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Ground Zero Mosque Controversy; Pakistan Flood Disaster Far from Over; Looking Ahead in Pakistan; National Guard Vets Battle to Find Jobs; Spectators Killed in Off-Road Race in California; Finding New Tech Gadgets for School
Aired August 15, 2010 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Right now on CNN, the devastation is unfathomable. Thousands are dead, and the ones who survived Pakistan's floods are in desperate need. A report tonight you need to see.
This is what happens when racing goes wrong: eight people are dead. Many more are injured. Now, federal investigators are trying to figure out what happened off road in a California desert.
Reading, writing, arithmetic no more -- it is a whole new world when it comes to school supplies like an alarm clock that shakes your kid right out of the bed. We'll tell you what all the cool kids need to head back to class.
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LEMON: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon.
Short and sweet -- the first family already back in D.C. after a weekend get away to the Gulf Coast. The White House was hoping this trip would encourage recovery in the region after the massive oil disaster there.
But as Ed Henry tells us, our chief White House correspondent, much of the attention on this trip was stolen by comments the president made exclusively to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Don, the president wrapped up this quick vacation here on the Gulf Coast with First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughter Sasha. They decided to take a little family boat ride despite some pretty rough weather -- as you can see behind me, wind whipping around; the president, at one point, getting behind the wheel himself and steering the boat for a little while.
But this trip, of course, has been overshadowed a bit by the president trying to navigate some tough political waters right now because of that controversy over the mosque that may be built in New York City near Ground Zero. The president, of course, really sort of poured some gasoline on the fire Friday night when at a ceremony at the White House, he appeared to be endorsing this project on religious freedom grounds.
The president, when I spoke to him on one-on-one in Saturday here in Florida, appeared ever so slightly to be shifting, insisting that he was not commenting on the wisdom of this particular project. That forced a White House spokesman to come out and basically say that the president was not backpedalling.
But, today, on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley, Republican Congressman Peter King said the president, in fact, was backpedalling. Well, it was interesting that Democrats, like Congressman Chris Van Hollen, did not really offer full-throated defense of the president's position. Instead, focusing on the broad issue of religious freedom and basically saying this is a local issue that the president doesn't have to worry about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": He seems to say, look, I'm just saying that we have a principle here and it's a religious freedom. I'm not saying one way or another whether I support it. What does that -- does that seem like a change to you?
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Yes, it does. The president is a gifted speaker. He's a tremendous communicator.
Obviously, his words were carefully chosen on Friday night, and the inference or the clear impression that everybody came away with was that he was supporting the mosque at Ground Zero, and he can parse it later on and sort of back away. But the fact is, that is clearly the impression I believe he wanted to leave.
CROWLEY: Congressman Van Hollen, would you rather the president not brought this up?
REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D) MARYLAND: Candy, first of all, I think that when it comes to 9/11 and the memory of 9/11, we should all agree that it would be wrong to politicize this issue. And I think what the president said yesterday was as the president of the United States of America, he was simply stating the principle that under our great Constitution we do not discriminate against people based on their religion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, on Monday, the president hits the road for three days of campaigning and fundraising for Democrats all across the country who are bracing for some pretty tough midterm elections because of the jobs and economic issues that have been putting so much pressure on the Democratic Party. Now the party has to wonder whether this mosque issue will also play in November -- Don.
LEMON: All right. Ed Henry, thank you very much.
And tonight at 7:00 Eastern, we're breaking down the heated debate on whether to build a mosque just blocks away from Ground Zero -- anger among some, support, and even indifference among others. And President Obama now seemingly stuck right in the middle. Plus, you'll hear President Obama's remarks from Friday night that reignited the current debate. So, stay tuned for that.
Meantime, in the Mojave Desert, a popular off-road track race turned tragic when one of the vehicles careened into spectators after soaring over a jump.
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LEMON: Just look at that. Witnesses say the white truck lost control and flipped over on to people standing along that course. Six people died on the scene, two died later. At least nine others were hurt, four of them seriously.
Racing officials advise spectators to stand at least 100 feet away from the course. Clearly, many people were not heeding that advice. Because of the potential dangers of desert racing, drivers must sign waivers absolving racing officials of any responsibility if they are hurt or kill. Spectators attended -- at their own risk, they attend these events.
