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Oil Safety Device Not Fail-Safe; Plan to Help Small Businesses; Oil Rig Victims' Families Seeking Answers & Assurances
Aired June 11, 2010 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone.
Live from Studio 7 at CNN world headquarters, the big stories for Friday, June 11th.
President Obama focuses on getting you and the nation back to work. He is meeting right now with small business owners and will speak shortly about his initiatives.
Plus --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PROF. ROBERT BEA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: You can keep on pushing equipment to the point of where it breaks, and I think we broke it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: It could happen again. Experts warn another oil disaster is possible due to the high failure rate of blowout preventers used in all similar drilling operations worldwide.
And --
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HARRIS: Well, that's what I'm talking about. It's all about the World Cup and Shakira. Soccer's biggest tournament kicking off with a massive celebration in South Africa. And let the games begin.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
Those stories and your comments -- bye, Kyra -- right here, right now, in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Fifty-three days into the oil catastrophe in the Gulf, and scientists have doubled -- that's right, doubled -- their estimate of how much oil may be leaking. Researchers now say between 20,000 and 40,000 barrels a day may be gushing from the busted well. The new estimates are based in part on high-resolution video released by BP.
President Obama meets Wednesday with top BP executives. BP's chairman and other "appropriate officials" summoned to the White House. That's likely to include CEO Tony Hayward. He testifies before Congress the next day.
The president of Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish says he doesn't know where to direct his anger. Billy Nungesser testified before a Senate panel about his frustration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLY NUNGESSER, PRESIDENT, PLAQUEMINES PARISH, LOUISIANA: I still don't know who's in charge. Is it BP? Is it the Coast Guard?
When I get mad enough in a meeting, the Coast Guard in our office stands up and says, "I can make that happen." When I throw a BP official out of my office, he comes back the next day and approves something. I have spent more time fighting the officials of BP and the Coast Guard than fighting the oil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Wow.
It's the device that's supposed to shut down an oil well if something goes wrong, but the tragedy in the Gulf shows what can happen when the so-called blowout preventer fails.
CNN's Allan Chernoff examines the limitations of the safety device and whether that could lead to another disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (voice-over): An out-of- control oil gusher off western Australia last year. Off shore and on shore, there have been numerous so-called oil rig blowouts, just like this one in Louisiana. Just not as big as the Deepwater Horizon.
PROF. STEVE SEARS, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY: The blowout preventer should be able to close and prevent any escape from the wellbore. But, obviously, nothing is absolutely fail-safe, as we've recently seen in the Gulf of Mexico.
CHERNOFF: The safety of oil drilling depends upon the reliability of a blowout preventer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: OK. All right. Let's get you to the Rose Garden now and President Obama.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- with these small business owners and a few of their workers, and we talked about some of the economic challenges facing these folks. And we talked about the ways that our government can make it easier for smaller firms to hire and to grow.
These men and women know how important it is because, historically, small businesses have created roughly two out of every three new jobs in our country. And to replace the millions of jobs lost in the recession, we're going to need to make sure that small companies are able to open up and expand and add names to their payroll.
Small businesses will help lead this economic recovery, and that's why we will continue to stand by them. But ensuring that small businesses can thrive is about more than just economic success, it's also about who we are as a people. It's about a nation where anybody who's got a good idea and a willingness to work hard can succeed.
That's the central promise of America. It's that promise that has drawn millions of people to our shores. It's what drives workers to become their own bosses. It's what propels some basement inventor to bring a new concept to market.
That's what led two guys, Bobby Pancake and Steve Wheat -- their real names -- who are here today to take a chance and try their hand at actually running restaurants. Obviously, they'd have to be restaurateurs named "Pancake" and "Wheat."
They worked for a restaurant chain for years, but they decided to leave the corporate offices and open up their own franchises. In fact, Bobby and Steve told me they recently opened up their sixth location. And Terry Haney (ph), the general manager of one of their locations, is also here.
