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Quantas Flight Makes Emergency Landing in the Philippines; Honda's Natural Gas Car is a Hit in California; Meet Dawn the Monkey Who Rides Dog for Charity
Aired July 25, 2008 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: ...Violent storms, including possible tornadoes, ripped through the state yesterday. One person was killed. About a dozen others were hurt. The property damage, as you can see, widespread. At least six homes were destroyed, and many more were damaged. Trees snapped like twigs, and debris is littering the streets, including a couch, I don't know if you'll see it here, found wrapped around a tree.
FEMA crews are on the ground today assessing all of the damage. Texas still reeling from the wrath of Dolly. The storm now a tropical depression is expected to break up today over Mexico. But it is still bringing heavy rain to South Texas. Flash flooding is a threat and isolated tornadoes are possible. Dolly slammed into eastern Texas as a category 2 hurricane Wednesday. Tens of thousands of people are still without power. President Bush has declared 15 counties disaster areas. The estimated property damage, $750 million.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, so let's talk more about all of this.
Rob Marciano is standing by now to talk about the heavy rains and this flooding situations. A lot still out there to deal with.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we talked about hurricanes, we talked about storm surge, we talked about the wind, you mentioned category 2 winds, with 100 miles an hour sustained. You talk about the inland flooding which obviously we're still seeing a little bit of that with this thing trying to wring itself out. But you also have the threat for tornadoes and it can be well away from the center of circulation. And we had a couple of reports right around the San Antonio area yesterday one of which did some damage. Got some video that came in yesterday, last night, into the CNN NEWSROOM.
This is about two miles south of downtown San Antonio, where the public report of the tornado, and they cut about a quarter mile path, I think it's about 30 yards wide. So not a very big one but certainly enough to do damage and typically the ones that come in with hurricanes aren't very big. But you know, you don't need a big one can tear apart a roof and down some power lines, that's for sure. Insult to injury there across the state of Texas.
St. Louis back through Nashville, some showers and thunderstorms rolling down to the southeast. Some of these could get a little bit bumpy later on today. Here's I-70. Columbia towards St. Louis. These are motoring pretty good. They're intensifying at this hour. These look a little bit stronger towards Clarksville, heading towards Murphy's (INAUDIBLE) and down towards northern Georgia. And then I mentioned these thunderstorms that produced tornadoes in eastern parts of New Hampshire. They have pushed now eastward and it should be a fine old day across parts of the northeast today.
Meanwhile, it's starting to cook down across the plains. Oklahoma City, we got a live shot for you, I believe. That looks warm. Thanks, KOCO. 81 degrees, some sunshine, a little bit of haze. Temps into the mid 90s. You are under a heat advisory today through the weekend. With temperatures expected to get well into the 90s, likely up and over 100. And that does not include the humidity it will be measured in the shade. 98 in Dallas, 90 degrees in D.C., 86 in Chicago, 65 that sounds chilly, break out the parkas.
COLLINS: Yes, you know, I love your shout-out to Hayward, Wisconsin. I lived just a few miles from there. Did the grocery shopping there from the cabin. It's the lumberjack. It's going to be hot. Everybody should head to Hayward, Wisconsin.
HARRIS: I'll say where have you not lived? Where have you not lived?
MARCIANO: Have we mentioned it enough or recently?
COLLINS: There's a lot of towns I haven't lived.
MARCIANO: You obviously didn't hear that part. I was thinking you'd chime in earlier.
COLLINS: I did hear that part. I didn't think it was appropriate. Then you went on to talking about Dolly and tornadoes and so forth. So, you know, its just Hayward.
MARCIANO: Any family photos you might have of the lumber jacks.
COLLINS: I've been in the lumberjack competition, actually. No.
HARRIS: We knew that.
COLLINS: No!
MARCIANO: I didn't know that. That speaks for everybody.
COLLINS: All right. We'll talk to you later. Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: Thank you.
COLLINS: We want to get to this story now, quite a scare in the air. Passengers aboard a Qantas flight from Hong Kong report hearing a loud sound, and then oxygen masks started falling, as the plane lost cabin pressure. The dramatic footage from inside the 747 shows the what looks to be a pretty rapid descent. Pilot quickly made an emergency landing in the Philippines. All 345 passengers got off the plane shaken but not injured.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OWEN TUDOR, PASSENGER: There was an almighty crack, and you could hear something happening, and then the oxygen masks fell down and you started dropping down, ears popping, that sort of stuff.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: This was the problem. Look at that. Gaping hole in the plane's fuselage just above the wing. No word yet on what caused it. The passengers are now at hotels waiting for another plane to continue their flight to Australia. We're going to be talking actually with a former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board in just a few minutes on that one.