Now, the young man who captured the tragic event on video tells CNN he had his own close call just moments earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN DAVY, WITNESSED FATAL CRASH: About two minutes before I started filming, there was a close call with myself and some friends that were on the left side where I was filming. And I actually was a lot closer than, you know, what it shows on the video, and I got pushed back. It was -- you know, I got shaken up. I turned to my friend and said, man, that was close.
And that's when I decided to film what was going on and that's the only video I have of the whole race, was just that -- the crash. And it's very unfortunate what happened. And -- I mean, way too close -- way too close for comfort.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, the driver of the truck that crash posted this message on his Facebook page. He said, "So incredibly lost and devastated. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the families and friends involved. Thank you to all to my friends for sticking with me even through these tragic times. I love you all." I love you all.
Amazing story there. We're going to follow up on this. Both the California Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Land Management are investigating that crash.
Ahead, we're going to learn more about off-road racing when former Desert World Champion Rich Minga join us later this hour.
Now, we're going to Pakistan -- that's where a major humanitarian disaster could be unfolding right now. Weeks of monsoon rains have devastated the country. Millions of Pakistanis are homeless and destitute. They need food and they need help -- and with unconfirmed reports of cholera breaking out, they may need something else and soon, lots of medicine.
Today, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the area to focus international attention on the crisis. CNN's Reza Sayah reports from the capital Islamabad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These floods hit more than two weeks ago. And over the past several days, it's become clear that things are not improving, they are getting worse. And that is exactly why U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon made a visit to Pakistan on Sunday.
It was a busy day for the U.N. chief. He flew into the federal capital of Islamabad escorted by the interior minister, Rehman Malik, who briefed him on the situation on the ground using maps. He showed the U.N. chief the flood zone that extends from parts of northwest Pakistan, all the way to central Pakistan. The U.N. is saying 1/5 of Pakistan is under water.
Once Mr. Ban landed, he met with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. He then went on a helicopter tour of some of the flood zones and he capped off the day with a news conference where he described the devastation he saw.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BAN KI-MOON, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: Thousands of towns and villages have simply been washed away. Roads, bridges, buildings, crops -- billions of livelihoods have been lost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAYAH: Alongside the U.N. chief at the conference, the much maligned Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari who's been sharply criticized by the local media here in Pakistan for being absent two weeks ago when these floods hit. Mr. Zardari with this message for the media:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT ASIF ALI ZARDARI, PAKISTAN: I would appeal to the press to understand the magnitude of the issue. The magnitude is so spread out that we've requested China to drop food for 40,000 or 25,000 people, which are beyond our reach. We cannot reach those mountains. The magnitude of the problem the world has never seen such a disaster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAYAH: So, both President Zardari and U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon making a very urgent and public appeal for the international community to step up aid. Now, Pakistan anxiously awaits to see how the world responds.
Reza Sayah, CNN, Islamabad.
(END VIDEOTAPE) LEMON: All right, Reza, thank you very much.
The monsoon rains have been relentless and they're not over yet. And the geography of Pakistan is not helping. Rains fall in the north are carried south by the rivers to flood there as well.
Let's check in now with our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras to see what the weather situation is going to be like in Pakistan.
Jacqui, my question is -- is there anything comparable here ever in the U.S.?
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, not that I'm aware of any. This is so devastating, Don. In fact, you know, I was reading up on this earlier today and I heard a report that the U.N. is now saying that the humanitarian crisis -- that means the help the people need on the ground -- has now exceeded that of the Asian tsunami, of the Haiti earthquake, and the Kashmir earthquake all combined. So, just to give you an idea of how many people this has impacted and how the devastating it is.
You know, this has just been a drawn out long event. This has been going on for two weeks already. And there are no signs of this flooding receding, unfortunately. Waves of water are continuing to push their way down the river and about 1/5 of Pakistan is now flooded. That's the equivalent of the state of Florida being under water. Just to put that in perspective for you how large this area is.
Now, there are some new concerns tonight in Sakur (ph). And I want to explain to you what's going on here with the river.
