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Waiting For Santa To Water Ski At Christmas Day skiing Santa In Potomac in D.C.; TSA's New Terror Concern; Pilot Questions Airport Security; Soldiers Killed In Northwest Pakistan; Care Packages For The Troops; Stars Find Ways To Give Back; Ups and Downs of Obama's Year; Magnets Keep Kids on Ski Lifts; Top 10 Innovations of 2010
Aired December 24, 2010 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good to see you, as always. See you soon. Merry Christmas to you. And hello, to everybody.
Top of the hour here. Live picture of a - of an event that's taking place. That will be taking place here at any moment. You know, this is a little different Christmas Day tradition, but this what you're looking at the Potomac, National Harbor, Washington, D.C. This is a tradition, you may have heard about it. Skiing Santa. Yes, the water skiing Santa.
Now, this is a really cool and big deal for a lot of folks in that area. Even if you haven't seen it, you might find it a little weird. But they've been doing this for the past 25 years now. And it is a really big draw. Guy hops on the back - he hops on some skis, Santa, people just love it.
He has some elves are out there. I think, Mrs. Claus might make it. You've got the Grinch. All this stuff. But it's a heck of an event. A family event for a lot of folks who are expecting him to get going here, at any moment.
The event starts right now, really, is when it gets going, but expecting Santa, maybe, in the next 10 or 15 minutes. We'll keep an eye on a different Christmas Day tradition, we thought we would bring you since it's happening live right now. But we'll show you those pictures when it does happen.
But it is Christmas time. It is time when a lot of people will be traveling and just in time for the holidays. You know, security. First, the shoes you have to take off. Everything, it seems, you're carrying can be a threat. This is your new problem now. Your mug, your cup, your thermos. This thing, right here, has been deemed, or could be deemed, some kind of a threat. So, these are going to get more scrutiny now. Let me explain what we're talking about here.
The latest alert coming out from the TSA, yes, about your thermos. They believe, they just announced this, that these insolated beverage containers are going to get more scrutiny at airports. New security concerns here.
Those of you flying over the holidays are going to notice some of these extra checks on the cups, thermo thermoses. They haven't banned them outright, but they have gotten information, in intelligence, that leads them to believe that possibly terrorists could possibly use these things to hide some kind of explosives or some kind of device inside the container.
So, now that is going to be getting more scrutiny. No word on, necessarily, if it's going to slow things up a whole lot. Of course, you can't get on the plane with the beverages. And there's still that three-ounce rule applies. So, it's just a matter of whether or not you're going to carry these in your carry on or carry them in your checked back. But, again, they're going to be looking at those a little more closely.
Another possible security concern to tell you about. This one's coming from an actual commercial airline pilot. The pilot shot a series of cell phone videos in the San Francisco airport posted them on YouTube late last month. He says, they showed serious flaws in airport security. He claims the TSA retaliated against him for posting them. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT: Well, folks, I just wanted to give you an idea what type of security for ground personnel this is. This is their screen, as you can see. There's only a card slide and one door. So, when you see a cart, those carts aren't screened at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, the pilot had, actually, been requesting and not to be named. He says he was trying to bring up the obvious, ludicrous, TSA type of security. That's a quote from him. He later removed them at the request of his superior. He was suspended from a volunteer federal program he described as similar to the Air Marshalls. Air Marshalls, also, confiscated his federally issued gun that he was permitted to carry on flights as part of the program,. The pilot has since resigned from that program. TSA says his actions may have violated TSA regulations.
All right. A lot of people going to be getting out there. I'm going to bring in Reynolds Wolf, now, on the weather situation. A lot of people are flying today, no doubt. A lot of them are going to try to fly tomorrow. Some airlines - need to remind people about this, we'll get you more details. They're starting to put people on alert. All right. And telling them, if you want to change your flights, you can do so without any cancellation or change fees. That's big. Because they're expecting some weather. Where are they expecting this weather to cause a problem?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right in the middle of the US. It's smack dab - here if you were going to get the United States, you were going to draw a bulls eye in the middle of the country, that's, basically, where we have it. Especially, in part of the central plains, moving into portions of the Midwest.
When we're talking about the snowfall, which you see here on the screen, in terms of numbers, there's the possibility you could see one to four inches of snow. Some places like St. Louis, you could definitely get that snow action. But there are parts of Iowa, especially in the northeast corner, where you could see three to seven inches of snowfall. All the components are there. You have the moisture, you have that really shallow layer of cold air.
Something else that's very interesting with this particular forecast is what is going to be happening a bit farther to the south. What we're dealing with, in the southern plains, is this area of low pressure. Now, to you, at home, it looks like an "L". But we've been tracking this over the past several days. This is when the big components that gave us the rough weather out west. Now, the interesting aspect about that area of low pressure, T.J., is where it is going to go and what it's going to do.
