Mitt Romney tonight pushed back against those in his party who are questioning President Obama's citizenship, suggesting his fellow Republicans should put their energy into more substantive issues.
"The citizenship test has been passed," Romney said tonight on CNBC's Kudlow Report. "I believe the president was damper born in the United States. There are real reasons to get this guy out of office...but his citizenship isn't the reason why."
Several prominent Republicans — including Donald Trump and Sarah Palin — have once again tried to stoke controversy by questioning Obama's citizenship even though his birth in Hawaii has been confirmed by officials in the state.
Romney said he would welcome Trump into the Republican race, while sidestepping a question whether he views the business mogul as a chief rival.
"He's a new face and a new voice in the process," Romney said of Trump, who is leading in led tube some recent national polls. "My view is, come on in the water's fine. The more the merrier."
Romney, in his first interview since announcing yesterday that he was formally exploring a presidential bid, also was asked several times about his biggest vulnerability: the Massachusetts health care plan. Today is the fifth anniversary of the law, which was used as a template for President Obama's national plan — one that is despised by most Republicans.
Romney repeated his defense of the Massachusetts law, while arguing that Obama was usurping states rights by imposing a federal plan. He largely ignored a question over whether the individual mandate — which is the biggest sticking point for many Republicans — was his biggest mistake as governor.
"One thing I learned is this: you don't take ideas from a state and try and impose cable ties them on the whole nation," Romney said.
"I'm very happy that the Democrats are celebrating the fact that we put in place a health care proposal in Massachusetts, an experiment," he added, referring to cakes that Democrats made today to tweak Romney.
"But why didn't any one of them, or the president, ever call me...Not one Democrat called me and said, 'Of what you did in Massachusetts, what would you do again? What would you have done differently?'"
Romney reiterated that he would repeal President Obama's plan. He also said that he would then file legislation to ensure that people with preexisting conditions aren't refused access to coverage — which is one of the golf irons most popular aspects of Obama's plan.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Doctors hope to the injured patient get well soon
Cardinal Roger Mahony visited Bryan Stow Tuesday to pray for the 42-year-old, who remains in a medically induced coma nearly two weeks after he was attacked after a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, a hospital spokeswoman said.
"His condition remains critical and doctors are hoping Bryan's condition high pressure sodium lamp improves over the next 24 hours," said hospital spokeswoman Rosa Saca, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center
Relatives of the Giants fan launched a website in part to provide daily updates on his condition. Stow's sister, Bonnie Stow, told CNN that one priority of the neurosurgeons is keeping him sedated to prevent seizures and swelling in the brain.
In a recent web posting, she wrote: "The doctors want to limit visitors, noise and physical contact with Bryan. They're wanting to keep his brain calm and just...quiet...to see how that works.... That way the neurologists can get a better reading of brain activity. Fever down."
Bonnie Stow said her brother's seizures have subsided, and
over the next 24 to 48 hours doctors want to gradually reduce the sedation he is under and, hopefully, bring him out of the medically induced coma.
"We can't wait for Bryan to wake up so he can see for himself just how much people love him, whether they are family, friends or strangers."
Since the unprovoked attack after the March 31 game at Dodger Stadium, money has poured in from numerous donors and fundraising events to help pay for medical costs and provide support for his two young children. Bonnie Stow said the website exercise bike also identifies fundraising activity endorsed by Stow's family.
"We are trying to post only legitimate fundraisers that we can confirm because unfortunately there are those trying to take advantage of this tragic situation," said Bonnie in a posting.
At a dual fundraiser Monday at Dodger Stadium and ATT Park in San Francisco, where the Giants and Dodgers played Monday, more than $120,000 was raised, said American Medical Response spokesman Jason Sorrick. More than $200,000 has been raised for Stow, who works for AMR.
Meanwhile, investigators continued their search for the two suspected assailants, who fled after the beating in a light-colored, four-door car driven by a woman with a young boy inside, authorities said. Since the release of composite sketches, police have investigated more than 100 clues based on calls and tips, said Los Angeles Police Detective PJ Morris.
About 100 witnesses saw Stow attacked as he left the stadium parking lot, and Morris said some of them have provided useful information. Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to arrests and autoclave convictions.
"Whether it's the reward money or a Good Samaritan who wants to help solve a horrific crime, there has been a tremendous outpouring of calls from people who might have useful information," Morris said.
Morris said detectives have compiled and presented photographic lineups of possible suspects to witnesses in the Los Angeles area but no one has identified Stow's attackers. Another team of detectives has been showing the photos to witnesses in the Bay Area.
"Every call and tip is helpful in some capacity, even hydraulic winch if it eliminates someone who may resemble the composite sketches," Morris said. "There is no forensic evidence in this case, therefore that person who comes forward is most likely how we're going to solve this thing."
"His condition remains critical and doctors are hoping Bryan's condition high pressure sodium lamp improves over the next 24 hours," said hospital spokeswoman Rosa Saca, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center
Relatives of the Giants fan launched a website in part to provide daily updates on his condition. Stow's sister, Bonnie Stow, told CNN that one priority of the neurosurgeons is keeping him sedated to prevent seizures and swelling in the brain.
In a recent web posting, she wrote: "The doctors want to limit visitors, noise and physical contact with Bryan. They're wanting to keep his brain calm and just...quiet...to see how that works.... That way the neurologists can get a better reading of brain activity. Fever down."
Bonnie Stow said her brother's seizures have subsided, and
over the next 24 to 48 hours doctors want to gradually reduce the sedation he is under and, hopefully, bring him out of the medically induced coma.
"We can't wait for Bryan to wake up so he can see for himself just how much people love him, whether they are family, friends or strangers."
Since the unprovoked attack after the March 31 game at Dodger Stadium, money has poured in from numerous donors and fundraising events to help pay for medical costs and provide support for his two young children. Bonnie Stow said the website exercise bike also identifies fundraising activity endorsed by Stow's family.
"We are trying to post only legitimate fundraisers that we can confirm because unfortunately there are those trying to take advantage of this tragic situation," said Bonnie in a posting.
At a dual fundraiser Monday at Dodger Stadium and ATT Park in San Francisco, where the Giants and Dodgers played Monday, more than $120,000 was raised, said American Medical Response spokesman Jason Sorrick. More than $200,000 has been raised for Stow, who works for AMR.