Meanwhile, take a look at this. Another airplane story to tell you about. One catches fire during takeoff in India. All 252 passengers and crew had to escape as you see through an emergency exit. Officials at New Delhi's main airport say the Air Mauritius pilot apparently braked suddenly as the plane prepared for liftoff and that may have sparked a fire that spread to the jet liner's undercarriage. Some people reportedly panicked but no one was injured.
HARRIS: What do you say we get an early look at how things are doing on Wall Street this morning? Let's go to Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. And Susan, after today's - well yesterday's steep decline, we would be happy with kind of a calm flat, slightly positive day.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN : I'm going to give you something better than that.
HARRIS: Yes?
LISOVICZ: Better than that, well it's Friday for one. And also we got some good news as the Dow, of course, dropped more than 300 points yesterday amid worse than expected reports on existing home sales and jobless claims, a sell off the spread overseas hitting Asian markets as well. Today we are seeing a rebound. Investors are encouraged by a reading on durable goods. Those are orders for big ticket items like cars and machinery rose nearly one percent last month. That's the best showing in four months and signals some help in business spending.
We also just minutes ago got a new report on new home sales. They declined 0.6 percent. But guess what? Wall Street was expecting double that. So that is a good thing. And also, just in the last few minutes, (briefing).com tells us that consumer confidence in July was revised higher. And guess what? Confidence in the markets -
HARRIS: OK.
LISOVICZ: We're seeing it. We had a modest rally. It's firming up now. The Dow is up 91 points or nearly three quarters of a percent. The Nasdaq is up one percent. And oil -
HARRIS: Yes.
LISOVICZ: Oil is down $2.50. I mean, what more can I give you?
HARRIS: This is terrific.
LISOVICZ: There you go.
HARRIS: This is terrific.
LISOVICZ: To start your weekend.
HARRIS: Good Friday. Good Friday of business news so far. Still pretty early in the session, but we like the way we're headed. Susan --
LISOVICZ: I'll be back.
HARRIS: See you a little later in the hour.
LISOVICZ: You got it.
COLLINS: Quickly I want to get you new information coming in on that oil spill on the Mississippi River near New Orleans that we told you about yesterday. Lieutenant Commander Cheri Ben-Iesau from the U.S. Coast Guard is joining us now on the phone. If you could, Commander Ben-Iesau, if you could tell us a little bit more about the current situation. I know it is quite a mess there.
VOICE OF LT. CMDR CHERI BEN-IESAU, U.S. COAST GUARD: Well, yes. Good morning. Good morning from New Orleans. Even though it is a mess, it looks like we are making a little bit of headway. We are expecting any time to start the salvage on the barge. They have submitted a salvage plan, and we have started this morning to tentatively limited basis make a couple of movements of vessels through the closed river zone.
COLLINS: If you could do us a favor, commander, just remind us what happened here. I know there's an investigation ongoing because yesterday as we were reporting, the pilot of the tugboat that was pushing that barge along that eventually hit the other vessel obviously carrying the oil was not properly licensed. Is there any more information on this?
BEN-IESAU: No. You know, we do have an investigation going on. Just to determine exactly what happened. The district commander has called for what we term a one-man formal investigation to look in to it.
COLLINS: Obviously a lot of people when they hear that, though, as I'm sure you can understand are going to want to know more. I mean, when we look at the spill here which I believe from my notes here, the largest on the Mississippi River since 2000. People are going to be mad. They're going to say how could something like this happen?
BEN-IESAU: Exactly. We - the formal investigation, of course -- COLLINS: I'm sorry, are you still there?
BEN-IESAU: Yes, I am. Can you rephrase for me? Your question.
COLLINS: Well I just am wondering how something like that could happen, if in fact it is determined that this pilot of the tugboat actually quite frankly may have caused what we're looking at right now on the screen, how do you go and get a tugboat without a license, without someone with you, because he had an apprentice license and go out on the Mississippi, and crash into a vessel that's carrying many hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil which are now dumped in the Mississippi River?
BEN-IESAU: Right. Very imprudent. And hopefully the investigation will turn up all the events that led up to that, and exactly what happened, and what led to those decisions being made.
COLLINS: All right. I understand it's going to take several days to reopen the nearly 100 miles of river that has actually been closed down.
BEN-IESAU: Right.
COLLINS: We do wish you the very best. We know you have a lot of work ahead. We appreciate your time here. Lieutenant Commander Cheri Ben-Iesau of the U.S. Coast Guard. Thank you.
HARRIS: Well, right now on Capitol Hill, the House financial services committee is looking at what role mortgage practices played in the current foreclosure crisis. Barney Frank there, the committee chair. Foreclosures were up in the second quarter. One in every 171 homes according to realtytrack.com. Banks took back almost a quarter million properties, rates are highest in California, Florida, Nevada, and Arizona.
