by tyler | May 7, 2024 | CNN, us
Here’s a look at the life of Mark David Chapman, who was convicted of murdering musician John Lennon.
Birth date: May 10, 1955
Birth place: Fort Worth, Texas
Birth name: Mark David Chapman
Father: David Chapman, former sergeant, US Air Force
Mother: Diane Chapman, nurse
Marriage: Gloria (Abe) Chapman (June 1979-present)
Education: Attended DeKalb Junior College and Covenant College in Georgia
As documented in the press, Chapman is known for an obsessive devotion to “The Catcher in the Rye,” J.D. Salinger’s novel about teenage alienation.
Suffers from depression and was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic by Dr. Bernard Diamond, a psychiatrist for the defense.
Started using drugs and skipping school his freshman year in high school. This behavior ended when he turned 16 and became a born-again Christian, as documented in the book, “Let Me Take You Down: Inside the Mind of Mark David Chapman, the Man Who Killed John Lennon,” by Jack Jones.
1971-1975 – Works on and off as a YMCA counselor.
1977 – Purchases a one-way ticket and flies to Hawaii. Attempts suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. Once recovered, Chapman takes a job at the hospital where he received treatment.
1978 – Embarks on an around-the-world trip.
1979 – Marries Gloria Abe, the travel agent who helped plan his around-the-world trip. Chapman then quits his job at the hospital and takes a job as a security guard.
1980 – Reads a book on Lennon and becomes enraged that Lennon has so much money.
October 23, 1980 – Quits his job as a security guard, signing himself out as “John Lennon.”
October 27, 1980 – Purchases a .38 caliber revolver.
October 30, 1980 – Flies to New York. He is unable to purchase bullets, so he flies to Atlanta to acquire them, then goes back to New York. His wife convinces him to return home to Hawaii.
December 6, 1980 – Returns to New York.
December 8, 1980 – Spends the entire day outside the Dakota, the Central Park West apartment building in Manhattan where Lennon and his family live. Meets Lennon’s 5-year-old son, Sean, with his nanny and shakes hands with him. Encounters Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, as they are leaving their apartment. Lennon signs a copy of his recently released “Double Fantasy” album for Chapman. Chapman remains outside the Dakota until Lennon and Ono return home. Chapman shoots Lennon in the back four times with a .38 caliber revolver. Chapman makes no attempt to flee; he is disarmed by the doorman. When police arrive, Chapman is reading “The Catcher in the Rye,” by Salinger. Lennon is pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital.
December 9, 1980 – Chapman is arraigned on charges of second-degree murder. Following the arraignment, he is taken to Bellevue Hospital for psychiatric evaluation and placed under suicide watch.
June 22, 1981 – Chapman’s legal defense prepares to argue an insanity defense but Chapman pleads guilty saying that he received a message from God telling him to do so.
August 24, 1981 – Judge Dennis Edwards sentences Chapman to 20 years to life in prison and recommends Chapman undergo psychiatric treatment. Just prior to sentencing, Chapman reads a passage from “The Catcher in the Rye.”
2000-2022 – Denied parole 12 times.
by tyler | May 7, 2024 | CNN, health
A lot of heterosexual male clients are coming into my practice admitting they picked their partner without considering sexual attraction.
During couples therapy sessions with his partner in the room, the man will claim that he doesn’t know why he isn’t experiencing desire. Maybe it’s stress, low testosterone or feeling anxious.
But when I meet with him individually, he often tells a different story. He tells me he picked his partner without prioritizing sexual attraction.
Why would a person pick a potential life partner without feeling the spark of sexual attraction? And can these relationships survive and thrive? Can something like sexual attraction that wasn’t there in the first place be cultivated later?
I’ve talked with many men in their 30s who have told me, “When I found the woman I wanted to marry, she checked all the boxes. Except one.”
Characteristics on that list include “being my best friend,” “will make an amazing mother,” “our friends and families get along so well,” and “she really loves me.” The one box that didn’t get ticked? Sexual attraction — and often the men didn’t even list that quality to start.
I was stunned.
Sexuality is the one thing that really distinguishes a romantic relationship from a platonic one: I find that it’s one kind of “relationship glue” that helps couples stay together through hard times. That’s why I’m puzzled that so many people devalue sex in picking a partner for a long-term relationship.
“Research shows that, while physical attractiveness is usually among the most important traits people desire in a romantic partner, it doesn’t actually top the list for men or women,” said Dr. Justin Lehmiller, a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, a research center dedicated to sexuality. “Traits like intelligence, humor, honesty and kindness are often at least as important, if not more.”
