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Feds Foil Portland Terror Plot; Election Violence in Haiti; Luxury Items Could Be Counterfeit

Aired November 27, 2010 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: OK, so now let's move on to St. Paul, Minnesota, for the hairiest hockey game in history, literally. That's a weird thing to celebrate! Over 1,000 mustached men gathered on the ice rink for the Minnesota Wild, setting a world record there. And onto Idaho now where they lit what officials say is the world's largest tallest living Christmas tree. The tree is twice as tall as the Rockefeller Center tree in New York, if you like checking that out. It takes more than 40,000 lights to spruce up the first tree and it's topped with a 10-foot star. Pretty stuff, getting you into the spirit of things.

A terror plot in Oregon foiled. Details just now emerging as to why a Somali born college student is in jail, charged with a bomb plot. Trying to destroy a holiday tree lighting in Portland. The suspect is identified as Muhamed Osmond Mohamud. A 19-year-old student at the Oregon State University. According to an FBI affidavit, Mohamud met with undercover operatives on November 4th and detonated a bomb concealed in a backpack as a trial run.

The next day, the affidavit alleges that Mohamud recorded a video in which he explains his reasoning for the bombing - the reason why he wanted to bomb a public holiday gathering. And move forward now to the 18th of this month, the undercover operatives say they met with Mohamud to finalize details of the Portland attack. And then last night in Oregon, the FBI arrested Muhammad and charged him with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.

CNN's Paul Vercammen is now in Portland. He joins us by phone. So, Paul, this took place over a course of days and weeks. They have been watch thing individual for a long time. And he's just 19 years old, do they believe he was acting alone?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (ON THE PHONE): Yes, they do. In fact, they don't think anybody else is linked to him. In fact, the FBI just told me that. He was sort of a lone ranger, if you will, but he had been thinking of carrying out some sort of attack since he was 15 years old. That according to the authorities here in Portland.

WHITFIELD: And apparently there were conversations, according to this affidavit, between this operative, FBI operative and Mohamud. Mohamud saying that it was the intention to target just innocent bystanders and in Oregon because no one would suspect Oregon as being a targeted place.

VERCAMMEN: That's exactly true. He says that nobody thinks about Oregon, and in that affidavit, all sorts of other bone chilling statements made. At one point, one of the undercover operatives says to him, something to the effect that you realize there will be women and children there. He said, "that's OK, I want to go ahead and strike at families in this sort of a holiday setting."

Also knowing that Pioneer Square where the tree is lit is in downtown Portland. There are not only 10,000 people viewing the lighting of the tree ceremony last night, but all around Pioneer Square, there are shops in all sorts of other foot traffic. He thought that he was going to be able to, as we talked about, inflict mass casualties and it's the same person that made that remark about the 9/11 tragedy and said that it was "awesome when he found people jumping out of the skyscrapers."

WHITFIELD: Paul Vercammen, thanks so much out of Portland. Also joining us from Portland now, the mayor from that city, Sam Adams. He is with us now on the phone. So give us an idea, Mr. Mayor, how this incident and this arrest now might impact any other planned public events.

MAYOR SAM ADAMS, PORTLAND (ON THE PHONE): Well, it's - first I want to thank the federal, state and local partnership that took the time, were patient and persistent to make sure that this fellow is acting alone and that his focus on Portland was that of an opportunity as opposed to some sort of ideological intent.

WHITFIELD: And did you know about this plan all the while?

ADAMS: No. These kinds of international terror suspect investigations are top secret. Until the individual or individuals are arrested.

WHITFIELD: OK. So back to my original question now, might what happened, this foiled attempt in that it was targeting a public event, might that in way change the city's approach to any kind of public or large public gathering, especially over the course of the holiday season?

ADAMS: Well, we're going to increase police presence in the shopping districts. But the FBI has assured us that this person acted alone. So we just want to be on the lookout for any sort of copy cats. But there is, according to the FBI, no reason for us to be concerned here in the Portland area.

WHITFIELD: Mayor Sam Adams, thanks so much for your time and glad this attempted bombing or this planned bombing was indeed foiled. I know there's a lot of relief in your city. Thanks so much.

