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BP Continues Testing New Well Cap; Bus Carrying Children From Camp Flips Over in Kansas; Financial Planner Gives Advice

Aired July 17, 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: All right. Fighting over finances can wreck a relationship. This hour, we'll give you critical money tips for marriage and for divorce.

And it's a supersized skateboard and an overdrive on the Internet. We'll show you why at 3:00 eastern time. Then at 4:00, salsa and guacamole -- popular restaurant favorites that could pose a serious health risk. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM as the news unfolds live this Saturday, July 17th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

We begin with this breaking news. A bus carrying kids from a Kansas church camp flipped over on interstate 35 near Wellsville. One child was airlifted to the hospital, eight others were taken in ambulance and the other children taken to Franklin County sheriff's department to be reunited with their parents.

And joining us right now by phone is Franklin County Sheriff Jeff Curry. All right, sheriff, give me an idea, how did this accident happen?

JEFF CURRY, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF: We're not sure right now. The cause of the accident, it appears something caused the bus to lose control and veer off to the left side of the roadway, eventually rolling over on to its side.

WHITFIELD: The children that are to be reunited with their families, clearly they're OK, but the other kids who sustained injuries, give me an idea of the extent of their injuries.

CURRY: Well, I don't have a lot of information on the extent of their injuries right now. All that we do know is that one child was transported by air ambulance to a children's hospital and eight others were transported by ground ambulance. Right now we have 15 at the Franklin County sheriff's office that are quickly being reunited with their parents.

WHITFIELD: Was this a school bus a city or county school bus? I think I see "City" on the side of the bus that was leased out to this private group? Or was this a city or county school-related trip?

CURRY: Well, this was a -- it was a private group. And I'm not exactly sure who -- whether they leased the bus or not. However, it was a private group that had children at the Amazing Grace Baptist Church camp here north of Ottawa in Franklin County, and they were transporting the children back to independence, Missouri. WHITFIELD: How remote was this location the scene of this accident? How difficult was it to respond to?

CURRY: It actually was quite easy to respond to. It was on interstate 35 between really between the city of Ottawa and the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. So getting to the accident wasn't too hard.

There was a little bit of problem with vehicles that were backed up on the interstate because the bus did close off both lanes of the interstate when it rolled over on to its side. However, we were able to get out and organize that very quickly. And we didn't have any other accidents ensue because of this.

WHITFIELD: Excellent. Out of Kansas, Franklin County Jeff Curry, thanks so much for your time. And we wish all the best to the kids as they are to be reunited with their families. And of course we're also wishing the best for those who are injured.

All right, right now, we are at hour 47 of BP's original 48-hour test, and so far, so good. But BP says the pressure tests on its ruptured oil well may be extended. David Mattingly has been following this story from the very beginning. David, what is the latest?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredericka, that 48-hour deadline is now out the window. They're going to see how this goes. And a lot of that has to do with the fact that the pressure that's building up there was not going up to what they originally thought it would.

It's doing well. They're finding out this well is in good shape, no signs of any leaks so far, which is fantastic. They're continuing to do all sorts of seismic testing and other types of testing down below just to see if there's any oil seeping up or any escaping methane gas.

But so far none of that has happened, everything is going well, and they're just going to keep testing this well right now to see how it performs.

So far, they've built up the amount of pressure of 6,745 pounds per square inch. Now at one time they were talking about seeing if this well was going to go up to maybe 8,000 pounds per square inch. But now they've come to realize -- at least BP thinks that because this well has been spewing out so much oil for so long that it's actually become depleted somewhat and now does not have the pressure it might have had at one time.

So now they're looking at the pressure to continue just creeping up a couple of pounds per square inch every hour. And they're just going to keep watching that to see where it goes. They think it might end somewhere around 6,800, which would put us out in the max out range sometime in the next couple of days.

But right now they're throwing that 48-hour deadline out the window and are going to keep looking at, this keep the tests going, and keep making decisions as they go.

WHITFIELD: All right, David Mattingly, thanks so much from New Orleans. Appreciate that.

