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American Morning

Tsunami Disaster Relief Efforts; Survivor Story; Interview With New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Aired December 31, 2004 - 07:31 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's just about half past the hour now on the final day of 2004. I'm Heidi Collins in for Soledad O'Brien today.
The total death toll now in the tsunami disaster stands at more than 135,000 people. Here's what we know right now. Of the total dead, nearly 80,000 are in Indonesia. More than 41,000 are dead in Sri Lanka. And in India, at least 10,000 people are dead. Officials say the death toll of tourists could reach into the thousands.

A U.S. military team has arrived in Sri Lanka to distribute clean water, but aid officials say the devastated terrain is making relief efforts there difficult. And in addition to the half a billion dollars in aid already pledged, the U.N. says it will send out an appeal for more in the coming New Year -- Rick.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: You know, as the world steps in for the millions without homes or those that we see on our screens practically every day who seem to lack food and water, many want to know how can I help those people. What can I do to help change their lives and do so efficiently?

Millions of dollars have been given over the Internet for relief efforts. And organizations are reporting record donations. Still, opportunity abounds for, in some cases, scam artists to take advantage of peoples' generosity.

So, let's see if we can help you sort through this. And to help us do this or how to not do it, I suppose we could say as well, is Jane Kim. She's a reporter for "The Wall Street Journal." She has been following this, has written stories about it already. She's good enough to join us, and she's going to take us through it. So let's get started.

What are the good old reliables, the organizations that we think we can trust given their track record?

JANE KIM, REPORTER, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Right. That's really important, because with so many organizations out there -- there are at least 40 relief organizations out there that have come out with relief programs. Some of the big names are the American Red Cross, for example. They're working with their International Red Cross groups in the affected countries.

We've got Doctors Without Borders. They are a group that has historically been known to help out with medical teams and equipment. Save the Children is another great organization. They have historically helped children and affected families. They've set up a fund to raise 5 million for the relief victims -- or for the victims.

SANCHEZ: I'm wondering, as you look at the organizations, there are also others out there. But is there a place we can go to check them out after we choose one? Let's say we choose organization B or C. But now we want to go somewhere to make sure they're doing it right. Where do we go to do that?

KIM: There are a couple good sites. CharityWatch.org is one good site. CharityNavigator.org. What these sites do, they're self- evaluators. So what they'll do they'll pour through all of these charities' financial statements. What you do is type in the name of the charity, and they'll rate the charity based on how effective they are at distributing the funds.

For example, CharityWatch.org, they assign a grade from A-plus to F. If the charity gives, say, 70 percent or more of your dollars to the needed funds...

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KIM: ... then they get an A or a B.

SANCHEZ: Because a lot of these organizations have heavy administrative costs. In other words, they are paying their people a pretty good salary. And you'd kind of want to stay away from those, wouldn't you?

KIM: Exactly. Any charity that, say, spends more than 40 percent of every dollar you give them for resources is probably something to be avoided.

SANCHEZ: A little bit worried about it.

KIM: Yes, exactly.

SANCHEZ: What should we give? A lot of people talk about clothing and medicine and sending food over there or cash. What? How?

KIM: Without a doubt cash is the best thing to give at this point. That's because it allows the charities to go quickly into the affected areas. They know the areas better than anyone else. And what they can do is turn around, buy the equipment, food supplies, whatever they need quickly. And they know where to get it.

SANCHEZ: When you say cash, you don't mean cash. You mean try and get money...

KIM: Right.

SANCHEZ: ... to them using some kind of credit card system or something.

KIM: Exactly. And if someone shows up at your door asking for cash...

SANCHEZ: Right.

KIM: ... it's probably not a good sign. What you want to do is give a credit card, perhaps over the phone, over the Internet. You can call, look in the yellow pages and find a local branch nearest to your home.

SANCHEZ: And this is...

KIM: And go to their office.

SANCHEZ: This is an important day to do this, because this is December 31.

KIM: That's a very good question again.

SANCHEZ: You get a tax break here, right?

KIM: You do get a tax break with one caveat. The organization that you give to must be a U.S.-based charity and registered with the IRS. So that's one thing to keep in mind.

SANCHEZ: Thanks for getting up so early on this day and coming here and answering all of these questions for us.

KIM: Thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: Jane Kim with "The Wall Street Journal." We appreciate it.

KIM: Thank so much.

SANCHEZ: Heidi -- back over to you.

COLLINS: Mary Wang and her husband were on a speed boat headed for a snorkeling excursion in Southeast Asia. They were near this resort area -- you see it here -- Thailand's Phuket Island when the tsunami hit. Remarkably, they both survived and are back home this morning in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mary Wang is with us now to share her story.