More than 1.3 million mortgages in foreclosure at last count. How did it happen and who's to blame? CNN's Allan Chernoff talks to one woman fighting foreclosure, even though she says she knew she couldn't afford her house when she bought it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gesille James hasn't paid her mortgage in a year. She received a foreclosure notice in November, but she's fighting to stay in the two-family home. Gesille, a librarian, was earning $50,000 a year when she bought this house 2 1/2 years ago. So she took out two mortgages to finance the entire purchase price of $560,000. Did you think you could afford this house?
GESILLE JAMES, HOMEOWNER FIGHTING FORECLOSURE: No. No.
CHERNOFF: You never thought you could afford it?
JAMES: Well, the price that was quoted, and I kept getting back, don't worry about it. They'll work with what you have. There's the financing -
CHERNOFF: Who said that?
JAMES: Anthony.
CHERNOFF: Your broker? He said don't worry about the price? That broker is Anthony Brown who has his own real estate company nearby. Obviously she couldn't afford it.
ANTHONY BROWN, A PLACE FOR EVERYONE REALTY: Yes, that's true.
CHERNOFF: So why did you sell the home?
BROWN: No, I don't control her mortgage. You understand. I control the actual sales between her and the developer.
CHERNOFF: Brown claims the developer, Home Master Development Group, arranged Gesille's financing with Alliance Mortgage, which is no longer in business. Home Master says Mr. Brown arranged the financing. Gesille says the same. Did he say you could afford it?
JAMES: He did. He did.
CHERNOFF: He did?
JAMES: He did.
CHERNOFF: Gesille rented one of the two apartments in the house, but even with the income, she still couldn't cover the mortgage payments. You see how much she earns. How could you sell her a home that was so way out of her price range?
BROWN: That's what she - that's from her choice, that was her choice.
CHERNOFF: Well, it was your house to sell it, no?
BROWN: I don't control what a person chooses to do. If they want to get the home they get a home.
CHERNOFF: Alliance Mortgage quickly sold Gesille's loan to Morgan Stanley who told us they have no comment, since the loan has since been sold off to other investors buying mortgage securities. Gesille's lawyer argues she was misled, and therefore has a right to fight foreclosure.
JEFFREY BENJAMIN, ATTORNEY FOR GESILLE JAMES: The goal is to keep the consumer in her home where she should belong. But at a reasonable monthly burden.
CHERNOFF: Gesille admits she bears much of the responsibility. But says she can't imagine what she'll do if she has to leave her home.
JAMES: But I'm fighting it, because I need somewhere to live. I, you know, I have to live somewhere. I can't live in the car. CHERNOFF: Attorney Jeff Benjamin says he's hopeful of renegotiating Gesille's loan on this home, especially now that banks are being more flexible, since so many of their mortgages have gone bad. Allan Chernoff, CNN, Bronx, New York.
COLLINS: Tough talk from John McCain's campaign while Barack Obama is overseas.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A sad news report, Professor Randy Pausch. You remember Randy Pausch? This is the video I think that we all remember. His last lecture was about his terminal cancer. It became a best-selling book that inspired large numbers of people. He has died. Once again, Professor Randy Pausch has died from cancer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Candidate watch. Barack Obama still in Europe. He's traveling from Berlin to Paris, where he'll meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy today. Berlin police say Obama drew a crowd of about 200,000 for his address in the German capital yesterday. John McCain heads to Colorado today. He will speak at a veterans' convention and meet with the Dalai Lama.
Last night McCain got his own taste of Germany. He addressed business leaders at a German restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Barack Obama grabbed attention abroad. Back home, John McCain tries to rally his base with tough talk about the Iraq war. CNN's Mary Snow reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With his democratic opponent stealing the spotlight in Berlin, republican presidential hopeful Senator John McCain stuck to a German theme, but at a German restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Was he trying to make a point?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'd love to give a speech in Germany to a political speech or a - or a speech that maybe the German people would be interested in. But I much prefer to do it as president of the United States, rather than as a candidate for - for the - for the office of presidency.
SNOW: While there, McCain sat down with small business owners to talk about the economy, health care, and gas prices. While keeping one eye on domestic issues, his other remains watchful of Obama's stand on Iraq, criticizing him for not supporting the surge. Now Obama is firing back at his republican challenger, by saying this.
MCCAIN: It seems to me that Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign.
SNOW: Obama told NBC News he was disappointed by McCain's language. OBAMA: For him to suggest that I don't, for him to suggest that somehow I'm less concerned about the safety of my wife and daughter than he is, I think - was unfortunate.
SNOW: McCain is standing firm.
MCCAIN: All of us care about our children. I'm sure that every American does. The point is that Senator Obama doesn't have an understanding of what was at stake with the surge, what is at stake in the future, for the security of this nation. I stand by my comments, and I think the record authenticates it.
SNOW: But one political observer says McCain's suggestion that Obama is more interested in winning the election than the war could cause a backlash.
LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: It's red meat for the republican base. But this election, as all presidential elections, will be decided by the swing, independent moderates. And they tend not to like language like that.
