USA TODAY

Crippled NY subways spark infrastructure, climate questions

2012-11-03T17:13:00.002-07:00

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

An estimated 5.5 million people ride New York's subway system each day
New York shut down all 468 subway stations for the second time ever for Superstorm Sandy
If it were laid out in a single line, the tracks would extend from Manhattan to Detroit, Michigan
Scientists cite rising sea levels and climate change as contributors to dangerous flooding

New York (CNN) -- New Yorkers are not especially known for their patience. Stand on a subway escalator's left side -- otherwise known as the passing lane -- and it might evoke a sharp reprimand from fellow riders.

But in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, millions across the New York metropolitan region who depend on the nation's busiest transit system are still waiting for their subway system to be fully restored.

"There is no precedent for this," said Clifton Hood, author of "722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York."

Dubbed New York's "life-blood," an estimated 5.5 million people ride the city's subway system each day in the country's most densely populated region.

Most New York City residents don't have cars to fall back on. Less than half own cars, according to the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which cites the latest census data on car ownership. That's a stark contrast with the rest of the nation, where 92% of all households own at least one car.

So when Gotham launched into emergency mode this week ahead of Sandy, shutting down all of its 468 stations for the second time ever, the effect was crippling on commuters and the places they work.

At a corner Midtown market, where the Manhattan bustle continued in spite of Sandy, Edward Greenwald, 49, struggled to fill scheduling gaps left by stranded employees despite his own commute from storm-battered New Jersey.

"I've got employees coming in from all across the Tri-State area," he said. "It's been really hard for them to get in, almost impossible. I've been coming in at 6 a.m. everyday and leaving at 10 p.m. just to help out."

Dating back to 1904, New York's century-old subway system is so extensive that if it were laid out in a single line, the tracks would extend from Manhattan to Detroit.

Defending it and the city's power grid from storms that whip along New York's low-lying neighborhoods could be a concern that gains momentum beyond the week's recovery effort.

"We going to have to find some long-term, or longer-term solutions to this," Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters this week.

Could giant plugs prevent subway floods?

And yet there were some indications that this kind of crisis was coming. Just 14 months ago, Hurricane Irene prompted New York's first-ever total subway closure.

"Rising sea level and climate change are likely to cause dangerous flooding in the coming decades," according to a 2004 report produced by the Marine Sciences Research Center for New York's Department of Environmental Protection.

That report said much of the region is less than three meters above sea level -- which is slowly rising -- and therefore at risk from a so-called "100-year flood," a term often used to describe its relative probability.

New York "has a 100-year flood every two years now," Gov. Andrew Cuomo quipped this week to President Barack Obama, who briefly cut off campaign stops to tour the region and assess the billions of dollars in damages along New York and New Jersey's coastal plains.

"Our climate is changing," the mayor wrote in an editorial this week. "And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be -- given this week's devastation -- should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action."

Broader questions about climate change, infrastructure and how cities like New York will respond to storms like Sandy will likely continue to loom large.

"New York might have to take the Netherlands model, where they have all their power systems elevated," said Kenneth Button, a professor of public policy at George Mason University.

Opinion: New York has what it takes to rebound

"This is really not just a New York problem, it's a problem that exists in many places."

The Dutch flood protection model employs large-scale flood gates, as well as a series of low-lying drainage canals and pumping stations.

In Japan, engineers have devised a $3 billion system called a "Water Discharge Tunnel" that essentially works as a floodwater diversion facility to protect Tokyo's 13 million residents during rain and typhoon season.

Still, making New York's subways watertight would be an "engineering feat equal to the scale and creativity of the original construction (of the system itself)," said Lucius Riccio, New York City's former Transportation Commissioner and lecturer at Columbia University.

"Our engineers are up to it, if given the resources and the free hand."

In the days ahead, New York faces at least two big challenges, according to Ben Orlove, senior climate scientist at Columbia University.

First, the city must cope with its immediate problems -- power outages, stranded residents, suspended subway lines, flooding and fire damage. Then it needs to deal with long-term infrastructure.

"We need to be innovative," said Orlove. "And we should consider things like putting up flood gates at the mouth of the Hudson (River) and other vulnerable points that could help hold back the tide."

An army of municipal workers and private contractors is addressing the more immediate concerns, working around the clock in New York to pump out sea water and wipe down salt-caked machinery like underground transformers, circuit switches and generators.

As workers scrambled to restore equipment, thousands of otherwise stranded commuters defiantly walked to work this week, often abandoning taxi cabs in the city's traffic-clogged streets.

"I left my house at 6:45 a.m. and I'm still walking," said Elizabeth Gorman, a 40-year-old Queens resident who crossed the Queensboro Bridge at around 10 a.m. "I don't know what (else) to do. I have to get to work."

New York's buses, trains and subways are all slowly coming back online. But for many residents across the region where full transit service has yet to be restored, the slog to work continues.

