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Snow Storm Hits Washington D.C.; Toyota CEO Apologizes for Recall; Personal Finance Expert Gives Advice on Debt Financing

Aired February 06, 2010 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: More cash-strapped people choosing to pay credit card bills instead of their mortgage, a strategy that could have serious consequences.

And a paradise poisoned, people living and dying on this island and blaming the U.S. Military for their many diseases. A CNN special investigation.

And Colts' wide receiver Pierre Garcon has more on his mind than winning the football. His mission is to make sure his Haitian homeland is not forgotten after the coverage fades.

You're in the "CNN NEWSROOM" where the news unfolds live this Saturday, February 6th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

A storm for the record books, much of the mid-Atlantic paralyzed by the second big snowstorm in less than two months. In Washington, D.C., they are measuring the snow in feet, not inches. Across the region, businesses are closed, churches have called off weekend services, and hundreds of thousands of people without power.

Travel is pretty much at a standstill, and flights are being canceled at major airports, roads and highways -- a real icy mess. Authorities are pleading with people to simply stay home.

(WEATHER BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So most of Washington about to be paralyzed, if not already, except for our intrepid weather reporter, Reynolds Wolf. He is watching the snow pile up. It's piling up around him. But he is standing there and he is OK. Reynolds, you're on the national mall, aren't you?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely.

(LAUGHTER)

Fred, it's good stuff here. People here are making the most of it. We know it's going to be a rough day weather-wise. There is more than two feet of snow...

WHITFIELD: We're going to try this another time, because it looks like while he could hear us for a moment, now we can't hear him. The snow is destroying this live shot in a quick way. We'll try to establish communication again as soon as we can. Ronald Reagan would probably say today is the 60th anniversary of his 39th birthday. Live pictures right now from the Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, California, a ceremony to honor the late president on what would have been his 99th birthday today.

Today's keynote speaker is Reagan cabinet member Elizabeth Dole. You see her in the middle. We'll bring you some of the live events as they unfold this hour from Simi Valley.

A Toyota chief says, I'm sorry. But is it too little, too late? We'll look at what it might mean for the company's image now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It could be a record storm. We'll try this one more time. Reynolds Wolf is in the nation's capital right at the National Mall, and hopefully the snow isn't going to interfere with our communications again. Reynolds?

WOLF: You know, cold can sometimes really wreak havoc with electronics. We've been going through batteries like you wouldn't believe. And we're going through snowflakes, also, to the tune of several feet of snow in many places. We could get a record setting snowfall when this is done with.

We have these roadways here of people coming on through, these folks in this little sedan coming on through. Hi, folks, how are you doing? Nice waves.

We've also been seeing roads made by some people. Take a look at this. You'll see here on side of the mall. You have a couple of little paths that are carved out by walkers, this couple making their own way through. That's the way it's been, people just trying to get around the city.

People on foot have been getting by with cross country skis, snowshoes. But when it comes to air travel, that is at a standstill, not going to happen at any major airports here. We have seen a taxi or two out and about.

The biggest mode of public transportation is metro, the underground railroads. But above ground on metro not going to operate, because remember you have to have the center track which is electrified has to be free and clear. But if snow gets in then it's going to happen.

People are enjoying the sites and the snowfall, beautiful stuff here. We have a couple enjoying themselves. Can we talk to you for a second? They said sure.

It gets deep in a few places. I'm Reynolds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Matt.

WOLF: How are you enjoying the weather?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great.

WOLF: Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here in Washington, D.C.

WOLF: Have you ever seen it snow like this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never before.

WOLF: It's a beautiful thing to behold.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is.

WOLF: What do you do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm in the Navy.

WOLF: And you're name is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Grace.

WOLF: I see hands being held, so obviously you have a relationship thing going here. Love in a winter climate. It's a beautiful backdrop. America, wipe those eyes, it's a beautiful moment.

People are getting out and about. We are seeing a lot of families out here, people knowing this is truly an historic thing. It's neat you see the capitol back drop here. It's hard to see in the snow.

Then what is historic is for the past couple of days, the Washington Monument has been virtually invisible to a lot of people. As we pan back over here, you can just make out the Smithsonian, Fred, but then over to the right where the Washington Monument should be, nothing but gray skies, the snow continues to come down.

