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Summit of the Americas; Are You on the Chopping Block?; 'The 30 Second Pitch'; Greenhouse Gases Confirmed as Pollutants by EPA; Using Vegetable Oil for Fuel

Aired April 17, 2009 - 14:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's the elephant in the room, and it won't even be there. Cuba isn't invited to the Summit of the Americas, soon to get under way in Trinidad and Tobago. But 34 other heads of state, President Obama included, will meet amid a tentative thaw in U.S./Cuban relations and loud demands by Cuban allies for more.

For his part, Mr. Obama wants to talk about the region's and the world's economy, specifically job creation, trade promotion, and a coordinated response to the recession.

The secretary of state says that she welcomes an offer by Cuba's president to talk with Washington about everything -- human rights, freedom of the press, political prisoners, everything, if it will help improve relations.

CNN Havana Bureau Chief Morgan Neill has more on the Caribbean at the crossroads.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MORGAN NEILL, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): When President Barack Obama arrives in Trinidad and Tobago, the one country in the Americas not present may be the one he hears the most about -- Cuba. Latin American leaders overwhelmingly oppose the U.S. trade embargo imposed on the communist island more than four decades ago. Several have said they'll bring it up at the summit, and this time it's not just Washington's usual critics.

Last month, at the White House, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged the U.S. to normalize relations with Cuba. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet visited Havana in February. After meeting with President Raul Castro, she, too, urged the U.S. to stop trying to isolate Cuba.

MICHELLE BACHELET, PRESIDENT OF CHILE (through translator); I'm referring to something very concrete, the U.S. blockade against Cuba, which seriously affects the living conditions of the Cuban people, particularly in this current crisis.

NEILL: But is President Obama listening?

PHIL PETERS, LEXINGTON INSTITUTE: ... that the Obama administration hears it loud and clear -- all the countries of Latin America and all the countries of the Caribbean have called on the United States to change the policy towards Cuba.

NEILL (on camera): Just this week, President Obama eased some restrictions on Cuban-Americans who visit and send money to family here on the island. That may blunt some of the criticism he'll face at the summit, but certainly not all.

(voice-over): Bolivian President Evo Morales, fresh off a hunger strike, seeking support in a conflict at home, has said he'll present a resolution to end the U.S. embargo. And Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez said last month he was already preparing the verbal artillery for the summit.

HUGO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA: Viva Cuba!

NEILL: Morgan Neill, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, most people in this country also want to bury the hatchet with Havana. In a CNN poll a couple weeks ago, 71 percent said it's time to reestablish diplomatic relations; 27 percent said no; 64 percent said it's time to lift the ban on Cuban travel completely, not just for Cuban-Americans; 34 percent disagreed.

And we like to push forward on this show, but we can't help noticing that one of many low points in U.S./Cuban relations happened 48 years ago today, the Bay of Pigs. On this date in 1961, roughly 1,300 Cuban exiles trained by the CIA came ashore in southern Cuba and were promptly killed or captured by Cuban soldiers trained and armed by the Soviet bloc.

The latest earnings reports from Citigroup and GE are a mixed bag, but still better than expected. Citigroup reported an initial profit of $1.6 billion in the first three months of the year. But when you factor in certain stock deals and an accounting change, Citigroup actually posted a loss of just under a billion dollars. It's complicated but, again, better news than expected from a bank that got a lot of your taxpayer bailout dollars.

General Electric posted a first-quarter profit of $2.billion. That sounds good these days, but keep in mind those earnings are down 35 percent from a year ago. Again, though, they beat Wall Street's expectations.

Well, innovation and regulation -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says that we have to find a balance between the two. He spoke this afternoon at a Washington conference, where he says the recession has put financial innovation on the back burner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN BERNANKE, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL RESERVE: The concept of financial innovation, it seems, has fallen on hard times. Subprime mortgage loans, credit default swaps, structured investment vehicles, and other more recently developed financial products have become emblematic of the financial crisis. Indeed, innovation, once held up as a solution, is now more often than not perceived as the problem.

I think that perception goes too far. And innovation, at its best, has been and will continue to be a tool for making our financial system both more efficient and more inclusive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Take a look at the Big Board now. The Dow industrials up 39 points at about five past the hour.