This same promise of being able to build your own dreams and be your own boss led Prachi Davidos (ph) to come to this country and become a citizen, and open up what's become a successful technology services company. Prachi (ph) told me that when she started, she had just one employee. Today, she employs more than 100 people, including her husband Anan (ph), who is here today.
So, the fact is that small businesses all across the country are hiring people, making a difference in their communities, giving back to their communities, but they've also been especially hard hit by the recession.
From the middle of 2007 to the end of 2008, small businesses lost 2.4 million jobs. And because banks shrunk from lending in the midst of this financial crisis, it's been particularly difficult for small business owners to take out loans, to open up shop, or expand. It's been hard to finance inventories and payroll and new equipment.
Now, I've said before, and I'll repeat, government can't guarantee success for these companies, but it can knock down barriers that prevent owners from getting loans. Government can't create private sector jobs, but it can create the conditions for small businesses like these to grow and to hire more people. That's what's guided much of our economic agenda.
So let me be specific. Last year, we enacted seven tax cuts for America's small businesses. Seven tax cuts. So far, the Recovery Act has supported over 68,000 loans to small business, which translates into nearly $29 billion in new lending. More than 1,300 banks and credit unions that had not made SBA loans since before the financial crisis are now lending again. More than $8 billion in federal Recovery Act contracts are now going to small businesses. In fact, Prachi (ph) has been able to add 20 part- time and full-time workers because of the Recovery Act.
In addition, as a result of a bill I signed into law a few months ago, businesses are now eligible for tax cuts when they hire. When they hire unemployed workers, they're eligible for tax cuts. Companies are also able to write off more of their investments in new equipment.
And as part of the health reform package, four million small business owners recently received a postcard in their mailboxes from the IRS, and it was actually good news. It told them that they could be eligible for a health care tax credit this year that could be worth perhaps tens of thousands of dollars to these small businesses. So, these and other steps are making a difference.
A little more than a year ago, the economy was in free-fall. Today it's growing again.
A little more than a year ago, the economy was losing an average of 750,000 jobs per month. It's now been adding jobs for five months in a row. But even though we are in the process of digging ourselves out of this recession, we're still in a pretty deep hole.
Millions of our family members, our friends, our neighbors are still looking for work. They're still faced with the prospects of long-term unemployment. Credit is still less available than it should be, particularly to small businesses.
And small business owners like Prachi (ph) and Bobby and Steve will tell you, we may be recovering, but we're not yet recovered. We have to keep moving forward.
And that's why I'm urging Congress to swiftly approve a set of tax breaks and lending incentives to spur hiring and growth in small businesses. The legislation that's being debated right now would eliminate capital gains taxes for investments in small firms which will help move capital to these companies across America.
It will provide tax relief to small startups to encourage folks to open up businesses as well. To foster more credit, the package would create the small business lending fund I proposed in my State of the Union Address to help underwrite loans through community banks. And we create a new state small business credit initiative because states facing budget shortfalls are scaling back lending to small firms and manufacturers. That's working against our recovery.
I'm also urging Congress to expand and extend successful SBA programs by increasing loan limits, for example, something that could benefit people like Bobby and Steve.
In fact, since the start of my administration, we've been hearing from small businesses that want to retain and hire more employee, but they need additional credit. And we've been hearing from small community banks that want to lend to small businesses, but they need additional capital. So, this bill helps fulfill both needs.
And to help us create jobs without adding to our deficit, we're making the tough choices to pay for these proposals. So, I'm hopeful that the House will pass these measures next week and that the Senate will follow as soon as possible, with both support from Democrats and Republicans. And I'm eager to sign this tax relief and additional lending into law.
That's how we can continue to move our economy forward, to continue on the path from recession to recovery, but also ultimately to prosperity.
Thank you very much, everybody.
HARRIS: OK. President Obama talking to us about small business and the importance of small business.
You know, let's take a moment to talk about that.
Small businesses, look, as you just heard, extremely important to the labor market. Small businesses employ about half of all private sector workers.