Blizzard warnings remain in effect tonight until 10:00, more snow on the way. Let's send it back to you in the studio.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much. It is a beautiful sight even though it does not make getting around very easy. But all those folks seem to have the best idea, just walk. I saw another jogger.

WOLF: They are out and about, determined people. You have to respect that.

WHITFIELD: It's a good workout. Thanks so much, Reynolds Wolf, appreciate that from the National Mall.

Let's talk autos now. Apologizing for all those recalls, Toyota's CEO called it a "moment of crisis" for the company that his grandfather built. And he wants to refocus on repairing both cars and image.

First, CNN's Brian Todd looks at what it means for a Japanese business leader to say, "I'm sorry."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A Friday evening news conference in Japan, not exactly the peak of the new cycle for a titan of industry to apologize for his product.

AKIO TOYODA, TOYOTA MOTOR CHIEF EXECUTIVE (via translator): the current problem is a huge problem and it is a critical situation.

TODD: Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder, speaks formally for the first time during this crisis over the safety of Toyota's cars. How rare is this sort of apology for a Japanese business leader?

JEREMY ANWYL: Within that culture there is this expectation for the responsible party or the person running the company to express remorse and to accept shame.

TODD: Jeremy Anwyl, a former consultant for Toyota, now runs Edmunds.com, a consumer website for car buyers. Anwyl says in Japan, CEOs often make one high-profile apology then fade back into the shadows. But in America, the leader of a company would be expected to take a media tour to repeatedly show remorse, to explain, reassure.

ANWYL: Here we are very familiar and comfortable with the idea of the celebrity CEO, the chief salesperson for the corporation, if you will. In Japan it's very, very different. They have a much more homogenous society. There is a saying that the tallest blade of grass tends to get cut off

TODD: The culture in Japan, analysts say, is for the brand, not the CEO to be center of attention. As one expert said, their identity is the company.

Japan expert Michael Auslin says that's certainly the case for this company's namesake. But what about his future?

TODD (on camera): What does this doing to his standing in Japan among consumers and in the business culture, this apology?

MICHAEL AUSLIN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: That's a big question. If it was enough and it was too late, and that's what you hear a lot of voices say. I think the jury is out, and the worries are that he may not have done enough, even though it's clear he is sincere.

TODD: Auslin and other experts say Akio Toyoda may get a bit of a pass here because he is relatively new to the job. He took over as CEO just last summer. And some of these problems are generally seen to have developed not on his watch.

But how Mr. Toyoda and his company handled the situation in the next few months, analysts say, likely will determine whether he survives, legacy or not.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So will Toyota customers give Mr. Toyoda the benefit of the doubt? And can the world's largest automaker keep pace with the competition? Earlier I spoke to automotive journalist Frank Washington about the image issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK WASHINGTON, ABOUTTHATCAR.COM: I really do think it's all about, one, if the fix works, and two, how do they handle the implementation of the fix, because if they bring people in, fix their cars, do so graciously, then their image may not suffer as much damage as if they bring the cars in and people have a tough time getting the repair done, they're not treated properly.

That could have a long-lasting effect on Toyota's image, because the bottom line of it is most of the time your image really derives from word of mouth. If one person has a bad experience, they go and tell three or four more. And that's what gets you either a good reputation in terms of customer service or a bad one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And one of the fixes involves the gas pedal. A reminder, if your vehicle all of a sudden starts accelerating, apply firm and steady pressure on the brake, put the car into neutral, and maneuver over to the side of the road. And if all else fails, turn the ignition off. Eight million Toyotas are now subject to recall.

For an in depth look into those recalls, go to CNN.com/Toyota. There you can find out if your car has been recalled as well as what to do if your gas pedal seems to get stuck and you suddenly accelerate.

All right, strapped for cash -- should you be more concerned about paying your mortgagor credit card bills? Next, an expert joins us live to help answer some of these questions and more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The national unemployment rate is improving, dipping back below 10 percent last month. But the money crunch remains a problem for many Americans. Senior Personal Finance Editor for "Black Enterprise" Magazine is here to help answer some of your most pressing questions. John Simons joins me live from New York. Good to see you.

