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Jobless Rate Inches Up; Hurricane Earl Heading up East Coast; Going to School Online; What's Hot; CEO Turned Principal in Japan; Duncan's Tour of Schools
Aired September 03, 2010 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. A couple of big stories we're keeping an eye on this hour in the CNN NEWSROOM for you.
Hurricane Earl is moving up the East Coast after sideswiping North Carolina's Outer Banks.
On the economic front, the nation's jobless rate inches up, but President Obama sees some positives.
First, let's get you updated on Hurricane Earl.
We are tracking the storm minute by minute as it moves up the East Coast. Watches and warnings are in place all the way to Canada. Earl's first encounter, North Carolina's Outer Banks. Luckily for folks there, no head-on collision. Earl brushed by the region with most of the fury off shore.
Governor Bev Perdue thankful it wasn't any worse.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BEV PERDUE (D), NORTH CAROLINA: We dodged a bullet. Purely and simply, North Carolina dodged a bullet, and we are glad that that bullet is now out of our state for the most part.
The good news for us also is that this VIPER communication system that we have put in place with local law enforcement really worked. This was our first emergency test of the system, and the fact that everybody can talk to each other --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Earl is now tracking north. Cape Cod and Long Island among the others waiting and watching.
You will want to stay with CNN for the latest information on Hurricane Earl. We have got more coverage this hour.
Now, President Obama accentuating the positive in today's unemployment report. He also used the new numbers to push for passage of a small business jobs bill.
The Labor Department says the unemployment rate inched up to 9.6 percent in August. The overall economy lost 54,000 jobs, but the private sector actually added jobs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The key point I'm making right now is that the economy is moving in a positive direction, jobs are being created. They're just not being created as fast as they need to given the big hole that we experienced. And we're going to have to continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to come up with ideas that can further accelerate that job growth. I'm confident that we can do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Many Americans still disapprove of the way the president is handling the economy, but his overall approval rating is up slightly. It's at 50 percent, compared to 47 percent in August.
So let's take a closer look at the day's unemployment report. What do the numbers say about the overall economy?
Let's check in with our chief business correspondent and the host of CNN NEWSROOM beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time right here on CNN, Ali Velshi, joining us from New York.
Ali, Doctor, what do the numbers say to you?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: All right. The numbers say a couple things to me.
They are generally positive, Tony. I'll tell you why.
First of all, how are you positive about losing 54,000 jobs? It's because of the way it breaks down.
There was actually a loss of 121,000 government jobs and a gain of 67,000 private sector jobs. Private sector jobs are the sustainable ones, the ones that we want. We want to wean ourselves off of the government sustaining this economy, as you and I have talked about regularly.
We want to wean ourselves back on to the private sector hiring people. Those people have many, they buy things. There are more jobs in the private sector. That's number one.
Number two, it's a smaller job loss than in the last couple of months, so the trend of job losses is decreasing.
Number three, every time we get one of these reports, we get a revision from the previous month. That revision shows that in July, we lost far fewer jobs than we expected to lose.
So you take those three things together, and to me, that says it is not good, it is a glass one quarter full, but it is the right direction. And if you carry on this trend for a little while, we would be back into job creation, hopefully, hopefully, within a few months. HARRIS: This trend. Take a look into your memory bank here of recent data.
VELSHI: Yes.
HARRIS: Is there anything in that recent data to suggest that there is a narrative forming that we could actually begin to see some more sustained job growth, particularly in the private sector, that we could get to the 150,000 to 200,000 jobs a month that we need to keep this economy going?
VELSHI: Right. So you need about 150,000 jobs a month, 125,000, 150,000, to keep the unemployment rate where it is.
We don't want the unemployment where it is. It's 9.6. So we want to get 200,000 to 300,000 jobs a month in order to bring the unemployment rate down. And by the way, even at that pace, it's going to be 2013 or 2014 before we get down to the four -- just under five percent unemployment that we had before.
HARRIS: We're not getting there, Ali. Tell the truth. We're not getting down to --
VELSHI: Well, no, but let me tell you.
HARRIS: OK.
VELSHI: Let me tell you a couple things.
Two weeks ago, the entire world was talking about a double-dip recession. All of a sudden, there has been data, there's been consumer confidence, there's been personal spending, there's been personal incomes. Now the biggest -- the mother of all job reports, the unemployment report, trending in a different direction.
All of a sudden, within seven to 10 days, there is a different narrative forming. This is a confidence-based economy. You and I have talked about it.
Date night -- we talked about people being willing to go out on date night, spend some money, go to a restaurant, go to a movie. That's what it takes. It takes a feeling that it's going in the right direction, Tony, and you start to get people reengaged in the economy. And then it multiplies and it multiplies.