Are you on the chopping block? A lot of Americans are asking themselves that question amid a battered job market. So what can you do to make yourself layoff-proof?

Why don't we ask our personal finance editor, Gerri Willis -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Kyra.

The number of people filing for unemployment benefits fell for the first time this week, and that's a bit of good news. But still, the nation has lost two million jobs so far this year, bringing the unemployment rate to 8.5 percent.

So what can you do to protect your own job if you're worried your position's on the chopping block? Well, first off, make sure you're noticed.

Ultimately, you have to make yourself irreplaceable. Volunteer for the most high-profile assignments. You may want to rethink working from home if you can put in some valuable face time with the boss.

Think about expanding your skill set. Consider taking on a couple of educational courses to keep up to date in your field. And ask to shadow people in other departments so you can gain extra skill sets and perspective. Make sure you take some time throughout the day to network with colleagues, or drop by an associate's desk.

Of course, in your spare time, you should be updating your resume and staying active in professional groups. Inside and outside, it's all about the marketing -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, what more advice do you have for people that just got laid off?

WILLIS: Well, you want to grab as many of the benefits as you can. Many companies provide placement assistance, job retraining, severance packages. Make sure you are aware of all the benefits offered.

Contact your creditors to arrange lower payments, especially your credit card issuer and your mortgage company. You may want to reach out to a credit counselor, too. Go to NFCC.org.

And, of course, keep on networking -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Thanks, Gerri.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Thirty seconds of your life could lead to a lifelong career. CNN is giving you job hunters, a half-minute to pitch yourselves. And today you'll need an independent contractor -- does that mean I'm over? Can I go now?

You can't depend on unemployment benefits. You'll meet him coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: New and tragic details now on a developing story outside Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where a small plane has slammed into a neighborhood. The twin-engine Cessna hit a house which has virtually been cut in half, and a local fire chief just told us minutes ago that no one on that plane survived the crash.

Now, apparently a spokesperson for the city of Fort Lauderdale says that only the pilot was on board. It appears no one was inside the house.

The spokesperson also says the plane reported trouble seconds after taking off from the nearby Fort Lauderdale airport and went down while trying to return. It was heading to Fernandina Beach. That's just near Jacksonville.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, right now more than 13 million people in the United States are out of work. And we're doing what we can to help connect a few of those people with potential employers with something that we call "The 30 Second Pitch."

Bill Sopchak is an independent contractor in Jacksonville, Florida, selling cable television equipment. And like many independent contractors, he says that does not qualify for unemployment when business dries up.

Bill, we appreciate your e-mail, and we're so glad that you could join us.

BILL SOPCHAK, JOB SEEKER: Well, thanks for having me, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, tell me what happened. How did you lose, I guess, your last job? And did you see it coming? Did you think you would be in the position that you're in?

SOPCHAK: Well, as an independent contractor, I'm a manufacturer's representative that sells components to many different companies down here in Florida and Georgia. And when the recession hit, the demand dries up and the orders go away. And since I'm paid on commission only, when the demand goes away, the commission payments go away. So when I saw the recession come, I decided to get a consulting engagement to try to stem the income to tide me over, so to speak, and I lost that consulting job back in October because of the global credit freeze. The company that I was working for couldn't get a secured line of credit to get working capital to continue to pay me. And because I was the only management member that wasn't a member of the family, I was the one that had to go.

PHILLIPS: So, how have you been getting by day to day? How has your day-to-day lifestyle changed?

SOPCHAK: Well, I'm certainly living a lot leaner and meaner than I used to. I've still got my rep business to fall back on, but it's only at about 25 percent of what the peak was when I was well into the six figures. So I'm struggling, and I've depleted a lot of my savings to keep my business going and on just live off of, so it's been difficult.

PHILLIPS: And you've got two sons as well, is that right?

SOPCHAK: Yes, I do, two boys, Alex and Nick (ph), 18 and 16. And one's about ready to head off to the University of Florida next fall.

PHILLIPS: Oh, boy. Well, we know that's going to cost a chunk of change.

