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American Morning
North Korea Threatens New Attacks; Macy's to Stage Big Thanksgiving Parade; The Bird is the Word; Catching Up With CNN's 2009 Hero of the Year; Changing Tradition
Aired November 25, 2010 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. It's Thursday, November 25th. Happy Thanksgiving. I'm Carol Costello. Kiran Chetry has the morning off.
JOE JOHNS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Joe Johns. John Roberts has the morning off. And I guess if you're up this early, you're probably cooking a turkey or something. And so just watch television and we'll guide you through. We're even going to have some tips on how to make a turkey, but that's coming up a little bit later.
COSTELLO: We could save your Thanksgiving dinner.
JOHNS: Or not.
COSTELLO: Or not.
JOHNS: All right.
COSTELLO: Here are this morning's top stories.
JOHNS: That's right. There's a lot of going on. Let's get started.
North Korea threatening new attacks. South Korea beefing up its military and the United States standing between them. This morning, CNN has new information and video from the only western journalist to step foot on that South Korean island that came under attack.
COSTELLO: That color-coded system used to raise or lower the terrorist threat level could soon be a thing of the past. It's become something of a joke actually. So according to "The New York Times," the Department of Homeland Security is considering a new system that would be more specific about threats.
JOHNS: And Wall Street picking itself back up after a big selloff brought in part by the crisis in North Korea. The Dow gained 151 points. The government report showing a drop in unemployment claims helped fuel that surge.
COSTELLO: But first this morning, North Korea testing the world's patience this morning two days after its attack on an island in the south. Pyongyang is now threatening new strikes if South Korea continues what it calls reckless military provocation. At the same time, South Korea's military which is at its highest alert level short of war has been reinforced on areas near North Korea. And the White House also says it's working to set up a conversation between President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Our Stan Grant joins us now from South Korea. Stan, you just got back from the island where that attack took place. Tell us what you saw there.
STAN GRANT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Carol, this island is not completely deserted. It is in fact a ghost town. When you arrive there, you'd be used to a bustling little fishing village, normally about 1,500, 1,600 people where most of them have now fled. We've met maybe one or two people who have stayed behind.
Now, what you do see is pretty widespread destruction. There are a lot of houses still standing, but many houses also that have been destroyed by the shelling by North Korea earlier in the week. If you walk through there, there is a still very strong smell of smoke. There is ash across the ground, shattered glass. We often see dogs that are roaming around there that once would have had families and now sort of stray and looking for food. A fairly large military presence, a strong Coast Guard presence. We actually traveled across with the Coast Guard and spent a couple of hours on the ground there.
The people we did get to speak to say they just don't feel secure there anymore. They don't feel safe. One person is saying, now what is he to do? He's a fisherman. He spent all his life in that village, and he has nowhere else to go. You know, these people are really caught in the crossfire here, Carol, with North and South Korea squaring off. And now with these joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, the fear could escalate, Carol.
COSTELLO: Talking about escalation, you wonder what the next step is, especially for the United States and its good ally, South Korea. So this island is deserted. South Korea has taken a hard line against North Korea. But right now, it's not doing anything. So what do you think the next step might be?
GRANT: I think the thing to watch really closely are these joint exercises with the U.S. and South Korea. You know, earlier on, North Korea was pointing the finger of blame at South Korea, saying that it was South Korea's shelling in the region, its own exercises that prompted North Korea to take this action and fire upon the island itself.
Now, they're switching tact and they're actually saying the United States needs to take responsibility for this. That the United States is to blame for this. You know, they've long called South Korea a puppet regime saying it is a puppet of the United States. Well, now they're saying the U.S. is to blame for the situation. They're also warning North Korea, warning of retaliation. Earlier in the week, they spoke of a merciless military confrontation. A lot of this is rhetoric. But as we saw the other day, these words are now being backed up by firepower and it is a very unpredictable situation -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Stan Grant live from South Korea this morning. Thank you.
China is by far North Korea's biggest ally. And our Fareed Zakaria spoke with America's top military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen about why Beijing's help is so essential.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAREED ZAKARIA, HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": Have you had any message from the Chinese government, from the Chinese military about whether they have been able to restrain North Korea or in some way communicate with North Korea?
ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: The only thing I've actually heard, Fareed, is the statement from the Chinese government that this should certainly be a restrained environment, and that we shouldn't let this thing break out in any significant way. I believe that it's really important that Beijing lead here as well. I believe, for some time that probably the country that can influence North Korea the most is clearly China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Admiral Mullen also said the attacks could be a show of strength as Kim Jong-il prepares to turn over power to his son. You can see Fareed's complete interview on "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
JOHNS: CNN is your holiday travel headquarters. Beware of treacherous roads on this turkey day. Getaway day proved a mess in part of the Midwest and Iowa. Freezing rain, snow and sleet coated highways with dangerous glaze. At least three people were killed in crashes. There were more than 40 accidents in the Des Moines area alone.
