FILE - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie comforts Kerri Berean, 33, a Chapman Street resident, in this Nov. 3, 2012 file photo taken in Little Ferry, N.J. Christie was in many ways the face of the storm, whether he was embracing President Barack Obama during a visit to the battered coast or consoling a tearful 9-year-old girl who had lost her house and told the governor she was scared. A year later though, some of his admirers have become detractors. (AP Photo/The Star-Ledger, David Gard, POOL)
FILE - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie comforts Kerri Berean, 33, a Chapman Street resident, in this Nov. 3, 2012 file photo taken in Little Ferry, N.J. Christie was in many ways the face of the storm, whether he was embracing President Barack Obama during a visit to the battered coast or consoling a tearful 9-year-old girl who had lost her house and told the governor she was scared. A year later though, some of his admirers have become detractors. (AP Photo/The Star-Ledger, David Gard, POOL)
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie says he understands victims' frustrations a year after Superstorm Sandy but maintains that his administration isn't to blame for delays in aid reaching victims.
In an interview with The Associated Press as the anniversary of the Oct. 29 megastorm approached, Christie blamed Congress, which took three months to approve a $50.7 billion relief package for the region, and a thicket of red tape put in place to prevent the type of fraud that occurred after Hurricane Katrina.
"We've done everything we possibly can, and I think in the immediate aftermath did a very good job," Christie told the AP. "Since then, we've kind of been hostage to two situations, the delay in the aid itself and then what I call the 'Katrina factor,' which is the much more detailed and difficult rules surrounding the distribution of the aid."
Christie, widely believed to be positioning himself for a 2016 Republican presidential run, saw his popularity skyrocket after Sandy as he donned a blue fleece pullover and doggedly led the state through its worst natural disaster, a freakish storm that plunged 5.5 million state residents into darkness, damaged 360,000 homes and businesses, and disrupted gasoline supplies for days.
Christie was in many ways the face of the storm, whether he was embracing President Barack Obama during a visit to the battered coast or consoling a tearful 9-year-old girl who had lost her house and told the governor she was scared.
Lately, though, some of his admirers have become detractors.
Frustrations boiled over at a hearing last week on the pace of the recovery in Toms River, one of the hardest-hit communities. Storm victims there complained of insurance companies trying to lowball them on payouts, and stringent aid rules delaying them from rebuilding.
"These programs are intended to help; they're not. They're just putting more obstacles on you," said Vincent Giglio, a doctor from the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, which was devastated by the storm and remains sparsely populated a year later. He said getting insurance payouts and government aid has been daunting.
"When I needed my government — the people I voted for — they failed me," said Danielle Vaz, of Toms River, who brought her 4-year-old autistic son along to show how months of being displaced has severely affected them both.
Christie refused to send an administration representative to any of four post-Sandy hearings because, he said, the sessions were led by Democrats out to score political points. He did assign staff to monitor the hearings and follow-up with anyone who complained.
"I get the that fact that until any one particular person you speak to is back in their homes and their lives are back to normal, they are going to be incredibly frustrated and upset and, in some cases, distraught," he said. "I think most people, if you talk to them, would say we've done a good job. Not a perfect job, but a good job."
Since the first $1.8 billion in federal recovery aid was approved, New Jersey has set up 17 separate programs for homeowners, renters, small businesses, local governments, nonprofits and developers. Counselors and administrative staff who were rude or unhelpful have been fired, he said.
The largest homeowner aid program, which provides as much as $150,000 for reconstruction, repairs, to elevate a house or protect against future flooding, has been criticized for not making any payouts from a $600 million allocation. One hundred grant applications totaling $7.8 million in assistance were signed last week, and the administration expects 200 more to be finished within days. About 4,000 homeowners are expected to benefit eventually.
Asked about the delay, Christie said cumbersome federal requirements are responsible.
After Katrina, homeowners proved their losses and got their money, he said. Under the new rules, checks go directly to builders, so the jobs are being awarded through public bidding, slowing the process. Also, environmental and historical reviews are required for post-Sandy rebuilding of homes and businesses. Those reviews weren't required after Katrina.
Though he said he understands the insistence on increased oversight, Christie, a former federal prosecutor, said he would have done some things differently. For example, he would have cut checks to homeowners instead of builders in the remediation program but required residents to keep living in their homes for a certain time as a condition of receiving the grant.
