Grilling Goldman Sachs: Join the Live Chat
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Tonight on 360°, Wall Street bankers. Keeping Them Honest and accountable. The leader of Goldman Sachs expected to testify tomorrow on Capitol Hill about the financial meltdown. Plus, tornado terror up close. A storm chaser shares his stunning video of a twister on the ground. We'll also have a 360° investigation revealing the secrets of high cost medicine.
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
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Stephen Hawking: Aliens may exist and could be dangerous
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So, the world's most famous astrophysicist has some advice about whether we should or shouldn't try to make contact with creatures from outer space:
Don't do it, Stephen Hawking advises.
It would be much better for humans to keep a low profile, he says. There's a good chance we don't want aliens to come calling, Hawking says, because they very likely wouldn't be the cuddly, ET types we hope for.
Photo Gallery: Tornado destruction in Mississippi
CNN
Yazoo City, Mississippi was one of the areas hit hardest by Saturday's tornado. For more photos, see here.
Goldman Sachs' political contributions
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CNN
The charts below summarize Goldman Sachs’ political contributions to federal candidates over the last several campaign cycles. Federal law prohibits a company from directly contributing money to a campaign; the totals below include contributions from the Goldman Sachs PAC and individual contributors who listed Goldman Sachs as their employer, and their family members. All of this information and more can be found at the Center for Responsive Politics.
Barack Obama’s top contributors from company PACs and employees (2007-2008 cycle)
Grouped together, Goldman Sachs’ PAC and employees were among the top contributors to the Obama presidential campaign.
University of California $1,591,395
Goldman Sachs $994,795
Harvard University $854,747
Microsoft Corp $833,617
Google Inc $803,436
Citigroup Inc $701,290
JPMorgan Chase & Co $695,132
Time Warner $590,084
Sidley Austin LLP $588,598
Stanford University $586,557
National Amusements Inc $551,683
UBS AG $543,219
Wilmerhale Llp $542,618
Skadden, Arps et al $530,839
IBM Corp $528,822
Columbia University $528,302
Morgan Stanley $514,881
General Electric $499,130
US Government $494,820
Latham & Watkins $493,835
John McCain’s top contributors from company PACs and employees (2007-2008 cycle)
Merrill Lynch $373,595
Citigroup Inc $322,051
Morgan Stanley $273,452
Goldman Sachs $230,095
JPMorgan Chase & Co $228,107
US Government $208,379
AT&T Inc $201,438
Wachovia Corp $195,063
UBS AG $192,493
Credit Suisse Group $183,353
PricewaterhouseCoopers $167,900
US Army $167,820
Bank of America $166,026
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher $159,596
Blank Rome LLP $154,226
Greenberg Traurig LLP $146,437
US Dept of Defense $144,105
FedEx Corp $131,974
Bear Stearns $117,498
Lehman Brothers $114,357
Click here to see a summary of Goldman Sachs PAC and employee contributions over the years. Goldman Sachs PAC and employees have given more to Democrats than Republicans across the past several campaign cycles.
Breakdown of Goldman Sachs PAC and employee contributions to members of Congress
Money to Congress: 2010 Cycle
Dems:
$332,375
Repubs:
$190,200
Others:
$0
Incumbents:
$398,900
Non-Incumbents:
$123,675
House
# of Members
Average Contribution
Total Contributions
Democrats
33
$5,101
$168,350
Republicans
28
$2,782
$77,900
Independents
0
$0
$0
TOTAL
61
$4,036
$246,250
Senate
# of Members
Average Contribution
Total Contributions
Democrats
19
$4,878
$92,700
Republicans
10
$5,995
$59,950
Independents
0
$0
$0
TOTAL
29
$5,263
$152,650
Goldman Sachs PAC and employee contributions to Senate Banking Committee members (2009-2010)
Bayh, Evan (D-IN) $5,400
Bennet, Michael F (D-CO) $4,800
Bennett, Robert F (R-UT) $8,800
Bunning, Jim (R-KY) $2,000
Crapo, Mike (R-ID) $3,000
DeMint, James W (R-SC) $1,000
Dodd, Chris (D-CT) $4,250
Schumer, Charles E (D-NY) $22,600
Shelby, Richard C (R-AL) $34,600
Goldman Sachs PAC and employee contributions to House Financial Services Committee members (2009-2010)
Adler, John H (D-NJ) $5,750
Bachus, Spencer (R-AL) $2,500
Bean, Melissa (D-IL) $9,400
Capuano, Michael E (D-MA) $1,500
Castle, Michael N (R-DE) $2,400
Donnelly, Joe (D-IN) $1,000
Ellison, Keith (D-MN) $500
Foster, Bill (D-IL) $4,500
Garrett, Scott (R-NJ) $2,000
Hensarling, Jeb (R-TX) $1,000