In the end, NYC marathon didn't feel right

2012 ballot initiatives: Voter-run or special interest-hijacked?

2012-11-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

States will vote on nearly 180 ballot measures in 2012
Same-sex marriage, abortion, the death penalty and health care reform are up for a vote
Special interest groups and wealthy private donors invest heavily in ballot initiatives

(CNN) -- President Barack Obama's second term is on the line in Tuesday's election, but so is a key component of his signature health care reform law.

Four states are voting on whether to allow residents and businesses to avoid Obamacare's requirement that they purchase health insurance for themselves or their employees.

The ballot initiatives in Alabama, Florida and Wyoming would amend state constitutions. Montana's initiative prohibits federal and state government from requiring people to purchase health insurance through imposing a penalty, tax, fee or fine on those who do not do so.

Inside the polls: Obama's slim lead comes from women, cities

"These laws may promise more than they can deliver," said Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University Law School. "What the laws certainly do is to give state officials more of a basis to go to court and challenge the national health care law."

In response to health care reform, 47 state legislatures proposed measures to limit, alter or oppose selected state or federal actions, according to National Conference of State Legislatures.

Twenty states have challenged broad health care reform in anticipation of or in response to the Affordable Care Act. Health care reform was signed into law in 2010.

Obama's vision for America

In addition to measures on health care reform, voters will also weigh same-sex marriage, abortion and capital punishment.

Voters will decide on almost 180 ballot measures in 38 states. That's up from 159 in 2010, but down from 204 in 2008.

Requirements and the process by which initiatives make it to the ballot differ from state-to-state. In many instances, ballot initiatives were introduced in states like California in the form of propositions to circumvent the legislative process, giving citizens direct access to lawmaking.

Romney's vision for America

But across the country today, many ballot initiatives and their corresponding voter turnout efforts are supported by wealthy individuals or special interest groups in addition to private citizens.

In Florida, where voters will decide on a constitutional amendment banning public funds for abortions, groups on both sides have cropped up using names like "Nix Six" or "Vote no on 6" or websites carrying names like www.sayyesto6.com, referring to the the initiative's ballot name: Amendment 6.

The "Say Yes to 6" website and effort are funded by the group, Protect Florida Taxpayers and Parental Rights. The group is funded largely by a collection of archdioceses across Florida including Miami, St. Petersburg, Palm Beach, and St. Augustine, which have given more than $175,000.

Planned Parenthood also entered the mix, spending $3.2 million in Florida on ads during the week heading into the election working to defeat the measure.

In California, the story is similar.

Billionaire Nicholas Pritzker, chairman of the board and chief executive of the Hyatt Development Corporation, donated $500,000 in support of Proposition 34, which would ban capital punishment in the state. He was joined by several other wealthy donors including the Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, who donated $250,000.

Smaller donations supporting and opposing Proposition 34 and Amendment 6 also came from private citizens.

Election campaign ends with chess match in swing states

Key governor's races snapshots

Compiled by Adam Levy and Robert Yoon, CNN Political Research

Alabama

Amendment 6: Obamacare

This measure would amend the state constitution to prohibit individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in any health care system.

A "YES" vote opposes Obamacare and would amend the state constitution.

A "NO" vote supports Obamacare and would not amend the state constitution.

Arkansas

Issue 5: Medical Marijuana

This measure would legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes.

A "FOR" vote supports legalization of medical marijuana.

An "AGAINST" vote opposes legalization of medical marijuana.

California

Prop. 30: Jerry Brown Tax Increase

A measure sponsored by Gov. Jerry Brown that would increase personal income tax for seven years for those making more than $250,000 a year. It also increases the sales tax by 0.25% for four years.

A "YES" vote supports the tax increase measure and would raise income taxes and the state sales tax.

A "NO" vote opposes the tax increase and would not raise income taxes or the state sales tax.

Prop. 34: Death Penalty

This measure would abolish capital punishment in California and would make life imprisonment without the possibility of parole the maximum punishment for murder. If passed, the measure would apply retroactively to all Death Row inmates, whose sentences would be converted to life imprisonment.

A "YES" vote opposes the death penalty and would abolish the death penalty in the state.

A "NO" vote supports the death penalty and would not abolish the death penalty in the state.

Prop. 38: Other Tax Increase

This measure would raise income taxes for almost all income levels for 12 years. For the first four years, 60% of the revenue would be dedicated to K-12 education, 30% to debt reduction, and 15% to early childhood programs. After four years, 85% of revenues would go to K-12 education and 15% to early childhood programs. Gov. Jerry Brown opposes this measure.

A "YES" vote supports this measure and would increase income taxes across the board.

A "NO" vote opposes this measure and would not increase income taxes across the board.

Colorado

Amendment 64: Marijuana Legalization

This measure would amend the state constitution and legalize and regulate the production, possession, and distribution of marijuana for persons age 21 and older.