On the Massachusetts turnpike, west of Boston, bumper-to-bumper crawl. Thousands of cars going nowhere fast and a 30-mile backup. It's a traditional holiday troubled spot made worse by a record number of drivers this year.
COSTELLO: That's good it's a traditional holiday trouble spot because these people are --
JOHNS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Can you imagine a 30-mile -- you're trying to get home?
JOHNS: Forever, I know. It's brutal. And then the weather, which is another big issue.
COSTELLO: Exactly, Reynolds Wolf, and then the weather?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, today, looks like it's going to cooperate for a lot of people. We still have all kinds of travel issues out there for a lot of folks. And some of the weather is going to be pretty interesting today. Already, we've had some tornado warnings this morning. Now, we just have a few watches in a few places.
If you look at the map behind me, you'll notice parts of the Ohio Valley seeing some strong showers and heavy rain also moving in at this point. Let's show you as we put this in motion, you're going to see how just enormous the system is.
The top half of the system, the Great Lakes it's a combination of some freezing rain also some snowfall. And then you've got some thunderstorms through parts of Ohio and back to St. Louis and even extends down to the central plains. But it's going to be something that we're going to really have to watch very carefully over the next couple of hours as this mass of rough weather is going to really transform from a rainmaker to truly a snowmaker possibly bringing a layer of ice and snow and even some freezing rain up along parts of the Finger Lakes of New York and then back in the Eastern seaboard.
For your Thanksgiving day, the situation is going to be a dire one for anyone in the Eastern third of the country in places like Atlanta and Carolinas. A pretty nice day today but tomorrow, the hammer falls and the front comes through and everything changes.
Back in the central plains, very chilly conditions. High pressure building over the Central Rockies. This should be a very stable day for you in the great basin and also the west coast. Pretty nice for you, but, again, look forward to what's going to be taking place out towards the east. Any shoppers tomorrow are going to be dealing with rough stuff. And temperatures though that are going to be at least a little bit on the comfortable side.
Eighty-four degrees your high for the day in Tampa. Forty-two in St. Louis. Thirty-eight in Kansas City. Fourteen in Minneapolis. That's your high. And then when you factor in the strong wind gusts, it's going to feel even colder than that with the old wind chill factor.
There's a quick snapshot of your forecast. We've got so much ahead. We know there's still a few strugglers out there trying to get home, so we're going to get you up to speed. Plus, we're going to let you know what you can expect for the rest of your holiday weekend. Back to you.
COSTELLO: I'm still getting over this 14 degrees for a high.
WOLF: Brutal. Brutal stuff.
JOHNS: This is not January yet.
WOLF: Yes, not yet.
JOHNS: All right.
COSTELLO: Thanks, Reynolds. Yes.
New this morning, the makers of drinks like Four Loko are changing their formula. Manufacturers will no longer mix caffeine and alcohol. The moves come after the FDA sent warning letters out because of an unsafe food additive. The FDA warning was issued after several incidents involving young people who got sick from the drinks. Critics say the caffeine allows people to drink more alcohol than their body can handle.
JOHNS: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay could face a 99- prison term after his conviction for money laundering. The jury found DeLay guilty of funneling $190,000 to help elect Republicans to the Texas legislature. DeLay is calling the convictions an abuse of power and a miscarriage of justice. The sentencing is set for December 20th.
COSTELLO: He was hired to speed up the claims process along the Gulf Coast, and it looks like Kenneth Feinberg is doing just that. In his first three months in charge, Feinberg paid out more than $2 billion to the people and businesses affected by the gulf oil disaster. BP p paid out $400 million in the four months prior. Feinberg will join us tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING to update the progress of the claims process.
JOHNS: The White House is making moves to protect polar bears in Alaska and it could affect oil and gas drilling. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated 187,000 square miles as critical habitat. It does not create a refuge but it does allow regulators to consider the bears when making decisions about major projects.
COSTELLO: And all that talk of protesting the new security measures at airports was apparently just that. It was a buzz. It was just a --
JOHNS: Wow. Of course, it was.
COSTELLO: People don't want to be inconvenienced at Thanksgiving. The TSA says the screenings went pretty smoothly yesterday.
JOHNS: Yes, you bet. I've got to be honest with you. I actually asked for them to frisk me.
COSTELLO: You did?
JOHNS: Just to have something to do. I wanted something to talk about.
COSTELLO: Did they do it?
JOHNS: No. They said no.
COSTELLO: Those mean TSA agents.
JOHNS: I know, come on.
COSTELLO: Anyway, we're talking about --
JOHNS: Although they were looking at me, you know, with the underwear cam in some other room or whatever.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's right. You went through the full-body scanner?
