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American Morning
Crisis in Japan; Americans Living Longer Than Ever; SAT Question Stumps Students; America's Next Top Student; Honoring Math & Science
Aired March 17, 2011 - 07:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, they are still hoping that they can make some progress with the sea water drops. Japanese officials flying choppers over top of the radioactive plant at the Daiichi plant, hoping that they can stop this unfolding nuclear disaster.
As radioactive plume makes its way now across the pacific toward the United States, but how big of a threat will it pose once it gets here? We have some answers on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning to you. Glad you're with us on this Thursday. March 17th, it's St. Patrick's Day. I'm Kiran Chetry.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans. It's exactly crossing the top of the hour so time to get you caught up what is going on in Japan.
Right now, radiation spewing from the crippled Daiichi power station in Fukushima, Japan, this as an agency at the United Nations says winds could bring the radiation to the United States by tomorrow.
The U.S. is warning all of its citizens in Japan to get at least 50 miles away from this plant. A much wider evacuation zone than the one the Japanese officials are recommending.
From the air and the ground, officials have dropped tons of sea water on the cooling pool in reactor number three hoping to keep the reactor from completely melting down.
And the Japanese market takes a hit as the yen soars to a record high and the Nikkei, that's the stock market average there, it continues to plunge.
CHETRY: Another development that we're watching this morning, engineers in Japan will be trying to fire up the cooling system once again at the Daiichi plant using external power lines. These are, of course, the systems that were badly, badly damaged and, in some cases, destroyed in the tsunami.
Senior international correspondent Stan Grant is joining us live from Tokyo.
This is one of the most essential, obviously, critical missions as they try to get these external power lines functioning. What is the latest?
STAN GRANT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, that is exactly what is the root cause of this problem. They knocked out their power supply. They knocked out their supplementary power supply, the external supply. That's why they weren't able to cool down these reactors. If they can get that supply connected, that is a big victory for them. It increased their chances of actually being able to stabilize this situation.
Now, a couple of things that have just come to light in the past few hours -- there was a briefing by the nuclear safety agency here. They are now saying that several hundred workers who are now at the plant. Remember, just yesterday, there were 50. They moved it up to 180. Now, they're saying there are several hundred.
They also had the water trucks operating today flooding those reactors with water. They say too soon right now to say just how successful they have been. Of course, the helicopters also drop water a little earlier today.
The ongoing concern about radiation exists particularly when it surrounds the numbers three and numbers four reactors, with those spent fuel rods, perhaps dangerously exposed in number four, sitting in a pool of water that some believe may have actually believe evaporated. Now, this effort, of course, is going to continue. They're grappling with trying to actually bring the situation under control.
At least they can get in there and have a look at the extent of the damage and the operation will continue throughout the night and perhaps they'll be more water spraying tomorrow -- Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. We will see, of course, we are taking this minute-by-minute as the developments change. But, Stan, thanks for keeping us up-to-date. Appreciate it.
ROMANS: All right. To be clear, since the earthquake and tsunami hit last week, officials say there's been a hydrogen explosion at reactor number one, possible containment damage at reactor number two. And there's a strong possibility of a structure tear at the other reactor -- reactor number three that's causing a radioactive release. There was also an explosion and two fires at reactor four that forced workers to evacuate earlier in the week.
And now, U.N. scientists say a radioactive plume coming from the crippled Japanese nuclear reactors could reach southern California by tomorrow.
Jennifer Delgado is in the extreme weather center with new details of the plume's path.
And let's be clear: American officials, our own Sanjay Gupta and others are reporting that the radioactive particles likely be dispersed and the actual level radiation with would be a fraction of what a chest x-ray would be by the time it reaches U.S. shores.
JENNIFER DELGADO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. And that's what we're thinking right now, because, really, the wind environment is quite favorable. We're dealing with the winds coming out of the northwest and this is an improvement what we saw, say, two days ago.
Here's the proof for you. As we go through Thursday, as well as Friday, we are going to be dealing with an offshore flow.
Now, I want to take you over to this graphic right here. This is the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Now, here's the area.
Watch -- we have a wind coming from the northwest. As we track the air particles and we take it from the surface all the way up to the higher elevations, that's what's been indicated by the different colors that you're seeing there. You can see, it's actually going to be pushed right off to sea and that's good news, away from the populated area of Japan.
Now, as I take you back over to our graphic here and advance this for you a little bit more, I want to point this out to you. Again, this is this area of low pressure right now that's been causing the gusty winds. The gusty winds, of course, that's great for helping and mixing with the atmosphere.
But we also have to keep in mind, we can potentially track it and we could see, say, possibly some of that radiation working up toward the Aleutian Islands or even possibly, even (INAUDIBLE) for areas, including northeastern parts of Russia. But the threat for it actually makes its way over towards the east.
