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Protesters Return to Tahrir Square; Larry Hagman: 1931-2012; Arafat's Body Exhumed; Sandy's Effect on New Jersey
Aired November 24, 2012 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Martin Savidge, in tonight for Don Lemon.
Let's get you up to speed on some of the headlines:
On television, he was the man that everybody loved to hate, J.R. Ewing on the hit series "Dallas." Larry Hagman, veteran of small and big screen, has died in a Texas hospital. Hagman was 81 years old. He'd been battling cancer for several years.
Investigators are still trying to figure out the source of a gas explosion that damaged more than 40 buildings in Springfield, Massachusetts, last night. A WWLP camera captured the moment of blast. Eighteen people were injured, most emergency workers who had been called to the scene. They had evacuated some residents after receiving reports of a gas smell, about an hour before that explosion occurred.
And emergency at the U.S. State Department today. Fire trucks raced to the department headquarters in Washington shortly before noon. A flash fire as it's described in the duct work of the building forced everyone to evacuate and sent three people to hospital, one in serious condition. Construction workers were among the few people in the building because of the holiday weekend.
Thirty-eight days now before the fiscal cliff. Lawmakers return to work Monday trying to cut a deal. If Congress and President Obama fail to reach an agreement, massive tax cuts and spending cuts automatically kick in January 1.
Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist slamming Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss. He is the latest Republican who break with Norquist's no tax hikes pledge. Chambliss says he cares more about his country than the pledge.
Well, there were signs that the truce between Israel and Hamas is taking home this weekend. Palestinian sources say that Israel has eased restrictions on Gaza fishermen, allowing them to go up to six miles from shore. The fishermen had been restricted to going only three miles into the Mediterranean.
Also, Palestinian farmers -- they resumed tending land along the Israeli border. A Hamas official says Egyptian and Israeli officials are expected to meet Monday to discuss details of that cease-fire. To Egypt now where what's happening makes -- well, the Arab spring look like it never ended. We all remember the crowds of demonstrators, protesters in the streets, the anger toward a regime bent on consolidating and preserving its power. That was then. This is actually the scene right now. Demonstrators are back spending the night in Tahrir Square.
President Mohamed Morsy has announced sweeping new powers for himself. Ordering Egyptian court not to overturn any decree or law issued since he took office. As the crowds gather, there's a growing unease over what could happen next.
CNN's Reza Sayah has the latest from Cairo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Demonstrations continue against Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy, not the big numbers that we saw on Friday, but certainly still a lot of people out here, lots of food stands, about 30 tents, which is an indication that many of these protesters want to be here for a while. It's not clear how long they're going to stay here. But when you talk to them they seem determined to speak out against Mr. Morsy's controversial decrees.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The beginning avenue era for a tyrant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's saying that nobody can revise what I say.
SAYAH: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's actually throwing the law system out of the sea totally.
SAYAH: In a meantime, big developments in meeting rooms and news conferences on Saturday where factions opposed to Mr. Morsy made moves to put pressure on the president.
Of course, a number of his decrees seem to weaken the judiciary. The judiciary answered back on Saturday by calling for a nationwide judge's strike. Also, the supreme judicial council on Saturday made a statement declaring his decrease an attack on the independence of the judiciary.
Opposing factions also called for a 1 million man protest and sit in on Tuesday.
What does Mr. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group do? They call for a 1 million man protest, too, on Tuesday.
Some critical days ahead for this country.
Reza Sayah, CNN, Cairo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: In this country, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is decorated with flowers this evening on the star honoring legendary actor Larry Hagman. It is a tribute to the legendary film and television actor who tied yesterday at a hospital in, of course, Dallas.
CNN's Kareen Wynter is in Hollywood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Larry Hagman had a long and storied career in Hollywood, bating back to the '50s when he's best remembered for two roles. First as Major Anthony Nelson in "I Dream of Jeannie" where he standard opposite Barbara Eden, and then as the despicable J.R. Ewing.
It was this role as the Texas oil tycoon in "Dallas" that defined Hagman as the iconic villain. The show ran from 1978 to 1991. But "Who shot J.R." episode was one of the most watched TV episodes of all time. In fact, the show got a second life of sorts on TNT, a sister network of CNN, debuting in June of this year.
