GOP Blasts CNN, NBC for Clinton Programs 08-06

GOP Blasts CNN, NBC for Clinton Programs

By Neil King Jr.

Associated Press

This July 16, 2013 file photo shows former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressing the 51st Delta Sigma Theta National Convention in Washington. 

Updated with comment from CNN.

The national Republican Party is hopping mad over plans afoot at two major TV networks to lavish attention on former secretary of state—and presumed 2016 presidential candidate—Hillary Clinton.

In letters to CNN and NBC, the chairman of the Republican National Committee,Reince Priebus, threatened to bar both the networks from any 2016 presidential debates if they move ahead with plans to air special programs devoted to Ms. Clinton’s career.

NBC is in the early stages of casting a four-hour miniseries on the life of the former first lady starring Diane Lane, while CNN’s film division, CNN Film, is working on a feature-length documentary film about her.

NBC has said it plans to run the miniseries before the 2016 campaign gets underway. CNN plans to show the film in theaters next year. Campaign finance laws would complicate matters if the networks wait too long, as finance rules could require equal time for any Clinton presidential competitor.

In his letters to CNN president Jeff Zucker and NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt, Mr. Priebus said many Americans “are astounded at your actions, which appear to be a major network’s thinly-veiled attempt at putting a thumb on the scales of the 2016 presidential contest.”

Associated Press

This Jan. 5, 2013 file photo shows actress Diane Lane at the 2013 Palm Springs International Film Festival in Palm Springs, Calif. 

Mr. Priebus said the NBC miniseries would amount to “an extended commercial for Secretary Clinton’s nascent campaign” while the CNN film would amount to an “in-kind contribution.”

If the networks don’t pull the programming, Mr. Priebus said in the letters that he would push at next week’s RNC meeting for a binding vote putting on record that the committee won’t partner with either network in any 2016 primary debates.

In reality, candidates from either party have wide latitude to accept debate invitations as they please, and the two parties have limited leverage over the process, election lawyers say.

In the letter, Mr. Priebus acknowledges that the networks can do as they please. “You have every right to air programming of your choice,” he wrote.

The state parties, however, have greater leverage over the assignment of debate leading up to primaries in their states. South Carolina GOP Chairman Matt Moore jumped on board the RNC threat, saying in a statement Monday that the networks “have no business hosting presidential debates in South Carolina unless they stop production.”

South Carolina typically hosts the first primary in the South. The RNC said it expects to receive similar pledges of support from other early primary and caucus states, including Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida and Nevada.

Neither network responded immediately to requests for comment.

Update: A CNN spokesman said the Clinton documentary will premiere in theaters next year. In a statement, the network made clear it didn’t intend to back down.

“Instead of making premature decisions about a project that is in the very early stages of development and months from completion, we would encourage the members of the Republican National Committee to reserve judgment until they know more,” the CNN statement said. “Should they decide not to participate in debates on CNN, we would find it curious, as limiting their debate participation seems to be the ultimate disservice to voters.

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• CBS, 
• CNN, 
• Debates, 
• Diane Lane, 
• hillary clinton, 
• Reince Priebus, 
• RNC

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Searching for what's still made in the USA07-19

Searching for what's still made in the USA

By Emanuella Grinberg, CNN

CNN) -- Josh Miller never gave much thought to where his car, bed or toothpaste came from until an aluminum plant in his hometown of Ravenswood, West Virginia, shut down about four years ago.

The closure left 650 people without a job, including Miller's father-in-law, in a town of roughly 3,800, triggering a familiar pattern. The unemployment rate in Jackson County more than doubled, businesses shuttered and Ravenswood's quaint downtown became a ghost town.

Miller had been vaguely aware that American manufacturing jobs were going away, but now he knew what that could mean for an entire community. He wondered how an average American like him could change the tide. Raising awareness of what's still made in the United States seemed like a good start, he decided, and embarked on a mission to live entirely off American-made goods for 30 days.

It didn't take long for him to discover that it's impossible, especially while trying to maintain a typical middle-class existence that includes smartphones and clothing from ubiquitous big box stores. He made the challenge harder by hitting the road and traveling the country, interviewing entrepreneurs and small businesses to find out what it takes to do business in the United States.