Himes, Jim (D-CT) $15,150
Hodes, Paul W (D-NH) $13,100
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS) $2,000
Lance, Leonard (R-NJ) $3,000
Lee, Christopher J (R-NY) $2,000
Maloney, Carolyn B (D-NY) $4,400
McCarthy, Kevin (R-CA) $4,500
McCotter, Thad (R-MI) $2,000
Meeks, Gregory W (D-NY) $2,500
Minnick, Walter Clifford (D-ID) $5,000
Paulsen, Erik (R-MN) $2,000
Posey, Bill (R-FL) $2,000
Royce, Ed (R-CA) $2,400
Velazquez, Nydia M (D-NY) $3,500
Waters, Maxine (D-CA) $2,400
Watt, Melvin L (D-NC) $2,500
Top Recipients, all federal candidates (2009-2010 cycle only)
McMahon, Michael E (D-NY) House $50,550
Shelby, Richard C (R-AL) Senate $34,600
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY) Senate $23,800
Murphy, Scott (D-NY) House $23,450
Schumer, Charles E (D-NY) Senate $22,600
Kirk, Mark (R-IL) House $21,600
Pleitez, Emanuel (D-CA) House $20,175
Wyden, Ron (D-OR) Senate $15,900
Himes, Jim (D-CT) House $15,150
Khazei, Alan (D-MA) Senate $14,600
Hodes, Paul W (D-NH) House $13,100
Crist, Charles J Jr (R-FL) Senate $10,100
Dold, Robert (R-IL) House $9,850
Bean, Melissa (D-IL) House $9,400
Bennett, Robert F (R-UT) Senate $8,800
Roskam, Peter (R-IL) House $7,400
Saujani, Reshma M (D-NY) House $7,200
Coakley, Martha (D-MA) Senate $7,050
Blunt, Roy (R-MO) House $6,200
Adler, John H (D-NJ) House $5,750
Brown, Scott P (R-MA) Senate $5,550
Bayh, Evan (D-IN) Senate $5,400
Chachas, John Gregory (R-NV) Senate $5,100
Meek, Kendrick B (D-FL) House $5,050
Hoyer, Steny H (D-MD) House $5,000
Minnick, Walter Clifford (D-ID) House $5,000
Reid, Harry (D-NV) Senate $4,900
Bennet, Michael F (D-CO) Senate $4,800
Fiorina, Carly (R-CA) Senate $4,800
Conway, Jack (D-KY) Senate $4,650
Foster, Bill (D-IL) House $4,500
Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR) Senate $4,500
McCarthy, Kevin (R-CA) House $4,500
Ayotte, Kelly A (R-NH) Senate $4,400
Maloney, Carolyn B (D-NY) House $4,400
Dodd, Chris (D-CT) Senate $4,250
Foley, Thomas C (R-CT) Senate $4,150
Inouye, Daniel K (D-HI) Senate $4,000
Velazquez, Nydia M (D-NY) House $3,500
Specter, Arlen (D-PA) Senate $3,350
Hoffman, David (D-IL) Senate $3,150
Crapo, Mike (R-ID) Senate $3,000
Lance, Leonard (R-NJ) House $3,000
Murphy, Patrick J (D-PA) House $2,900
Tedisco, Jim (R-NY) House $2,900
Jackson, Cheryle (D-IL) Senate $2,800
Dorgan, Byron L (D-ND) Senate $2,650
Portman, Rob (R-OH) Senate $2,650
Bachus, Spencer (R-AL) House $2,500
Meeks, Gregory W (D-NY) House $2,500
Watt, Melvin L (D-NC) House $2,500
Bera, Ami (D-CA) House $2,400
Castle, Michael N (R-DE) House $2,400
Fisher, Lee Irwin (D-OH) Senate $2,400
Flake, Jeff (R-AZ) House $2,400
Royce, Ed (R-CA) House $2,400
Sowers, Tommy (D-MO) House $2,400
Waters, Maxine (D-CA) House $2,400
Williams, Roger (R-TX) Senate $2,400
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana (R-FL) House $2,200
Bono Mack, Mary (R-CA) House $2,000
Bunning, Jim (R-KY) Senate $2,000
Camp, Dave (R-MI) House $2,000
Garrett, Scott (R-NJ) House $2,000
Grassley, Chuck (R-IA) Senate $2,000
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS) House $2,000
Lee, Christopher J (R-NY) House $2,000
McCotter, Thad (R-MI) House $2,000
Melancon, Charles (D-LA) House $2,000
Paulsen, Erik (R-MN) House $2,000
Posey, Bill (R-FL) House $2,000
Rangel, Charles B (D-NY) House $2,000
Schwartz, Allyson (D-PA) House $2,000
Capuano, Michael E (D-MA) House $1,500
White, Bill (D-TX) Senate $1,500
Boxer, Barbara (D-CA) Senate $1,250
Arcuri, Michael (D-NY) House $1,000
Baucus, Max (D-MT) Senate $1,000
Burton, Dan (R-IN) House $1,000
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) House $1,000
Coburn, Tom (R-OK) Senate $1,000
DeMint, James W (R-SC) Senate $1,000
Diaz-Balart, Mario (R-FL) House $1,000
Donnelly, Joe (D-IN) House $1,000
Etheridge, Bob (D-NC) House $1,000
Grayson, Trey (R-KY) Senate $1,000
Gutierrez, Armando Jr (R-FL) House $1,000
Hamos, Julie (D-IL) House $1,000
Hensarling, Jeb (R-TX) House $1,000
Isakson, Johnny (R-GA) Senate $1,000
Kind, Ron (D-WI) House $1,000
Klobuchar, Amy (D-MN) Senate $1,000
Leahy, Patrick (D-VT) Senate $1,000
McDonald, Jack (D-TX) House $1,000
Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK) Senate $1,000
Murphy, Chris (D-CT) House $1,000
Murphy, Tim (R-PA) House $1,000
Norton, Jane (R-CO) Senate $1,000
Pelosi, Nancy (D-CA) House $1,000
Rooney, Brian John (R-MI) House $1,000
Top Recipients, all federal candidates (1990-2010)
Obama, Barack (D-Ill) $1,053,795
Clinton, Hillary (D-NY) $682,690
Corzine, Jon S (D-NJ) $585,870
Bush, George W (R-Texas) $528,124
Schumer, Charles E (D-NY) $481,040