The latest forecast we have brings it along the I-10 corridor, then moving into the Gulf Coast, then up the Eastern seaboard where it's going to do two things. It's going to pull in a lot of moisture from the Gulf - or rather from the Atlantic Ocean. And then it's, also, going to bring in some cold air to the north.
And going to bring some very heavy snowfall as we wrap things up in parts of New England, perhaps, back in New York, even into Long Island, and, again, if it moves a little bit closer to shore, snow amounts could be greater, pulls farther out to the Atlantic, they'd be less. So it, certainly, it bears watching and that is, certainly, what we are going to do here throughout the rest of the afternoon and into the evening.
T.J., we've got a whole lot to chat about. And we're going to toss it back to you for now. See you in a bit.
HOLMES: You're doing the Santa tracking as well?
WOLF: Yes, absolutely.
HOLMES: OK, you're all over that. You're all over that. All right. Reynolds is going to be with us throughout the next couple hours. We'll check in with him. And, again, for you all out there flying, I need to remind you that you need to check with your specific airline. They are allowing some of you - including United, Delta, Continental, American, US Airways, they are allowing you to change your flights, if you want to, without the change fees.
But they're very specific about when you're flying, which hubs you're flying through and which dates you would reschedule for. But they will let you change them because they're anticipating nasty weather. But you need to check with your airline. A lot of airlines are offering that at this time. And thank goodness.
They are not able to offer a whole lot for the folks at Charles Duvall International Airport in Paris right now, they had to evacuate - evacuate today in parts of the airport because so much snow piled up on the roof that they were worried that it might collapse. Now, if that's not a big enough problem, adding to it, hundreds of flights had to be canceled, as well, because of a shortage of de-icing fluid. About 2,000 people were stuck because of that.
All right. Taking you to some other stories we're keeping a close eye on. They are a, normally, a very healthy thing for you to add to your diet, alfalfa sprouts. But now they've been linked to a salmonella outbreak that have gotten dozens of people sick. CDC is on this. Scientists there say they all appear tied to a sandwich chain called Jimmie John's. Some details, now, from our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.
ELIZABETH COHEN, SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, let's take a look at where people are sick and what's going on here. There's a total of about 89 people sick. Fifty of them are in Illinois, that seems to be the hardest hit state. Also, people in Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania and, then, also, the other states that you see there in green. And what's interesting, here, is that this is a matching strain. It's a single strain. And what that tells you is that there likely say single source for this salmonella.
HOLMES: All right. You need more information, go to CNN.com/help.
You know you have your mind right now on the holidays, but you're going to have to have your mind on your taxes coming up at the beginning of the year. The IRS encouraging some folks to procrastinate a little bit, if you will. They want some people to wait.
Just announced that tax payers who itemize deductions on their federal returns can't file until, at least, the middle of February. The deal here is the IRS has to tweak its systems to account for tax breaks in that compromised bill that President Obama just signed.
All right. You remember it was a big, big story for a while, that so-called ground zero mosque? You hadn't seen it a lot in the headlines a lot lately. But Imam tied to it. But, now, he is going on a public tour of sorts.
Feisal Abdul Rauf says he is going to start a nationwide tour next month. He is the man behind the proposed Islamic Center and Mosque there. His goal, here, is to nurture - according to him, nurture a dialogue about Muslims in America and better explain the project that erupted into a fiery controversy over its proximity to ground zero.
Let's go to Pakistan, here, for a moment. Military intelligence sources tell us that a key insurgent member has been captured. He's the son of the leader of this network here which carries out raids in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. He was detained while driving in Pakistan's north Waziristan region.
More of that from CNN's Chris Lawrence in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: NATO troops on the Afghanistan side and NATO officials have been extremely outspoken in trying to pressure Pakistan to go after the Haqqani network. They think the Haqqanis have planned and executed multiple attacks against NATO troops and Afghan forces on that side of the border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Also, in northwest Pakistan, 11 soldiers were killed when five government check points were attacked by some 150 insurgents. Officials say 24 militants also killed.
India now, the country's financial capital. High terror alert, today. Mumbai police said four terrorists had entered the country in a bid to launch attacks in the city during the holidays. Residents there still haven't fully recovered from the terrorist attacks two years ago that killed some 164 people. Officials say the four men belonged to the same group blamed for that 2008 attack.
And what do you expect to hear on Christmas Eve in the little town of Bethlehem? This? Maybe, maybe not. Parade of Palestinian bagpipers and drummers helped kick off celebrations in the west bank. Bethlehem, the home to the church of the nativity, builds on the biblical sites of Jesus' birth, welcomes thousands of the faithful every Christmas. Services, at the church, are being held throughout the night. Finishing up with a midnight mass.