SNOW (on-camera): The McCain camp is doing what it can to keep Obama from using his overseas trip to bolster his foreign policy credentials. And in vying for the spotlight, McCain plans to meet Friday with the Dalai Lama in Colorado. Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Barack Obama meeting with French President Sarkozy in Paris today. Obama is nearing the final leg of a whirlwind tour through Europe and the Mideast. This morning he sat down with CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: So this trip, particularly the event in Berlin, you don't see as a rebuke to U.S. foreign policy under George bush?
OBAMA: You know, that is not my job on this trip. I think that if you look at how we tried to conduct this trip, that I've tried to abide by a rule that has been historically, I think, very important, which is that whatever political differences we have, we have one government at a time, and that when public officials like myself, who are not the president, travel overseas, that we're not in the business of spending all our time second-guessing our president.
CROWLEY: You had two lines to walk, really. Sort of showing yourself on the international scene as someone who can go toe-to-toe with world leaders and sending that image back without seeming like you already think that you're president. And you also had this just not seem too presumptuous as they say.
OBAMA: Right.
CROWLEY: John McCain has said that this really looked like a premature victory lap.
OBAMA: Yes.
CROWLEY: Did you cross the line? Were there times when you were really aware of that, you know that sort of, oh, wow, he looks like he already thinks he's go it.
OBAMA: I'll leave it up to the pundits to theorize on that. I would point out that John McCain, after he won the nomination, met with all the leaders that I'm meeting with. That he's made speeches in Colombia and Canada and Mexico. So, it would be - I'd be hard- pressed to find a big difference between what I've done over the last week and what John McCain has been doing since he won the nomination.
CROWLEY: Just do that more attentively.
OBAMA: I did.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And you can catch Candy Crowley's full interview with Obama on CNN's "The Situation Room." Wolf will also interview John McCain. That's at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, 1:00 p.m. Pacific.
COLLINS: The markets. Oil prices, a housing mess. It's a scary world out there. You've got questions. Gerri Willis has some answers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The New York Stock Exchange right now for a look at the big board. How about this, a nice little rally building this morning. First hour of the trading day. Susan Lisovicz. How about Susan this morning? She came to play with a lot of positive news on the economy, on oil, and gasoline prices. Durable goods. You know, your fridge, your washer/drier combination piece there, big ticket items. Good news so far, and a nice rally. We'll see how the day pans out. We're following all the markets, all hands on deck here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: All right, well it's Friday, and on Fridays we take the time to talk with Gerri Willis about all these great e-mails that come in. There are so many I don't know how you sift through.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: We do have a lot.
COLLINS: Yes. There's an awful lot going on with people's finances and I'm sure they have tons and tons of questions. So, Gerri, we're going to get straight to it. We've got four to get to, here. The first one says this, how can we tell if a credit union is having financial problems?
WILLIS: Well, good question. First off, hi, Heidi. But the answer to the question, it's not always easy to tell if your credit union is in trouble. The thing you want to do is make sure the credit union you belong to is backed by the NCUA, that stands for National Credit Union Association. It's similar to the FDIC, it insures individual accounts up to $100,000. Joint accounts up to $200,000. And retirement accounts, $200,000 to $250,000. Go to ncua.gov for more information.
COLLINS: OK. Perfect. That was from John in Maryland. So thank you, John. Are there, the next one now, are there any suggestions on how a person that has worked in a mortgage industry as a sales person for ten years can approach the job market? I'd like to explore my options. That's coming from someone who doesn't want to tell us who they are.
WILLIS: Well I think it's more common than you would think.
COLLINS: Yes. I bet.
WILLIS: Keep in mind that people with good sales abilities are always in need. You can easily translate your people skills to other industries. Make sure you highlight communications skills, leadership ability, accomplishment in your resume. And a good way to network is through volunteer work. It also shows potential employers that you're staying active. You might also think about going back to school either at a local community college or on-line to improve your skill set.
COLLINS: All right. And our third one here from Dawn, in Oregon, she wants to know this, how does one go about requesting that a bankruptcy and foreclosure be removed from their credit report once seven years has passed? It is seven years? Is that right?
WILLIS: That's right. What's interesting about that, Dawn, it should happen automatically. Once you meet the statute of limitations, the blemish is removed automatically from your credit score after seven years. A foreclosure isn't removed. But with a bankruptcy the rules are a bit complicated. Chapter seven bankruptcy, removed in ten years. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy will be removed seven years after the debt has been paid off. And for most folks it will take three years to get their debt recharged. So, your bankruptcy could end up staying on your record for ten years.
COLLINS: Yikes.
WILLIS: Exactly.
COLLINS: The last one here, Gerri. I just watched an interview with Gerri about unused scholarships. Please tell me the -- this is what we're talking about yesterday. Please tell me the web sites to explore to find more about these unused scholarships. That's from Ernie.