HARRIS: Love it. We need that multiplier effect. We need date night in America to take off.
VELSHI: That's it.
HARRIS: We're going to do our part. We're going to do our part.
VELSHI: No, I'm not going on a date with you, but I agree we should be doing date night.
HARRIS: We've got to do it. All right, Ali. Appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Can't wait for your show at the top of the hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
OK. From the Mid-Atlantic to Canada, the wait is on for Hurricane Earl. The storm brushed by North Carolina's Outer Banks and now is tracking up the East Coast.
CNN's Brianna Keilar live now from Ocean City, Maryland.
And Brianna, what is it looking like? I'm trying to take a peek behind you where you are.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, as you can see, there are still some people who are walking on the boardwalk here in Ocean City, Maryland, trying to at least take advantage of what was somewhat not too bad weather here a short time ago, although I've got to tell you, this has been slowly deteriorating, the weather conditions, over the morning. We're actually getting some of the most rain that we have seen right about now.
That said, this is really expected to be more of a wind event, and we're still awaiting tropical storm-strength winds. Those have yet to come, so we're still waiting for that.
But take a look at what we're seeing off the shore here, some really powerful surf. And this is really the concern for lifeguards. You see a couple of them here.
A lot of them have been having to go, because while the water itself is closed, no surfing, no swimming, the beach is not closed at this point. People have been walking along it, and a lot of lifeguards have had to shoo away people who have gotten too close.
I talked with one of these lifeguards. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: So, Mick (ph), you're with Surf Rescue here at Ocean City. People have been doing some -- I guess you could say not so smart things, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. What they've been doing -- I mean, it's fine if they're on the dry sand, but as soon as they try to get near the water, they'll be in knee-deep water. And the next thing you know, ,we have a surge come in from a big wave, and they'll be up to the waist and it will pull them out easily, and put them right down and pull them out. So they're really underestimating the surf right now, so we're trying to keep people safe and keep t hem out of the water.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: And we've actually seen at least one wave now come up over the sand where normally there is not water, and come almost all the way to this seawall, which is concrete -- reinforced concrete here. This actually is a steel gate for the seawall. They were closed yesterday.
We actually talked to the workers who were putting them in place, and they said it was very much a just in case situation. They're not really expecting the waves are going to come up this high, but workers have secured things like trash barrels, also lifeguard towers, that could -- if waves were to hit them on the beach.
And then just take a look at this. This is a sign that is always here telling people how to avoid rip currents. This is, of course, the major concern here.
Even yesterday, when the weather was really nice, people were not allowed to swim in the waves. And we're expecting -- even though tomorrow is expected to be pretty sunny, 80 degrees, and obviously we're getting some heavier, heavier rain now, but we're expecting even tomorrow, that it's going to be kind of a day to catch some sun, but really not to go out there in the water -- Tony.
HARRIS: Well, I know you're getting some winds in there right now, but I've got to tell you, that surf coming in framing you up very nicely there, Ocean City, Maryland, my old stomping grounds.
Brianna, good to see you. Thank you.
Let's get you to Reynolds Wolf now.
Reynolds, if you would, give us an update on intensity, track. Throw everything at it, at this point.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, I'll tell you right now things are actually looking pretty favorable. We're seeing this thing deteriorate just over the last 24 hours, almost like letting air out of a balloon.
We have seen a lot of that deep convection that's been forming around the center now really beginning to fizzle out. There are a few pops here and there of deep tropical moisture, but for the most part, this is a shadow of what it was just 24 to 36 hours ago. What it's still going to do though is provide quite a punch in terms of winds.
Now, ,where Brianna happens to be, in Ocean City, they're going to have some strong winds, but it may come a bit later. The strongest, the most intense are going to be very close to that center of circulation. The farther out you go, the weaker the winds are going to become.
We know where this thing is. It has winds of 85 miles per hour, gusts up to 105. It is moving into areas where the water is not quite as warm. It's in fact going to be a little bit cooler once it gets right past the border of Maryland and surges farther north off the Jersey shore.
What it's also going to do -- well, at least it's forecast to do from the National Hurricane Center -- is to continue to slowly weaken. Winds of 80 miles per hour expected by this evening as it is just to the east of New York and Long Island. Then, as we make our way to the overnight hours, then into tomorrow morning, it will move just to the east of Boston, also off Cape Cod. Then moving closer to the Bay of Fundy. And then sometime tomorrow morning, it should drop below hurricane force and become a tropical storm.
