By | Associated Press â€"Â
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Robots Around The House
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Mint
For those who hate household chores, there are few tasks as dreaded as mopping. Hauling a bucket of dirty water around while you push what amounts to a rag on the end of a stick -it all seems so primitive, so twentieth century. Luckily there are a number of cleaning robots that can tackle this hated task, giving you clean floors without all the effort.
Mopping ‘bots have been on the market for a few years, but a second generation of cleaners has hit the market in the last year, offering a few improvements over previous models.
So whether you're looking to upgrade, or buy a mopping robot for the first time, check out the newest robo-cleaners on the scene.
iRobot Scooba 390 ($499)
Weighing in at 8.6 pounds and sporting a 14-inch diameter, the iRobot Scooba is a floor-scrubbing beast. The Scooba 390 features a multi-stage cleaning system that vacuums the floor of larger items, sprays the floor with water, scrubs with a rotating brush and then squeegees the floor clean.
The 390 series, which the company released earlier this year, is an incremental upgrade to the previous generation. The latest model sports an improved battery that's 30 percent more powerful, which means you can clean up to 425 square feet on a single charge. The company has also improved the device's cleaning cycle, allowing it to clean a little smarter and harder than previous models.
While the improvements are welcome, iRobot has failed to fix some of the original problems with the ‘bot. Because of its round shape and wide diameter, the Scooba can't get into corners to clean, leaving you with telltale triangles of dust and grime on your floor.
And for an automated cleaner, the Scooba requires a lot of hands-on prep to work properly. You need to fill it with water each time you use it, remember to plug it in after it's done mopping, clean the scrubbing brushes and empty the vacuum filter on a regular basis. That said, if you're loathe to pick up a mop, the Scooba is an adequate replacement and will certainly lighten the load. Just don't expect it to do all the work for you.
Best for: People who want a really deep clean, but recoil at the idea of picking up a mop.
iRobot Scooba 230 ($299)
At just 6.5 inches across, the Scooba 230 is half the size of its bigger brother, but it still packs a punch. Its tiny form factor means that it can fit into tight spaces, like behind the toilet, cleaning areas in your home that probably haven't seen a mop in years.
On the robot's underside, there's a series of stationary brushes, a squeegee and two water jets. Because it's much smaller than the 390, this model doesn't have the same horsepower, dispensing with the vacuum and the rotating scrub brushes. So while its smaller size makes it a more nimble cleaner, it does come with a few drawbacks.
On particularly dusty floors, the ‘bot tends to push dust into unsightly clumps, leaving you to pick up after it. And with a range of only 150 square feet, the 230 can't handle larger rooms, like a typical kitchen, making it more suited for bathrooms and smaller spaces.
That said, for those looking for an entry-level ‘bot, or those with limited hard surfaces, the 230 is a great little machine.
Best for: People who hate mopping the bathroom; apartment dwellers with small spaces to clean.Â
Mint Plus ($299)
While the Mint Plus is a hard-surface cleaner like the Scoobas, it takes a very different approach. Scoobas tend to clean in a rather haphazard manner, going over the same spots repeatedly. The Mint Plus, however, features a sort of indoor GPS system. Place the NorthStar navigation cube on top of a high surface and it communicates with the ‘bot, telling it where it has already cleaned and where it needs to go.
The original Mint cleaner already included this innovative feature, but the Mint Plus' biggest improvement is that it allows you to link multiple cubes together, extending the robot's range to a whopping 2,000 square feet.
Rather than rely on a large water tank like the Scooba, the Mint Plus uses reusable microfiber cloths - a dry cloth for lighter cleaning jobs and a wet one for a more thorough clean. While it lacks the deep-scrubbing power of the Scooba 390, the Mint Plus does come with a few advantages. First, since it's basically a push-mop on wheels, the Mint Plus is nearly silent. The Scooba 390, with its vacuum and rotating scrub brush, on the other hand, is noisy enough to drown out a conversation.
Second, without all that extra machinery, the Mint Plus's battery life is much longer than a Scooba, allowing it to clean for up to four hours on a single charge. So if you have a lot of hard surfaces to clean, and never let your floors get too dirty, the Mint can get the job done.
Best for: People with large spaces and light cleaning needs.
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Yemeni officials: Airstrike kills top Al Qaeda leader
SANAA, Yemen â€"  An airstrike Sunday killed a top Al Qaeda leader on the FBI's most wanted list for his role in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole warship, Yemeni officials said. The airstrike resembled earlier U.S. drone attacks, but the U.S. did not immediately confirm it.
  Fahd al-Quso was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle, along with another Al Qaeda operative in the southern Shabwa province, Yemeni military officials said. They were speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with military regulations.