JOHNS: Yes, right. I know. I mean as long as you don't know what they're looking at, you know, no problem.
COSTELLO: I think most people feel that way. Because National Opt-Out Day was a bust.
JOHNS: It's Thanksgiving. Ovens are ready and it's time to talk turkey from thawing the bird which hopefully you've already done by now to roasting it and, of course, stuffing it. We have the expert on hand to help it make a meal for the Thanksgiving books.
COSTELLO: I'm telling you Carol Miller is going to be with us this morning. She is one of the super --
JOHNS: The super-turkey --
COSTELLO: She's the super-turkey. She's one of the supervisors at Butterball Turkey talk line. And you can call 1-800-butterball with all of your problems. Carol will be there manning one of the phones.
JOHNS: And to hold your hand.
COSTELLO: I can talk anything turkey.
JOHNS: On the phone.
COSTELLO: That's right. You can also tell us what's happening in the kitchen at CNN.com/amFIX or send your comments on Twitter and Facebook. In fact, if you want us to ask the Butterball Turkey lady any questions about your Thanksgiving day meal, CNN.com/amFIX.
JOHNS: We've got you covered on the bird.
COSTELLO: Carol will be here soon. She will help you.
One eye on the bird, the other on the TV. You can't miss the big parade. We're going to talk about that.
JOHNS: Oh, yes. Jason Carroll is live right here in New York City.
Hey, Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I've got your front row -- hey, hello to you, Joe. I've got your front row seat to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The balloons are lined up.
Tom the turkey. You can see him over there. He's gearing up. I'm going to have all the latest for you coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: There's the heart.
COSTELLO: Oh, we missed that.
JOHNS: I thought it was going to be only for Christmas. But no.
COSTELLO: We have a special treat.
JOHNS: It's fantastic. Yes.
COSTELLO: We can't roast our turkey over that.
Two things on the list when you think Thanksgiving. There's turkey, of course, and there's the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with Santa finishing the show.
JOHNS: It all jumps off just hours from now, near New York Central Park from there to Times Square to the store's famed flagship on 34th street.
COSTELLO: Yes. That fleet of massive balloons, they're all pumped up. And you know, the crowd will be pumped up.
JOHNS: Yes.
COSTELLO: In fact, a lot of kids are waiting like on the fourth floor.
JOHNS: Right.
COSTELLO: Everybody brought their kids today because you can see part of the parade from the windows of the Time Warner Center where CNN is. So all the kids are waiting breathlessly for the balloons to start going by.
JOHNS: I brought my camera. I cannot wait. I'm going to take -- I love this parade. It's the best. It's the very best thing.
COSTELLO: Jason Carroll is actually outside and he's going to see it firsthand.
CARROLL: Yes, it's outside and cold. You know, one of the balloons that they're looking forward to seeing this year is "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I feel like the diary of a cold hungry reporter.
People have been waiting out here this morning. Ever since about 4:30, some young girls over here we're going to be talking to in just a minute. But first, we're going to show you some of the balloons here that has been lining up.
First in the rotation will be Snoopy. Snoopy is going to be leading things off here this year at the parade. Also you've got Tom the Turkey up here. (INAUDIBLE) all set to go.
But first, I want to get to some of the folks out here who, again, have been lining up, Carol and Joe, since very early this morning. We've got one lady here. She's from Savannah. The other two are locals.
So, girls, you've been here since early this morning. What are you looking forward to seeing so far?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just everything. This is my first time, so I'm excited to see everything.
CARROLL: Your first time? I'm one of those that always ends up coming to these - these parades late. So you guys decided to come early. I see you've got your "Teen Vogue." They've got some reading here to keep a little busy -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: While we're waiting on line (ph).
CARROLL: -- until things get going here.
Tell me about why, all the way from Savannah, you're coming here, obviously a tradition for you, yes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I'm here to see my family. I'm really excited to see Snoopy, and all the balloons and the (INAUDIBLE).
CARROLL: And, you know what? It's - obviously it's not just for kids because you guys are - what? -- tweens or -- ?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm - yes. I'm --
CARROLL: I'm generous. Seventeen. Yes, well, to me, that's a tween. You know, that's pretty - that's getting up there pretty much.
So, how about you? What - what are you looking forward to seeing this year in the parade?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm excited for everything. I'm always - I came here once before and I was just surprised by everything. Everything's going to be -
CARROLL: You know, I think for people sitting at home, I - I they don't realize that when you're actually here in person - obviously, it's great to look at it at home, but when you're here in person, there is something magical about it, isn't is there? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CARROLL: Definitely.
All right. I want to wish you guys all the best. The parade doesn't get off until about 9:00 o'clock, so we still have a little while to go.