In San Diego county, California now, authorities have stopped searching the house they describe as a bomb-making factory. They say it was just too dangerous to continue because the explosives are so volatile. The house is owned by a unemployed computer software consultant who is now under arrest. Bomb squads were tipped off earlier this week when a gardener was injured after unwittingly setting off a small blast at that property. And now onto the crisis in Korea. Today in Seoul, the South Korean capital, an angry group of protestors, including South Korean military veterans, clashed with riot police. They are demanding the South Korean government respond more forcefully to North Korea's shelling of an island near the border. Four South Koreans were killed in the shelling earlier this week. Diplomats from several countries working to ease the tension.

And in this country, retailers depend on black Friday to kind of kick off the holiday spending season. Well, one man and his band of merry minstrels wants you to actually stop spending or at least if you have to stop spending, then buy locally. Here's Reverend Billy, and he talked with our Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. BILL TALEN, "THE CHURCH OF LIFE AFTER SHOPPING": You don't have to buy a gift to give a gift. If you're going to buy a gift, buy local. Local-leuai, amen.

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): OK. What you're talking about is entrepreneurship and the socially responsible spending, you also have a song for us, don't you?

TALEN: You said it. Hallelujah!

KAYE: (INAUDIBLE) Go ahead.

TALEN: We're going to sing a song. This is the life after shopping gospel choir. We got a question we want to ask. What would Jesus buy, amen? What would Jesus buy. What would Jesus buy.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: OK. He says stop the shopping. Stop the spending. Instead, spend some quality time with people. That's not what retailers want you to do. Did you know, in fact, today is small business Saturday. Well, it's the very first one, so don't feel like you're in the dark if you didn't know about that. It's part of a national campaign to encourage people to shop locally. The goal promote mom and pop shops.

All right. Well, folks are out in droves as we understand. They're shopping this Saturday. Just take a look right there. The malls across the country are filled with bargains and people. Sandra Endo is among them. She's in a shopping mall in MacLean, Virginia. What store are you in right now?

SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. We're in Macy's, and there are a lot of deals. That's why a lot of people are out here today. Take a look at this. $19.99 for a Kenneth Cole shirt, and originally it was $60. So a pretty good deal here. We're seeing a lot of that kind of thing. $39.99 with an extra 20 percent off for these jeans. And take a look at this 65 percent off the original price. Take another extra 20 percent -

WHITFIELD: 85 percent off?

ENDO: Yes, I can help you out here. Take a look, a lot of people are out here and actually opening up their wallets. Yes, a lot of people making their purchases behind me. The National Retail Federation is in fact anticipating that sales will be up 2.3 percent this year. But even though a lot of shoppers here, Fred, are eager to spend, they're also being very cautious. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT KRUGMAN, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: I think people that shop online tend to rely on the technology for multiple purposes, not just for buying merchandise but for also researching. People going through the store, for them it's really the thrill of the hunt. Finding that great deal or discovering merchandise that they might not have thought they needed. But more and more what retailers are trying to do is mimic that experience via the internet. So if I am buying a television, I might get a pop-up window with some very helpful accessories I never thought of before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: Yes. So two very different types of shopping going on there. That's why shoppers are making sure that they're doing their homework, doing their research. They have a strategy when they come out here to the mall to really get those items that they've comparison shopped with, different stores, on line stores as well, and keep in mind, cyber Monday is coming up in just a couple of days. 88 percent of retailers are going to slash their prices on line. So if a lot of these people aren't finding what they want, they're going to be online on Monday.

WHITFIELD: Well, then you have to wonder how long these retailers are going to have money because they have to ship all those items to people even though they've got the incentives to, you know, slash those prices. It would seem that - I don't know.

ENDO: Actually -

WHITFIELD: They're cutting into their profits.

ENDO: Yes, Fred, they're really smart about it. They have a multi- prong approach. A lot of stores are on Facebook, Twitter, offering special online deals for their followers. So they've got their bases covered.

WHITFIELD: OK. I'm sure they do. All right. Thanks so much. Sandra Endo, there with the crush of shoppers in MacLean, Virginia.