Mary, welcome back. Glad you are all right and happy to have you with us this morning. First, tell us how you and your husband are doing.

MARY WANG, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Good morning. And thank you for having me. My husband and I, we are both doing fine. We are back at home, embracing with our family and loved ones and our friends. And we are happy to be alive and we're back at home.

COLLINS: Boy, I'm sure that's the understatement of a lifetime. You and your husband were on Phuket Island, as we said. It was Sunday morning. You are getting ready to go snorkeling. So you get on a speed boat to head to a different island. Tell me what happened next. WANG: Well, as we approached Riah (ph) Island, we saw that it was already washed out, the whole beach front. And we were told that, well, we can't dock the boat, so we have to sit out in the water for a while before we can go anywhere.

COLLINS: But, wait, Mary. What do you mean it was washed away? I mean, this is -- did you recognize right away when you pulled up, oh, the island is no longer there?

WANG: Yes, we were about 150 feet away, and you can see that there are no more beach umbrellas, no more beach chairs, and you can see that the water had washed up all the way to the bungalows and the little restaurants that they had there.

COLLINS: Now, you're trying to make a decision of whether or not you can still snorkel, because, I guess, as you looked in the water -- we're so used to seeing these beautiful pictures of pristine blue, blue water -- all of a sudden it turns into this murky sort of brown color. What did that tell you?

WANG: It told us that there was something definitely wrong. I mean, there was some communication barriers, and we really weren't sure what was going on. And then we were told by our tour guide that we're going to go around the back and go snorkel in the back of Riah (ph) Island. And we're going to go and check it out to see if it was OK for us to, you know, jump into the sea and take a look at the coral reefs.

COLLINS: And I know that you mentioned these communication problems. You guys obviously you don't speak Thai, and yet the boat captain is speaking Thai and is getting a little bit concerned. What was the scene like on that boat? I mean, when did you guys realize, man, this is really major devastation?

WANG: Well, when they made a decision that we couldn't go snorkeling because the waves were too choppy, we ended up in the middle of the bay somewhere at sea. And we were just relaxing, and all of a sudden you saw this wave that was coming our way that was about 50 feet long. And I'm not sure how high in height, but it was coming our way.

And that's when they told us to get down in the boat, put on our life jackets, and it's going to be a wet ride. And that's when the captain of the boat turned on the engines, and he just sped away as fast as he can so we can dodge the waves.

COLLINS: Wow! What great driving for him, to say the least. Now, you were out there on the water for two more hours. Made the decision to stay out as opposed to come in. We've heard different stories about people either going to shore or waiting in the water. Two hours later you come to shore, what do you see?

WANG: Two hours later we come back, and you can see boats that are sinking, that are half overturned. You see debris up on the shore. You saw -- we saw this big boat that toppled upon another boat that landed right up on land. And the restaurant that we were just having a few drinks at before we got onto our speed boat was washed out with water. And we were just told that we had to evacuate as soon as possible, because another wave was coming.

COLLINS: Well, and that you did eventually. Mary Wang, thanks for sharing your story with us, home safe now with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks again.

WANG: Thank you for having me.

COLLINS: And remember, you can log on to CNN.com for much more on the tsunami catastrophe for more firsthand accounts from survivors and how you can help the victims of this tragedy.

SANCHEZ: It's time to get a look at the headlines once again. And who better to do that for us than Daryn Kagan standing by at the CNN center in Atlanta?

Daryn, what do you have?

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Rick.

"Now in the News."

Secretary of State Colin Powell is discussing the tsunami relief efforts with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Today's visit comes as Powell is preparing to travel to southern Asia on Sunday to survey the damage firsthand. He is expected to be joined by Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who has led his state through several massive hurricanes this year.

Some United Airlines flight attendants may be walking out. UAL Corporation yesterday authorized their union to call a strike if the carrier cuts their labor contracts. United Airlines says it regrets the union's decision, but it is forced to slash benefits in order to get out of chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The jazz world is mourning the loss of one of its legends. Artie Shaw epitomized the big band era as a band leader and a clarinet player. He is best known for his recordings. And Shaw has been in bad health for several years. He died yesterday in California at the age of 94.

Thousands of people in California are without power this morning following powerful storms and 100-mile-per-hour winds. Heavy snow is making travel through the Sierras difficult. The highway patrol now is only letting vehicles with chains or snow tires to use the freeway. At least seven deaths are being blamed on the weather in the western part of the country.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Well, this year is the 100th anniversary of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. And as you heard Chad say, with mild temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to ring in the New Year.