So, I tell you what, are you ready for the 30-second pitch?

SOPCHAK: Yes, ma'am, I am.

PHILLIPS: All right. Let's go ahead and fire up the clock.

Go ahead, Bill. Give it to us.

SOPCHAK: Well, thanks, Kyra.

Is your company struggling to grow your bottom line in this shrinking economy? Well, I'm a successful professional that has an MBA and a profit focus, and I can help you to develop a strategy to deliver just that.

Now, more important than that, though, is my 29 years of successful sales and marketing experience, which gives me the tactical knowledge to help implement those strategies and to deliver the results. I'm available to consult as an independent contractor or for a...

(BELL RINGING)

SOPCHAK: Oops.

PHILLIPS: No, you got it, right there.

SOPCHAK: Almost.

PHILLIPS: No, you got it all in. That was outstanding.

Actually, one of the most confident pitches we've had.

SOPCHAK: Well, that's great. Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Bill.Sopchak@gmail.com.

Sure appreciate it, Bill. It's never easy to come on and do stuff like this. You'll keep us updated and let us know if you get any leads, right?

SOPCHAK: I will, Kyra. Thanks very much. And I'm open to job offers as well.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bill. Thanks so much.

SOPCHAK: Thank you. Bye-bye.

PHILLIPS: Well, for all of you freelancers, contractors and consultants just like Bill, if you're looking for work, help is out there.

Straight ahead, I'm going to take you to another idea. It's a tour of what's described as the largest freelance Web site. It's called sologig.com and you need to know about it.

Well, great taste, less filling. Back in the day, that was the big beer battle. Now, though, you've got your big conglomerates, specialty brands and microbreweries, all duking it ought for beer drinkers' dollars.

CNN's Brooke Anderson reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAM CALAGIONE, FOUNDER, DOGFISH HEAD: I think there's a gigantic gap to what it means to be a big brewery and a small brewery.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sam Calagione, founder of the independent brewing company Dogfish Head in Milton, Delaware, is considered one of the little guys competing against corporate beer giants.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Life's too short to drink light beer.

ANDERSON: His fight to survive amid the dominance of MillerCoors, and InBev-owned Anheuser-Busch is featured in the new documentary "Beer Wars," a David and Goliath story pitting the country's smallest brewers against the largest.

ANAT BARON, FILMMAKER: There are 1,400 thriving small businesses, but all together, out of the entire U.S. beer market, they make up less than five percent of the market.

ANDERSON: Director Anat Baron, who ironically is allergic to alcohol, says she uncovered questionable tactics used by big beer to stay on top, including monopolizing store shelf space and creating faux companies that sound like microbreweries but, in fact, are under a corporate umbrella.

BARON: Do you know where the Green Valley Brewing company is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've never heard of it.

BARON: The Green Valley Brewing Company was really just a Budweiser plant in California.

ANDERSON: We reached out to MillerCoors, and Anheuser-Busch for their reaction. Anheuser-Busch had this to say: "We congratulate and toast all brewers, large and small, for their efforts in making beer the most popular beverage of moderation in America."

MillerCoors offered this: "Like today's small brewers, Frederick Miller and Adolph Coors began brewing beer in small batches over 130 years ago. We salute small U.S. brewers who are following in their footsteps."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, Americans love beer. It's like, you know, mother, God, and apple pie.

BARON: I think I'm trying to ask questions about, if the president is right, and entrepreneurship is going to take us out of the recession, then how is that going to happen when the playing field is so stacked the other way?

ANDERSON: Bottoms up, because despite the fierce competition, Calagione and other independent brewers are optimistic and willing to face the challenges in the name of a good beer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The successful small breweries have soul, and I'm just happy to be a part of that.

ANDERSON: Brooke Anderson, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And one other alcohol-related note. How would you like to sip on some of George Washington's whiskey? Well, the Mt. Vernon distillery has just reopened for the season for tours, and for the first time they're going to be selling whiskey made from the president's own recipe. They'll even give it to you.

Start planning your trip. The first bottles will be available in June.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, how'd you like to be getting this phone call? A urology center in South Dakota is contacting about 5,700 patients to tell them they might have been exposed to hepatitis and HIV. State health inspectors found the center was reusing medical products that should have been tossed after one use.