He documented his efforts in the film, "Made in USA: The 30 Day Journey," which is being screened through independent viewings across the country.

Share your story: Transforming hobby to job

Miller spent nights sleeping on floors and rinsing off from a bucket of water because he couldn't find American beds, shower or sinks. But the lessons learned are as relevant as ever, especially as the country looks for ways to boost employment and bring American manufacturing into the 21st century, he said.

"Despite what you might hear, a lot of entrepreneurs and small businesses are making it work," he said. "Our fate as a country is tied to our economic prosperity and given what I've seen I believe there's still room for us in the manufacturing era."

The challenge has now become a way of life whenever he can help it, he said. Checking product labels for country of origin is now a part of his shopping routine, he said. He has also immersed himself in online communities that share information about where to find American brands, products and companies.

"Just because you can't live 100% off American-made goods doesn't mean you can't make a difference," he said. "We're in a global economy so it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. But if you change just a little bit of your lifestyle it can make a difference."

Made in USA: The short list

The people he met shared his view that a little bit of effort can go a long way for small businesses trying to make it. It's not just a matter of blind patriotism, but of supporting companies that model fair business and labor practices -- even if they don't manufacture in the United States.

"It's not always possible to live off exclusively American made goods because some products simply are not manufactured here and other items are not native to our country," said Sarah Mazzone, founder of made in usa challenge, which shares resources and information for buying American-made products.

"For many electronics, there is no currently available made in USA option. For these purchases, I suggest minimizing your footprint as a consumer by buying used," she said. "Other items like oils or certain foods may not naturally grow in our country. For those products, I recommend buying fair-trade certified."

Plenty of things are still made in the United States, even though the average American consumer doesn't get their hands on them on a daily basis, Gardner Carrick with The Manufacturing Institute said.

Most American manufacturing jobs focus on heavy machinery, like aircraft, cars and supply chain parts, along with chemicals and energy products. Still, rising costs of doing business overseas and relatively affordable energy are making reshoring more attractive to businesses, Carrick said. Manufacturing has made a "strong showing" in the last four years in terms of employment and output, with signs of continued growth, Carrick said.

In 2012, manufacturers contributed $1.87 trillion to the economy, about 11.9% of the GDP, up from $1.73 trillion in 2011, according to NAM. For every $1 spent in manufacturing, another $1.48 is added to the economy.

As far as consumer goods are concerned, the average American should have no trouble finding food, beverages, paper products or toiletries from the United States, which Miller learned early on. A trip to the grocery store nets a toothbrush, shaving cream and food, including protein bars and gummy worms. That was a source of relief for Miller, a "bacon and eggs kind of guy" who was worried about having to just eat fruits and vegetables for breakfast during his 30-day experiment.

The people he met on his journey underscored the fact that even products made in the United States are made of materials sourced from other countries.

A tailor in Charleston, West Virginia, carries suiting made from British wool, German lining and Japanese buttons stitched together with silk thread from China -- all sewn together by "immigrants in Chicago," Tony the tailor tells Miller.

Miller took his challenge to more than a dozen cities and towns on an estimated budget of $30,000, partially raised through an Indiegogo campaign, driving American rental cars and staying in Red Roof hotels whenever possible to stay true to his mission. Eventually, he reclaims his smartphone from his friend and showers more frequently. But he hopes the point has been made.

"Advanced manufacturing will be the next revolution in this country," Miller said. "It may not look the same as it did in late 30s and 40s, but it will return America to prosperity."

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Robot exoskeleton suits that could make us superhuman 05-24

Robot exoskeleton suits that could make us superhuman

By Matthew Ponsford, for CNN  Filed under: Innovations

Lockheed Martin's HULC exoskeleton is designed to allow soldiers to carry superhuman loads.

Lockheed Martin HULC

(CNN) -- If you've been dreaming of strapping on your own "Iron Man" armor, you might have to wait a while longer. But revolutionary "bionic exoskeletons," like the metal suit worn by comic book hero Tony Stark, might be closer than you think -- just don't expect to fly away in one.

Exoskeleton developers working in rehabilitation are leading the way, creating wearable robotic suits that allow people with lower-body paralysis to walk upright again.