Meanwhile, investigators continued their search for the two suspected assailants, who fled after the beating in a light-colored, four-door car driven by a woman with a young boy inside, authorities said. Since the release of composite sketches, police have investigated more than 100 clues based on calls and tips, said Los Angeles Police Detective PJ Morris.
About 100 witnesses saw Stow attacked as he left the stadium parking lot, and Morris said some of them have provided useful information. Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to arrests and autoclave convictions.
"Whether it's the reward money or a Good Samaritan who wants to help solve a horrific crime, there has been a tremendous outpouring of calls from people who might have useful information," Morris said.
Morris said detectives have compiled and presented photographic lineups of possible suspects to witnesses in the Los Angeles area but no one has identified Stow's attackers. Another team of detectives has been showing the photos to witnesses in the Bay Area.
"Every call and tip is helpful in some capacity, even hydraulic winch if it eliminates someone who may resemble the composite sketches," Morris said. "There is no forensic evidence in this case, therefore that person who comes forward is most likely how we're going to solve this thing."
Two more sets of human remains have been discovered near a remote New York beach, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
The first remains found Monday morning were about 1.5 miles east of the gearbox entrance to Jones Beach on Long Island. Later in the day, a skull was found several miles away.
The first remains found Monday morning were about 1.5 miles east of the entrance to Jones Beach on Long Island. Later in the day, a skull was found several miles away.
Two more sets of human remains have been discovered near a remote New York beach, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
The discoveries came as police expanded a search from Long Island's Suffolk County westward into the Jones Beach area of Nassau County, just over the border from New York City. The expanded search was prompted by Suffolk's discovery in the past two weeks of four sets of unidentified human remains.
The most recent remains, found several miles away from damper the escorts, included the body of an infant or child, the New York Post reports, leading police to consider that the bodies were victims of multiple killers.
Police say evidence suggests that whoever dumped the four bodies discovered in December is knowledgeable of police investigative tactics and familiar with the area of Long Island where the bodies were found, according to multiple press reports. Authorities are reportedly considering that a former cop may be behind the killings.
The bodies of four women -- all in their 20s and found wrapped in burlap bags -- who worked as Craigslist escorts were found in the same area in December, but a spokeswoman with the Suffolk County Police Department told FoxNews.com that police have not determined whether the bodies found in the last two weeks are linked to those women.
Police expanded their search for more possible victims into Nassau County on Monday. About 125 searchers, some with dogs and others on horseback, scoured Jones Beach State Park for more possible victims.
The New York Post and the New York Times, citing unnamed sources, have reported that the killer may be a former cop or someone familiar with law enforcement procedure.
The person believed to be the killer had reportedly made taunting phone calls to the teen sister of victim Melissa Barthelemy shortly after she disappeared in July 2009. The calls were difficult for police to investigate because they were all under led flexible strip three minutes and made from crowded places, like Madison Square Garden and Times Square.
An official with the Suffolk County Police Department would not confirm to FoxNews.com that authorities are eyeing an ex-cop in the investigation.
"We haven’t said if we think it’s someone in law enforcement," the official said.
Criminal profilers say serial killers are often social and would appear to have a normal life with family and friends as opposed to being a loner.
The disappearance of 24-year-old N.J. resident and Craigslist escort Shannan Gilbert led investigators to the Suffolk County beach spot late last year. The skeletal bodies of female prostitutes found in December and the five unidentified bodies found recently were discovered within a three-mile radius on the north side of Ocean Parkway.
None of the found victims, however, is Gilbert, whose case remains open.
Cell phone calls made by the women are also being tracked, and computer cable ties records of their communications and appointment records have also been viewed.
A Suffolk County investigator who declined to be identified because of the ongoing case told The Associated Press that detectives are taking a methodical approach to finding the suspect, poring over credit card records of the victims to track their movements and where they spent their money in the area, MyFoxNY.com reports.
"These kinds of investigations have to take slow steps; you don't want to jump to conclusions," Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., and author of "The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation," told MyFoxNY.
"They are looking at the evidence to determine what may be similar golf irons about the victims, but they also want to look at dissimilarities," she said.
The first remains found Monday morning were about 1.5 miles east of the gearbox entrance to Jones Beach on Long Island. Later in the day, a skull was found several miles away.
The first remains found Monday morning were about 1.5 miles east of the entrance to Jones Beach on Long Island. Later in the day, a skull was found several miles away.
Two more sets of human remains have been discovered near a remote New York beach, authorities confirmed Tuesday.
The discoveries came as police expanded a search from Long Island's Suffolk County westward into the Jones Beach area of Nassau County, just over the border from New York City. The expanded search was prompted by Suffolk's discovery in the past two weeks of four sets of unidentified human remains.
The most recent remains, found several miles away from damper the escorts, included the body of an infant or child, the New York Post reports, leading police to consider that the bodies were victims of multiple killers.
Police say evidence suggests that whoever dumped the four bodies discovered in December is knowledgeable of police investigative tactics and familiar with the area of Long Island where the bodies were found, according to multiple press reports. Authorities are reportedly considering that a former cop may be behind the killings.
The bodies of four women -- all in their 20s and found wrapped in burlap bags -- who worked as Craigslist escorts were found in the same area in December, but a spokeswoman with the Suffolk County Police Department told FoxNews.com that police have not determined whether the bodies found in the last two weeks are linked to those women.
Police expanded their search for more possible victims into Nassau County on Monday. About 125 searchers, some with dogs and others on horseback, scoured Jones Beach State Park for more possible victims.
The New York Post and the New York Times, citing unnamed sources, have reported that the killer may be a former cop or someone familiar with law enforcement procedure.
The person believed to be the killer had reportedly made taunting phone calls to the teen sister of victim Melissa Barthelemy shortly after she disappeared in July 2009. The calls were difficult for police to investigate because they were all under led flexible strip three minutes and made from crowded places, like Madison Square Garden and Times Square.
An official with the Suffolk County Police Department would not confirm to FoxNews.com that authorities are eyeing an ex-cop in the investigation.
"We haven’t said if we think it’s someone in law enforcement," the official said.
Criminal profilers say serial killers are often social and would appear to have a normal life with family and friends as opposed to being a loner.