Here you can see Pakistan. This is the Indus River that we're talking about. Millions of people rely on this river as the sole source for their drinking water as well as irrigation. Now, we'll zoom in and you can see the lay of the land and it's very, very flat in this area. And so, it takes a long time for some of that water to run off and get towards the river area.
Now, there is a barrage in this area and a barrage is basically just a dam. And here you can see it on Google Earth. And they also have a complex irrigation system there. There you can see the irrigation canals. Now, the amount of water that's flowing into the area is much greater than that flowing out right now. And so, we're concerned there's some type of blockage or something happening in this area.
The first wave, the first crest, has already happened, but a second crest is expected in the next couple of days. And the big issue here, Don, is that if that second wave catches up with that first wave or that first crest, how we could just have much more massive devastation in this area. More rain is in the forecast, but even if we don't get another single drop of rain, Don, we're going to continue to have flood issues at least for the next two weeks.
LEMON: Oh, boy, they need help.
Jacqui Jeras, thank you so much.
And to find out how you can make a difference and help the flood victims in Pakistan, visit our "Impact Your World" page. Just log on to CNN.com/Impact.
General David Petraeus talking today about pulling troops out of Afghanistan when he believes our men and women in uniform should come home.
A new birth control pill is likely to stir some strong debate. You've heard of the morning-after pill. You might call this one the week- after pill.
And seeing this outside your window might make you wonder if you forgot to have your morning coffee or if you're actually dreaming. I think I just go right back to bed. Zebras on the run in a neighborhood?
Don't just sit there. We want you to be part of the conversation. Make sure you send us a message on Twitter or Facebook or check out our blog, CNN.com/Don, or look for us, check in with us on Foursquare.
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LEMON: All right. A new pill will no doubt make waves in the weeks ahead and stir up an ongoing debate over emergency contraception. The Food and Drug Administration just approved a pill called Ella that offers women more time to prevent pregnancy than just the morning after. Ella works for up to five days after unprotected sex. That is according to its maker HRA Pharma.
And to get the full picture of how Ella works and how it differs from what's already available, we Dr. Sujatha Reddy. She is an obstetrician and a gynecologist, and a clinical assistant professor at Emory University's School of Medicine.
Thanks for joining us. Are you doing OK today?
DR. SUJATHA REDDY, OBSTETRICIAN/GYNECOLOGIST: Thanks. I'm doing well. Thank you.
LEMON: Great. How effective is Ella, Doctor? Does it work nearly 100 percent of the time?
REDDY: It almost seems to work 100 percent of the time. I wish there was something that was 100 percent effective. But when compared to the old morning-after pill that seem to prevent more pregnancies, you'd expect pregnancy rates to be anywhere from 5 percent to 7 percent. And here, we had pregnancy rates between 1 percent and 2 percent. So, it was highly effective.
LEMON: OK. So, people know, you know, the morning-after pill, which is called "Plan B." What's the difference between the morning-after pill and this new five-day pill?
REDDY: We have a graphic, I think, of it to help people look at it. What we see here is that the old morning-after pill worked for up to three days. And the sooner you took it, the better, because it's efficacy or how well it worked went down in those three days. With the new Ella pill, we know it works up to five days and it doesn't matter in that five days when you take it, it works just as well on day one as it would on day four.
The other main difference you see there is that the old morning-after pill is available without a prescription if you're 17 and older, but the new pill is going to be prescription only.
LEMON: Would you recommend this new emergency contraception to your patients?
REDDY: You know, I would. I think it's great that women have one more option if there is, you know, an unintended event that occurs. You have one more option, and you have that option a little bit longer than you did in the past. So, I would recommend it and prescribe it.
LEMON: So, what happens if you take Ella and then you become pregnant and then the pill -- if you do become pregnant, it doesn't -- it doesn't work. Does the pill then impact the fetus or the baby?
REDDY: It doesn't seem to, but that also is one reason that, I think, they're recommending you can get a prescription because you can go see your health care provider and have a pregnancy test before you take the Ella pill because we don't really know the effects, but it seems to be OK.
LEMON: Have you -- have you seen in your practice any abuse or do you know about in studies any abuse of the morning-after pill? And could that happen with Ella?
REDDY: You know, I personally have not seen that happen. And we don't seem to think that will happen with the new pill. It didn't happen with the old one. So, I don't think that would happen.