So it's tough to see - Frank, I want you to you try to turn around here, look at all these people jumping out of the way. But this is actually the parade route, and it's hard to see because it's still dark, guys, but all along down there, there are people lined up. They've got their blankets, they've got their coffee, they've got their doughnuts. They're all ready to go, bundled up, waiting for things to get going. Of course, we'll be here along the parade route, bringing it all to you live. Back to you.
COSTELLO: I - I cannot believe you asked those girls if they were tweens.
JOHNS: And I didn't even know what a tween was.
CARROLL: I'm being generous.
COSTELLO: And he has children.
JOHNS: Right, but they're small children. They're 5 and 7. I'm not to the tween period yet.
COSTELLO: Yes. Those girls were very insulted, Jason. Well -
JOHNS: All the incisive questions, right here on CNN.
COSTELLO: We'll get back to -
CARROLL: It's early. It's early.
COSTELLO: I know.
CARROLL: I haven't had coffee.
COSTELLO: I don't think those girls care, though.
CARROLL: Right?
COSTELLO: Thank you, Jason. We'll get back to you.
If you're up and at them, you're probably in the kitchen, preparing your turkey, and we want to help you out as much as we can this morning. The Butterball expert lady - that's what I'm -
JOHNS: That's right.
COSTELLO: -- going to call her all morning.
JOHNS: And if I remember, you're an expert on turkey, right? You're - you're the best.
COSTELLO: Oh, man. I am, because this woman's name is Carol. She's an expert - all Carols are turkey experts.
CNN.com/amFIX. E-mail us your question, put it on our blog, CNN.com/amFIX, and we will pose your question to the Butterball turkey day - (INAUDIBLE). It's Butterball turkey -
JOHNS: It's fun to say.
COSTELLO: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) JOHNS: If you're up with us this morning, you're likely working to prepare that Thanksgiving Day turkey. Of course, more than one holiday meal has been ruined because a bird didn't defrost on time or there was some other disaster.
COSTELLO: Oh, it's just like a nightmare.
JOHNS: Or burned, or -
COSTELLO: But, fear not. Carol Miller, one of the supervisors at the Butterball Turkey Talk-line is here to answer your last minute questions about how to prepare the perfect bird. She's at the Butterball headquarters in Naperville, Illinois.
Good morning, Carol.
CAROL MILLER, BUTTERBALL TURKEY TALK-LINE SUPERVISOR: Well, good morning.
Can you hear the noise behind me already this morning? America is thinking turkey. They're getting - they're in their jammies. They're getting their turkey out of the refrigerator, and they've got a few problems this morning, as you can already hear.
COSTELLO: I know you said that for the past 20 minutes the calls have been coming in with that standard question, I did not defrost my turkey. What do I do?
MILLER: You know what? To get the turkey to the table on time when your guests are arriving, you really need to make sure it's completely thawed. If you're having a late dinner today, you can actually do cold water thawing, and that means the turkey can go into a bath of cold water.
If you haven't thawed it all, it's going to take half hour for every pound of turkey.
JOHNS: Wow.
MILLER: If you have to, you just have to get it in the oven and start cooking. It might take an hour or more. So - you could have dessert first.
JOHNS: You know, I cook, and I'm one of those people who's actually called before, asking for advice from you guys.
One - one of the things I'm interested in is sort of the new fangled ideas about cooking turkeys, particularly frying them. Are you prepared to take questions on that? I hear it could be a real disaster.
MILLER: Oh - oh, we are.
You know, we are, and if - if you're frying in the backyard with a propane fire, make sure you read those directions today, and don't do it in your garage. And it's quick. It takes about three and a half to four minutes per pound.
Butterball has an - actually an indoor turkey fryer that's safe and easy.
JOHNS: Really?
MILLER: You can actually - yes. You can do it right in your kitchen. In half an hour, you can do a 10-pound turkey. It's moist, it's juicy and tender.
There's really so many great ways to - to cook a Thanksgiving turkey. So - and we go into Butterball university every year where we explore all those different ways so that when we start taking the calls, if you want to do it in the microwave, we're ready to help you.
COSTELLO: Now, wait a minute. That's what I want to know. Can you actually cook a turkey in a microwave?
MILLER: A tiny turkey, because our microwaves are now tiny. But you certainly can, and these ladies know how to do that.
Amazingly, a lot of people's ovens, sometimes they break on Thanksgiving, and that's one of the reasons that we get calls.
Also, the tradition that is Thanksgiving, it's passed on from generation to generation. We're getting calls from that very first cook that have, you know, she's left the giblets in the bird and she's a little panicked about it. But that's OK.
People that have been pros, they're now traveling with their turkey for the first time, so they're calling us, you know, what's the safest way to take my turkey across stateliness, you know? Taking it -
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: Oh, no. What about - what about flying with the turkey. Would it - would it get a full-body scan and a pat down?
MILLER: You never know.
JOHNS: The Turkey Security Agency - TSA, right?