Some men have internalized an “either/or” view of women: those who make great wives and mothers and those who are sexually adventurous, according to Chicago-based sex therapist Dr. Elizabeth Perri.
“I’ve observed this in male patients who are out in the dating world and feel the pressure to pick someone whom they perceive as ‘wife material’ but without sexual attraction, rather than waiting to find a partner who is a better fit both emotionally and sexually,” Perri told me.
Good sex can help protect against psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, helps couples achieve a deeper connection, and improves relationship satisfaction.
“If a relationship is a meal, the sexual portion ought to be considered an integral part of it, such as the protein, instead of a frivolous part like dessert,” says Eva Dillon, a sex therapist based in New York City.
“In my experience, it’s possible for women to cultivate desire for a partner with considerable effort, but if a man does not have desire for his partner at the beginning of a relationship, he will never desire her,” Dillon told me. Why count on sexual attraction coming later when you can prioritize it in a partner and enjoy the benefits from the beginning?”
Still, lower levels of sexual attraction aren’t always a problem for couples, said sexologist Dr. Yvonne Fulbright.
“For some people, a lack of sexual attraction can lead to infidelity or divorce. For others, a lack of sexual attraction only becomes a problem when one tunes into societal expectations around sex and desire,” said Fulbright, who is an adjunct professorial lecturer in the department of sociology at American University in Washington, DC.
“A lot of pressure is being put on couples to maintain active sex lives, and hot ones at that. People have the sense that there’s a type and quality of desire that needs to be achieved, with any disinterest in such considered a problem that needs to be solved.”
Some of my therapist colleagues caution against putting too much emphasis on the importance of immediate sexual attraction.
“We have this misconception that we must be physically attracted to someone when we first meet or there is no relationship potential. That’s just not true,” said sex therapist Dr. Rachel Needle. “Attraction can grow as you get to know someone and experience increased closeness and connection.”
What should you do if you and your partner are running out of sexual steam? Or if you want to turn up the heat on a relationship that didn’t have any to start with?
Fulbright cautioned against giving any sweeping advice. “Only partners can figure out the best way to manage this challenge in their relationship,” she said.
“Non-monogamy may work for some, but not others. Couples need to decide how honest to be with each other, how much this matter is a dealbreaker in staying together versus not, and how much weight should be given to this issue in light of other good things they have going for them,” she added via email.
Don’t feel that all is lost if you’re in a long-term relationship. For some couples, sexual desire can grow over time if they focus on it. “It often isn’t until our 30s that we get comfortable enough to ask for what we want in bed,” Dillon said.
But I refuse to agree with anyone who thinks that married couples will stop having sex anyway so why bother prioritizing sexual attraction.
“Many couples in their 50s can explore and expand their sexuality thanks to maturity and empty nests. For couples in their 60s, 70s and beyond who are able to expand their definition of sex beyond orgasm and co-create intimacy, sex can continue to be vibrant and rich,” Dillon added via email.
And keep in mind, your sexual health is a barometer of your overall health. So if you really are experiencing an inexplicable drop in sexual interest, consider talking to your medical provider. Maybe your testosterone levels really have fallen.
Whatever the source of your lack of sexual interest, just be up-front with your partner. Honesty, as it turns out, can be a turn-on (eventually).
by tyler | May 7, 2024 | CNN, cnn10
May 3, 2024
Today on CNN 10, millions of US households will be forced to pay more for internet access or lose their connectivity as the Affordable Connectivity Program runs out of money. Then, as universities grapple with how to address the pro-Palestinian protests, many students say they are inspired by the history of campus activism. They say they will not abandon their encampments until schools meet their demands. All that and more on this episode of CNN 10.
WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ
1: What was the system of racial segregation in South Africa called that lasted from the late 1940s to the early 1990s?
2: What is the major issue facing Japan’s Mount Fuji?
3: What is the tallest penguin species?
4: True or False: Cicadas pose a danger to humans and pets.
5: True or False: The number of bacteria in your mouth is higher than the number of people on Earth.
6: After 16 years of renovations, the upscale department store La Samaritaine reopened in Paris in 2021 and now includes what type of housing?
7: What is the name of the academic building on Columbia University’s campus that protesters broke into and took over?
8: Which war were US college and university students protesting in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
9: What is the fund of money called that colleges and universities raise largely through donations, invest in various companies, and use to help improve the school?
10: The Affordable Connectivity Program, which is set to run out of money by the end of May, helps low-income Americans pay for what service?
