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New England Storm Hampering Firefighters' Efforts in Massachusetts; San Diego Deputy Saves Four from House Fire; Stranger Pays Woman's Shopping Bill; Baby Born on Christmas Eve has Initials ELF. Couple That Lost $800,000 in Game Show Answered Correctly; Eagles/Vikings Game Postponed Due to Weather; What the Tax Legislation Means to You; Top 10 Innovations of 2010; Arizona State Lawmaker Attacked
Aired December 27, 2010 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALINA CHO, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Hey there, good morning, guys. Great to see your commute in. It is 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. in the west.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho in for Kyra Phillips this week. Here's some of the stories that have us talking this morning.
A massive snowstorm is paralyzing much of the northeast today. Closing airports, canceling flights and stranding holiday travelers. As much as 29 inches of snow has fallen on parts of the East Coast. A blizzard warning still in effect for parts of New England.
Tensions are high this morning in Rome where police have found explosives in a package at the Greek embassy. Authorities are also investigating suspicious packages at the Danish and Venezuela embassies.
Just last week you'll recall package bombs exploded and wounded two people at the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome. Anarchists have claimed responsibility for those attacks.
And a pop artist whose name you'll remember has died. Teena Marie was 54 years old. She apparently died in her sleep at her California home.
The so-called Ivory Queen of Soul worked for a number of artists over the years including Rick James and Smoky Robinson.
But first holiday travel is at a standstill along much of the East Coast today. This morning the three major airports near New York City all shut down. And LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark are not scheduled to reopen until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
We are keeping a close watch on the airport situation right now. We will continually update their status. So keep an eye on our special box on the lower part of your screen.
Canceled flights, of course, mean stranded passengers from the Deep South all the way to New England. Travelers had to bunk down in airports, not fun. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is home for the next day anyhow.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You're sleeping right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, what sleeping you get to do, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My strategy is to be in line and see what's available, and get on the next flight whether it's this airline or another airline.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It could be canceled because of the snow tonight. So I'm very sad.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: All right. We want to get the view now from the front lines of this travel misery. CNN senior correspondent Allan Chernoff is at New York's LaGuardia airport this morning.
Allan, you are not going to believe this but I was actually on a flight from LaGuardia that took off at 4:30 in the afternoon, it's a miracle. But somehow I got here to Atlanta last night which I'm thrilled about.
But anyway, bring us up to date on what the latest situation is from where you are.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Alina, you might have been on the very last flight because I have been --
CHO: I think I was. I think I was.
CHERNOFF: I had been watching that board very carefully. There were lots of flights at 3:00 and that was pretty much the cutoff. I did see that one 4:30 flight. And I thought there's no way it's getting out. You got out. Good for you.
Now not such good news for many, many other travelers. Of course most people got word that their flights had been canceled, they never showed up at the airport. But plenty did. As a matter of fact, the port authority says 250 people had to sleep here overnight.
I've been looking around the airport for the last several hours and there were cots -- still are cots lined up between this main terminal and the garage. There are two overpasses. They're filled with cots. People sleeping overnight. Just a little while ago we interviewed folks some folks who actually slept overnight at baggage claim in another terminal which was supposed to be closed off so.
So just a ridiculous situation for folks. Some were hoping to get hotel accommodations, through the airlines, no way, no such luck. The airlines said this is weather, not our fault. We gave you plenty of advance notice. When are we going to reopen here? Well, the airport, they are saying -- originally they said 2:00 p.m., now saying looks like 4:00 p.m. and it's because not only of that snow but also the high winds.
We spoke to the general manager. Let's have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The thing that made that really tough is that we had 50 knot winds and we had near whiteout conditions with zero visibility which made our snow removal operations run very slowly. But we've had crews working since 9:00 yesterday morning. They continue to work -- they continue to work all through the night, they continue to work right now. We hope to resume aeronautical operations between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
CHERNOFF: But, if the airline is open at 4:00 p.m. -- sorry, if the airport is open at 4:00 p.m., the airlines themselves, well, they may not get up and running to their regular schedule, perhaps maybe tomorrow. They had been hoping it would be tomorrow but it could take even longer than that.
Certainly doesn't look like it's going to happen by first thing tomorrow morning because they've got to get all those planes back into position.
American Airlines has one plane out there right now. Last night they had nothing which is exactly what they wanted. After the storm and it seems pretty soon that they'll start bringing those planes back in to try to get the schedule back up -- Alina.