We're talking -- we need something for it to get higher in the atmosphere. We're talking -- we're dealing with leaks right now. We need something along the lines of an ejection that's certainly what we don't want.
So, right now, again, things are looking favorable. We're not expecting it to potentially make its way over the Pacific right now because the environment, we're talking wind-wise, is looking pretty good.
Back over to you, Christine as well as Kiran.
ROMANS: All right. Jennifer Delgado -- thank you, Jennifer.
CHETRY: In the meantime, turning to Libya. The tide could be turning there this morning. There are new reports of gunfire and explosions in the city of Benghazi. That is where rebels are preparing for what could be a last stand. Gadhafi's forces are battling rebels for key cities, Misrata, Ajdabiya, and the gateway to the opposition headquarters of Benghazi.
Meantime, France, Britain and the United States are pressing for a United Nations Security Council vote today on a no-fly zone, in an effort to stop Gadhafi's air attacks.
Meantime, four journalists in the middle of the fighting in Libya have now disappeared. They all work for "The New York Times" -- reporters Anthony Shadid, as well as Stephen Farrell, and photographers Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario. The paper says it received second-hand information that they were picked up by government forces near Ajdabiya.
Libyan government forces said that they have no information about the journalists' whereabouts but if they were picked up by the Libyan military, they would be return to Tripoli.
ROMANS: New development this morning in the month-long uprising in Bahrain. Witnesses say security forces have stormed a main hospital, beating doctors and demonstrators in the capital city, and armed authorities have now detained at least five prominent opposition activists -- a further sign the government is trying to silence rather than open any kind dialogue.
The Greatest is making appeal to the ayatollah. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali has written a letter to Iran's supreme leader asking for mercy for two jailed American hikers. Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer have been held there since 2009. Ali said he's making the appeal as a brother in Islam.
CHETRY: Well, maybe one of the busiest times for the secretary of state ever. And now, Hillary Clinton is saying that retirement sounds pretty good right now.
Our Wolf Blitzer had a chance to sit down with the secretary of state during her trip through the Middle East and North Africa. And she opened up to Wolf about her plans for 2012 and beyond.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": If the president is reelected, do you want to serve a second term as secretary of state?
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: No.
BLITZER: Would you like to serve as secretary of defense?
CLINTON: No.
BLITZER: Would you like to be vice president of the United States?
CLINTON: No.
BLITZER: Would you like to be president of the United States?
CLINTON: No.
BLITZER: Why not?
CLINTON: Because I have the best job I could ever have. This is a moment in history where it is almost hard to catch your breath. There are both the tragedies and disasters that we have seen from Haiti to Japan, and there are the extraordinary opportunities and challenges that we see right here in Egypt, and in the rest of the region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, she also said no to a possible 2016 run, as she said. There are some talk that, you know, in her travels as secretary of state, she saw so much need out there that she may be, you know, going into perhaps helping in private charities and bringing attention to women's issues and children's issues as well.
ROMANS: She certainly has a lot of star power to whatever she decides to do.
CHETRY: Yes, absolutely.
ROMANS: All right. Still ahead this morning, where there once were homes and businesses, now twisted metal and rubble. Growing frustration in Japan as millions struggle without food, heat and water, and then snow -- blizzard conditions and freezing on top of it. I mean, what can happen next? Many, though, still holding out quiet dignity and hope. A story of resilience -- next.
CHETRY: Also, some amazing pictures of mudslides washing out roads in California, a big highway close near Big Sur indefinitely. We'll tell you what happened.
ROMANS: And the money race is on. President Obama headlines a bash in Washington. Why he encouraged the group to not take his presidency for granted.
It is seven minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: The pictures this morning are just amazing. A popular scenic route, a beautiful area in California is now way too dangerous for traffic.
Take a look what happened. A 40-foot secretary of Highway 1, this is near the beautiful Big Sur area, collapsed, falling right into the Pacific Ocean yesterday. Drivers actually had to get out of their cars and walk it.
I mean, it's just amazing no cars went down that. No injuries. But they still are trying to figure out what caused the road to crumble. It could remain closed for several days as the soil continues to erode away from underneath the pavement.
ROMANS: There's a vote scheduled in the House of Representatives today, to possibly strip National Public Radio of its federal funding. The vote comes after a conservative activist caught NPR executive Ron Schiller on undercover video criticizing the Tea Party. Schiller also was recorded saying NPR would be better off without federal money. Schiller quit. NPR CEO later resigned also.