Right here in the studio with me, CNN producer Vivian Kuo who has spent a lot of time studying this procedure, all that has been tested, tried out as it pertains to the oil leak. What's the best-case scenario that BP is hoping for here?

VIVIAN KUO, CNN PRODUCER: As David just explained, we're in a crucial part of the operation. There's a couple of scenarios. As you said, the best-case scenario would be that the well does have integrity and could be kept shut in.

Obviously that's the best case we're looking at because no oil is flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. And conceivably, it could remain that case up until BP has the first relief well completed.

WHITFIELD: Worst-case scenario?

KUO: Well, that's not so good. Now, as David was explaining, they're trying to determine whether or not the well has any breaches in it. And if it has any leaks, it's decided the well does not have integrity, there could be a problem. They've got to open up the valves, start producing, and again the oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico.

WHITFIELD: OK, so the relief well is something that is still being constructed, but we're close, right? Did I hear properly that they're just a matter of inches if not feet away from the final product?

KUO: That's exactly it. They're in a very precision part of the drilling process. It's very slow. Like you said, they're like measuring it by inches. They said they're four feet eight inches away from the well. They're more than 17,800 feet below the surface. So they're measuring these little by little, doing extensive measuring operations just to see how farther from the original well.

WHITFIELD: What's thetime line again?

KUO: The timeline, they think maybe set the final casing next week, that basically means lay some pipe, cement it, intersection end of July.

WHITFIELD: So everyone's hoping that's going to work. But is there kind of a plan b, c, d -- I don't know what letter we should be on right now -- if this doesn't work? If that relief well doesn't do what people are hoping it will be? Is it safe to say that there is another option out there or a plan that's already being revealed?

KUO: You know what, there are some other options. National Incident Commander Thad Allen has implemented these plans in place. So if the first relief well doesn't work, they've got a second relief well. So their well -- they've drilled pretty far into that process now. And if that doesn't work, they have two other contingency plans in place ready to implement.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Vivian Kuo, CNN producer, thanks so much, appreciate that.

All right, well, a man is facing a long list of charges, including arson. Police say 48-year-old David Witso drove a car full of explosives into a bank on the south side of Chicago. Witnesses say they saw him walking away as the car exploded. Police say he used the same materials found in fireworks.

The bank was closed at the time and no one was injured. But they're still trying to figure out a motive here.

And officials in Hackensack, New Jersey, call it a major tragedy averted. Crews search the rubble of a partially collapsed parking garage this morning and found no victims. Three floors of the garage collapsed on top of each other. This happened just yesterday, one person was believed trapped inside a crushed car, but that car was removed this morning. And guess what -- it turned out to be empty.

Marriage and money, a combination that can cause problems, especially during very tough economic times. We've got some tips for couples thinking about marriage, perhaps those are who are already married, and those who might be considering "d" word, divorce.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, Wall Street reform is now just one signature away from being law. The Senate passed the bill by 60 to 39 votes. President Obama is expected to sign it next week.

And it could mean big changes in the way you actually spend money. Just take a look. First off, cash will be key when you go shopping. Stores will be allowed to require minimum purchases when you use plastic. And you might also stores offer discount for cash- paying customers.

The new rules also slice into so-called "swipe fees." They are the fees that banks charge merchants for credit-paying customers. Fewer fees mean less revenue for banks, meaning fewer perks like free checking and cash-back rewards.

Next up, loans -- banks will really be checking to see if you can afford, especially on mortgages. You'll also have annual access to your credit score and not just your credit report.

And taxpayer bailouts -- President Obama says the overhaul will make them a thing of the past. He says the bill gives Uncle Sam more tools to crack down on companies that could endanger the economy.

Breaking up is hard to do, especially in the troubled economy that we're all experiencing. In fact, some couples are actually delaying divorce or even choosing to stay married during these tough economic times. Divorce rates fell in 2008, the first year of the recession from 17.5 to 16.9 percent. That's according to the National Marriage Project, a group that studies marriage trends. Joining us right now is financial planner Karen Lee.

So Karen, money is usually at the root of, you know, marriages that are in trouble, which is why people need to talk about that money thing before they get married, right?

