years?
- The Commissions responsibility in this proceeding is to be a steward of the publics resources. As the licensee, Amerens primary responsibility is to properly implement the terms of its license.
- Under both its current license and its previous license from the mid-1980s, Ameren has had a longstanding obligation to prevent the construction of unauthorized structures inside the project boundary, otherwise known as encroachments, and to take appropriate action to ensure that neither project purposes nor the expectations of the structure owners were unduly affected.
- Congressional mandates and court decisions over the past few decades have required the Commission to balance competing uses of hydropower projects, including power development, environmental protection, flood control, irrigation, and public recreation such as fishing and boating.
- Shoreline Management Plans (SMP) are a product of these various congressional mandates and court decisions. Ameren developed its SMP and filed it in 2008. Provisions of the SMP did not take effect until July 26, 2011, when FERC approved it.
- Over many years, Ameren failed to carry out this obligation. Amerens repeated failure to properly implement the terms of its license has allowed matters to get to the point where it does not even know exactly what structures have been built within the project boundary and whether they were authorized. FERC recognizes that Amerens failures have left local property owners in an extremely difficult position.
What is a Shoreline Management Plan (SMP)?
Shoreline management is a longstanding FERC initiative intended to protect the shoreline around all hydroelectric project reservoirs. A Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) manages the multiple resources and uses of a project's shorelines. Striking a balance between local economic interests and protecting environmental resources allows the public to enjoy those resources, and is vital for the long-term success of an SMP.
Who is responsible for enforcing the SMP at the Lake of the Ozarks?
The licensee for the project is responsible for enforcing the SMP. At Lake of the Ozarks, that licensee is Ameren. Ameren enforces the SMP by overseeing shoreline activities and taking actions to prevent unauthorized uses of project shorelines. Ameren must ensure that the proposed uses of the shoreline are consistent with the purposes of protecting and enhancing the environmental values of the project while safely operating and maintaining the project.
What is a nonconforming, or encroaching, structure?
A nonconforming structure, also known as an encroaching structure, is built on or over Amerens property, in violation of Amerens property rights and without Amerens consent. It does not include structures a landowner built on privately owned land in accordance with property rights.
What happens next?
Ameren must modify the project boundary to remove any lands that are not needed for project purposes. Ameren also must identify any remaining encroaching structures that do affect the project purposes. Ameren must work with owners of those structures to reach a solution that satisfies both project operation requirements and the needs of the owners. Once Ameren has consulted with affected stakeholders, it must file a plan with FERC for redrawing the project boundary by June 1, 2012.
To read more about Shoreline Management Plans, go to http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower/gen-info/guidelines/smpbook.pdf


text:
Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
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Friday May 25, 2012 12:20 pm
Jailbreak your iOS 5.1.1 iPhone 4S, new iPad, and more with Absinthe 2.0
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Mods / Hacks, Software
The Chronic Dev Team has just released the first untethered jailbreak for the latest iOS devices that house an A5 or A5X processor. This means that owners of the iPhone 4S, the new iPad (2012), and the iPad 2 can get in on the untethered jailbreak game. This means that you no longer need to connect to a computer each time you need to restart your device in order to maintain your jailbreak. That is good news!
The tool you'll need to download is the free Absinthe 2.0 (Mac / Windows). The software will allow you to jailbreak the following devices running iOS 5.1.1:
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 3GS
- iPad (2012)
- iPad 2
- iPad (original)
- iPod touch fourth-generation
- iPod touch third-generation
Let us know how it goes!
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text:
By Jack Marvell
Feature Reporter, Pennsic Independent
With the drums of War fallen into silence, many members of the populace begin their long journeys homeward today. For them, the memories of Pennsic XXXVII will shine ever brighter as the days pass.
The Pennsic Independent took to the streets to ask the populace what were their best memories of the War.
"My best memory of the War was having the Queen of Gleann Abhann make me a citizen (of her kingdom)," said Safiya Bint Hakim Al-Khwarizmi, her eyes shining with emotion. "I feel very at home in the encampment"
Another lady, Anlaith Ingentrena, talked about the excitement of the town battle. "I would have to say my best Pennsic memory this year was being in the Town Battle," she said. "I was really wild. I had lot of fun, lots of adrenaline. It has been a very good experience."
Count Sir Duncan von Halstern said he has good family memories.
"We're here with our two kids," he said. "Just sharing Pennsic with my children, that's something that's going to stick with me for a while."
When asked about his best memory early Friday morning, Fionn of Dun na Ngal looked to the future instead of the past.
"I'm about to have one," he said. "It's always when the women in white march of my clan from the bog."
Each Pennsic for about the last 10 years, the women of Clanne Preachain lead their warriors to the field battle. They are dressed in white, carrying swords and spears. They chant and sing and exhort the warriors to victory, Fionn said
Sean, Fionn's son, has his own best memories.
"Eating burgers and going crazy for no reason and wearing my socks around camp," he said.
Flora, daughter of the Pennsic Independent's publisher, Despôtissa Heirusalem Crystoma, enjoyed some time spent with the Dragon Herald of the Midrealm, Master Dafydd Blaid.
"I would have to say dancing with Taffy," she said.
Encountered in the dubious company of the highly-esteemed OG, Stitch, a lady dressed in the pirate fashion, said her best memory was "getting him his yurt."
"It surprised the hell out of me," OG said
"Yes, it did, and that was the beautiful thing," Stitch said.
For Catlin Svensdottir, the best memory was music.
"Playing my harp on Runestone Hill while being accompanied on guitar by a campmate," she said. "We played 'Greensleeves'. What better place to play harp? It is the most Pennsic-y place we know.
By Jack Marvell


text:
BRISTOL — Thanksgiving lunch at Bristol Elementary School this year was the traditional meal it is every year: turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, corn, rolls, pickles, cranberry sauce and good friends.
However, in one big way, the meal was quite different. The students in Ms. Murnane's fifth- and sixth-grade class had a dream to make this annual event completely garbage free. With the help of Kristen Andrews, education coordinator for the ANESU Food Service Cooperative, and the BES kitchen staff, the students very nearly achieved that goal.


