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Clean Up in the Gulf of Mexico; Ted Turner Interviewed
Aired May 29, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Three days after BP started its top kill attempt. Oil continues to spew into the Gulf of Mexico. BP chief operating officer meets with reporters.
And 30 years ago, can you believe it? Ted Turner founded CNN. Today he'll tell us about his new project trying to get rid of nuclear weapons.
We'll show you how museum visitors reacted when Ozzy Osborne pretended to be a statue of himself.
All right. BP says still too early to tell whether top kill will work. The giant oil company's chief operating officer Doug Suttles met with reporters a short time ago. His company's latest attempt to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is a controversial procedure known as top kill. It involves pumping a mud-like mixture into the ruptured well. Suttles admits that after three days the oil is still gushing.
DOUG SUTTLES, BP COO: I actually don't know if we are pumping right now or not. I've actually been in the air for a few hours flying around the spill. As we said yesterday, we've done periods of pumping mud; we've done periods where we monitored the well. We actually pumped these junk shots and these other materials in. We've been doing that in intervals trying to determine if it's going to be successful. We said all along it may or may not. If it doesn't, we'll go through the next step which will be to go to this lower marine package cap. That equipment is on station and ready to go. We've been prepping that all along in case we need to move to that option.
Yesterday I was out at the site where the well is. Our efforts out there are making a big difference. I've flown over it many times since the very beginning. Whether it's a collection of the oil on the sea pad or whether it's the use of skimmers and booming, and the weather itself, we actually had almost two weeks of good weather now. That means we could use all of our tools consistently for two weeks.
There is a lot less oil on the sea than there was. That's important. Because if it gets away from us there, it ends up places like here and it can create much more damage. And it's much more difficult to clean up. I don't think the amount of oil coming out has changed. I don't believe, we said many times you can't meter it. You can't put a person down there to touch it, but just by watching it, we don't believe it's changed. There may be more gas coming out than before. That's the only thing visually that appears to be happening.
I think what has changed is things like the riser insertion tube; we collected 22,000 barrels of oil with that tube. That is 22,000 barrels that didn't get spilled, the fact that we had two weeks of good weather. I mean, yesterday we were only able to do one burn offshore because we couldn't collect enough oil.
WHITFIELD: All right. Meantime, oil, gas, mud, something keeps gushing from that broken pipe. We now have a second camera shot showing the leak, as well. You can see the streaming video of both shots at CNN.com.
As the battle to contain the oil spill continues so do hearings into the cause. Today is the last day of a series of hearings in Cantor, Louisiana. Scheduled witnesses included a BP drilling and cementing operations manager David Simms and six employees of Transocean which owned the deep water horizon drilling rig. The hearings are being conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Government Minerals Management Service.
In a related story, the agency that oversees offshore oil drilling has a new leader, Bobby Abbey. He is the new acting director of the Minerals Management Service, he also heads up the Federal Bureau of Land Management, Abbey replaces Elizabeth Birnbaum who resigned Thursday saying her agency was too cozy with the oil industry.
Sad news from the entertainment world today, Actor Dennis Hopper has died. The 74-year-old rode to fame in such films as "Easy Rider," "Rebel without a Cause," and "Giant." It helped cement his image as a Hollywood bad boy. Hopper was infamous with his outlandish behavior as well as his battle with drugs and alcohol which led to artic career on the big screen and the small screen and numerous supporting roles as well.
He relished playing misfits and villains. His co-stars were the legends of Hollywood golden era and included such luminaries as Peter Fonda, James Dean, John Wayne, Jack Nicholson and Paul Newman. In recent Hopper suffered health problems, most notably prostate cancer which ultimately claimed his life. Dennis Hopper was 74.
His list of accomplishments and the achievements are many. I wanted to know what billionaire businessman Ted Turner considers his best investments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD (voice over): So when you think of some of your best investments, CNN being one of them?