President Obama sounded like a candidate again last night, trying to recapture some of the magic of the 2008 campaign. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS: As time passes, you start taking it for granted, that a guy named Barack Hussein Obama is president of the United States.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: You know? It's not -- but I hope that al of you still feel that sense of excitement and that sense of possibility, because we still have so much more to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The president talking to top donors from the Democratic National Committee in Washington, a group whose support he will most certainly need for re-election, Kiran.
CHETRY: He will.
Well, a mass exodus is underway right now at Tokyo's two main airports, when you look at the pictures -- you see there are many people lined up. Thousands, in fact, trying to get out of the country. They, of course, fear the radiation from the crippled Daiichi nuclear station in Fukushima. But there are also, of course, just concerns about everyday day-to-day amenities, food and basic things like shelter.
Despite the crisis, though, this is not devolving in any way into a panic. It's really a picture of patience -- when you look at grocery stores and telephone banks, even shelters.
ROMANS: Joining us live via Skype from Tokyo is Jeffrey Kingston. He's a director of Asian Study at the Temple University in Japan.
Welcome to the program. I'm really struck about the dignity and poise of the people we have been watching and these personal stories we've been hearing.
Jeffrey, there's one story of a father who is looking for his adult daughter, walked for more than a day and found out at the airport that she was, indeed, alive and went home and told his wife. And they disintegrated into tears and wife said, we would have understood if she was gone. It would have been -- it would have been problem given what happened. But we are glad she is alive. And I thought that is so Japanese, that reaction, to be almost subdued in your euphoria.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: Tell me --
JEFFREY KINGSTON, DIRECTOR OF ASIAN STUDIES, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, JAPAN: You're absolutely right. The level of dignity here, stoicism is remarkable.
I was struck today walking around talking to various people, shopkeepers. People are not all that upset, you know? They are going about their normal life, maybe trying through their normally detail routine, to carve out a little bit of normalcy in rather dire circumstances.
And so -- you know, I went to store. People are, you know, grabbing everything inside, but they're doing it in an unrushed manner. You know, nobody is shoving or pushing, there's no yelling. People quietly line up at long, you know, lines behind the cashier.
And so, in general -- I mean, the level of civility and concernedness here is remarkable. And, you know, you have to really take your hat off to the Japanese.
And, you know, they don't really believe their government. They don't really believe what the -- you know, the electric power company is saying. But they just seem sort of resigned to the situation, so be it.
CHETRY: You know, let me, I want to ask you about that. I have a Japanese babysitter. And, you know, we in American used to say the squeaky wheel gets the grease. She said, "Well, it's the dock that flies out of line or the bird that flies out of line that gets shot" -- when it comes to, you know, speaking up for yourself.
I mean, in a tragedy like this, sometimes it takes the outcry, the anger or at least, you know, attention paid to the plight to get help. In Japan, is it different? Meaning that -- do the people that you say are resigned to waiting in these lines feel that this will bring help faster because it's more organized, or will it take longer because there isn't an outcry?
KINGSTON: I mean, I talked to a few motorists who are lined up in this long line. You have a couple of hundred cars waiting for some gas. They all just say, it can't be helped (ph), shrug their shoulders. They seem so placid, and I was, you know, sort of going back to the 1970s when we had, you know, the oil crisis and thinking, people were a little bit more frantic then.
And you know, the current situation in Japan will lend itself to pandemonium, but I think that, you know, Japanese from a very young age are socialized to accept earthquakes and natural disasters as a fact of life. So, you know, being a Connecticut Yankee, you know, we sort of take our land being stable for granted, but here, people just, you know, it's like the shared collective natural memory and experience.
The one thing, though, I think that troubles people is they know that the government and the electric power company has not been forthright with them about what's going on inside the reactors, and I think that troubles them. And I think that the electric power company has a lot to answer for. I just watched the press conference and the performance there, I thought, was pretty weak, really ambiguous.
ROMANS: Some of the Japanese media are beginning to, while respecting their government and respecting officials, they're saying we need more than apologies, we need answers. And so, that's a tone that you're starting to hear, as well. Thank you so much, Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University in Japan.
There's a word for this in Japanese, and I'm probably saying it wrong, but gammon which is perseverance for the greater good, and it's one of the reasons why people are so confident in the rebuilding of this country because Japanese innovation, Japanese order, Japanese hard work that all of these things go into that.
CHETRY: And they say they just learn at a very young age that dealing with natural disasters is just part of the national identity, earthquake drills at a very young age. All right. Well, Jeffrey Kingston. Good information from him this morning.
ROMANS: You can help clean-up efforts in Japan. You can visit our "Impact Your World" webpage, CNN.com/impact.
CHETRY: Yes. We talk about all the junk here on earth, right? We talk about the landfills and are we running out of room to get rid of our garbage? Well, we're shooting it up in the space, as well. Now, they're running out of room up there. NASA, in fact, considering shooting lasers at space trash and make sure doesn't collide with million and billion dollar satellites up there.