COSTELLO: You could hide a lot of stuff in a turkey.
JOHNS: I guess, if we still have time, the other question I have is about temperature of the turkey. There's always a lot of confusion about -
COSTELLO: Right.
JOHNS: -- just how long and how hot that turkey is supposed to be to be fully cooked. Any tips?
MILLER: And you're - you're right. You cannot look at a turkey and know if it's done. You have to know what the inside temperature is. And so make sure that your meat thermometer is working today.
We recommend that you actually place the meat thermometer deep on the inner thigh. Not the drumstick here, but that big inner thigh muscle. You're going to poke it. You'll hit the bone, and then angle it into the thigh muscle. The temperature you're looking for is 180.
Now, if you have a stuffed turkey, you want to make sure the stuffing gets up to 165, and you positioned it deep into the inner cavity of the turkey. And, really, if you don't have a thermometer, knock on your neighbor's door, call a guest that might be on their way to your house, and - really, it's going to take the guess work out of it.
We had a lady once that called. She actually had four thermometers in her turkey. She still gave the experts a call.
JOHNS: Really?
So, is there a rule in stuffing, though? Do you - is there a certain time when you put the stuffing in always or - or not?
MILLER: Always right before you put it into the oven. Don't stuff it the night before. If you had a turkey that you stuffed last night, get the stuffing out, make some new stuffing and put it in. And, again, cook it thoroughly.
You want to make sure, again, that it's up to 165, and then you're OK. Enjoy it.
COSTELLO: OK, Carol Miller, thank you so much. You're going to join us again at 7:24 Eastern time. And - and I'm hoping we'll have viewer questions for you.
So CNN.com/amFIX. If you have a question for Carol, we'll get to them at 7:24 Eastern time.
JOHNS: We should have brought our own turkeys, and we could just -
COSTELLO: I know. You brought your deep fryer that's in your hotel room and your turkey.
JOHNS: It's a beautiful thing.
COSTELLO: I'm scared for him.
JOHNS: I know. It's awful.
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. That's coming up, too.
But where are the best deals this year, online or in the stores? We will tell you.
COSTELLO: And - and could you change your whole life, not just in days, not in hours but in just 17 seconds? Well we're going to tell you about a popular new movement to do just that.
It's 27 minutes past the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPC. JEFFREY HAMLINE, U.S. ARMY: My name is Specialist Hamline, hometown, Orlando, Florida, and I would like to give a happy Thanksgiving to my family, Xavier Hamline and Cristina Hamline, and my mother and father.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We're crossing the half hour now. It's time to check on this morning's stop stories.
North Korea is showing no signs of backing down this morning. Pyongyang now warning of more attacks if it's provoked. This weekend, South Korea and the United States plan to hold joint military exercises.
JOHNS: That color-coded terror threat system in place for the past eight years could soon be headed for the scrap heap. It's become sort of a joke. And "The New York Times" is reporting the Department of Homeland Security is considering recommendations for a new system that would provide more clarity and guidance about threats.
COSTELLO: And good news, you can forget about waking up to the crack of dawn for this Black Friday deals. "Consumer Reports" has found that some of best discounts, especially when it comes to big ticket items like electronics are better online than inside stores.
JOHNS: I'm not surprised.
It's must-see TV for you and your families on Thanksgiving Day. "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" airs tonight at 8:00 o'clock, right here on CNN.
COSTELLO: The fourth annual event was taped before an audience of nearly 5,000 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show will open with the salute to the 33 Chilean miners and five of the people who rescued them last month, after the miners spent 69 days underground.
JOHNS: An impressive list of stars will also stop by to honor the heroes, Halle Berry, Kiefer Sutherland, Jessica Alba, Bon Jovi, Demi Moore, and John Legend just to name a few.
COSTELLO: It sounds like a good line up to me.
Becoming CNN Hero of the Year can be quite a life-altering experience. Last year, a 28-year-old from the Philippines won the big prize. He had never ever been to the United States before. Here he was in Hollywood being honored by the world. JOHNS: I remember that. This young man from the slums now has a national voice and is challenging his countrymen to unleash the hero within. Let's see what has happened to Efren PenaFlorida and his work since that incredible night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The CNN Hero of the Year is Efren PenaFlorida.
(voice-over): From the slums of the Philippines to the stage at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, Efren PenaFlorida has come a long way.
EFREN PENAFLORIDA, 2009 CNN HERO OF THE YEAR: We are the change that this world needs to be. Mabuhay!
COOPER: For 12 year, Efren and his team of volunteers have pushed their mobile classrooms through the streets of their neighborhoods teaching kids who never make it to school.
But after being named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year, Efren became a national hero.
PENAFLORIDA: This is really overwhelming.
COOPER: Upon his return, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo presented him with one of the country's highest honors.