Hagman was filming episodes for the second season shortly before his death. The second season is set to air in January. And while there are reports that he shot at least six episodes, no word on how writers plan to address the sad news of his passing.
And as "Dallas" co-stars have been reacting via Twitter, also Facebook, with Linda Gray, writing earlier, "He was a wonderful, dear, bigger-than-life friend." And Barbara Eden remembering his big laughs, big smiles and his unrestrained personality.
The cast and crew of the current "Dallas" released this statement saying, "Larry Hagman was a giant, a larger-than-life personality whose iconic performances as J.R. Ewing will endure as one of the most indelible in entertainment history. He truly loved portraying this globally recognized character and he leaves a legacy of entertainment, generosity and grace."
Fans remembered his legacy.
COURTNEY WELSH, FAN: Everything seemed to be going so well and it was exciting he had an opportunity to sort of reinvigorate his career and, you know, the new show seemed to be doing well and everyone was just excited to see all of those characters that they had loved for so long back on the show. I mean, it was pretty amazing that they all agreed to come back and do that together. I'm not sure how it's going network without him.
ROBERT CALDARONA, FAN: The recent revival of "Dallas," I thought, definitely those episodes great stuff, you know? It's actually better than ever, you know? I can't believe he was 81 playing that role, you know? So if anyone has a chance to, like, tune in, I guess the season was just renewed, the second season.
WYNTER: Hagman revealed last year he had cancer. While he didn't talk specifics, he referred to it as a common and treatable form. The actor leaves behind a wife, son, daughter, and a long memorable career. Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: We are getting new insight tonight into what happened in the menacing hours following the death of Osama bin Laden. Details on the Pentagon e-mails that reveal how the U.S. military handled that burial at sea of the world's most wanted terrorist.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: The Pakistani Taliban claiming responsibility for a bombing that killed seven people and wounded 18 others today. That blast targeted a Shiite holy procession. Three children were among the victims. The Taliban spokesman said the group will keep targeting Shiite Muslims. At least 31 people were killed Wednesday in multiple bomb attacks targeting, again, Shiites.
And we're learning new information about the super secret burial of Osama bin Laden, and what happened in the hours after U.S. Navy SEALs stormed his compound inside Pakistan.
CNN's Brian Todd has new Pentagon e-mails that offer a glimpse at how the military handled bin Laden's burial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over). Tense and very secretive transmissions as the aircraft carrier, Carl Vinson waits for the body of Osama Bin Laden. It's May 2nd, 2011. The al Qaeda leader has just been killed by Navy SEALs.
In e-mails, two U.S. Navy admirals use code words to describe Bin Laden. The commander of the carrier strike group says, "Fed-Ex delivered the package. Both trucks are safely on route home base."
The e-mails heavily redacted have just been released by the Defense Department responding to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by the group, Judicial Watch.
A few days earlier that strike group commander had asked another officer, "Do I need any special religious ceremonial preparations?"
After Bin Laden's buried at sea, an admiral describes the scene. "Traditional procedures for Islamic burial was followed, the deceased body was washed then placed in a white sheet. The body was placed in a weighted bag. A military officer read prepared religious remarks, which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker. After the words were complete, the body was placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up whereupon the deceased body slid into the sea."
According to the e-mails, there aren't many witnesses. In response to the question, any sailors watch the burial, the heading of one e-mail says, "Burial No Sailors Watched." And another says, "Only a small group of the leadership was informed -- less than a dozen total." And another indication of the secrecy of that part of the mission, an e-mail from a top admiral to Joint Chiefs Chairman Michael Mullen, "The paucity of documentary evidence in our possession is a reflection of the emphasis placed upon operational security.
(on camera): Later on May 2nd, a note of gratitude. The deputy commander of the fleet tells the commander of the carrier group: thank you and your magnificent strike for what you did for your country today.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: It is a push to let the small mom and pop stores in on the holiday shopping rush, but for many businesses along the Northeast coast, even Small Business Saturday might not be enough to help them rebound from superstorm Sandy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Today is Small Business Saturday when shoppers across the nation are encouraged to support locally owned stores, mom and pop operations, that help communities thrive. It's sandwiched between, of course, Black Friday and then you got Cyber Monday. American Express founded Small Business Saturday three years ago to help smaller stores get exposure on this the busiest shopping weekends the year.