ROMANS: OK. Plus, quiz for you. A, Kim Kardashian, B, Jersey Shore, or, C, none of the above. Up next, the SAT -- yes. SAT question on reality TV that's sparking a massive student outcry in our --
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: In our "Morning Talkers."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: "Morning Talkers." NASA is planning to zap space junk with lasers. It may sound like fantasy, but scientists say the junk, and there's awful lot of it, guys, floating up there, could cause serious problems. The space junk is floating around the earth and pieces could collide with satellites or the International Space Station. Scientists say the lasers will now destroy the junk, they'll slow the pieces down and push them onto a different course.
CHETRY: Isn't most of the junk satellites that they don't use any longer?
ROMANS: Oh, yes. I mean, they got dead old communication satellites that are humongous floating around from, like, the 1980s, you know, that are completely obsolete now that are just floating around. Yes.
CHETRY: Oh yes, well, Americans are living longer than ever before. The CDC has some new stats out. They say that baby born in 2009 has a life expectancy of 78 years and two months, and there's a gap between the sexes. Men life expectancy is 75 1/2, but for women, it's 80 1/2.
ROMANS: My retirement calculator doesn't go that high.
CHETRY: I know. They have to start readjusting those.
ROMANS: Some college bound students who took the SAT this past week were given an unusual essay question basically asking if reality TV is harmful. Officials say the goal was to give students a chance to demonstrate their writing skills, but some say -- the test takers, they say the question was unfair because they don't watch reality TV. They are studying for the SATs. So, it made it difficult to write an essay.
CHETRY: That sounds like a little bit of an excuse. I mean, come on. From the beginning of time, they've grown up knowing reality TV, unless (ph), they're studying for their SATs since birth.
ROMANS: Not if you're a good little student.
CHETRY: Yes, unless, you go to those preschools that cost $37,000.
Well, Tyra Banks is on the quest to be America's next top student. The model turned mogul is attending Harvard Business School. Banks, she put down the books at age 17 to start her modeling career. So, she decided to go back. She says that in order for her company to grow, she needs to be the best. She also says that going to Harvard is fabulous and fierce.
ROMANS: Wow. She'd be cool to sit next to young class. That's for sure.
Are you in the market for a new car? Well, you're going to have to pay more for a car or truck starting this summer. We're going to tell you about it.
CHETRY: Also, fears of radiation sickness. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is live in Tokyo on the threat of nuclear fallout here in the United States, as well. It's 23 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Twenty-six minutes past the hour. With governments across America making painful cuts in a tough economy, one state is bucking the trend. You've mentioned this before, Christine. We're talking about North Dakota. North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation. It's under 5 percent, and the per capita income rose from 38th to 17th in the country over the past decade.
The state's biggest cities are also experiencing a population bloom. I think it was the Fargo, North Dakota mayor who said, we're over a hundred thousand now.
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: I mean, this is a state, what, they have like 700,000 people.
ROMANS: And land prices are going up. Land prices and commodity prices are going up, so that's really helped recently, but it's a diversified economic state --
CHETRY: Yes. They have oil. They have great agriculture going on. Hey, I might move there, but the average temperature in January, I think, is like negative, is minus 4 below zero. So, maybe not.
ROMANS: Yes, yes. OK. Take a look at this at the Washington Nugget. It was discovered near the famous Mother Lode gold rush mining camp near Washington, California last year. Oh, my gosh. The monster gold nugget weighs nearly 100 ounces at seven pounds. You know, gold prices are really high right now. It sold at auction in Sacramento yesterday for $400,000. So, you're glad you found it now. Maybe, a couple of years ago, it's worth a lot more. Today.
CHETRY: It's amazing.
ROMANS: Huge.
CHETRY: In parts of California, you know, they let you go mining for your own gold. I would always find a flake this big. You never found a nugget like that. Are you kidding me? Well, if you're thinking of buying a new car soon, you may want to get it before the summer. Carmen Wong Ulrich is here "Minding Your Business" about car prices as the Japan situation affecting that as well as it reacted (ph), too.
CARMEN WONG ULRICH, PERSONAL FINANCE EXPERT: It's going to be, and it really is. March is typically the highest production time for Japanese automakers, and there has been a bit of a drop. Research from IHS Automotive says 185,000 autos have not been made or manufactured since the quake on Friday. Now, a fraction of cars that we import from Japan that number is, but many Japanese cars are actually made here in the U.S.
Seventy percent of Toyotas are U.S. made, many Hondas, Nissan, Mazdas, as well. However, specific models, especially the popular Prius is made exclusively in Japan. And the plural of Prius is Prii. Just so you all know. What is going to be the impact soon? We're going to see higher prices on specific models like the Prius, the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris, and also, the semi-conductor shortage, too, here, the electrical rolling blackouts.