Small businesses generate 14.5 million of the 22.5 million new jobs netted between 1993 and 2009. That's 64 percent of job gains.
Plus, small businesses are everywhere -- 99.7 percent of U.S. employers are small businesses. That's more than 29 million companies in all. And they are creative. Small businesses produced 13 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.
Say that fast five times.
Checking other big stories for you.
In Arkansas, a desperate search this hour for campers who got caught in a flash flood. Right now, at least six drownings are confirmed and other campers are unaccounted for.
It happened during the night in the Albert Pike camp in the in Montgomery County. Up to seven inches of rain fell in the area.
They went to the White House looking for answers and assurances. I will talk with the father of one of the workers killed in the oil rig explosion about his meeting with President Obama.
It is the weekend, and many of you are thinking of a trip to the beach. Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider is keeping track of which ones are open along the Gulf Coast.
We are back in a moment.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM for a Friday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Relatives of the 11 workers killed in the Gulf oil rig explosion discussed their concerns with President Obama. The president met with the families at the White House yesterday. A spokesman says he expressed his condolences and assured them of the administration's support.
Keith Jones lost his son in the rig explosion, and he joins us from Washington to talk about the meeting with the president.
Keith, we are so sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking the time to talk us to.
KEITH JONES, SON KILLED IN OIL RIG EXPLOSION: Thank you, Tony. You're welcome.
HARRIS: Tell us about your meeting yesterday with President Obama. What did you and your son say to the president?
JONES: Well, we lobbied him. Chris and I, of course, have been pretty persistent about the unfairness of the Death on the High Seas Act. And so, when it was our opportunity to speak to the president, we told him that, and I talked to him about the Death on the High Seas Act, about how unfair it was, and how the situation now exists as to punitive damages was quite unfair.
And the president listened. He is a very empathetic man, and empathized with everybody there, I think. And I'm confident that whatever bills that we can get through Congress -- and I am increasingly confident that we will pass some very significant bills on these issues -- that once they get to the president's desk, they'll get signed.
HARRIS: Yes. That was part of the hard work for you and your son yesterday.
I'm curious as to what you think of the president's decision to temporarily halt drilling. After all, it is how your son made a living.
JONES: It was. And he actually addressed the entire group about that towards the end of our meeting, because many people there expressed their concerns about that. They have relatives or friends who are not working right now because of the moratorium on deepwater drilling.
The president made it clear, none of the lives, none of the 11, are worth the risk, let alone 11 more, are worth the risk until we know what the problem was. We're learning little by little if whoever it is that made these decisions -- and it looks increasingly like one party was responsible for most, if not all of them -- would come forward and be men about it and tell us what they did wrong and why this shouldn't -- couldn't happen again if they had only done what they should have done. Then maybe drilling in the deep water could resume.
HARRIS: Given that rationale from the president, how do you feel about the moratorium?
JONES: I'm in favor of it. I think most of the people in the room yesterday that may have been against it coming in were in favor of it when they left for the reasons that the president gave. It's just not worth the risk right now until we can know what the problem was.
HARRIS: Keith, what do you want to hear, if anything, from BP at this point?
JONES: I have heard nothing from BP, not a word. Nobody in our family has.
I don't care to hear from BP unless it's in the form of an acknowledgement of all the things that went wrong with this rig, all the bad decisions that were made that led to the death of 11 men. If they want to come forth and explain to us what they did and, if possible, why they did it, I'd listen to that.
HARRIS: Last question for you. How did you come to terms -- I'm, for a moment, trying to put myself, as a father of a son, in your shoes. How do you come to terms with losing a son in this way? He was killed while on the job, doing his job.
JONES: I don't come to terms with it. I don't think anybody comes to terms with losing their son whether on the job or any other way.
I have been able to redirect my grief, I think, by working as hard as I've been working, along with my son Chris, to change the law so it will treat these people fairly. Not generously, fairly.