In the wake of superstorm Sandy, though, those many small businesses that were damaged are desperate for any help.
Poppy Harlow takes a closer look at how Sandy impacted those people.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POPPY HARLOW, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Right before superstorm Sandy, the streets were quiet outside Liberty Industrial Gas and Welding.
ASHLEY MURRAY, LIBERTY INDUSTRIAL GASES AND WELDING: You know, that's in less than 10 minutes.
HARLOW: This is nightfall as the waters begin to rise.
MURRAY: So, at this point, I think it's gone.
HARLOW: An industrial park in Red Hook, Brooklyn, sandwiched between two bodies of water.
MURRAY: So this is the Gowanus Canal coming into the harbor which is going to meet up with the river. And Liberty is right here. We really had quite a surge because of the Gowanus, you know, and the river essentially meeting in this area and flooding these streets.
HARLOW: Ashley Murray's family business devastated.
(on camera): This is very hard for you personally?
MURRAY: Yes, yes.
HARLOW: And I can see it in your eyes.
MURRAY: Yes. Yes. It's just we're devastated. It's just been a devastating process, and there needs to be a little bit more help.
HARLOW: Do you feel forgotten?
MURRAY: A little bit, yes. Yes. So this was once a really nice showroom.
HARLOW (voice-over): Eighty percent of her inventory gone.
MURRAY: Essentially we have moved everything into our stockroom so that we can work from the sidewalk. So now this is where we are functioning our store from. We have one functioning computer, one printer, and we have people coming in from the roll-down door.
HARLOW (on camera): Before Sandy you didn't have any debt.
MURRAY: Right.
HARLOW: Now?
MURRAY: Now we're probably looking at $700,000 to $800,000 of debt.
HARLOW: Of debt. What kind of help have you gotten from the government?
MURRAY: Nothing from the government.
HARLOW (voice-over): Ashley found government loans with 6 percent interest. Her bank did better with a line of credit at just over 3 percent.
MURRAY: We had chop saws and boxed items that --
HARLOW (on camera): There goes the lights again.
(voice-over): The challenge of doing business these days even the generators fail.
(on camera): Things are so bad here in Red Hook that this business right next door to Ashley's is literally drying invoices like this with a hairdryer.
What does this business mean to you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything. It's my life.
HARLOW (voice-over): Ashley's employees watched her grow up working along side her father.
(On camera): If this business went under? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would think I would go under, too, you know?
HARLOW (voice-over): Now it's up to her to save their jobs.
MURRAY: There's so much history here. The community. Our customers. I mean, we really do have -- we have a great business here, and I think we can make it great again.
HARLOW (on camera): Despite all of this, Ashley is still optimistic that she will have her business up and running by this spring. But I can tell you that her business has already taken quite a hit. It's down about 30 percent since superstorm Sandy and she expects that all in, this is going to cost her somewhere between $700,000 and $800,000, money that she's getting in the form of a line of a credit from her bank because at this point, she hasn't been able to find any government loans that are affordable enough for her right now and she's representative of so many other small businesses out there really, really struggling in the wake of Sandy.
Poppy Harlow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Very difficult time. President Obama meanwhile went Christmas shopping today. The president and his daughters, Sasha and Malia, shopped at an independent book store in Arlington, Virginia. The Obamas, of course, were participating in Small Business Saturday by visiting a locally owned store. The White House says that the president bought 15 children's books to be given to family and friends.
Well, if you're keeping count 38 days now to prevent the fiscal cliff. Lawmakers return to work Monday. They will be trying cut a deal. If Congress and President Obama fail to reach a deal, an avalanche of tax hikes and spending cuts automatically kick in January 1.
President Obama and the Democrats are pushing for tax cuts for wealthy Americans as part of the deal. House Speaker John Boehner and Republicans want bigger cuts in government spending. Thanksgiving gave lawmakers a quick break from the fiscal cliff conundrum. Now, it's time to hunker down and get back to business.