Kerry, John (D-Mass) $351,750
McCain, John (R-Ariz) $337,065
Bradley, Bill (D-NJ) $323,550
Dodd, Chris (D-Conn) $273,466
Romney, Mitt (R-Mass) $254,025
Ryan, Jack (R-Ill) $218,161
Edwards, John (D-NC) $213,750
Lazio, Rick A (R-NY) $194,300
D'Amato, Alfonse M (R-NY) $189,150
Himes, Jim (D-Conn) $170,248
Bayh, Evan (D-Ind) $164,950
Specter, Arlen (R-Pa) $164,700
Daschle, Tom (D-SD) $158,500
Giuliani, Rudolph W (R-NY) $150,750
Menendez, Robert (D-NJ) $149,950
Clinton, Bill (D-Ark) $140,659
Lowey, Nita M (D-NY) $132,290
Lieberman, Joe (I-Conn) $123,700
Rangel, Charles B (D-NY) $115,100
Ford, Harold E Jr (D-Tenn) $111,997
Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R-Texas) $111,300
What if there's somebody else out there?
Jill Tarter
Special to CNN
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At this moment we have reached a major turning point for both science and the public at large. The SETI Institute is now offering the world the first taste of raw SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) data collected by the Allen Telescope Array in California. With this we move closer to fulfilling the institute's mission, which is to search for our beginnings and our place among the stars
Throughout the institute's 25-year history (we are a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research, education and public outreach), we have analyzed these raw data with custom algorithms operating on semi-custom hardware. Now we are transitioning to readily available hardware and servers because technology has caught up to us - hooray!
Interactive: Health care around the world – how your nation ranks
Compare key indicators of health across the globe, and see how much international governments spend on health care.
CNN
Understanding the 'Bystander Effect'
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AC360°
Early in the morning of April 18, a 31-year-old homeless was stabbed while trying to save a woman from an attacker with a knife in Queens, New York. The homeless man, now identified as Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax, was stabbed and left dying on the street in a pool of blood for more than an hour.
Surveillance video, obtained by the New York Post, shows people walking by the man. One person took a photograph on his mobile phone then walked away and another stopped, shook Tale-Yax, and even rolled him over so that his wounds were visible. Still, officials weren't called until one-hour-and-twenty minutes after Tale-Yax collapsed.
The story has us thinking about what's known as the Bystander Effect. Psychologists say that bystanders in large groups are less likely to take action.
So why didn't anyone come forward?
No-name radicals vs. 'South Park' just a distraction
Arsalan Iftikhar
Special to CNN
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Free speech issues and portrayals of Islam needlessly stirred a hornet's nest recently when "South Park" depicted the Prophet Mohammed disguised in a bear suit in the 200th episode of the popular Comedy Central TV show.
But what many people don't realize is that the show's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, already used an image of Mohammed on "South Park" without any strife whatsoever in a July 2001 episode called "Super Best Friends."
Did fugitive defendant try to bribe juror?
____________________________________________________________________
Gabriel Falcon
AC360° Writer
Colorado authorities are looking for a woman who allegedly tried to bribe a juror $5,000 to vote 'Not Guilty' at her criminal trial. The fugitive, Darine Chely, 51, is charged with bribery and jury tampering.
“It’s a pretty rare occurrence,” said Catherine Olguin, spokeswoman for the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. “There are judges who have been here for a couple of decades and have no memory of this occurring in Boulder.”
According to the affidavit supporting the arrest warrant for Chely, the alleged bribery happened last week while the defendant was standing trial on charges of weapons possession and reckless endangerment.
Chely allegedly kept staring at one male juror and said “goodbye” to him on April 20, the affidavit said. The next day, the juror returned from a court recess and found a hand written note on his seat, according to the affidavit. The juror then notified the judge about the note. He was dismissed from the jury.
Video: As tornado churns, they drive toward it
Program Note: Don't miss our coverage of the storms tonight on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.