Today in our "CNN Security Watch," what security measures are being taken now to keep everybody safe?

New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg is joining us this morning from Times Square to gives us a bit of a preview.

Mr. Mayor, good morning to you. I wish you a happy New Year already this morning. We know that the city is already on a heightened state of alert, has been for quite some time. Do things get different, though, come New Year's Eve?

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: It's different only in the sense that with a great concentration of people we beef up the amount of security in this particular area. Our great challenge is to make sure that while we add security here we don't take it away throughout the rest of the city. After all, we have 8.1 million people, and we want to make them safe all the time as well. So it's a balance.

We have a lot of new equipment. Some of it we bought during the Republican Convention. Some of it we've just acquired as it becomes available, as technology gets better. We keep training our police department and our fire department, all of the people that work there. And we think we are ready. We want to prevent something from happening.

And I think what you're going to see is a peaceful gathering of who knows how many people, but it should be record crowds with great weather. They are all going to come here, a lot of them from New York City, a lot of them from around the world. They're going to have a great time. They're going to yell and scream and cheer. They're going to have optimism for the future, say thanks for the past and maybe even a little prayer for those that suffered this terrible tragedy in the Pacific Region.

COLLINS: Excellent. I sure hope that is the case. In fact, let's talk a little bit more about this readiness now. More than 30 city, state and federal agencies are going to be working together on this. Chemical sensors are in place to check out the air quality around New York Times Square. Helicopters with high-def cameras, welded manhole covers. Talk to me about that. I mean, it sounds a little scary, though.

BLOOMBERG: It isn't scary. It's exactly what we should do to make sure that you don't have to worry about it. And incidentally, it's not that much different than what we have done in previous years or do for other big events.

This is a complex world. It's a dangerous world. New York City is a city with a lot of infrastructure, and we have to take certain kinds of precautions. The professionals do that. And the average person on the street goes about their business. They go to school. They go to work. They go to the theater and the movies, and they enjoy themselves. They shop and they eat and they dance and sing and do all of the things that -- the good things that freedom provides. And the police department and the fire department worry about security. So I don't think anybody should worry. I think the professionals are well-trained and have the equipment. They know what they're doing. And you and I should go and enjoy ourselves. And that's what I'm going to tonight.

We have Colin Powell to help us drop the ball. Somebody said are we going to provide extra security? And my answer was we provide the same security whether you are the secretary of state or just an average person walking the streets. And you're going to see all of that tonight. And I think everybody is going to have a wonderful time, and we'll look back on this as the 100th anniversary of celebrations in Times Square but another one that was peaceful and fun.

COLLINS: All right. And I'll look for you in the crowd, all right, Mr. Mayor?

BLOOMBERG: You probably will be able to find me.

COLLINS: I bet I will. All right, Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

BLOOMBERG: Happy New Year.

COLLINS: Happy New Year to you. Appreciate your time. Thanks.

And stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. Also be sure to stick with CNN tonight. We are ringing in the New Year live with Anderson Cooper's special New Year's Eve's guests and celebrations from around the world. Live coverage from Times Square starts tonight at 11:00 Eastern.

SANCHEZ: Iraq dominated the headlines in 2004. But will another Middle East country grab the spotlight in 2005? That's the question we ask and try to answer for you ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Talk about it, talk about it, talk about it. There was a song like it, wasn't it? Toure is joining us now to talk about it. Questions of the day, right, Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes.

SANCHEZ: OK.

TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: As the last grains of 2004 sift away, it's clear, at least to me, that this was the year of (UNINTELLIGIBLE), the enjoyment of another's downfall. It was the year we loved to laugh at one another. Republicans laughed at Democrats after the election. Red Sox fans laughed at Yankees fans.

Many of us felt no guilt while enjoying the figurative falls of Martha, Kobe, Rush, Bill O'Reilly, Bernie Kerik and the literal fall of Fidel Castro. And after Scott Peterson was convicted, thousands cheered outside the courtroom as if it were a sporting event. It was the year people fell and the rest of us enjoyed the show. But give us your take. What's going on in the zikise (ph) right now? What was 2004 all about? What made it what it was? Our question: What made it what it was? Our question: What made 2004 unforgettable? E-mail us at AM@cnn.com.

COLLINS: All right, Toure, thanks so much for that. We will wait to get some responses from everybody. Thanks.