And that may be -- if there are terms to which I may come, maybe that's it. Maybe knowing that something of this magnitude had to happen before the law could be made to treat victims fairly. If that can happen, maybe that will help me come to terms with it.
HARRIS: Keith, we appreciate your time. We are so sorry for your loss. Thanks.
JONES: Thank you very much.
HARRIS: And when we come back we'll be updating some breaking news for you. We are hearing that 12 people are dead after flash flooding in Arkansas. And State Trooper Bill Sadler is on the phone with us. So let's continue this conversation.
Trooper Sadler, what can you tell us about this?
BILL SADLER, PIO, ARKANSAS STATE POLICE: First of all, I'm a civilian. I'm a public information officer for the department.
HARRIS: OK.
SADLER: The water along the lower (ph) Missouri River flows through Pike and Montgomery Counties, Arkansas. A very rugged area, a very remote area, crested this morning at about 5:30 local time.
At this time, we have confirmed through a search of at least 12 known to be dead. We believe there are still individuals trapped in that area.
The primary mission of the Arkansas State Police, working with local authorities right now, is to get the living out of that area and locate the dead. This is an ongoing search operation at this hour.
HARRIS: Have you been able to locate survivors at this point?
SADLER: There have been survivors located in this area. There are multiple camps along this stretch of the river. It's a very, as I said, rugged area, so it's going to be a prolonged operation. Water is beginning to recede in the area, but it's going to be later today before we're confident that we've gotten the living out of that area.
HARRIS: My goodness. And do you have -- maybe you can just describe the kind of resources, the kinds of material that will be necessary for you to make these rescues.
What are you going to need?
SADLER: At this moment we have two helicopters in the area that are working to locate and assist in extrication of the living, and pinpoint where bodies may be located. There's a temporary morgue that has been set up, and local authorities are providing volunteers that are familiar with the area to move in, in a systems search.
HARRIS: So you're talking about helicopter rescues. That's how rugged this area is.
SADLER: That's correct.
HARRIS: Well, that is extraordinarily risky.
Are the survivors able to communicate -- I'm thinking cell phones -- to give you a better fix on where they are exactly?
SADLER: No. This is a very remote area.
HARRIS: Yes. No signal.
SADLER: We're even having difficulty with our radio communications in that area. We're moving toward satellite hookups right now. So, it's going to be a while before we have reliable communications in that area.
HARRIS: OK.
Bill Sadler for us.
Bill, appreciate it. Thanks for updating us on this story.
SADLER: Yes. All right.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Let's take a break. We're back in a moment.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Joran van der Sloot was charged with murder today in the killing of a woman in his Lima, Peru, hotel room last month. And investigators say he has also told them he knows where to find Natalee Holloway's body, but he says he will only talk to authorities in Aruba, where the Alabama teenager vanished in 2005. Van der Sloot was being interrogated about last month's killing of Stephany Flores.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You know, it is the device that's supposed to shut down an oil well if something goes wrong, but the tragedy in the Gulf shows what can happen when the blowout preventer fails. CNN's Allan Chernoff examines the limitations of the safety device and whether that could lead to another disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An out-of- control oil gusher off western Australia last year. Offshore and onshore there have been numerous so-called oil rig blowouts just like this one in Louisiana, just not as big as the Deepwater Horizon.
PROF STEVE SEARS, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY: The blowout preventer should be able to close and prevent any escape from the wellbore, but obviously, nothing is absolutely failsafe as we've recently seen in the Gulf of Mexico.
CHERNOFF: The safety of oil drilling depends upon the reliability of a blowout preventer. Rig workers use them to keep a well under control especially when oil and gas surge or kick up from a well.
(on camera): The blowout preventer is a faucet on top of the oil well that prevents oil and gas from gushing up to the surface. When the valves don't do the trick, the blowout preventer can choke the actual drilling pipe, just like I'm squeezing this straw.
But when that doesn't do the trick, there's another line of defense. Blowout preventers have giant shears that are supposed to be able to cut the drilling pipe, just like I'm snipping this straw.