text:
Days after former Bravo star/present famewhore Tareq Salahi filed a $50 million lawsuit against his ex and her current, Michaele Salahi and Neal Schon are now firing back at him!
The drama began last year after Michaele, former Real Housewives of DC star, decided to leave the "controlling" Tareq to runoff with Journey member Neal. In the $50 million lawsuit Tareq filed this week, he is claiming Neal is responsible for ruining some of the business endeavors he had with Michaele, by stealing his wife from him!
TMZ reported some of those deals included $150k to participate on the Australian version of DWTS as well as some other TV offers. But obviously like
herpes and Paris Hilton white on rice, Michaele and Tareq are a package deal, and the TV networks didn't want one without the other!
In an interview with E! Online, Michaele first defends her new man, stating he is NOT to blame for the demise of her marriage with Tareq. "It's between Tareq and I, and the marriage is over because of the control I went through with him," she says, adding that she felt very trapped in the marriage. "It really just needs to be, 'This didn't work, wish each other the best and move on with our lives."
Neal also responded to Tareq's claims that he tortured him with his penis by a) sending him a photo of it, and b) calling him to tell him "I was f–king your wife."
The Journey guitarist makes it clear that he "never tormented" Tareq and when it comes to the $50 mil lawsuit figure, Neal reveals he "doesn't have a clue" as to how Tareq came up with that number. "I could use an extra $50 [million] if somebody wants to lend it to me," jokes Neal.
Neal adds that at the end of the day, all he really cares about is Michaele! "You can try to do whatever you wanna do, take every cent that I have, but you can't take the love that I have for her," he says. How romantical.
"Neal cares about me and loves me so much that he hated to see me hurting," Michaele states. "And I'm grateful that he protects me and pulls me out of that hurt."
And when it comes to Michaele's
gross participation in Journey's new music video for their song "Resonate," Tareq tells E! he is "hurt" by it. He adds: ". I am also very troubled that the rock band Journey is now promoting my wife's adulterous affair with Neal Schon. I am especially upset and disappointed that they would release this video on Valentine's Day. This day is meant to celebrate lifetime love and commitments, not celebrate those who cheat and abandon their marriages."
Doesn't appear to be an end in sight to this ongoing soap opera!
[Photos Credit: WENN]


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text:
Believing fashion to be intrinsically political, from December 2007 through summer 2008 Nick Knight staged a multi-level film and essay project, encouraging creatives to use the medium of fashion to convey their political beliefs, agendas and thoughts. Contributors include Beth Ditto, Gareth Pugh, Naomi Campbell, Steven Klein, Vanessa Friedman and Vivienne Westwood.
Political Fashion: Films
A wide selection of fashion industry, art world and celebrity figures have answered the brief to express their political beliefs, agendas and thoughts through film. Throughout March and April 2008 return here to see the resulting movies with new additions added each weekday.
Steven Klein
Camille Bidault Waddington
Fred Butler
Liberty Ross
Kenji & Takumi
Nine Daughters and a Stereo
Marcus Werner Hed
Val Garland
Matthew Stone
Alice Hawkins
Johnny Blueeyes and Seth Kirby
House of Diehl
Aimee Mullins
Jodie Harsh & Malcolm Pate
Julien D'Ys and Ilker Akyol
Dean Rogers
Zora Star
Emma Summerton
Bernhard Willhelm and Dirk Bonn
Jason Evans
Fumiko Imano
Valerie Stahl von Stromberg
Aitor Throup
Namalee Bolle
François Berthoud
Carlo Brandelli
Jez Tozer
Gideon Ponte and Josh Ponte
Marian Newman
Betony Vernon
Greg Kadel
Lily Cole
Catherine Long
Donald Christie and Griffin
Ben Dunbar-Brunton
Gareth Pugh
Natasa Vojnovic & Barnaby Roper
Stephen Jones
Freja Beha Erichsen
Camille Vivier
Joana Vasconcelos
Craig McDean
Warren du Preez & Nick Thornton Jones


text:
1200 Oakwood Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Washtenaw County, the City of Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township and Eastern Michigan University are combining efforts in a partnership to maintain and enhance the safety and security of the residents of eastern Washtenaw County.
The Eastern Washtenaw Safety Alliance (EWSA), a coalition of top area officials and law enforcement leaders spearheaded by State Rep. David Rutledge, D-Superior Township, is a collaboration that taps into the resources of area police agencies, governments and organizations to expand crime-fighting efforts in a variety of crucial ways in the eastern Washtenaw region.
Eastern Michigan University, Education First
Ypsilanti, MI, USA 48197 | 734.487.1849
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