We're going to bring in our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, once again.

What kind of products are we talking about, Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, Kyra, we're talking about products that are used in a very private part of your body for a procedure called cystoscopy, and I've got to tell you, Kyra, this is disgusting. This clinic in South Dakota, what the inspectors found is that they were reusing over and over and over again this bag here that's full of saline, and this tubing here. They would use it for one patient, then another.

Here's the problem -- fluids can go into the body and then come back out of the body, OK? And then -- imagine this is a new person -- the fluids can go back into the body again. So, if somebody has hepatitis or HIV, they could then give it to all the next people on whom this equipment is used.

PHILLIPS: OK. So, you're absolutely right, it is disgusting. Actually, made us all cringe as you were explaining the process.

So, what's the deal now? How -- what are the odds -- at least are they saying what they think the odds are of what could happen to these patients, and are they having to come in and get tested at this clinic? I mean, what's going on now?

COHEN: Right, they do have to come in and get tested. So, some 5,700 people are getting that phone call you referred to, saying, come in, you might have hepatitis or HIV.

It's really impossible to say what the odds are. It depends who came before them and how often they switched out the tubing or the bag, which wasn't really all that often.

But Kyra, here's what really is incredible about this. When the inspectors said to the folks in the clinic, why have you been doing this? They said, we've been doing this since 2002. We always reuse these. Doesn't everybody?

And the inspectors just -- their jaws dropped because tubing and the bag -- which are no longer there. But the tubing and the bag, both of these, they are marked for single-use only. For single-use only. And this whole setup here, the whole thing you see here, do you know how much it costs, Kyra, to replace it for each patient?

PHILLIPS: Probably nothing.

COHEN: Four dollars. So, they were saving $4 a patient by reusing it. That's it. They didn't want to shell out the $4.

PHILLIPS: Unbelievable.

All right. We'll definitely follow on the story, and hopefully nobody will get HIV from this.

COHEN: Oh, we certainly hope not.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: A college student has a question about her credit card accounts. We're going to get some answers from the help desk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: College students in credit card debt, and who is eligible for money from the stimulus. Just some of your money concerns for Gerri Willis and her team at the help desk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: We want to get you answers to your financial questions. Let's go straight to "The Help Desk."

Greg McBride is a senior financial analyst with Bankrate, and Donna Rosato is a senior writer for "Money."

All right, guys. Let's get that first question.

Wesley asked, "I'm a senior college, and I currently have two credit card accounts. After a miscommunication with my parents about the balance, I closed one of the accounts when the balance was close to the maximum. I'm currently paying them both off comfortably, and I've not used either of them in quite some time. What do you suggest I do about my situation to avoid damaging my credit score further?"

Greg, how many times have we seen this? You know, walk away from the credit card, right?

GREG MCBRIDE, SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST, BANKRATE.COM: Well having closed out that card, that's water under the bridge. What he's doing right now, paying down the debt, making the payments on time, those are the two best things you can do for your credit.

Once that card is paid off, use that remaining card for a token purchase every other month or so. Just be sure to pay off in full. That's the type of habit that will get that credit score on solid ground.

WILLIS: Right, and you know, your credit score is so dependent on how you pay those credit cards. Gary in Michigan asked, "I retired November 1, 2008. I receive a pension from Chrysler and IRA withdrawals, but no Social Security. I have no income. Am I eligible for the $250 payment?"

Donna, here he's talking about federal payments from the stimulus bill.

DONNA ROSATO, SENIOR WRITER, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: That's right. In February, the stimulus bill went into effect, and retirees who are on Social Security receiving disability payments, veterans benefits or federal pensions are entitled to a one-time $250 payment. But unfortunately, Gary is not entitled to it. He is not receiving Social Security yet. He may be too young, and he has a private pension. So, unfortunately, he's not going to get that $250.

WILLIS: Right, and you know, so many people who do get the "make work pay" credit, which is the most common thing, obviously, they're not seeing all that much in their paycheck. Greg, do you think that's going to make a big difference to people? I get questions from folks -- should I save it, should I spend it? I can't imagine many people are going to notice the difference.