KAREN LEE, FINANCIAL ADVISER: They absolutely do. And the reason, simply said, that money is such a problem in divorce is that when people get married, they take their family income and they build a household based on that. The minute they get divorced, you're now trying to support two households on the same income. The money just doesn't go as far.

WHITFIELD: So how do you kind of tackle this? I think money is also one of those things that people are a little uncomfortable talking about. They feel it's very private. And we're talking that stage before you even get married.

How do you, you know, break the ice and say let's lay it all out there? How do we both approach money, saving, spending, all that?

LEE: Right. Well, you're hitting right on some of what I wanted to say. I think if couples -- we're going to talk about today if you're about to get married, if you're already married or, sadly, contemplating divorce. If you're looking at getting married I would recommend full financial disclosure.

WHITFIELD: Pull out the credit report.

LEE: You think people would do that. This is the person that you want to spend your life with. But I can't tell you how many couples --

WHITFIELD: I think people are thinking, gosh, am I being suspicious now?

LEE: Maybe that's true. What I have found, though, is couples that get married, they don't realize the credit cards, the student loan debts. So instead, they feel like their spouse wasn't honest with them.

So the first thing would be full financial disclosure about your current finances. And then, yes, what about a discussion about how you were raised in relationship to money? And that could lead into a discussion on your views.

WHITFIELD: Come from a spendthrifty family, frugal.

LEE: How do you feel about spending and debt?

WHITFIELD: Do opposites attract in that respect?

LEE: As in love, opposites attract. You do end up marrying often someone with a very different background and possibly a different relationship with money. One more thing I wanted to add if you're thinking of getting married is consider a prenuptial agreement.

WHITFIELD: No matter what your wealth or lack thereof?

LEE: No, either coming into the marriage with serious assets or a second or third marriage which has a higher percentage of divorce.

WHITFIELD: So that whole prenup thing, there are folks thinking, oh, you don't trust me, you don't love me. But what are these protections in case we split? Aren't we supposed to be going into this saying we're married forever.

LEE: Things are different these days. People are getting married much later in life, and, again, second and third marriages. So it's a little different than it was in the good old days.

WHITFIELD: So now, say you haven't done all those things, you're married.

LEE: You're married.

WHITFIELD: Money problems, something's going on, or there's some other problems and you want a divorce.

LEE: Let's talk first about it if things are solid. If things are good in your marriage and you just want to -- what should you be doing as a married couple?

Number one, I'd like to see people make their financial decisions together, instead of where we normally have one person who is in charge of the money. Of course my first point would be if it's possible, live on as low of an income is possible, and that helps in a job loss, let alone a divorce.

But I love to have couples plan for the future together so they can both be engaged in not just making this marriage work, but having a long-term plan with each other.

WHITFIELD: So saying, whether it's talking about trips you want to take or property you want to one day --

LEE: Where you might want to retire -- where do you want to send your kids to college? And if you do think you're going to have a substantial inheritance coming, you might want to talk to the parents to send that into trust just to make sure it doesn't get mixed up in the marital assets.

WHITFIELD: That's interested. So say there is a trust, you're the daughter or son that may inherit, but then they marry, what happens to that trust?

LEE: We see that these days. We see a lot of older parents saying I want to leave money to my children when they get married, be I'm a little concerned about my daughter-in-law or son-in-law, and I want to make sure the money stays with my child. So the trust can work that out.

WHITFIELD: That's fascinating. Can we talk about the trouble in paradise now?

LEE: Let's talk about divorce, literally one of the most financially devastating things that can happen to people. The first tip I've got on that, go to any length to work it out. Seek counseling, do everything you can.

WHITFIELD: Share the home. Stay together even if --

LEE: I'm not going to play psychologist, but I can tell you in this economic environment, it's probably a consideration. Seek financial advice in addition to legal advice. Don't just talk to a lawyer. Go see a financial planner.

WHITFIELD: What are you asking?

LEE: What budget am I going to be able to live on? And then get ready and be realistic for a lower lifestyle than you probably were accustomed to.

