Cursing, beer and a popped chute as flight attendant quits
Susan Candiotti, Laura Batchelor and Jesse Solomon
CNN
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2010/08/10/chernoff.flight.attendant.quits.cnn.640×360.jpg caption="Flight attendant, passenger had words while plane was moving" width=300 height=169]
Call them the not-so-friendly skies.
A flight attendant cursed out passengers, grabbed a beer then triggered an emergency chute Monday at a JFK Airport terminal, authorities say.
New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said it "appears" Steven Slater was quitting.
"It's a strange way to quit, let's put it that way," he said. "I don't think he'll be able to come back."
Video: Spinal test may predict Alzheimer's
Dr. Sanjay Gupta | BIO
AC360° Contributor
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Even back when I was a medical student, we were taught Alzheimer’s disease (AD) began to cause damage in the brain years, perhaps decades before one’s memory started to fade. The big question, of course, was how could you possibly screen for the disease before problems emerged? As things stood for a long time, the only way to know for sure if someone had AD was at the time of autopsy. In fact, the disease is named after Alois Alzheimer, a neuropathologist, who in 1906, diagnosed the disease by using special stains of the brain after a patient’s death. Over the years, there have been sophisticated tests such as PET and MRI scanning, which can help diagnose a patient, but are often better at excluding other causes of memory loss rather than confirming early AD. In short, there has been no great screening test for Alzheimer’s disease.
That may all start to change today, based on a new study from the Archives of Neurology. The authors have conducted a study showing a spinal-fluid test can be nearly 100 percent accurate in identifying patients who have mild memory loss now, and will go on to develop AD. Think about that for a second. I have seen so many patients with mild memory loss who ask the question – is this the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease? The truth is, as a medical community – we were not sure. This test could provide that answer.
Escapee sang in church, mowed lawn before capture
Jason Hanna
CNN
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/CRIME/08/10/arizona.escapee.wyoming.church/story.tracy.province.tsd.jpg caption="Tracy Province, 42, was arrested Monday morning outside a motel in Meeteetse, Wyoming, after 11 days on the lam." width=300 height=169]
The Rev. Ron Kingston thought Tracy Province was just a down-on-his luck soul when he welcomed him into his church in Meeteetse, Wyoming, on Sunday morning.
He would later be surprised to learn Province was a prison escapee and convicted murderer.
Province, 10 days after he and two other inmates escaped from an Arizona prison, walked into Meeteetse Community Church wearing blue jeans and a flannel shirt. He stayed for the 9:30 a.m. worship service, sang songs like "Your Grace is Enough," and shook hands with some of the 50 or so attendees, the pastor says.
Opinion: Why Pakistan plays a double game
Fawaz A. Gerges
Special to CNN
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/OPINION/08/10/gerges.pakistan.double.game/t1larg.pakistan.op.taliban.weapons.afpgi.jpg caption="Weapons recovered during Pakistani military operations against Taliban militants are displayed in South Waziristan in 2009." width=300 height=169]
On a recent visit to India, British Prime Minister David Cameron had this to say about Pakistan, historically a close friend of the West's: "We cannot tolerate in any sense the idea that this country is allowed to look both ways and is able, in any way, to promote the export of terror, whether to India or whether to Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world."
Seen by the Pakistani government as a slap in the face, Cameron's remarks almost caused a diplomatic breach in relations between the two countries. His remarks followed the leaking of U.S. documents on the WikiLeaks website in which Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency was accused of secretly aiding and inflaming the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, and they engendered a heated debate in Western capitals on whether Pakistan is a friend or a foe.
The dominant narrative in the West now is that Pakistan is a foe, playing a double game, guiding the Afghan insurgency with a hidden hand even as it receives more than $1 billion a year from Washington for its help in combating al Qaeda and like-minded groups.
Video: Michelle Obama gets heat for Spain trip
Anderson Cooper | BIO
AC360° Anchor
Video: Manhunt on for prison escapee
Anderson Cooper | BIO
AC360° Anchor
BP well could be permanently sealed by end of week
CNN Wire Staff
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2010/08/08/wolf.gulf.conditions.cnn.640×360.jpg caption="Adm. Allen says the relief well is nearing the main well for intercept and cementing" width=300 height=169]
The disaster of epic proportions in the Gulf of Mexico still is on track to be resolved at the end of this week, according to the federal point man in the region.