  Al-Quso, 37, was on the FBI's most wanted list, with a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. He was indicted in the U.S. for his role in the 2000 bombing in the USS Cole in Aden, Yemen, in which 17 American sailors were killed and 39 injured.
  He served more than five years in a Yemeni prison for his role in the attack and was released in 2007.
  A telephone text message claiming to be from Al Qaeda media arm confirmed al-Quso was killed in the strike.
  Al-Quso was also one of the most senior Al Qaeda leaders publicly linked to the 2009 Christmas airliner attack. He has allegedly met with the suspected bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in Yemen before he left on his way to execute his failed bombing over Detroit.
  In December 2010, al-Quso was designated a global terrorist by the State Department, an indication that his role in Al Qaeda's Yemen branch had grown more prominent.
  Local Yemeni official Abu Bakr bin Farid and the Yemeni Embassy in Washington confirmed al-Quso was killed in Rafd, a remote mountain valley in Shabwa. It is the area where many of Al Qaeda leaders are believed to have taken cover, including the U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, killed in a U.S. airstrike in Yemen last year.
  Al-Quso was from the same tribe as al-Awlaki.
  The State Department had no immediate comment.
  Yemen's government has been waging an offensive on Al Qaeda militants, who have taken advantage of the country's political turmoil over the last year to expand their hold in the south.
  The new Yemeni president has promised improved cooperation with the U.S. to combat the militants. On Saturday, he said the fight against Al Qaeda is in its early stages.
  Al-Quso's association with Al Qaeda dated back more than a decade, when he met with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Bin Laden allegedly told him to "eliminate the infidels from the Arabian Peninsula."
  From there he rose through the ranks. He was assigned in Aden to videotape the 1998 suicide bombing of the USS Cole, but he fell asleep.
  Despite the lapse, he became a midlevel manager.
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Before They Were \'Avengers\'
Five years in the making, “The Avengers†assembles a live-action collection of Marvel's top-tier comic book superheroes on the big screen for the first time ever. Featuring Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, the Hulk, Nick Fury, Black Widow, and Captain America, “The Avengers†is poised to become THE blockbuster of the summer.
Blame a lot of the buzz on the cast, featuring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson, to name just a few. Our friends at Snakkle.com dug deep into the past of the entire “Avengers†cast and gives you a unique glimpse at their humble (human) beginnings.
Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library, Walt Disney Pictures
THEN: Scarlett Johansson, Senior Year at the Professional Children's School, NYC in 2002
Scarlett Johansson started acting at age nine and worked steadily until she got singled out for her role in the film “The Horse Whisperer†(1998). After that, her career really took off and she transitioned into more adult roles in “Ghost World,†“Girl with a Pearl Earring,†and “Lost in Translation.â€
NOW: Scarlett Johansson as Agent Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
Scarlett Johansson first appeared as super spy Natasha Romanoff in “Iron Man 2†and she reprises that role in “The Avengers†as a full member of S.H.I.E.L.D. tasked with bringing Bruce Banner into the organization's fold.
Smack in the middle of the film's battles, the actress told the press that she doesn't have much in common with Black Widow. “We both have a lot of conviction; other than that I can't think that we're at all similar. It's funny because since making the film I have a very inflated idea of my badassness. I keep thinking I could actually take my costars down in real life. But actually I'm not at all badass.â€
See all 11 “Avengers†stars before they had super powers at Snakkle.com.
Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library, Walt Disney Pictures
THEN: Robert Downey Jr., Junior Year at Santa Monica High School in 1982
Even at 17, Robert Downey Jr. had that smart-ass smirk. Not long after this picture, Robert dropped out of high school and moved back to New York City to pursue acting professionally. He acted off Broadway until he became a cast member of “Saturday Night Live†in 1985.
He was fired soon after but then costarred in films like “Less Than Zero†and “The Pick-up Artist,†becoming a satellite member of the Brat Pack.
NOW: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr.'s hugely successful comeback performance as billionaire genius Tony Stark in “Iron Man†was the catalyst for “The Avengers†ever happening. Robert helped put the Marvel character on the mainstream movie map and worked closely first with Jon Favreau and now Joss Whedon to help craft Tony's character arc and persona in the films.
See the entire gallery of “Avengers†stars before the fame at Snakkle.com.
Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library, Walt Disney Pictures
THEN: Mark Ruffalo, Senior Year at First Colonial High School, Virginia Beach in 1986
A longtime theater actor and co-founder of the Orpheus Theatre Company, Mark Ruffalo transitioned into film in the late '90s and gained huge accolades for the indie “You Can Count on Me†(2000). Ruffalo's been busy ever since doing indies and more mainstream films from “The Kids Are All Right†to “13 Going on 30.â€
NOW: Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk
The third actor to give the character of Bruce Banner/The Hulk a try, Mark Ruffalo was handpicked by director Joss Whedon to inhabit the gamma ray infected doctor who isn't very nice when he gets angry. Asked if he has a lot of his own rage, Ruffalo recently told the press that he channeled his youthful anger issues. “You should have seen me in my 20s, man. I was the poster definition of an angry young man with a persecution complex.â€
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Power of Paws Online
Man's best friend may no longer be interested in his human buddy--because the Petflow delivery guy--with the dog's food in tow is looking like a pretty good (even better) option.