The disappearance of 24-year-old N.J. resident and Craigslist escort Shannan Gilbert led investigators to the Suffolk County beach spot late last year. The skeletal bodies of female prostitutes found in December and the five unidentified bodies found recently were discovered within a three-mile radius on the north side of Ocean Parkway.
None of the found victims, however, is Gilbert, whose case remains open.
Cell phone calls made by the women are also being tracked, and computer cable ties records of their communications and appointment records have also been viewed.
A Suffolk County investigator who declined to be identified because of the ongoing case told The Associated Press that detectives are taking a methodical approach to finding the suspect, poring over credit card records of the victims to track their movements and where they spent their money in the area, MyFoxNY.com reports.
"These kinds of investigations have to take slow steps; you don't want to jump to conclusions," Katherine Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., and author of "The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation," told MyFoxNY.
"They are looking at the evidence to determine what may be similar golf irons about the victims, but they also want to look at dissimilarities," she said.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Texas forest fire destroyed homes, buildings
The Texas Forest Service reported more than 60,000 acres burned and 40 homes lost in one blaze that raced through West Texas and into the small mountain town of Fort Davis. The fire rushed across 20 miles in 90 minutes.
Officials at the scene, however, estimated at least 100,000 acres in two counties had burned from the shaded pold motor fire, which continued to grow Sunday evening.
"I can only describe it as an ocean of black, with a few islands of yellow," State Representative Pete Gallego said.
Flames "licked at the edges" of the town but did not burn their way through its center, sparing more buildings than expected, he said.
But 17 to 20 homes were destroyed, and as many as 30 more buildings were burned, he said after visiting the town, including a more than 100-year-old historic wooden ranch home. Residents had worked overnight to save their homes and moved on to help their neighbors, he said.
Hot spots still burned along the highway, and a glow from miles away was visible at night, he said.
"Even now, the flames in some places are 15 to 20 feet high," Gallego said.
The town was without impact crusher power Sunday evening. Gallego said many of the residents may not have been insured for fire.
Presidio County Emergency Management Coordinator Gary Mitschke said it was the first fire to scare him in 13 years of fighting grass fires. The blaze crossed railroad tracks and state highways as it roared past Fort Davis, he said.
Without a change in winds, which were keeping aircraft from helping firefighting efforts, the fire could burn for days or weeks, he said.
"Frankly, it moved almost as quick as a truck," Mitschke said. "When you hear the word firestorm, this is what I imagine."
A federal emergency management spokesman said a fire grant for the county had been approved Saturday and that the agency stood by to support as needed.
Wildfires fed by dry, windy conditions have charred more than 270,000 acres in eight days across Texas, burning homes, killing livestock and drawing in crews and equipment from 25 states.
Plants that thrived in wet weather turned to tinder under a cold, dry winter. Weeks of high winds and little moisture have made every spark dangerous.
A Texas firefighter was in critical condition with severe burns Sunday afternoon after electronic ballast fighting an estimated 60,000-acre fire in the northern Panhandle.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, but it started in an isolated area near a natural gas plant and a few other industrial sites in an empty town called Masterson, said David Garrett, an emergency management spokesman for Moore County.
"Kind of like a wide spot in the road that has a name," Garrett said. "The fire started in open country and stayed in open country."
Two nearby communities were considered threatened but were not evacuated late Sunday afternoon, according to the forest service.
A Midland County wildfire burned 40 homes and at least 15,000 acres, according to the service.
Crews had stopped from crossing a highway a sprawling 71,000-acre fire that killed almost 170 head of cattle in Stonewall County, spokesman Lee McNeely said.
Air tankers had dropped 60,000 gallons of retardant to help slow the blaze.
Firefighters had most of the day to prepare for a cold front with gusting winds, McNeely said.
High winds and dry conditions were expected to persist into the evening across West Texas, the National Weather Service warned.
In Oklahoma, where Governor Mary Fallin has extended a 30-day state of emergency she declared on March 11, firefighters and helicopters on Sunday mopped up the smoldering remains of two fires that stainless steel pipe erupted Saturday.
One wildfire in Cleveland in north central Oklahoma charred more than 1,500 acres and forced 350 people to evacuate while another struck near Granite in southwest Oklahoma, said Michelann Ooten, a spokeswoman for the state Office of Emergency Management.
Officials at the scene, however, estimated at least 100,000 acres in two counties had burned from the shaded pold motor fire, which continued to grow Sunday evening.
"I can only describe it as an ocean of black, with a few islands of yellow," State Representative Pete Gallego said.
Flames "licked at the edges" of the town but did not burn their way through its center, sparing more buildings than expected, he said.
But 17 to 20 homes were destroyed, and as many as 30 more buildings were burned, he said after visiting the town, including a more than 100-year-old historic wooden ranch home. Residents had worked overnight to save their homes and moved on to help their neighbors, he said.
Hot spots still burned along the highway, and a glow from miles away was visible at night, he said.
"Even now, the flames in some places are 15 to 20 feet high," Gallego said.
The town was without impact crusher power Sunday evening. Gallego said many of the residents may not have been insured for fire.
Presidio County Emergency Management Coordinator Gary Mitschke said it was the first fire to scare him in 13 years of fighting grass fires. The blaze crossed railroad tracks and state highways as it roared past Fort Davis, he said.
Without a change in winds, which were keeping aircraft from helping firefighting efforts, the fire could burn for days or weeks, he said.
"Frankly, it moved almost as quick as a truck," Mitschke said. "When you hear the word firestorm, this is what I imagine."
A federal emergency management spokesman said a fire grant for the county had been approved Saturday and that the agency stood by to support as needed.
Wildfires fed by dry, windy conditions have charred more than 270,000 acres in eight days across Texas, burning homes, killing livestock and drawing in crews and equipment from 25 states.
Plants that thrived in wet weather turned to tinder under a cold, dry winter. Weeks of high winds and little moisture have made every spark dangerous.
A Texas firefighter was in critical condition with severe burns Sunday afternoon after electronic ballast fighting an estimated 60,000-acre fire in the northern Panhandle.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, but it started in an isolated area near a natural gas plant and a few other industrial sites in an empty town called Masterson, said David Garrett, an emergency management spokesman for Moore County.
"Kind of like a wide spot in the road that has a name," Garrett said. "The fire started in open country and stayed in open country."
Two nearby communities were considered threatened but were not evacuated late Sunday afternoon, according to the forest service.