JOHN SIMONS, SR. PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR, "BLACK" ENTERPRISE: Thank you. Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: So John, a big question I have for you. So many people are now suddenly doing this, they want to take care of that credit card debt first and they're letting their mortgage slip. Your recommendation on that? SIMONS: Really, this is a false choice. Consumers should never be caught in a situation where they are making the choice between their credit card bill and their mortgage because, in general, the companies are going to come after you for the debts anyway, any way you look at it.

WHITFIELD: Why are people doing that anyway?

SIMONS: Well, there are reasons. I want to get to what people should do in this situation. They really need to contact their bank. They need to contact the mortgage issuer and the credit card issuer and let them know that they are undergoing financial hardship.

And they need to use the word "hardship." This for some reason is the magic word that banks will listen to. They need to understand that and try to negotiate a modification with their mortgage and try to negotiate some sort of rearrangement of payments with their credit card company.

WHITFIELD: OK, so you don't want to choose, you do want to tackle both. You made that phone call, you let them know you've got this hardship so hopefully your lender will make some concessions for you.

But at the same time, it's all about the credit score these days, right? So you want to make sure you do pay down toward your credit card debt. How do you strike a balance? How do you do both if money is tight?

SIMONS: Really, like I said, when money becomes tight, and this is not a sort of new situation that banks are dealing with when they get these calls from customers -- when money is tight, you need to be in touch with the banks.

Their interest is recouping the debts, the money that you borrowed from them. And they don't want to have to do it legally because it costs them extra money. And they would much rather make a deal with you where you're paying a little bit, maybe a little less per month for a little while you get yourself back on your feet and then begin to pay them again.

WHITFIELD: We are going to stay with your home right now. You managed your credit card debt now and made some decisions about how to pay your mortgage now.

For the person out there attracted by the notion of the short sale, some apparently are finding out that the deficiencies, the monies that perhaps their previous lender were expecting in the sale of their home, they're going after that former owner. Describe and explain how this is happening.

SIMONS: Fredericka, what's happening is a lot of people are now learning with the foreclosure and even with a short sale, you don't just sort of, after you've been foreclosed on, you don't just sort of leave the house and ride off into the sunset with a hit to your credit report. What generally can happen is that the bank can come after you, sometimes years afterwards, for the amount that they didn't recoup from the sale of your foreclosed or short sale home.

WHITFIELD: Is there any way you can protect yourself against that?

SIMONS: There are some states that provide protections for consumers in this situation, but in most states you're responsible. You signed a mortgage document, and this is one of the serious repercussions after you engage in either a short sale or a foreclosure.

WHITFIELD: A lot of time people foreclose or in default because maybe they're underwater, their home is underwater, so to speak, and it doesn't necessarily hold the value any more.

And you're still going to get your property tax assessments from your county, and you want to argue that, wait a minute, there has been a decline in the property value here, why am I still paying the same property tax I did when it was assessed at a higher rate. What can you do, if anything, to try and lower your property taxes?

SIMONS: That's a matter of, again, being in touch with these authorities, calling or contacting your local tax assessor. In general, you can go on the website of your local tax assessor and they have forms for you to fill out where you can basically challenge the current taxes that you're paying.

WHITFIELD: We have the six steps that everyone can read right now as you go along. Call the office if you can't find the information. And then when you review the application, what are you looking for? How do you know you're filling this out properly so that they can understand where you're coming from?

SIMONS: The application process will be pretty clear. You just fill in all the information.

If you're the home owner, it's incumbent on you to gather all the information possible. Make it like a report when you were in college or high school. You gather information on average, average prices that homes in the area have garnered after sale in your neighborhood, basically comparable sales of houses like yours recently so you can argue that your house is worth much less than they are assessing the taxes for.

WHITFIELD: So what are the chances...

SIMONS: And Fredericka, I want to get back to the issue about deficiency judgments, because I don't want people to go away thinking this happens a lot.

It happens to people in general who go into foreclosure and then have a substantial change in their financial situation that becomes better. It's usually not cost efficient for the bank to go after someone who enters foreclosure because of real financial hardship. WHITFIELD: OK, appreciate that. John Simons of "Black Enterprise" magazine. Hopefully that will help folks keep their homes and stay out of financial trouble. Appreciate it.

SIMONS: Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now.

Remembering Ronald Reagan, the late president would have turned 99 today. And at his library in California special ceremonies are taking place. The keynote speaker is Senator Elizabeth dole who served in the Reagan White House.