Click here to access the printable version of today’s CNN 10 transcript
CNN 10 serves a growing audience interested in compact on-demand news broadcasts ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. The show’s priority is to identify stories of international significance and then clearly describe why they’re making news, who is affected, and how the events fit into a complex, international society.
Thank you for using CNN 10
by tyler | May 7, 2024 | CNN, cnn10
May 10, 2024
paste blurbs here
WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ
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Click here to access the printable version of today’s CNN 10 transcript
CNN 10 serves a growing audience interested in compact on-demand news broadcasts ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. The show’s priority is to identify stories of international significance and then clearly describe why they’re making news, who is affected, and how the events fit into a complex, international society.
Thank you for using CNN 10
by tyler | Apr 23, 2024 | CNN, us
Here is a look at the life of former AIG Chief Executive Officer Hank Greenberg.
Birth date: May 4, 1925
Birth place: New York, New York
Birth name: Maurice Raymond Greenberg
Father: Jacob Greenberg
Mother: Ada (Rheingold) Greenberg
Marriage: Corinne (Zuckerman) Greenberg (1950-March 17, 2024, her death)
Children: Jeffrey, Evan, Scott and Cathleen
Education: University of Miami, B.A., 1948; New York Law School, LL.B., 1950
Military: US Army, Captain
Recipient of the Bronze Star for his service during the Korean War.
Awarded the Legion of Honor from France.
Chairman of the Board of The Starr Foundation.
Vice chairman of the National Committee on United States-China Relations.
Member of the board of the Council on Foreign Relations.
1952-1960 – Works for Continental Casualty Company.
1960 – Is hired as a vice president for the insurance-holding company C.V. Starr & Co., Inc.
1968 – C.V. Starr & Co., Inc. begins distributing some the firm’s subsidiaries in order to raise capital to establish American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Greenberg becomes the Chairman and CEO of AIG.
1988-1995 – Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
1994-1995 – Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
March 2005 – Greenberg resigns as CEO and chairman of the board of AIG.
May 2005 – New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer files a lawsuit in New York County Supreme Court against Greenberg on behalf of the state, charging him with engaging in fraud to exaggerate AIG’s finances.
2005-present – Chairman and CEO of C.V. Starr & Co., Inc. and Starr International Company, Inc.
September 16, 2008 – The Federal Reserve Bank of New York announces an emergency $85 billion loan to AIG to rescue the company, on the condition that the federal government own 79.9% stake in the company. Greenberg is AIG’s largest individual shareholder before the bailout, with 11% ownership in the company.
April 2009 – The loan expands to $184.6 billion. The government eventually owns a 92% stake in the company.
August 2009 – The Securities and Exchange Commission charges Greenberg for his involvement in the fraudulent accounting transactions that inflated AIG’s finances. Without conceding or denying the SEC charges, Greenberg agrees to pay $15 million in penalties, and AIG settles the charges by repaying $700 million plus a fine of $100 million.
November 21, 2011 – Greenberg and his Starr International Company sue the federal government for $25 billion, claiming the 2008 takeover was unconstitutional. Starr International also sues the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in federal district court in Manhattan.
November 2012 – Greenberg and Starr International’s lawsuit against the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is dismissed. The ruling is upheld in appeals court in January 2014.
January 2013 – Greenberg’s book, “The AIG Story,” is released.
May 2013 – Greenberg’s lawsuit against the federal government achieves class action status. Three hundred thousand stockholders, including AIG employees and retirees, would share the reward if they win the lawsuit.
June 25, 2013 – A New York appeals court rules that the 2005 fraud lawsuit, filed by Spitzer, against Greenberg, will not be dismissed.
July 2013 – Greenberg files a lawsuit against Spitzer in New York’s Putnam County Supreme Court, alleging defamation related to statements he made between 2004 and 2012.
June 25, 2014 – After granting a request by Spitzer to dismiss most of his statements, a judge rules that Greenberg’s defamation lawsuit against him will go to trial.
October 6, 2014 – Greenberg and Starr International’s class action lawsuit against the government officially begins in the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC. Closing arguments take place on April 22, 2015.
June 15, 2015 – Starr International wins its lawsuit against the federal government “due to the Government’s illegal exaction,” but the court awards no monetary damages.
February 10, 2017 – Greenberg and the New York attorney general’s office reach a settlement in the 2005 civil fraud lawsuit. Greenberg agrees to pay $9 million, and former AIG Chief Financial Officer Howard Smith agrees to pay $900,000.
September 13, 2017 – The Supreme Court of New York Appellate Division denies summary judgment for several of Greenberg’s defamation charges against Spitzer.