One year later, the push-cart classroom model has been replicated more than 50 times across the Philippines and inspired a construction of an education center funded in part by the CNN Heroes Grant.
PENAFLORIDA: Before, a push cart, they see it as a symbol of poverty. But now, they see a push cart as a symbol of hope and education.
COOPER: Recently, Efren has had his story told in six countries and languages that can be seen weekly in his own search for heroes on Philippine television.
The young man from the slums has turned the attention of a nation for a common dream.
PENAFLORIDA: My fellow Filipinos, they're unleashing that hero inside them.
Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: So, who will be the CNN Hero of the Year? You voted. Now, find out whose life will be changed next. Watch "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" hosted by our own Anderson Cooper at 8:00 Eastern and 5:00 Pacific.
COSTELLO: And if you can't wait until 8:00 for the excitement, join "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" for a star-studded preview and an exclusive interview with Jon Bon Jovi. That's tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN and HLN.
JOHNS: Coming up: a full plate of Thanksgiving movies opening this weekend, including Cher's return to the big screen in the song and dance extravaganza "Burlesque."
COSTELLO: I know what a big fan of Cher you are, Joe.
JOHNS: Oh, sure.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Could this be the last time we see the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving? We'll tell you why some are saying it should be the end of a tradition.
It's 34 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: Welcome back.
This Thanksgiving, we are all, no doubt, thinking about all the things we're grateful for. But you're about to find out how to make your life and the lives of others better.
COSTELLO: It's paying -- it's playing it forward in a big way. And let me explain that more. The idea, which is -- it's more like a movement. It's spawned this new book called "The Seventeen Second Miracle."
Author Jason Wright is with us from Washington to tell us all about it.
Thank you so much for driving in and being with us on Thanksgiving morning. We appreciate it.
JASON WRIGHT, AUTHOR, "THE SEVENTEEN SECOND MIRACLE": Absolutely. Happy Thanksgiving to you both.
COSTELLO: Thank you.
I know the book is a novel, but it was inspired by your father. What did your dad do that prompted you to write this book?
WRIGHT: Well, he was really the master of this 17-second miracle -- this idea that you can have your eyes open every day to the opportunities to help other people in really small ways. That your life isn't defined by the really big things you do, the books you sell, or the movies you make, or the big checks you write. It's defined by the little things you do every day, in just a few seconds to help, to bless somebody's life.
JOHNS: Talk to us a little bit more about how it works. What are some examples of 17-second miracles? WRIGHT: Well, first of all, let me say, a lot of folks when they talk about the 17-second miracle, they think of random acts of kindness. That makes me nuts when people talk about random acts of kindness. There's nothing random about there, really, right? I mean, these are things you make happen.
So, the idea with the 17-second miracle is you have your eyes open when you walk out your front door every morning to opportunities to serve. And it just takes a few seconds. That's why we call it the 17-second miracle. You look for signs.
Maybe it's the elderly who might need help getting in the door. It's a mother with her hands full. Or maybe you're in Wal-Mart, and you're the person with the shopping cart with $800 worth of grocery, and behind you, there's an old grandma with a Red Bull and a Hot Pocket.
How often do you stop and look to that lady and say, you know what? Why don't you come through? Well, that just takes a few seconds. But for her, it might be pretty significant.
COSTELLO: But why is it a miracle? I mean, how can those kinds of acts really change your life?
WRIGHT: I'm glad you asked that. I got a story from my Facebook site from a woman who said, you want to know what a miracle is. A miracle is my son, 25, out of work, depressed, had to move back home. His car is broken down. He comes to his mom, he says, you know, I don't know thousand snap out of this funk.
And she had just read "The Seventeen Second Miracle." So, she told him, go find something nice to do for somebody. So, he gets on his bike, he rides into town, he finds a young man whose chain has come off his bike in the side of the road. He pulls over.
This 25-year-old man helps his little boy fix the chain on his bike. Lo and behold, a car pulls up behind them and it is this little boy's father. He hands him his business card and he said, you know what, why don't you call me about a job?
Now, to you and I, that may not sound like much of a miracle. But I promise you -- to that man and to the family affected, that absolutely is a miracle because he took just a few seconds to help somebody.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's such a nice story.
JOHNS: Yes.
COSTELLO: You know, those are nice stories -- but when you think about the culture in which we live, it's a mean culture? I mean, bullying kind of works in our culture. People aren't so nice, especially in Washington.
You know, it's nice to think about how you can -- you know, stretch out your hand in kindness for someone. But it doesn't really work in the world at large, does it?
WRIGHT: I think it does. I think sometimes, we're afraid to do these things because we feel like it's a big commitment of time -- that we're going to be asked to spend all day helping someone, or that we are going to be asked to write a really big check, you know, to some organization when, in fact, those opportunities are right there and they just take a couple of seconds.