TED TURNER, CHAIRMAN, TURNER ENTERPRISES INC: Mm-hmm.
WHITFIELD: The billion dollars going to the U.N. being another?
TURNER: Yep.
WHITFIELD: What might be another one?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A man of few words, he'll answer that question plus his push to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: He owns more land than anyone else in the U.S., 2 million acres. He gave a billion dollar gift to the United Nations. He owns a chain of restaurants, and he's the founder of CNN. As if those accomplishments weren't enough, Ted Turner is also turning his attention to other issues like ridding the world of nuclear weapons. He tells me in this sit down interview "face to face."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: Nuclear weapons worry me more than nuclear power does. I think we need to get rid of nuclear weapons as quickly as we can before we have a mistake or an accident that occurs with them. If we have a nuclear weapons accident, it could be the end of humanity. So that's really serious. If Vladimir pushes his button or if our President Obama pushes his button, it's the end of life on earth. It would end in practically an hour. That's how fast it's going to be over.
WHITFIELD: So no one should have nuclear weapons in your view?
TURNER: Absolutely. That's the only way it would work. Everybody has to get rid of them. We have to play by the same set of rules. Isn't it hypocrisy for us to sit here with thousands of nuclear weapons and tell the Iranians they can't have three? When it's OK for us for the Israelis to have a hundred. It's OK for Israel to have them but it is not OK for Iran or North Korea to have them? They're sovereign states, too. I don't want them to have it either, but I don't want us to have them. I think we've got to all play by the same set of rules. Either we all have them or none of us have them.
WHITFIELD: When some countries say it's not nuclear weapons we are trying to take care of here, its nuclear energy, is that one and the same?
TURNER: No, not necessarily. It's very possible for us to have nuclear power without having nuclear weapons. And I think that's where we ought to be. Everybody has access to nuclear power. Nobody has access to nuclear weapons because we've agreed to it.
WHITFIELD: How involved politically do you get? I know you met with law makers, particularly as it pertains to the new energy bill. Are you ever compelled to pick up the phone and call President Obama or the past presidents?
TURNER: No. I don't do that. I only met him twice.
WHITFIELD: Why wouldn't you though? You're one of the most powerful men in the world.
TURNER: Well, I am?
WHITFIELD: Yes, and influential. TURNER: He knows how I feel about nuclear weapons because I told him. I know how he feels about them, too. And we're in agreement. There's not any problem there. I work on areas where people still need convincing. I don't go out and try to waste my time with people already convinced.
WHITFIELD: So when you think some of your best investments, CNN being one of them, the billion dollars going to the U.N. being another?
TURNER: Yes.
WHITFIELD: What might be another one?
TURNER: Well, I do a lot of philanthropy. I think all of it is a good investment. Not just giving money away. I'm trying to make an investment for the future so we'll have a future. I care about my grandchildren and your grandchildren and everybody else's children. I want them to have a happy life that's just as good as our lives were. I think that's our responsibility as parents and elders is to take care of everything.
WHITFIELD: Another investment, your Ted's Montana Grill. A lot of folks are nervous when they open up a restaurant.
TURNER: It's a tough business.
WHITFIELD: It's a very tough business. But yours are thriving. They're growing. It is also in part supported by your herd of bison. Did you realize that would be a hit, too?
TURNER: I thought it would be.
WHITFIELD: Why did you think it?
TURNER: Because I've been raising bison for 30 years. They are so much healthier for you than beef with half the fat and cholesterol and it tastes great, too. Taste great and less filling.
WHITFIELD: But you had to convince the public, didn't you? Most people have probably not had bison.
TURNER: That's true. Most people still haven't. More people are eating it now than ever before. They wouldn't do it if they weren't happy with it. All we had to do was get people to try it. We knew they would like it. Just like I knew with CNN, if they tried it they would like it.
WHITFIELD: And do you still like it?
TURNER: What, CNN?