January 15, 2020 – St. John’s University’s presents Greenberg with a Lifetime Leadership Award at its Annual Insurance Leader of the Year Award Dinner. The school also announces that it has voted to rename its School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science in his honor. It is now the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science.
November 12, 2020 – A judge in New York’s Putnam County Supreme Court rules to dismiss Greenberg’s defamation case against Spitzer.
January 2023 – The Starr Foundation gifts Georgia State’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business $15 million. Georgia State University announces they will rename its Department of Risk Management & Insurance to the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Science in recognition of the donation.
by tyler | Apr 23, 2024 | CNN, world
Here’s a look at the life of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Birth date: May 6, 1953
Birth place: Edinburgh, Scotland
Birth name: Anthony Charles Lynton Blair
Father: Leo Charles Blair, lawyer
Mother: Hazel (Corscadden) Blair
Marriage: Cherie (Booth) Blair (1980-present)
Children: Leo, Kathryn, Nicholas and Euan
Education: St. John’s College, Oxford, B.A., 1975
Religion: Roman Catholic
Although born in Scotland, Blair spent most of his childhood in Durham, England.
His son, Leo, was the first baby born to a serving prime minister in 150 years.
In his youth, acted in plays and sang in a rock band.
Blair moved the Labour Party to a more centrist position by reducing influence of trade unions and dropping the Party’s goal of “collective ownership.”
The Labour Party’s first prime minister to serve two successive terms.
READ: The clear lesson of Iraq war
1976-1983 – After finishing his law studies at Oxford, practices as a barrister in London.
1982 – Loses an attempt to win a seat in parliament for the district of Beaconsfield.
1983 – Wins a seat in parliament for Sedgefield, near Durham.
1984-1988 – Front bench spokesman for Labour Party.
1988 – Is promoted to the shadow cabinet as shadow secretary of energy. The shadow party is the main opposition party that monitors and polices the official cabinet.
1992 – Is appointed shadow home secretary.
July 21, 1994 – Becomes the youngest leader of the Labour Party after previous leader John Smith dies of a heart attack.
May 1997 – Blair leads the Labour Party to win 419 seats in the House of Commons and its first electoral victory since 1979. Blair becomes prime minister, succeeding John Major.
June 7, 2001 – Reelected.
October 19, 2003 – Blair is hospitalized after suffering irregular heart rhythms.
May 5, 2005 – Reelected to a third term.
December 14, 2006 – Blair becomes the first serving prime minister questioned as part of a criminal inquiry; police speak with Blair regarding a “cash for honors” inquiry, in which political parties are accused of loans from donors in return for political appointments. Blair is questioned as a witness.
May 3, 2007 – Blair’s Labour party suffers losses in local elections in England as well as national elections in Scotland and Wales.
May 10, 2007 – Blair announces he will resign in June.
June 24, 2007 – Blair hands over leadership of the Labour Party to Gordon Brown during a conference of party members. Brown will become prime minister when Blair tenders his resignation to the Queen.
June 27, 2007 – Tenders his resignation to Queen Elizabeth. Hours later, Blair is appointed by the Quartet (the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations) as special envoy to the Middle East.
2008 – Establishes the Africa Governance Initiative.
March 7, 2008 – Yale University announces that Blair has been named the Howland Distinguished Fellow for the 2008-2009 school year. He will participate in seminars and on-campus activities throughout the year.
May 30, 2008 – Blair launches The Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Its goal is to encourage “inter-faith initiatives to tackle global poverty and to improve understanding of the great religions through education at every level.”
January 13, 2009 – Is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US President George W. Bush.
February 2009 – Opens an economic and political consulting firm called Tony Blair Associates.
January 29, 2010 – Blair is questioned by Britain’s Iraq Inquiry about decisions he made leading up to the US-led invasion of Iraq. Blair defends his decision to support the war.
September 1, 2010 – Publishes his memoir, “A Journey.”
January 21, 2011 – Blair testifies before the Iraq Inquiry for a second time to clear up inconsistencies in his previous testimony.
May 27, 2015 – Writes to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to say he will be stepping down from his Middle East envoy post.
October 25, 2015 – On CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, Blair says he’s sorry for “mistakes” made in the US-led invasion of Iraq, but he doesn’t regret bringing down dictator Saddam Hussein.
July 6, 2016 – The results of the UK’s inquiry into the invasion of Iraq are released. The report finds that the war was based on flawed intelligence and was launched before diplomatic options were exhausted. Chairman John Chilcot says Blair was warned of the risks of regional instability and the rise of terrorism before the invasion of Iraq, but pressed on regardless.
December 31, 2021 – It is announced that Blair is being appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