And, of course, coming your way in just a few hours, at the Vatican St. Peter's Basilica, midnight mass. The pope is going to, of course, be presiding over that service. And, tomorrow, he will give his traditional Christmas address to the city and to the world.
And another tradition, it's become one, around the holidays. NBA teams go Christmas caroling. They single their own version of a lot of Christmas tunes. Had a few classics over the years.
And, then, we have another classic, possibly. If you haven't seen this yet, check this out, coming to us from the Dallas Mavericks.
(VIDEO CLIP, DALLAS MAVERICK PLAYERS SINGING, "GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER")
HOLMES: Who's the little guy? He's in the -- these guys, trust me, they play better than they sing, no doubt. Well, good fun stuff that they put out around the holidays.
If you couldn't tell, the song was supposed to be Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. Now, here, we go back to the other Christmas tradition. I was telling you about it at the top of the show. Live picture. This is the Potomac. This is in Washington, D.C. This is in the National Harbor there, which is, technically, over in Prince George's county in Maryland. But you see Santa. Well, that's not Santa. I believe that's the Grinch, there, but this is Santa skiing at, every year, a whole event.
The Grinch, as you see there, on this particular jet ski, is a part of this celebration. Now you see on the other side there, huge crowds turn out for this. They have been doing this the past 25 years. If you can believe that, this is the water skiing Santa event.
Now, as part of this event, Santa has elves and helpers. He has the Grinch out there. I think Mrs. Claus might make an appearance at some time. They started years and years ago and they have kept it up. And we don't know who a lot of these players and actors are. They have tried to keep their anonymity over the years and to put on a good show for people out there. And people eat it up in the D.C. Area. It might not be something you're familiar with wherever you might be. But it is a big deal to the folks there and they love it.
And, now, it looks like the snowman out there with a red flag. I don't know what he's doing. But people just like to go out and enjoy it. You see the Grinch there. But Santa will come along here, shortly. And he will be on the back, of course, doing his thing, trailing the boat and doing his ski show. But people love this stuff.
Again, National Harbor is where you get the best view on this on the Potomac. They absolutely love it. It's just getting underway. We have a live picture. So, we thought we'd share that with you. We will come back to it when we do, actually, see Santa in a little bit, as we let this play out. But I just wanted to bring you this live picture. Something a little fun, a little different, a little interesting on this Christmas.
I'm going to take a quick break here. Thirteen minutes past the hour. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, at 15 minutes past the hour, we are still keeping an eye on the Potomac in the D.C. area. In particular here, we're looking at the National Harbor, where a lot of people have gathered this year, like they have done every year for the past 25 years. It's called the Water Skiing Santa event. It's really a tradition that people get into there. Really a big family event. Something a little different certainly you don't see all the time.
Santa hasn't come out just yet, but you have a lot of people out there, professional skiers, frankly. This is one of the helpers, an elf or whatever he may be. But they go out -- they just put on a good show for the people out there. They love seeing Santa come out. He'll be out in a little bit.
But, again, just a different live -- something that was happening right now we could bring you another part of the Christmas tradition. Whatever yours may be, they have theirs there in D.C. as well. So just something to have fun with there. We'll keep an eye and go back as we see different things pop out there.
Now, that's a part, like I said, 25 years there. That's part of their tradition in the D.C. area. Also around the holidays, part of the tradition is, it's a time to give back. It's a time for generosity. But, unfortunately for a lot of folks, the tough times in our economy kind of put a damper on charitable giving. Take a look at this new CNN/Opinion Research poll. Fifty-eight percent of the people polled say the economy has forced them to cut back on charitable donations. That compares to 51 percent at this time last year. Charities have had to make do with less. Shelters and food pantries have been struggling with empty shelves.
It's the same story for Jacobs Light Foundation. Dorine Kenney, who you're going to meet in just a moment, started it to honor her son, Army Specialist Jacob Fletcher. He died in Iraq back in 2003. Since then, his mother has packed up and sent more than 400,000 pounds of care packages to forward operating bases and remote outposts across Iraq and Afghanistan. Time may be running out for the foundation though. Dorine Kenney here with me now from New York.
Ma'am, thank you so much for being here. Sorry for your loss, but certainly would like to commend you for what you have been doing over the years. But why are you in a bit of trouble now with the foundation?
DORINE KENNEY, FOUNDER, JACOBS LIGHT FOUNDATION: Well, I think with the stressed economy, it makes it a little bit harder to receive funds right now.
HOLMES: How have you been receiving those funds over the years? Has it been, I guess, a steady stream of main supporters or you depend on new people sending new money, if you will?
KENNEY: We have had a lot of public support, but we also received a pretty generous grant that has kept us going. And our grant runs out within a year. So we're blowing the whistle. We need help now.
HOLMES: That grant runs out, I think you said, within a year. Did I hear that correctly?