WHITFIELD: Yes. Do you watch regularly?
TURNER: Sure I do. I watch the competition a little bit, but most of my news viewing is CNN. I watch your show from time to time.
WHITFIELD: I'm glad you're tuning in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Face to face, my conversation with Ted Turner continues next hour. He answers some of your questions. We've been asking to you send us questions and you did in a very big way. Bet you can't wait to hear what he has to say.
All right. Josh Levs with a preview now of those viral videos. Something tells me you are going to make us laugh today.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am. You're on to me. You know good stuff is coming.
WHITFIELD: I saw you dieing in laughter earlier.
LEVS: The first video I personally love. I think you will, too. Also we'll have this one. There is a lot of debate over whether or not this video is real. It's getting all these views on line.
WHITFIELD: That is not real. I'm not a buyer.
LEVS: I'll tell you something. There's been a bit of an investigation and I'll have an answer that will surprise Fred coming right up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now the showdown over don't ask-don't tell moves to the Senate. This week the House passed a bill to end the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. military. The compromised legislation delays implementation until a Pentagon study is completed in December. The president, the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff must certify that a repeal will not harm the military's fighting ability.
Security forces in Jamaica say they will try again on Monday to arrest an accused drug lord. Christopher Coke is at the center of violence and has now killed 76 people. He is wanted in the U.S. on gun and drug trafficking charges. So far he managed to elude police despite nearly a week of gun battle in two neighborhoods in the capital city of Kingston.
President Obama is urging Americans to honor U.S. troops who have lost their lives in both word and deed. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Mr. Obama says we can honor the nation's fallen by making sure combat troops have the necessary support and veterans get the help they need when they return home.
Just the music alone gets you geared up, doesn't it? It means Josh Levs and you know it means viral videos. And you know it means you're going to laugh.
LEVS: And I can start off with a fun one, maybe my favorite one this week. Ozzy Osborne who is inherently funny.
WHITFIELD: He is, in his slow motion kind of way. LEVS: Yes. That plays out here. He has a new album coming out called "Scream." In order to promote it he did this clever thing where he went to Madam Tussaud in New York. Watch.
He is so still all the time. They'll come over and sit with him.
WHITFIELD: He's good.
LEVS: There is a little girl who comes along. He wants to be nice to her. He's not going to scream, but watch this.
OZZY OSBORNE: Hello.
LEVS: This is what I was laughing about at my desk before. He is the perfect person to do it.
WHITFIELD: Plus the wax statues, that's the whole point. They look so real.
LEVS: Here is a short one. Just take a look at it. They call this guy the luckiest man in the world. I call him Mr. Fast reflexes. Watch this, he is walking along, jumps out of the way. Security camera. This was from days ago, May 26th.
WHITFIELD: Good thing he wasn't looking down and texting. People do that.
LEVS: That should go on one of those anti-texting. Everyone seems to be OK there. Now time for what you are interested in, the bear. Kung fu bear.
WHITFIELD: I'm a nonbeliever.
LEVS: I was a nonbeliever, too. You have this bear at a zoo in Hiroshima in Japan. Someone was visiting and took this video and then it goes online. You've got to think, it's got to be fake. "The London Daily Telegraph" looked into it. An expert said it's possible. There is a new video from 2008. A report about how this bear was doing this. So basically everything we have so far, this kung fu bear here, obviously this set this video to music. Experts are saying it's possible and he's had ludicrous amount of training.
WHITFIELD: With numb chucks? This is so fake, I like it, and it's cute.
LEVS: I acknowledge the skepticism. All the articles are saying it's possible if you train them maybe even too much. Here is something you're going to love. Time for your adorable video of the week, look at this. Baby elephants.
That's beautiful. I love that baby elephant. Baylor at the Houston Zoo, 348 pounds. Born to mom Shanti on May 4th.
WHITFIELD: Is that a real hand?