LEMON: All right, Doctor, thank you very much. We appreciate your time on this Sunday.
REDDY: Thank you.
LEMON: A horrible accident in an off-road race. Eight spectators are killed when a truck veers into the crowd. The video is unbelievable to look at. We're learning more about this form of racing from a former champion.
And preparing for a future disaster is tough, especially if you're still recovering from a previous one. But for the people of New Orleans, it's never too early to gear up for the next storm.
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LEMON: One year from now, the U.S. is set to begin reducing its troop levels in Afghanistan. But it ultimately depends on the security situation on the ground.
General David Petraeus, the man now in charge of winning this war, spoke about the target date earlier today on NBC's "Meet the Press."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, NBC/MEET THE PRESS)
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES AFGHANISTAN: That's what July 2011 really connotes. It is to all the participants, those in Kabul, some of us in uniform, against our civilian counterparts, that we've got to get on with this, that this has been going on for some nine years or so, that there is understandable concern -- in some cases frustration, and that, therefore, we've got to really put our shoulders to the wheel and show during the course of this year that progress can be achieved. And, again, one manifestation of that is out there that you have this date.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Let's bring in now CNN's Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence.
Chris, good to see you. What do you make of the general's remarks today?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, he seemed to leave the door cracked just a little bit to the possibility that he could recommend to President Obama that there be little to no withdrawal this time next year.
Look, there is tremendous political pressure, not only here in the United States from Democrats, but also in our allies and allied countries around the world to start to pull back from this war. You know, June was the deadliest month for American troops there -- until July, in which even more American troops were killed.
So, it is violent, but what General Petraeus seemed to say today was that, look, the last eight years, we got it wrong. We didn't have enough people. We didn't have the right people in the right places to make changes. And he said it's only in the last six months or so that the plan has really come together, that some progress is being made.
Some defense officials have told me that, really, they need more time -- that from the time the troops get into these areas, it takes up to about two years to really change that area. So, I think what you're going to see over the next six months to a year is some effort to try to have some benchmark, some successes to try to take some of that pressure off, to allow the general to make some recommendations to maybe slow down the withdrawal this time next year.
LEMON: Well, Chris, many Afghans don't see the Taliban as an enemy. So, how does General David Petraeus plan to root them out?
LAWRENCE: Yes, you're right. I mean, they see them as family members really. They're from these communities.
General Petraeus has some experience in this area. He was able to exploit some rifts in the Iraqi insurgency. And he says the troops have started to pick up some chatter from Taliban fighters saying -- wondering where their leaders are, wondering why their leaders are just doing cell phone calls from Pakistan to give orders. He thinks there are ways to exploit some of that and bring in some of these low- level fighters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETRAEUS: And the $5-a-day Taliban are certainly candidates for reintegration into Afghan society. And that is actually starting to happen a bit more over time, and we're still awaiting the fairly imminent announcement of the reconciliation policy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAWRENCE: Now, some defense officials tell me, you know, there are some people they just consider irreconcilable, you know, top level leaders like Taliban leader Mullah Omar. But, when General Petraeus was asked today, you know, he said at some point, you know, when we have to sit across the table from people who have blood on their hands -- he said, yes, we will. And that's something that's going to have to be explained not only to the Afghan people but also to the American people and European people who have put into this war -- Don.
LEMON: Our Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence -- Chris, thank you very much.
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LEMON: You know, the people of New Orleans have made enormous strides in rebuilding their city in the five years since Katrina hit. But they're also mindful that another devastating storm could strike, and one group is working hard to make sure everyone is ready for it.
With today's "Building Up America," here's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the wake of Katrina, tens of thousands of residents of New Orleanians were stranded because they lacked transportation, information, or the inclination to evacuate before the storm.
Beverly Mitchell with a clunker of an old car was one of them.
BEVERLY MITCHELL, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: I really didn't believe Katrina was going to be so devastating.
FOREMAN (on camera): You found out otherwise.
MITCHELL: I sure did. Yes, I did.
FOREMAN (voice-over): She wound up in the Superdome's heat, squalor, and darkness for days. Now, in the shadow of that same building, a growing group is building up their plan to avoid a repeat of that calamity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need this to save lives. FOREMAN: This is Evacuteer.org. Volunteers from all over town who are training to help their fellow citizens get out when a big storm comes in.