WILLIS: Great question, Ernie. We love the free money. Go to fastweb.com, collegeboard.com, scholarships.com. And don't forget the wacky scholarships. We talked about the one for left-handed people. There's one for tall people.
COLLINS: Ah.
WILLIS: You know, there's even scholarships for students who knit wool garments.
COLLINS: Now come on.
WILLIS: There's one for --
COLLINS: I mean,
WILLIS: There's one for students who speak (Klingon).
COLLINS: All right. Let's elaborate just for a moment. Where is this money coming from?
WILLIS: You know, private. It's all people, yeas, exactly. But Klingon is used loosely. It's really for students who have varying language skills. But they give it that name which I think is so funny. Anyway, spinaid.org has a lot of information even on these wacky scholarships, hey, it's still money.
COLLINS: Yes, absolutely. I guess if somebody wants to give it, somebody's going to take it.
WILLIS: Exactly. You know, I got to say, Heidi, you know, we get a lot of questions, sometimes I have questions of my own and I thought what is the significance of today? It is Tony Harris' birthday.
COLLINS: Exactly!
WILLIS: Yes.
HARRIS: Yea!
WILLIS: Happy birthday, mister. How are you?
HARRIS: Hey, lady, I appreciate that. You know, I feel great, not as many rings on this old tree I'm getting young if you can imagine that.
WILLIS: You know, we did some research on your birthday. I have some information for you, of course, it wouldn't be tips if we didn't have info.
HARRIS: True.
COLLINS: Wow I love this.
WILLIS: The world's first test tube baby was born in England on this date. On this date. It was way back in 1978. Hey and you share your birthday with some cool people, Walter Brennan.
COLLINS: There you go.
HARRIS: Great actor. Yes.
WILLIS: Walter Payton.
HARRIS: Hall of Famer football player.
WILLIS: And Imam. Like I'm saying fabulous supermodel. This is an excuse to give her a little phone call.
HARRIS: I'm loving that.
WILLIS: Happy birthday, today.
HARRIS: I hope David Bowie doesn't mind. Yes, will do.
WILLIS: Happy birthday.
HARRIS: Thank you, Gerri. Appreciate it.
COLLINS: Gerri, we'll see you coming up shortly here at noon for "Issue number one." You know who else has a birthday, it's not like annual. But you know, my baby he's four months old today. Four months.
HARRIS: And he's looking good?
WILLIS: He is looking good.
COLLINS: He looks a little younger.
WILLIS: Same hair.
COLLINS: All right, Gerri. Thanks so much. We'll see you at noon.
WILLIS: My pleasure. Absolutely.
COLLINS: More on this story. A pretty amazing video, a hole ripped into an airline mid-flight. Look at. That's luggage you're looking at. I'll talk to a former NTSB official.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Just past the half hour. Welcome back, everyone to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins.
Quite a scare in the air. Passengers aboard a Qantas flight report hearing a loud sound and then oxygen masks started falling as the plane lost cabin pressure. This dramatic footage from inside the 747 shows the descent, which you can tell, pretty quick. Pilots then made an emergency landing in the Philippines. All 345 passengers got off the plane, shaken but not injured.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OWEN TUDOR, PASSENGER: There was an almighty crack and you could hear something happening. And then the oxygen masks fell down and you started dropping down, ears popping, that sort of stuff.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: This was the problem. Take a look at that. Gaping hole in the plane's fuselage near the wing.
Joining me now from Washington, former NTSB managing director, Peter Goelz.
Thanks for being with this. I'm certain that there's an investigation that will take place. So, some of what we're going to ask you, I understand your answers may be preliminary.
But, let's get to how on earth this could have happened. And what exactly the fuselage is. Because there may be people out there who really have no idea.
PETER GOELZ, FMR. NTSB MANAGING DIRECTOR: Well the fuselage is the skin of the aircraft. And it's probably no more than a quarter of inch thick of aluminum and it keeps the -- you know, binds the aircraft together.
And you know, these kinds of rapid, depressurization are -- they're not usual events. But what is unusual is to see a hole like this in the side of the plane. I mean, that is really extraordinary.
COLLINS: All right. Well talk a little bit, if you could. And I may be off base here, but about the blowout panels. Aren't there panels that are somewhere near there that would allow for some sort of release, if you will, so that we wouldn't end up with a massive hole in the aircraft?
GOELZ: Yes. There are -- the planes are designed to encounter this kind of problem in flight. And there are blowout panels which will release the pressure and designed specifically to prevent this kind of rupture of the fuselage.
I can tell you, the investigators will go back and take a very close look at problems -- at a wide range of things. But a couple they're going to look at closely is, they'll look at the ground handling situation before the plane took off.
COLLINS: Right.
GOELZ: Did any of the ground handling vehicles inadvertently bump into the plane, cause a dent. You know, they'll look at the maintenance of the plane. Was there any kind of repair made to the fuselage in the path?
COLLINS: Sure. Because these blowout panels do come out and have to be put back in properly.