MCBRIDE: And I think that's by design. If people don't notice the difference, so it's more inclined to get pumped back into the economy. The money's just going to get frittered away and spent. That's in contrast to a year ago, when the checks came out, and people had a very high incidence of saving or paying down debt.

WILLIS: All right, guys, great answers, tough questions.

"The Help Desk" is all about getting you answers. Send me an e- mail to gerri@cnn.com or log on to CNN.com/helpdesk to see more of our financial solutions.

And "The Help Desk" is everywhere. Make sure to check out the latest issue of "Money" magazine on newsstands now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, in a little more than an hour, President Obama is due to land in the Port of Spain on the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. He and 33 fellow heads of state are taking part in the Summit of the Americas, and though Cuba won't have a place on the table, it's high on the radar.

The summit comes as the U.S. lifts a longstanding ban on Cuban travel to Cuban-Americans. And as the president of Cuba says, he'll discuss anything and everything that the White House wants to talk about.

This year's summit is the first to be held in the Caribbean, practically on the doorstep of Cuba's best friend and ally, Venezuela.

Well, Venezuela's fiery president will be there and plans to protest the fact that Cuba's not invited. The White House says that President Obama doesn't plan to meet with Hugo Chavez, but won't walk away if Chavez approaches him. Chavez, you may remember, once called President Bush the devil from the floor of the U.N., and in an interview last month, he went somewhat easier on Mr. Obama.

Take a listen.

CHAVEZ (through translator): Obama is going to accuse me now of exporting terrorism. At the very least, you could say he is a poor, ignorant man. He should study, read a little bit, so he can learn what is the reality of what he is living and the reality of Latin America, and the reality of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, now, here's President Obama from his interview this week with our sister network, CNN en Espanol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: Now, more than the issues at the summit, a lot of people are focused on how you will interact with other leaders. For example, how you will face Hugo Chavez.

Have you thought that about that? Is it going to be any different than any other president?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No. Look, he's the leader of his country, and he'll be one of many people that I have an opportunity to meet. And the whole message that we've tried to send throughout my campaign, throughout my recent travels overseas at the G-20, for example, has been that the United States, I think, has a leadership role to play in dealing with many of the big problems that we face.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And back to a developing story now outside Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This is where that small plane has slammed into a house. The local fire chief there now telling CNN no one on the plane crash has survived. And also a Ft. Lauderdale city spokesperson says that only the pilot was on board. It appears that no one was inside that house.

He says that the plane reported trouble seconds after taking off from the nearby Ft. Lauderdale airport, and went down while trying to return. It was heading to Fernandina Beach, and that's near Jacksonville, Florida.

Now comes the fallout from the government's decision not to prosecute CIA agents who tortured terror suspects. Agents who accounted under newly released Bush-era Justice Department memos are in the clear. Those memos justified waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other forms of harsh interrogations. Human rights groups, former detainees and many in the Middle East are disappointed.

More now from CNN's Tom Foreman in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the war on terror raged in the years following 9/11, the new documents paint a graphic picture of what was happening to some suspected terrorists in American hands, suspects like Abu Zubaydah, identified by the CIA as a top al Qaeda operative.

In memos to the spy agency, the Justice Department approved shackling so-called high-value suspects, forcing them to stand, and keeping them from sleeping for up to 11 days, making them assume stress positions, such as standing with only their hands touching a distant wall, or kneeling while being forced to bend sharply backward, locking them in a tiny, cramped space for up to two hours at a time.

For Zubaydah, one memo even OK'd throwing in an insect of which he was to be believed deathly afraid, though that step was not taken, and simulated drowning through the process known as water-boarding.

(on camera): The memos make it plain that only some detainees faced these extreme measures. And, even then, some techniques were not taken to the approved limit. Furthermore, the Justice Department repeatedly warned that physical injury was forbidden, as well as anything that produced prolonged psychological stress or lasting effects.

(voice-over): The memos stress that thousands of American soldiers have endured these techniques in training, and that they do not constitute torture.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This government does not torture people.