WHITFIELD: Whether there are kids involved or not.

LEE: Unfortunately, if you're going to get a divorce, if there's less income to go around, yes.

WHITFIELD: Less income to go around, but then divorce itself, the legal proceeding can be incredibly expensive, right?

LEE: Incredibly costly. So the last thing I would say on that is make sure you are logical versus emotional and take this as really try to figure out how you're going to make it work. And yes, you might be going from living in a house to living in an apartment.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. When we say expensive, are we talking thousands?

LEE: It depends.

WHITFIELD: Or ten thousands?

LEE: It depends. You can actually probably for about $2,500 retainer have a divorce. If it's uncontested, you could not use lawyers and mediate it yourself.

WHITFIELD: And that's going to be the cheapest route.

LEE: But if there's a lot of money involved --

WHITFIELD: Boy, you know, I'm trying, trying to help folks out. Find the lower end of the scale of the money doled out, but I guess not. That's the bottom line.

Well, we've got lots of questions that have come from folks from Facebook, blog, et cetera. We're going to post those to Karen Lee. Free advice, financial advice, whether you're married, thinking about getting married, or if you've got to go to splitsville, money advice coming from Karen Lee after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now. A bus carrying a group of children from church camp rolled over this morning in Kansas. It happened on Interstate 35 near Wellsville. One child was taken to a hospital by air ambulance, eight others by ground ambulances.

And on day 89 of the Gulf oil disaster, cautious optimism. There are no signs of any new leaks two days after the oil stopped gushing. BP is continuing its so-called integrity test on the new containment cap. And this is just past the 48-hour deadline that they had set earlier.

President Barack Obama and his family are in Maine this weekend for a brief vacation. Republicans are criticizing the getaway, saying Mr. Obama should not take time off during this Gulf oil disaster. Democrats call the criticism "galling" considering George W. Bush's frequent trips away from the White House they say.

More top stories in 20 minutes.

We're back right now with financial planner Karen Lee. And we've got some of your questions that you've been submitting online, mostly as it pertains to finances before you get married, when you're married, and if, you know, divorce happens to enter the equation.

So let's start with this one from Christopher. And he says "Can you have a healthy relationship if you sign a prenuptial agreement?" You kind of alluded to this earlier.

LEE: I think absolutely. I think that the basis of whether or not a relationship is going to work has nothing to do with a legal document or not.

Now, I will say that I've certainly told some friends of mine that if they're going to ask for that that you might pass the blame and say my financial adviser told me I need to do this. But remember, with people getting married in later in life and they've already been on their own with their own income and their own stuff, it really shouldn't be a deal breaker to sign a pre-nup.

WHITFIELD: Yes, and maybe even expected these days, right?

LEE: I think we're in a different time than it used to be and it shouldn't be a big surprise.

WHITFIELD: Yes, used to be associated with distrust. Really, now, it's protection.

LEE: It really is. It really is.

WHITFIELD: OK, and this one from Steve, saying "My parents want to leave me some money. Should they do it in 2010 before the estate taxes go up?" Interesting.

LEE: That's a great question. But it's only going to make a difference if they die in 2010.

WHITFIELD: They leave you some money if they know that they're not going to be here.

LEE: If they know they're dying, do it quick because there is no estate tax. But he's talking about I'm assuming gifting. And the gifting rules have not changed. From 2009 to 2010, parents can leave or you can leave anyone $13,000 each. So each parent can leave the child $26,000, they can leave the child's spouse $26,000, the child's kids $26,000. So you can get a lot of money ...

LEE: It's not taxed on that gift.

WHITFIELD: They don't have a gift tax, and the children aren't taxed either.

LEE: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. That's really good to keep in mind when it pertains to college tuition and all that too. The grandparent may want to gift some money.

LEE: There's a special provision with 529 plans, perfect for grandparents, but anybody can do this -- five years fast gifting all in one year. So take your $13,000, multiply by five, $65,000 just all in one year. You can't gift again for five more years, but that's something great.

WHITFIELD: Helps that first year.