And snow so heavy that it's piling up by the foot. Much of the mid-Atlantic is getting slammed by a major blizzard. Washington is nearly paralyzed by this storm. And across the region, businesses are closed, flights canceled, and roads are simply a mess, you see right there, and hundreds of thousands of people are simply without power.

Still in the nation's capital, President Barack Obama braved the blizzard in that city to address the winter meeting of the Democratic National Committee. He told party members it's time for Democrats and Republicans to work together for the good of the country. And he pushed his bipartisan plan to create jobs.

The snow is coming down and you're worried about getting on the road. Never fear, our own Reynolds Wolf will show us how to steer through this mess.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: No doubt about it. It's a blizzard out there. Snow blowing sideways, and it's pretty difficult to see in a lot of instances there in the nation's capital. You are looking at the White House right now.

We are expecting records to be broken across the mid-Atlantic, and right now getting around by air, train, cars, all of it a huge challenge. There is the capitol dome. And hundreds of thousands of homes from Virginia to Pennsylvania are without power because of this snow.

Our Reynolds Wolf has been out in the snow all day, and he really shouldn't have any problem getting around since he recently learned how to drive in snow when he did that test drive in Colorado.

Here's how he did it on a training course sponsored by Bridgestone tires.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Do you know according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more accidents occur during the winter times as opposed during the summertime? In fact, 36 percent more happen during January as opposed to July. And this is the reason why, the ice and the snow, all that wintertime mess. That's the reason we are here in Steamboat Springs at the Bridgestone winter driving school with Mark Cox. Mark, what are we going to do today?

MARK COX, BRIDGESTONE WINTER DRIVING SCHOOL: Basically, we're going to jump in the car, go out on the track and teach you the skills you need to get around safely, and have fun a little in the worst possible conditions.

WOLF: It sounds scary and fun and amusing all at the same time.

COX: Winter driving should be fun. There's no need for it to be scary.

WOLF: Let's get to it.

How deceiving can winter conditions be still on a road, ice on a road?

COX: Winter conditions can be really deceiving because it may look like it's snow and underneath it could be black ice, just glare, shiny ice. It's hard to tell.

So it's important you as a driver make sure no one's behind you and every now and then hit your brake to see how much traction is available.

WOLF (voice-over): And on this course, traction will be hard to find. Coated with more than 250 thousand gallons of water, this experience is like driving on a hockey rink.

COX: The more slippery it becomes, the more you have to anticipation reaction from steering to braking to accelerating.

WOLF: One of the first lessons, the weight transfer of your vehicle plays a bigger role in controlling your car then your steering wheel.

COX: It's totally counterintuitive, but sometimes less steering is more effective. Choose just the perfect amount of steering. If the car doesn't turn, don't give into the tendency to keep steering more. It won't help. In fact, it makes it much worse.

WOLF: Another difference-maker, the type and condition of your tires.

COX: You have to remember a half-worn winter tire performs like an all-season tire. A half-worn all season tire performs like a summer tire. A really a summer tire has no place in winter conditions.

WOLF: But Mark says the best thing to have in place when facing icy roads is the wealth of experience.

WOLF (on camera): Like a pro. That's a wrap. COX: Nice.

WOLF: There you go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Reynolds is having way too much fun out there.

So don't get in your car just yet. Bonnie Schneider will be back in 15 minutes with a look at all the crazy weather out there.

And an Oregon teacher fights to cover her head in the classroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAGHRID ELMELIGUI, TEACHER: Asking me to remove my scarf and go outside of my house would be like asking her to go to work in her underwear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: When religion and the public work place clash, see how Oregon is dealing with the problem.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In Oregon, teachers aren't allowed to wear religious dress in public school classrooms. Now lawmakers are rethinking the ban. Malika Johnson with affiliate CAT reports that she is at the Oregon state capital of Salem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNSON: To Taghrid Elmeligui, her head scarf isn't just about her religion, it's about her culture.

ELMELIGUI: Asking me to remove the scarf and go outside of my house would be like asking her to go to work in her underwear.

JOHNSON: Taghrid is one of many Muslim teachers fighting to repeal the state law that keeps them from wearing religious garb in the classroom.

ELMELIGUI: It does not interfere with my daily work. I am a well-trained professional. I know where my limits are. I know very well where my limits are.