KENNEY: Yes, in about a year.
HOLMES: In about a year.
KENNEY: Yes.
HOLMES: How much money do you need to operate yearly?
KENNEY: Oh, each packing costs at least $25,000 to $30,000. And we pack about 11 times a year. And then there are two people on staff. The rest are volunteers. So to give you an exact amount, I can't --
HOLMES: Oh, no, no, no. Well, outside -- if that grant runs out, would it be possible to be able to solicit enough funds through your website and through just outreach to keep it going?
KENNEY: Not the way we're running it now. We send out quite a bit. We send about 9,000 pounds a month now. And it would cut us back to hardly anything.
HOLMES: What's your plan at this point, ma'am, if that grant runs out? How are you preparing for the inevitable?
KENNEY: Well, we're working this year to raise funds and hopefully get more grants and get people to help us. HOLMES: Ma'am, give us an idea here as we just wrap up. And we -- your story has been in the press over the years and what you've done. And you've been featured certainly here at CNN as well. But give us an idea of what you --
KENNEY: Yes.
HOLMES: The feedback you get as far as what these care packages do mean when they get to their destinations and these troops do get them.
KENNEY: It means so much to the troops. It really lifts their morale. It keeps them comfortable. We try to reach the forward operating bases, which are in remote areas. So we're really making an impact to the morale and comfort of our troops.
HOLMES: Well, we certainly hope you are able to keep it going. We're going to give people some information if they want to get a hold of you.
KENNEY: Oh, thank you.
HOLMES: But one last thing to you, ma'am. I certainly I believe I have here right. It was '03 that your son died.
KENNEY: Yes.
HOLMES: I can imagine every day, every year difficult. But what are the holidays like for you and what will you expect this one to be like?
KENNEY: Well, it's sad. It's a very sad time. But I'm coming to the point where I can find a bit of joy as well. And I just do the best I can around the holidays and every day with the loss of my son.
HOLMES: Well, Ms. Kenney, we appreciate you taking some time with us on this Christmas Eve, getting the message out. We're certainly happy to do it. And, again, sorry for your loss once again, but certainly you should be commended for the work you have been doing over the years.
KENNEY: Thank you. Thank you.
HOLMES: Good luck to you guys at Jacob's Light, all right.
KENNEY: Thank you and thank you for having me. Happy holidays.
HOLMES: Happy holidays to you, ma'am. Thanks so much.
And for our viewers out there, if you would like to help out, we have a link for you set up, Jacobs Light Foundation is the name of it. You can head over to my blog -- CNN.com/TJ. Again, it's called Jacob's Light Foundation. But if you go to CNN.com/TJ right now, it will get you pointed in the right direction exactly where you need to be.
All right, here we are about 21 minutes past the hour now. We're talking about the season of giving and generosity and how a lot of people having a tough time being able to make those charitable contributions right now. A lot of people in the world, well, they're more fortunate than others. We're talking about some of the biggest stars in the world. They are giving back. They've got some noble efforts out there, earning them a spot in an hour-long special that you're going to be able to see here on CNN. We've got a preview coming your way, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, they are some of the biggest stars on the planet. And during this season of giving, they're finding ways to give back in a big way with all kinds of good causes. CNN's Alina Cho joins us now with a preview of an hour-long special you'll be able to see, "Big Stars, Big Giving."
Hello there, Alina. How you doing?
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there. Merry Christmas Eve, T.J.
HOLMES: Merry Christmas.
CHO: You know, I spoke one on one with Justin Bieber, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Julianne Moore and Edward Norton, five mega stars who are really using their celebrity to shine a spotlight on those causes that might not otherwise get attention. For all of them, there's a special reason why they're doing it. For some, it's family. Others, frustration. But what they all share is a commitment to giving back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): The hair, the music, the moves. Justin Bieber. A teenage mega star who surprised us with his passion for giving back.
JUSTIN BIEBER, POP ARTIST: For me, I grew up really, you know -- I didn't have a lot of money. And for me it's about helping people out that haven't had opportunity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nicole Kidman.
CHO: For Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman --
NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTRESS: A lot of my life I've been trying to please my mother. And this is probably the thing that she most responds to in my life.
CHO (on camera): Really?
CHO (voice-over): That thing is Kidman's work as a goodwill ambassador for UNIFEM, the United Nations arm that fights for gender equality and to end violence against women.
HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: The big part of what Jenesse teaches women is how to take care of themselves. CHO: Halle Berry grew up watching her own mother suffer.
CHO (on camera): How does that shape you as an adult?
BERRY: Well, you know, honestly, I think I've spent my adult life dealing with the sense of low self-esteem that that sort of implanted in me. And I've spent my adult life trying to really heal from that.
CHO (voice-over): Part of that healing happens here at the Jenesse Center, a shelter for domestic violence victims in Los Angeles, where Berry volunteers and helps other women in a way she couldn't help her mother.