So shoppers hitting the malls this weekend in a very big way. They could also be getting fake merchandise without knowing it. Counterfeit goods aren't just sold on the streets, details coming up on what you need to know and what you need to do. All right. So acclaimed author Salman Rushdie said there's one quality that every successful writer must have. He reveals it "Face to Face."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Salman Rushdie's 1998 novel "The Satanic Verses" turned the writer into a household name. But he was already a prolific author and the winner of several top awards including the prestigious Booker Prize, even a fatwa against his life and nine years in seclusion didn't stop Rushdie from writing and now he's out with a new book, "Luka and the Fire of Light."

So what advice does this prolific novelist have for aspiring writers?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD (on camera): What is your advice to young writers, those who say, you know, I've got a fascination with words, I journal, I love the idea of writing a book, but I'm not sure how to get started or how to maintain everyone else's interest.

SALMAN RUSHDIE, AUTHOR: Well, firstly, it's very tough. And secondly, you need real determination. All the writers that I know have - it doesn't come easily always. It didn't come easily to me. It took me a long time to find my way as a writer, more than 10 years. And you have to have the real desire to do it. If you have that drive, then in the end you find your way. You know, if you're lucky, you find it quickly. If you're not lucky, you find it slowly. But the thing you need is that burning desire to do it. You know, and if you have that, then it will work out in the end.

WHITFIELD: Do e-books, Kindles, the future of just electronic publication concern you at all?

RUSHDIE: Yes, but I think - I'm not sure how much. I think we don't know what the meaning of this new digital publishing is. On the one hand, people say it could destroy books. On the other hand, maybe it will bring into the world of reading people who wouldn't go into a bookstore and buy a hard copy book. You know, who will just download it. It might actually somewhat expand the total possible market for a book.

WHITFIELD: When you get a chance, what do you like to read?

RUSHDIE: You know, when I'm writing a novel, I don't read much other fiction because I don't like to get infected by other people's stuff. So in between novels, such as now, I try and catch up with interesting novels that have been published in the last year or so.

So when I'm writing novels, I tend to either read stuff that's just helpful for the book or I read poetry. I read a lot of poetry because the thing about poetry is that it pays incredible attention to language. You know, and if you do that as a novelist, that can be - because novels are so much longer. There can be a tendency to be lazy about language. And reading poetry kind of keeps you up to the mark. It reminds you not to slip, you know, to pay attention.

WHITFIELD: Do you like the hard copy or do you Kindle it?

RUSHDIE: No. My son has an iPad which I envy.

WHITFIELD: You're not ready to delve in?

RUSHDIE: You know, I might go and get myself one shortly, or maybe I'll get one for Christmas.

WHITFIELD: Hint, hint.

RUSHDIE: But I like it - the iPad I think is very beautiful.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Salman Rushdie there. Next week, face-to-face with Katherine Schwarzenegger. She's the 20-year-old daughter of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist, Maria Shriver. Her new book is called "Rock What You've Got, Secrets to Loving your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone who has been there and back." The book gives young women advice on how to develop a healthy body image.

I asked Schwarzenegger about another challenge facing kids today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD (on camera): What's your advice to young people, whether it's middle school, high school, even in college, who are dealing with this whole new element of bullying, cyber bullying, and they feel like they can't get away from it, because as soon as they get to their dorm rooms and their rooms at home, they logon or they get a text message, it's there.

KATHERINE SCHWARZENEGGER, AUTHOR: Yes.

WHITFIELD: It follows them home.

SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I know when I was in high school, it was kind of my first experience with Facebook. It was when it kind of came onto the scene. I noticed when I was always on Facebook that I would always get in arguments with people. If there was a picture posted, where, you know, I have my arm around someone, another person would get mad. So I got rid of Facebook when I was in high school. And I realized it really wasn't worth all the fights I was getting -

WHITFIELD: So you just cut it off?

SCHWARZENEGGER: I cut it all off.

WHITFIELD: (INAUDIBLE)

SCHWARZENEGGER: Every one had it and I was sort of the weird alien and I didn't have Facebook.

WHITFIELD: And that didn't make you -

SCHWARZENEGGER: No, because I realized that I wasn't getting in as many fights and arguments with people as when I did when I had Facebook.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Face-to-face with Katherine Schwarzenegger next weekend right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

On a mission to avenge his brother's killers. The "Rock" is back in action on the big screen this weekend. Movie reviews, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. You know, it's that time of year. Action, comedy, suspense, all those great movies this holiday weekend. We'll be talking about that in a moment.

But first, today's top stories.