JOHNSON: The 1923 law was passed when a Ku Klux Klan leader was the speaker of the house. The current speaker held up his picture saying what lawmakers did then was unconstitutional.

DAVE HUNT, (D) OREGON STATE HOUSE SPEAKER: To send a strong message that the speaker and the KKK members of that era were wrong.

BRAD AVAKIAN, OREGON LABOR COMMISSIONER: It does not open the door that every religion gets to wear anything they want. JOHNSON: The state's labor commissioner says school districts will have the power to complain to his office when they believe a teacher's outfit is disrupting the, quote, "neutrality" of the classroom.

AVAKIAN: A small cross may not. A full gothic Wiccan garb might.

RON MAUER, (R) OREGON STATE HOUSE: I'm not prepared to vote for something where I don't know what the consequences are.

JOHNSON: Critics of repealing the law fear it could lead to teachers preaching to students or influencing them without saying a word.

CHARLES HINKLE, SUPPORTS BAN ON RELIGIOUS DRESS: The influence of the daily appearance of a woman who is proclaiming her faith by what she wears to that captive audience day after day after day, and the younger the child, the greater the impressionability of it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That hearing before the House Education Committee ended with a six to four vote to change the law. The bill now goes to the full Oregon house.

All right gridiron fans, the ultimate football game is just one day away. And we've got help that can take even the savviest Super bowl fan to the next level.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Taking our top stories right now, another deadly school shooting, this time in Madison, Alabama. A 14-year-old boy shot and killed at his middle school in suburban Huntsville. The accused gunman a fellow ninth grader police arrested and charged with murder. Police have not identified a potential motive.

And Japanese media sharply criticizing Toyota's top executive today. Newspapers say his apology for the gas pedal recall is utterly too late. Toyota is weighing a recall for Prius and Lexus hybrids to fix a problem with the brakes.

And President Barack Obama braved the blizzard in Washington to address the winter meeting of the Democratic National Committee. He told party members it's time for Democrats and Republicans to work together for the good of the country, and he pushed his bipartisan plan to create jobs.

All right, football fans across the country are counting down for tomorrow's big Super bowl game. So whether you're looking forward to seeing the Saints, the Colts, or the commercials, there's some high tech help to make the experience more enjoyable. It can even make you smarter about the game. Sign me up.

Tech expert Mario Armstrong with the digitalspin.com joins us via Skype in Baltimore. The last time you had to go on Skype...

MARIO ARMSTRONG, THEDIGITALSPIN.COM: I know...

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So I know you're very excited about this Super bowl and you're excited about these apps available to walk us through the experience. Starting with what?

ARMSTRONG: What gave it away? You see my back drop here?

You're rooting for the Ravens. I don't know if you're rooting for the Colts or Saints. OK.

ARMSTRONG: Come on, now. I'm a Ravens fan, but we didn't make it, so I'll go with the Saints.

But you're absolutely right. So many applications, regardless if you're talking about the Android store for Verizon phones or other Google phones or the iPhone, there are tons of applications on these hand-held devices that people are using.

And they have some great ones for the Super bowl. First one is A-plus Super bowl commercials. I love to watch the Super bowl for the ads. What about you?

WHITFIELD: Yes, yes, yes. It's part of the fun.

ARMSTRONG: So what this app is, it's totally free, and what it does is it actually runs you through a series of a bunch of old commercials that were previous Super bowl commercials that were historic moments, just highlights of previous years.

WHITFIELD: It's looking back, getting nostalgic on Super bowl.

ARMSTRONG: Right.

WHITFIELD: Some of your other ones, you've got a party planner. How to throw a Super bowl party app?

ARMSTRONG: That's right. If you're not stuck in the snowstorm you could still throw a party together. There is an iPhone app that's called "Liza's Simple Soiree."

It makes it so easy for you to organize and invite people, who is coming, who has RSVP'd, and most importantly, my favorite feature is not just a guest list functionality, but the shopping list, what do I need to buy and where, so I'm not running around with a bunch of sheets of paper and missing out on items.

WHITFIELD: This is going to help you out on your menu?

ARMSTRONG: That's right. It's going to help you with everything from appetizers and entrees to drinks and desserts. It really is a thoughtful planning mechanism you can just have in the palm of your hands. WHITFIELD: And so for football dumb-dumbs like me, there is actually an NFL or football glossary so you can follow the game and say, I know what they are talking about now.