LEVS: It may be. Humans, we have our babies, they can't do anything. Elephants can come out and take a bath.
WHITFIELD: Steal the show. That is sweet. I love that.
LEVS: Every week I give Fred our Zen video.
You know what I like about this?
WHITFIELD: I love it. Your voice comes back down.
LEVS: Like my days back at NPR again. This video was put together by someone who said it was his first time using this technology on the computer. Just took this song "In the Morning Light" by Yanni and put it up against these pictures. People have such a reaction to relaxation videos, this video online 4,000 views.
WHITFIELD: I love it. Listen to your voice.
LEVS: Ready for the real me to return? I refuse to end on the relaxation because we've got more show. I don't want you falling asleep. Here is a way to pick up your energy with the Red Bull mountain bike race through the slums of Brazil. This was designed for this.
WHITFIELD: You do want to move fast.
LEVS: They are professionals, people. Don't try this at home.
WHITFIELD: Don't try it anywhere.
LEVS: Super cool. As always, all the videos are posted online for you at my facebook page. The middle address is the facebook address. It makes it easiest to cull all these addresses. Facebook.com/josh levs cnn. I'll be back with you tomorrow in the 2:00 Eastern Hour with some of our viewers' favorites. Whatever you tell us you love best, Fred will get to judge those tomorrow.
WHITFIELD: And maybe some clarity on numb chuck bear.
LEVS: She is still skeptic, I don't blame you.
WHITFIELD: I love it; it looks good, but sorry. I'm looking for little things like when the mouth opens if there is a repeat, the ear flapping. Sorry.
LEVS: Up in the air and catches it.
WHITFIELD: No way. I love the bear. I love all animal stories, but I'm still a nonbeliever. Josh, I love it and look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Thank you. Much straight ahead after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Seized by pirates on the high seas 13 months ago, the nation watched as the Maersk Alabama was hijacked off the coast of Somalia. Its captain hailed a hero. But some of the crew tell a very different story, even claiming the captain knew he was heading into danger.
CNN's special investigations unit correspondent, Drew Griffin, has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Held for four days in a steaming lifeboat, with Somali pirates and an AK-47 at his head, Captain Richard Phillips story of pirates and heroic Navy SEAL rescue at sea is the stuff of legend. After the incident, Phillips' publisher promoted him as a sea captain who risked his life, offering himself as hostage in exchange for the safety of his crew.
In the 13 months since the incident, Phillips was invited to the White House, threw out the first pitch at a Boston Red Sox game, and was lauded for his bravery as he toured the country pushing his book, "A Captain's Duty."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to thank this man for doing such a great job for us.
GRIFFIN: Throughout all of this hero story, his crew, the 19 men he commanded on the Maersk Alabama, has been far less public about the events until now.
Now, as Phillips prepares to go back to sea for the first time since his ship was attacked, most of his former crew is speaking, and they tell a different version of the story of what happened on the high seas.
(on camera): Do you think this guy is a fit captain?
MIKE PERRY, CHIEF ENGINEER, MAERSK ALABAMA: I think that it certainly warrants an investigation. I just want an investigation for this to be looked at properly before that man winds up going back to sea on another ship and endangering somebody else.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): These days, Mike Perry rides his motorcycle to the local merchant marine union hall looking for work. A year ago in the Indian Ocean, he was the chief engineer, the third ranking officer onboard the Maersk Alabama when pirates attacked.
PERRY: We vowed we were going to take it to our grave. We weren't going to say anything. Then we hear this P.R. stuff coming out about him giving himself up and we said, and he's still on -- he's still hostage. The whole crew is like, what? Because everybody is in shock.
GRIFFIN: Perry isn't the only crew member who says Phillips was no hero.
John Cronan was the third engineer. Abu Tahir Muhammad Reza (ph) who goes by the name "ATM" was an able-bodied seaman. They are among 16 of the 19 crewmen who have formed a Facebook page, Alabama Shipmates, to present their side of the story. Each says the captain's book version of the pirate attack is, in a word, "wrong."