A Midland County wildfire burned 40 homes and at least 15,000 acres, according to the service.
Crews had stopped from crossing a highway a sprawling 71,000-acre fire that killed almost 170 head of cattle in Stonewall County, spokesman Lee McNeely said.
Air tankers had dropped 60,000 gallons of retardant to help slow the blaze.
Firefighters had most of the day to prepare for a cold front with gusting winds, McNeely said.
High winds and dry conditions were expected to persist into the evening across West Texas, the National Weather Service warned.
In Oklahoma, where Governor Mary Fallin has extended a 30-day state of emergency she declared on March 11, firefighters and helicopters on Sunday mopped up the smoldering remains of two fires that stainless steel pipe erupted Saturday.
One wildfire in Cleveland in north central Oklahoma charred more than 1,500 acres and forced 350 people to evacuate while another struck near Granite in southwest Oklahoma, said Michelann Ooten, a spokeswoman for the state Office of Emergency Management.
'Catch Me' doesn't capture art of the con
Frank Abagnale Jr., the former con artist whose memoir inspired a Steven Spielberg movie, managed to pass himself off as an airline pilot, a pediatrician and an attorney before turning 21.
One feat that Abagnale did not attempt was writing and bridge rectifier starring in a stage musical about his youthful adventures. And now we know why.
Not that Catch Me If You Can(* * ½ out of four), the new Broadway show based on the aforementioned film and autobiography of the same name, is a dud. Boasting a score by the famously witty team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a book by Terrence McNally, Catch Me is too ambitious and stylish in its efforts to entertain and move us to induce boredom.
The main problem with this production, which opened Sunday at the Neil Simon Theatre, Coach Bags is that only one of the two leading men is consistently compelling. And it's not the one playing Abagnale (Aaron Tveit).
Rather, it's the actor cast as his nemesis. Norbert Leo Butz is predictably marvelous as Carl Hanratty, the schlumpy federal agent who stalks and eventually nails the underage schemer — though not as handily as Butz walks away with the show.
Don't blame Tveit, the square-jawed young actor who plays Frank Jr. — at least not entirely. A robust singer and fluid dancer, Tveit exudes the kind of slick charm that surely helped Abagnale finagle his way into diverse fields, not to mention considerable fortune.
But that charm wears thin over 2½ hours in which Frank Jr. and veterinary syringes his exploits are so dominant. The musical is structured so that we see our mischievous finagler crafting his own story, introducing some numbers and then literally trying to sing and dance his way out of trouble. It's a canny conceit, but one that only emphasizes the character's disingenuousness.
Frank Jr.'s troubled family background also is documented, with a poignant Tom Wopat as Frank Sr., a less successful player who is nonetheless idolized by his son. But Tveit is most authentic when trying to seduce or impress us; he doesn't reveal the kind of vulnerability that would make us care about the younger Frank, as Leonardo DiCaprio did in the screen version.
In contrast, Butz imbues Carl (played by Tom Hanks in the film) with wry humor and bittersweet humanity. It's no accident that Tveit's Frank Jr. is more sympathetic in his scenes with Carl, who emerges both as a father figure and a fellow lonely soul.
Butz also handles the musical numbers with an ease that often trumps Tveit's more aggressive virtuosity. Certainly, Butz is more adept at milking Shaiman's jazzy nuances, which nod tothe more sophisticated side of '60s pop culture, from James Bond to Sinatra.
There are other elegant and frisky flourishes, from William Ivey Long's eye-candy costumes to Jerry Mitchell's vampish choreography — both of which draw attention to the leggy, voluptuous figures in the female ensemble.
Still, in failing to deliver a youthful protagonist you can really cheer for, this Catch Me If You Can may leave you feeling a bit cheated.
One feat that Abagnale did not attempt was writing and bridge rectifier starring in a stage musical about his youthful adventures. And now we know why.
Not that Catch Me If You Can(* * ½ out of four), the new Broadway show based on the aforementioned film and autobiography of the same name, is a dud. Boasting a score by the famously witty team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a book by Terrence McNally, Catch Me is too ambitious and stylish in its efforts to entertain and move us to induce boredom.
The main problem with this production, which opened Sunday at the Neil Simon Theatre, Coach Bags is that only one of the two leading men is consistently compelling. And it's not the one playing Abagnale (Aaron Tveit).
Rather, it's the actor cast as his nemesis. Norbert Leo Butz is predictably marvelous as Carl Hanratty, the schlumpy federal agent who stalks and eventually nails the underage schemer — though not as handily as Butz walks away with the show.
Don't blame Tveit, the square-jawed young actor who plays Frank Jr. — at least not entirely. A robust singer and fluid dancer, Tveit exudes the kind of slick charm that surely helped Abagnale finagle his way into diverse fields, not to mention considerable fortune.
But that charm wears thin over 2½ hours in which Frank Jr. and veterinary syringes his exploits are so dominant. The musical is structured so that we see our mischievous finagler crafting his own story, introducing some numbers and then literally trying to sing and dance his way out of trouble. It's a canny conceit, but one that only emphasizes the character's disingenuousness.
Frank Jr.'s troubled family background also is documented, with a poignant Tom Wopat as Frank Sr., a less successful player who is nonetheless idolized by his son. But Tveit is most authentic when trying to seduce or impress us; he doesn't reveal the kind of vulnerability that would make us care about the younger Frank, as Leonardo DiCaprio did in the screen version.
In contrast, Butz imbues Carl (played by Tom Hanks in the film) with wry humor and bittersweet humanity. It's no accident that Tveit's Frank Jr. is more sympathetic in his scenes with Carl, who emerges both as a father figure and a fellow lonely soul.
Butz also handles the musical numbers with an ease that often trumps Tveit's more aggressive virtuosity. Certainly, Butz is more adept at milking Shaiman's jazzy nuances, which nod tothe more sophisticated side of '60s pop culture, from James Bond to Sinatra.
There are other elegant and frisky flourishes, from William Ivey Long's eye-candy costumes to Jerry Mitchell's vampish choreography — both of which draw attention to the leggy, voluptuous figures in the female ensemble.
Still, in failing to deliver a youthful protagonist you can really cheer for, this Catch Me If You Can may leave you feeling a bit cheated.