GOELZ: That's right. And you know, was there -- if there was even a very modest dent or tear inadvertently put into the skin of the aircraft there, that could lead to this kind of really dramatic tearing.
And they'll look carefully at the metal to see whether, in fact, it was some sort of event inside the cargo hold that caused this. The metallurgists can easily tell whether there was an explosion of some sort inside or whether this was a ripping, tearing event. Whether it was caused by fatigue around the fasteners, they'll get to it. The New Zealanders have a very good investigative arm.
COLLINS: OK, very good. Quickly before we let you go, people at home, maybe those even in the airport today, they see this video, it is not a very calming sight to see, obviously. And the air mass coming down.
Talk to me about altitude there, when you have a rapid depressurization event like this, is it 14,000 feet when they come out?
GOELZ: Well, anything --it's usually anything 12,000, 14,000 feet.
I mean the key thing here is, you ought to pay attention when the flight attendants give you that briefing. We all tend to ignore it. And the reality is this should give some comfort to people. You know, these aircraft that we're flying in today are tremendously robust, you know, airplanes. And they can take a hit like this and the pilots did the right thing, there was no one injured. A pretty good endorsement for the system we have.
COLLINS: Yes, I think so, too.
All right. Peter Goelz, always appreciate your insight. Former NTSB managing director. Thank you.
GOELZ: Thank you.
HARRIS: How can you pay less than $3 a gallon to power your car? Buy a car that uses natural gas. The problem, where to fill up?
CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our Energy Fix from New York.
Good Friday to you, Poppy.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey there, good morning, Tony.
That is sure a problem. But natural gas, it's widely used across this country to heat homes. But did you know you can power your car with it, too? Well, you can.
Around the world more than 8 million vehicles run on natural gas. Just about 120,000 of them are here in the U.S., that's according to a group that promotes natural gas vehicles. Honda sells a version of its own. It's its Civic GX. It's been on the market, believe it or not, for ten years. And a representative from Honda brought one over for us to test out. He says, he was actually able to fill it up for the gas equivalent of $2.70 a gallon. That's a pipe dream these days. Honda though, sells only about 1,000 a year in California.
Despite being better for the environment because it's a low emotion vehicle, there are a lot of drawbacks. As you mentioned, Tony, mainly not many places to fill this car up. There's only about 1,100 nationwide. Only half of those are open for public use. And, the natural gas Honda, it costs about $8,000 more than a typical civic. It costs about $25,000. But if you get one, you qualify, Tony, for a $4,000 Federal tax credit. So if you're willing to do it, you get a bit back from the government.
HARRIS: Well, Poppy, not being able to fill up is kind of a big problem. What's being done?
HARLOW: Yes, just a little bit.
Well, we have some big names right now that are getting behind this. T. Boone Pickens, he's pushing for the United States to switch to natural gas vehicles across the board. He reportedly owns one of these Honda GXs himself. And recently some lawmakers have introduced a bill that would encourage gas stations to add natural gas pumps.
Honda though, is selling -- and this is so cool. They're selling a natural gas pump that you can install right in your own garage so you never have to go to the gas station again.
HARRIS: OK.
HARLOW: What it does, you see it there. It taps into the natural gas lines in your own home, which some people use to heat their home. That's a potential Energy Fix.
HARRIS: That's terrific.
All right, Poppy Harlow in New York, with the Energy Fix.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS NAUGHTON, NORTHEAST REGION MGR., HONDA: Engine type or fuel type in the near term will be the answer. I think this is one of many answers. And yet the beautiful thing about the Civic natural gas is that it's available now. It's the cleanest engine ever tested by the EPA. And it's something that's very real now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW (on camera): Here we go.
HARRIS: Whoa, whoa. Look at that.
HARLOW: You can can see, Tony, I tried one out myself. I know, I almost hit that bus in front of me. I tried it out myself here in New York. It rides just like a typical Civic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: But, Tony, again, if only I could find somewhere to fill it up. That's the issue.
HARRIS: That really is the issue. And it sounds like some smart people are working on that.
Poppy, good to see you. Have a great weekend.
HARLOW: You, too.
HARRIS: Thanks.
COLLINS: More on that Qantas airliner emergency that we have been showing you the video of. And we just spoke to the former managing director, Peter Goelz, of the NTSB, a little bit about it.
The video that you're looking at was shot by Rob Henshaw. He was a passenger on board that was able to take this video during the air emergency. He's actually on the line with us now from Manila, in the Philippines, where the plane ended up diverting.
I'm wondering, Rob, obviously, what on earth you went through and what this felt like on board.
VOICE OF ROB HENSHAW, TOOK PASSENGER VIDEO INSIDE PLANE: Look, it was very scary, because you know, we were just about to have our lunch and suddenly the plane merged to the left, there was quite a loud banging explosion going off. And then the cabin depressurized and was just a lot of pain in the ears. Roaring sounds of the wind and stuff flying around. And the stewardesses kind of running to their seats. So, we kind of knew it was serious.