The New Year offers hope for medical research, but Dr. Gupta says there is already a big issue that could stop those efforts dead in their tracks. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Throughout the week in our series, "The Last Word," we've looked back at the people and the events making big news in 2004. Today, we look ahead to what's going to make the headlines in 2005, from war overseas to upcoming celebrity courtroom battles. AMERICAN MORNING says so long to 2004 with the next word.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEN POLLACK, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: I think right now much of the Arab world is holding its breath and waiting to see if this experiment in Iraq is going to succeed.

BEN STEIN, AUTHOR, "CAN AMERICA SURVIVE?" If we end up with a pacified, friendly Democratic Iraq, it will all have been worthwhile. And I pray that we will. I pray that a year from now I'll be eating crow and saying Rumsfeld was a genius.

POLLACK: If it fails, I think the cause of the Democrats will be irreparably harmed. And it may be that once we fail in Iraq, if we fail in Iraq, that afterwards the Arab world will once again go back to debating autocracy versus Islamism. And I think that 2005 is going to be the year when we decide that we're either going to make an effort that has some chance of derailing the Iranian nuclear program, or else we stick our heads in the sand and at some point in 2006 or '07 or '08 or '09 or '10, we find ourselves dealing with a nuclear Iran.

LISA BLOOM, COURT TV: Here are the big trials coming up for 2005. Robert Blake. Blake tends to be very melodramatic. He plays a ukulele out in front of the courtroom.

ROBERT BLAKE, ACTOR (singing): Somewhere way up over the rainbow.

BLOOM: Michael Jackson maybe the most difficult celebrity for any attorney to rein in.

JEFFERY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: What you're going to have in that trial is the defense saying that the victim, the alleged victim is a liar, his parents are greedy, the prosecution is out to get him. And you have the prosecution saying Michael Jackson is an evil child molester. It is going to be ugly, ugly, ugly for months. B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": You know what's going to happen at the Super Bowl. Paul McCartney. Big difference from last year. Not exactly a nipple-revealing type of guy.

DEROY MURDOCH, SCRIPPS-HOWARD COLUMNIST: In 2005, the New York Yankees will have the opportunity to exact justice on the Boston Red Sox. It's never too late for justice. And I think come fall of 2005, the Yankees will have the opportunity to put Boston back in its place.

SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Next year, the Oscars is going to be extremely interesting. Most of all, the story is going to be all about Miramax. This is the final curtain call for Harvey Weinstein and Miramax. And that is going to mean that he is going to put everything he has left behind "The Aviator." Two of the big questions are going to be: What are they going to do about "The Passion," and what are they going to do about "Fahrenheit 9/11?" These are, like, the elephants in the room.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: The president has had a remarkably united party. They were so determined not to see John Kerry benefit from that that they kept their counsel to themselves. I think what 2005 and beyond may well show us is that these Republican voices are going to be far less accommodating to the president.

MARY MATALIN, BUSH SR. CAMPAIGN ADVISOR: What he'll be allowed to do now that we've set a course for the global war on terror and it's been validated by the votes he received, he'll be able to turn his attention and focus to those domestic problems that have been plaguing us, Social Security reform, tort reform, tax reform.

BETTY CORTINA, "LATINA" MAGAZINE: What I want to see happen for 2005 is probably what everybody else wants to see, which is after a presidential election that really divided this country into segments and voting blocs and parties is to see the country come together.

NANCY REAGAN, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: There are so many diseases that can be cured or at least helped. We've lost so much time already. And I just really can't bear to lose any more.

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think about a year from now we're going to continue to make significant progress in stem cells. We may even start to see some therapies for things like diabetes, Parkinson's and spinal cord injuries. We may be better at treating cancer as well, which is very exciting. The problem is that I don't think we've figured out exactly how we're going to pay for all of this. And that may end up being one of the biggest issues of 2005.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: The price of oil went up, to a degree, because of speculators. But the risk is real. You know, the great unknowns are the war on terror and the war in Iraq, and obviously a domestic terror incident would be so costly to our psyche and, of course, to the economy as well. That, of course, is a huge wild card, and no one knows. And that hangs over us.

POLLACK: So far everything has been quiet. And I think that it is fair to ascribe that to many of the steps that we took over the course of 2003 and 2004. But 2005 is a very different issue. And no one knows if perhaps al Qaeda hasn't learned a thing or two as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: And by the way, AMERICAN MORNING wishes you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous -- and since we work at CNN and happen to think information is the bedrock of democracy -- an informed New Year will help -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Heroes emerged from the tragedy of the tsunami disaster. A southern California family risks their own lives to pull dozens of strangers from a watery death. Their tale of survival and heroism is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.