Tomorrow is election day in Haiti, and there have been reports of violent clashes among rival campaigns. One presidential says he survived an assassination attempt during fighting that left one person killed and many wounded. A spokesman for the United Nations could not confirm that.

In Dublin, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against spending cutbacks and tax hikes. But the Irish government, Ireland's prime minister says the government is taking necessary steps to tackle the country's massive debt. Trade unions call the plan savage and regressive.

And Willie Nelson, busted, again. The country music legend was arrested for possession of marijuana. Nelson's tour bus pulled into a routine check point in Texas where U.S. border patrol guards say they were tipped off by a suspicious odor. Police search (INAUDIBLE) six ounces of pot. Nelson was released on bond but could face 180 days in the county jail.

All right. Lots of folks are home for the holidays but are the new movie releases enough to get people out of the stores, out of their homes and into the theater.

Tony Scott, film critic with the "New York Times" is here with the preview of this week's movies. Good to see you, Tony.

TONY SCOTT, FILM CRITIC, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Nice to be here, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK. Let's begin with a romantic comedy, "Love and Other Drugs." Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal, right. Did you favor this movie? Kind of a cute little love story.

SCOTT: Yes. This one is pretty good. It's a love story. The two of them I think work quite well together, Gyllenhaal and Hathaway. They were together in "Brokeback Mountain" a few years back. There's a lot going on. This is one of those movies that feels like three or four different movies.

There's an illness element. One of the two of them is quite sick. There's a sort of "Jerry Maguire" or "Up in the Air" kind of business and ambition professional element with the Gyllenhaal character. Mostly there's just some unusually good writing, I think for a romantic comedy. And real individuality and believability of these two characters, which is not something you see in this genre a lot.

Also, I would say, you know, for parents who were thinking about taking their kids to the movies, this is rated R. There's a lot of nudity, there's a lot of sex. These people really like having sex with each other.

WHITFIELD: Yes. You look at the poster.

SCOTT: It's not for everyone.

WHITFIELD: Yes. The poster has them both nude, so I mean, it tells you right there. this is not a kid's movie. It's a very adult movie. OK, so your grade?

SCOTT: But it's fun.

WHITFIELD: OK.

SCOTT: I give this one a B, a B.

WHITFIELD: OK. That's a pretty good grade. All right. Let's move on to "Burlesque." This with Cher and Christina Aguilera, the two divas on the big screen. Tell me about - what is the premise of the story?

SCOTT: Well, this movie is PG-13. This movie is a little bit trying to have it both ways, to be sexy and naughty and also wholesome and inspiring. Christina Aguilera plays a young girl from a small town with a big dream. She goes to Los Angeles. She falls into this burlesque club that's run by Cher and Stanley Tucci. And it's kind of a backstage musical. There's romance, there's rivalry, there's intrigue, there's an evil banker or real estate guy who wants to buy the club. And then there's a lot of dancing and singing and it's kind of fast editing of a lot of body parts in lingerie.

WHITFIELD: You kind of have to be a musical fan to get into this, right?

SCOTT: And I think if you're a musical fan, it would be the hardest to take, because you'll notice that the dancing and the musical numbers aren't really all that good. That there's a lot of sort of, you know, shaking and bumping and grinding and I think if you're a Cher fan, you'll like this movie. If you're a Stanley Tucci fan, you might like this movie. I have to say, I don't like to say this kind of thing but the big problem with the movie is Christina Aguilera, who is just not -

WHITFIELD: What? The actress?

SCOTT: She is not a gifted actress.

WHITFIELD: Oh, really? Stick to the singing. OK. Ouch. So what's the grade?

SCOTT: This one I'll give a C for, you know, grading up a little bit for trying hard and for good humor.

WHITFIELD: Oh, OK.

SCOTT: So a C, a decent passing grade.

WHITFIELD:: C for effort.

OK. Let's talk about a movie that's supposed to be kind of kid friendly. It's not G but I think it's PG, right? We're talking about "Tangled," the new version of the old story of Rapunzel, Rapunzel, you like, you like?

SCOTT: Yes, this is a really good movie. This is Disney. The Disney Animation Studios, which hasn't done a lot, that hasn't been under the Pixar level that's been all that good recently. Trying to get back into it with a big princess story, with musical numbers, trying to make a movie that uses some of the new 3-D technology and also has some of that classic Disney look and feel. And it works really well.