Now the problem is deep under water the pressure is very intense and the pipes have to be fixed especially the joints between them and those joints, they are very hard to cut.
(voice-over): A study done for the government's Minerals Management Service warned of such trouble in shearing drilling pipe deep under water. Initial research painted "...a grim picture of the probability of success when utilizing this final tool in securing a well."
UCAL-Berkeley Professor Robert Bea is the former chief offshore engineer for Shell.
PROF. ROBERT BEA, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: If the blowout preventers had a probability in failing to crush that pipe that approaches 50 percent that it would be like getting on an airplane and having a 50 percent chance of making it to your destination.
CHERNOFF: Professor Bea warns blowout preventers are not reliable in the deep sea.
BEA: You can keep on pushing equipment to the point of where it breaks, and I think we broke it.
CHERNOFF: In fact, BP told congressional investigators there were leaks in the hydraulic system of the Deepwater Horizon's blowout preventer as well as a dead battery.
Yet another safety concern -- the dead man system, the final safety switch for a blowout preventer that's lost communication with its oil rig. It's supposed to trigger the blowout prevent tore shut the well. But another study for the Minerals Management Service found, "Many operator and contractor personnel refused to arm the system from fear that it will either not operate when needed or activate inappropriately, causing downtime."
The dead man switch did not activate during BP's April 20th blowout. That's another reason why industry experts concede oil drilling safety improvements are now critically needed.
BENTON BAUGH, PRESIDENT, RADOIL: This is life. An event like this will happens again, we need to be better prepared next time.
CHERNOFF: All these problems point to the possibility, however remote, of another tragic accident.
Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: You know in California almost 60 percent of folks who get out of prison end up back behind bars within three years; some call it the revolving door. This week's CNN Hero broke that cycle. Once addicted to crack, six-time inmate Susan Burton got out, got clean and transformed her life. Now she's helping female offenders do the same thing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN BURTON, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I'm writing in regards to my parole plan. I'm 21 years old with two strikes.
I'm scared to relapse again.
I want to be a success story. Please hold a bed for me.
We all leave prison saying I'm going to get my life on track, and you end up getting off a bus in downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row. People know who you are when you come off that bus and you're targeted. Many times you don't even make it out of the Skid Row area before you're caught up into that cycle again.
My name is Susan Burton. After my son died I used drugs. I just spiraled into a pit of darkness. I went to prison six times. Finally, I found rehab, and I thought, I can help women come home from prison.
I pick them up, bring them back to the house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Miss Burton is like a mother for all of us. She offer you a warm bed, food. Like a real family.
BURTON: I want to see you try.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She made me want to change my life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You proud of me, Miss Burton?
BURTON: Sure. You came a long way.
I want the women to realize that they have something to contribute. This is giving life. That's what it's all about.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Oh, boy. Since 1998, Susan Burton has helped more than 400 women get their lives on track. To see the story of one of her more challenging cases and to nominate someone you think is literally changing the world, just go to CNN.com/heroes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Updating breaking news for you. We are hearing 12 people are dead after flash flooding in Arkansas. It happened during the night in the Albert Pike Camp, that's in Montgomery County. Overnight up to seven inches of rain fell in the area.
Bonnie Schneider, if you would, show us exactly where this is on the map that you have at your disposal.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: All right. Here's a look at where the campground is and it's in the Ozarks, which is a really popular vacation area. Now that we're into June, people are certainly going there for vacation.
And look at the mountainside, you can see where the campground is in the lower lying area. So when you're talking about a lot of rain and hits the mountains, the only way it can go is straight down and that's why we're talking about so much rain.
You've got to see these pictures. This is coming in from our Nextred (ph) site, and it shows storm accumulation. Notice the pink right here, this is just incredible. This is Montgomery County, this is where, unfortunately, those people lost their lives in the flash flooding. Tony, this is a total of up to 10 inches or more of rain. Imagine 10 inches of water --
HARRIS: Wow. We've been talking about seven inches, but you're talking about up to ten inches?