A relief well is expected to start the final shutdown within days, said retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man in the region.
Also this week, Michael R. Bromwich of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement will host forums with federal, state and local leaders to gather input on deepwater drilling safety reforms, well containment and oil spill response. He will be briefed by panels of experts from academia, the environmental community and the oil and gas industry.
Bromwich will evaluate whether to recommend any modifications to the scope or duration of deepwater drilling suspensions announced by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on July 12.
Letter to the President #568: 'Breaking free of the Defense spending dilemma'
Tom Foreman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://cnnafghanistan.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/t1larg-deployment-gi.jpg?w=640 caption=" I can tell you that most Americans don’t think first of the cost when it comes to the military. Their primary concern is: Will it work?" width=300 height=169]
Reporter's Note: President Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Robert gates, has rolled out an ambitious plan to cut back on military spending. I, however, intend to continue by siege of the White House with a letter a day.
Dear Mr. President,
Having a big military, as I am sure you have heard, is like having a big insurance policy. When the premiums are due and life is going well, it seems like a needless extravagance; but when the bullets start flying and life is bad, it’s a great comfort.
So I can imagine the difficulties your team will face in this quest to control Defense spending. The hawks will hate it. The doves will love it. And everyone else will wonder if it’s the right move in a world that seems pretty dangerous these days. Yes, the deficit is soaring and we have to contain spending, but for crying out loud, Sarah Palin is going to have a reality show. Who’s going to defend us from that? Ha!
From my perch on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, and more importantly from three decades of traveling all over the country, I can tell you that most Americans don’t think first of the cost when it comes to the military. Their primary concern is: Will it work? If we or an ally are attacked, if we are drawn into a conflict, will our military be up to the task of defending our interests?
That can be either good or bad news for your plans. On one hand, if you make the case (and Gates made a pretty good run at it, I must say) that you are pruning back military politics, the needless duplication of efforts and expenditures, the “my general is more important than your general” infighting, and you show that you are focusing more tightly on making sure the money we spend truly goes to our defense; well, I suspect that will fly.
On the other hand, if you let critics box you into playing defense; if they make it look like you are weakening the military to protect a budget that you’ve bloated with other spending, or that you are undercutting the efforts of our troops, then you’ll have trouble.
Part of the key to avoiding that pitfall, I suspect lies in driving home this central point (which again, your man Gates made a good stab at): War has changed. Sure, we may find ourselves in an old fashioned, big machinery fight again some day and we have to be ready for that. But these days our wars tend to be quick moving, asymmetrical, and they require greater investment in things that are hard to put our hands around, such as intelligence gathering and alliance building.
The case you must make is that the spending reductions you have in mind are not really about spending at all; they are about trimming a bureaucracy that hinders our ability to meet and defeat our enemies; about taking the bolts out of a red tape machine that actually makes life harder for our troops. If you can do that while making sure our troops know that you will give them unconditional support (which they deserve, unconditionally) I think your battle to trim costs on Defense may be already half won.
On other subjects: I liked your speech in Austin with all those cheering college kids. I was busy so I listened to it with only one ear, but it seemed like you were having a good time and “on your game.” Did you eat some migas while you were there? Great town in which to enjoy that dish. Call when you get back to DC.
Regards,
Tom
Beat 360° 8/9/10
Ready for today's Beat 360°? Everyday we post a picture you provide the caption and our staff will join in too. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite! Here is the 'Beat 360°' pic:
U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and the former U.S. Solicitor General and Supreme Court designated Associate Justice Elena Kagan participate in a reception in honor of Kagan's confirmation. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions! Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
Update: Beat 360° Winners
Staff:
Cubie King
"Obama and Kagan go with 'lucky' suitcase number 9 on 'Deal or No Deal'"
Viewer:
Roberta from Long Island
"In a time honored tradition, the President and Kagan today choose the official Dodge Ball teams. Obama, on his last pick, chose the only remaining player, Joe Biden."
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