COLLINS: Yes. And then the oxygen masks came down. I'm sure that was not a comforting sight, either.
HENSHAW: No. We really didn't know what was going on and we kind of just prayed. And you know, we felt that you know, it was a real miracle we got down.
I kind of felt it was maybe a cargo door or a window or something, but actually coming out and looking at the damage, it's an absolute miracle that that plane landed in one piece.
COLLINS: Isn't it unbelievable? I'm sure the moment that you saw the outside of that aircraft, you were speechless.
HENSHAW: I was, actually. And in fact, by that time, I grabbed my other video camera and took some footage. But it was just, a hold to the hole, as they say. It was just frightening.
COLLINS: And when we're looking in there, we obviously couldn't see it anywhere near as well as you could in person. We are looking at luggage, we're looking at baggage underneath the plane, right?
HENSHAW: That's exactly right. And when I looked in there and I could see bags sticking out, I just thought there's nowhere that aircraft should have stayed up there. It was really, you know, I believe in miracles. But that was just an amazing miracle, a divine play, if you like. It was just extraordinary.
COLLINS: Yes. We just spoke with former NTSB managing director who said, you know, a big, huge aircraft like that, because we are talking about -- wow that's loud. We are talking about a 747 here, and actually designed to be able to take a hit of that magnitude. Which to me is even that much more amazing.
You talked about hearing this big bang. Tell me a little bit more about that if you can, Rob. What did it sound like?
HENSHAW: Look, it was frightening because you heard the bang and the air of the rushing the sound and the ears really pressurizing, almost like you were going diving. And it all happened in a split second. And when the hostesses, the stewardesses started running, I knew we in for a rough ride.
So I mean, all credit to the pilot and their crew. I mean, they really got everyone down. And you know, once things were under control, they got us down to an altitude that was, you know, manageable and slowed up aircraft and got everyone off the masks. So, it felt better.
COLLINS: Yes. Well, I imagine you did. Man, oh, man. I can't even think about how frightened you must have been on board that aircraft.
Again, thank you for the video. We sure do appreciate it. I want to get this out there too, while I have you on the line, Ron.
We are getting information in now from the TSA, Transportation Security Office obviously, telling us that this is definitely not -- there was a preliminary investigation that was done and the quote here is, "there is no nexus to terrorism." Damage appears to be related to mechanical issues based on the examination of the aircraft once it was on the ground.
So once again, the TSA saying that no, this is not a terrorism event. Just want to make sure we have that absolutely clear with everyone. When we're hearing words like you know, explosion or big bangs and so forth, want to make sure we're out there.
Ron we certainly do appreciate it. So happy that you are safe and I'm sure you'll be on to your original destination at some point.
Any fear, Rob, about flying?
HENSHAW: Look, I've done a lot of aerial footage out of helicopters and stuff. That kind of stuff doesn't worry me. But when you're going at 1,000 kilometers an hour and you're 30,000 feet in the air, it's another ball game. So, you know, you've got to assess the risks and you know, pray to God that things work out.
COLLINS: That's right. Well, the best of luck to you. And again, we sure do appreciate it.
HENSHAW: Thanks, Heidi. And good morning to your viewers.
COLLINS: Thank you. Ron Henshaw for us there. Oh, man. Very scary. HARRIS: Olympic haze. China struggling right now to clear the air just two weeks before its big moment in the international spotlight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Now, a check of the big board, New York Stock Exchange right now. And again, it's a modest rally but we will take any rally we can get, particularly after yesterday's steep decline. 283 points, yesterday. As you can see, the DOW up 54 points. Let's see, the NASDAQ S&P, all the major broad market indexes up this morning. We will check in with Susan Lisovicz and get an update on the markets, next hour right here in the NEWSROOM.
And this just in. President Bush has signed an executive order expanding sanctions against Zimbabwe. We will have more on this story coming up for you next hour, right here in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: The summer Olympics open in Beijing, in two weeks. And despite emergency efforts to get a handle on air pollution, China is still struggling to clean the air.
Here's CNN's John Vause.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A thick, heavy, grayish haze hung over Beijing's gleaming new airport Friday morning. Visibility down to just a mile and a half. And with the opening ceremony now two weeks away, some arriving passengers were asking if maybe officials had done too little, too late, to improve the city's air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks pretty -- pretty grim.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, in Europe, for instance, it took 20, 30 years to improve the situation. They can't do it in one year.
VAUSE: Almost a week ago, an emergency pollution plan took effect. Half of Beijing's cars off the road. Many factories closed. And all construction sites shut down. Beijing's Environment Protection Agency has yet to respond to our request for comment, but official figures show there's been little improvement in air quality this week. A strong wind on Tuesday, blew industrial pollution in from the south. And with dead calm conditions since, has now settled in.