Mandy Moore plays this Rapunzel character who is being held captive by the most evil stepmother you've ever seen voiced by Donna Murphy. The handsome prince, who is a thief, comes along and they have this great adventure and it has some wonderful action sequences, some terrific musical numbers. Mandy Moore has a wonderful voice. And it has a kind of visual sumptuousness and beauty that you associate with the classic old Disney animated features, you know, like "Snow White," or "Cinderella," or "Pinocchio."

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. I'm bracing for a good grade.

SCOTT: So this one is a real charmer.

WHITFIELD: What's your grade?

SCOTT: I think it's a winner. I gave it an A.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

SCOTT: I think everyone, boys, girls, parents, children, this is a real crowd pleaser.

WHITFIELD: Right. OK. In all fairness. I know you haven't seen the next movie. I got the chance to check out "Faster" last night.

SCOTT: I didn't see it. My 14-year-old son and his friends went to see it and they thought it was kind of cool.

WHITFIELD: OK. Because it's "The Rock." SCOTT: That's kind of who it was made for any way.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Dwayne Johnson, "The Rock," this is his kind of movie. I don't know, in your view, he's getting to be kind of - I guess a bigger star as being the main man and this action kind of thriller is his cup of tea.

SCOTT: Yes. I think that he's doing a lot - he's been very smart with his career. He's been in a lot of movies that have appeal to kids. He was in that movie, what was it called? "The Tooth Fairy" where he was a hockey player.

WHITFIELD: Yes, showing a softer side of "The Rock."

SCOTT: And now he's doing a more sort of straight ahead revenge action thing. And I think that he certainly has the makings of being a kind of action hero movie star. I think he's actually not a bad actor, which may be (INAUDIBLE). And has a sense of humor about himself, which I think is key if you're going to be playing -

WHITFIELD: That makes him so appealing.

SCOTT: (INAUDIBLE) serious.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Tony Scott, thanks so much. Good to see you. Appreciate it.

SCOTT: Great talking to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Have fun at the movies.

SCOTT: Thank you. I'll try.

WHITFIELD: All right. Appreciate it.

All right. How to spot a counterfeit. Not in movies but in other products that you might want to put under the tree or stuff the stockings, all that. Good advice, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The police and FBI say they foiled a car bomb plot at a tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. They've arrested this man, a 19-year-old naturalized citizen from Somalia. Police say he wanted to kill or injure as many people as possible. A former FBI official says terrorists are seeking out new territories.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS FUENTES, FMR. ASST. DIRECTOR, FBI: Everybody right now expects the attack to occur either in New York City or Washington, D.C., or at least a major city of the United States. And so to have it occur somewhere that's not New York is an issue, because then everybody can wonder whether or not somebody in their neighborhood is plotting to do something like this in their community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Authorities assure folks that the public was never in any serious danger. Officials say the explosives were fake. Part of an undercover operation to catch the plotter.

More sensitive information about the United States actions in Iraq and Afghanistan could soon be released by Wikileaks. A former U.S. ambassador tells CNN that the release could reveal negotiating strategies and secret intelligence. Joint Chiefs Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen talked about the expected document release with our Fareed Zakaria.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS: What I don't think those who are in charge of Wikileaks understand is we live in a world where just a little bitty piece of information can be added to a network of information, and really open up an understanding that just wasn't there before. So it continues to be extremely dangerous. And I would hope that those who are responsible for this would at some point in time think about the responsibility they have for lives, that they're exposing and the potential that's there and stop leak thing information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So this wouldn't be the first time Wikileaks has dumped classified U.S. documents onto the Internet. In October they released nearly 400,000 pages of classified information.

Let's check in with our Jacqui Jeras, our weather picture.

Jacqui, folks are out in the stores, they're hitting the malls. Do they care about what's happening outside?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, you have to have that age-old question, do I bring my coat from the parking lot to the store.

WHITFIELD: That's a drag shopping with your coat.

JERAS: I hate bringing my coat, but sometimes it's just too cold.

WHITFIELD: It could happen.