Earlier online companies, most notably Pets.com, rose to the height of pet supply success-and then fell to the depths of the doggie world. But the newly built, online startup Petflow is taking a different approach, with a Netflix-like subscription model that offers scheduled food drop-offs based on the customer's request.
“Other companies would charge more for subscribing to get a recurring delivery of food then to just order one shipment at a time,†explained 34-year-old Alex Zhardanovsky, co-founder of Petflow. “So that was sort of the opposite of what made sense for consumers.â€
There also weren't enough products available, said Zhardanovsky, whose company has over 140 brands, and often the companies had you pay a high fee for shipping. That, he said, again didn't make sense for the customer.
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“People don't want to pay an additional cost for products. They want to pay a reasonable cost that they would pay at the store,†he said.
Which is why Zhardanovsky, along with his co-founder, Joe Speiser, decided to dig into the pet world in July of 2010-and into an industry that has pet owners spending an estimated $53 billion in 2012 on their furry friends.
“People don't want to pay an additional cost for products. They want to pay a reasonable cost that they would pay at the store,â€
- Alex Zhardanovsky, Petflow
Prices, Zhardanovsky said, compare with what customers would be paying at a local store. They have a $4.95 fee for purchases under $59 dollars, but he said their average consumer spends about $80 dollars.
“We make less on each shipment, but we can count on many shipments to that customer over the lifetime of their pet, so it makes sense for us to offer it that way,†he said.
So far, Petflow has received $10 million in funding and has about 5,000 products on the site. The company, which is now nationwide, has already sent out over 250,000 shipments and is projecting revenues of $30 million in 2012.
But these two are not strangers to success in startupland. They built multimillion-dollar online-ad agency Azoogle Ads, before selling part of their stake and leaving the company in 2005.
“We've been growing month over month between 10-20%, and we're hoping to accelerate that growth this summer,†said Zhardanovsky. “The difficult part is you may grow as quickly as you want, but you need to have all the logistics squared away in order to keep up with it because if you can't deliver, then you're likely to be out of business fast. So we temper our own growth so we can fulfill on the promise that our customers want.â€
And in this case, you know when your ultimate customers are happy. Just watch their tails.
Six Shooter with Alex Zhardanovsky and Joe Speiser:
What is your favorite quote and why?
Zhardanovsky: "Hope is not a strategy." You need to always have a plan because good things happen to only those that know exactly what they're doing and what they need to do to achieve their goals.
Speiser: "Choose a job that you like and you will never have to work a day in your life."Balancing a successful work/life schedule is infinitely more successful when you are doing something you love.
What is your biggest tip to entrepreneurs?
Zhardanovsky: Believe in yourself. No one can tell you whether you can or can't do something.
Speiser: You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. It's important to bet on yourself, and take risks. Try not to listen to all the noise your friends and family may generate.
You both are very tech-savvy. What is the biggest misconception small business owners have when starting an online component to their business?
Zhardanovsky: Most people believe that starting an offline business is more difficult and much more expensive than starting an online business. The reality is an "online" business takes just as much human and financial capital as does a brick-and-mortar one. So, in order to make an online component of a business successful, you need to ensure that you're willing to dedicate financial as well as human resources to make it a success. Otherwise, it is doomed to fail and drag down with it your brick-and-mortar business due to lack of focus.
Speiser: Many small businesses think running a successful online component requires hot-shot marketers with years of experience. Â The truth is with all of the online tools, networks and support groups, it's much easier to jump into the online world now more than ever.
Were you nervous going from the advertising industry â€" to the pet industry?
Zhardanovsky: We were in a unique position of knowing what needs to be done to both start a company as well as advertise that company's services effectively, so we thought we had a high chance for success. However, investing such a large portion of our personal net worth into a new and unproven idea was quite nerve-racking.
Speiser: No, when you believe in an idea as strongly as we did, you can't believe no one has done it. Â It becomes as clear as day. Â All your energy and attention goes into the launch and early growth, there wasn't any time to be nervous.
What is the future of Petflow?
Zhardanovsky: As we continue to grow, we hope to be the place synonymous with all things pet-related. Â When our customers may need food, treats, toys, or even a cute coat for their Chihuahua, we want PetFlow to be the place they go to find them.
Speiser: PetFlow.com will become synonymous with convenience and customer service. Our goal is to make purchasing pet supplies online both mainstream and easy. We are already on the way of becoming the largest retailer of pet food and supplies online.