"To the victims, I'd say you're right, it is too slow, and I wish that the federal government would allow us the flexibility to get you aid more quickly," Christie said.
Robert Zemeckis is developing a new drama as as follow-up to his Oscar-nominated Flight.
Universal has optioned the 2010 documentary Marwencol, which tells the unique story of Mark Hogancamp and the way he coped with the severe memory loss he suffered after he was attacked and beaten by a group of teenagers. As part of the deal, Universal also picked up Hogancamp's life rights.
The project is coming to Universal with a script by Caroline Thompson, and Zemeckis is attached to direct.
The beating Hogancamp suffered at the hands of five teenagers was so severe that it left him in a coma that lasted nine days. When he emerged, he had no memory of his life, his friends or his family. As a form of therapy, he began building a one-sixth scale model of a World War II-era Belgian village in his backyard, replete with figures made in the image of him, his friends, and, shockingly to some, his attackers. While the process mends his mind to a certain extent, it also lets him escape into a fantasy world in which he creates various scenarios with the figurines.
The documentary, which ended up on many best-of lists, also showed how fragile Hogancamp's world was when the New York art scene became interested in his work and wanted to display it to the public.
The planned film aims to move between and blend fantasy and reality, something that Thompson has an affinity for, judging by her past credits. The scribe co-wrote Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas as well as an adaptation of the classic novel The Secret Garden. She last wrote the adaptation for City of Ember.
While no castings have been made, sources say Zemeckis is hoping to lure Leonardo DiCaprio for the lead.
ImageMovers will produce under their Universal-based banner. VP production Maradith Frenkel and creative executive Chloe Yellin will oversee the project. Jeff Malmberg, the director of the 2010 documentary, will executive produce.
Zemeckis is repped by Gang Tyre. Thompson is repped by ICM Partners and Hansen Jacobson.
NIH funds development of novel robots to assist people with disabilities, aid doctors
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
24-Oct-2013
[
| E-mail
]
Share
Contact: Margot Kern NIBIBPress@mail.nih.gov 301-496-3500 NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering
Robots enhance mobility for visually and physically impaired, improve treatment for atrial fibrillation
Three projects have been awarded funding by the National Institutes of Health to develop innovative robots that work cooperatively with people and adapt to changing environments to improve human capabilities and enhance medical procedures. Funding for these projects totals approximately $2.4 million over the next five years, subject to the availability of funds.
The awards mark the second year of NIH's participation in the National Robotics Initiative (NRI), a commitment among multiple federal agencies to support the development of a new generation of robots that work cooperatively with people, known as co-robots.
"These projects have the potential to transform common medical aids into sophisticated robotic devices that enhance mobility for individuals with visual and physical impairments in ways only dreamed of before," said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. "In addition, as we continue to rely on robots to carry out complex medical procedures, it will become increasingly important for these robots to be able to sense and react to changing and unpredictable environments within the body. By supporting projects that develop these capabilities, we hope to increase the accuracy and safety of current and future medical robots."
NIH is participating in the NRI with the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NIH has funded three projects to help develop co-robots that can assist researchers, patients, and clinicians.