Not only that, they claim their captain knew he was leading all of them into harm's way.
Phillips says his preparations went beyond the industry standard.
(on camera): When you started doing your own digging, you found the warnings, the Maersk Alabama had been warned?
PERRY: Well, all ships have been warned. When I went back to ship the crew on there at that time had collected them all and I reviewed them all. And then I went up and had the mates plot them on the chart.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Parry is talking about threes seven e-mails sent to all ships in the area and one specifically to Captain Phillips and the Maersk Alabama by a private maritime security agency. Each e- mail based on information from British and U.S. naval authorities urges the Alabama to steer clear, very clear of the shipping line where Phillips was heading. But despite the e-mails and even after an unsuccessful pirate attack, the crew says Phillips did not change course.
JOHN CRONAN, 3R ENGINEER, MAERSK ALABAMA: He was advised to change course by competent deck officers and he overruled them. Stay on course, make our ETA, stay on the same course.
GRIFFIN: The Alabama was on a course from Oman to Mombasa, Kenya, in about 300 miles off the Somali coast. These warnings advised Captain Phillips to move much further offshore.
PERRY: All those messages recommended that the vessels in the area stay outside 600 miles.
GRIFFIN (on camera): Did you?
PERRY: To my knowledge we would have been, but no, we weren't.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Captain Richard Phillips, fresh from book tour and very near the day he returns to sea sat down with CNN to answer the men who are now his critics, his own crew. They claim he lied in this book and is potentially dangerous to any future crew members who may sail with them.
(on camera): To a man, those we talk to feel very slighted by you, sir.
CAPT. RICHARD PHILLIPS, MAERSK ALABAMA: Well, there's not much I can say. I agree with them. The media made everything out to be me, but that's the media. When I came home, I really didn't go and put myself in front of the media. A lot of my crew did. I didn't.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: OK. So, is it the media's fault? Up next: e-mails, the Maersk crew says, show how the captain put their lives in danger. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Captain Richard Phillips risked his life to save his crew, becoming a hostage to pirate who had hijacked the Maersk Alabama last year. Well, to many Americans, he's a hero, but to 16 former Maersk crew members, Captain Phillips is something else. They say the well- known story is not true. And in fact, he endangered their lives and led them into harm's way.
Once again, here is special investigations unit correspondent, Drew Griffin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Captain Richard Phillips is not used to criticism. Even though a lawsuit has been filed by some members of his crew against the shipping company for creating a near disaster at sea, he says that this interview is the first he's heard of their specific complaints, questioning his judgment and even his reasoning.
(on camera): The complaint is that there were specific e-mails sent to your ship stressing the need to go further out to sea.
PHILLIPS: Yes. On something like that, we will deal with that in the arena that they wish and that's the court. That's what this is based on.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): We showed him excerpts of CNN interviews with his ex-crew, including the third engineering officer on board the Maersk Alabama, John Cronan.
(on camera): Let me play just -- because I don't think you've seen these crew members since they've left your ship.
CRONAN: Unbeknownst to us at the time, Captain Phillips had been warned at least nine times via e-mail from competent authorities to get that ship further offshore, hundreds of miles further offshore.
GRIFFIN: Why would he say that?
PHILLIPS: I have no idea.
GRIFFIN: Is it true?
PHILLIPS: There are warnings put out. I don't know what authorities he's talking about. He doesn't say.
GRIFFIN: Well, I have the e-mails.
PHILLIPS: Yes?
GRIFFIN: You've seen the e-mails. You've got them, right?
PHILLIPS: I haven't seen emails since I've been on the ship.
GRIFFIN: But you were warned to go further out to sea. PHILLIPS: Fully warned to stay clear of an area, yes.
GRIFFIN: And you didn't.