Do you have a few seconds to look over your shoulder and to see if there's someone behind you to hold that door? Do you have a few seconds if you're in high school and the new kid moves in? Do you have just a few seconds to go that to kid and invite him to sit with you at lunch, or to ask them where they're from or what their name is?
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COSTELLO: Jason, I think you can go to Washington, and you should go to Capitol Hill and you should walk into John Boehner's office and say, hey, want to hear about my book "The Seventeen Second Miracle"?
WRIGHT: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: Or maybe walk into Nancy Pelosi's office. I mean --
WRIGHT: You can -- you can literally change your life and I'm seeing it every single day as people read the book and adopt this principle. You can really change your life in just a few seconds.
JOHNS: Well, you also talked a little bit about how all of this works at school. You know, I read through the book, and I get the sense that it works very well with the kids.
WRIGHT: Absolutely. I've been really thrilled over the last six weeks since the book came out to be invited to speak at schools all over the country, from Virginia to Salt Lake City. Next week, I'll talk to thousands and thousands of kids in the Indianapolis area. And we'll talk about how if you learn this art of having your eyes open for these opportunities to serve at a young age, it just becomes so much more natural.
You talked about going to talk to Nancy Pelosi and the new Speaker John Boehner. Well, what they need to know is that if we can get kids involved in this when they are in elementary or middle or high school, by the time they are members of Congress or presidents of the United States, or captains of industry, or on television, these things will come very naturally to them. It's just a matter of rewiring the way you think every day.
COSTELLO: Well, it's interesting, that if, you know, you show someone else a kindness, you get something back in return, which you know --
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COSTELLO: I guess when I was little, I learned that you shouldn't expect anything back in return. You just do it because it's the right thing.
JOHNS: And isn't just sort of the concept of karma, sort of retread?
WRIGHT: Absolutely. There's a great line in the book that talks about it's a little bit like a bank balance. And it seems like the more you put into your bank of doing good, the more it just seems to grow. You can't give too much. It always comes back to you.
JOHNS: All right. Our thanks. Thanks so much to Jason Wright for driving over from Charlottesville this morning on Thanksgiving.
WRIGHT: Thanks.
JOHNS: And we'll be watching how you do on Facebook.
WRIGHT: Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody.
COSTELLO: You, too. Thank you, Jason.
Tensions are high across the Korean Peninsula.
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COSTELLO: The North Koreans threatening new attacks since the United States gears up for war games. We're live with the latest.
JOHNS: And a safety deadline for the makers of drinks like Four Loko. How manufacturers plan to deal with orders from the FDA.
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JOHNS: Get wonder of that turkey as one of the foods (ph). Good morning, New York! Forty degrees right now, 45 later, chance of showers. This is one of the best places in the United States of America to be on Thanksgiving morning that's because the huge parade is just getting started.
COSTELLO: Look at all of those friendly people. I love that.
JOHNS: All bundled up. I didn't realize how cold it was when I walked in here this morning.
COSTELLO: That's because you were walking fast.
JOHNS: That's because I was asleep.
COSTELLO: Exactly. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We're going to go live to the parade route in a little bit. Let's talk sports for a minute because I know our producers put this story in just to tweak me. Thanksgiving Day.
JOHNS: What? Detroit Lions? I know.
COSTELLO: I know. Thanksgiving means football, but some people are JOHNS: They're playing the Patriots, by the way.
COSTELLO: Stop it. Some people are sick and tired of seeing one particular team each and every year. Yes, we're talking about the Detroit Lions. The NFL showcases them this year along with the Dallas Cowboys. But as you know, the Lions haven't been very good for the past several years. They're actually 2-8 this year, and they actually have not won a Thanksgiving big game since 2003.
So, the rumors are growing about changing who gets to host these games. But don't worry, Detroit, the NFL said it had has no plans to break tradition. And I always say one thing about this. When you watch "Monday Night Football" or whatever national broadcast football game on Thursday, it's never Detroit.
JOHNS: I know.
COSTELLO: It's always the same team. So, why can't Detroit has national stage just one day out of the year. And they're playing New England who's on national television all the time.
JOHNS: She's not into this. The one thing I can say is they did beat the Washington Redskins this year.
COSTELLO: Most decisively, too.
JOHNS: Yes, it was really depressing.
COSTELLO: Sorry.
JOHNS: Forty-nine minutes after the hour. Let's get a check of this morning's weather headlines. Reynolds Wolf in the Extreme Weather Center. Hello, Reynolds. How are you doing?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, guys. Doing great. I wish I could say that today, we weren't living up to the billing of extreme weather, but we do have extreme weather for people who are traveling today, and yes, there are still a few stranglers. You may have some rough times. Check out the map behind me. These are the expected delays. Philadelphia, absolutely. Rain and wintry mix may keep you on the ground for about an hour.