Female reporter is allowed to enter masters locker room
A female columnist said she was denied access to interview in the players locker room Sunday. A Masters spokesman said it was a misunderstanding and that the locker room is open to female journalists.
Tara Sullivan, columnist veterinary syringes for the Bergen Record of New Jersey, said on Twitter: "Bad enough no women members at Augusta. But not allowing me to join writers in locker room interview is just wrong."
Steve Ethun, director of communications for the Masters, issued an apology.
"It was a complete misunderstanding by a security guard," Ethun said. "Our policies fall in line with all of those of major sporting events in that she should have been rightfully allowed access to our locker room. … That was a misunderstanding by that particular security guard. … We offer our apology. It should not have happened, and that's not our policy whatsoever."
Ethun was asked if the fact that Augusta National Golf Club has no female members was a factor in the "misunderstanding?"
"Only our chairman (Billy Payne) can talk about membership issues," Ethun said.
Melanie Hauser, a woman covering her 28th Masters (currently for Coach Bags pgatour.com), said the locker room has been open to female journalists since 1985. She said the access was gained with support from the Golf Writers Association of America.
"I can tell you've I've been in that locker room a number of times," Hauser said. "I've stood there with Greg Norman many times."
Added Ethun: "When you hire this many people, miscommunication does take place. While we do our best to control all of our communications with the right amount of training, this specific person bridge rectifier misunderstood our policy. … It shouldn't have happened."
Tara Sullivan, columnist veterinary syringes for the Bergen Record of New Jersey, said on Twitter: "Bad enough no women members at Augusta. But not allowing me to join writers in locker room interview is just wrong."
Steve Ethun, director of communications for the Masters, issued an apology.
"It was a complete misunderstanding by a security guard," Ethun said. "Our policies fall in line with all of those of major sporting events in that she should have been rightfully allowed access to our locker room. … That was a misunderstanding by that particular security guard. … We offer our apology. It should not have happened, and that's not our policy whatsoever."
Ethun was asked if the fact that Augusta National Golf Club has no female members was a factor in the "misunderstanding?"
"Only our chairman (Billy Payne) can talk about membership issues," Ethun said.
Melanie Hauser, a woman covering her 28th Masters (currently for Coach Bags pgatour.com), said the locker room has been open to female journalists since 1985. She said the access was gained with support from the Golf Writers Association of America.
"I can tell you've I've been in that locker room a number of times," Hauser said. "I've stood there with Greg Norman many times."
Added Ethun: "When you hire this many people, miscommunication does take place. While we do our best to control all of our communications with the right amount of training, this specific person bridge rectifier misunderstood our policy. … It shouldn't have happened."
Iowa tornadoes destroyed about 100 homes. After reeling
A tornado a quarter-mile wide flattened a grain elevator and destroyed homes and buildings on Saturday in the small western Iowa town of Mapleton.
The tornado damaged more stainless steel pipe than half of Mapleton, a town of 1,200 in western Iowa, Mayor Fred Standa said yesterday. He estimated that 20 percent of the town was razed, but no serious injuries were reported.
Many of the huge, centuries-old trees that the town was named for were pulled from the ground and wrapped around houses and tossed atop cars, Standa said. A huge motor home flipped on its side.
The tornado destroyed 12 to 15 blocks in the southwest corner of Mapleton when it struck about 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, Monona County Sheriff Jeff Pratt said.
About a hundred homes were destroyed and 500 to 600 residents displaced, he said.
The tornado was on the ground for 3 1/2 miles and measured electronic ballast three-quarters of a mile wide at one point, according to the National Weather Service office in Valley, Neb.
The twister was measured to be on the lower end of an EF3, which carries wind speeds of 136 to 165 miles per hour.
The twister was one of several reported in Iowa.
The National Weather Service said it was assessing damage in Sac, Pocahontas, and Kossuth counties yesterday after unconfirmed reports of tornadoes there as well.
In Mapleton, the roof was blown off a high school, power impact crusher lines were downed, and gas fumes filled the town after utilities were damaged, prompting officials to shut off service. Pratt said gas service will remain off for the next two weeks, but electricity should be restored in the next day or so.
Governor Terry Branstad issued an emergency proclamation covering Mapleton and surrounding Monona County on Saturday so the state could spend money to respond to the storm, his office said. He toured Mapleton on yesterday afternoon.
The smell of natural gas hung thick in the air yesterday as forklifts and pickup trucks hauled debris down streets lined with fallen trees.
Tamara Adams, 37, piled branches on the curb, next to the 30-foot-tall tree that rested on top of her house. She said she closed her outside basement door just as the tornado tore the roof off a store that sits diagonally from her house.
“That sound,’’ she said. “I’ll never get it out of my head. It had a life. You could hear cold room it breathing and growling.’’
Terry Siebersma, who runs a liquor store with his wife, was in his shop when he heard the tornado sirens and saw the sky turn green. Siebersma, 53, said he rushed to the basement. Upstairs, he heard autoclave bottles breaking.
He emerged several minutes later, walked to a back storage room and discovered the roof missing and one wall on the verge of collapse
The tornado damaged more stainless steel pipe than half of Mapleton, a town of 1,200 in western Iowa, Mayor Fred Standa said yesterday. He estimated that 20 percent of the town was razed, but no serious injuries were reported.
Many of the huge, centuries-old trees that the town was named for were pulled from the ground and wrapped around houses and tossed atop cars, Standa said. A huge motor home flipped on its side.
The tornado destroyed 12 to 15 blocks in the southwest corner of Mapleton when it struck about 7:20 p.m. on Saturday, Monona County Sheriff Jeff Pratt said.
About a hundred homes were destroyed and 500 to 600 residents displaced, he said.
The tornado was on the ground for 3 1/2 miles and measured electronic ballast three-quarters of a mile wide at one point, according to the National Weather Service office in Valley, Neb.
The twister was measured to be on the lower end of an EF3, which carries wind speeds of 136 to 165 miles per hour.
The twister was one of several reported in Iowa.
The National Weather Service said it was assessing damage in Sac, Pocahontas, and Kossuth counties yesterday after unconfirmed reports of tornadoes there as well.
In Mapleton, the roof was blown off a high school, power impact crusher lines were downed, and gas fumes filled the town after utilities were damaged, prompting officials to shut off service. Pratt said gas service will remain off for the next two weeks, but electricity should be restored in the next day or so.