A Co-Robotic Navigation Aid for the Visually Impaired: The goal is to develop a co-robotic cane for the visually impaired that has enhanced navigation capabilities and that can relay critical information about the environment to its user. Using computer vision, the proposed cane will be able to recognize indoor structures such as stairways and doors, as well as detect potential obstacles. Using an intuitive human-device interaction mechanism, the cane will then convey the appropriate travel direction to the user. In addition to increasing mobility for the visually impaired and thus quality of life, methods developed in the creation of this technology could lead to general improvements in the autonomy of small robots and portable robotics that have many applications in military surveillance, law enforcement, and search and rescue efforts. Cang Ye, Ph.D., University of Arkansas at Little Rock (co-funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Eye Institute)
MRI-Guided Co-Robotic Active Catheter: Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. By purposefully ablating (destroying) specific areas of the heart in a controlled fashion, the propagation of irregular heart activity can be prevented. This is generally achieved by threading a catheter with an electrode at its tip through a vein in the groin until it reaches the patient's heart. However, the constant movement of the heart as well as unpredictable changes in blood flow can make it difficult to maintain consistent contact with the heart during the ablation procedure, occasionally resulting in too large or too small of a lesion. The aim is to develop a co-robotic catheter that uses novel robotic planning strategies to compensate for physiological movements of the heart and blood and that can be used while a patient undergoes MRIan imaging method used to take pictures of soft tissues in the body such as the heart. By combining state-of-the art robotics with high-resolution, real-time imaging, the co-robotic catheter could significantly increase the accuracy and repeatability of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. M. Cenk Cavusoglu, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland (funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering)
Novel Platform for Rapid Exploration of Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton Control: Wearable robots, such as powered braces for the lower extremities, can improve mobility for individuals with impaired strength and coordination due to aging, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, or stroke. However, methods for determining the optimal design of an assistive device for use within a specific patient population are lacking. This project proposes to create an experimental platform for an assistive ankle robot to be used in patients recovering from stroke. The platform will allow investigators to systematically test various robotic control methods and to compare them based on measurable physiological outcomes. Results from these tests will provide evidence for making more effective, less expensive, and more manageable assistive technologies. Stephen G. Sawicki, Ph.D., North Carolina State University, Raleigh; Steven Collins, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (co-funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Science Foundation)
These projects are supported by the grants EB018117-01; EB018108-01; NR014756-01; from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the National Eye Institute (NEI), and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and by award #1355716 from the National Science Foundation.
For details about projects funded by NSF, please see the announcement, National Robotics Initiative invests $38 million in next-generation robotics.
A program announcement, soliciting for NRI applications for fiscal year 2014, has recently been published: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14500/nsf14500.htm. In 2014, the participating NIH institutes are interested in targeting this solicitation to support the development of assistive robotic technology to achieve functional independence in humans; improve quality of life; assist with behavioral therapy and personalized care; and promote wellness/health.
###
About the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB): NIBIB's mission is to support multidisciplinary research and research training at the crossroads of engineering and the biological and physical sciences. NIBIB supports emerging technology research and development within its internal laboratories and through grants, collaborations, and training. More information is available at the NIBIB website: http://www.nibib.nih.gov.
About the National Eye Institute (NEI): NEI leads the federal government's research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs that result in the development of sight-saving treatments. For more information, visit http://www.nei.nih.gov
About the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): NINR supports basic and clinical research that develops the knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, and enhance end-of-life and palliative care. For more information about NINR, visit the website at http://www.ninr.nih.gov
About the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): NINR supports basic and clinical research that develops the knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, and enhance end-of-life and palliative care. For more information about NINR, visit the website at http://www.ninr.nih.gov.
About the National Science Foundation (NSF): The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly. http://www.nsf.gov
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
[
| E-mail
Share
]
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
NIH funds development of novel robots to assist people with disabilities, aid doctors
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
24-Oct-2013
[
| E-mail
]
Share
Contact: Margot Kern NIBIBPress@mail.nih.gov 301-496-3500 NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering
Robots enhance mobility for visually and physically impaired, improve treatment for atrial fibrillation
Three projects have been awarded funding by the National Institutes of Health to develop innovative robots that work cooperatively with people and adapt to changing environments to improve human capabilities and enhance medical procedures. Funding for these projects totals approximately $2.4 million over the next five years, subject to the availability of funds.
The awards mark the second year of NIH's participation in the National Robotics Initiative (NRI), a commitment among multiple federal agencies to support the development of a new generation of robots that work cooperatively with people, known as co-robots.
"These projects have the potential to transform common medical aids into sophisticated robotic devices that enhance mobility for individuals with visual and physical impairments in ways only dreamed of before," said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. "In addition, as we continue to rely on robots to carry out complex medical procedures, it will become increasingly important for these robots to be able to sense and react to changing and unpredictable environments within the body. By supporting projects that develop these capabilities, we hope to increase the accuracy and safety of current and future medical robots."
NIH is participating in the NRI with the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NIH has funded three projects to help develop co-robots that can assist researchers, patients, and clinicians.