CHO: Well, Allan, Allan, I actually ran into a good friend of mine at the airport yesterday who was headed to Colorado to go skiing. Her flight was canceled and she was told she couldn't get on a flight until Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
So what are you hearing about -- obviously there is a huge backlog. What are you hearing about when passengers might actually get on flights again?
CHERNOFF: Yes, it depends on the airline. AirTran for example, relatively small airline, not that many flights out of here. I've met several people who were supposed to have flown yesterday. They have been told they will not be able to leave her until Thursday.
Obviously not a good situation. They're hoping to find tickets with other airlines. American Airlines has been telling some folks that they will get out today, others tomorrow. It's going to take time. So even once you've got to get -- number one, you have to get the airport back up. Then you've got to get the airlines getting their schedule together.
They've got to get them fully to the proper schedules and only after some time then will all the people who want to fly yesterday and today finally get out -- Alina.
CHO: Allan, I might not normally say this but we may be the lucky ones having to work during this holiday season and not being stuck at an airport. We thank you for that update.
You know believe it or not, those passengers tossing and turning in the airports may actually be the lucky ones. At least compared to those aboard an El Al flight to Tel Aviv. They were stuck on JFK's tarmac nine hours.
One of the passengers shared his experience with CNN International.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC SCHORR, STRANDED PASSENGER: What happened was we were on our flight and we were ready to take off actually. They boarded us. They taxied us. They de-iced (ph) us and we were ready to take off at around 6:00 p.m. What ended up happened was JFK shut suddenly and because the visibility issues, because of the weather conditions we ended up getting stranded on our plane on the tarmac for upwards around nine hours.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: I mean why do you think they couldn't get you back to the terminal? Just a couple of pictures you're taking there as you obviously got off the plane, but looking back across the -- out onto the apron there. But why did it take nine hours for you guys to actually get back to the terminal building?
SCHORR: As I understand it, as we were told by the captain, it was condition with the maintenance crews at the airport. The airport actually just completely shut down, the maintenance crews were not allowed on the tarmac because of the severe weather conditions and the danger posed by the snowstorm.
And for that reason they wouldn't allow the maintenance crews to tow us back to the terminal. The plane itself couldn't come back on its own and then it took around nine hours for things to clear up just slightly enough for them to bring us back to the gate.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: We want to bring you up to date on something that's going on in New Jersey. A busload of gamblers feeling pretty much the same way there in New Jersey. Their bus stalled out in the massive snow drifts that have piled up on the Garden State Parkway.
There's roughly 50 people on that bus. Some have some medical concerns so we want to go straight to Sergeant Steven Jones of the New Jersey State Police. He joins me live on the phone right now with more on this situation and the status of the roads in New Jersey.
Sergeant, first though, bring me the latest on the rescue. How are the people doing?
SGT. STEPHEN JONES, NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE: Well, they're doing all right, actually, Alina. We had troopers that finally make it out there with the aid of some construction equipment.
They were able to bring some food and water from the station and make sure that these people had at least something to keep them going for a little bit. They were concerned with about possible health issues, they were fortunate to find when they finally reached them I guess around 5:00 a.m., that there were no real pressing health issues going on, on the bus.
CHO: Are they still on the bus right now?
JONES: One bus is there, they hope to clear it out very soon. It's a matter of trying to get tow trucks out there as well. The bus is off the road. It needs to be actually pulled out from where it is. And there are no tow trucks with heavy duty tows available.
CHO: And how long were they on the bus in total?
JONES: I believe that the bus probably got stranded around midnight. So that's been about nine hours there plus, you know, whatever they were traveling prior to that.
CHO: And no injuries or anything like that? Exactly how did this happen? Are you getting a sense of what happened? They were just driving and got stuck?
JONES: Well, just like every other stuck motorist out there. There are snowdrifts reported to be four to five feet on the Garden State Parkway in places. And it's just -- it's crazy out there. And as fast as the plows go by and make a hole in it, the wind comes and knocks it back over.
CHO: Is this as bad as you've seen it? I mean it's pretty bad. I mean I left New York yesterday afternoon and it was just sort of starting up, the snow but -- or getting heavy. But I heard there's more than a foot on the ground. Right?