And then as it moves off, certainly some good news as we get into early Saturday morning, and then farther north it moves to the Bay of Fundy. However, the threat will remain, in terms of rip currents, through a good part of the weekend.
We still have Fiona out there, the "F" storm. And both of those in concert will bring pretty rough surf conditions up and down the Eastern Seaboard from Maine, southward to Florida, Tony, all the way through the holiday weekend.
HARRIS: Look at all that technology. That's throwing everything at it.
WOLF: There you go.
HARRIS: OK, Reynolds. Thank you.
WOLF: You bet.
HARRIS: Attending high school at home, and we're not talking about home schooling here. We're talking about virtual classrooms. Have you heard of them? A visit to Cyber High School.
First though, our "Random Moment" in 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Oh, boy. A crank caller with a wish list our "Random Moment of the Day."
Police in Oregon say a man dialed 911 from a hot tub he was borrowing. He claimed he was stuck after 10 hours of hot-tubbing. His towels were wet, he had no clothes, so he couldn't get out.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
OPERATOR: You're sure you don't need any medical help started at this point?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm positive. I just need a hug and a warm cup of hot chocolate with some marshmallows. That would probably be pretty nice. I don't think I need any medical help, no.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HARRIS: The mug shot.
The man got hugged by police handcuffs. Instead of hot chocolate, he got a cold jail cell. Got to tell you, the episode instantly reminded us of a blast from the past. Remember this, the Ohio woman who called 911 for a date and got a police escort?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm having a hard time getting, you know, a hold of a date line.
OPERATOR: This is 911. You need to dial something else. OK?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HARRIS: Remember, callers, 911 is for emergencies, or you could be the next "Random Moment of the Day."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, now. And take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the deepest part.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes, that is the deepest part. You can see the flooding on the streets.
We told you that obviously Earl has been downgraded, right, to a Category 1. But it was not a Category 1 when it brushed North Carolina's Outer Banks. And you can see what it left in its wake.
Flooded streets, Kill Devil Hills. Just some of the pictures we continue to get here into the CNN NEWSROOM of this storm as it makes its way up the East Coast and what it has left in its wake. Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
"Fix Our Schools." Those three words are driving much of what you see on CNN this week, because as America's children return to school, CNN has a mission. We have sent reporting teams across the country to document the education crisis in America. Most importantly, we will shine a light on success stories that can empower us to offer our children so much more than what they are getting right now.
Did you know you can attend college online? But now virtual education has reached the high school level -- get a diploma without ever leaving home.
CNN's Ted Rowlands talked with students attending Cyber High.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fifteen-year-old Kristina Schultz and her 11-year-old brother Jonathan are showing off their commute to school, down the stairs and into their separate classrooms.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sign in, in blue if you can.
ROWLANDS: Once they get online, they're at school.
(on camera): Kristina and Jonathan may attend school at home, but they're not home-schooled. There's a big difference. They actually attend a public charter school through the computer.
They have quizzes and tests and lesson plans which are all delivered from teachers through the computer. It's a public school, so it's free to attend. In fact, all of the equipment that they need is paid for by taxpayers.
KRISTINA GIESBRECHT, TEACHER: Good morning, everybody.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): About 90 miles from Kristina's house in Los Angeles, Lisa Giesbrecht begins the first day of algebra class from her home in Lake Elsinore, California.
GIESBRECHT: My name is Mrs. Giesbrecht, and I'm one of the three Algebra 2 teachers.
ROWLANDS: Kristina's other teachers are spread across the state. As for the students, watch this map light up when Mrs. Giesbrecht asks her Algebra students to mark where they each live with a star.
GIESBRECHT: Wow, we have a lot of southern California students.
ROWLANDS: Kristina is one of about 200 students in class Mrs. Giesbrecht teaches using a combination of her voice, PowerPoint-type graphics, and this cyber chalkboard which students see on their screen as she writes and explains the day's lesson.
GIESBRECHT: It's amazing, the kind of interaction that we're able to have. You can put quizzes inside of your presentations.
ROWLANDS: Students can ask questions through a chat panel the teacher sees on her screen. They can get extra help through e-mail and phone calls with their teachers. Lessons are recorded for students to watch when they want, which is what Jonathan is doing with this Spanish class.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And one. Up.
ROWLANDS: Jonathan is a competitive ice skater practicing for two hours a day every morning. Going to school online allows him to pursue his skating. He's also an advanced student, an 11-year-old freshman in high school, which online school also caters to.
JONATHAN SCHULTZ, VIRTUAL ED HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN: It allows you to work at your own pace. So if you can do the math problems in 20 minutes rather than waiting for the whole class to finish, it really works well.