A Co-Robotic Navigation Aid for the Visually Impaired: The goal is to develop a co-robotic cane for the visually impaired that has enhanced navigation capabilities and that can relay critical information about the environment to its user. Using computer vision, the proposed cane will be able to recognize indoor structures such as stairways and doors, as well as detect potential obstacles. Using an intuitive human-device interaction mechanism, the cane will then convey the appropriate travel direction to the user. In addition to increasing mobility for the visually impaired and thus quality of life, methods developed in the creation of this technology could lead to general improvements in the autonomy of small robots and portable robotics that have many applications in military surveillance, law enforcement, and search and rescue efforts. Cang Ye, Ph.D., University of Arkansas at Little Rock (co-funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Eye Institute)
MRI-Guided Co-Robotic Active Catheter: Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. By purposefully ablating (destroying) specific areas of the heart in a controlled fashion, the propagation of irregular heart activity can be prevented. This is generally achieved by threading a catheter with an electrode at its tip through a vein in the groin until it reaches the patient's heart. However, the constant movement of the heart as well as unpredictable changes in blood flow can make it difficult to maintain consistent contact with the heart during the ablation procedure, occasionally resulting in too large or too small of a lesion. The aim is to develop a co-robotic catheter that uses novel robotic planning strategies to compensate for physiological movements of the heart and blood and that can be used while a patient undergoes MRIan imaging method used to take pictures of soft tissues in the body such as the heart. By combining state-of-the art robotics with high-resolution, real-time imaging, the co-robotic catheter could significantly increase the accuracy and repeatability of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. M. Cenk Cavusoglu, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland (funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering)
Novel Platform for Rapid Exploration of Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton Control: Wearable robots, such as powered braces for the lower extremities, can improve mobility for individuals with impaired strength and coordination due to aging, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, or stroke. However, methods for determining the optimal design of an assistive device for use within a specific patient population are lacking. This project proposes to create an experimental platform for an assistive ankle robot to be used in patients recovering from stroke. The platform will allow investigators to systematically test various robotic control methods and to compare them based on measurable physiological outcomes. Results from these tests will provide evidence for making more effective, less expensive, and more manageable assistive technologies. Stephen G. Sawicki, Ph.D., North Carolina State University, Raleigh; Steven Collins, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (co-funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Science Foundation)
These projects are supported by the grants EB018117-01; EB018108-01; NR014756-01; from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the National Eye Institute (NEI), and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and by award #1355716 from the National Science Foundation.
For details about projects funded by NSF, please see the announcement, National Robotics Initiative invests $38 million in next-generation robotics.
A program announcement, soliciting for NRI applications for fiscal year 2014, has recently been published: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14500/nsf14500.htm. In 2014, the participating NIH institutes are interested in targeting this solicitation to support the development of assistive robotic technology to achieve functional independence in humans; improve quality of life; assist with behavioral therapy and personalized care; and promote wellness/health.
###
About the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB): NIBIB's mission is to support multidisciplinary research and research training at the crossroads of engineering and the biological and physical sciences. NIBIB supports emerging technology research and development within its internal laboratories and through grants, collaborations, and training. More information is available at the NIBIB website: http://www.nibib.nih.gov.
About the National Eye Institute (NEI): NEI leads the federal government's research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs that result in the development of sight-saving treatments. For more information, visit http://www.nei.nih.gov
About the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): NINR supports basic and clinical research that develops the knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, and enhance end-of-life and palliative care. For more information about NINR, visit the website at http://www.ninr.nih.gov
About the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): NINR supports basic and clinical research that develops the knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, and enhance end-of-life and palliative care. For more information about NINR, visit the website at http://www.ninr.nih.gov.
About the National Science Foundation (NSF): The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly. http://www.nsf.gov
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
[
| E-mail
Share
]
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
MIAMI (AP) — A man on trial in the slaying of Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor admitted to breaking into the NFL player's home, kicking down the bedroom door and shooting Taylor, and drew a detailed diagram of the house, labeling himself as the shooter, according to a videotaped confession played for the jury Thursday.
Defendant Eric Rivera Jr. wasn't handcuffed but came willingly to talk to authorities in Fort Myers in November 2007, a Miami-Dade police detective testified. At first, the now 23-year-old told investigators he stayed home all weekend and maybe caught a movie with his girlfriend. As authorities pressed, he said he had a bad memory and that everything was foggy, said lead investigator Juan Segovia.
When authorities walked another defendant by the room where Rivera was being questioned, Rivera grew noticeably anxious, Segovia said. He refused to make eye contact and kept rubbing his hands together. One of the detectives gave a moving speech, saying Taylor was an American hero who was doing nothing wrong but was at home sleeping with his baby and girlfriend when he was killed, Segovia said.