FOREMAN: Still, the list goes on -- also approved, slapping suspects in the face or stomach to startle and humiliate, dousing prisoners repeatedly with water, and forced nudity in front of both male and female interrogators, especially if that's taboo in the prisoner's culture.

The American Civil Liberties Union says, all this is torture. And just as it fought for the release of these papers, the group now wants something more.

AMRIT SINGH, ATTORNEY, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION: Torture is illegal. It is immoral, and it is essential that individuals who conducted torture be held accountable.

FOREMAN: Not likely, the Obama administration says, but the president is making it just as clear that such interrogation techniques are now forbidden.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, briefly, a judge in Spain is refusing to drop his own investigation into torture allegations at Guantanamo Bay. Spanish prosecutors want the case dropped. It centers on former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and five other former U.S. officials.

And for a lot of gay students, bullying, harassment and even violence are part of life. And today, across the country, students gay and straight are taking part in the National Day of Silence. An event highlighting what many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth people deal with. The first Day of Silence was held in 1996 by students at the University of Virginia. Today, hundreds of thousands of kids, middle school to college, are involved. Everybody makes a vow of silence, anywhere from a minute to the whole day.

Public school officials in Nashville, Tennessee, are telling us that they'll look into an ACLU complaint that school computers block out gay-friendly websites. Many of Tennessee's school districts are using the same filtering software. The student Knoxville says that he tried to get online to research scholarship info for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students, but the school's filtering software blocked that site. Other students say it's just not right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC AUSTIN, STUDENT: If a gay student wanted to research something about, you know, how he can get information about organizations that can help him, he wouldn't be able to that. I mean, that would be like an African-American student not being able to get to the NAACP's Web site.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now here's another part of the ACLU's argument, it says that the filtering software does allow anti-gay websites and those that urge homosexuals to change their orientation.

A Nashville public school spokeswoman e-mailed us and told us this, "We have a vendor that we contract with to provide Internet filtering services. We've never provided a list of sites to block."

The ACLU is asking schools to fix the problem by the start of the next school year.

So, have you ever seen so much hail in your life? Hailstorms were so heavy in the Texas panhandle that cars actually got stuck in the icy piles. Snowplows were needed to clear it all away, and there were also reports of several tornadoes, but no injuries.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, saving the rain forest and feeding the hungry, twin missions for today's CNN Hero, who is on a one-woman crusade.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER (voice-over): This is "CNN Heroes."

ERIKA VOHMAN, CNN HERO: People throughout Central America were living in extreme poverty. They often don't have enough food. There's days when people will just have one meal if they're lucky.

When I first came to Guatemala, it was just incredible, seeing where people were cutting down rain forests to plant food. It was devastating, so I decided to go back to school so I could help people produce enough food without destroying the environment.

I came across the Maya nut tree. It provided the staple food for the Maya civilization. For some reason, people have stopped eating this food, which is one of the most nutritious foods you can get. And it's free. You just collect it off the ground. And they don't eat it, because they don't know.

I'm Erika Vohman, and I teach people about the lost indigenous Maya nut for food and for reinforced conservation.

Our workshops are just for women so they can acquire the skills and knowledge to feed their families and better their lives. It's fun.

We're having an impact on the environment, we're having an economic impact. And also motivating reforestation. It's really amazing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, if you'd like to help Erica, or even if you know someone who deserves to be a CNN Hero, tell us about them. Remember, all of our heroes are chosen from people you nominate at CNN.com/heroes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, getting laid off is tough on everybody, it's especially hard on independent contractors and other freelancers who don't usually qualify for jobless benefits. Well, this hour we talked to an independent contractor looking for a job, so we did some digging around on the Web finding a site that helps people like him find work. Actually, I credit Valerie Butler (ph) for this, my producer. She said you got to check out sologig.com.

And look at this website. It's really easy. Once you logon, you put the location where you want to search for a job and then you type in key words. And what we decided to do, there's an area right down here underneath where you do that, where you can pick all these different types of categories.

So we decided to hit health care and look at all the jobs that pop up. And here's one that caught our attention, medical receptionist at Medical Professionals, it's located actually in Los Angeles, California, and check out this pay. Let's see if I can bring this over. Robert (ph), my pen is not working well here. Here we go. Let me bring it over. Look at that, $123 an hour.