Rex, asking this, "What investment strategies would you recommend a young professional take in a Roth IRA?"

LEE: Well, I'll fall back on my traditional asset allocation strategy with annual rebalancing. Depending on how young, I'm assuming they're talking 25, 30, 35, I'd say just a higher percentage in stocks, then bonds, maybe 80 percent stock, 20 percent bond.

Don't forget to have a full asset allocation, international and domestic, small cap media and large cap, and all different types of bonds, as well, might have some real estate and precious metals. Do that annual rebalancing, put it in, and let it go. That's great. Congratulations to him for starting a Roth. That's a great deal.

WHITFIELD: That's excellent. Any last-minute advice for those who are considering marriage who are married or may be considering divorce, anything they need to know about the finances?

LEE: I think the main thing is talk about money. This is something that couples before marriage, during marriage don't ever ...

WHITFIELD: They keep it a secret. LEE: For a lot of people it's a bone of contention, they fight about it. Get it out on the table. And if you can't, the two of you really talk well, go get a third person. And it could be a financial adviser, could be a therapist. Talk about money.

WHITFIELD: Why are people so afraid to talk about money even when you're married?

LEE: It's a very taboo subject in this country. And it's something we need to open up and make it more public.

WHITFIELD: It's super, super personal, isn't it?

Karen Lee, thanks so much, financial adviser. Always good to have you. Appreciate that.

LEE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And thanks for those of you at home who brought in great questions to keep the conversation going. Appreciate that.

Well, did you know that most BP gas stations are not actually owned independently by BP? So when you drive past that BP gas station in protest, you're not squeezing the corporate giant, by the way, most likely a small business owner.

I actually talked to one small business owner of a BP station who wants you to hear his words when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Day 89 of the gulf oil disaster. And this is the last hour of an important test that BP's new containment cap. So far so good, but BP says it may extend the tests to gather more data. BP says its relief well is just five feet from the ruptured well and could be in place by the end of this month.

So for almost three months now, we've watched this disaster unfold. It's a huge public relations nightmare to say the very least, not just for BP but also for the independent owners of BP gas stations. Shahzad Aslam is one of these independent owners and he has a station in the nation's capital.

So how difficult has the past three months been for you?

SHAHZAD ASLAM, INDEPENDENT OWNER, BP GAS STATION: It has been very difficult for us because not only customers are boycotting our gas stations, but they are protesting, as well. And they are putting signs. Some of my fellow dealers have seen vandalism and harassment.

WHITFIELD: How long have you owned a gas station in the nation's capital, BP?

ASLAM: The last 11 years.

WHITFIELD: And in the 11 years, have you ever had the kind of wrinkle or drop-off in business like you're experiencing now?

ASLAM: No, not at all, never.

WHITFIELD: So you know it has to do with the Gulf oil. That you're sold on, correct?

ASLAM: That is correct, yes.

WHITFIELD: So what kind of options do you have? What can you do to either tell customers about you're experiencing to try to regain the business, or what can you do to kind of offset the drop-off in business?

ASLAM: As a small business owner, you know, I have a very limited resources. But what I have done as an individual that I'm actually selling at my cost right now just in order to stay in business.

WHITFIELD: So you're not making a profit?

ASLAM: That is correct.

WHITFIELD: When you do sell?

ASLAM: Not on gas. But from BP we have not heard anything so far. We were not offered any options. So we are still waiting on that.

WHITFIELD: Do you say anything to customers? Do you put a sign out, anything to tell your old customers or maybe new customers potentially what you're going through and why you need their business and that, you know, you're in a tough situation because of the large company, BP's, mistakes?

ASLAM: Yes, we, in fact, have received some signs from BP similar to what you're looking at right now. And we posted that on our pumps, but the problem is only those customers can see those signs once they pull in.

WHITFIELD: Once they pull in, got it.

ASLAM: Other than that, whoever comes in, we try to talk to them and explain to them that -- especially in D.C., it is against the law for major oil companies to own and operate the gas stations. Therefore all the sites are owned and operated by the people within their own community.

And, you know, people working for us are local residents. So when they boycott us, basically they're hurting their own community.