That's when Rivera's eyes grew teary and he nodded that he had been involved. Rivera and four co-defendants heard Taylor liked to keep a lot of cash around the house, maybe as much as $200,000. They thought Taylor would be with the Redskins at a game at Tampa Bay the night they broke into his house — but instead he was home with a knee injury, the detective said Rivera told him.
The plan was to "go in and get the money and leave," Rivera said in a videotaped confession played for the jury.
Rivera admitted driving the black SUV, parking in front of Taylor's home, hopping a concrete wall and using a crowbar to break into a back patio door. As they searched the home for money, they heard a noise, got spooked and ran back to the car. When they re-entered, Rivera said he kicked in Taylor's bedroom door.
"He was like 2 feet away, got something in his hand and that's when I shot," he said.
Rivera told detectives he didn't think anyone would be home and didn't realize Taylor was the one he'd shot. In the video, Rivera, who has long hair and is seated next to an American flag, shows little emotion and often gives one-word answers.
Jackie Garcia, Taylor's girlfriend, who was also inside the bedroom, became noticeably upset as the detective recounted details of the slaying and rested her head on her knees in court. She sat near several members of Taylor's family, including his father, Florida City Police Chief Pedro Taylor, in the packed Miami-Dade County courtroom.
Taylor was shot in the upper thigh, which severed his femoral artery. The former University of Miami star had a machete in his hand, and Garcia and their infant daughter were also in the bedroom, though they were not hurt. Taylor died the next day from massive blood loss. The 24-year-old was a Pro Bowl safety for the Redskins who had previously been a popular, locally grown star at the University of Miami.
"He knew he hit him in the area of the leg. He said the victim fell very rapidly and very hard," Segovia said.
After the shooting, Rivera said he shot through a glass door so he could escape quickly. The group jumped back into the SUV and as they drove across an interstate known as Alligator Alley, they wiped off the gun, stuffed it into a sock and threw it into the Everglades, according to the confession. Rivera said he burned his clothes on the way home.
The validity of a detailed, videotaped confession is the central question for jurors to decide in the first-degree murder trial.
The video shows Rivera waiving his rights to an attorney and to remain silent. The detective also said Rivera turned down an offer to call his parents several times.
Rivera drew diagrams of the rooms and where everyone was at the time, labeling himself as a stick figure that shot Taylor, the detective said. He also said he was wearing the Nike Shox when he kicked in the door and seemed amused when investigators showed him a footprint lifted from the door, Segovia testified.
Rivera's attorney, Janese Caruthers, countered that Rivera was coerced into the confession by a team of investigators who had little evidence and was looking for someone to take the fall in a high-pressure case. The defense also noted detectives didn't have any fingerprints, DNA or gunshot residue linking Rivera to the crime.
Rivera was brought in after being pulled over during a traffic stop. After the teen confessed, police called his father who came to the station.
But Segovia said Rivera "was very open, very relaxed. ... He was eager to talk to us" and was given an hourlong pizza and soda break.
Because Rivera was 17 at the time of the crime, his maximum possible sentence if convicted is life in prison rather than the death penalty.
__
Follow Kelli Kennedy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kkennedyAP
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is under fire for possible mishandling of the healthcare.gov website.
Photo by Jim Bourg/Reuters
Washington think tanks your moment has arrived! Healthcare.gov is a mess and someone must chronicle exactly what went wrong. The press is trying, of course, but we also must cover the aftermath—the parade of predictable behavior that obscures more than it illuminates. Did you see the hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday? Despite the best efforts of Chairman Fred Upton, between the grandstanding, confused questions, and the witness fog machine, it's a wonder anyone got out alive. Meanwhile, Republicans are pointing fingers, placing blame, and otherwise showing disgust that a program that they have tried to kill is being run so badly. (Perhaps they're jealous that the administration is better at undermining Obamacare than they are.) Administration officials, on the other hand, are caught between covering their backsides, spouting plumes of happy talk, and hiring more people to collect the springs and sprockets from the launch pad where the whole thing went kaput. On Friday, officials in charge of the #techsurge said that healthcare.gov would be running smoothly by late November, two months after the launch.
Here's why a controlled witch hunt is needed: This episode is about much more than a website. That’s true with respect to health care, as Ezra Klein points out, and it’s also true because there are big national issues at stake that have nothing to do with the specific issues of sickness and health. Can government do big things? Sen. Lamar Alexander famously said during the health care debates, "We don't do comprehensive well"—meaning that any law that is big and complicated will fail. Is that right?