Actress Julianne Moore's cause is education. She's an artist ambassador for Save The Children.
CHO (on camera): One in five children live in poverty in the United States.
JULIANNE MOORE, ACTRESS: Yes. One in five people -- one in five children in the United States lives in poverty. And when you tell people that, they're shocked. They're absolutely shocked.
CHO (voice-over): Actor Edward Norton is trying to shake up the way people give online, creating what he calls the Facebook of philanthropy. A fund-raising web platform called Crowdrise where anyone can create a page to raise money for a cause. Norton wants Crowdrise to be engaging and fun so he can inspire the next generation to give.
CHO (on camera): If you don't give back, no one will like you.
EDWARD NORTON: If you don't give back, no one will like you. That is our core philosophy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Norton basically says they're a bunch of geeks. Those are the people who created Crowdrise. He's hoping to revolutionize the world of online giving, if you will, one web page at a time. And we certainly hope that he does it.
But, T.J., you know the one common thread I would say with all of these celebrities when you talk to them is that they are so committed. They are well aware that they're celebrities, that they're famous, that they have a voice. When they speak, people listen. And they all said to me, you know, the one meaningful thing that they can do with that voice, with that celebrity, is give back. And I just think that's great.
HOLMES: And you know I was a big fan of the Biebs, I believe you call him there, when you talked to him. I was very impressed when I saw your piece about him and how he sounds like he gets it and understands his responsibility at such a young age.
CHO: Yes. And cute as a button. HOLMES: OK, that's for you to say, but OK.
Alina, good to see you, as always, dear lady. Merry Christmas.
CHO: Good to see you.
HOLMES: I know I'm going to be seeing you and spending time with you soon, but have a Merry Christmas. Talk to you soon.
CHO: That's right. And to you too.
HOLMES: All right. And for more on how these celebrities are giving back, you can watch Alina's one hour special. It's called "BIG STARS, BIG GIVING," tonight, 7:00 Eastern, again on Christmas Day at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Want to take a look now at a couple of stories we're keeping a close eye on.
Two shooters who may have been plotting to attack the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan are dead. They were killed in an exchange of gunfire with a military patrol in Kabul today. The third person surrendered. The patrol says it took action because of a credible threat against the embassy.
So, an explosion at a chemical plant near Houston this morning, injured two workers. CNN affiliate KPRC reports no chemicals were released and there was no danger to the public. Hazmat teams were called in to evaluate the situation. No evacuations were ordered.
So, California getting a break, finally, from the heavy rain this week. More weather -- wet weather expected to move in over the weekend. State of emergency has been declared in several counties because of floods and mudslides caused by the past week's torrential rains.
So what a year it has been for the president. Ed Henry has been along for a lot of that bumpy ride the president has been on and our Ed has changed shirts on us in Hawaii. He is there as the president is on vacation. We'll check in with my man right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, look at this here. Just look. Don't you just love -- they love this in D.C. You are watching live picture here of a Christmas tradition in the D.C. area. This is Santa on the Potomac. This has been going on now for 25 years. It kind of just started up. I'm not really sure of the history of this.
Oh! Stable there, Santa!
Those are his reindeer in front of him. But people eat this up and love it. It's become a family tradition. You can't see from this picture, but there is a huge crowd gathered here to watch --
Oh! Stabilize, there, Santa. Keep it together! But Santa -- it's called Water-Skiing Santa. That is the title of this thing. It started years and years ago. But some of these are professional skiers, I believe, but they like to keep some anonymity to some degree because they don't -- they just started this as kind of a fun thing and it caught on. People love it. And they just provide this for the folks year in, year out. Again, we're talking about 25 years this has been going on. You may have never heard of this somewhere where you are. You might I think it's a little odd, a little weird, but a lot of people there just love the picture, interesting sight to see Santa skiing.
A little different on the water here. There's no Santa. There's no reindeer. There are wetsuits and there are surfboards. Not really wetsuits. That's Hawaii we're showing you here. The water's warm enough there. But our Ed Henry -- that's what he's doing right now. He's not actually out there on a surfboard. Let me correct. We can pan over to him now and we can show you where he is.
There he is, our guy, Ed Henry. Ed, good to see you, buddy.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You knew I was there somewhere.
HOLMES: I like to have you mixing it up with.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you.
HOLMES: Mixing it up with the shirts, the Hawaiian shirts. You're keeping the theme. That's outstanding. But here we are, end of the year. The president is there. He's taking it easy. It's been a heck of a year for the president, though.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It really has. I don't know why you would expect I'd keep the same shirt on every day. I think my colleagues would be a little upset with that. You got to shake it up, as you know. And I feel bad for my friends and colleagues back there on the Potomac with Santa, you know, all bundled up. But you know, it's actually -- it's not such a great day today. It's only about 74 degrees, and a little bit partly cloudy, so --
HOLMES: Oh, you poor baby!