ARMSTRONG: Right. What does "play action" mean? What you do is you download this free application called "all football glossary." It is a free application you put on your iPhone. You can run upstairs or tuck away and pull up the definitions real quick.

WHITFIELD: You can't pull it up in front of everybody watching the game.

ARMSTRONG: No, no. That won't have the same impact.

WHITFIELD: Any more favorite apps you have?

ARMSTRONG: Last one is, since it's the Saints and Colts, there are trivia apps. There is the "Who dat?" app for the Saints, and then there is the Indianapolis Colts. Download these apps and you can have some good fun during the Super bowl.

WHITFIELD: That's cool. I understand you have advice for people, those not in the mid-Atlantic, who plan to run out this afternoon and buy an HDTV. I can't believe people are making a purchase of a television just in time for the game.

ARMSTRONG: Yes.

WHITFIELD: What tips do you have?

ARMSTRONG: Absolutely they are. The Oscars are coming up, so there are other events too. A lot of Super bowl discounts are being thrown at people, no pun intended.

So what I would suggest is if you are a real sports fanatic fan, look at the "refresh rate." And the refresh rate basically means it helps to reduce motion blur on some television sets. So you want to look at 120 hertz refresh rate. Study that piece.

The last piece of advice is don't go for the lowest deal. Typically a lot of the retailers are willing to do a little wiggle room. If you see a brand or type that you really like, ask if they can discount that instead of just the Super bowl specials on the shelves.

WHITFIELD: You know what else happens after a big event like the Super bowl or Olympics, people get pumped up. They are like, yes, that's going to be me. I will start training for it. I understand you have a little apparatus to help those dreamers dream on a little bit.

ARMSTRONG: That's right. It's a virtual coach. Check this out, Fredricka. It is a small device that you can wear that basically gives you audible cues.

And what happens is this little gizmo attaches to your tennis shoe and this one attaches to your heart rate monitor. And all these things combined basically tell the device you are either behind on your prescribed fitness goals or you're ahead.

WHITFIELD: And you tried it?

ARMSTRONG: Yes. It's like you are in your red zone and need to pump up. You need to go faster. I was shocked how this works. And it also has a web application to it, as well, so you can track your progress.

So if you're a real fitness buff, but even for those trying to get in better shape and get that other person running along beside them and you don't want to go solo...

WHITFIELD: And it's probably cheaper than getting a personal trainer.

ARMSTRONG: You better believe it's cheaper than getting a personal trainer. It doesn't replace the human element. You still need that. But this is something that's complementary. And we are seeing more of this fitness and converging with technology happening all the time.

WHITFIELD: Were you that animated, too, when you put that on your shoe? Were you pumped up?

ARMSTRONG: I was pumped up. I was trying to make sure I could maintain my goals. I'm not trying to run for the marathon here. I am just trying to keep trim.

It's about $139 for this thing. It's not an inexpensive, by any means, but it's still a valuable coach, if you will, virtual coach.

WHITFIELD: I like it. That is a clever idea. Mario Armstrong, thanks so much. Good seeing you.

ARMSTRONG: All right, Fredricka, go long.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: Got it. Let me get my glossary. I got it. Take care.

Here is a question for you out there. Why would a furry little animal need your old fur coat? There is actually a very good reason.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Now a few of our favorite stories from around the water cooler this week.

Remember this? Men at Work, and their big hit "Down Under" from the early '80s. An Australian judge ruled that little flute riff in that song plagiarizes a 1932 nursery rhyme. A music publishing company actually owns rights to the 70-year-old tune and so the judge says the band now owes them royalties. And this giant X marks the spot of a violent head-on collision in space. Astronomers say they never saw anything like this until the Hubble telescope spotted it in the asteroid belt between mars and Jupiter.

And NASA believes the x is debris or rather debris trails from the two asteroids that smacked into each other at more than 11,000 miles an hour, five times the speed of a rifle bullet.

And got an old fur coat perhaps you don't need or maybe you feel a little too guilty to wear? Why not donate it back to the animals? The Humane Society actually uses old furs as bedding for orphaned and injured animals at wild life rehab centers.

Recycled fur beds give comfort and serve as a surrogate mother for baby raccoons, others, coyotes, other rescued animals until they are simply ready to go back into the wild. I know you love that. You were talking about that around the water cooler, Bobbi.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would.