It's estimated that people will spend nearly $53 billion on their pets this year. Why do you think that is-and do you think it's excessive?
Zhardanovsky: Our pets are just like our children. They show us unconditional love and affection and if we keep them happy, they'll keep us happy. Â So, we try to pamper them as much as we can. Â As our pets continue to become a bigger and bigger piece of our lives, we will continue to spend money on them. So we think the number spent can only keep increasing.
Speiser: As we start taking better care of our own bodies, it's only natural we will continue to treat our pets with that same love and respect. Â The pet industry is not only recession proof, but also constantly growing. We couldn't be more excited to participate in any other space.
Recommend an entrepreneur you think we should cover by e-mailing us at youngguns@foxbusiness.com
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\'Griffith\' Show Actor Dies
NASHVILLE, Tenn. â€"  George Lindsey, who spent nearly 30 years as the grinning Goober on "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Hee Haw," has died. He was 83.
A press release from Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home in Nashville said Lindsay died early Sunday morning after a brief illness. Funeral arrangements were still being made.
Lindsey was the beanie-wearing Goober on "The Andy Griffith Show" from 1964 to 1968 and its successor, "Mayberry RFD," from 1968 to 1971. He played the same jovial character -- a service station attendant -- on "Hee Haw" from 1971 until it went out of production in 1993.
"America has grown up with me," Lindsey said in an Associated Press interview in 1985. "Goober is every man; everyone finds something to like about ol' Goober."
He joined "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1964 when Jim Nabors, portraying Gomer Pyle, left the program. Goober Pyle, who had been mentioned on the show as Gomer's cousin, thus replaced him.
"At that time, we were the best acting ensemble on TV. The scripts were terrific. Andy is the best script constructionist I've ever been involved with. And you have to lift your acting level up to his; he's awfully good."
Although he was best known as Goober, Lindsey had other roles during a long TV career. Earlier, he often was a "heavy" and once shot Matt Dillon on "Gunsmoke."
His other TV credits included roles on "M(asterisk)A(asterisk)S(asterisk)H," "The Wonderful World of Disney," "CHIPs," "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour," "The Real McCoys," "Rifleman," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Twilight Zone" and "Love American Style."
Reflecting on his career, he said in 1985: "There's a residual effect of knowing I've made America laugh. I'm not the only one, but I've contributed something."
He had movie roles, too, appearing in "Cannonball Run II" and "Take This Job and Shove It." His voice was used in animated Walt Disney features including "The Aristocats," "The Rescuers" and "Robin Hood."
Lindsey was born in Jasper, Ala., the son of a butcher. He received a bachelor of science degree from Florence State Teachers College (now the University of North Alabama) in 1952 after majoring in physical education and biology and playing quarterback on the football team.
After spending three years in the Air Force, he worked one year as a high school baseball and basketball coach and history teacher near Huntsville, Ala.
In 1956, he attended the American Theatre Wing in New York City and began his professional career on Broadway, appearing in the musicals "All American" and "Wonderful Town."
He moved to Hollywood in the early 1960s and then to Nashville in the early 1990s.
"There's no place in the United States I can go that they don't know me. They may not know me, but they know the character," he told The Tennessean in 1980.
At that time, he said the Griffith show "was the first soft rural comedy with a moral."
"We physically and mentally became those people when we got to the set."
He did some standup comedy -- ending the show by tap and break dancing.
One of his jokes:
"A football coach, holding a football, asks his quarterback, `Son, can you pass this?' The player says, `Coach, I don't even think I can swallow it."'
Lindsey devoted much of his spare time to raising funds for the Alabama Special Olympics. For 17 years, he sponsored a celebrity golf tournament in Montgomery, Ala., that raised money for the mentally disabled.
The University of North Alabama awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1992, and he was affectionately called "Doctor Goober" by acquaintances after that.
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Iran: US-Afghan pact will increase instability- Rivals defeat Iran\'s Ahmadinejad in runoff
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President Obama shakes hands with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a news conference at the White House on May 12. (AP Photo)
TEHRAN, Iran â€"  Iran said Sunday it was "concerned" about a U.S.-Afghan security pact signed earlier this week that could keep American forces in Afghanistan for years to come.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in remarks carried by the official IRNA press agency that the pact will increase instability in Afghanistan, which borders Iran to the east. He said a withdrawal of foreign forces would bring security to the strife-torn country.
The wide-ranging agreement signed Tuesday envisions US troops remaining in Afghanistan through 2024.
Iran has long opposed any agreement that would allow a long-term American troop presence in its neighbors, including Afghanistan.