Robert Fogarty is the founder.
ROBERT FOGARTY, DIRECTOR, EVACUTEER.ORG: If we're not preparing our vulnerable residents for a way to leave and have them feel safe in that process, you know, we're not doing the best we can. I think our organization exists to reduce and never have happen what happened five years ago.
FOREMAN: Beverly Mitchell is counting on that.
(on camera): There are people here who don't have transportation. There are people who have medical problems. There are people who have financial problems, people who have questions, who are afraid.
MITCHELL: Yes. Yes. You know? So, Evacuteer is a blessing for all of us.
FOREMAN (voice-over): And assurance that as long as the evacuateers can find a way in, they will have a way out.
Tom Foreman, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And five years after Katrina, three extraordinary CNN heroes are determined to bring it back. Watch the inspiring story hosted by Anderson Cooper. "CNN Heroes: Coming Back From Katrina," tonight at 7:30 Eastern.
And then at 8:00, a look at the actions of the New Orleans police in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Did innocent people die at the hands of police officers? CNN investigates whether some overstressed officers took orders too far in "Shoot to Kill." That begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
One of those Arizona prison escapees is still on the run two weeks after busting out. Today, new developments in that case.
And a soldier puts his life on the line in Iraq. But when he gets home, he can't get a job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was putting out resume after resume. I'd have some interviews, and you just -- I just didn't get hired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Ahead: the challenges many National Guard soldiers face on the job front.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: For many of America's vets, the fighting is over, but the battle is still going on. Finding a job after completing their enlistment is proving to be a tough assignment for many members of the National Guard.
Kate Bolduan reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD WILKS, FORMER ARMY NATIONAL GUARDSMAN: I'm looking up security in law enforcement type of jobs that they might be offering.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 45-year-old Richard Wilks has served with the Army National Guard for five years, fighting eight months in Iraq, only to return home in 2008 to a new battle he never expected -- the fight to find a job.
WILKS: I was putting out resume after resume. I'd have some interviews and you -- I didn't get hired.
BOLDUAN: Frustrated and running out of money, Wilks turned to the only place he knew would hire.
WILKS: I opted to go back overseas because I couldn't find work. I volunteered to go back to Iraq.
BOLDUAN: Employers are required, by law, to hold jobs for reservists who are called to duty and are banned from discriminating against a job applicant because of their military service. But soldiers like Wilks fear their Guard service makes employers reluctant to take them on.
WILKS: They don't want to take the time to hire someone and then have them deployed and they have to rehire someone.
BOLDUAN (on camera): Wilks is back home once again, and again facing the same transition to civilian life without work. He's not alone. The jobless rate among veterans who have served since 9/11 rose to 11.8 percent last month. Compare that to the national rate of 9.5 percent. The Army National Guard says this problem is especially troubling among their ranks.
CAPT. BRIAN ZDUNOWSKI, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: They have skills and they have training that should, in a good economy, give them an edge over -- over their peers.
BOLDUAN: What's the reality that you're seeing?
ZDUNOWSKI: The edge is gone because they're getting lost in the volume of people.
BOLDUAN (voice-over): Unemployment is such a big issue for the Army National Guard that some states are testing out programs to help their part-time soldiers. Captain Brian Zdunowski runs one program in Maryland. ZDUNOWSKI: I see the employees that are out there. What I'm, in essence, doing is, into the sea, throwing a life ring for them and pulling that life ring until one of these employers picks them up.
BOLDUAN: The help includes resume tips, interview coaching, also a database of military-friendly employers and job openings.
ZDUNOWSKI: They deserve the assistance because they have stepped forward for their country.
BOLDUAN: Richard Wilks continues his search, a tough economy, another tough battle ahead. Any regrets?
WILKS: I don't have any regrets at all. I love serving in the military, and I love serving my country.
BOLDUAN: Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, Kate.
An out of control off-road racing truck caught on video as it crashed into a crowd of spectators, leaving eight dead. Coming up, we're talking to a former off-road racing champion to learn more about this form of racing. I'll ask him why the crowd is allowed to stand so close to the race course.