Same deal in Atlanta and Charlotte. Not because of the winter mix but because scattered storms and low clouds for Atlanta and Charlotte. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, rain and low clouds to keep you there for about half hour, so full hour. Same deal in Chicago, Memphis, and into Seattle. Now, one of the big weather problems are going to see across the nations. It's really hard to see.
It's going from the Great Lakes to Central Plains, and everything is driving off towards the east. As we zoom into a couple of spots, you'll notice the northeast is seeing some rainfall, and then, switching over to some light snow south of buffalo. More on that is on the way. In fact, the National Weather Service already posted some winter weather advisories in effect from the Catskills back all the way into parts of New England. You see the areas shaded in purple. Those are your advisories.
You might have a light ice and snow mix that could cause some power outages through noon on Friday. Also, roadways are going to be a real issue especially on parts of 90, even on 91. Please be careful out there. As to wrap it up, we've got more of that possibly winter weather from Paducah, southward in the Memphis, even into Springfield, Missouri. Advisories in effect early Friday morning. I'm saying around 3:00 in the morning or so.
Same situation, might have some power outages and slick roadways even into parts of Oklahoma. And as we fast forward to Thanksgiving Day, again, take a look at that frontal boundary. Everything (INAUDIBLE) wintery makes with it. Thunderstorms possible in Texas all the way into the Gulf Coast. Beautiful out towards the west. That's a look at your forecast. Let's send it back to you.
COSTELLO: We're talking about movies, Reynolds. I'm sorry. We're trying to decide which one we want to see.
WOLF: It's all appropriate. I mean, seriously, come on. It's movie season, come on.
COSTELLO: Are you excited to see the new rom-com that's out with Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway?
WOLF: You know, I am still behind on my movies. I'm still trying to seat the Facebook movie.
COSTELLO: The what movie?
WOLF: What is it, about the Facebook creator? What's the name of it. Guys, help me out here.
JOHNS: I don't know. Yes, "Social Network."
WOLF: "The Social Network". Yes, I haven't seen that one. That's one I go pick up. I just saw "No Country For All Men" a few weeks ago.
JOHNS: I really want to see "Megamind."
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. That would be fun. We're going run down the movies for you right now, by the way, just so you can decide along with us. "Harry Potter" will be tough to beat at the box office today, but movie theaters will be stuffed with new releases over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Among them, the musical, "Burlesque," which marks the big screen debut of Christina Aguilera.
JOHNS: Oh, yes.
COSTELLO: Of course, the return of Cher. It's Cher's first starring role in more than a decade.
JOHNS: The movie "Love & Other Drugs" starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal is a prescription for comedy, romance, and sex. Hathaway and Gyllenhaal steam up the screen as a drug company salesman and a woman suffering from early onset Parkinson's disease. That doesn't sound too light.
COSTELLO: Both of them are naked a lot, so maybe that will get people to the theaters.
Action fans will likely get their fill in the movie "Faster." It stars Billy Bob Thornton and Dwayne "Don't call me the Rock" Johnson. It's a story about an ex-con out to avenge the death of his brother.
JOHNS: Yes. He's always going to be The Rock.
If Disney is getting out of fairly tale's -- sorry -- princess business, it's going out this time with "Tangled" the 3D animated feature based on the story of Rapunzel. It's a big hit with critics. It stars the voice of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi.
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COSTELLO: Nobody says -- well, I guess, Rapunzel is kind of in prison, right? She's in that tower.
And last, but definitely not least, is "127 hours." It's based on the true story of hiker Aron Rolston who spent days trapped by a boulder and did the unthinkable to survive. Oscar (ph) actor, James Franco and the film's director, Danny Boyle.
JOHNS: It is 52 minutes after the hour.
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SPC. CHRISTINE LEE-GREEN, U.S. ARMY: Hi, I'm Christine Lee-Green from Baghdad, Iraq. Wishing my grandmother, sister and father happy holidays. Love you!
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iron chef, Cat Cora.
CAT CORA, IRON CHEF: I'm a mom, I'm an iron chef, I'm a restaurateur, and I'm a wife.
I'm on the road 200-plus days a year. Being an iron chef is intense.
Just go, go, go! Come on!
It's not easy to be on the road. I have four children. We definitely are calling constantly in touch. Sending lots of pictures through iPhone. I'll still do bedtime. No matter what city I'm in, I'm calling home and helping tuck my kids in bed. My strategy for July is to hit the gym, so that really usually refreshes me.
Thank you.
There's nothing is going to make you crankier than being delayed on a flight and not having something to good to eat. Being a chef, being a foodie, always have almonds, pretzels, pieces of fruit. Banana, orange, grapes. I pick restaurants usually by what new and exciting. I have chef buddies that always hook me up. I go and visit them.
I'm Cat Cora. Remember, keep cooking.
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