They're having a shortage and that can affect other models from the U.S. that are made in the U.S., because, you know, the average car has a couple of dozen of these processors in them. So, Japanese automakers may not be able to offer incentives on these models.
Well, you know, Detroit is going to be sure to take advantage of this in the spring and the summer. They have a lot of competitive fuel-efficient models coming out like the new next third generation Ford Focus that really compete with these energy-efficient models. So, we're going to see some competition. ROMANS: All right. Interesting. We know the car sales have been so good recently, so that'll be interesting to see if car sales can continue to keep plugging.
ULRICH: Especially small fuel-efficient cars, through the roof.
ROMANS: All right. Carmen --
CHETRY: Prii? Now, it's the name --
ULRICH: Prii. P-R-I-I.
ROMANS: Prii. I don't know. Top stories.
The tide turning in Libya this morning. The world being called into action to stop it. Libyan dictator, Moammar Gadhafi, forces battling rebels for the key cities of Misurata and Ajdabiya (ph), and he is stepping up air strikes on his own people. Both sides are not bracing for what could be the most bloody battle of them all. That's in Benghazi. France, Britain, and the United States are pressing for a U.N. Security Council vote today on a no-fly zone to stop Gadhafi's attacks.
CHETRY: We want to update you, and half past the hour as well, about Japan. The number of dead now topping 5,000 just six days after the devastating earthquake and tsunami. Crews using helicopters and water cannons right now to deal with their other pressing issue which is, of course, trying to cool down the reactors, specifically number three at the Daiichi Nuclear Plant.
ROMANS: Airlines are also watching the situation in Japan. There's currently a no-fly zone within 19 miles of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Facility. Some European airlines have rerouted flights bound for Tokyo, and that's more than 150 miles away from the plant. American Airlines says it is operating normally. Government security officials say simply no aircraft entering the U.S. have tested positive for radiation.
CHETRY: U.S. is warning all Americans to stay at least 50 miles away from the crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima, suggesting that the nuclear crisis there is worse than Japanese officials are at least publicly admitting to.
Right now a radiation plume is drifting across the Pacific toward the west coast of America, and, in fact, an agency at the United Nations is predicting it could arrive at the U.S. west coast some time tomorrow.
Our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us from Tokyo. First off, the more than 150 workers that are remaining at this site rotating in and out, at what point are they protected by this gear? And at what point is what they are being subjected to just going to overpower whatever is protecting them?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's been the concern for some time now, Kiran. Yesterday, you may remember for a period of time they evacuated the workers and then subsequently brought them in. It may have been to sort of cycle through different workers, try to reduce time of exposure.
If at some point they say the radiation levels have become too high in these plants, we cannot subject these workers to this anymore, then no one is sort of left available to try to continue cooling these rods which has been the goal for some time.
They are trying to get a power line, Kiran, into these plants so that the cooling systems can start operating again. That will be critical thing to do that if they get the power line in if they can do that but that hasn't happened as of yet, obviously.
What it must be like for these workers inside this plant, it's hard to think about. There is no electricity so they may be using flashlights and may be wearing hazmat suits like this and maybe masks with respirators, but these do very little to try to control the most dangerous forms of gamma radiation that can penetrate through about anything.
So these workers they know the deal. They know what they are sort of -- what these radiation levels mean in terms of their potential health effects later on down the road. So we don't really know what it's like. We don't know what the radiation levels are like inside the plant right now. But this is what they are going through right now.
CHETRY: And our hearts and thoughts are with them and our prayers with them. A very tough assignment and what is going to happen in their health down the road is still not clear.
About the cloud of material or this radioactive cloud that is headed our way just simply because of the way the winds blow, how dangerous potentially will it be by the time it gets here or will it be not dangerous at all?
GUPTA: We're feeling an aftershock right now, Kiran. I don't know if you saw that at all, but things are moving around a bit on us even as I'm talking to you. These aftershocks come quite frequently and still continuing here. You guys OK? I think we're all good.
This plume it's interesting, because it was expected to happen. You have radioactive particles getting into the air and then subsequently moving across the ocean. The real question is what are the levels of radioactive inside that plume? And how does it disperse and diminish across the ocean?
And the answer seems to be it diminishes a lot. So by the time that plume will travel not only across North America but around the world ultimately, it should not really be at any level that would have an impact on human health.
So, you know, I think that there's a lot of anxiety, understandably so about this but all of the modeling we talked to do not show that should have an impact and maybe not here in Japan and when it hits the coast of the United States. CHETRY: You were standing there an aftershock happened. That is a risk you are at in terms of other earthquakes hitting. What about radiation concerns for you guys in Tokyo?