A "YES" vote supports legalization of marijuana.

A "NO" vote opposes legalization of marijuana.

Florida

Amendment 1: Obamacare

(60% of vote required for passage)

This measure would amend the state constitution to prohibit individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in any health care system.

A "YES" vote opposes Obamacare and would amend the state constitution.

A "NO" vote supports Obamacare and would not amend the state constitution.

Amendment 6: Abortion Funding

(60% of vote required for passage)

This measure would prohibit the use of public funding for abortions, with the exception of rape, incest, and cases where the mother's life is in danger.

A "YES" vote would ban use of public funds for abortions.

A "NO" vote would not ban use of public funds for abortions.

Maine

Question 1: Same-sex Marriage

This measure would repeal a previous law banning same-sex marriage and allow the state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognizes legal same-sex marriages performed in other states.

A "YES" vote supports same-sex marriage and would legalize same-sex marriage in Maine.

A "NO" vote opposes same-sex marriage and would maintain current law banning same-sex marriage.

Maryland

Question 6: Same-sex Marriage

This measure asks voters to support or reject a new state law that allows same-sex couples to marry in the State of Maryland.

A "FOR" vote supports same-sex marriage; would uphold the new law allowing same-sex marriage.

An "AGAINST" vote opposes same-sex marriage; would repeal new law allowing same-sex marriage.

Massachusetts

Question 3: Medical Marijuana

(Majority of votes required for passage; at least 30% of all votes cast on Election Day must be in favor)

This measure would legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes.

A "YES" vote supports legalizing medical marijuana.

A "NO" vote opposes legalizing medical marijuana.

Minnesota

Amendment 1: Same-sex Marriage

(Majority of all votes cast on Election Day required for passage, not just a majority of votes cast for this measure)

This measure would amend the state constitution to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman.

A "YES" vote opposes same-sex marriage; defines marriage as between one man and one woman.

A "NO" vote supports same-sex marriage; would not define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Montana

Initiative 122: Obamacare

This measure prohibits federal and state government from requiring the purchase of health insurance or imposing any penalty, tax, fee or fine on those who do not purchase health insurance.

A "FOR" vote opposes Obamacare; prohibits requiring the purchase of health insurance.

An "AGAINST" vote supports Obamacare; does not prohibit requiring the purchase of health insurance.

Initiative 124: Medical Marijuana

This measure asks voters to keep or reject a 2011 law that replaced a 2004 medical marijuana law with a far more restrictive version. In 2004, Montana voters approved a law creating a medical marijuana program in the state. A 2011 law repealed the 2004 law, and while it did not outlaw the use of medical marijuana, it placed numerous restrictions on medical marijuana providers and users.

A "FOR" vote is the anti-medical marijuana position. It replaces a 2004 medical marijuana law with a far more restrictive one passed in 2011.

An "AGAINST" vote is the pro-medical marijuana position. It repeals a 2011 law that repealed a 2004 medical marijuana law. Voting "AGAINST" will restore the 2004 medical marijuana law, which medical marijuana backers support.

Oregon

Measure 80: Marijuana Legalization

This measure would allow the commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana to adults through state-licensed stores, allows unlicensed cultivation and use of marijuana by adults, and prohibits restrictions on hemp.

A "YES" vote supports the legalization of marijuana.

A "NO" vote opposes the legalization of marijuana.

Washington

Measure 74: Same-sex Marriage

This measure would repeal a new state law from the state legislature that legalized same-sex marriage.

Actual language: "The legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6239 concerning marriage for same-sex couples, modified domestic-partnership law, and religious freedom, and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill. This bill would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony. Should this bill be: Approved/Rejected"?

An "APPROVED" vote supports same-sex marriage and would uphold the state law.

A "REJECTED" vote opposes same-sex marriage and would overturn the state law.

Initiative 502: Marijuana Legalization

This measure would legalize and regulate the production, possession, and distribution of marijuana for persons age 21 and older.

A "YES" vote supports marijuana legalization.

A "NO" vote opposes marijuana legalization.

Wyoming

Amendment A: Obamacare

(Majority of all votes cast on Election Day required for passage, not just a majority of votes cast for this measure)

This measure amends the state constitution to declare that citizens of Wyoming have the right to make their own health care decisions and allows the state to act to "preserve these rights from undue government influence."

A "FOR" vote opposes Obamacare and amends the state constitution with new language.

An "AGAINST" vote supports Obamacare and does not amend the state constitution.

Republicans aim to expand gubernatorial power

Best ESPN's 'College GameDay' Signs: LSU vs. Alabama (PHOTOS)

2012-11-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday again, which means it's time for college football and "College GameDay" signs! The jokes! The meanness! The school spirit! Mostly the jokes, but definitely also the meanness!

This week the location is Baton Rouge, La.. for the LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide. Before we get started, a few observations:

* Water Boy reference?ALWAYS a good thing
* Cute kids are cute!
* Not as much Roll-Tiding as I would have thought.