Alternatively, has partisanship and gridlock created a situation where small flaws in a law can't be fixed through tweaking legislation because such legislation can never pass? Is there something about complex technology that confuses the bureaucracy? Is the procurement system nuts? Does the political nature of all administration activity mean that no one is capable of reporting that the launch of a key element of the president's signature legislation is going to throw a rod? Some of the states seem to be doing just fine. Is that because they are smaller enterprises or because the people working on state health exchanges have more flexibility?
What's needed is expertise, patience, and methodical reasoning. These have long since banned from congressional hearings.
These are sloppy questions; experts can come up with better ones. But whatever questions are asked should be broad and sloppy, because right now everyone is scheduled to leave this drama with the answer they want. The experience will confirm their pre-existing views. That's no good as a matter of logic, but it's also a waste of rich material. This crack-up is a genuine disaster—it is expensive, it is worrying people who need and want insurance, and it is a huge waste of time. But it also provides rich material for a case study about the effectiveness of government.
Precision in this hunt is the key. Usually in investigations you need subpoena power. That doesn't seem to be an issue. (Though I'd still put a hand on the shredders at Health and Human Services and the White House just to see if they're warm.) In this case, what's needed is some expertise, patience, and methodical reasoning. These attributes have long since banned from congressional hearings. There are nevertheless people in Washington think tanks who will be excited to think through these matters.
A precise example of the kind of thinking that's required is in David Auerbach's wonderful deconstruction of yesterday's hearing. Talking about the watery responses from the witnesses, Auerbach writes, "They don’t seem to understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable bugs, and worse, they don’t seem to know that there is a difference." The point is that there's a distinction between garden-variety problems and catastrophic problems that you could either have seen coming or for which you should have been on guard because they’re so damaging. So, using that same fine screen: What problems here are the normal ones you'd have in any big enterprise, what are the problems that are the result of unique one-time-only stupidity, and what are the problems that result from this being a government rather than private enterprise?
This project should be one everyone loves. Only the most devout libertarian doesn't want the government to do anything. Those who want a smaller government should still want it to operate efficiently. Liberals, and people like the president, who believe in smart government, should be pushing hard for answers. If they're not interested in a thorough deconstruction of what went wrong for policy reasons, they should care for political ones. Healthcare.gov is now a very good excuse for anyone who wants to oppose an activist federal government. All a lawmaker has to say is that they don't want the same government that ran healthcare.gov in charge of X, where X is anything you want to see stopped in its tracks.
Right now, no one in this drama is trying to learn from the mistake. That's understandable, but it also guarantees that the mistake will be repeated.
He's never been one to reveal anything about his past, but in a rare interview Sean Diddy Combs shared details about an important figure in his list.
The 43-year-old rapper took to his Twitter account on Wednesday (October 23) and posted his latest Revolt TV segment.
"I've never spoken openly about my father ..but launching @Revolttv moved me to share and let ppl kno the truth #free," Diddy tweeted.
During the interview entitled "Confessions," Diddy sat down in his apartment and explained why he misses his father.
"They say you can't miss something you never had, but that's only a little right," Diddy stated. "There's a definitely been times as I've gotten older that I've missed my father - his presence - not being there... There's thing that you would ask your father. There's also things that you would celebrate with him that would make him proud."
Also discussing the influence his drug dealing father had on him, the "Bad Boy for Life" singer said, "I have his hustler's mentality, his hustler's spirit, his drive, his determinations, his swag."
He continued, "My father was a hustler. He was a drug dealer and he was a hustler, so I learned early in life that there's only two ways out of that dead-end jail. It made me work even harder."
"Sometimes you can't just answer why things happen, but I definitely think the route that I went on - staying out of the streets and hitting the books and trying to be somebody - I think he played a role in that," he added.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A look at Game 3 of the World Series at Busch Stadium on Saturday night as the Boston Red Sox take on the St. Louis Cardinals:
___
WILD ENDING: Cardinals win 5-4 on crazy play — obstruction at third base in the bottom of the ninth inning.
St. Louis takes 2-1 lead in best-of-seven Series. Game 4 is Sunday night at Busch Stadium.
___
TIED AGAIN: Twists and turns, back and forth in this one.