Athena Jones takes a closer look at the current state of their negotiations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After meeting with President Obama before the Thanksgiving holiday --
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to welcome the congressional leadership here.
JONES: -- congressional leaders expressed optimism about reaching a deal to avoid $500 billion in tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect next year. REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: We had a very constructive meeting with the president to talk about America's fiscal problem.
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: We have the cornerstones of being able to work something out.
JONES: Staffers have been working behind the scenes to fine common ground. Among the big sticking points how to bring in more tax revenue and reduce spending on programs like Medicare. But it's not yet clear when lawmakers and the president will meet next. And even if some progress is made this week, a final deal could still be a long way off.
JENNIFER LIBERTO, SENIOR WRITER, CNNMONEY.COM: We rarely see the Hill and the White House make decisions early. They tend to do better when they have a deadline. So I would be pleasantly surprised to see it, a deal emerge earlier than the end the year but we'll see.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: As the fiscal cliff gets closer, a few Republicans are breaking an anti-tax pledge that they signed with the conservative group called Americans for Tax Reform. The group's leader Grover Norquist is slamming Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss who walked away from his pledge on Wednesday.
Chambliss says that he cares more for his country than the pledge. Chambliss also says that he realizes Norquist will likely work against his re-election because of that now broken pledge.
They're not glued to their smartphones, at least not yet. But baby boomers are becoming more social media savvy. We'll show you how.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: A short while ago in the control room, they looked up and saw a remarkable image coming out of South Fork -- which if you were a fan of the "Dallas" television show, you will remember it well. It's also, of course, significant because it was on Friday that Larry Hagman passed away.
We want to reach out now to Bud Gillett. He's with our affiliate KTVT. He is there on the ranch.
Bud, you look great. The lights look terrific behind you. We were wondering, what have people been doing? Have they been coming by and remember Larry there?
BUD GILLETT, KTVT REPORTER: Yes, they have. They've been dropping by with flowers out at the main gate. There's a visitor center over here where people had their picture made with a full screen likeness if you will of Larry Hagman. There's books there. People are offering condolences.
And they just all want to walk through and see the area that -- here at the mansion at South Fork where he lived and mythically lived or at least worked. Larry Hagman actually worked here for -- during the filming both the first season and then in the rebooted seasons on cable beginning this last year.
SAVIDGE: You know, as you point out ate television show and first and foremost. But it had a significant impact on the image of "Dallas". It certainly brought it into the living rooms and television homes of so many across the country.
What was the impact on the show on the town itself, the city?
GILLETT: Well, it's ironic that Mr. Hagman would die so close to the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, because after that, Dallas was labeled a city that hates for a decade, almost 15 years. But two things changed that. One was the Dallas Cowboys football team. The other was the "Dallas" TV series. This changed people's mind. This changed people's image of Dallas.
I talked to some folks that were here today from the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, because they said they had to come to north Texas, they couldn't just go home without getting pictures made here at South Fork to prove the people back home they had been to South Fork.
I talked to a lady here who grew up in Puerto Rico. She and her husband watched it growing up. So, it's had an effect literally worldwide.
SAVIDGE: Yes, you remember the original series, don't you?
GILLETT: Right. Yes. I remember where I was the night of the "who shot J.R." episode, for instance.
SAVIDGE: That's right. You know --
GILLETT: The MGM Grand Hotel fire and we stopped everything to say oh, it was Mary Crosby.
SAVIDGE: It was -- and that's the kind of impact the show had. I think many people now in the modern age of cable television how the audience has been split up, that we forget the impact that this television series had. And Larry Hagman, being the man who everybody loved to hate, but that specifically the "who shot J.R." was a pinnacle moment, not just in ratings but it set up the whole notion of a cliffhanger to end a series.
GILLETT: Absolutely.
You know, Hagman was born here in Texas and he said that his J.R. character was a composite of the good old boys that he met growing up. So it was authentic in that sense.
SAVIDGE: Do people -- I mean, how do they look at Larry Hagman? Is it with fondness?
GILLETT: Oh, absolutely. Everybody loved to hate J.R. It's -- you know, it's kind of like big time wrestling. You love the villains and he was certainly the iconic villain no matter what you said to him he always had a big smile and as he was putting, you know, the (INAUDIBLE) in somebody's rib he would smile and say have a nice day.