GUPTA: You know, we have been measuring it ourselves. I've been carrying a dosimeter myself which measures the radiation I'm exposed to so I have an idea of my personal exposure. We know the levels are 20 times normal which sounds high when you hear it like that. But even at 20 times normal, still really no risk to human health. Instead of getting the radiation that I would normal get in a year, I'm getting that in a few weeks instead. So I'm not going to feel any symptoms from that.
If that were to increase, if that were to persist, that would, obviously, be a concern. And that is why there's so much focus on these plants and these workers and trying to decrease the radiation levels overall.
CHETRY: Scary stuff. Sanjay Gupta for us in Tokyo, thanks so much.
ROMANS: Is the U.S. doing enough to teach tomorrow's scientists? Jim Acosta goes inside a science fair next to find out. It's 35 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All of those people there are math and science wizards.
CHETRY: I know, they are.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: Are the schools doing enough to teach our kids math and science? According to a recent study, our of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 19th in science and 29th in math.
CHETRY: Why is this?
ROMANS: It's been pretty consistent.
CHETRY: There is an elite research competition going on right now hoping to find the future scientists among U.S. high school students. Jim Acosta is in our Washington, D.C. bureau today with more on this. Hi there, Jim. Were you a math and science whiz?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. I was better in math than in English and those sorts of things in high school, and then I didn't use it. What are you going to do?
But we're trying to change that in this country, right? The president has talked about winning the future in education. And one place where the country could start is in our science classrooms. Just ask the young scientists of tomorrow and they will tell you they are still waiting for the country to have a "eureka" moment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bubbles you see on the left here is hydrogen being produced.
ACOSTA: This is one talent competition that actually matters. It's sort of like an "American Idol" for high IQs, this week's science talent search in Washington is out to find the country's most promising future scientists.
ROUNOK JOARDER, STUDENT: This was done in my kitchen because I do not have access to a lab or anything.
ACOSTA: You built this in your kitchen? What did your mom think about that?
JOARDER: She was not very happy.
ACOSTA: Texas high school senior Rounok Joarder came up with a solar panel that not only uses the sun's light, but it's warmth for power. He is the kind of student education reformers have in mind when they talk about building 21st century schools that can compete on the global stage.
A key component of President Obama's "Winning the Future" education plan calls for training 100,000 teachers in science, technology, engineering, and math. The goal is to create millions of whiz-kid like this kid who points out his school doesn't even have a science club.
ROUNOK JOARDER, STUDENT: Everyone knows about the football game and everyone shows up there one way or another. But for a science fair to get my school to excuse my absence because I'm going to a science fair is a good deal of trouble.
ACOSTA: Across the country many schools are cutting back on science fairs because they cost money.
SERENA MCCALLA, SCIENCE TEACHER: I think this is a wonderful country and we should be number one because we have the best minds. And I don't think that everyone knows we do and I don't think we force the brilliance that we do have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: Now, before you brush this off as any other science fair, consider the grand prize at stake. This year's winner of the Intel Fair Evan Michael O'Dorney, yes, he sounds Irish, walked away with $100,000 dollars for solving a complex math equation. Guys, that can buy a lot of books in college, or in my case a lot of something else.
CHETRY: I notice you're wearing green today.
ROMANS: Showing your Irish heritage.
ACOSTA: That's right. CHETRY: We were speaking to Evan. It had to do with integers and other confusing things. He won the spelling bee a few years ago.
ACOSTA: Talk about smarts. I'm jealous.
ROMANS: He could be our boss someday. Jim Acosta, thanks.
We will meet those all-stars and what they did to win thousands of dollars in that prestigious national science competition and what they will do with the money.
CHETRY: We can't wait to talk to them coming up. It's 42 minutes past the hour. We'll be right back.
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ROMANS: It is one of the most elite and challenging competitions in the country. The Intel Science Talent Search honors high school seniors who excel in math and science. Students must create a research project and winners are awarded big scholarship money.
Here with us now are this year's winners, Evan O'Dorney and Michelle Hackman. They're both 17 years old and they came in first and second place respectively. And with us is Wendy Hawkins the executive director of the Intel Foundation.
Welcome to the program. Congratulations to both of you -- both of you.
MICHELLE HACKMAN, WINNER, INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH: Thank you.
ROMANS: Evan, I want to talk to you first. How much do you love math and science? You're obviously, very, very talented at this. Did you love doing this competition?
EVAN O'DORNEY, WINNER, INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH: Yes. I just love doing math and getting on the computer and finding some more data and uncovering the hidden patterns in the math that I do.
ROMANS: When work on a problem -- when you worked on this problem, are you single-minded at it? Do you just work at it --
(CROSS TALK)
O'DORNEY: Yes.