SCHNEIDER: According to our calculations and to southwestern -- southeastern, I should say, Montgomery County is where we saw the heaviest rain.
So this is happening at a rainfall rate of two to three inches per hour. That means it's happening so fast that it's almost impossible to get out once you're caught in it and that's what we're seeing here.
And just to let you know that we're not out of the woods yet for this area here. We still have a flash flood watch in effect for a good portion of Arkansas, and you can see it here on the map, and it does include Little Rock all of the way up toward Jonesboro which is more toward Tennessee.
But it's important to note there are still scattered showers and thunderstorms in the area and that could bring the threat of more water. The worst of it is over but still, 10 inches of rain in the low-lying area, that's just a terrible situation there.
HARRIS: So, Bonnie, we talked to the public information officer to the Arkansas State Police who told us the primary mission of the Arkansas State Police right now, working with local authorities right now to get the living out of the area and to locate the dead. Boy. Two helicopters in the area working to locate and assist rescuing the living. And this is Bill Sadler whom we spoke to just a couple of moments ago, and he also adds local authorities are providing search volunteers. This is an effort that will take some time. As Bonnie just highlighted, this is a very rugged, remote area.
Let's take a quick break. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: World Cup fever is sweeping the globe right now. You are looking at fans in South Africa -- well, I want to see, too -- which is hosting the event. The host team is playing Mexico right now in game one, and my understanding is the score is 1-1.
Millions of people around the world are tuning in to watch the month-long football tournament. For many, the games is just a click away. Tech expert Katie Linendoll joining us from New York without the glasses.
Looking good, Katie-Katie. Good to see you on a Friday. KATIE LINENDOLL, CNN TECH EXPERT: Yes, but Tony, we made a deal. I said no glasses if you painted your face for my segment.
HARRIS: Oh, since it's World Cup, do you have -- well, you've got to go USA, you've got to go red, white and blue, right?
LINENDOLL: Absolutely.
HARRIS: That's going to happen in this month-long tournament.
Katie, good to see you. First of all, a couple of questions. We're going to talk about why this event is so high tech and how folks stay connected, but to the first question. Why is this World Cup so high tech?
LINENDOLL: Yes. This is actually crazy. This is the most high tech World Cup ever and it's not just for the number of new media, multimedia platforms, but also the way the game is being played. And let's start with that host city of South Africa right in Johannesburg.
I want to tell you something about the stadium. What they've done to accommodate the 70,000 screaming, loud, crazy fans is they've actually brought in a 4,700-ton glass ceiling. And what this does is, the residents, they were worried about the noise -- no problem. It will keep the noise inside the stadium, but also it's going to keep the winds, which come up the 50 miles per hour off the Indian and Atlantic Oceans off the stadium, which is pretty remarkable. So we're talking about a stadium that's structurally engineered with revolutionary technology.
But that stadium as well has also used fiberglass on the exterior. So get this, Tony, it actually changes color. Johannesburg will see the stadium light up. At noon it looks about blue and by sunset the stadium looks like it's red, so pretty amazing.
But also, we're going to jump inside the stadium because I want to tell you about some of the technology that's going on inside the game. We're going to start off here with the new Adidas World Cup ball. And you might be asking why is this different. Well, this isn't a hand-stitched ball, which we're used to seeing with a soccer ball. It is actually thermally round, making it the most round, most accurate ball ever used. It's also going to make it waterproof. So really incredible technology right down the units they're using.
And also -- looks like a regular jersey, but what's awesome about it is Adidas has created these techfit (ph) jerseys that are not only 35 percent lighter, but they are proven to give athletes an advantage giving them more speed, power, endurance and efficiency.
So we're seeing it across the boards.
HARRIS: That is tremendous. All right, so look, I want to know how I go about staying connected during this month-long event here.
LINENDOLL: Absolutely, and there is way too many ways to stay connected and that's the really cool part about the World Cup this year.