Governor Terry Branstad issued an emergency proclamation covering Mapleton and surrounding Monona County on Saturday so the state could spend money to respond to the storm, his office said. He toured Mapleton on yesterday afternoon.
The smell of natural gas hung thick in the air yesterday as forklifts and pickup trucks hauled debris down streets lined with fallen trees.
Tamara Adams, 37, piled branches on the curb, next to the 30-foot-tall tree that rested on top of her house. She said she closed her outside basement door just as the tornado tore the roof off a store that sits diagonally from her house.
“That sound,’’ she said. “I’ll never get it out of my head. It had a life. You could hear cold room it breathing and growling.’’
Terry Siebersma, who runs a liquor store with his wife, was in his shop when he heard the tornado sirens and saw the sky turn green. Siebersma, 53, said he rushed to the basement. Upstairs, he heard autoclave bottles breaking.
He emerged several minutes later, walked to a back storage room and discovered the roof missing and one wall on the verge of collapse
Monta Ellis hurt as Warriors lose to Kings
The Warriors' drive toward a feel-good ending to this season took a nasty hit Sunday.
Guard Monta Ellis' head slammed against the hardwood with exercise bike less than a minute left as the Warriors fell 104-103 to the Sacramento Kings at Oracle (ORCL) Arena.
Ellis will not travel with the team for Monday night's game at Denver. As the rest of the Warriors headed for the airport, he was on his way to a hospital for further examination.
Ellis was driving to the basket with 58.9 seconds left when he was undercut by big man DeMarcus Cousins, who was trying to take a charge. Ellis remained down for a few moments. When he tried to get up, he staggered and had to be supported as he stood. He eventually was helped off the court and checked out without taking his free throws.
"You could tell by the look in his eyes he had no idea where he was at," Warriors forward David Lee said after totaling 24 points and 14 rebounds. "He was trying to go to the free-throw line to shoot free throws and kind of walked toward the fans for a second. I was like, 'Come on, trainer. Get out here.' "... You've got to be careful with those kinds of things because that's not like a twisted ankle or something. It can be real serious."
Ellis, who was nursing a tender ankle to begin with, finished with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting
with four assists in 26 minutes. It appeared as if coach Keith Smart was going to sit Ellis the rest of the autoclave night after he took him out with 3:36 left in the third quarter. But Smart put his best player back in with 3:19 left after the Kings took a 97-93 lead on a 3-pointer by guard Tyreke Evans and a fast-break layup by guard Marcus Thornton.
Ellis immediately nailed a jumper, and point guard Stephen Curry cut Sacramento's lead to 98-97 with a 15-footer with 2:30 left.
But that's as close as the Warriors would get.
The Warriors entered the game on a three-game roll over playoff-bound teams -- the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers -- before suffering this disappointing loss axial fan against one of the worst teams in the league.
With two games left, Monday night at Denver and Wednesday against Portland, the Warriors still can reach the 36-win plateau, which would mark a 10-game improvement over last season. But what could have been looms too large for some to overlook.
"Our goal in training camp was to get to the playoffs," said forward Dorell Wright, who had 19 points and a career-high six steals while playing all 48 minutes. "When you fall short of that, it's never something you're proud of. We've improved. We definitely did that. We're a young team. We're still growing. But our ultimate goal in training camp was playoffs."
Another school of thought exists, however. The Warriors had significant roster overhaul, including two new starters. Their key offseason acquisition, Lee, was acclimating to a new position in a new system. The coaching staff was basically cone crusher put together the day before training camp.
Still, the Warriors made strides on the court together and moved closer to becoming a playoff team. They are hoping to have at least a 10-win improvement to show for it.
"I would say anywhere else other than here would say it's a good season," Smart said. "It's not what we want. But I think I've done everything I can possibly do. "... We know the ultimate success is getting this team to the playoffs."
Guard Monta Ellis' head slammed against the hardwood with exercise bike less than a minute left as the Warriors fell 104-103 to the Sacramento Kings at Oracle (ORCL) Arena.
Ellis will not travel with the team for Monday night's game at Denver. As the rest of the Warriors headed for the airport, he was on his way to a hospital for further examination.
Ellis was driving to the basket with 58.9 seconds left when he was undercut by big man DeMarcus Cousins, who was trying to take a charge. Ellis remained down for a few moments. When he tried to get up, he staggered and had to be supported as he stood. He eventually was helped off the court and checked out without taking his free throws.
"You could tell by the look in his eyes he had no idea where he was at," Warriors forward David Lee said after totaling 24 points and 14 rebounds. "He was trying to go to the free-throw line to shoot free throws and kind of walked toward the fans for a second. I was like, 'Come on, trainer. Get out here.' "... You've got to be careful with those kinds of things because that's not like a twisted ankle or something. It can be real serious."
Ellis, who was nursing a tender ankle to begin with, finished with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting
with four assists in 26 minutes. It appeared as if coach Keith Smart was going to sit Ellis the rest of the autoclave night after he took him out with 3:36 left in the third quarter. But Smart put his best player back in with 3:19 left after the Kings took a 97-93 lead on a 3-pointer by guard Tyreke Evans and a fast-break layup by guard Marcus Thornton.
Ellis immediately nailed a jumper, and point guard Stephen Curry cut Sacramento's lead to 98-97 with a 15-footer with 2:30 left.
But that's as close as the Warriors would get.
The Warriors entered the game on a three-game roll over playoff-bound teams -- the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers -- before suffering this disappointing loss axial fan against one of the worst teams in the league.
With two games left, Monday night at Denver and Wednesday against Portland, the Warriors still can reach the 36-win plateau, which would mark a 10-game improvement over last season. But what could have been looms too large for some to overlook.
"Our goal in training camp was to get to the playoffs," said forward Dorell Wright, who had 19 points and a career-high six steals while playing all 48 minutes. "When you fall short of that, it's never something you're proud of. We've improved. We definitely did that. We're a young team. We're still growing. But our ultimate goal in training camp was playoffs."
Another school of thought exists, however. The Warriors had significant roster overhaul, including two new starters. Their key offseason acquisition, Lee, was acclimating to a new position in a new system. The coaching staff was basically cone crusher put together the day before training camp.