JERAS: And it's snowing and raining across parts of the West. Temperatures are below average here. Will be tomorrow, as well. In fact, that is 20 degrees below where you should be this time of the year. So this is a very cold system. You can see the satellite image pulling in that moisture and we're on the back edge of it now. So we are going to watch this sort of start to pull through. Tomorrow is a little better on the coast. But you get in to the inner mountains for tomorrow.

(NATIONAL WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: So many of you are making your list, checking them twice. But how closely are you checking the items that you buy? You may be very surprised to learn how many counterfeit items are on sale across the country. CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti joins us now from New York.

We're saying counterfeit not just on the streets, or in somebody's trunk, but in stores, too?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every place. They're all over the place, Fred.

Let's get right to it. These appear to be two Nike sneakers. One is real, one is fake. Can you tell the difference? We'll reveal that answer in a moment, but first we wanted to show you what else you might be tempted to buy and might be fooled to buy, especially this holiday season.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: We're in the U.S. Customs facility in New Jersey where day in and day out they inspect and look for counterfeit goods. All the boxes you see over here, inside, everything inside those boxes is fake. Today, another shipment has come in. Robert Perez is in charge of this operation.

Why has this shipment been singled out?

ROBERT PEREZ, DIR. OF FIELD OP., U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PATROL: Well, what we have here is an example of a shipment where our offices have actually looked at the manifest information and deemed it to be quite not right.

CANDIOTTI: So you've got some shoes in there. That's certainly a Nike logo, isn't it?

PEREZ: From our experience, we're highly confident that these are in fact not the real thing.

CANDIOTTI: Talk about examples, you have a ton of them here.

PEREZ: Yes.

CANDIOTTI: These are all fake.

PEREZ: Yes, indeed.

CANDIOTTI: This one really catches my eye. Tell me about this. Looking at this box, it's marked brand XMX. But it really isn't, right?

PEREZ: When you take a closer look at what is in this box, although it looks like a alleged XMX, nondescript boot, when you actually peal away the bottom of the sole here, you'll see that there is a counterfeit UGH marking.

CANDIOTTI: The box it came in also peels away to reveal a fake UGH box. It's an attempt to fool the customs inspector by concealing the knock off UGHs with generic branding. Check out these Duracell batteries with, get this, an Energizer Bunny.

PEREZ: They got a little confused with the trademark they were actually trying to rip off.

CANDIOTTI (voice over): Hand bags made to look like a Channel or Burberry.

(On camera): The lining just does not feel or look the same. Fake Christmas lights could be a fire danger. And speaking of dangerous-

(On camera): This looks like a cigarette lighter, right? But if you flip this switch, switchblade. This cell phone is also an illegal TASER.

In the last two years, U.S. Customs seized $400 million worth of counterfeit goods. Everything from those fake UGH boots that you saw, to this men's body wash. But what about all the bogus items that make it past inspection? That flood into the United States each day, including clothing and electronics and toys? Well, eventually you'll find them in stores or on the street.

JOE LAROCCA, SR. ASSET PROTECTION ADVISOR, NRF: It's a big fight and one that retailers, law enforcement and brand owners are working on worldwide.

CANDIOTTI: A staple industry, billions in lost revenue. Loss prevention experts acknowledge the battle is far from won.

LAROCCA: We're going to continue to play this game of cat and mouse, unfortunately, for some time to come.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: Now, Fred, everything we showed you came into New Jersey, but customs officials tell me that counterfeit goods sneak in through every U.S. port and wind up in stores or on the street. So here are those Nike sneakers we were showing you.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, oh boy.

CANDIOTTI: Can you tell which is real?

WHITFIELD: I got to feel the texture and everything. So the real ones? I'll go with the ones in your right hand. Simply because the Swish in the left hand-

CANDIOTTI: This one here?

WHITFIELD: Yeah, you would want to say that is the real one, but I'll go with the other one.

CANDIOTTI: Well, you're right. Good for you.

WHITFIELD: It was just a guess.

CANDIOTTI: But I'll tell you, you know, the things that you have to look for and you want to see it up close, true.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

CANDIOTTI: Because you have to look at the workmanship, the stitching, the logos. Although I must tell you, they did a very good job on this one. Look at the soles. If I can lift this up for just a second, it looks exactly the same. I would say if there was one thing that maybe is a little bit different. When you look inside, it's to hard to show you, but the label inside the real one is stitched onto the sole where the heel goes. And the fake one has a sticker. So you have to be very careful. But the tips, go to a store, buy from a reputable dealer. Like you were saying.