ROMANS: -- until you figure it out?
O'DORNEY: Yes. There are about two weeks when I really worked on the problem intensively and kept generating more data and trying more and more formulas until I came up with one that worked.
ROMANS: Congratulations.
That -- that single-mindedness -- mindedness and that talent in science and math is clearly something that the Intel folks recognize.
Michelle, your -- your research, your project was something we can kind of all relate to, cell phone addiction. Tell me about your project and what prompted you to do that?
HACKMAN: So I was really, really fascinated by the idea of, you know, attachment to cell phones and how everyone is sort of weighing in on that. I think we all -- I mean, we all have opinions on how technology is really ruining our lives in all these sorts of different ways. And I wanted to turn that into science.
ROMANS: Why are we addicted to our cell phones? What did you find out? I'm very curious.
HACKMAN: So my research hinted at and -- and it's really never been fully shown but neurologists are hinting and my research has hinted that we are addicted to our cell phones the way that cocaine addicts become addicted to cocaine.
ROMANS: Really?
HACKMAN: Yes and that -- they basically stimulate the same brain circuitry. It's the reward circuitry.
ROMANS: Right.
HACKMAN: So I always like to make the comparison that you know, sometimes when you get a text message -- I shouldn't say sometimes, all of the time -- when you get a text message it's almost like a hit of cocaine in that it is so quick and stimulating that when it goes away, when you don't have a message or when you don't have access to your phone, let's say, maybe it dies. You lose that access and you go through withdrawal. You start craving it.
ROMANS: That's really interesting. And then let me ask you, do you think you're going to pursue science and math when you on to college?
O'DORNEY: Yes, I'm going for a career as a math professor.
ROMANS: And you'd like to be a math professor. So you'd like to be teaching. Where do you think you'd like to teach? Do you like to teach at a college level?
(CROSS TALK)
O'DORNEY: College level.
ROMANS: Because clearly you're very smart so you've got more to learn but you want to teach at a college level. Fascinating.
Let me ask you Wendy, there must have been some really impressive -- impressive kids in this -- in this display. What does the Intel Foundation get out of it? I mean, clearly, you're trying to inspire potential new scientists and innovators for Intel and your competitors, I guess, too? WENDY RAMAGE HAWKINS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTEL FOUNDATION: Well, we'll share a few of them, yes.
ROMANS: But it's good. Strong math and science is good for the country and it's good for our business and it's -- it's good for -- it's good to get the kids inspired.
HAWKINS: It's absolutely. A virtual cycle we like to think of it that it's -- it's great for Intel. We are absolutely dependent on the talent of young people like this to create our future, to create the new innovations that will be Intel 10, 15 years down the road.
ROMANS: I'm interested that -- that -- that Evan says he wants to be a math professor. Because the President who said we need -- we need a hundred thousand math and science professors and teachers over the next decade because we need to fill labs and places like Intel with quality American students who -- who have a good education to get through.
Clearly, these kids are the cream of the crop.
HAWKINS: Absolutely.
ROMANS: Tell me what else Intel is doing to try to really broaden interest in science and math in -- in high schools.
HAWKINS: Well, we --we make a really serious investment in our education programs. We invest a $100 million dollars each year so the -- one -- one in a quarter million we have invested in scholarships for these kids is just a part of that.
We work with teachers in the United States and around the world to try and provide them the skills to teach these kids in ways that get them hands-on with science and math in a way that will really engage and excite them.
ROMANS: Michelle, do you think you're going on to a career of math and science?
HACKMAN: I think so. I definitely want to pursue psychology and specifically studying the technology that will be affecting our lives as Evan invents it.
ROMANS: Your research --
(CROSSTALK)
ROMAN: -- for the rest of human kind. Evan O'Dorney, congratulations. I'm really proud of you guys. Michelle Hackman and Wendy Hawkins from Intel Foundation, thanks to all of you, the best of luck to you in your future endeavors in academia.
HACKMAN: Thank you.
ROMANS: I'm really, really proud of you guys -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Christine thanks.
Well, drying out in the northeast. It certainly feels like spring has arrived in the Midwest and the south a few days early but will it last? Jennifer Delgado is going to be joining us with our forecast coming up in a minute.
It's 50 minutes past the hour.
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ROMANS: There we go, Dallas, Texas; Ft. Worth right next door, cowboy capital of the world. Look at that; cloudy at 56 right now, partly cloudy, 84 later. It's going to be a nice day in Dallas-Ft. Worth.
CHETRY: They deserve it, too.
ROMANS: They sure do.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: -- for the country as well.
Jennifer Delgado is in the Extreme Weather Center for us on this St. Patrick's Day. If you were here I would pinch you because you are wearing red.