And that's what people -- that's what people remember, the good old boy and bigger than life Texas braggadocio that he brought to the series.
SAVIDGE: And the new series, they still use, of course, South Fork and still film there.
GILLETT: Absolutely. The first episode -- I'm sorry the first season on the original turns TV series was shot here. And then from then on lie exteriors were shot here and the various around Dallas and the interiors on locked scene in Los Angeles area.
The new TV series actually is filmed all of it here on location. There's studios in the Dallas area that they use and they come out to South Fork and it's all a Texas production now. And it's very important for the people of Dallas, particularly in the city of Dallas both in terms of revenue and in image to have Dallas back on the big international stage.
SAVIDGE: Well, Bud Gillett, thank you very much, from KTVT, joining us there from the iconic South Fork ranch which is synonymous with Larry Hagman who passed away. Thanks again for being with us.
And coming up, at half past the hour now, let's take a look at the headlines.
In Egypt, judges are calling for a nationwide strike over a perceived power grab by the president.
Crowds of young people protest in Cairo, a top association of Egyptian judges want every judge to walk off the job. They are angry because of a decree giving Mohamed Morsy unchecked power. The country's highest judicial authority calls the decree an unprecedented attack.
An Irish newspaper editor has resigned today after publishing topless photographs of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Michael O'Kane was the "Irish Daily Star's" editor when it ran those grainy photos of Kate in September. The photos show Kate sunbathing with Prince William on vacation at a private home in France. A French magazine first published the photos. The palace has confirmed that the couple is now taking legal action.
A shootout in Alabama has left a deputy sheriff dead and another in critical condition. Deputy Scott Ward was killed yesterday when the deputies responded to a family dispute in a mobile home in Baldwin County. The gunman Michael Jansen was also killed during that confrontation.
And super storm Sandy has cost New Jersey more than $29 billion in damage and that number could easily rise. Governor Chris Christie's office said that the final total will only be known after taking into account things like next summer's tourist season. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has already said that he will ask the federal government for $30 billion to help with his state's recovery.
Investigators in the West Bank are getting ready to open the tomb of Yasser Arafat. They say that the former Palestinian's body will be exhumed on Tuesday. Eight years have passed since Arafat died and this may be the last time to rule or confirm poisoning as a cause of his death.
Frederik Pleitgen brings us new details on the investigation from (INAUDIBLE).
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The main investigator for the Palestinian Authority announced the way that this investigation is going to be happening. So what's going to happen is that this coming Tuesday the investigators from France, Russia as well as Switzerland are going to open Yasser Arafat's grave. They are going to take samples from Yasser Arafat's body then they are going to shut the grave as well. All of this is going to have big ceremonial character. There's going to be a religious ceremony. When the grave is opened, there is going to be a military ceremony. And the same is going to be happening when Yasser Arafat is laid to rest again.
The whole thing they say is all going to happen in one day so it won't take very long. But what the Palestinian Authority has left open is how long the actual investigation of the sample is going to take. All of the samples are separately going to be taken to Russia, France and Switzerland to the labs there to be analyzed and it's unclear how long this analysis is going to take.
However, if it does come to light that Yasser Arafat was indeed poisoned with a radioactive substance, polonium, that will of course cause massive emotional reactions here and already the investigation is a very emotional one for the investigators and for the Palestinians as the lead investigator said in his press conference.
TAWFIQ TIRAWI, PALESTINIAN INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE (through translator): The 27th of November will be one of the most difficult days of my life because of many personal, national and symbolic considerations. But I consider it a painful necessity. This is a necessity to reach the truth in the death of President Yasser Arafat.
PLEITGEN: Polonium, of course, is the radioactive substance that was already used in assassination attempts in the past. If you think back several years to the (INAUDIBLE) case, of course, a former Soviet KGB spy who was poisoned with polonium in London where many believed that the Russian Secret Service was behind that. So this is something that is certainly out there.