WHITFIELD: Oh, OK, that was going to bring me, then, to stores. How do stores know, since these things are in these big crates and they can end up in stores or on the streets. How do stores know they're getting the real deal?

CANDIOTTI: They, too, have to be careful about from whom they purchase their goods to make sure that it's coming from the factory. That's why Customs said they know what to look for on these manifests. And they know certain areas where these goods are coming from that can raise the red flag. The truth of the matter is, for all of us, if the price is just too good to be true, it usually is, Fred.

WHITFIELD: That's right.

CANDIOTTI: But these are pretty darn good fakes.

WHITFIELD: Very good, very good. OK. Susan Candiotti, thanks so much. Hopefully we can all be savvy shoppers out there and not get ripped off like that.

All right, kids and concussions. You'll meet a young man whose life changed forever with one serious football hit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hard hits on the football field with devastating effects. The story of one athlete's life changing concussion is next. But first, a look at the top stories.

Today in Seoul, the South Korean capital, an angry group of protestors, including South Korean military veterans, clashed with riot police. They're demanding the South Korean government respond more forcefully to North Korea's shelling of an island near the border. Four South Koreans were killed. Diplomats from several countries are working to ease tensions.

And a close call at a Salvation Army thrift store in Colorado. Part of the roof collapsed yesterday, with 22 people inside. Searchers originally thought one person was trapped and brought in police dogs and a thermal imaging device. After searching for several hours, they realized everyone actually had gotten out.

Today, Fidel Castro announced Cuba will send another 300 doctors and health care specialist to Haiti. The new delegation will be the number-or actually will bring the number of Cuban aid workers in Haiti to 1,300. In a web site hosting Castro says that it's extremely important to prevent the spread of cholera to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

If you've been to a high school football game lately, you know just how rough it is. The stakes are high, the hits are hard and players are getting hurt. Some so severely they never get back on the field. Here's our Chief Medical Correspondent Doctor Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We know that a concussion can cause more damage in a developing brain and we also know that younger people can take longer to recover from a concussion. That's really what is at play here. So we investigate the story of Max Conradt, 17-year-old football player, who played through concussions. Something that a lot of high school players do. What he teaches us is the urgency of what is happening.

(Voice over): Friday night, game night. On a kickoff turn, 17-year- old Max Conradt takes a hit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's tripped up by Conradt.

RALPH CONRADT, MAX CONRADT'S FATHER: He took a knee to the head and went down for several seconds, and was staggering off the field.

GUPTA: A week later.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Conradt back to center.

GUPTA: Another game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back to throw. There comes the blitz, he's going to get mauled over.

GUPTA: Another hit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the ball is taken away from Conradt.

CONRADT: He drills his forehead and helmet right into his Max's chin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For some reason Conradt let him catch the ball.

GUPTA: Astonishingly, Max continues to play. But then --

JOY CONRADT, MAX CONRADT'S STEPMOTHER: He was walking toward me, and he looked at me and he said, my chin hurts. And then he collapsed.

GUPTA: Max Conrad, star athlete, stellar student, was dying. What happened, second impact syndrome. One concussion closely followed by a second one, before the brain has time to heal. In Max's case, his brain began to swell uncontrollably.

(On camera): During a concussion, the brain, which is the consistency of Jell-O, is stretched and twisted, all sorts of things are happening. As the brain is rocked, chemicals start to flood it, damaging all sorts of different cells within the brain, and throwing the brain into a sort of state of crisis.

Now, with rest, those damaged cells can heal. But when a second concussion happens, too soon after the first, brain cells die, and that's when permanent damage sets in.

(Voice over): Max was rushed to the operating room.

R. CONRADT: The head surgeon comes over and puts his hand on my back and he just goes, I'm really sorry. Basically telling us he's not going to make it, he's not going to survive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Throw the ball, throw the ball.

GUPTA: Three operations in ten days. Max is alive, but barely conscious.

R. CONRADT: This is Max's first time back.

GUPTA: It took months before he finely woke up.

MAX CONRADT, SUFFERED MULTIPLE CONCUSSIONS: What happened?