PHILLIPS: We were within -- we come from Jabutti (ph), which is in the north side of Somalia, which is right next to Somalia. We are going to Momarta (ph), which is on the south side. So, we're within the area, we're almost 300 miles out during our incident.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): We checked Navy records. They indicate Phillips 380 miles off the Somali coast. And remember, the e-mail warned about the pirate and urged captains to stay 600 miles off the coast.
The Maersk Alabama received a radio warning from the pirate themselves, saying they are coming for his ship. That was followed by an approach by pirates in a swift boat. The Alabama avoided that approach. Three days later, in the morning of April 8th, able-bodied seaman Abu Tahir Muhammad Reza (ph), who goes by the name ATM, says he saw the first signs of trouble.
(on camera): And you saw the boat.
"ATM" REZA, ABLE-BODIED SEAMAN, MAERSK ALABAMA: Yes. I saw the boat three miles from the starboard.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): The boat was small, white and fast, with men sitting up straight holding what appeared to be guns.
(on camera): Did you think, "Oh, no, they're coming, and this time, they're coming fast"?
"ATM" REZA: I was pretty sure. I was same person. I was pretty sure this was pirates boats. But I talked to the captain, I told him, "Captain, I'm dam sure this is pirate boats." He laughed at me, he told me it could be fishing boats. And he walked away from me.
GRIFFIN: He ignored you.
REZA: He ignored me. Completely. He's ignored me.
PHILLIPS: I question that. I'm not someone who asks a lot. I think if you ask my crew, do I laugh a lot and tell jokes, I think the majority will say no. So, to be put in that situation and to say I laughed --
GRIFFIN: Did you blow off the first potential warning?
PHILLIPS: No. No blow off any warnings.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Mike Perry, the ship's chief engineer, says it wasn't just warnings ignored, he believes Captain Richard Phillips is dangerous.
(on camera): He doesn't heed the e-mail warnings telling him to go further out to sea. After the second attempt on the boat, he doesn't stay the course, which is to go further out to sea.
PERRY: Right.
GRIFFIN: He doesn't lock the bridge when the pirates are attacking. And then --
PERRY: When they're know they've been onboard, they were onboard, and even at that point, he didn't lock them.
GRIFFIN: And what you're telling me is, I mean, your hunch is that he wanted to be captured, that he wanted the boat to be taken by pirates.
PERRY: That's what many of us officers were saying to ourselves.
GRIFFIN: Did you want to stay with the pirates for some reason?
PHILLIPS: No. I think you're forgetting they had weapons.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Phillips says much of the criticism is driven by human nature. Some by a lawsuit some members of the crew have filed against the shipping company and fuelled by a press that he says wanted a hero captain who saves his crew, a good story.
PHILLIPS: The media got everything wrong. I don't know how I could control this when I'm in a lifeboat and the media is saying I gave myself up for it. In the book, if you read it. Have you read the book?
GRIFFIN (on camera): I did, I read it.
PHILLIPS: So, you know I didn't give myself up. I was already a hostage by then.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): He says the real heroes are the ones he dedicated his book to, the Navy, the Navy SEALs. And yes, the merchant mariners he sailed with. And despite their criticism of him, Captain Phillips says the crew of the Maersk Alabama stayed calm, followed orders and instincts and prevented a tragedy.
(on camera): Do you give the crew much credit for your survival?
PHILLIPS: Do I give the crew much credit for the incident?
GRIFFIN: For your survival.
PHILLIPS: For my survival on the Maersk Alabama? Yes. They did a wonderful job. It's in the book. Everywhere I speak, I say what a great job they did.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Captain Richard Phillips returns to sea next month, most likely, he says, to the same waters he was taken hostage.
Drew Griffin, CNN, Burlington, Vermont.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: All right. Every week, we honor a CNN hero, an everyday person changing the world. Well, today, the spotlight is on a top 10 hero from last year, Roy Foster. He's increasing help for homeless and addicted veterans. And his new motto, "No man or woman left behind."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Please stand up and honor CNN hero, Roy Foster.