The Red Sox came right back and scored twice in the eighth inning to tie it again, 4-all. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single and Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch for the sixth time this postseason. Both runners moved up on Dustin Pedroia's groundout, and David Ortiz was intentionally walked.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny went to hard-throwing closer Trevor Rosenthal with the bases loaded, hoping for a five-out save from a rookie who has looked almost untouchable this October. But the Red Sox pushed two runs across.
Daniel Nava drove in one with a short-hop grounder that was smothered by second baseman Kolten Wong, who had just entered on defense in a double-switch. Nice play by the rarely used rookie.
Wong went to second for the forceout, but Nava beat the relay and Ellsbury scored to make it 4-3. Xander Bogaerts tied it when he chopped a single up the middle.
Brandon Workman jammed Matt Holliday and retired the slugger on a routine fly with two on to end the bottom of the eighth. Still tied at 4, heading to the ninth.
___
BACK ON TOP: Holliday's two-run double puts the Cardinals back on top in the seventh inning, 4-2.
Tough inning for Red Sox reliever Craig Breslow. Matt Carpenter reached safely when he checked his swing on an infield single to shortstop. Carlos Beltran was grazed on the elbow pad by a pitch — making no effort to get out of the way.
Beltran, in fact, almost appeared to stick his elbow out just a tiny bit to make sure the ball made contact.
Junichi Tazawa came on and Holliday pulled a grounder past new third baseman Will Middlebrooks. The ball kicked into the left-field corner and Holliday went all the way to third on the throw to the plate.
Tazawa then got a couple of strikeouts and prevented further damage.
It was Middlebrooks' first inning in the field. He entered as a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh and took over at third base in the bottom half.
That shifted Bogaerts to shortstop — and neither one was able to make the difficult defensive play Boston needed in that inning.
With four RBIs and three extra-base hits, Holliday is having a big Series so far.
___
ALL TIED UP: Daniel Nava's run-scoring single on the first pitch from Cardinals reliever Seth Maness ties the score at 2 in the sixth inning.
Both starting pitchers take a no-decision. Joe Kelly issued a leadoff walk to Shane Victorino and was lifted after Dustin Pedroia lined out to third.
Lefty specialist Randy Choate tried to sneak a two-strike fastball by red-hot David Ortiz, but Big Papi sniffed it out and singled through the hole on the right side to send Victorino to third.
That brought on Maness, who gave up Nava's sharp single to left.
Maness then got rookie Xander Bogaerts to ground into an inning-ending double play.
That is Maness' specialty. He induced 16 double-play grounders during the season, the most among NL relievers.
Tied at 2 heading into the seventh. Rookie lefty Kevin Siegrist on for the Cardinals.
___
ONE-RUN GAME: A leadoff triple by Bogaerts helps Boston trim the deficit to 2-1 in the fifth inning.
Right fielder Carlos Beltran, playing with those bruised ribs, couldn't cut off the ball in the gap. Beltran was unable to bend over enough to glove the ball — or perhaps he had an idea how much it would hurt and shied away.
Stephen Drew followed with a strikeout, but Bogaerts scored when pinch-hitter Mike Carp bounced a chopper to second base. St. Louis got the force at second, but Carp easily beat the relay to first as Bogaerts scored.
Joe Kelly struck out Jacoby Ellsbury to end the inning.
With all the talk about the Boston beards, nobody ever seems to mention Carp's bright red number. Yes, he's a bench player — but it's an epic effort.
Long, straight, stiff as a board. Definitely has an Amish look to it. Or maybe more Scandinavian. Tough to choose.
Carp batted for pitcher Jake Peavy, so left-hander Felix Doubront is on in the bottom of the fifth.
Doubront retires David Freese with two on to end the inning. Cardinals lead 2-1.
___
ESCAPE: Peavy pitches out of major trouble in the fourth inning. Bases loaded, nobody out — Cardinals don't score.
Conservative move by third base coach Jose Oquendo to hold Yadier Molina at third on Jon Jay's single to center. Looked as though it would have been tough to throw out Molina at the plate. And with light-hitting Pete Kozma and pitcher Joe Kelly up next, probably a good time to take that chance.
Molina, however, wasn't running very well as he got to third, and Oquendo threw up a late stop sign.
Kozma was called out on strikes before Kelly and Matt Carpenter popped up.