Aired December 31, 2004 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's just about half past the hour now on the final day of 2004. I'm Heidi Collins in for Soledad O'Brien today.
The total death toll now in the tsunami disaster stands at more than 135,000 people. Here's what we know right now. Of the total dead, nearly 80,000 are in Indonesia. More than 41,000 are dead in Sri Lanka. And in India, at least 10,000 people are dead. Officials say the death toll of tourists could reach into the thousands.

A U.S. military team has arrived in Sri Lanka to distribute clean water, but aid officials say the devastated terrain is making relief efforts there difficult. And in addition to the half a billion dollars in aid already pledged, the U.N. says it will send out an appeal for more in the coming New Year -- Rick.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: You know, as the world steps in for the millions without homes or those that we see on our screens practically every day who seem to lack food and water, many want to know how can I help those people. What can I do to help change their lives and do so efficiently?

Millions of dollars have been given over the Internet for relief efforts. And organizations are reporting record donations. Still, opportunity abounds for, in some cases, scam artists to take advantage of peoples' generosity.

So, let's see if we can help you sort through this. And to help us do this or how to not do it, I suppose we could say as well, is Jane Kim. She's a reporter for "The Wall Street Journal." She has been following this, has written stories about it already. She's good enough to join us, and she's going to take us through it. So let's get started.

What are the good old reliables, the organizations that we think we can trust given their track record?

JANE KIM, REPORTER, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Right. That's really important, because with so many organizations out there -- there are at least 40 relief organizations out there that have come out with relief programs. Some of the big names are the American Red Cross, for example. They're working with their International Red Cross groups in the affected countries.

We've got Doctors Without Borders. They are a group that has historically been known to help out with medical teams and equipment. Save the Children is another great organization. They have historically helped children and affected families. They've set up a fund to raise 5 million for the relief victims -- or for the victims.

SANCHEZ: I'm wondering, as you look at the organizations, there are also others out there. But is there a place we can go to check them out after we choose one? Let's say we choose organization B or C. But now we want to go somewhere to make sure they're doing it right. Where do we go to do that?

KIM: There are a couple good sites. CharityWatch.org is one good site. CharityNavigator.org. What these sites do, they're self- evaluators. So what they'll do they'll pour through all of these charities' financial statements. What you do is type in the name of the charity, and they'll rate the charity based on how effective they are at distributing the funds.

For example, CharityWatch.org, they assign a grade from A-plus to F. If the charity gives, say, 70 percent or more of your dollars to the needed funds...

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KIM: ... then they get an A or a B.

SANCHEZ: Because a lot of these organizations have heavy administrative costs. In other words, they are paying their people a pretty good salary. And you'd kind of want to stay away from those, wouldn't you?

KIM: Exactly. Any charity that, say, spends more than 40 percent of every dollar you give them for resources is probably something to be avoided.

SANCHEZ: A little bit worried about it.

KIM: Yes, exactly.

SANCHEZ: What should we give? A lot of people talk about clothing and medicine and sending food over there or cash. What? How?

KIM: Without a doubt cash is the best thing to give at this point. That's because it allows the charities to go quickly into the affected areas. They know the areas better than anyone else. And what they can do is turn around, buy the equipment, food supplies, whatever they need quickly. And they know where to get it.

SANCHEZ: When you say cash, you don't mean cash. You mean try and get money...

KIM: Right.

SANCHEZ: ... to them using some kind of credit card system or something.

KIM: Exactly. And if someone shows up at your door asking for cash...

SANCHEZ: Right.

KIM: ... it's probably not a good sign. What you want to do is give a credit card, perhaps over the phone, over the Internet. You can call, look in the yellow pages and find a local branch nearest to your home.

SANCHEZ: And this is...

KIM: And go to their office.

SANCHEZ: This is an important day to do this, because this is December 31.

KIM: That's a very good question again.

SANCHEZ: You get a tax break here, right?

KIM: You do get a tax break with one caveat. The organization that you give to must be a U.S.-based charity and registered with the IRS. So that's one thing to keep in mind.

SANCHEZ: Thanks for getting up so early on this day and coming here and answering all of these questions for us.

KIM: Thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: Jane Kim with "The Wall Street Journal." We appreciate it.

KIM: Thank so much.

SANCHEZ: Heidi -- back over to you.

COLLINS: Mary Wang and her husband were on a speed boat headed for a snorkeling excursion in Southeast Asia. They were near this resort area -- you see it here -- Thailand's Phuket Island when the tsunami hit. Remarkably, they both survived and are back home this morning in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mary Wang is with us now to share her story.