Washington and Tehran are at loggerheads over Iran's controversial nuclear program. The U.S. says Iran is seeking to develop weapons technology and has not ruled out military action against Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran denies the allegations and says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
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Mayweather dethrones Cotto for WBA title
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May 6, 2012: Floyd Mayweather Jr. hits Miguel Cotto during their WBA Super Welterweight title bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.AP
LAS VEGAS â€"  Though the scores of the judges may not have reflected it, Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. survived what might have been the hardest test of his career Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Two judges scored the back-and-forth contest 117-111 and the third had it 118-110.
However, many spectators saw it as much closer and some even gave Cotto the edge. The crowd loved Cotto's work and seemed to explode every time Cotto landed a punch.
Cotto, who was defending his World Boxing Association super-welterweight title, stalked Mayweather most of the night, often keeping his undefeated rival on the ropes and throwing right and left hooks to Mayweather's body.
The Puerto Rican icon had hordes of fans at the sold-out arena, but for all the pressure he applied, Cotto was not able to connect with his signature left hook with any regularity.
Click here for more on this story from The Wall Street Journal.
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LA police search for missing movie studio executive
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FILE: This photo shows Gavin Smith.MyFoxLA
LOS ANGELES â€"  Los Angeles police are searching for a movie studio executive who was last seen Tuesday driving through his neighborhood, MyFoxLA reports.
57-year-old Gavin Smith disappeared after being spotted driving his Mercedes through his neighborhood in Oak Park, which is about 35 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.
Smith works in the distribution department at 20th Century Fox, MyFoxLA reported citing The Hollywood Reporter. Smith's son Evan Smith plays basketball at the nearby University of Southern California.
"We are very concerned about Gavin," Fox distribution president Chris Aronson told The Hollywood Reporter according to MyFoxLA. "We are actively doing what we can to assist the L.A. Sheriff's department."
20th Century Fox is owned by News Corporation, the parent company of Fox News.
Click here for more on this story from MyFoxLA.
Newscore contributed to this report.
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Bill Clinton fights N. Carolina marriage amendment
RALEIGH, N.C. â€"  North Carolina voters will soon be hearing from former President Bill Clinton, who recorded a robocall opposing a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman, The News & Observer reported Saturday.
North Carolina voters will decide the fate of the amendment when they go to the polls on Tuesday.
In his recorded call, Clinton noted North Carolina already prohibits gay marriage. The amendment would also ban same-sex civil unions.
"If it passes, it won't change North Carolina's law on marriage," Clinton said in the robocall, according to The News & Observer. "What it will change is North Carolina's ability to keep good businesses, attract new jobs, and attract and keep talented entrepreneurs."
"Its passage will also take away health insurance from children and could even take away domestic violence protections from women," he added, saying the ultimate effect will be "to hurt families and drive away jobs."
President Barack Obama has also come out against the amendment.
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Georgia County Opens First Veteran-Only Jail Dorm
A Georgia sheriff says he is opening the first county jail in the U.S. exclusively for inmates who are military veterans.
"The people in the veterans dorm get access to programs that will hopefully be addressing their concerns or needs," said Muscogee County Sheriff John Darr. "When they transition back into the community we don't have the problem [of recidivism.]"
Darr went on to say, true crime prevention is having people not commit the same offense or crimes over and over again. He wants to keep folks from circulating in and out of the jail system.
And it's not costing his community a dime. All the programs that help these inmates are volunteer based.
"What we're looking at is having one big partnership to deal with this certain group," Darr said. "Here is a certain demographic that needs to deal with their issues and not only within the facility -- but as they transition back into this community."
The 16-person dorm provides access to a variety of community services including addiction programs and depression treatment. Darr works with the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI, New Horizons -- a local mental health counseling group. The Plummer House, which provides housing for homeless and previously incarcerated veterans as well as AA volunteers.
"In our opinion -- throughout different communities especially near military bases, you're going to see a growing trend of people as they come back and get deactivated," Sheriff Darr said. "And if they're not dealing with these issues they may have -- where are they going to go? They're going to go to local county jails."
Reverend Neil Richardson has worked with the county for years. He takes pride in the fact these veterans are making big strides in the program right out of the gate.
"What we are doing is starting the process and making it seamless post incarceration," said Rev. Richardson. Â "The mentor they have here will be the mentor they have when they get outside. They have responded to the respect that been given to them by respecting themselves and respecting us back."
Blake Chester is living proof. He served our country in the U.S. Army for more than four years before coming back home and struggling with alcoholism. He made some bad choices and found himself in and out of jail. Until now, he didn't know if he'd ever break the cycle. Â
"It really gives you that feeling that you're not pushed aside," Chester said. "You haven't slipped between the cracks and you're still a part of something. Even if it has been a long time, you're still a part of something and we all try to really help one another and look after one another."
Chester says he's talked with counselors and other inmates. He's confident when he's finished his jail sentence, he'll never return.
The sheriff and Rev. Richardson say they're on the brink of an emerging trend.