To the signs!

1. "Nick Saban uses the shake weight"

via Instagram

2. "Bobby Boucher > Forrest Gump"

via Instagram

3. "ROLL TEARS ROLL"

via Instagram

4. "DOES THIS GAME COUNT OR NOT?"

via Instagram

5. "These things control the tide."

via Instagram

6. "Grammy Loves LSU"

via Twitter

7. Alabama claims Lance Armstrong's titles

via Instagram

Bonus: Just an awesome car.

Power, subway service, gas slowly make way back to N.Y.

2012-11-03T16:55:00.003-07:00

Six days after Sandy slammed the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, its effects were still being felt up and down the East Coast. Residents of New York and New Jersey continue to struggle with gas and electricity issues.

NEW YORK — New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo said 80% of New York City subway service had been restored "from what was horrendous damage," the worst in the system's more than 100-year history.

Service to and from Manhattan from Brooklyn and Queens was resuming Saturday morning, he said. Cuomo led a round of applause for Metropolitan Transportation Authority chief Joseph Lhota saying, "not only did they (the MTA) try hard, but they actually got the job done."

Pumping of the World Trade Center reconstruction site has been completed, Cuomo said. Pumping of the 911 Memorial site should be completed Saturday, he said.

The federal government has increased food stamp allocations for the month by 50% to help storm-hit families to make up for their losses, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said he spoke to Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, who has agreed to send some of his state's recovery equipment and assets to New York, because Connecticut suffered less Sandy damage.

"Fuel is on the way. You do not have to panic," said Cuomo, referring to the long gas lines in New York City and surrounding suburbs.

He said 8 million gallons of gas have already been delivered to terminals in New York State, and 28 million gallons more would be delivered in the next two days.

He announced that the federal defense department has sent fuel directly to New York for distribution at National Guard armories in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island starting Saturday. The gas will be free, with a limit of 10 gallons per vehicle, he said.

Later Saturday, government officials asked the public to stay away from the free fuel stations until first responders were able to fuel up.

Long lines of vehicles and pedestrians formed Saturday after opening the mobile fuel stations.

The state Division of Military and Naval Affairs then issued an advisory asking the public to stay away until more fuel is released.

Cuomo said roughly 60% of New Yorkers who had lost electricity have had their power restored. Roughly 550,000 electrical customers are still without power, he said.

"That doesn't mean a lot if you still don't have power," said Cuomo. "Until you get your lights on, you're not happy. I get it."

"We're not going to stop until every house, every home has their power restored," he added.

The governor also continued the state's pressure on the state's electrical utilities, saying they would be held accountable for their performance in recovery efforts. "People are suffering. It's an issue of safety," said Cuomo.

Consolidated Edison reported Saturday that the utility had restored electricity to roughly 645,000 customers, approximately 70% of those who lost power to Superstorm Sandy. Each customer may represent numerous apartments or homes. Most of Manhattan got power back Friday night and Saturday. Restoration efforts continue around the clock, Con Ed said.

New York utilities report about 908,000 customers still without power. Parts of Manhattan started to flicker on overnight.

The Long Island Power Authority continues to report the most outages, with about 460,000 homes, buildings and businesses still dark as of 7:30 a.m. Saturday. There are about 275,000 Con Edison customers without service and another 119,000 in suburban Orange and Rockland counties.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg sharply criticized the Long Island Power AuthoritySaturday for what he said was the utility's "unacceptable" slow pace restoring electricity to the city's devastated Rockaways oceanfront area.

"I spoke to many people who are worried, frustrated and cold. There is no power there and temperatures are dropping. Even though there are some generators, they're having a hard time getting fuel," said Bloomberg. "In our view, LIPA … has not acted aggressively enough," Bloomberg said at a City Hall press conference in Manhattan.

"We realize that LIPA has outages throughout Long Island, but the Rockaways were the hardest-hit by the storm, and when it comes to prioritizing resources, we think they should be first in line," said Bloomberg. "So far that has not appeared to be the case, and that is just not acceptable."

"We're urging LIPA to put more resources on the job," he added. "They have, as of a few minutes ago, not given us a clear timetable as to when to expect power to be restored. But they had said it could take up to two weeks, and that is certainly not acceptable. It is going to get colder over the next couple of weeks."

Elizabeth Flagler, a LIPA spokeswoman said "I'm not aware of this (criticism) so I can't really comment."

Bloomberg also reported that the city's storm death toll stands at 42, after two additional bodies were discovered. The number was lower than earlier tallies because the city Medical Examiner's office had determined that some previously reported deaths were not storm related.

Also, he said emergency crews had secured the construction crane mast that dangled hundreds of feet over W. 57th Street in Manhattan after it broke during the storm.