Mary, welcome back. Glad you are all right and happy to have you with us this morning. First, tell us how you and your husband are doing.

MARY WANG, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Good morning. And thank you for having me. My husband and I, we are both doing fine. We are back at home, embracing with our family and loved ones and our friends. And we are happy to be alive and we're back at home.

COLLINS: Boy, I'm sure that's the understatement of a lifetime. You and your husband were on Phuket Island, as we said. It was Sunday morning. You are getting ready to go snorkeling. So you get on a speed boat to head to a different island. Tell me what happened next. WANG: Well, as we approached Riah (ph) Island, we saw that it was already washed out, the whole beach front. And we were told that, well, we can't dock the boat, so we have to sit out in the water for a while before we can go anywhere.

COLLINS: But, wait, Mary. What do you mean it was washed away? I mean, this is -- did you recognize right away when you pulled up, oh, the island is no longer there?

WANG: Yes, we were about 150 feet away, and you can see that there are no more beach umbrellas, no more beach chairs, and you can see that the water had washed up all the way to the bungalows and the little restaurants that they had there.

COLLINS: Now, you're trying to make a decision of whether or not you can still snorkel, because, I guess, as you looked in the water -- we're so used to seeing these beautiful pictures of pristine blue, blue water -- all of a sudden it turns into this murky sort of brown color. What did that tell you?

WANG: It told us that there was something definitely wrong. I mean, there was some communication barriers, and we really weren't sure what was going on. And then we were told by our tour guide that we're going to go around the back and go snorkel in the back of Riah (ph) Island. And we're going to go and check it out to see if it was OK for us to, you know, jump into the sea and take a look at the coral reefs.

COLLINS: And I know that you mentioned these communication problems. You guys obviously you don't speak Thai, and yet the boat captain is speaking Thai and is getting a little bit concerned. What was the scene like on that boat? I mean, when did you guys realize, man, this is really major devastation?

WANG: Well, when they made a decision that we couldn't go snorkeling because the waves were too choppy, we ended up in the middle of the bay somewhere at sea. And we were just relaxing, and all of a sudden you saw this wave that was coming our way that was about 50 feet long. And I'm not sure how high in height, but it was coming our way.

And that's when they told us to get down in the boat, put on our life jackets, and it's going to be a wet ride. And that's when the captain of the boat turned on the engines, and he just sped away as fast as he can so we can dodge the waves.

COLLINS: Wow! What great driving for him, to say the least. Now, you were out there on the water for two more hours. Made the decision to stay out as opposed to come in. We've heard different stories about people either going to shore or waiting in the water. Two hours later you come to shore, what do you see?

WANG: Two hours later we come back, and you can see boats that are sinking, that are half overturned. You see debris up on the shore. You saw -- we saw this big boat that toppled upon another boat that landed right up on land. And the restaurant that we were just having a few drinks at before we got onto our speed boat was washed out with water. And we were just told that we had to evacuate as soon as possible, because another wave was coming.

COLLINS: Well, and that you did eventually. Mary Wang, thanks for sharing your story with us, home safe now with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks again.

WANG: Thank you for having me.

COLLINS: And remember, you can log on to CNN.com for much more on the tsunami catastrophe for more firsthand accounts from survivors and how you can help the victims of this tragedy.

SANCHEZ: It's time to get a look at the headlines once again. And who better to do that for us than Daryn Kagan standing by at the CNN center in Atlanta?

Daryn, what do you have?

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Rick.

"Now in the News."

Secretary of State Colin Powell is discussing the tsunami relief efforts with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Today's visit comes as Powell is preparing to travel to southern Asia on Sunday to survey the damage firsthand. He is expected to be joined by Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who has led his state through several massive hurricanes this year.

Some United Airlines flight attendants may be walking out. UAL Corporation yesterday authorized their union to call a strike if the carrier cuts their labor contracts. United Airlines says it regrets the union's decision, but it is forced to slash benefits in order to get out of chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The jazz world is mourning the loss of one of its legends. Artie Shaw epitomized the big band era as a band leader and a clarinet player. He is best known for his recordings. And Shaw has been in bad health for several years. He died yesterday in California at the age of 94.

Thousands of people in California are without power this morning following powerful storms and 100-mile-per-hour winds. Heavy snow is making travel through the Sierras difficult. The highway patrol now is only letting vehicles with chains or snow tires to use the freeway. At least seven deaths are being blamed on the weather in the western part of the country.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Well, this year is the 100th anniversary of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. And as you heard Chad say, with mild temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to ring in the New Year.