What do you think, Valerie, are you still going to go for it? She said, sign her up. So, folks, better go for that job immediately.

Anyway, it's a great website for you guys to check out. And look at all the different categories - engineering, aerospace, law, paralegal, sales/marketing, energy, construction, clinical/scientific. We found to it be a really fabulous - it also tells you too, the companies. There's a section here, "Now Hiring." You just put in the area you want to know. And right here in Atlanta, Connection, CDI, PSAV, all these different companies. You can logon and you can actually apply, too. You can click on the various websites, do your profile and actually apply for the job right there onsite.

All right, well, Grand Funk Railroad hit - well, it could have been written for Captain Richard Phillips. If you're not down with the Funk, here's the song in a nutshell. I'm your captain and I'm getting closer to my home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Should it be a game changer for global warming? The EPA has announced a major finding. Jen Rogers has our "Energy Fix" from New York today.

Hi, Jen.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.

That's right, the Environmental Protection Agency is declaring today that greenhouse gases are a threat to our health and well-being. This finding isn't exactly unexpected. Some say, it's years too late. But President Obama's EPA inherited this review following a Supreme Court decision in April of 2007. It ordered the EPA to decide whether or not greenhouse gases are pollutants, today we got the answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA JACKSON, EPA ADMINISTRATOR: Today's announcement is actually about science and it's the government's recognition of something that many others have been saying for a long time, which is that greenhouse gases unchecked endanger public health. They endanger our country's welfare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROGERS: So, what exactly does the declaration mean? Well, it could allow the EPA to regulate gases under the Clean Air Act and possible take big polluters to court. That has pro-business interests pretty worried. They're afraid new regulation will affect all kinds of businesses and cost them a lot of money at the time when the economy is already severely wounded - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So what about Congress, Jen? Doesn't it have a role?

ROGERS: It certainly does have a role. Democrats are trying to pass legislation that could cut greenhouse gases, a cap-and-trade system. Under cap-and-trade, companies are allowed to emit only a certain amount of pollution. If a company exceeds those limits, they have to permits from those that pollute less.

Now, If cap-and-trade passes, it could override the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases. It's possible fears about the EPA's growing regulatory reach could get more members of Congress to sign on to President Obama's cap-and-trade initiative. We'll have to wait and see.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Jen.

Well, talk about an oil change. A Maryland accountant found a fix for gas prices and it doesn't require crunching numbers. Photojournalist Oliver Jenning (ph) brings the story in his own words.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH WINSTON, ACCOUNTANT: My name is Josh Winston. I'm an accountant by trade, tax returns, bookkeeping, all that kind of stuff. This is my busy season.

Four years ago, I happened to be watching a late-night news show and somebody did a segment on converting diesel cars to run on alternative fuel. And I said, hmmm, I think there's probably a way to make a living off of this.

This is the 1983 Itasca RV. This is top of the line in 1983. I'm going to convert this RV to run on alternative fuels, specifically used vegetable oils.

If you're afraid of working on your own car, then I don't recommend this. But if you like a nice little challenge, if you're a shade tree mechanic, this isn't that difficult to do.

This is the last piece of the vegetable oil fuel line that I'm attaching now. Let's see how close we are to starting it. Oh, almost. You could put in everything right and the car doesn't start. You could miss one hose, car won't start.

When you run a car on oil, your exhaust smells like whatever you just cooked in the oil. My exhaust smells like overdone Chinese food.

Three billion gallons of vegetable oil gets produced by restaurants and school cafeterias in a year. Wouldn't it be cool if we could use some of that, power some trucks and some buses?

Probably put in about 50 hours total on this, and knowing that it runs is even more satisfaction than completing a tax return.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: As always, "Team Sanchez" back there working on the next hour of NEWSROOM, burning all kinds of vegetable oil.

Hi, Rick.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kyra, my dear old pal, how are you, Ovaltine?

PHILLIPS: OK, what do you need?