HENRY: Could be a little bit better here.
HOLMES: I'm sorry, Ed!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry to rub it in.
HOLMES: Oh, I'm sorry, Ed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president played a little golf yesterday. Now he and the first lady will get a little workout here, a little bit R&R. They're not doing a whole lot out here because, look, let's face it, while the president's sort of ending the year on a high note after that lame duck session of Congress, there have been a lot of bumps in the road, not just in the political arena but even on the basketball court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Maybe it was a metaphor for the year. A simple basketball game the day after Thanksgiving ended with a fat lip and 12 stitches for the president.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let me begin by pointing out that although Washington is supposed to be a town of sharp elbows, it's getting a little carried away.
HENRY: But as he shifts his game to golf here in Hawaii, the president is reveling in a series of big wins, leaving long-time friends like former Honolulu mayor Muffi Hanneman predicting comeback in 2011.
MUFFI HANNEMAN, FORMER HONOLULU MAYOR: Because I met him when he was basketball player on a basketball court, he definitely has that athletic ability to come back. Yes, it's been a rough year for him, but he's bounced back quite well.
HENRY: But in 2010, nothing came easy for the president, who started the year campaigning in Massachusetts to keep the seat of the late Senator Ted Kennedy in his party's hands, only to see Scott Brown score a knockout, almost taking health care reform down, too.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States of America, Barack Obama.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HENRY: In March, the president finally got his health care victory, but he couldn't savor it for long. Within weeks, he was engulfed by the biggest oil spill in American history.
OBAMA: I'm shaving, and Malia knocks on my bathroom door and she peeks in her head and she says, Did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?
HENRY: It was eventually plugged. And there were other big gets, too, like Wall Street reform that the president campaigned on from coast to coast. But with unemployment still stubbornly high, he could not stop a Republican takeover of the House and surge in the Senate.
OBAMA: Now, I'm not recommending for every future president that they take a shellacking like I did last night.
HENRY: But he picked himself off the floor and shocked Republicans with wins on taxes, a treaty and "Don't ask, don't tell."
OBAMA: One thing I hope people have seen during this lame duck, I am persistent.
HENRY: Now aides say he will keep a low profile here, getting R&R for what may be another brutal year. While Mr. Obama hopes to work with Republicans on some issues, he's also determined to stop them from gutting health reform.
HANNEMAN: This is the best place in the world for him to come and recharge his batteries, sort of bask in the Hawaiian sunshine, the Hawaiian culture, the food that he loves.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: And then it's back to focusing full time on the economy, frankly. The bottom line is that top aides say that when the president gets back to Washington in the new year, he's going to very quickly name a new person to replace Larry Summers as his chief economic adviser. Some of the candidates are Roger Altman, Gene Sperling, a couple well-known economic officials.
And then beyond that, in the State of the Union at the end of January, aides say he'll really lay out more economic plans, talk about fixing the economy in the new year. They know that's the issue that's going to decide whether or not he gets reelected, which by the way, that reelection campaign is not too far down the road because in 2011, we're going to see all kinds of Republican candidates getting in the game. And while we'll be talking a lot about Congress and the -- you know, the new power dynamic, there'll be a lot of talk about 2012, as well, T.J.
HOLMES: Oh! Already? So you better enjoy that time you're getting out there, and that 70-degree weather right now because you're going to hit the ground running when you get back to D.C. Ed, good to see you, buddy. We're going to be talking to you again next hour. We'll talk to you here soon.
All right, we're going to get a quick break in here and we're going to give you some information after the break that you certainly need to know, stuff going on with the weather that could cause some travel problems for a lot of people in this country as they try to get somewhere for the holidays. Yes, today, tomorrow could be a bit tricky. We'll explain, Reynolds Wolf along for that. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, let me keep you updated here about the weather system that is bringing snow and rain to the Midwest right now. It's moving east, projected to cause havoc for a lot of holiday travelers, unfortunately, many airlines already letting passengers know they can reschedule their flights for this weekend without paying penalties. Check with your specific airline. They do have some very specific dates you have to use and times, certain hubs. So you need to check with your airline in particular, but some are letting you do it.
Also, another security alert for you travelers out there, screeners at airports across the country looking closely at insulated drink containers, thermoses we're talking about here, the TSA worried terrorists might try to hide explosives in them. You can still take the container on the plane with you, but it could get closer scrutiny from security. Also, in Paris, oh, a part of Charles De Gaulle Airport had to be evacuated today because of a foot of snow that had piled up on the roof. Officials there were worried that it could collapse. Hundreds of flights are canceled. Airports across Europe have been backed up all week because of heavy snow.