Today in our "CNN Security Watch," what security measures are being taken now to keep everybody safe?

New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg is joining us this morning from Times Square to gives us a bit of a preview.

Mr. Mayor, good morning to you. I wish you a happy New Year already this morning. We know that the city is already on a heightened state of alert, has been for quite some time. Do things get different, though, come New Year's Eve?

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: It's different only in the sense that with a great concentration of people we beef up the amount of security in this particular area. Our great challenge is to make sure that while we add security here we don't take it away throughout the rest of the city. After all, we have 8.1 million people, and we want to make them safe all the time as well. So it's a balance.

We have a lot of new equipment. Some of it we bought during the Republican Convention. Some of it we've just acquired as it becomes available, as technology gets better. We keep training our police department and our fire department, all of the people that work there. And we think we are ready. We want to prevent something from happening.

And I think what you're going to see is a peaceful gathering of who knows how many people, but it should be record crowds with great weather. They are all going to come here, a lot of them from New York City, a lot of them from around the world. They're going to have a great time. They're going to yell and scream and cheer. They're going to have optimism for the future, say thanks for the past and maybe even a little prayer for those that suffered this terrible tragedy in the Pacific Region.

COLLINS: Excellent. I sure hope that is the case. In fact, let's talk a little bit more about this readiness now. More than 30 city, state and federal agencies are going to be working together on this. Chemical sensors are in place to check out the air quality around New York Times Square. Helicopters with high-def cameras, welded manhole covers. Talk to me about that. I mean, it sounds a little scary, though.

BLOOMBERG: It isn't scary. It's exactly what we should do to make sure that you don't have to worry about it. And incidentally, it's not that much different than what we have done in previous years or do for other big events.

This is a complex world. It's a dangerous world. New York City is a city with a lot of infrastructure, and we have to take certain kinds of precautions. The professionals do that. And the average person on the street goes about their business. They go to school. They go to work. They go to the theater and the movies, and they enjoy themselves. They shop and they eat and they dance and sing and do all of the things that -- the good things that freedom provides. And the police department and the fire department worry about security. So I don't think anybody should worry. I think the professionals are well-trained and have the equipment. They know what they're doing. And you and I should go and enjoy ourselves. And that's what I'm going to tonight.

We have Colin Powell to help us drop the ball. Somebody said are we going to provide extra security? And my answer was we provide the same security whether you are the secretary of state or just an average person walking the streets. And you're going to see all of that tonight. And I think everybody is going to have a wonderful time, and we'll look back on this as the 100th anniversary of celebrations in Times Square but another one that was peaceful and fun.

COLLINS: All right. And I'll look for you in the crowd, all right, Mr. Mayor?

BLOOMBERG: You probably will be able to find me.

COLLINS: I bet I will. All right, Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

BLOOMBERG: Happy New Year.

COLLINS: Happy New Year to you. Appreciate your time. Thanks.

And stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. Also be sure to stick with CNN tonight. We are ringing in the New Year live with Anderson Cooper's special New Year's Eve's guests and celebrations from around the world. Live coverage from Times Square starts tonight at 11:00 Eastern.

SANCHEZ: Iraq dominated the headlines in 2004. But will another Middle East country grab the spotlight in 2005? That's the question we ask and try to answer for you ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Talk about it, talk about it, talk about it. There was a song like it, wasn't it? Toure is joining us now to talk about it. Questions of the day, right, Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes.

SANCHEZ: OK.

TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: As the last grains of 2004 sift away, it's clear, at least to me, that this was the year of (UNINTELLIGIBLE), the enjoyment of another's downfall. It was the year we loved to laugh at one another. Republicans laughed at Democrats after the election. Red Sox fans laughed at Yankees fans.

Many of us felt no guilt while enjoying the figurative falls of Martha, Kobe, Rush, Bill O'Reilly, Bernie Kerik and the literal fall of Fidel Castro. And after Scott Peterson was convicted, thousands cheered outside the courtroom as if it were a sporting event. It was the year people fell and the rest of us enjoyed the show. But give us your take. What's going on in the zikise (ph) right now? What was 2004 all about? What made it what it was? Our question: What made it what it was? Our question: What made 2004 unforgettable? E-mail us at AM@cnn.com.

COLLINS: All right, Toure, thanks so much for that. We will wait to get some responses from everybody. Thanks.