ROWLANDS: But it doesn't work without a parent or someone supervising. Jonathan, for instance, likes to play video games, so mom usually camps out close enough so she can see his computer.
Across the country, 27 states currently offer some level of full-time online public schools. Critics say kids miss out on the social aspects of going to school.
Kristina says she does beat kids online, but --
KRISTINA SCHULTZ, VIRTUAL ED HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE: You don't really get to know them, yes.
ROWLANDS (on camera): And is that something that you miss?
K. SCHULTZ: I would say yes, a little bit, because I was always one to make, like, a lot of friends in elementary school. But I mean, yes, you miss it.
MAUREEN SCHULTZ, VIRTUAL ED STUDENTS' MOTHER: They're not sitting in a classroom every day, so they're not sitting amongst their peers. And so they're not getting that type of social interaction. But when you hear the stories of what goes on sometimes in classrooms, you say, oh, this is also a good thing, that they're not sitting around with other kids who are influencing them in possibly negative ways.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): The Schultz family does have some proof that this works.
(on camera): This is Kristina and Jonathan's older sister, Jennifer. She also went to school online from the fifth grade through high school. Now she is here at USC.
You feel as though online education works. Why?
JENNIFER SCHULTZ, VIRTUAL ED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE: I think the structure of the school is a lot more similar to college than a regular school. I attended lecture once a week, and then the rest of the readings were all up to me. So I think I'm really well acclimated to college already.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jennifer Schultz.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Jennifer was the valedictorian of her online graduating class of 450 students, kids she met for the first time at this graduation ceremony.
(on camera): Give us something that you think you did miss out on, though.
J. SCHULTZ: I really did miss out on the traditional social aspect of high school, like running to classes, eating lunch in the cafeteria, and just the entire action between people on a day-to-day basis.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): A study released last year by the Department of Education concluded that online learning is as effective as learning in a traditional classroom setting, at least in terms of academics. As different as it may seem, the formula for success online is the same as it is in class. Students need to work hard, have lots of support from home, and they need good teachers --
GIESBRECHT: All right. Thanks, guys. You have a great day.
ROWLANDS: -- no matter where they may be.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, how does the main man leading our education system feel about fixing our schools? I will have a conversation with Education Secretary Arne Duncan later this hour, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's get you quickly caught up on our top stories right now.
Miami International Airport is running on schedule now after a security scare. A canister inside a suitcase led to a seven-hour shutdown overnight. A source tells CNN the bag belongs to a scientist who has served time in prison for transporting bubonic plague.
That fire on a Gulf of Mexico oil platform is out today. All 13 workers are resting safely on shore. The Coast Guard says there is no indication oil is leaking from that accident.
Former Cuban president Fidel Castro rallying students today at the University of Havana. He appeared in military fatigues, the first time since turning over power to his brother four years ago. That is raising speculation about Castro's future role.
Getting schooled on education, a candid conversation with young people about what works and what doesn't. Education contributor Steve Perry leads the discussion in today's edition of "What Matters."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We have been talking about fixing our schools all this week, and it is what we are talking about today in our "What Matters" segment.
CNN education contributor Steve Perry traveled to Atlanta recently to moderate a panel of young people who offer their opinions about what works and what doesn't in the education system.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: Any time we have a conversation about what we can do, I think we need to start with a conversation about what we must do.
What are some of the issues that the youth are dealing with that are specific to this generation? JAMES HARRIS, NEW LOOK FOUNDATION ALUMNUS: My main problem with education and the way that the system is set up now, especially, like, coming from my perspective, a youth from the inner city, I couldn't connect what they were teaching me on this blackboard, how it was going to make a change in my life. How can I take this back to the hood?
And, you know, I did get caught with marijuana at school. And then it was two teachers that I felt like I was really close to. And when they turned me in, you know, I felt betrayed.
Little did I know they were really looking out for me. The point that I'm trying to make is that the teachers saw the problem, but also they saw the interest that I had in music.
So when they saw the opportunity for me to combine my passion with education, they jumped on it. And I thank God for them. You know what I'm saying? Because, like, that's where it all started.
PERRY: What are some of the specific issues that you see?
HITAL MURAJ, CISCO NETWORKING ACADEMY EAST AFRICA: So I work in Kenya, I'm based in Kenya, in Africa. And I work with a lot of youth in the underserved areas in the slums, and they don't get access to anything, not even education, food, nothing. And they're just hidden in their houses.
And I work in really poor areas where youth are really suffering from social stigma and social pressure. You know? And they don't get the opportunity that youth here would get.
PERRY: We don't know poverty like you've seen poverty. Sometimes I think that we need to get a sense of the rest of the world to understand that which we have.