ROY FOSTER, CNN HERO: I was overwhelmed at the tribute.
There will be no man left behind as long as we are this nation.
(APPLAUSE)
FOSTER: To be honored in something you love doing, showcased internationally, was tremendous and is still reaping benefits as we speak today.
We did come up with a house 10 years ago to provide assistance and services for homeless veterans. But every day, they would bounce to another place, go to the hospital, go to the V.A., trying to meet their criteria -- it's a natural runaround. And there was never that support for the family or the female veterans. This year, we've been fortunate enough to complete that vision.
We were looking to establish a one-stop center, a place where we can move them through the process under one roof. That's what it's about.
Hello. How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my living room.
FOSTER: The second part is the housing component for our female veterans and families.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My pride is restored. I'm able to look for jobs, not worry about where am I going to go when I come home.
FOSTER: CNN put us where I could share the full dream with people and play a pivotal role in actually being able to bring that dream forward.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The Department of Veteran Affairs says Roy Foster's housing facility for female veterans with children is only the second one in the country. To get involved with his program or to nominate someone you think is changing the world, go to CNN.com, specifically CNNheroes.com. And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: OK, Jacqui Jeras in the weather center now. We're talking about a tropical storm with a name now.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
WHITFIELD: But now Atlantic hurricane.
JERAS: Right, right.
WHITFIELD: The other one.
JERAS: Te other one, the eastern Pacific basin. But it's something that bears watching and we'll tell you why.
This is Agatha, which just developed already today into a tropical depression very quickly into a tropical storm. So there has been some intensification today. This is off the coast of Guatemala, 40-mile- per-hour maximum sustained winds. So, not a terribly strong storm and it's not terribly large either. But there is so much moisture with this thing.
So, the biggest concern then for Central America is that they could see some flooding rains, 10 to 20 inches, to be exact. And the thing that -- why we care is that some of the computer models, and take this with a grain of salt, because we're talking days and days away --
WHITFIELD: OK.
JERAS: -- but a few of them are bringing it across the peninsula, and into the Gulf of Mexico, more likely in this direction. But, you know, like I said, this is long range forecast, don't get too excited about it, but just so you know.
WHITFIELD: If that were the case -- if that were the case, would it pick up a new name?
JERAS: Probably not.
WHITFIELD: Atlantic -- no, because it has to --
(CROSSTALK)
JERAS: It keeps this identity, if you can still tell it is an organized system, it would keep its name. If it completely falls apart and then regenerates, it would get a different name.
WHITFIELD: Oh, OK.
JERAS: All right. So, just so you know it's out there.
WHITFIELD: I knew if I asked, I'd get an answer. Jacqui is so smart. She knows all that stuff. I love that.
JERAS: Thank you.
All right. Well, speaking of Atlantic, right?
WHITFIELD: Yes. JERAS: In case you missed it, a lot of people on vacation, getting ready for the holiday weekend or whatever, NOAA has released their forecast for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. And it wasn't good.
This is what we were expecting. We knew that, you know, the water temperatures are crazy warm already. We have had a couple of quiet seasons, we're already still in the midst of this multi-decadal cycle, remember we've been talking about this for years --
WHITFIELD: Right.
JERAS: -- which is the 20 to 30-year peak of active hurricane seasons, OK?
So, they're looking at numbers that are just amazing, Fredricka. Close to what we saw in 2005.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
JERAS: So, this is just a forecast and, you know, all that really matters is whether or not one hits --
WHITFIELD: Right. But there may be a lot of named storms, but they may peter out.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: We don't want any more threats to land mass.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: OK. All right, very good. Well, you know what, I think everyone googles these days, right?
JERAS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Googles their own names, googles for information. Have you googled yourself?
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: OK. Never mind. A lot of people have. A lot of folks on the tour who are on assignment over there probably googled themselves.