WHITFIELD: And so you feel for the most part all the other BP gas station owners in the metropolitan because of what you just said area are experiencing the same thing you are.

ASLAM: That's exactly right. WHITFIELD: I wonder in some cities, I understand even in Detroit, Michigan, might be one location where some BP independent BP gas station owners have decided to choose a new brand. Sunoco is one that some have turned to.

Is it a contractual thing that -- is that something you would consider, but if only there was a window, perhaps, in your contract with BP? Or how does it work?

ASLAM: I wish it was an option for us. Unfortunately, we are -- we have a contract with BP for 15 years to ...

WHITFIELD: Fifteen years?

ASLAM: Of which five years have passed. So I have ten more years before I can think of changing the name.

But on the same note, all of our stations were Amaco's before BP bought them. And Amaco as an American oil company had a much better reputation and recognition among our customers. And I wonder BP if they could at least bring that name back to us.

WHITFIELD: Before I let you go, Shahzad, I wonder, what do you suppose the next ten years will be like? Are you concerned? Do you think you'll stay in business? Do you think it'll be difficult for a little bit longer before things might pick up for you again in the remaining ten years that you are contracted with BP?

ASLAM: You're right, Fredricka. If the situation stays the same as it is, because you lose the trust of your customers, it takes a long time to get them back.

WHITFIELD: OK.

ASLAM: So the only thing I can hope is that BP will do something better for their dealers, as well, because we are their front line. We are the one who are facing customers. So I hope they will give us some better options to, you know, fight against that.

WHITFIELD: Shahzad Aslam, thanks so much, an independent owner of BP gas station in Washington, D.C. We wish you the best because we know that it's very difficult at the very least for many small business owners across the country no matter what is being sold. Thanks so much for your time.

ASLAM: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, one congresswoman says it's time for a major change in the U.S. military. She wants to change the rules on women in combat so that they can get promoted faster.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now.

More deadly violence in Mexico near the U.S. border. It started with a car bomb attack that killed four people in Ciudad, Juarez, on Thursday. Then yesterday at least a dozen people have been killed in three separate clashes in Laredo. Mexican police say most of the victims are gang members, but two civilians and one soldier were also killed.

And five NATO troops have been killed in scattered incidents in Afghanistan in the past 48 hours. Three were killed today, including one American and one British soldier in the eastern part of the country. A Britain and American were killed in an IED attack yesterday and more than 100 coalition troops died there, last month alone 60 of them Americans.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is headed for an international conference on the war. It begins in Kabul on Tuesday, then after that, Clinton is scheduled to visit South Korea and Vietnam.

The U.S. is around 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, including women serving in critical support roles. Women cannot serve in combat, a fact one congresswoman thinks is ridiculous. CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A California congresswoman says if women were allowed into the infantry and other combat jobs, it would open up more promotions and better prepare them for the attacks and ambushes they're already facing in the warzones.

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ, (D) CALIFORNIA: They don't get enough of that training. They don't get enough of that time.

LAWRENCE: But the army says all soldiers deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan get some combat-specific training, such as convoy live fire exercises, reaction to ambush, weapons training, combat life saving training, and other skills.

LAWRENCE (on camera): And when I was in Afghanistan, I spoke with some women who were part of female engagement teams. They walk foot patrols outside the wire and do get additional training.

SANCHEZ: We do this one drill where we have all of our gear on, like a full combat load. And we do a whole bunch of push-ups and then sprint and then try to shoot so we understand what it's like to shoot under pressure.

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Sanchez says in the civilian world, there's a reason human resources supervisors don't become CEOs, but sales executives do. They're directly involved in what that business does.

SANCHEZ: With respect to our military, it's to fight wars. It is combat.

LAWRENCE: Sanchez recently met with a young male officer she nominated for west point eight years ago. He's about to become a major.

SANCHEZ: How has he gotten promoted so quickly? He's done three or four tours already in Iraq. And he said to me, congresswoman, it's where the battle is, it's where you get promoted, it's where you get to move up.