And a separate investigation has already shown on items that belonged to Yasser Arafat that there were increased levels of polonium there. Now the Palestinian Authority says it's absolutely convinced that Israel is behind the death of Yasser Arafat. Israel denies this and in most cases says it won't even comment on these allegations. However if it does come to light that Yasser Arafat was indeed poisoned that will lead to a gigantic investigation to then find out who did it.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Ramallah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Cyber Monday follows the lead of Black Friday by getting a jump on the start of the action. And are you looking for the hottest new tech gadgets this holiday season? We got you covered.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SAVIDGE: And speaking of tech gadgets, smartphones and social networks aren't just aren't for the young. In fact the young at heart those baby boomers are embracing the technology with open arms but with a little caution as well. What makes them so apprehensive? Dan Simon reports in our series "Age Against the Machine."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Like a lot of people Barbara Mark is constantly using her phone.
BARBARA MARK, BABY BOOMER: I wouldn't say that my iPhone is velcroed to my hip but pretty much. I keep it at my bedside.
SIMON: She represent a growing segment of smartphone adapters, baby boomers but not explosive growth as you see with younger users. Today fewer than four in 10 boomers have a smartphone and that's only expected to inch up in the next few years. Similarly when it comes to social networks Silicon Valley may need a different marketing strategy to better appeal to this ageing demographic. You see while Barbara logs on to Facebook and Twitter, she does not post photos or reveal much information about herself.
MARK: I don't share a ton of stuff about my personal life because it doesn't occur to me to do that.
SIMON: It's not that boomers are shunning social networks it's just they have yet to fully embrace it as they did with PCs, e-mail and online shopping. Say experts like Ezra Palmer of e-marketer.
EZRA PALMER, EMARKETER: Sharing photos in public or checking in at restaurants or doing other kinds of typically mobile and social behaviors they are simply not going to be that excited about doing that.
SIMON (on camera): Emarketer, a leading authority on our digital habits recently did a study on boomers. It found that 57 percent of them have used social networks. Not bad. But those who do are unlikely to use regularly.
(voice-over): Also privacy is a much bigger concern for boomers than for younger people.
(on camera): So at this point they are just kind of tipping their toes in the water? PALMER: Yes, I think that's right. I think that, you know, sometimes I think of it as comparing it to rock and roll where, you know, the baby boomer generation embraced rock and roll, they were aware of and listened occasionally to hip-hop but they just didn't embrace it.
SIMON (voice-over): At 61, Barbara is still putting in a full week in her San Francisco office. She's an executive coach for women helping them achieve goals in the workplace. She says sometimes her older clients feel overwhelmed with the new technology.
MARK: There are people who were not adept at it, who are not interested in it, who feel really intimidated by, you know, people running around with 75 apps on their phone that they say make their life worth living and someone my age like I think you're crazy.
SIMON: Barbara is not one of them. She understands the appeal and loves her devices. But admits that convincing some of peers, maybe a harder sell.
Dan Simon, CNN, San Francisco.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Cyber Monday deals are not just for Monday any more. Many websites posted online deals before black Friday. Despite the extended schedules Cyber Monday is still a key part of holiday shopping. Mainly because spending on cyber Monday may reach $1.5 billion this year.
Hi-tech toys, by the way, are big this holiday season but actually finding them, well, that can be a different matter. CNN's Karin Caifa reports on ways to track down those popular presents without wasting a whole lot of your precious time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just like their parents, many kids want tech toys this holiday season. Whether it is a tablet designed just for them or something that interacts with the device that they already have.
LAURIE SCHACHT, THE TOY INSIDER: You download the Furby app and then you can open up different things in it.
CAIFA: But with the same toys topping lots of wish lists, they can be tough to snag.
SCHACHT: Both of the tablets and Furby are going to drive parents crazy. They're going to be difficult to find. I know with Furby the purple and the teal are particularly difficult colors to get your hands on.
CAIFA: Luckily tech makes the chase easier. Toy expert Laurie Schacht says the search no longer entails going store to store. SCHACHT: I'm a big fan of sticking in the name of the toy, googling it. And then I find that Amazon, Toys "R" Us, Wal-mart, Target, everyone are going to come up. And then I can choose whether by price or knowing that they have inventory on it.