Good move by Cardinals manager Mike Matheny to let Jay swing the bat instead of bunt with runners at first and second and none out. Again, with the bottom of the lineup to follow, good time to be aggressive.
Matheny certainly was. Oquendo was not.
___
SETTLING IN: Peavy looked much sharper in the second and third than he did in the first inning. Maybe he's settling down a bit and finding his rhythm.
Peavy is a fiery guy on the mound, often yelling at himself in the middle of a game. Controlling his emotions can be an issue for him. Perhaps Peavy was a little over-amped in the first inning.
Cardinals still lead 2-0 after Joe Kelly strikes out Daniel Nava on a full-count pitch with two on to end the top of the fourth.
Jacoby Ellsbury's leadoff grounder in the fourth got past a diving Matt Carpenter at second base for Boston's first hit.
___
SLOPPY PLAY: Ellsbury and the Red Sox catch a break on some bad baserunning by Matt Holliday in the third.
Playing deep against Holliday, Ellsbury ran in a long way on a popup to shallow center and appeared to have some trouble with the wind. Ellsbury dropped the ball for an error, but second baseman Dustin Pedroia alertly fired to first to throw out Holliday, who rounded the bag too far and was slow trying to get back.
Probably should have reached second safely if he had busted it out of the box the whole way.
These teams tied for the best regular-season record in the majors, but there certainly has been some sloppy play so far in this Series.
___
EARLY LEAD: Run-scoring singles by Holliday and Yadier Molina give St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Cardinals are 7-0 when scoring first this postseason. That flame-throwing young bullpen has a lot to do with that. You don't want to be behind in the late innings against this team.
Peavy, coming off a poor start in the ALCS against Detroit, doesn't appear to have many answers so far tonight, either. Several hard-hit line drives so far, though the Cardinals do not have an extra-base hit yet.
Interesting play by Carlos Beltran after Matt Carpenter's leadoff single. When the count went to 3-1 and Boston third baseman Xander Bogaerts shifted further off the line, Beltran tried to bunt for a base hit. He was thrown out by Peavy and credited with a sacrifice.
Beltran's bruised ribs might have had something to do with that decision. Fox sideline reporter Ken Rosenthal had just noted that Beltran took another pain-killing injection before the game but said he was feeling better.
Rosenthal, however, said Beltran told him he feels more comfortable swinging right-handed than left-handed since banging into the outfield wall in Game 1. Beltran feels as though his bat is dragging from the left side, Rosenthal said.
___
HERE WE GO: Under way in Game 3 as the World Series shifts to Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Peavy was 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in two playoff starts this month, though he did pitch well for 5 2-3 innings against Tampa Bay in the division series. This will be the first career World Series start for the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner.
Joe Kelly gets the ball for the Cardinals. He was 0-1 with a 4.41 ERA in three playoff starts.
Wearing those distinctive goggles, Kelly looks fired-up. Pumping in a heater at 98 mph in the first inning, he struck out Jacoby Ellsbury looking and then grabbed a comebacker barehanded.
Carpenter helped Kelly with a spectacular, diving play in the second to rob Daniel Nava of a hit. Nava getting his first World Series start in left field instead of Jonny Gomes.
Fox notes that 16 of the past 18 World Series that were tied 1-all were won by the team that took Game 3.
___
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: With the move to the NL ballpark, there was no designated hitter allowed. Wanting to keep David Ortiz in the lineup after he homered in Games 1 and 2, Red Sox manager John Farrell put Big Papi at first base — where he played just 39 innings during the regular season.
Mike Napoli relegated to the bench for Boston, taking a big bat out of the lineup.
___
HELP, PLEASE: In the first two games of the Series, Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia combined for seven hits in 13 at-bats. The rest of the Red Sox were 5 for 51 for an .098 batting average.
___
EQUINE GUESTS: The Budweiser Clydesdales took a lap around the warning track before player introductions. Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. owned the Cardinals from 1953-96.
There also was a pregame video tribute to Hall of Famer Stan Musial, the Cardinals great who died in January.
Willie McGee, the former St. Louis outfielder and 1985 NL MVP, threw out the first ball.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tMspQ2LOz7IiPlQTuHtJtWpjECv6pzlFJqttSwx9UGHcoaz9-qmJdhe6LsYN57CRTllkuK0c-ASnhwXgxo3ISnp80iY_CDN7fne9xmKmE=s0-d){kind=small}
Share