Other developers are hoping to enhance users' existing strengths, with the DARPA Warrior Web project aiming to produce an undetectable under-suit exoskeleton for the U.S. Military.

Bionics expert Thomas Sugar says that medical and military exoskeletons are going to become a much more common sight -- and that exoskeletons for the average person are not fae behind 

 "In the next five years we're going to see more and more exoskeletons out there in practice," says Sugar, associate professor at the Department of Engineering, Arizona State University.

In addition to personal systems being pioneered in Japan that aim to "give aging people a spring back in their step," Sugar says devices for the active individual or "weekend hiker" are on the horizon: "If you live near where I do and want to go out and hike the Grand Canyon, exoskeleton devices 10-15 years from now could assist you to do that."

Interactive: Explore the bionic body

But there are hurdles that need to be overcome. Finding batteries powerful enough to fuel an exoskeleton's motorized joints remains a key stumbling block, explains Sugar. But he says that the real acid test for exoskeletons of the future is whether the device can interpret the user's intent effectively into action.

"If you look at some of the devices out there, they're actually quite hard to walk in," says Sugar. "You've got to make sure they really enhance people's abilities."

Here are some of the most advanced exoskeletons aiming to supercharge our lives in the near future.

Lockheed Martin HULC

Defense technology developer Lockheed Martin leads the efforts to develop a exoskeleton fit for the battlefield with its Human Universal Load carrir.

 The system aims to divert up to 200 lbs in weight through powered titanium legs while allowing the user to move freely.

Lockheed claims that a fully laden soldier will retain the ability to march at 3mph and even break into 10mph sprint "bursts" while wearing the battery-powered HULC.

The system is designed to reduce the stress on the leg and back muscles -- a common cause of injury among soldiers -- and comes with a Lift Assist Device attachment that allows a soldier to safely lift heavy loads with the strength of two or more men.

Read this: Are bionic superhumans on the horizon?

Cyberdyne HAL-5

HAL made news at the time of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011, when Japanese firm Cyberdyne ventured its robot suits as the disaster-fighting protection of the future.

While a radiation-resistant model is yet to see action, HAL-5 Type-B has become the first personal exoskeleton robot to receive a global safety certificate.

Cyberdyne says that so far, 330 of the full-body exoskeletons have been leased to hospitals across Japan, where they assist patients with muscle weakness or disabilities due to stroke and spinal cord injuries.

The company boasts that it is the world's first "cyborg-type robot" as the system interprets faint electrical signals in the skin around damaged muscles and moves the motorized joints in response.

Muscle Suit by Kobalab

Scientists from Tokyo University are gambling that they can beat the competition to launch a superstrong exoskeleton by shunning complex computer systems.

Kobayashi Labs' Muscle Suit replaces electronic actuator motors with a system of inflatable pneumatic "artificial muscles" to help nurses or care workers carry elderly or ill patients.

Volunteers have been invited to try on the suit, which currently allows users to support 50kg with ease, carrying it with fixed arms, like a walking forklift truck.

Argo ReWalk

Argo's ReWalk has already propelled former chiropractor Claire Lomas into the record books. Five years after a horseriding accident left Lomas paralyzed from the chest down, she became the first person to complete a marathon in a bionic exoskeleton at the London Marathon in May 2012, while using the ReWalk.

Already on the market for $65,000, the ReWalk enables people with spinal cord injuries to walk again and can now claim 220 trained users around the world.

Competitor Ekso Bionics has seen similar success -- claiming to have powered one million steps with its 50lb wearable robot -- and will launch a personal version in 2014.

Read: Exoskeleton allows paraplegics to walk

Nasa X-1

What if an exoskeleton inhibited a person's movement as well and helped it? It doesn't seem like such a useful idea on Earth -- but up in the resistance-free environment of space, Nasa astronauts could benefit from a little hindrance.

The 25kg X-1 has been designed to allow astronauts to exercise without the Earth's gravitational pull and could be critical for future missions into deep space, NASA says.

The device could improve the health of crew aboard the International Space Station -- and potentially during future long-duration missions to far away asteroids or Mars.

The legs have the added benefit of assisting movement, with four motorized joints, if used here on Earth -- but there are currently no details on when the legs might see a wider release.

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