STORY: Staten Island residents sift belongings in Sandy's wake

STORY: New Jersey residents' anxiety levels rising every day

In New Jersey, motorists in 12 northern counties will be allowed to buy gasoline just every other day under an order that takes effect at noon.

Christie says he wants to ease long lines and extended wait times at gas stations and prevent a fuel shortage in the state hard-hit by Sandy.

Some gas stations closed because of a lack of electricity or gasoline, causing those open to be overburdened with customers.

Drivers with license plates ending in an even number will be able to buy gas on even-numbered days, and those with plates ending in an odd number can make gas purchases on odd-numbered days.

A Christie spokesman tells the Star-Ledger newspaper in Newark that there currently are no restrictions on filling gas containers.

In Washington, President Obama visited the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for an update on superstorm recovery efforts and said "there's nothing more important than us getting this right."

"Obviously we've now seen that after the initial search and rescue, the recovery process is difficult and it's painful," Obama said. "But I'm confident that we will continue to make progress as long as state and local and federal officials stay focused."

Obama cited the need to restore power; pump out water, particularly from electric substations; ensure that basic needs are addressed; remove debris; and get federal resources in place to help transportation systems come back on line.

The storm forced cancellation of Sunday's New York City Marathon. Mayor Michael Bloomberg reversed himself Friday and yielded to mounting criticism about running the race, which starts on hard-hit Staten Island and wends through all five of the city's boroughs.

Christie said he would make public a list of when New Jersey utility companies intend to restore power to each community. Even if they end up working faster or slower, he said, residents will have a sense of when power will be restored so they can plan their lives a bit better.

Commuter rail operator NJ Transit said it would have more service restored in time for the workweek to start Monday, most of Atlantic City's casinos reopened, and many school districts decided to hold classes on Thursday and Friday — days previously reserved for the New Jersey Education Association's annual conference, which has been canceled.

More good news in New York: One of two hospitals that had to evacuate patients at the height of Superstorm Sandy is set to begin reopening.

In a statement on its website, officials at NYU Langone Medical Center say "almost all" practices are scheduled to restart Monday though some doctors will see patients at alternate locations.

A message to staff says the hospital doesn't know how long it will have to use the different locations.

At NYU, seven backup generators failed during the storm surge on Monday night, forcing the evacuation of 300 patients.

At Bellevue Hospital Center, some 700 patients had to be evacuated after the power failed. An official there said Thursday the hospital could be out of commission for at least two more weeks.

Weekend gadget bag: The great outdoors

2012-11-03T16:51:00.002-07:00

Don't let the cold deter you from enjoying the great outdoors. We highlight five tech products to enhance your experience outside.

Power your smartphone with a hand crank

Nature might not have any power outlets, but that doesn't mean you can't charge up your beloved smartphone. (But really, shouldn't this be a time to unplug?)

Eton's new BoostTurbine portable battery packs (beginning at $49) work even where there's no electricity. Using a hand crank, the rechargeable lithium battery can store up to 2000mAh of power. The company says one minute of turbine rotation generates enough juice for a quick phone call while a full charge on the 2000mAh version can fully power most smartphones. If you'd rather charge up at home first, there's also a micro USB port. Clad in a tough and lightweight aluminum, the hand-crank battery is available for pre-order in black, white and silver.

Tracking your heart's Rhythm

Scosche's Rhythm ($99.99) is a workout companion that tracks your heart rate to help optimize physical activity.

By monitoring your pulse, Rhythm lets you know when you're in your ideal training zone. A workout that's too intense can lead to burnout, so it will alert you when you've reached your maximum heart rate, the peak rate you can safely exercise at. If you're not there yet, the (monotonous) voice from your headphones will nudge you to go faster until you reach your training zone and workout goals.

This armband breaks from the traditional heart monitors that are strapped to the chest. Rhythm's buttons let you control a pre-programmed playlist without having to reach for your phone, and an LED below blinks to show your pulse in real time. The accompanying free app helps you set heart-rate goals (target rates for weight loss, fitness, performance, etc.) while tracking duration, calories burned, distance traveled, route and average pulse.

The photo bag for backpacking adventures

Lowepro has built the ultimate bag to trudge alongside nature photographers while protecting their precious gear.

From the outside, the Rover Pro AW series look like your typical camping packs, but inside, they feature removable compartments to protect SLR cameras and shooting accessories in addition to backpacking gear. On the 35-liter model ($299.99), the padded case can carry an extra lens; the 45-liter version ($329.99) includes two cases that can hold up to five lenses.

While you can attach a tripod or monopod to the pack, it's mounted on the side due to the front-hatch compartment, so that unfortunately creates an uneven load. However, the Rover Pro attempts to counteract this with contoured shoulder straps, a waist belt and a trampoline-style suspension system to balance and distribute the weight on your back when hiking over uneven terrain.

Wave to turn on this headlamp

Forget about stumbling around in pitch black. Pelican's 2720 LED headlamp will light the way.