Also, there's a group out there that wants to make sure people with disabilities aren't shut off from the world and that includes the virtual world. We'll take you to the "Edge of Discovery."
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LEMON: Controlling sports cars with your breath or slaying dragons with a click of a mouse? There's a group out there that wants to make the virtual world assessable to everyone. Gary Tuchman takes us to the "Edge of Discovery."
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LEMON: Let's take a look at some of our top stories right now. A former medical student facing charges in a murder tied to the craigslist web site is dead. Police say Phillip Markoff apparently committed suicide. He was found in his Massachusetts jail cell this morning and pronounced dead by medics. Markoff was charged with the killing a masseuse who advertised on craigslist.
A warden and a security official have resigned from an Arizona state prison where three inmates escaped last month. Two of the fugitives have been captured, but inmate John McCluskey is still on the run. He was serving a sentence for attempted murder. U.S. Marshalls are focusing on the Canadian border and western Montana in their search for McCluskey and a female accomplice.
In Southern California, both state and federal investigators are looking into the circumstances of last night's fatal race crash in the Mojave Desert. Eight spectators were killed and four seriously hurt when an off-road truck careened out of control and flipped on top of them. Race organizers urge people to say -- stay at least 100 feet away from the course. Unfortunately, that advice is largely ignored.
Next, a former world champion of off-road, a racer, joins me to talk more about the accident and how to -- it could have been prevented.
And going back to school in style. I'm not talking about the latest clothing trends. It's all about the coolest new gadgets. Parents, you want to pay attention.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Lemon: Returning now to one of our top stories. Eight people were killed last night at an off-road racing event in the Mojave Desert. One of the trucks lost control and slammed into spectators lining the course. Four other people were seriously hurt.
Rich Minga is a Hollywood stunt man and former off-road racing champion. He joins us now from Fallbrook, California.
Rich, thank you for joining us. Given how close people were standing to the course -- you can see in the video, Rich, it was pretty close. And they say it's supposed to be 100 feet, at least -- they encourage people. Were you surprised by this tragedy because of that?
RICH MINGA, HOLLYWOOD STUNT MAN & FORMER OFF-ROAD RACING CHAMPION: Yes, I was. You know, we have some of the most talented drivers. And this sport's been going on for years. And we've been very, very safe throughout the years and this is a horrific tragedy. It's quite shocking how close they were standing to the side of the course.
LEMON: I want to talk about that more because, in fact, they are encouraged -- they encourage 100 feet, right? And, again, as I said and as you can see in the video, not 100 feet. How strictly is this enforced at most races? Is this unusual, what we're seeing in this video, for people to be this close?
MINGA: It is. You know, our sport's been really safe throughout the years. We have a great history. We have hundreds of thousands of people enjoy this sport every year without these kinds of accidents. And this all happens at once. This is just amazing.
I think a lot of factors had to go into play to have this happen. Malfunction on the race car, the spectators real close with a mechanical issue like that, you know, these horrible things can happen. It's very sad.
LEMON: Some are wondering why, with eight people dead now and many more people injured, why this continues to be legal in the United States.
MINGA: Well, this sport's been -- you know, there's 250,000 children in North America and Canada and United States and people killed in car accidents. So automobiles with mass and weight, you know, it's one of the dangerous things.
But, you know, this sport has been safe throughout the years. We have a wonderful track record. It's been a great, great form of family entertainment and businesses have prevailed throughout it for many years. And I don't know, this is one of those things that needs to be investigated so we can put more safety measures and keep it a little bit safer.
LEMON: Yes. So listen, is because of how large the course is and it's held in the desert, is it really tough to keep people back? And is it possible to keep people 100 feet back from the entire course?
MINGA: You know, we have a lot of people monitoring it but, at times, it is very difficult. Just like in Mexico, people gather at spectator points where there's a lot of action and where the car might be apt to do something more exciting than other locations on the course. So therefore, you know, the spectators gather there. And everybody wants to see so they keep getting closer and closer and closer.
And you've got to understand that, you know, the nature of the dust and mechanical issues and spectators, and it's very tough to be a course marshal. But they do their best.
LEMON: Listen, we appreciate you coming on CNN and talking to us.