Well, how do you keep a kid from falling out of a ski lift? One resort has a solution for you -- magnets. We'll explain. It's part of our "Big I" coming up after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: On today's "big I" segment -- you've seen people out in the mall sometimes with the kids with those little leashes on them, if you will. I don't think they're called leashes, but they're supposed to keep the kid close by to the parent. We've got a new twist on that. Check this out. Kids at Alpine Meadows ski resort -- this is near Lake Tahoe -- they're wearing vests with big steel plates in the back. And you essentially, as you just saw there, you snap the kid in. It's part of a new way to keep the skiers save on the slopes. You see that there? It's essentially a magnet the kid is wearing. They snap in. They don't fall. Parents are loving this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, as a safety product, it's a big hit with the mommies.
PATRICIA LANGE, MOM: I think it's awesome. I think it's wonderful because it not only proves to be a safety device on the lift, but off the lift, you have the orange and yellow color, so they're easily spotted.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right, so were you thinking after seeing that what we were thinking this morning when we were discussing this story? How do you detach the kid? If it's strong enough that the kid's not going to fall out, and it's apparently pretty powerful and the kids can't get themselves out, so how do you do that? Well, at the top of the ski lift, the magnets automatically deactivate so the kid can get out.
Now, still on the issue of "Big I," big ideas, talk about iPods, lab-grown lungs, controller-less game systems, driverless cars. It's been quite the year for innovation, and our Ali Velshi taking a look back at the year's best.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ali Velshi with the top 10 innovations of 2010.
Number 10, the rebirth of 3-D. No longer is it just a drive-in oddity with those red and green cardboard and plastic glasses. In their place, incredible technology that's changing entertainment. JEFFREY KATZENBERG, CEO, DREAMWORKS ANIMATION: It allows the story teller to take the audience into that film, into that story telling, into the film experience. And it amplifies the feelings.
VELSHI: 3-D is already showing up in the biggest movies and sporting events, and it's coming to a TV near you.
KATZENBERG: It is actually going to become a part of our everyday life.
HOLMES: At number 9 -- Look, Ma, no hands, and no driver, either. It's Google's driverless car. It uses cameras, sensors and lasers to see traffic. Add in the map database, and you're good to go. Just think, if you don't have to worry about actually driving, you'll have plenty of time to text, talk to the phone and put on make- up.
A malaria-proof mosquito comes in at number 8. Scientists at the University of Arizona genetically engineered the insect, making it immune to the parasite that spreads malaria.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What does this mean for the world right now?
MICHAEL RIEHLE, RESEARCHER, UNIV. OF ARIZONA: Well, you know, again, malaria is causing so much problems -- so many problems worldwide, number of deaths, and also, it's a hugely expensive disease to try to fight and treat. So by eliminating that, we could actually, hopefully, at least control a major scourge of the world.
VELSHI: They still have a make a few tweaks, though, before the skeeters are left to go into the wild.
At number 7, biker chic and safety device rolled into one. This is the motorcycle jacket airbag. Inside, a carbon dioxide cartridge. When triggered by a ripcord, the vest inflates. So I actually got to try this one out. Dave Barbosa (ph) from Armored Air Products stopped by the studio to demonstrate.
DAVE BARBOSA, ARMORED AIR PRODUCTS: Are we ready to go?
VELSHI: Ready. Wow!
It protects your neck, spine and major organs. The jackets sell for 250 bucks to 595.
At number 6, lungs grown in the lab. Researchers at Yale were able to grow a new set of lungs for rats, a set of lungs that really works. They hope to use it as a starting point for helping human patients suffering from emphysema or cystic fibrosis.
The top 5 innovation stories of 2010 right after this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI: I'm Ali Velshi, now back with a list of top 10 innovation stories of 2010. Commercial space exploration checks in at number 5. Specifically, SpaceX's Falcon 9.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two, one, liftoff.
VELSHI: The rocket made it through earth's atmosphere and put a space capsule into orbit. This was an important test that puts us one step closer to commercial space travel.
Number four was something I had a great time playing with. It's the Xbox Kinect, the next innovation for video games let's you do away with the joystick and buttons.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jump, jump, jump!
VELSHI: Cameras and sensors measure your movements to make you part of the game.
Miraculous movement is at the heart of innovation number three.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shall we go for it?
VELSHI: Let's do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now there's no excuses, Ali, because for a doctor to ever say again, You will never walk again, because we've got bionic technology.
VELSHI: They are called E-legs. The bionic devices can allow some paraplegics to actually walk again. The artificially intelligent limbs use sensors to determine where you want to go, and amazingly, they take you there.
The rise of the electric car comes in at number two. The Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt were two of the biggest we heard about this year. There are limitations to these cars, like price and speed. But you can just plug in and go. Demand has pushed every major car maker to design at least one electric car.