Let's start off with TV. If you're an early adopter, ESPN 3D will be displaying 25 of the 64 matches in 3Dd immersive technology, so really phenomenal right there.
But if you're like me and you're constantly on the go and you're traveling and you want all 64 of those matches, I have got to show you my new BFF. This is FloTV and it's actually streaming the game right now between South Africa and Mexico. It's a portable unit that you can take anywhere. It's a subscription -based service, but as I mentioned, all 64 games will be shown right on the unit. Pretty cool.
Also on the web, ESPN 3D streaming 54 of the games. And Univision, if you know a little Spanish, all 64 games will be streamed as well.
Mobile devices, the first time ever that carriers will also be streaming matches and also be doing all of the highlights and also be doing all the highlights.
And last but not least, we're talking apps. If you have a smartphone or if you have an iPad, we have you covered because there are a lot of cool apps one of them being FIFA 2010 and another being World Cup Factoids and History to give you player bios stats and information on 32 teams.
And of course, if you're on Twitter, @WorldCup to stay informed.
Tony, I want a face paint next time.
HARRIS: You are the coolest kid in the cool kid parade. Katie, have a great weekend, see you next week.
LINENDOLL: Thank you.
HARRIS: We have to get to take a break. We're way long in this segment.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: In Arkansas, frantic search efforts are underway right now for campers caught up in a flash flood. At least 12 people are now confirmed dead, other campers are still missing. The water rushed through in the darkness after heavy rain overnight. The area is in a national forest in a rugged section of western Arkansas. Bonnie Schneider telling us moments ago it is also very, very hot there right now. Here is part of my conversation with Arkansas State Police Public Information Officer Bill Sadler just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL SADLER, PIO, ARKANSAS STATE POLICE (via telephone): -- flows through Pike in Montgomery County is Arkansas. Very rugged area, very remote area. Crested this morning at about 5:30 local time.
At this time we have confirmed through a search of at least 12 known to be dead. We believe there's still some individuals trapped in that area. The primary mission of the Arkansas State Police working with local authorities right now is to get the living out of that area and locate the dead.
This is an ongoing search operation at this hour.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Josh Levs with more on this horrible developing story -- Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, not the kind of thing anyone wants to hear.
Let's do this, we've been taking a look at where this area is. We're going to go straight to this Google Earth. I want to kind of zoom all the way into that area and tell you a little bit. We're learning about it right now. This is Albert Pike Recreation -- not this one here, we're going to take it -- the Control Room is going to show you full.
There you go -- and we can zoom all of the way in -- this Albert Pike campground and I read about it, here's what we're learning. This is actually a really popular area for tourists. It has a lot of canoeing that takes place right there. It's adjacent to the Little Missouri River, has a series of loops and also has the longest loop trail in all of Arkansas. At this time of year what you find is more and more people turn out to do that kind of hiking. This is actually very popular time for this campground, this hiking.
We've got a matter of seconds left, let's come back to my screen here. I just want to show you the pictures so you see what it looks like up close when we're taking a look at these websites. Let's go right to this one. This is nice. This shows some of the campgrounds that are in that general area. We're not seeing exactly where it was washed out here, this was just up at a traveling website.
Here's another one right here looking at Albert Pike. This is the kind of things that draws people there. I mean, it's obviously beautiful when it's safe. And so, Tony, what we're looking for right now is the absolute latest information from authorities, what happened, what led to this and all efforts underway to find everyone there.
HARRIS: You know, and this is a developing story. I mean, this is a rescue operation that is underway right now. And it is so remote, can't imagine we'll get pictures out of there any time soon, if at all. It just makes you wonder what kind of dire situation is unfolding there as the search continues for the missing and to get the survivors out of there.
LEVS: Well we do know and we will say there are authorities that are doing everything they can to get in there right now. They know when people go hiking, and there's weather that things can happen. So there are systems in place, we're just hoping they can get to them fast.
HARRIS: OK, Josh, appreciate it, thank you.
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