CAIFA: Similarly, the red laser app lets you see which stores have certain items in stock and at what price. In store scan bar codes to compare cost across retailers. Toys "R" Us revamped its apps for the holidays, and users can search by a toy at nearby stores and arrange pickup directly from their smartphone. And if mom or dad spots that elusive toy on Target shelves while a little one is in tow, they can keep the surprise under wraps, by scanning a QR code on the box and ordering on line.
Karin Caifa, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Very interesting.
Actress Jessica Alba will sit down with CNN and answers some of your questions about her role as mom and movie star. And you know what? It's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Actress Jessica Alba is currently filming a sequel to her hit movie "Sin City." The former "Dark Angel" TV star answered your questions about motherhood, movies and diapers in this I-report interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA ALBA, ACTRESS: Hi, I'm Jessica Alba and I'm answering your CNN I-reporter questions.
NICOLE CORREALE, IREPORTER: What do you consider to be more of a dream job, being a mom or being a Hollywood actress?
ALBA: Hi, Nicole. Being mom is the dreamiest job in the entire world. There's nobody more beautiful, more kissable, more huggable, more amazing than my kids.
WILLIAM BERNSTEIN, JR., IREPORTER: What made you want to start the Honest Company and have you always been so health conscious.
ALBA: Well, William, honest.com is actually household and family, personal care products. Household products and baby diapers and wipes. It is tough to navigate through all of the products, especially when you're putting together a home, a safe home for your baby, a new baby that's coming into this world. You're like oh, my goodness I'm responsible for this precious little thing and I want to make sure they have the healthiest and safest environment and as I was doing research and my friends we found that there were lots of toxic chemicals in tons of products. I just thought what are the essentials that I run out of every day that I know I need. Literally what would make my life easier. And so that's where I sort of came up with this business and I always have been pretty health conscious and into wellness and I've always tried to do things naturally, so yes. It's kind of just fits into my lifestyle.
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SAVIDGE: You can watch all the ireport celebrity interviews at CNN.com/interview and of course right here on CNN every Saturday at 7:00 Eastern.
New documentary is coming out about the 2004 Indonesian tsunami and it's not just Hollywood actors taking part in the big screen reenactment. We'll show you how the directors included some of the tsunami survivors.
And don't forget wherever you go, we go too. Take us, please. You can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work or even at your - even on your smartphone. Head to cnn.com/tv.
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SAVIDGE: December 26th will mark the eighth anniversary of the Indonesian tsunami which killed more than - this number always staggers me - 230,000 people in 14 countries. Actress Naomi Watts had an emotional reunion with a tsunami survivor, the one she plays in her latest film, "The Impossible." The movie is said to be heartbreaker with obvious Oscar potential. And its London premiere helped raise money for disaster survivors. Here's Neil Curry with more.
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NEIL CURRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The "Impossible" combines elements of horror, disaster movie and the emotional drama to such effect that it's left preview audiences with strong recollections of the tragedy with destroyed lives and livelihoods in countries on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean.
Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor play a couple whose Christmas holiday in Thailand is ripped apart when the giant wave sweeps them away from their three sons.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... swept everyone away. In fact, Thomas and -
EWAN MCGREGOR, ACTOR: A film about the tsunami is that - why would you do that? Then when I read the script I was left in no doubt that it was a proper (INAUDIBLE) of what we are as human beings. You see - there's hope in it and when you see how selfless people were and how amazing the brave people were.
CURRY: Scenes recreating the powerful flood were filmed on location in Spain, presenting challenges for both director and his actors.
Watts was helped on set by Maria Belon, a survivor she plays in the film. The two women were reunited on the red carpet in London.
NAOMI WATTS, ACTRESS: I feel like we've been through some things, haven't we?
MARIA BELON, TSUNAMI SURVIVOR: Yes, we've been through a tsunami together, through tsunami of generosity and trust.
WATTS: It's a story that we can all connect with, the need to survive and who we want to survive for and why.
BELON: I wanted to do this story because of the many, many people who can't tell the story. It's why I feel I should be there for them.
CURRY: Teenager actor Tom Hollands swaps the stage for silver screen as the "Billy Elliot" actor makes his movie debut with a particularly impressive performance as a 12-year-old boy trying to save his mother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're looking for your family.
CURRY: Some critics have questioned whether it's right to make money from such a tragedy and have lamented the focus on the plight of western tourists rather than local victims of the tsunami.