Powered by three included AAA batteries, the 80-lumen headlamp features three different modes: white LED at full and low power, red LED and SOS flashing in Morse code. The lamp rests on a pivoting head to control the direction of the light, and a dial lets you change its intensity from flood to spot beam.

But what's most interesting is the motion-sensor activation. Instead of fumbling to press a small button on this head-strapped device (something that can be difficult with gloves), this includes a sensor to turn the lamp on and off with the wave of a hand.

Sleeping on five-inches of air

If you prefer to camp in luxury, Aerobed's PakMat ($119.99) is for you. The inflatable sleeping pad uses an innovative carrying case that doubles as a hand pump, filling the PakMat up with five comfortable inches of air. This means side sleepers can resume their natural position without waking up with body aches.

While the sleeping pad collapses to a low profile, the tube that holds it adds a fair amount of bulk (it's 19 inches tall) and heft (in total, about five pounds) to your pack, so it's not something you'd bring for backpacking adventures. But for car camping, you might as well live lavishly. While PakMat is made of environmentally friendly phthalate-free thermoplastic polyurethane, the material is prone to crumple as you move around over the course of the evening.

Mayor Bloomberg says he fought the battle for marathon

2012-11-03T16:49:00.003-07:00

Addressing a question about complaints from disappointed marathon participants, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said "I wish that we didn't have a hurricane and that we could have had a great event. Should've, would've and could've isn't something that I have to worry that I deal with."

Bloomberg, who spoke during a Saturday evening news conference at City Hall, initially brushed aside a question about the marathon cancellation, saying storm recovery issues were more important. But he turned back to the marathon issue at the end of the briefing.

"What simply happened was that it became a source of dissension, and we don't need that right now," said Bloomberg. "And hopefully next year we'll have a great event where people can come to the city and enjoy what the city has to offer and compete and participate. The spirit of the race is to bring people together. When it became a divisive issue, I just made the decision that it should not go on."

He said the cancellation led to some good news: about 600 medical blankets readied for the marathon were instead delivered to hard hit residents of Staten Island's Midland Beach area by volunteers who went door to door Saturday. And 10,000 cases of water were redirected to a central distribution center at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.

"The situation changes, and it's a shame that it had to happen, but we've got to do the right thing each time," said Bloomberg. "I'm looking forward and I'm sure all those runners are, to coming back next year."

On Sunday, more resources are expected to be redistributed.

Earlier Saturday, in an interview with WCBS-TV New York, Bloomberg said, "I still think that we had the resources to do both, and that we want people to take a break and that sort of thing. There are lots of people in this city – some hurt, some not. It's a big part of our economy. But it was just becoming so divisive that whether it's a good idea or not, we just don't need the distraction."

As many across New York continued to recover from superstorm Sandy, Bloomberg came under fire for saying that the race should be run as planned. Local politicians voiced their concern, and thousands of critics took to Twitter and Facebook to protest the decision.

Bloomberg defended the decision Friday just hours before the race was called off by city and marathon officials, saying, "It does use some resources but not resources that can make a difference in recovery. It's a relatively small amount."

The mayor drew a parallel between 2001 and 2012, saying "Rudy (Guiliani) made the right decision" holding the 2001 race after 9/11.

A day later he spoke of the visitors who came to New York for the race. "I'm sorry," he said in the WCBS interview. "I fought the battle, and sometimes things don't work out."

Contributing: Roxanna Scott

Obama: My ideas work, Romney's won't

2012-11-03T16:41:00.004-07:00

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Three days are left until Election Day

Ohio has been a major battleground

Polls put Obama slightly ahead in the Buckeye State

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- Faced with storm duty as well as last-minute politicking, President Obama crossed the Midwest on Saturday by saying that his economic ideas are working, while Mitt Romney would return the nation to recession.

From northern Ohio to Wisconsin to Iowa, Obama said his health care plan, stimulus policies and financial regulations echo those of Democratic predecessor Bill Clinton and led to the boom economy of 1990s.

Romney's proposals, including new tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, are a return to those that wrecked the economy during the George W. Bush years, leading to the 2008 economic collapse, Obama said.

TIMELINE: Candidates sprint to the finish

"We know our ideas work," Obama told a crowd of some 20,000 at a convention center in Milwaukee. "And we know that their ideas don't work."

At an open air park in Dubuque, as temperatures fell along with the setting sun, a hoarse-sounding Obama told about 5,000 backers: "We've come too far to turn back now."

Obama began his campaign day at Mentor High School near Cleveland in the key state of Ohio. After the stops in Milwaukee and Dubuque, Obama planned to wrap up with a late night event in Virginia that also features an appearance by Clinton.

ROMNEY: GOP nominee kicks off final push where campaign began

Polls give Obama slight leads over Romney in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Iowa, though Romney aides say they are closing the gaps. The Virginia race is considered quite close.

Election Day is Tuesday.