I think what they do is they take the fur coats and cut them down to size. So a little animal gets a little patch of fur, a big one gets a big one. And they also take the sleeves from the coat, cut those out, and turn them inside-out so they become a little furry nest for the animals. I think it's a good use of a fur coat.

WHITFIELD: Brilliant idea. I never heard of it before.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard faux fur, so I don't know if that works.

WHITFIELD: Something tells me the coyotes and otters are not going to like the faux fur. They are happy with those who have the real thing that are willing to donate.

(WEATHER BREAK)

WHITFIELD: I want to show you pictures out of Simi Valley, California. This is the Ronald Reagan Library where they are having a solemn tribute on what would have been his 99th birthday. In the middle there is Elizabeth Dole, former North Carolina senator. She actually gave one of the keynote speeches and helped lay the wreath there.

Let's listen in on what is going to be the 21-gun salute. This

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WHITFIELD: It's a watershed moment for the tea party movement. This weekend the grassroots group is holding its first national convention. But in the background, a growing chorus of discontent is echoing among members. Here now is CNN's Jim Acosta.

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Take recession-raging conservatives and independents --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Barack Obama's anti-American.

ACOSTA: Add a Democrat to the White House.

ACOSTA (on camera): You think having the president dressed up as the grim reaper is a little over the top?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I do not. There's nothing disrespectful about this.

ACOSTA (voice-over): And you get the tea party.

There's more brewing in this rebellion against bailouts and big governments than just Scott Brown's tea-party infused upset in the Massachusetts Senate race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a major victory in what I could call "the second American revolution."

ACOSTA: Mark Meckler and Jenny Beth Martin, founders of the Tea Party Patriots, want this movement to blow the lid off Capitol Hill in this year's elections. They plan to back candidates who stand for tea party principles, and it doesn't matter if it's Republicans or Democrats standing in the way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think if it had been John McCain, the same thing would have happened. I truly believe that.

ACOSTA (on camera): Really?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do, too.

ACOSTA (voice-over): In one year the tea party has gone viral, from dozens to now hundreds of loosely linked groups around the country. But Meckler and Martin don't tell them what to do. That's not the tea party way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is all bottom-up. The real deal is that there are millions of leaders out there leading this movement.

ACOSTA: There may be leaders in the tea party movement, but nobody's in charge. In fact, rival groups from Washington, D.C. to Sacramento, California, are battling over who will carry the tea party banner. And that fight has some tea partiers feeling hung over.

ACOSTA (on camera): What do you think is happening to the tea party?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think the tea party knows what's happening to the tea party.

ACOSTA (voice-over): Sacramento tea party activist Jim Knapp fears the movement is about to be hijacked by one of the establish parties.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there is any question that the GOP has their tentacles into the tea party.

ACOSTA: Knapp points to the Tea Party Express, the conservative bus tour that crisscrossed the country last year. It's run right inside a Republican political consulting firm. To the right, Sal Russo runs the firm, to the left, Joe Wierzbicki runs the Tea Party Express is run. Their offices are side by side.

ACOSTA (on camera): Do you think a lot of those tea party activists know that the Tea Party Express is based in an office that's run by Republican political consultants?

JOE WIERZBICKI, TEA PARTY EXPRESS: I think what you'll find is at tea party rallies a lot of those people who are mad at the Republican Party, many of those are Republicans themselves, us included.

ACOSTA: You're Republicans?

WIERZBICKI: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that's why we at the Tea Party Express endorse Scott Brown.

ACOSTA (voice-over): After spending $350,000 to air pro-Scott Brown campaign ads, these Republican consultants argue the tea party's home is the GOP.

WIERZBICKI: The people who form this movement need a major political party.

ACOSTA: The movement's future is on the agenda at the tea party's first convention set for this week. But even with tea party favorite Sarah Palin headlining the convention, it's being boycotted by some tea party activists, scoffing at the $550 admission fee.

MARK MECKLER, CO-FOUNDER, TEA PARTY PATRIOTS: It wasn't the kind of grassroots kind of organization that we are. So we declined to participate.

ACOSTA: Depsite all that in-fighting, it's clear the Tea Party is on a roll. Where it rolls is anybody's guess.

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