The filmmakers pointed to the employment of tsunami survivors in the production and fund-raising events such as Monday's premiere as examples of their sensitivity to the situation.
JUAN ANTONIO BAYONA, FILM DIRECTOR: We never found a problem with the film who were there, survivors, families. We always were encouraged to work on the film and now that the film is finished and we had shown the film to some people who were there and people who lost loved ones in Thailand, they are so grateful of having this opportunity of remembering what happened and remembering, of course, the people.
CURRY: Neil Curry, CNN, London.
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SAVIDGE: Powerful film.
Moving on, what's the first thing when you think of, oh, say, when I say fall? Well, if you say a big old pile of leaves, you are probably thinking the same thing these guys are. You don't want to miss this video.
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SAVIDGE: All right. The seasonal chore has now turned into a big viral hit. Take a look.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1,462 bags. It contains every single leaf in Utah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Serious? It. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I think we have all of them.
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SAVIDGE: It is entitled "The World's Biggest Pile of Leaves." I wonder how they got that. The video shows some friends in Utah jumping from the rooftop into a 17-foot heap. Apparently nobody got hurt and lots of people have enjoyed watching the fun. The video has reached more than two million views on YouTube. Good for them.
The South Korean rapper, Psy, has just bested the Bieb.
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SAVIDGE: I can't imagine you haven't seen that, but Psy's viral sensation "Gangnam Style" has overtaken Justin Bieber's "Baby" as the most watched YouTube video of all time. That according to search engine marketer, Wordstream. "Gangnam Style" reached 805 million views. They did that today, by the way. Word Stream says that "Gangnam Style" is watched 4,000 times every minute. The video should reach a billion views by, oh, December.
Well, with all the recipe swapping going on this Thanksgiving time, here is one that will surely make it into the hall of fame. Turkey stuffed with Twinkies. Yes, you heard it right. Here's Jeanne Moos with the debut of the tur-Twinkie.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What do you get when you combine a turkey with a bunch of Twinkies?
(on camera): You're not kidding.
BUTCH YAMALI, OWNER, DOVER CATERERS: I'm not kidding. I'm serious.
MOOS: Your mother fed you Twinkies in a turkey.
YAMALI: In a turkey. It actually tastes good if you taste it.
MOOS (voice-over): Now, it's not what you think. Caterer Butch Yamali's mom didn't shove whole Twinkies up a turkey. That would be animal molestation. But because Butch and his brother didn't like turkey and did like Twinkies, their mom concocted what we're calling tur-Twinkie.
YAMALI: Made us eat the turkey.
MOOS: Here's the recipe. Decream your Twinkies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mm-hmm, creamy filling.
CHRIS SEIDL, CHEF: When we're breaking down the Twinkies, we reserve the cream, sweet, it has sugar in it. We rub the turkey with that. MOOS: Thus creating a Twinkie-glaze. Next, crumble the golden sponge cake into regular stuffing. For a pan this size, they added about 10 Twinkies.
SEIDL: It's not fully Twinkie. It was all Twinkie, it would be a little too sweet.
MOOS: Stuffed and cook the bird. Voila! The presentation took place at Kennedy's Restaurant in New York's 57th Street. Time for the tur- Twinkie taste test.
(on camera): It's very good, but I don't taste any Twinkie.
(voice-over): And what about that lovely Twinkie-glazed skin.
SEIDL: It caramelizes so nice.
MOOS (on camera): Look at that.
(voice-over): Again, delicious but hard to detect the Twinkie. It's a lot more subtle than delicacies like -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Deep-fried Twinkies!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I remember putting hot dogs inside of them.
MOOS: Once you've survived Twinkies deployed as hot dog buns drizzled with cheese whiz. Geez, what's a little tur-Twinkie?
(on camera): Now it's time for dessert.
(voice-over): Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
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SAVIDGE: And you know, if you want more of our great stories from CNN's Jeanne Moos, just log on to cnn.com/video. They are there for the laughing.
I'm Martin Savidge at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta. I'll see you back here at 10:00 Eastern. "DEADLY DOSE" Dr. Sanjay Gupta's special report begins right now.