Rich Minga is a Hollywood stunt man and a former off-road racing champion himself. He came in to talk to us about the accident in the Mojave Desert last night. Eight people were killed.
Thanks again, Rich.
MINGA: You're welcome.
LEMON: Tiger Woods definitely not at the top of his game and Phil Mickelson revealing this week a serious medical condition. Is the PGA tour in need of star power if these two aren't at the top of the leader board each week? Our sports business analyst, Rick Horrow, weighs in next.
And this. Check this out. This little newborn may bring a little luck to her proud new parents. That's because the time and date she was born make her unique. All kids are unique, though.
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LEMON: Tiger Woods stumbles to another disappointing finish this time in golf's fourth and final major tournament of the year, the PGA championship. And the man who might replace Tiger as the world number one? Well, Phil Mickelson had a pretty good tournament but he has some new health problems to deal with.
Our sports business analyst, Mr. Rick Horrow, is joining me now from Skype.
Rick, what do Tiger and Phil's troubles mean to the PGA tour? RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: First of all, my friend, the troubles are related to this course. I just left there. I played it six years ago. I'm still trying to find balls I lost there.
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Those guys didn't finish in the top ten. Collectively, Phil and Tiger make nearly $100 million of endorsement money. Both of them need to retool their games. Phil did win the first major of the year, the Masters, but neither one won the last one.
LEMON: OK. So then does -- does the PGA tour have enough rising stars to pick up the slack here?
HORROW: Well, first of all, there are 15 new sponsors on the PGA tour so they're doing all right. But don't touch that dial, but if you wanted to watch the last hole of the PGA championship, you've got four guys within one shot of the lead and they're all under 30 years old. Dustin Johnson is leading the tournament. We've got new blood and new guys and that is very important for the tour because that is really the future.
LEMON: OK. Listen, I know you want to talk about Wisconsin, really, how the PGA is helping Wisconsin. Talk to me about that.
HORROW: Well, that's real quick because this is really important. Everybody says we're at the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning of the recession. Study with Wisconsin tourism. They just came out with $2.4 billion of economic impact --
LEMON: Wow.
HORROW: -- and 38,000 jobs from the year of golf. This tournament alone, about $150 million. So Whistling Straits, Koehler, Wisconsin, Herb Koehler, they really did a great job for golf at a time where the economy really, really, really, really needs it.
LEMON: And I think that's important to talk about, because Wisconsin can use the money.
Rick Horrow, that's unfortunately all we have time for.
Thank you, Rick. And we're going to be checking at your blog.
You can check out Rick's blog on my blog at CNN.com/don.
Have a great rest of the weekend, OK?
HORROW: All right, man, next week. Bye.
LEMON: Forget getting those cool jeans, new shoes and stylish back packs for the new school year. Remember trapper keepers? Does anybody remember those? Do they make those anymore? I'm getting a couple of thumbs up here in the studio. It's all about gadgets right now. And our tech guru, Katie Linendoll, shows us the cool new stuff ahead for the cool kids. That is one giant alarm clock. Don't tell me about it now. Tell me later. Hang on.
And meet the new parents, but be warned -- they're a bunch of animals. Zebras on the loose.
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LEMON: All right. It's the first day of school tomorrow for lots of kids around the country. When I was in school, I'd be depressed right now. And the technology that's available to them right now is going to make you say, "I wish we had that when I was in school."
Tech wiz, Katie Linendoll, here to show us some of the cool stuff that you might want to put on your back-to-school shopping list.
Katie, this first one seems like it's for parents of -- chronic over- sleepers? That was me in school. I never wanted to get out of bed. What the heck is that?
KATIE LINENDOLL, TECH WIZ: Yes. Sadly, I believe that. Yes, this is made for the 7:00 a.m. classes that shouldn't exist in the first place.
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This is the skull. As you can see, its source of power is from this thing right here called the bone crusher. You put this between your mattress and your box spring. It will actually shake this entire bed. You pair that with these LED lights that are right inside the alarm clock and 113 decibels.
Now let me tell you, I'm going to set it off for you for a second. It's really loud and really obnoxious. And this thing goes crazy.
But what's awesome is, as I mentioned, it has 113 decibels. An average alarm clock has 80 decibels and a jet engine and a jack hammer have about 130. So you will be waking up for your class, no problem.