Still, the Warriors made strides on the court together and moved closer to becoming a playoff team. They are hoping to have at least a 10-win improvement to show for it.
"I would say anywhere else other than here would say it's a good season," Smart said. "It's not what we want. But I think I've done everything I can possibly do. "... We know the ultimate success is getting this team to the playoffs."
Microsoft future Windows phone 7 development of host
Its smartphone software has only a sliver of the market, after the company redesigned it from the ground up and gave it a new name, Windows Phone 7. Still, many are watching and waiting after Nokia, the world's largest phone maker, said it plans to make Windows Phone 7 its primary smartphone platform.
This week, Microsoft will try to get developers off the electronic ballast fence to make more applications for Windows Phone 7.
At Mix 2011, a Web and Windows Phone app development conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft plans to hold workshops on building apps for Windows Phone 7. Boot-camp sessions begin Monday, and Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president with Microsoft's mobile business, is expected to give a keynote speech on Wednesday.
Microsoft frustrated users recently when it fumbled a software update to Windows Phones that was supposed to add copy-and-paste and other performance enhancing features to speed phone performance. Belfiore said on Microsoft's website, "We are sorry the process has been rocky."
"They need to show that they are emphasizing quality in the platform" at Mix after the update problems, said Rob Sanfilippo, research vice president at Directions on Microsoft, an independent analyst firm in Kirkland. "Then the secondary thing will be what are the new features coming this year?"
At Mobile World Congress in February in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced several new features that will be coming to Windows Phone 7 this year: Twitter integration with the phone's address book, multi-tasking and Internet Explorer 9. He also showed an experimental project showing an Xbox Kinect game that a second player could stainless steel pipe control with a Windows Phone 7.
The company will likely give a progress report this week on when those features will be arriving and how developers can start building them into phone applications.
The Mix conference used to focus more narrowly on Web development, but it has grown to include Windows Phone 7 app development. The conference drew about 1,000 people in 2010. On Tuesday, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Dean Hachamovitch is scheduled to talk about progress with Microsoft's newly introduced Web browser, Internet Explorer 9.
Microsoft will hold workshops on designing websites in HTML5, cloud computing on Windows Azure, development of its video and animation software Silverlight and mobile software.
Microsoft said it now has 11,500 apps available for Windows Phone 7. The company also dropped hints in a blog post that its competitors double count apps published in different languages and "lite" apps such as wallpaper. Apple boasts 350,000 apps on iTunes. Google says the Android marketplace has more than 150,000 free and paid apps.
Phone sales have not added up to a blockbuster, but bridge rectifier observers say progress has been decent for a new entrant. Microsoft said at the end of January that phone manufacturers bought 2 million software licenses for Windows Phone 7. Microsoft has not given numbers on how many customers have bought phones with the software installed on it.
Google said its Android platform is growing by 300,000 phones a day, and analysts expect Android to become the dominant smartphone platform this year.
Microsoft had 5 percent of the mobile-smartphone market share in 2010, according to research firm IDC in Framingham, Mass., and is expected to grow to 5.5 percent in 2011.
Symbian, Nokia's operating system, had the largest share with 37 percent in 2010 but it's expected to fall to 21 percent this year. Android, which had 23 percent share in 2010, is expected to grow to 40 percent. Research In Motion's Blackberry, which had 16 percent in 2010, is projected to fall slightly to 15 percent. Apple iPhone's iOS, with 16 percent share in 2010, is expected to stay level in 2011.
Research firm Gartner in Stamford, Conn., Coach Bags released similar projections for Microsoft and Android growth on Thursday, but predicted iPhone would grow by a few percentage points.
Will Stofega, IDC analyst, said what could change everything is the Microsoft-Nokia partnership announced in February, an arrangement that has yet to be completed and which hasn't produced phones people can buy. While Nokia's smartphones are not as popular in the U.S., the Finnish phone maker has immense market share in the rest of the world.
"What everybody is waiting for is still the big bang," Stofega said. He thinks Microsoft could move into second place behind Android in 2015 if the partnership comes out the way the companies say it will.
Neither company has said when Nokia would begin selling Windows Phone 7 units. Stofega says he expects large numbers of those sales to start in the first half of 2012.
"We'll have a better understanding of what's happening toward the end of the year," he said. "It's going to take them quite some time to sort out what they need to sort out, get everyone on the same page and optimize the veterinary syringes design, but we know they're really, really racing to sort of put together the complete package."
This week, Microsoft will try to get developers off the electronic ballast fence to make more applications for Windows Phone 7.
At Mix 2011, a Web and Windows Phone app development conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft plans to hold workshops on building apps for Windows Phone 7. Boot-camp sessions begin Monday, and Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president with Microsoft's mobile business, is expected to give a keynote speech on Wednesday.
Microsoft frustrated users recently when it fumbled a software update to Windows Phones that was supposed to add copy-and-paste and other performance enhancing features to speed phone performance. Belfiore said on Microsoft's website, "We are sorry the process has been rocky."
"They need to show that they are emphasizing quality in the platform" at Mix after the update problems, said Rob Sanfilippo, research vice president at Directions on Microsoft, an independent analyst firm in Kirkland. "Then the secondary thing will be what are the new features coming this year?"
At Mobile World Congress in February in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced several new features that will be coming to Windows Phone 7 this year: Twitter integration with the phone's address book, multi-tasking and Internet Explorer 9. He also showed an experimental project showing an Xbox Kinect game that a second player could stainless steel pipe control with a Windows Phone 7.
The company will likely give a progress report this week on when those features will be arriving and how developers can start building them into phone applications.
The Mix conference used to focus more narrowly on Web development, but it has grown to include Windows Phone 7 app development. The conference drew about 1,000 people in 2010. On Tuesday, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Dean Hachamovitch is scheduled to talk about progress with Microsoft's newly introduced Web browser, Internet Explorer 9.
Microsoft will hold workshops on designing websites in HTML5, cloud computing on Windows Azure, development of its video and animation software Silverlight and mobile software.
Microsoft said it now has 11,500 apps available for Windows Phone 7. The company also dropped hints in a blog post that its competitors double count apps published in different languages and "lite" apps such as wallpaper. Apple boasts 350,000 apps on iTunes. Google says the Android marketplace has more than 150,000 free and paid apps.