Doctor Lomax (ph), one of the things I would like you to do is to hearken back to your old life as a college president. You saw some specific challenges that our children face.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think the problems that I saw our youth facing in the 1950s and '60s when I was their age, I saw lack of opportunity. I saw poverty. I saw injustice. And I saw that in order to address that lack of opportunity, that poverty, that injustice, we had to do something ourselves.
And the first thing we had to do was to believe in ourselves. And then we had to enable ourselves with education and the skills to overcome the barriers that were there.
And that's why I decided very early in life that I wanted to be an educator. We can teach, we can intervene in the life of someone else and help lift that person up.
PERRY: Adam, I'm going to ask you to jump in.
When somebody says they come from nothing, you feel like you have nothing. Therefore, no matter how much you have, you don't see the capacity that you bring.
How is it that you see people who many of us would consider having nothing finding something in that and then doing something with it?
ADAM BRAUN, PENCILS OF PROMISE: In the last five years, I've backpacked through 50-something countries, mainly really, really -- some of the poorest places on earth. And I think a really beautiful analogy is the notion that redwoods grow to be hundreds and hundreds of feet tall, but that redwood couldn't have grown to be that size if it was planted in a pot. Right?
And that latent seed is there in every person in this room, and it's there in every person in the developing world too. I think it's just about unlocking that potential. And you find time and time again, they believe in themselves in that part of the world. I mean, no matter how poor they are, they know they have the capacity to create change.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: You know, the message of the panel seems to be changing the education system can change our nation's future for the better. And it is a responsibility that belongs to everyone.
To read more stories that matter to all of us, just pick up the latest issue of "Essence" magazine on newsstands right now.
A takeover from the world of fantasies, but the reality is these creatures have enormous spending power.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's get to you CNNmoney.com! We've got good news on the Web site today. Good news. Jack, appreciate it. Signs of life in the job market.
Job losses were not as bad as expected. And earlier readings were revised. Businesses hiring -- hiring -- picking up.
All right. So just follow this page. Our site here. CNNmoney.com. Listen to our Money Team, don't listen to the other stuff. So much negativity activity out there. But good news today.
Let's get you to the Big Board today. New York Stock Exchange, we are three hours into the trading day, numbers have been good. We are off of session highs right now, but this is a good number. Still up 70 points, and the NASDAQ as well is in positive territory. Trading up 19 points.
Science fiction.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: We've got something special for you. Coming to life this weekend, right? We're talking every superhero, villain, and comic book character you can imagine in Atlanta this weekend with enormous spending buying power, correct?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Are you going to go in your (INAUDIBLE) this year?
HARRIS: Well, yes, I'm going get a special invitation from our guest.
LEVS: I bet you are. So, these are the shots from last year at DragonCon. Take a look at this. So, now we're thinking how many people are going to turn out this year? Organizers are telling us could be upwards of 35,000 participants this year. So, more than 35,000 could be expected.
Listen to this, 40 celebrities booked for this big event, DragonCon, and they're trying to break world records. They want to have the biggest gathering of superheroes ever and the biggest gathering of Star Trek folks ever. And I was taking a look at the numbers just now. There's a study out of Georgia State University. Said a couple years ago when it was smaller, it had an impact of more than $20 million for the city. So, if it's even bigger this year --
HARRIS: The Blues Brothers!
LEVS: -- even $40 million.
HARRIS: So we actually, Josh, have someone with us who was helping to make all of this come to life. And she is in the NEWSROOM --
LEVS: I'm so psyched!
HARRIS: You? CNN executive producer Suzanne Simon. Suzanne, take it away. Who do you have for us?
SUZANNE SIMON, CNN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Hey, oh my gosh. I'm sure you remember Buck Rogers, because every male, female -- doesn't matter, remembers Buck Rogers. Silver spoons.
Erin Gray is with us. She is such an incredible person. As we look at Dragon Con, and we're trying to figure out why these people are dressing up? What's going on? It's actually a lot of fun, and we were talking last night -- full disclosure, glass of wine -- there is a big, social -- a release from all the stress and the ability to kind of escape from the end of the war, from a hurricane, all of these serious issues.
ERIN GRAY, ACTRESS/ENTREPRENEUER: Dragon Con is definitely the alta of all the conventions, the party convention. This is the biggest fan base. I say fan base, because their entire focus for Dragon Con is for the fans to be happy, to have a great time.
I even remember when there was a Katrina, you wouldn't believe, it was -- there were people coming up from Louisiana who had been working, building houses and helping people who came here to be part of Dragon Con just to have that three or four days to escape and have a great time and realize there are things to be joyful about.