JERAS: Everybody googles themselves at least, right?
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: In fact, a new study actually shows that 57 percent of adults have checked themselves out on that search engine. So, don't feel bad that the answer is yes, you have googled yourself.
JERAS: You want to know what's out there.
WHITFIELD: It's actually, oh, yes, what people are saying. OK. Well that number has actually gone up 10 percent over the past few years alone. The reason given for the increase is the digital reputation management. The study also found that younger people are finally becoming more guarded about what information they actually share out there online, especially kind of the social networks, right?
JERAS: Yes, absolutely.
WHITFIELD: Don't put too much out there, because then when somebody googles you, they got all your business. Sometimes that's not good.
(CROSSTALK)
JERAS: Hey, speaking of online --
WHITFIELD: Yes?
JERAS: -- I'm giving people a free forecast today. The first 25 people that send me a tweet --
(CROSSTALK)
JERAS: Yes, I give you a personalized forecast for the holiday weekend.
WHITFIELD: For wherever you are or wherever you want to be this holiday weekend.
All right. Much more straight ahead in THE NEWSROOM after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Now, the Gulf oil spill's helpless victims -- the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says nearly 450 birds have been killed as a result of the oil spill. And biologists are now racing to do what they can to help others survive.
Reynolds Wolf has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are very tiny little birds (ph). They're a little heron.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Jay Holcomb's Bird Rescue Center in Buras, Louisiana, is a 24-hour emergency room.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we're going to do is pre-treat it. This is just kind of oil.
WOLF: It may seem odd to be adding oil to an already oiled bird, but it's exactly what the doctor has ordered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. This helps loosen it up a little bit and so it kind of loosens away, you can see it starts to come off. He's this kind of brown color normally, but he's got oil under there, and I think he got this from walking through the reeds. These little guys eat little minnows and frogs and things in the -- there in shallow areas in the grass and, of course, he got oiled in the grass.
WOLF: This small bird is actually one of the lucky ones. U.S. Fish and Wildlife says at least 437 birds have died since the spill began. Only 55 have been found oiled and alive -- and taken to centers like this one for rehabilitation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're trying to move him through pretty quick because he is a little bird and he has a very low tolerance. Janine's making sure that the oil around his eyes and his beck are off so that the poor little bird can eat.
WOLF: Habitats resembling this one we visited off the Louisiana coast provide a nesting ground for all kinds of wildlife. Scenes of broken boom and encroaching oil leave environmental groups furious.
JILL MASTROTOTARO, SIERRA CLUB: People should be outraged, not just throughout the Gulf Coast but nationwide, that our federal government has a responsibility given that this is a public resource. This is not B.P.'s Gulf of Mexico. This is America's Gulf of Mexico. And we need to come together as a people, as a nation, to ensure that our resources, number one, cleaned up. But number two, protected.
WOLF: Many of the birds brought to Holcomb's Rehab Center were brown pelicans which were removed from the endangered species list only six months ago.
JAY HOLCOMB, DIR., INTL. BIRD RESCUE RESEARCH CTR.: This is a shy little group. They like to sit in the corner. But one of the things that these birds experience when they come here is they're exhausted from struggling in the oil. This is their rest day. They get together in the water as they want, get out and sleep, eat fish.
WOLF: Each bird will stay here for seven to 10 days, for plenty of rest, some testing and blood work. And each one is federally tagged before release to track their progress.
HOLCOMB: This was caused by humans. So at the very base level we're responsible for cleaning up the oil, cleaning up these animals is part of the responsibility. They live out there, it's their home, anything beyond that is not acceptable to me. It is just about our responsibility.
WOLF: And thanks to Holcomb's efforts this small bird (ph) is finally free of oil and will have a second chance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is everything OK? That's it. He doesn't look so wonderful, but he'll dry off good.
WOLF: Reynolds Wolf, CNN, New Orleans, Louisiana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