"We've had phone calls from other jurisdictions asking about what they've heard about what we're doing here," said Rev. Richardson. "I think you're going to see this happen more and more in other places."
According to a report about 9 percent of the prison population in the U.S. is made up of veterans. Similar state programs have only been seen in Florida prisons -- but never jails. And since the jail in Columbus, GA., is near Fort Benning -- one of the country's largest military bases -- it's an area many veterans call home.
"Jail population in communities typically reflects the population of the community -- so us being a military town -- we have a lot more veterans probably than a lot of other jurisdictions that don't have a military base in their community," said Dane Collins, the jail commander.
The volunteers and jail employees say the little effort they've put on the front end will pay off. They ignore criticism and say these are the guys who need a little help.
"If there was a group that deserved a second chance, it is these guys," said “Rev Richardson. "We owe them. They served this country with valor."
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\'Supermoon\' lights up the sky
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Lights out for Japan nuclear program
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In this aerial photo taken April 22, 2012, three reactors, from left, No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, are seen at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant, operated by Hokkaido Electric Power Co., in Tomari in Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido.AP
TOKYO â€"  Thousands of Japanese marched to celebrate the switching off of the last of their nation's 50 nuclear reactors Saturday, waving banners shaped as giant fish that have become a potent anti-nuclear symbol.
Japan was without electricity from nuclear power for the first time in four decades when the reactor at Tomari nuclear plant on the northern island of Hokkaido went offline for mandatory routine maintenance.
After last year's March 11 quake and tsunami set off meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, no reactor halted for checkups has been restarted amid public worries about the safety of nuclear technology.
"Today is a historic day," Masashi Ishikawa shouted to a crowd gathered at a Tokyo park, some holding traditional "koinobori" carp-shaped banners for Children's Day that have become a symbol of the anti-nuclear movement.
"There are so many nuclear plants, but not a single one will be up and running today, and that's because of our efforts," Ishikawa said.
The activists said it is fitting that the day Japan stopped nuclear power coincides with Children's Day because of their concerns about protecting children from radiation, which Fukushima Dai-ichi is still spewing into the air and water.
The government has been eager to restart nuclear reactors, warning about blackouts and rising carbon emissions as Japan is forced to turn to oil and gas for energy.
Japan now requires reactors to pass new tests to withstand quakes and tsunami and to gain local residents' approval before restarting.
The response from people living near nuclear plants has been mixed, with some wanting them back in operation because of jobs, subsidies and other benefits to the local economy.
The mayor of Tomari city, Hiroomi Makino, is among those who support nuclear power.
"There may be various ways of thinking but it's extremely regrettable," he said of the shutdown.
Major protests, like the one Saturday, have been generally limited to urban areas like Tokyo, which had received electricity from faraway nuclear plants, including Fukushima Dai-ichi.
Before the nuclear crisis, Japan relied on nuclear power for a third of its electricity.
The crowd at the anti-nuclear rally, estimated at 5,500 by organizers, shrugged off government warnings about a power shortage. If anything, they said, with the reactors going offline one by one, it was clear the nation didn't really need nuclear power.
Whether Japan will suffer a sharp power crunch is still unclear.
Electricity shortages are expected only at peak periods, such as the middle of the day in hot weather, and critics of nuclear power say proponents are exaggerating the consequences to win public approval to restart reactors.
Hokkaido Electric Power Co. spokesman Hisatoshi Kibayashi said the shutdown was completed late Saturday.
The Hokkaido Tomari plant has three reactors, but the other two had been halted earlier. Before March 11 last year, the nation had 54 nuclear reactors, but four of the six reactors at Fukushima Dai-ichi are being decommissioned because of the disaster.
Yoko Kataoka, a retired baker who was dancing to the music at the rally waving a small paper carp, said she was happy the reactor was being turned off.
"Let's leave an Earth where our children and grandchildren can all play without worries," she said, wearing a shirt that had, "No thank you, nukes," handwritten on the back.
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Judge to decide if text sender liable for crash
MORRISTOWN, N.J. â€"  A New Jersey judge will likely soon decide whether a woman who sent a text message to a male friend can be held liable for a car crash he caused while reading the message.
The Daily Record reports the legal question stems from a lawsuit filed by two Dover residents who were seriously injured when a 19-year-old driver crashed into their motorcycle in September 2009. The driver received three motor vehicle citations and pleaded guilty earlier this year.
The victim's lawyer claims the woman aided and abetted the driver's negligence by texting him when she knew or should have known he was driving.
But her lawyer is seeking to have her dismissed as a defendant, saying she had no control over when the driver would read the message.
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The \"Mushroom House\"
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Zillow
In the Spanish city of Barcelona, where architect Anton Gaudi created some of the world's most individualistic and artistic structures in the world, one might expect to find something called “Mushroom House.â€
But in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Hyde Park? Set among the traditional Colonials and capes?