SIMONS: Exactly. We can still be happy. GRAY: Exactly.
SIMONS: And Josh talked about the financial impact. And you -- I just -- I think I've told you before, I'm in awe. Because you were a successful actress and model in your own right, but you didn't stop there. You turned this into a business . Tell me what you do now, and your company is Heroes for Hire.
GRAY: That's right. My company is Heroes for Hire, and I represent celebrities for personal appearances all over the world. So, it can either be corporate events or charity events, but I also have a specific niche within the sci-fi fantasy, anime, gaming world where I bring celebrities to events.
SIMON: Fill disclosure again, this is a fun interview.
(LAUGHTER)
GRAY: Don't tell people everything!
(CROSSTALK)
SIMON: No, when I was telling people about Dragon Con - all right, in a newsroom, there were a few eye rolls, people didn't really take it seriously. But you have a client who has 1.7 million followers on Facebook. This is a loyal --
GRAY: Twitter.
SIMON: And Twitter.
GRAY: Right. Very.
SIMON: This is a loyal audience. These are people who follow you around and they care about this.
GRAY: Big-time. Big-time, yes.
There is a definite shift in a public relations. The old model of the actor only doing certain, select interviews - now, actors are more in control of their public relations, let's put it that way. So, this new shift into Twitter and Facebook, and Web sites, actors have a more of an ability to shape their own image and to be connected to their fans on a daily basis.
I mean, one of my clients, Felicia Day, 1,700,000 followers on Twitter. Wherever she goes, fans follow. So if I book her at an event, immediately ticket sales happen overnight. I mean, it's just amazing to see the power of the talent these days.
SIMON: The cling-on in my ear is telling me we have to wrap this up.
GRAY: Oh, no!
HARRIS: No, no, no, you to know why?
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: We've got Erin -- Erin?
GRAY: Yes?
HARRIS: We've got an appreciation --
GRAY: Oh-oh.
HARRIS: -- coming up for you.
LEVS: Look, she knows -- I'm a huge fan. Erin is aware of this.
Let's take a look at a little clip of your great work on one of the best shows of all time, Buck Rogers.
GRAY: Oh great, look at this!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAY (acting): How's that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine, just fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Yeah, baby! Yeah, baby!
(LAUGHTER)
GRAY: Love it!
LEVS: It was only on for two years. You were on Silver Spoons for more years. But I'm telling you, sci-fi shows last forever. There's something about being in a sci-fi show that to this day, people like me, and so many people -- in fact, you're doing a reunion, as I understand, of Buck Rogers. What is it about sci-fi that makes it stick beyond everything else?
GRAY: I think because the sci-fi lovers are people who think outside of the box. They think -- and they really appreciate it when there's a television program or TV shows that focus on their ideas. A lot of the people in sci-fi are astronauts and they're physicists and they're astrologists -
(CROSSTALK)
GRAY: They're very smart people, and they want entertainment that incorporates their ideas and their visions as well. Their visions for the future. And that's what sci-fi does.
LEVS: Well, thank you so much.
(CROSSTALK0
HARRIS: Guys, we've got to get to break, but the appreciation continues. Ready, Josh?
Part the waters here. Jack? We're back in a moment.
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: There you go!
HARRIS: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Okay. So, the unemployment rate inched up to 9.6 percent last month. New numbers from the Labor Department today show the economy lost 54,000 jobs in August, but private sector hiring was stronger than expected. Our Money Team weighs in on the numbers and the market reaction.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know, Wall Street has been looking for a reason to rally, and they got it. In this case, it's that fewer jobs were lost in August, and that jobs were added in the private sector. And that's reason enough to give a victory to the bulls at this point.
You know, Tony, investors are all about follow-through. They really look to these economic reports for clues as to where the economy is headed, and week after week as we sit here and report these reports to you -- you know, if we get more positive reports as time goes on, that's going to bring back confidence to the market. Similarly, if we get negative reports, we could go in the opposite direction, Tony.
CARTER EVANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Carter Evans at the NASDAQ. And this is our jobs picture for the year so far. In August, 54,000 jobs lost. The unemployment rate, ticks up to 9.6 percent.
How can this be a good thing? Well, you see, a lot of people gave up on their job search a few months ago, because there were no jobs out there. They couldn't find anything. When you're not looking for a job, you're not counted in the unemployment rate.
Well, in August, a lot of those people started looking for work again. That could be why our rate ticked up to 9.6 percent. If they're looking for work again, it means they think there are jobs out there. And that could be a good thing for the economy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Okay. Let's get you caught up on top stories now.