And that brings us to number one, the number one innovation of 2010.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you here for the iPad?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am here for the iPad, the greatest, newest, best thing ever, man!
VELSHI: That's right, Apple's iPad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it feels very exciting. You know, I can't believe I hold this thing in my hand.
VELSHI: People lined up all over the world for a chance to get their hands on what Steve Jobs calls a truly magical and revolutionary product. It was designed to bridge the gap between laptops and smartphones. In the first month alone, Apple sold one million iPads.
I'm Ali Velshi, and those are the top 10 innovations of 2010.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And our friends at CNNMoney.com have a great section called "Innovation Nation," where they highlight great innovations. And for a link to the site directly, you can head to our blog, CNN.com/TJ. It'll get you where you need to go.
Well, taking a look now at some stories that we are keeping a close eye on. It's going to be a white Christmas in parts of the U.S., but that could cause some problems, some areas expected to get plenty of snow, most of the major airlines issuing a travel waiver that will allow to reschedule your flight without paying any penalties. You need to check with your particular airline, though, ahead of time.
Also, out in Arizona, prison riot there has left eight men in the hospital with head injuries. Thursday's melee at the Red Rock Correctional facility involved nearly 180 inmates. It started in the lunchroom. A police spokesman says he doesn't know what started it in the first place, however.
Also, Russian lawmakers have started voting on the START treaty. The nuclear arms reduction deal with the U.S. passed its first vote in the lower house of parliament today. Faces several more hurdles, however. The U.S. Senate approved the START treaty Wednesday, just before adjourning for the holidays.
Well, you are running out of time, just a few hours left to get that last-minute shopping done. Coming up, we're going to go shopping with Pete Dominick with some last-minute laughs. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Nice hat. Well, one last day to shop, folks. Retailers are hoping that lots of people take full advantage of these last few hours. Looking like this could be the best season for retailers in the past few years. The National Retail Federation says sales will top some $450 billion.
But enough with the numbers. There's some fun to be had out there in this last-minute shopping, right? Let's check in with our Pete Dominick.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE DOMINICK, CNN: Hands up if you're doing last-minute Christmas shopping. Sir, clearly -- last minute Christmas shopper? Yes? Last minute? Last minute people? Last minute Christmas shoppers?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We already did our Christmas shopping. DOMINICK: When did do you it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About a month ago.
DOMINICK: A month ago? Who the hell are you?
Did you get me anything?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got a belt.
DOMINICK: You got a belt?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For my son.
DOMINICK: You bought your son a belt?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did.
DOMINICK: I'm guessing your son's emotion as he just found out he's getting an alligator belt. And it's this.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's going to be stunned.
DOMINICK: Thanks, Dad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a kit of four lotions, hand and foot --
DOMINICK: For the wife?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- big and small. For the wife.
DOMINICK: Your wife has giant hands and feet?
You're doing last minute Christmas shopping?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
DOMINICK: Why are you waiting to the last minute?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just a rotten (EXPLETIVE DELETED). What can I tell you?
DOMINICK: Ju8st a rotten --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just a rotten (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
DOMINICK: Why wait until now, sir, last minute?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was out of the country on vacation all last week.
DOMINICK: Lies. Lies. Could you buy me a last-minute outfit? I just made -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure. What do you need?
DOMINICK: I need a onesie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A onesie?
DOMINICK: For my daughter. For my daughter.
Oh! Hi. How are you, Santa?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm well.
DOMINICK: I've just run into Santa doing his last-minute Christmas shopping.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For Mrs. Claus.
DOMINICK: For Mrs. Claus. You got to get that last -- yes. What are you thinking for this year? What does she need? What does Mrs. Claus not have?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She doesn't need anything.
DOMINICK: She doesn't? She's happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
DOMINICK: You're doing last minute --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) French.
DOMINICK: You're French?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
DOMINICK: Do you celebrate Christmas in France?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
DOMINICK: You do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joyeux Noel (ph)!
DOMINICK: Joyeux Noel! That's French for Merry Christmas.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Feliz Navidad.
DOMINICK: That's Portuguese, right? How do they say Merry Christmas in Dutch?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
DOMINICK: Flore Kespace (ph).
(CROSSTALK)
DOMINICK: Buon Natale! (ph) Froehlich (ph) --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Froehlich --
DOMINICK: Froehlich (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Malcome ganna (ph).
DOMINICK: Malcome ganna.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Ho, ho, no, ho, ho!
DOMINICK: Right here from Santa doing some last-minute shopping.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And you can throw one more in there, Inkecongo (ph). Vanda tifet tian vote (ph). Merry Christmas to you all. Look it up, Inkecongo.
All right, we're getting close to the top of the hour. We got a lot to tell you about your weather. You need to stick around. It's going to cause some problems for you folks trying to travel today and tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