Romney and aides say Obama's "big government" policies are creating the slowest recovery in decades, including an unemployment rate near 8%. Romney spokesman Ryan Williams also cited a comment Obama made Friday in Ohio, telling backers that "voting is the best revenge."

Williams said: "With no record to run on and no vision for the future, President Obama is resorting to false, discredited attacks and a cynical closing message urging voters to choose 'revenge.' Mitt Romney wants to bring people together and he wants Americans to vote for love of country."

Acknowledging that many people are still hurting, Obama told supporters in Mentor: "We've got more work to do -- our fight goes on."

He also said Romney is having a "hard time" in Ohio because of his opposition to the Obama administration's auto bailout. As he did Friday, Obama criticized Romney for an ad suggesting that Chrysler plans to move Jeep jobs out of Toledo, calling it false and desperate.

Before starting his campaign day, the president conducted a Hurricane Sandy meeting of aides at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The visit included a conference call with officials in northeast states hard hit by the storm, including Govs. Chris Christie, R-N.J.; Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y.; and Daniel Malloy, D-Conn.

"We still have a long way to go," Obama said after the FEMA briefing, though he added that everyone is making a "120 percent" effort.

"We don't have patience for bureaucracy," Obama told reporters. "We don't have patience for red tape."

The president said officials are working on the five most pressing tasks: Getting assets in to restore power; pumping out water from flooding, making sure people's needs are being taken care of; removing debris; and getting the National Guard in place.

On the flight between Milwaukee and Dubuque, Obama called Christie as well as New York's two senators, Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand about continuing power shortages in their states.

"In each call, the President expressed his concern about ongoing power restoration efforts as well the fuel challenges facing many impacted areas throughout the region," said a White House statement. "The President made clear that his team remained focused on continuing to mobilize all available resources to support state and local partners, and that he had directed them to continue to identify and remove any barriers that may could slow the deployment of important assets."

Obama also gave five radio interviews, four by stations based in Ohio: two from Columbus, and one each from Cleveland and Cincinnati. The other interview was a syndicated radio show.

Mitt Romney launched his presidential campaign at a New Hampshire event in June 2011

2012-11-03T16:37:00.001-07:00

NEWINGTON, N.H. — Mitt Romney kicked off the last weekend of the 2012 campaign in the state that set him on pace to win the Republican nomination, the first of four stops in three states today.

With three days left before the election, Romney and President Obama are dashing across key swing states where they have been virtually deadlocked since mid-October. In addition to the New Hampshire event, the Republican nominee will have a rally in Iowa and two others in Colorado today. Romney launched his presidential campaign at a New Hampshire event in June 2011.

This morning, about 2,000 people, according to the campaign, huddled in coats and hats on a chilly tarmac to hear Romney. The GOP nominee declared that the campaign has become a movement.

TIMELINE: Candidates sprint to the finish

"It's not just the size of the crowds. It's the conviction and compassion in the hearts of the people," Romney said. "It's made me strive to be more worthy of the support I have received across the country and to campaign as I would govern, to speak for the aspirations of all Americans, not just some Americans."

OBAMA: President campaigns in swing states

After the event, Romney, his surrogates and staff boarded the campaign plane and Ann Romney — who has been traveling solo to stump for her husband — walked to the back of the cabin offering pastries to reporters. Asked how it felt to campaign on her own, she said the experience has been "humbling" and "extraordinary."

"It's very touching for me," she said. "It was very emotional when I gave my last sort of address by myself, because I hear the voices and the passion of the people out there that are really hurting, and they are etched in my mind and my heart, as they are with Mitt."

As to her husband's state of mind? "I'm not going to — that's it, guys. It's pumpkin whoopie time!"

2009 champ Meb Keflezighi supports marathon decision

2012-11-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK -- On Saturday afternoon Meb Keflezighi lingered in the lobby of his midtown Manhattan hotel, a man without a marathon.

On Sunday at 9:40 a.m., he will not be at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on Staten Island awaiting the howitzer boom of the start of the New York City Marathon, which was hastily canceled late Friday afternoon.

So where will one of America's most accomplished marathoners be?

"A lot of things crossed my mind," he said. "I want to work with somebody. I don't mind going to Staten Island (which was greatly affected by the storm.) If I cannot run, I want to be positive. Or go to Central Park and let the runners know it's OK. I don't know. It's my first Sunday off in many years. How can I help?"

On Saturday, New York Road Runners President and CEO Mary Wittenberg met with the race's elite runners to explain the decision. It was an emotional meeting, Keflezighi said. He said Wittenberg told the runners that anger over the city's decision to initially hold the race was being directed toward the runners. "She said it wasn't safe," Keflezighi said. "You never know what's going to happen in the streets."

Keflezighi wasn't supposed to address the group but he felt compelled to stand up and speak on behalf of the athletes. "We understand," he told them. "It's like an injury. Sometimes you have to stop and come back stronger."