Colder water is sapping Hurricane Earl's power as it moves up the East Coast today. The storm swiped North Carolina's Outer Banks overnight. With minimal damage, Earl is headed for Cape Cod tonight.
In Iran today, protesters hit the streets to show solidarity with the Palestinians. And to denounce Israel. The annual event is organized by the government. Iran's president told crowds the new Mideast peace talks are doomed to fail. Miami International Airport is running on schedule now after a security scare. A canister inside a suitcase led to a seven-hour shut down overnight. A source tells CNN the bag belonged to a scientist who has served time in prison for transporting bubonic plague.
The collision of God, science, and Stephen Hawking is lighting up the Internet. Josh Levs and "What's Hot" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEVS: I'm Josh Levs. We're back in the NEWSROOM. We're taking a look at "What's Hot" online today.
You were just seeing some facts about flirting, because everyone is talking about it on the web today. Take a look at this from match.com. People are talking about fun facts on flirting. I guess everyone wanted to know this. Apparently, there are new health signs that it's good for you.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: Oh, my!
LEVS: Tony, there are 52 flirting signals, most of which guys had no idea were actually flirting signals.
HARRIS: You got that right.
LEVS: Forty percent of people say they flirt online. And apparently men more often than women mistake friendly behavior for flirting. Of course you and I don't. We always know the difference.
HARRIS: Well, men are desperate, yes.
LEVS: Let's move on fast. Here's what else we've got going on online today. I want you to check out this story. It's actually really interesting, about Steven Hocking (ph), who, as you may have seen, has been making some comments about the origin of the universe and God and saying God did not create the universe, in his view. The universe (INAUDIBLE) gravity, could do that on its own. A lot of religious leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, now striking back at that saying, no way. Details for you at cnn.com.
And finally a video online today everyone's talking about. You should see this. Check out this wheelchair double flip. Eighteen-year-old Aaron Fatheringam (ph) pulled it off. Double, double, double.
HARRIS: Whoa. Whoa.
LEVS: OK, that's -- watch this. Here it comes. He tried it.
HARRIS: He nailed it.
LEVS: If it were my kid, I would so not let him do this. But I'll tell you, people are loving it.
HARRIS: Wow.
LEVS: Some people are saying you're my hero now. And let's just hope if anyone out there does try it, they have tons of safety precautions in place.
HARRIS: Yes, very good. Thanks, Josh.
LEVS: You got it.
HARRIS: Coming from classrooms into the NEWSROOM. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. We will talk to him about fixing our schools. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. Keeping our focus on success in school. Perhaps we can learn a little something from Japan where a former business leader has been tapped to run a junior high school. CNN's Kyung Lah reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The school day begins at Wada Junior High with drills, math drills, as fast as these kids can do them. The theory here, train the brain with drills. Much in the same way puzzles may prevent dementia among the elderly. Principal Akihisa Shirota believes it so much, he joins the students.
School curriculum is the basics, plus lessons from real-world business and community leaders to show kids where the basics will take them. Revolutionary for a Japanese school system known for rigidly and formality.
But Shirota is not your average principal. He's not even a trained educator. He's a businessman who started and then ran publishing at high-tech companies. His lack of experience in this setting is what led the school to recruit him.
Principals are people who became teachers right after graduating from college, says Shirota. That limits any outside the box thinking, he explains.
He runs the school more like a corporations. Students, his workers. And he keeps track of them.
LAH (on camera): You know all the names of all the students.
PRINCIPAL AKIHISA SHIROTA, WADA JUNIOR HIGH: Only name. that's awesome (ph). And testing score (ph).
LAH: You know their test scores and their names?
SHIROTA: Yes, yes, yes.
LAH: Every single one.
SHIROTA: All of them. LAH (voice-over): He's different, says a student. More like a friend sometimes, but still the boss. In the three years since Shirota has been principal, the school claims higher test scores. The result, he believes, of a number of innovations.
LAH (on camera): It's 6:40 in the evening and students are still here at Wada Junior High School. The reason why, night school is about to begin. This is an unusual move by this public school to try to boost its test scores.
LAH (voice-over): It's where I meet 15-year-old Coya Nakamora (ph). We start at 7:00 p.m., Nakamora explains. He's been in school since 8:00 in the morning and leaves at 9:30 at night. Critics call this too tough for a public school. But Shirota says the old must give way to new thinking. And other educators in the country are taking note.
The bottom line, says this former businessman, if Japan's corporations must adapt and compete in a global economy, it only makes sense that so too must Japan's schools.
Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Can you imagine?