LEMON: That's not the one that shakes your bed, is it?
LINENDOLL: Yes, dude, that's what I was just saying --
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LEMON: OK, sorry, sorry.
LINENDOLL: Yes.
LEMON: You should get a chain and put it around your neck. It's like a flavor-flav (ph) clock.
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This next one that you're holding up -- I see you have the iPad there. It appeals to everybody, right?
LINENDOLL: Yes. I'm a big fan of this one. This is dragon dictation. This converts everything you say to text. So if you're using a key board, this will increase your productivity by about five times. Exactly when you're talking, it will record what you're saying and then you can copy and paste that into e-mail, into notes. A lot of schools are actually bringing this in on desktop computers because, again, it increases productivity but it also saves you time, as well. Once you're done recording, it will process and then convert everything to text, as I mentioned. A pretty cool app. And this app is free.
LEMON: You don't even have to write anymore. My fingers used to cramp from writing notes all the time.
LINENDOLL: No.
LEMON: That's pretty cool. We've all been there. Everybody who went away to college or who lived in a dorm or apartment on compass -- hungry roommates. You're like, where's my food, man? What happened?
LINENDOLL: Yes, people's roommates stealing food all the time. We know Pop Tarts and Mountain Dew get really expensive.
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Don, you've been waiting for this one. This is the fridge locker. It does exactly what it says. You put it in the fridge and it locks up your food. On the top, it has a combination lock and ventilation so your stuff's not going to stink. I saw this infomercial for the fridge locker at about 4:00 a.m. --
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-- and they were like, what if someone steals the whole fridge? By that point, I was already feeling a little nutty. Then, the fridge locker people brought in a grizzly bear to show -- don't worry if someone steals your fridge locker. the grizzly bear can't even get inside of it. I'm telling you, I was thinking I was starting to lose it.
LEMON: Oh, my gosh. There it is right there. That is so cool.
LINENDOLL: Oh.
LEMON: But I don't know. I mean a hungry roommate is probably worse than a grizzly bear. As much food as I had stolen.
LINENDOLL: This is true. But, Don, I bet if you call now you get one free.
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LEMON: Katie?
LINENDOLL: Yes? LEMON: You're nuts. But you know what? I love it. Can you be -- serious, put a chain on that alarm clock? You know that alarm lock you showed? That would last me about the first time, and then I would throw it out the door and smash it.
LINENDOLL: Yes. Yes, me too. I'm with you.
LEMON: Thank you, Katie. We appreciate it. You always have good stuff.
LINENDOLL: Thanks.
LEMON: See you next week.
LINENDOLL: Thanks.
LEMON: Bye.
All right, so every Sunday we try to catch you up on some of the "News You May Have Missed" throughout the past week. Mere seconds into her life, Baby Ella Rose Riehle is already lucky with the numbers. The bundle of joy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, late into the night of August 9th. Not so unusual, until you hear the details. She was born on 8-9-10 at 11:12. The newborn baby, Ella, weighed just over 6 pounds 7 ounces. So if she was seven pounds, that would be really cool, or 13 pounds. Cool for her, not for the mom.
No zoos for two zebras. In Sacramento County, California, they escaped their owner's home and ran through the streets of Carmichael last night. Can you imagine seeing a zebra walking the street? Authorities eventually corralled them. But one had to go to the vet because it somehow hurt itself during its Saturday night outing. A sheriff's spokesman says the animals are kept as pets, believe it or not.
You know the start of school signals the annual Bud Billiken parade in Chicago. The largest African-American parade in the country has been marching through the city every August for 81 years to mark the new school year. It's the second Saturday in August every year on the south side. And it's a beautiful parade and lots of fun. I used to go all the time. It was started in 1929 by the publisher of "The Chicago Defender" newspaper. This year's grand marshal -- you saw her there on the car -- was senior White House adviser, Valerie Jarrett. She was the grand marshal of the Bud Billiken parade.
You ever feel you're being nickeled and dimed by the tax man? One fought back by paying his $300 tax bill in pennies. The bill was for an old license plate that he forgot to turn in when he moved out of state. The tax collector happily accepted the pennies to settle the debt.