SANCHEZ: Nothing.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: What do you need help with, Rick? SANCHEZ: You're like my wife, man. Every time I say something nice, you make me feel guilty.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Because, we know you so well.

SANCHEZ: I'm just an adoring, lovable guy. I mean, how can I be anything but myself?

PHILLIPS: Aye, dios.

SANCHEZ: You're not buying it, are you?

PHILLIPS: No. What'cha got coming up?

SANCHEZ: Rick Perry, governor of Texas.

PHILLIPS: I remember Rick Perry back when I worked back in Lubbock, Texas.

SANCHEZ: But you wonder, this is almost sounding George Wallace- like. I mean, this scream out states' rights, states' rights, and to say that he wants - not say, that would be unfair. Let me reword that, to suggest in several conversations that there's a possibility that he might want to suggest secede from the union?

I mean, it's a conversation. And we're going to have it with none other than Wayne Slater who is Wayne Slater of "Dallas Morning News" fame. He's going to take us through this conversation and tell us what's really going on politically down there in Texas and whether it really has to do with something completely different than what we may all think.

PHILLIPS: Pause.

SANCHEZ: As in perhaps...

PHILLIPS: As in...

SANCHEZ: ... someone's whose challenging him for the governorship of Texas, yes.

PHILLIPS: Got it. I know that you're excited about that and you're going to be talking about that, but I'm really excited about this next story. Will you just hang in there with me?

SANCHEZ: I'm going to hang tight. I'll react to it if you want me to. Do you want me to?

PHILLIPS: What more can you say about Susan Boyle, all right? The surprise singing sensation from Scotland, what types, I'm telling you, what a beautiful heart. We learned so much about her. And she actually sang a cappella for us this morning, Rick, and we just want to let her take us to break.

(VIDEO CLIP, SUSAN BOYLE SINGING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, the one Somali pirate who survived the Maersk Alabama hijacking will face justice in New York. That's what the "Associated Press" is now reporting from a U.S. official. New York likely chosen because the FBI office there has experience dealing with cases in Africa that involve crimes against Americans. And the suspect's believed to be younger than 20, and if he's under 18, well, that will complicate the process. No charges have been filed yet.

Well, the Alabama captain, Richard Phillips, is just about 90 minutes from home. Can you just imagine what's going through his mind? There was probably a time on that lifeboat when he feared he'd never see Vermont again.

CNN's Deb Feyerick is live in Burlington, awaiting his arrival. Deb, what do you think?

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we did get a briefing just a short while ago. So, we do have a little bit of information. This is a by a spokesman from Maersk.

Two FBI agents did travel with Captain Richard Phillips on board that private jet. We are told that there was no formal debriefing, but you got to keep in mind, it was a very long flight, eight and a half hours with two stops, one in Malta, one Santiago, Spain. So the subject may have come up about what it was like to be on that lifeboat with five pirates - I'm sorry, with four pirates with -- with -- let me get the numbers right, Kyra. What it was like to be on the lifeboat with four pirates for five days. The captain had tried to escape at one point. Not sure how that changed all the dynamics.

Captain Richard will be met by his wife and two children and his mom, Virginia. They will take a police escort home after making a few comments here at Burlington International Airport. Then they will go home and it's a small, private dinner by some of his closest friends. Apparently a family friend is making chicken pot pie. His friends are bringing his favorite beer, and his mom made homemade brownies.

So, he only left two weeks ago. They're going to have a dinner. Keep it low key. They've tried to ask everyone for privacy. We don't know how long he will speak but, again, there's a lot of anticipation - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Hey, the number, five days, four pirates, three shots, one captain who's a hero. There you go, Deb.

So, what do you think he's going to do next?

FEYERICK: Well, that's a question we asked the Maersk spokesman. Right now, unclear. He may want to go back to sea. He may just have to be debriefed by other officials because, again, as you mentioned, clearly one of those pirates being brought back to the U.S. to New York in order to stand trial.

So right now, everything a little bit up in the air, but no indication that he's giving up the profession.

PHILLIPS: Well, we sure look forward to talking to him. We hope we get to do that, Deb Feyerick. Appreciate your live report.

All right, that does it for us. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone. Rick Sanchez takes it from here.