No wonder the sight of this art house makes passersby slam on their brakes!
That is the effect “Mushroom House†has on visitors to this Midwest city. The home was built over a 10-year span by architect Terry Brown. Situated in the Hyde Park neighborhood, across from a restaurant and surrounded by more “traditional†looking homes, Brown's creation stands out as a one-of-a-kind art installation.
Brown bought the property as a single-family home in 1989 and in 1991, began transforming the home into his custom office. An assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, Brown involved the work of his students to help turn the home into a piece of organic architecture. In an interview, Brown described the home's building process “an extension of transcendentalism.â€
While critics surmise that the home wasn't built with a plan, listing agent Amanda Voss says that Brown definitely had a design and it shows in the home's intricate details and unique building materials ranging from wood, colored glass and shells to ceramics and various metals.
“He had a plan,†Voss said. “Everything is hand done - right down to the wood detailing and tiny tiles. It's an art installation really, and it took so long because he incorporated the design students.â€
The construction length adds to the appeal of the house, Voss said.
“There's a generation of people who grew up watching it being built,†Voss explained. “My daughters always wanted to know what would happen next.â€
Once the Cincinnati home was done, Brown used it as an office. But, the 1-bedroom, 1-bath house has a kitchen and could easily be turned into a single-family home.
“It could be a great office, a great home for somebody or even a great bed-and-breakfast because it's a piece of art,†said Voss.â€His passion lives in it.â€
According to Zillow's mortgage calculator, a monthly payment on the Mushroom House would be $1,289 a month, assuming a 20 percent down payment on a 30-year-mortgage.
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2 Bodies Found in Search For Tennessee Sisters
JACKSON, Miss. â€"  The FBI says two bodies have been found in Mississippi during the search for a missing Tennessee woman and her three children, but the identities are not known.
FBI spokesman Joel Siskovic said the bodies were found late Friday night or early Saturday morning in Guntown, Miss., in a residence associated with the man charged with abducting Jo Ann Bain and her children. The spokesman wouldn't say if the bodies were children.
The missing girls are 8-year-old Kyliyah Bain, 12-year-old Alexandria and 14-year-old Adrienne. They were last seen April 27 in Tennessee.
Siskovic says 35-year-old Adam Mayes is suspected of abducting them and is considered armed and dangerous. He was last seen Tuesday in Guntown. He's been described as a family friend.
Authorities had said that Mayes could be in Mississippi but that he has ties to other states.
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NYC moms push to ban ice cream trucks
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I\'ll Have Another Wins the 138th Kentucky Derby- And they\'re on! Spectators flaunt big hats at Derby
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May 5, 2012: Jockey Mario Gutierrez rides I'll Have Another to victory in the 138th Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.AP
LOUISVILLE, Ky. â€"  I'll Have Another caught Bodemeister down the stretch and pulled away in the final furlong on Saturday to win the Kentucky Derby.
Jockey Mario Gutierrez, riding in his first Derby, guided the 3-year-old colt ahead of Bob Baffert's Bodemeister and a late closing Dullahan to win on a fast track.
It was trainer Doug O'Neill's first Derby victory. He had never finished better than 13th in the Derby with two other horses.
I'll Have Another, the Santa Anita Derby winner, went off at 15-1 in one the deepest and evenly balanced fields in recent years to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
The chestnut colt, owned by J. Paul Reddam, finished the 11/4-mile race in 2:01.83 in front of a Derby-record crowd of 165,307.
The 20-horse field was expected to see a fast pace set by Trinniberg. Instead, Bodemeister rocketed right to the front through impossibly fast fractions. That pace proved his undoing.
Turning for home, Bodemeister, sent off at 6-1, held a clear lead -- as much as five lengths -- but the closers were starting to find their best ride as he began to weaken. The 9-2 race favorite, Union Rags, was squeezed between horses at the break, later ran into more traffic problems and was not a factor.
I'll Have Another paid $32.60, $13.80 and $9. Bodemeister returned $6.20 and $5.60 and Dullahan paid $7.20.
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Short on land, D.C. real estate looks to the sky
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Aug. 2009: The Washington skyline featuring, from left, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the Capitol.AP
The nation's capital has yet to amass skyscrapers -- defining itself instead with such iconic structures as the Washington Monument and blocks of squat-but-serious-looking federal building. But city officials want to change that situation, saying Washington is running out of commercial property and needs Congress' help to keep their economy humming.
Mayor Vincent C. Gray has asked GOP Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif, and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton about possible ways to amend the city's general height restriction of 130 feet.
Gray, a Democrat, and others say the city needs minor height variances and perhaps an allowance on the maximum number of occupants inside apartments, offices and other buildings to keep pace with the robust local economy, including a hot housing market.