Keflezighi, 37, said he was committed to run the race next year. "I think it's going to be very emotional. It could be my last marathon next year. I was narrowing down my career, now it got narrowed down one less," he said with a laugh.

Even though he is one of the stars of the field, Keflezighi found out about the race cancellation late Friday afternoon from a television in the elevator in his hotel. The 2009 New York City Marathon men's champion had just returned to the hotel from a 6-mile run. Like all the 40,000 runners expected to compete Sunday, he was stunned. "I guess a lot happens in a 30-minute run," he joked.

Though he acknowledged it would have been easier if the race had been canceled earlier before most had traveled to the city – Keflezighi is from Mammoth Lakes, Calif. -- he didn't want the race to be a divisive force during a time of so much suffering after superstorm Sandy.

"It's not about me, it's about the city. If we're going to have a negative influence, then they have the right to cancel," he said.

The canceling of the race is a financial hit for many runners – from the travel expenses of recreational runners to the loss of potential prize money for the elite runners. The champions receive $130,000. Plus, depending on a runner's sponsorship agreements, there are performance-based bonuses in contracts. Also, there's bonuses from race organizers based on time and place finishes in addition to the guaranteed appearance fee.

"For the top of the food chain, this 50% of your income if you do well," said David Monti, a NYRR consultant who works with the professional athletes. There's also the time and training investment. "It's a three, three-and-a-half month investment of training with a highly specialized schedule to get on a trajectory to be here and ready to go on Nov. 4. It's very hard to salvage that training time."

Keflezighi said he felt well prepared less than three months after finishing fourth in the London Olympics. "Yeah, we get a financial hit, but money comes, money goes," Keflezighi said. "I'm a father (to three young daughters), and there's a lady that lost two of her kids in Staten Island. There's no coming back. Money comes, money goes, but how to you compensate for that loss?"

Sprint to Election Day

2012-11-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

Race to the finish line

Obama and Romney are barnstorming across the nation in a desperate last sprint to Election Day. Our reporters David Jackson, Jackie Kucinich and Aamer Madhani bring you behind-the-scenes details from the trail.

Power, subway service, gas slowly make way back to N.Y.

2012-11-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

Six days after Sandy slammed the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, its effects were still being felt up and down the East Coast. Residents of New York and New Jersey continue to struggle with gas and electricity issues.

2:53PM EDT November 3. 2012 -

NEW YORK — New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo said 80% of New York City subway service had been restored "from what was horrendous damage," the worst in the system's more than 100-year history.

Service to and from Manhattan from Brooklyn and Queens was resuming Saturday morning, he said. Cuomo led a round of applause for Metropolitan Transportation Authority chief Joseph Lhota saying, "not only did they (the MTA) try hard, but they actually got the job done."

Pumping of the World Trade Center reconstruction site has been completed, Cuomo said. Pumping of the 911 Memorial site should be completed Saturday, he said.

The federal government has increase food stamp allocations for the month by 50% to help storm-hit families to make up for their losses, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said he spoke to Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, who has agreed to send some of his state's recovery equipment and assets to New York, because Connecticut suffered less Sandy damage.

"Fuel is on the way. You do not have to panic," said Cuomo, referring to the long gas lines in New York City and surrounding suburbs.

He said 8 million gallons of gas have already been delivered to terminals in New York State, and 28 million gallons more would be delivered in the next two days.

He announced that the federal defense department has sent fuel directly to New York for distribution at National Guard armories in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island starting Saturday. The gas will be free, with a limit of 10 gallons per vehicle, he said.

Later Saturday, government officials asked the public to stay away from the free fuel stations until first responders were able to fuel up.

Long lines of vehicles and pedestrians formed Saturday after opening the mobile fuel stations.

The state Division of Military and Naval Affairs then issued an advisory asking the public to stay away until more fuel is released.

Cuomo said roughly 60% of New Yorkers who had lost electricity have had their power restored. Roughly 550,000 electrical customers are still without power, he said.

"That doesn't mean a lot if you still don't have power," said Cuomo. "Until you get your lights on, you're not happy. I get it."

"We're not going to stop until every house, every home has their power restored," he added.

"This was truly a crisis. This was one of the worst storms that has hit this metropolitan area in generations," said Cuomo. "It really is a situation that requires patience, and requires the strength and resilience that New Yorkers are famous for. I'm asking them once again, a little patience a little resilience, a little sense of community, caring about your community. We are getting through it. The worst is behind us. It's not going to be over in 24 hours, but the arrow is pointing in the right direction."

New York utilities report about 908,000 customers still without power. Parts of Manhattan started to flicker on overnight.

Officials say that as power was being restored Friday, several small explosions jolted residents of a Manhattan neighborhood and popped two manhole covers.

The Daily News said the explosions occurred when the utility started restoring electricity and the current hit salt on the power lines. Nobody was hurt.