R. CONRADT: What happened?

M. CONRADT: Yeah.

R. CONRADT: You were hurt in a football game.

M. CONRADT: What?

R. CONRADT: Yeah.

J. CONRADT: Yeah.

M. CONRADT: Oh, my god.

GUPTA: That was 2002.

M. CONRADT: I don't remember the season. I don't remember the football season.

GUPTA: This is Max today. He's 26. Living in a home for brain injured adults. He still has no memory of the hit that changed his life. In fact, these days, he has problems remembering, period.

M. CONRADT: Once in a while, I get upset about, if I can't remember the stuff I want to remember. I wish it never happened.

GUPTA (On camera): I can tell you, it's really amazing. Max still doesn't remember that game. He has only hazy memories of the entire football season. So it's pretty remarkable what happened to him. I will tell you his parents were instrumental in getting a law passed in Oregon, Max's Law. It sort of requires that coaches have training and are able to recognize signs and symptoms of concussion. That players, if they have any signs of symptoms are not allowed to play for at least a day, and only after a medical professional has cleared them.

A lot of people ask, you know, about the signs and symptoms of concussions. Keep in mind, there is no blood test or specific scan, but a headache, or pressure in the head, nausea or vomiting, balance problems, dizziness, vision problems, light sensitivity, confusion, attention, memory problems, those things can be checked, some of those right at the sideline after a player has had a concern about a concussion. Often times the player will be kept out of the game.

But there's so much we don't know about concussions. We do know this, that a second impact as we saw in the case of Max Conrad can be so problematic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Dr. Sanjay Gupta there. And more on head injuries and other health matters. Just logon to our web site, CNN.com/health. More NEWSROOM after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: That's a new song off rapper Kanye West's new CD, Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy. It sold more than 500,000 copies when it was released Monday and it is expected to be number one when the next music chart is released.

But the rapper is making headlines for a different reason this morning. During a concert this week, Kanye talked about his comments about George Bush after Hurricane Katrina and then it led into another attack on pop singer Taylor Swift.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KANYE WEST, RAPPER: I was emotional. That was not exactly the way I wanted to word it, but I wrote it. I wrote it. Just as Taylor never came to my defense in any interview, and rode the waves and rode it, and rode it. That's the way I rode the wave of the Bush comment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So VH1 news host Janell Snowden joins us now with more on the top entertainment story. This being one of two or three.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Janell, so what's going on between Kanye and Taylor?

JANELL SNOWDEN, VH1 NEWS HOST: I got to tell you, I'm confused, Fredricka. About a month ago, Kanye went on Twitter and apologized to Taylor. He said that she had nothing to do with his award show rant and that she's just a little girl with dreams like the rest of us and that she deserved an apology.

And then, as you just played, at the Bowery Hall, on Tuesday night, Kanye performed a show and afterwards he went on this rant. And said she never defended him. Kanye is nothing if not passionate. I've interviewed him many, many times. In fact, the night of his Twitter rant, I saw him at Beyonce's birthday party and I commended him on what I thought was a brave way to finally address the topic.

So I'm confused just like you. But like I said, you know, he's nothing if not passionate. He's an artist. And I guess this is how he's feeling today.

WHITFIELD: Oh, OK, so he's very emotional. Or as he put it, you know, he kind of would ride the wave. So I'm wondering how about his people, his advisers, is anyone talking publicly about his public displays?

SNOWDEN: Not yet. I think everyone who worked with Kanye knows to let things simmer for a bit. He might change his mind. He might come forth on Twitter again and apologize, who knows? Kanye is a bit volatile, but I was there at the VMAs when he first, Kanye, the stage, as we now say, as we now joke. When Taylor was accepting her award, it has become a verb, right? I thought that it was a joke, just like many people sitting near me.

I was sitting with a bunch of record execs and we were all, like, OK, where's the punch line? MTV is known to like, you know, try to trick the viewers. Then the punch line never came and we were all like, oh, no. It's Kanye, what do you want from him?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That was Janell Snowden, in a conversation earlier in the week, news host of VH1. Thought you needed a little dose of some entertainment news.

Thanks for joining us this afternoon. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We have a visitor in the NEWSROOM today. And this weekend, Joe Johns is coming up next. Joe Johns, in the NEWSROOM, up next.