Mr. Issa, whose House oversight committee has congressional jurisdiction over city affairs, has shown a willingness since Republicans took control of the lower chamber two years ago to help the Democrat-controlled city. He has attempted to give the city more autonomy over its budget and even tried to help get rid of the Occupy D.C. encampment.
And he appears to have an open mind about this idea.
Issa told The Washington Post that those who want to increase the height limit are concerned about the potential impact on vistas. But the real question is whether federal laws should be loosened to allow them to work with historical groups and that was inclined to say yes.
Norton, the District's non-voting House member, has been an ardent supporter of preserving the city's original architectural look, but recently said she is open to suggestions about increasing building heights, particularly to suggestions about changes outside the core downtown.
“The common understanding that our identity as a city depends on the Height Act is so strong that no one has approached my office about changes in the heights of buildings permitted here,†she said. “However, … no idea is beyond examination but the implications range from technical to profound.â€
This is certainly not the first time somebody has tried to increase the height limit. And civic groups are expected to pose opposition long before Congress even considers the proposal or it reaches the president's desk.
Still, Issa said Congress could take up the issue by late summer or early fall in an attempt to address non-partisan issues in an election year.
Though most people assume the so-called Height Act was created to preserve vistas of the Capitol Rotunda, the 550-foot-tall Washington Monument and other landmark structures, it was approved by Congress in 1899 after residents complained about the 160-foot-tall Cairo apartment building in the DuPont Circle neighborhood.
“We haven't come to any firm conclusions, but we are definitely talking about it,†Gray told The Post. “It would help hugely with economic development.â€
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Rivals Rout Iran President in Runoff
TEHRAN, Iran â€"  Supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have been reduced to a small fraction in Iran's legislature, hugely outnumbered by the conservatives who once backed him but then turned against him after he was perceived to challenge the authority of top clerics, according to final results from a runoff parliamentary election announced Saturday.
Iran has touted the turnout for Friday's vote as a show of support for the country's religious leadership in their confrontation with the West over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.
The result is also a new humiliation for Ahmadinejad, whose political decline started last year with his bold but failed challenge of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the choice of intelligence chief.
While usually in agreement with the conservatives on foreign policy and many other issues, he had tried to change the rules of the political game in the Islamic Republic, where the president and legislature are subordinate to religious figures like Khamenei.
Ahmadinejad's opponents had already won an outright majority in the 290-member legislature in the first round of voting in March. Of 65 seats for grabs in Friday's runoff election, Ahmadinejad's opponents won 41 while the president's supporters got only 13 seats. Independents won 11, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency Saturday.
The president's supporters had their best showing in the capital Tehran. Ahmadinejad's conservatives critics won 16 seats while his supporters nine.
Iran's major reformist parties, who oppose both Ahmadinejad and the conservatives, mostly did not field candidates.
The new parliament will begin its sessions in late May. It has no direct control over key foreign and security policy matters like Iran's nuclear program, but it can influence those issues and economic policies as well as the run-up to the election of Ahmadinejad's successor.
The results suggest Ahmadinejad will face a more belligerent parliament in the remaining time of his second four-year term in office that ends August 2013. His allies are likely to be ousted from key posts, and his plan to cut economic subsidies challenged.
Iran's media has claimed that the turnout Saturday matched that of the initial round of voting on March 2, when 64 percent of voters reportedly cast ballots.
"Mass turnout in runoff parliamentary elections," declared a front-page headline in the government-run Iran Daily.
Iranian leaders have showcased the high voter turnout as a sign of trust in the clerical-led system and rejection of Western pressure over the nuclear issue. The West suspects Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and is demanding that Iran stop uranium enrichment. Iran has refused, saying its program is aimed at power generation and cancer treatment.
"The vote is support for the ruling system as it faces the U.S. and its allies over the nuclear program ... The vote also means that tensions will increase between Ahmadinejad and his opponents in the incoming parliament," political analyst Ali Reza Khamesian said.
Khamesian said Ahmadinejad was gradually fading from Iran's political scene, but could still stir up conflict with parliament.
"Ahmadinejad is the losing party. So, he will try to create tensions in the hope of getting concessions," he said.
The outgoing parliament and Ahmadinejad are at loggerheads over how quickly to slash food and energy subsidies. The president favors dramatic cuts to boost Iran's ailing economy by reducing the massive drain on the state budget from the subsidies.
The government implemented a first phase of slashing subsidies in December 2010. Gasoline prices quadrupled and bread prices tripled after the cuts came into effect. Prices have also increased in recent months, partly as a result of sanctions over Iran's nuclear program, and also due to news that the government is considering ending subsidies altogether.
Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, one of Ahmadinejad's opponents, said the parliament won't allow him to quickly end the remaining subsidies because it would cause wild inflation and public dissatisfaction.
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