DELGADO: Yes, why don't you lean over and pinch Christine.
CHETRY: I got her, she's got -- she has on green eye liner and her eyes are green.
DELGADO: Pinch her.
All right, well she does have the green eyes. So that counts.
You showed some video coming out of Dallas. The temperatures across Dallas are going to be nice and warm. We're talking about 70s and 80s for parts of the south. Let's start off right now looking at the radar.
Notice overall, fairly quiet in the northeast. We are dealing with a little bit of rain up towards the north. We're not expecting much out of the upper Midwest. And then notice some snow coming down through parts of, you see it, Colorado. We are expecting some locations anywhere between about three to seven inches of snowfall as we go through the day, as well as into the evening.
So we're not going to be dealing with a green St. Patrick's Day there, we're dealing with some white.
And let's take you right over to our other graphic for you, just to give you a wider view with the forecast today. We have warm temperatures and you can see that's going to be down towards the south as well as areas over towards the southeast. We are going to see some rain out to the Pacific Northwest and, of course, we'll be focusing on that over the next several days because more heavy rain in that forecast.
But I want to leave with you some video coming out of Washington, D.C. and maybe you don't -- you're not wearing green today, but hey just drive past the White House you're looking at the fountain. It's nice and green today, of course, for St. Patrick's Day.
Let me show you some of the temperatures across the region.
As you look for Washington, D.C., we're expecting a high of 63 degrees. It's going to be sunny. And if you're going to be heading out for the big parade today at 11:00, we're expecting just partly cloudy skies and temperatures right around 40 -- 54 degrees right around the start of the parade with lots of sunshine on the way.
Guys, let's send it back over to you. I think it's 9:00, maybe time for some corned beef and cabbage?
CHETRY: Oh yes. The day will not end without me eating that.
ROMANS: 9:00, we're two hours past green beer in Chicago.
DELGADO: Oh, don't worry. You can find some later.
CHETRY: All right. Jennifer Delgado, thanks.
DELGADO: Thank you.
CHETRY: It's six -- five and a half minutes until we start the new hour.
ROMANS: That's right.
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CHETRY: Three minutes until the top of the hour.
We have some new information just in to CNN from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Our Wolf Blitzer is traveling with the secretary and he joins us from Tunisia this morning. Hi, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "SITUATION ROOM" (via telephone): Yes. Hi, Kiran. I just had a chance to ask the secretary a couple of questions about Japan and she did say the president has now authorized the departure of American officials, diplomats, family members if they want to leave Japan. There is an authorized departure under way, given the circumstances of what is going on.
She's obviously very concerned about what is going on in Japan even though she is here in North Africa. We're in Tunisia right now. It's weighing very heavily on her and other Obama administration officials are deeply worried.
She says they are taking the situation, in her words, minute-by- minute like getting the latest information. They want to make sure that they have the latest information and be precise. But American diplomats, family members -- if they want to leave, obviously, it's their prerogative right now. The U.S. will help facilitate that kind of departure and she said the President overnight authorized that decision.
So it's, obviously, very significant development underscoring the severity and concern that U.S. officials have about the radiation levels in Japan right now -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Right. Just to be clear. Jill Dougherty at the State Department earlier had said something along the lines of getting planes out there so that if people that were working for the government, the U.S. government wanted to leave, they could.
Does this new information extend to those beyond those working at the embassies and others? Can Americans in Japan not affiliated with our government get a ride back as well?
BLITZER: I think they are going to try any American, if they get these planes, charter planes, American businessmen and businesswomen there, tourists whoever needs some help, if can't get commercial flights and if they want to leave and if they are concerned about the radiation levels, then the U.S. government is going to try to help, obviously.
It's a very fluid situation, she says, and it's changing almost minute-by-minute, but right now, the President has authorized the departure of those American officials and family members, dependents. If they want to leave this is the time to start thinking about it given the nature of what is going on.
And obviously, the people in a 50-mile radius of the nuclear power plants, the U.S. is saying they should get out of that area as quickly as possible. Move to Tokyo or elsewhere where the radiation levels are obviously a lot less but if they want to start leaving Japan, they can.
ROMANS: Ok. Wolf Blitzer traveling with the Secretary of State; thank you so much Wolf. And we know that American companies have already started doing this, getting their employees out, moving their employees, moving their employee's families in some cases and people who have been working in Tokyo, now working in other cities further south, getting their families out of the country. We know companies have already been doing this.
So we'll continue to watch that.
CHETRY: And we talked about how packed it was at Narita airport as many were trying to get out.
That's going to do it for us. Thanks so much for being with us. I hope you have a wonderful day. Happy St. Patrick's Day. We'll be back bright and early tomorrow.
ROMANS: "CNN NEWSROOM with Carol Costello starts right now."