Where are the bulk of the four-star generals coming out of? Where do the Petraeuses come from, the McChrystals, these types of people? Of course, they come out of the battle.

LAWRENCE: Women make up 14 percent of the military, but only seven percent of the generals and admirals. And army general Ann Dunnwitty is the first and only four-star.

On the other hand, the first female officer starts submarine school this fall. And the army says more than 90 percent of its jobs are open to women -- quote, "Their service is steeped in tradition and continues today in greater numbers and with greater positive influence than any time in our nation's history."

(on camera): Right now the army is in the middle of a review to see who see is eligible for all of its MOS's, including combat specialties like armor and infantry. Those results will be done by the end of the year, and they could shed a completely new light on this issue.

Chris Lawrence, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In the meantime, Americans, they love their cars. I'm one of them. One great, great granny is no exception. Her car has a V-8 engine with enough miles on it to reach the moon and back, and it's still going strong.

But first, imagine looking at a billboard and getting a custom advertisement based on your eyes. Sounds like a scene out of a movie, right? Well, it's not. It is today's "Edge of Discovery."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In the world of advertising, you look at the ads. But soon, they'll be watching you. It's a future imagined in the 2002 "Minority Report," cameras capture and read Tom Cruise's face and customize ads for his character pop up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could use a Guinness right about now.

LAH: That future is now. This billboard sees you, scans your face, then pulls up an ad you'll like.

Here's how this works. When you walk up to the ad, a camera captures your image, the computer figures out if you're a man or woman and your age. Meanwhile, an age and gender-specific ad rolls. This shows that I'm in my 30s and I'll like seasonal pasta.

The computer then determines how interested you are, how long you stay. That data is then recorded for the company.

The facial recognition technology is accurate to within ten years of your actual age. And the next gen system they're testing out is even more age accurate.

"This is a new age of advertising," she says, "we can learn something we never knew from marketing. The new ads give real time reactions to street signs. So marketing can be more targeted and more effective."

NEC believes the use of this technology in advertising is just the next step.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: You know her sound, you know her look. She's from "Britain's Got Talent," the singing sensation Susan Boyle right there. Well, now she wants to give back. The Scottish-born singer is holding her own competition on her YouTube page. And you can win a chance to sing a duet with Boyle on her next album by entering a video of singing yourself, just like that.

There's more about Susan's search on her Web site. That address is susanboylemusic.com.

And something else we're talking about around the water cooler, this incredible ride right here. A great-great grandmother is showing off her ride. It's a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente, still running with more than 562,000 miles on it. That is enough, those miles, to go to the moon and back.

There she is showing it, getting behind the wheel of her ride. One reason for the 46-year-old car's longevity, she says, TLC from its 91-year-old owner, Rachel Veitch of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The car has actually outlasted her three marriages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACHEL VEITCH, CAR OWNER: She's never lied to me, never cheated on me, and I can always depend on her. And that's the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Rachel Veitch -- well, she says the fastest that she's ever gone in this car is 120 miles an hour. And overall, she's spent about $50,000 keeping the car running. And she gets lifetime warranties on everything, she says, which has meant among other things, free shocks and at least 18 free batteries. I love that.

All right, Josh with me now, there's still more. We've got these very cool little stories all over the water cooler that we love. That's probably my favorite thus far. But maybe this one can top that.

Seven decades of the ups and downs of marriage gives you a whole lot of wisdom. I think everyone can agree on that. Well, a pair of seniors has become an internet sensation. This couple shares tips for making a marriage last, dancing and having a lot of humor.

And I don't know if they can top the ride of, you know, decades old. But that is an incredible journey.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They've got a ride through life going. This couple, they're inspiring so many people right now. And when you see them, you can immediately understand what it is about them.

Listen to this. You can immediately see why they're gaining such a following here. This is Barbara and Harry Cooper. She's 93, he's 98. They just celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary. They live in California.

And they're two of the oldest bloggers in the world. Their blog is called the OGs, short for the "original grandparents." Their granddaughters post their videos. Barbara even tweets. This is her dancing for him after breakfast. It's so sweet.