OK, "Fix Our Schools." Those three words driving much of what you see on CNN this week. And who better to talk than the man in charge of the nation's schools. He is the education secretary, Arne Duncan. He is just back from an eight-state bus tour to visit schools. And he joins me from the White House.
Mr. Secretary, good to see you. Thanks for your time.
ARNE DUNCAN, EDUCATION SECRETARY: Good afternoon, Tony. How you doing?
HARRIS: Terrific. Good to talk to you.
Hey, look, you're in schools a lot. You say it is the most fun you have in your job where you learn the most. What have you gained from your travels this week, last week as well, and what have you shared with the students from your perspective on the tour?
DUNCAN: Well, it was just an amazing eight-state bus tour over the past two weeks. And we really want to celebrate great teaching around the country. We call it encourage (ph) in the classroom tour. And I really believe teachers are the unsung heroes in our society. We want to shine a spotlight on them.
We started in Little Rock, Arkansas, at Central High School. Obviously that was the high school that the Little Rock nine helped to integrate. And from that very, very difficult time in our nation's history, that school has become an amazing, beautiful flower. Integrated school, 80 percent of the students going on to college. And it was remarkable to see from that very, very tough time amazing work happening today. Visited a school in Manchester, New Hampshire. They have a refugee center just close to that. They have 18 different languages spoken there. Many refugee students. Many of the students' parents have never been to school themselves. Spoke to one father from Sudan, said just they had no schools where he grew up in the Sudan. And now to have his children have the chance to go to college eventually was absolutely amazing.
And visited a wonderful elementary school in Mobile, Alabama, which eight years ago was maybe the lowest performing school in the state. And they turned the school around. It was very, very tough work. The administrators' lives were literally threatened. They found weapons on the school campus. The building was trashed. Very, very tough. But they got through that. Great staff. Great administrators. They believed in the children's potential, despite poverty, despite a tough community. Eight years later, it's one of the highest performing schools in the state of Alabama.
So, Tony, it was just a remarkable trip and absolutely inspiring to me.
HARRIS: What motivates a state, in this case like California, and its terrific superintendent of schools there, Jack O'Connell, whom we had on the program earlier this week, to continue to push for reform and achievement in his system in the aftermath of not getting a piece of the Race to the Top money?
DUNCAN: What we saw around the country, including California, Tony, was just remarkable courage. We would have loved to have funded many more states. We simply didn't have enough resources.
But what you saw, Tony, was 36 states putting together through the application process their blueprint for reform. So they have a clear game plan. Everyone has moved outside their comfort zone. In state after state that I talked to, whether or not they received dollars, they're moving forward. And we're going to work with every single state. This isn't just about a couple pilots. This is about a national movement. We have to educate our way to a better economy. Everybody is working together. I couldn't be more proud of the courage at the state and local level that we're seeing all over the nation.
HARRIS: 1.2 million kids leaving schools for the streets every year. That's a figure you used. How many good jobs are there in the legal economy if you drop out of school in high school? And what can we do dramatically this year to turn that figure around?
DUNCAN: Tony, as you well know, there are no good jobs, zero good jobs for a high school dropout in today's economy. And I'll go one step further. Simply with a high school diploma, there are almost no good jobs. Some form of higher education, four-year universities, two-year community colleges, trade, technical/vocational training, some form of higher education has to be the goal for every single child, every single student who graduates from high school.
What can we do this year, Tony? We, as a country, we know what students are at risk, we know students might not have as much support as we'd like them to have at home. What we need to do as educators, as community leaders, as religious leaders, the business community, we need to go school by school, identify those students at risk and give them the support they need to stay in school and build a positive life for themselves. That's what we need to do starting right now.
HARRIS: I've got to ask you one more question. What would closing the achievement gap -- I've asked everyone this same question this week -- what would closing the achievement gap mean for this country? What would it mean for this country if blacks, Latinos and white kids were achieving more evenly across this country?
DUNCAN: That the economic dividends for this country would be extraordinary. And the social dividends would be extraordinary. This is the civil rights issue by generation. And that many of our African- American and Latino communities, as you know, Tony, the dropout rate is close to 40, 50 percent. That is economically unsustainable and morally unacceptable. So the dividends for the country from an economic -- prosperity standpoint, but the social dividends of having every single young person in this country have the chance to fulfill their true academic and social potential, that's what drives us, that's what motivates all of us to endure (ph) this work.
HARRIS: Mr. Secretary, thank you for your time.
DUNCAN: Thanks for the opportunity. Have a great afternoon now.
HARRIS: Yes, you too, a great weekend.
More on the damage from Hurricane Earl straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: All right, let's get going. CNN NEWSROOM continues right now