Phone sales have not added up to a blockbuster, but bridge rectifier observers say progress has been decent for a new entrant. Microsoft said at the end of January that phone manufacturers bought 2 million software licenses for Windows Phone 7. Microsoft has not given numbers on how many customers have bought phones with the software installed on it.
Google said its Android platform is growing by 300,000 phones a day, and analysts expect Android to become the dominant smartphone platform this year.
Microsoft had 5 percent of the mobile-smartphone market share in 2010, according to research firm IDC in Framingham, Mass., and is expected to grow to 5.5 percent in 2011.
Symbian, Nokia's operating system, had the largest share with 37 percent in 2010 but it's expected to fall to 21 percent this year. Android, which had 23 percent share in 2010, is expected to grow to 40 percent. Research In Motion's Blackberry, which had 16 percent in 2010, is projected to fall slightly to 15 percent. Apple iPhone's iOS, with 16 percent share in 2010, is expected to stay level in 2011.
Research firm Gartner in Stamford, Conn., Coach Bags released similar projections for Microsoft and Android growth on Thursday, but predicted iPhone would grow by a few percentage points.
Will Stofega, IDC analyst, said what could change everything is the Microsoft-Nokia partnership announced in February, an arrangement that has yet to be completed and which hasn't produced phones people can buy. While Nokia's smartphones are not as popular in the U.S., the Finnish phone maker has immense market share in the rest of the world.
"What everybody is waiting for is still the big bang," Stofega said. He thinks Microsoft could move into second place behind Android in 2015 if the partnership comes out the way the companies say it will.
Neither company has said when Nokia would begin selling Windows Phone 7 units. Stofega says he expects large numbers of those sales to start in the first half of 2012.
"We'll have a better understanding of what's happening toward the end of the year," he said. "It's going to take them quite some time to sort out what they need to sort out, get everyone on the same page and optimize the veterinary syringes design, but we know they're really, really racing to sort of put together the complete package."
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Registered Facebook, sharing energy-saving code
Facebook Inc. on Thursday launched an open-source hardware project to electronic ballast share what the company has learned about designing energy-reducing, cost-efficient computer servers and data centers with the entire technology industry.
"We think coal is actually a small issue in the grand scheme of energy efficiency," said Jonathan Heiliger, Facebook's vice president of technical operations. "Instead of worrying about what energy source you may choose and the impact of that source on the environment, the best way of improving CO{-2} (emissions) and improving the environment is to cut energy consumption."
"We're not doing this in a dark closet somewhere, but we're sharing it with the world, we're sharing it with our peers," Heiliger said.
Although the environmental activist group Greenpeace International still criticized the social media giant for relying on coal-generated electricity, Facebook officials said their Open Compute Project stainless steel pipe has already delivered a 38 percent increase in energy efficiency for 24 percent less cost.
Data center energy costs are a major concern for Internet companies like Facebook , which has an estimated 600 million members worldwide. Facebook said that if one-quarter of U.S. data centers used Open Compute specifications, the energy saved could power more than 160,000 homes.
The company's $188 million, 147,000-square-foot Prineville center saved money by using less material, including paint, logos and stickers, and engineers examined details such as how to reduce power loss inside servers.
Facebook believes publishing technical specifications for the company-designed equipment used in its new Prineville, Ore., bridge rectifier data center will inspire faster development of even more efficient servers, power supplies, server racks and buildings.
The equipment was co-developed with other tech heavyweights, including Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Dell Inc., Intel Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Dell has already built servers based on the Open Compute specifications.
But Greenpeace has long criticized Facebook and the plant's utility provider, Pacific Power, which supplies some of the electricity from coal-burning plants.
Greenpeace climate campaigner Casey Harrell praised Facebook for its efforts, but said "efficiency is simply not enough."
The Palo Alto firm compared the project to the open-source software movement, which allows widespread collaboration on computer programs instead of relying on individual, proprietary development.
"As the global warming footprint of the IT industry, and Facebook specifically, continues to grow significantly, a focus on energy efficiency alone will only slow the speeding train of unsustainable emissions growth," Harrell said in a statement. "If Facebook wants to be a truly green company, it needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Coach Bags the way to do that is decouple its growth from its emissions footprint by using clean, renewable energy to power its business instead of dirty coal and dangerous nuclear power."
"We think coal is actually a small issue in the grand scheme of energy efficiency," said Jonathan Heiliger, Facebook's vice president of technical operations. "Instead of worrying about what energy source you may choose and the impact of that source on the environment, the best way of improving CO{-2} (emissions) and improving the environment is to cut energy consumption."
"We're not doing this in a dark closet somewhere, but we're sharing it with the world, we're sharing it with our peers," Heiliger said.
Although the environmental activist group Greenpeace International still criticized the social media giant for relying on coal-generated electricity, Facebook officials said their Open Compute Project stainless steel pipe has already delivered a 38 percent increase in energy efficiency for 24 percent less cost.
Data center energy costs are a major concern for Internet companies like Facebook , which has an estimated 600 million members worldwide. Facebook said that if one-quarter of U.S. data centers used Open Compute specifications, the energy saved could power more than 160,000 homes.
The company's $188 million, 147,000-square-foot Prineville center saved money by using less material, including paint, logos and stickers, and engineers examined details such as how to reduce power loss inside servers.
Facebook believes publishing technical specifications for the company-designed equipment used in its new Prineville, Ore., bridge rectifier data center will inspire faster development of even more efficient servers, power supplies, server racks and buildings.
The equipment was co-developed with other tech heavyweights, including Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Dell Inc., Intel Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Dell has already built servers based on the Open Compute specifications.
But Greenpeace has long criticized Facebook and the plant's utility provider, Pacific Power, which supplies some of the electricity from coal-burning plants.
Greenpeace climate campaigner Casey Harrell praised Facebook for its efforts, but said "efficiency is simply not enough."
The Palo Alto firm compared the project to the open-source software movement, which allows widespread collaboration on computer programs instead of relying on individual, proprietary development.
"As the global warming footprint of the IT industry, and Facebook specifically, continues to grow significantly, a focus on energy efficiency alone will only slow the speeding train of unsustainable emissions growth," Harrell said in a statement. "If Facebook wants to be a truly green company, it needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Coach Bags the way to do that is decouple its growth from its emissions footprint by using clean, renewable energy to power its business instead of dirty coal and dangerous nuclear power."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)