The New Year offers hope for medical research, but Dr. Gupta says there is already a big issue that could stop those efforts dead in their tracks. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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SANCHEZ: Throughout the week in our series, "The Last Word," we've looked back at the people and the events making big news in 2004. Today, we look ahead to what's going to make the headlines in 2005, from war overseas to upcoming celebrity courtroom battles. AMERICAN MORNING says so long to 2004 with the next word.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEN POLLACK, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: I think right now much of the Arab world is holding its breath and waiting to see if this experiment in Iraq is going to succeed.

BEN STEIN, AUTHOR, "CAN AMERICA SURVIVE?" If we end up with a pacified, friendly Democratic Iraq, it will all have been worthwhile. And I pray that we will. I pray that a year from now I'll be eating crow and saying Rumsfeld was a genius.

POLLACK: If it fails, I think the cause of the Democrats will be irreparably harmed. And it may be that once we fail in Iraq, if we fail in Iraq, that afterwards the Arab world will once again go back to debating autocracy versus Islamism. And I think that 2005 is going to be the year when we decide that we're either going to make an effort that has some chance of derailing the Iranian nuclear program, or else we stick our heads in the sand and at some point in 2006 or '07 or '08 or '09 or '10, we find ourselves dealing with a nuclear Iran.

LISA BLOOM, COURT TV: Here are the big trials coming up for 2005. Robert Blake. Blake tends to be very melodramatic. He plays a ukulele out in front of the courtroom.

ROBERT BLAKE, ACTOR (singing): Somewhere way up over the rainbow.

BLOOM: Michael Jackson maybe the most difficult celebrity for any attorney to rein in.

JEFFERY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: What you're going to have in that trial is the defense saying that the victim, the alleged victim is a liar, his parents are greedy, the prosecution is out to get him. And you have the prosecution saying Michael Jackson is an evil child molester. It is going to be ugly, ugly, ugly for months. B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": You know what's going to happen at the Super Bowl. Paul McCartney. Big difference from last year. Not exactly a nipple-revealing type of guy.

DEROY MURDOCH, SCRIPPS-HOWARD COLUMNIST: In 2005, the New York Yankees will have the opportunity to exact justice on the Boston Red Sox. It's never too late for justice. And I think come fall of 2005, the Yankees will have the opportunity to put Boston back in its place.

SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Next year, the Oscars is going to be extremely interesting. Most of all, the story is going to be all about Miramax. This is the final curtain call for Harvey Weinstein and Miramax. And that is going to mean that he is going to put everything he has left behind "The Aviator." Two of the big questions are going to be: What are they going to do about "The Passion," and what are they going to do about "Fahrenheit 9/11?" These are, like, the elephants in the room.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: The president has had a remarkably united party. They were so determined not to see John Kerry benefit from that that they kept their counsel to themselves. I think what 2005 and beyond may well show us is that these Republican voices are going to be far less accommodating to the president.

MARY MATALIN, BUSH SR. CAMPAIGN ADVISOR: What he'll be allowed to do now that we've set a course for the global war on terror and it's been validated by the votes he received, he'll be able to turn his attention and focus to those domestic problems that have been plaguing us, Social Security reform, tort reform, tax reform.

BETTY CORTINA, "LATINA" MAGAZINE: What I want to see happen for 2005 is probably what everybody else wants to see, which is after a presidential election that really divided this country into segments and voting blocs and parties is to see the country come together.

NANCY REAGAN, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: There are so many diseases that can be cured or at least helped. We've lost so much time already. And I just really can't bear to lose any more.

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I think about a year from now we're going to continue to make significant progress in stem cells. We may even start to see some therapies for things like diabetes, Parkinson's and spinal cord injuries. We may be better at treating cancer as well, which is very exciting. The problem is that I don't think we've figured out exactly how we're going to pay for all of this. And that may end up being one of the biggest issues of 2005.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: The price of oil went up, to a degree, because of speculators. But the risk is real. You know, the great unknowns are the war on terror and the war in Iraq, and obviously a domestic terror incident would be so costly to our psyche and, of course, to the economy as well. That, of course, is a huge wild card, and no one knows. And that hangs over us.

POLLACK: So far everything has been quiet. And I think that it is fair to ascribe that to many of the steps that we took over the course of 2003 and 2004. But 2005 is a very different issue. And no one knows if perhaps al Qaeda hasn't learned a thing or two as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: And by the way, AMERICAN MORNING wishes you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous -- and since we work at CNN and happen to think information is the bedrock of democracy -- an informed New Year will help -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Heroes emerged from the tragedy of the tsunami disaster. A southern California family risks their own lives to pull dozens of strangers from a watery death. Their tale of survival and heroism is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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