Here's CNN's Bonnie Schneider.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: As we take a look at the satellite perspective of China you'll find most of the heavy rain is to the south and to the west. While the areas of northeast China, where Beijing is located, is dry. Stormy weather would be a good thing for the city. As we focus in you'll see there's hazy, polluted conditions over the city right now. But if a strong cold front were to come through, it not only would pull down cooler and drier air, but would bring about rain. And that would help to clear the air. Unfortunately though, as we look ahead to the next few days, we just have sunshine in the forecast and no strong cold fronts coming through.
VAUSE (on camera): Never before has a city this big with this much pollution, taken such drastic action to try and clear the air so quickly. And right now, apart from hoping for a good wind and rain, it seems there's no plan B.
(voice-over): But amid a festive atmosphere outside the Bird's Nest Stadium where the twisted gray beams match the sky, the advice from locals, relax.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It's called haze weather, she says. It's a weather thing. It's not from car exhaust or air pollution. Look, it's about to rain, and then it will be clear.
VAUSE: In two weeks, we'll know if she's right.
John Vause, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Look, who needs trees when you've got a ride like this. We are so twisted in this joint. A dog, a monkey and a rodeo show to remember. No bull.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The political conventions are just about a month away and you're talking about the issues that will influence your choice on election day.
CNN's Sandra Endo is listening in this week's Election Express Yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): From Main Street to Main Street all across the country, Americans have a big decision to make this November. So we asked people right here in Joplin, Missouri, what they're looking for in the next president.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just need change. That's all I'm looking for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody that's going to do what he say he's going to do and look out for the people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just as long as we have like, more peace in our country, that's all I'm really looking for.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're hoping that the next one gets gas prices and costs down for people. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really just looking for somebody who's going to bring about change in all the things that we need. And somebody that's going to do everything different than what Bush is doing right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody who's honest, somebody who is willing to look at what people want and need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't care about character. We just want cheap gas prices.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And hello again, everyone, I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins. I'm going to skip out of here pretty soon and take a flight to Washington for General Richard Cody's retirement tonight. He's the Vice Chief of Staff. We've had him on the show so I'm going to go there and see what's happening in Washington.
HARRIS: All right. A cow girl.
COLLINS: This is great.
HARRIS: Story of the day for a lot of us. Just because we're so twisted around here.
COLLINS: Really? Yes.
HARRIS: We're just twisted.
COLLINS: True.
HARRIS: Who bucks the trend. She doesn't ride a horse. But her rodeo show can't be beat.
Sarah Hill with CNN affiliate KOMO -- or is that KOMU, takes us ringside to meet Dawn, and the men behind her success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARAH HILL, KOMU REPORTER (voice-over): Inside this trailer is Tim Leopard's dressing room.
TIM LEPARD, RODEO ACT CREATOR: Shirt don't have snaps on it. Got to go back to the wardrobe.
HILL: Tucked away in plastic bins are clothes half his size.
LEPARD: We're going in to sunlight. Glittery, just got a little sparkle to it.
HILL: You see, this man in the 10 gallon hat, has a half pint. LEPARD: We're dressing a monkey.
HILL: A monkey named Dawn. Dawn thinks the sun rises with her reflection. Turn her away...
LEPARD: She don't like it.
HILLS: Tim also has bears.
LEPARD: You want a gummy bear?
HILL: And a dog named Dog.
LEPARD: I named him after John Wayne. He had a dog named Dog. Two years and six months, because that's what it took the last dog. But the monkeys, I don't think I ever got them trained. Sometimes I feel like they're training me.
LEPARD: Let's get some Pop Tarts.
HILL: While she loves Kellogg's Pop Tarts...
LEPARD: Yes, she likes that jelly stuff.
HILL: She's had it with her hat.
LEPARD: Hey. Everything's good. Everything's good.
And I thought to myself, that's what I want to do. I want to do something that the people will remember, it will be in their hearts forever.
HILL: Tim is a former rodeo rider called the Wild Thing. He's won several world championships.
LEPARD: I would jump on a bull's head and let him hook me and throw me over.
HILL: But after nine major surgeries and breaking his collar bone, his ACL and six ribs, the Wild Thing realized he needed a different calling.
LEPARD: Dawn, come on, buddy.
HILL: Tim's act now supports the Susan G. Komen foundation for breast cancer research. Mid-Missouri charities like The Missouri Corrections Officers Association and Make a Wish.
LEPARD: We asked her what her wish was, and it was go to the moon wit her and her parents. And we asked her what her second wish would be and it was to meet the Wild Thing.
HILL: The Wild Thing now travels the world with his monkey business. Dawn still won't wear her hat.
LEPARD: And sometimes I feel like they're training me. HILL: But when it comes to helping charities, she's got that one licked.
With videographer Scott Schaefer (ph), Sarah Hill, KOMU-H News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