And one of the videos recently they wanted to share some songs he learned in Hawaii when he was in the military. Watch this. That was it. Play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Folks are falling in love with these guys. They have this blog. They've got thousands of fans on Facebook. Because they've lasted so long, they actually get asked for relationship advice.

WHITFIELD: Really?

LEVS: And one of the videos they have on their Web site, their granddaughter read them a note from someone complaining their husband is being lazy and refusing to work. And here's the grandmother's advice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You think she can talk him into it?

DEBORAH COOPER: Definitely. This is part of being married. If you wanted to marry, he should stay home and let his parents take care of him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good point. Good point. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Sometimes you've got to listen to her a few times. But she's saying, hey, he ought to be home with his parents if he's not going to be a worker.

I was able to get them some questions through their granddaughter. I asked them what everyone was wanting to know. What's their secret to a lasting, successful marriage. Here's what they said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBORAH COOPER: Compliments, patience, and time.

HARRY COOPER: It's give and take. She takes and I give.

DEBORAH COOPER: He thinks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: And the kisses.

LEVS: They're so sweet. I love them.

WHITFIELD: I love them too. I love the OGs.

LEVS: OGs.com, the original grandparents.

DEBORAH COOPER: I like it. Thanks, OGs.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll have much more in the newsroom right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, collateral damage from the oil disaster. The financial fallout is forcing families to make tough choices. And in many cases, the family pet has become a luxury they simply cannot afford to keep.

Here's CNN's Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This old sheep dog has never seen a drop of oil, never even come close, yet she's homeless because of the spill. Sheeba is one of hundreds of dogs and cats now living in Louisiana animal shelters. Their owners, mainly fishermen and others in the industry, are out of work and can no longer afford to care for them.

They have a choice -- food on the table or the family pet.

ANA ZORRILLA, LOUISIANA SPCA: Not only is this a postal disaster, it is an animal disaster on so many levels.

KAYE: Ana Zorrilla is with the Louisiana SPCA.

ZORRILLA: I think when people think of animals being affected by the oil spill, they think of the oiled birds and the oiled turtles, they don't think of the family pet. Exactly. I think these are the unseen victims right now in this disaster.

KAYE: Unseen no longer. Their faces are irresistible, their eyes pleading, their soft wimpers heartbreaking. And they just keep coming. So many dogs and cats, shelters are turning to foster homes to house them. Ana says the SPCA is even sending some pets to shelters in other states. There just aren't enough cages in Louisiana.

(on camera): In June of last year at one shelter, 17 dogs were turned in by their owners. This past June after the spill at that very same shelter, 127 dogs were turned in by their owners. That's 110 more dogs this year than last year.

And the SPCA says it is definitely a result of the spill. If you look at this dog right here, this is champ. Take a look at his paperwork. It says he was surrendered, owner incapable of caring for.

(voice-over): Same story for this little pup. Her name is Panda. She's a terrier mix and just about two months old. She was turned in after the spill.

You just want a hug. That's all you want, a much-needed hug.

Because pets can help reduce stress, Ana says giving them up now makes it harder for families already struggling.

(on camera): How tough do you think a decision is for a family to give up a pet when they're facing really the end of their livelihood in many cases?

ZORRILLA: I think it's one more blow on top of everything else. Imagine having to make that decision of letting a family member go because you can no longer afford to keep them. It isn't that you don't love them, it isn't that you don't want them, you just don't have the financial resources, you know, to keep them.

KAYE: The SPCA just launched a program this week to help owners hold on to their pets. Using donations, it's providing pet food and neutering to anyone from the fishing industry. But the SPCA doesn't have enough money to help every pet owner.

Ana says BP should pay.

ZORRILLA: What I would love to see is that BP provide some kind of support, whether it's, you know, helping fund to dog food, cat food, vetinary care, whatever's needed so that these sweet little dogs and cats don't go to shelters.

KAYE: Too many who do end up here may never get a second chance. This is not one of those no kill shelters. If these pets don't find a family within the next two or three weeks, they'll be euthanized, killed, even though oil never touched them.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)