JONES: It depends on where you go. There's actually more than 20 inches in some places in New Jersey. And that's without the drifting. So I think, as you said, we're the lucky ones because we're here working and we're not out in the middle of that right now.
CHO: Yes. Well, I would imagine that your advice to motorists is actually stay off the roads today, right, if you can?
JONES: If they're -- if they are not on the roads, there is a state of emergency. The state offices have been now closed for the entire day. That was as of about a half an hour ago. Prior to that acting Governor Sweeney had a two-hour delay in place, now that's a full closure for state offices so yes, we want everybody to stay off the roads.
CHO: That's right. Sergeant Stephen Jones, we thank you for that update. Happy holidays to you and stay off the roads yourself if you can.
JONES: Will do. Thank you. CHO: All right.
This ferocious storm has wreaked havoc with the plans of holiday travelers, among them our very own CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano. He joins us now not far from his hometown in Stamford, Connecticut.
Just another day at the office, right, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's it, man. Listen, we got a reverse 911 call at my folks place at Christmas dinner. And it was just announced that a blizzard was coming. That's never happened when I was a child nor I've never really heard that happening in winter conditions so that gives you the idea of the severity of the storm.
Here in Stanford, it's -- the storm has begun to lighten up just a little bit, as is the winds. Early this morning the winds are really howling, that's been the big issue. Even behind me -- hi there. A lot of folks -- I mean they're walking in the streets because the sidewalks are not nearly as cleared as the streets are. A little bit sliver of blue sky there trying to come through.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: As far as the airport closures are concerned, a number of them, as you've been mentioning, maybe later on this afternoon some of these beginning to open up at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark, all those closed, same with Bradley International, Windsor Locks. But Boston theoretically is open.
All right. Here's the radar. You probably can still see a bit of a swirl in the radar. That is the storm itself which is just now scooting across southeast Massachusetts and that will begin to wind itself out and go away. When that happens the blizzard warnings will be dropped as this storm system begins to move its way from west to east.
But I don't want to call this a ghost town, guys, but you know you've got a little bit of traffic here, roads not so bad. They did a great job of keeping on top of things now that the snow is really pretty much come to an end. But this is a town hall. This is city hall right here. And this is shut down.
I mean they haven't come down here to clear the sidewalks at all. A company or government workers are on furlough today. Kids, as you know, Alina, are out of school all week because of the holidays so that's not an issue. And the kids at least are loving it.
And those who are nostalgic for snow during the holidays maybe you're enjoying this, too. But if you have to get around to go to work or travel to get home it's not so much fun.
Back to you.
CHO: Well, I'm sure you're -- I'm sure you're torn up about having to stay there in Connecticut with your family. Make sure -- make sure you tell mom and dad I said hi. MARCIANO: Not a bad place to work.
CHO: That's right.
MARCIANO: Will do, Alina.
CHO: All right. Rob, thank you so much.
Coming up you've just lost $800,000 on a TV game show. You probably feel sick over it. Then you find out the question you thought you got wrong that lost you all that money, you actually got right. Well, the losers are actually the winners due next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back. We have this just into CNN. That fierce nor'easter pounding the New England coastline is hampering the efforts of firefighters in Scituate, Massachusetts. Take a look at those pictures, there.
Apparently, several beachfront homes burst into flames early this morning. Crews had to scramble to rescue at least seven people. Firefighters, apparently, used inflatable water rafts to rescue one family.
Now, beside the high winds, which spread the flames, crews were also struggling with getting water hoses through those flooded streets.
The cop who saved Christmas leads our look across the country today. Suburban San Diego, where an alert sheriff's deputy on patrol spotted a house fire early Saturday morning and woke up the four people inside. They were able to escape unharmed. The cause of the fire still under investigation.
In Elkhart, Indiana, a woman down on her luck and money goes shopping for her kids with the help of an anonymous donor. Jennifer White says she was about to use the overdraft protection on her debit card when a stranger came in and paid her shopping bill. How about that? He also gave her a couple of hundred dollars for good measure. She's hoping that her secret Santa will step forward so she can properly thank him.
And last stop, Riverton, Utah, where Nate and Angie Farmer welcome their newest bundle of joy. Isn't she cute? Eva Lori Farmer was born on Christmas Eve. Note the initials, E-L-F. As in "elf," in the spirit of the holiday season.
Well, imagine the thrill and the fear of going on a nationally broadcast game show, everything on the line. That's exactly what Gabe Okoye and his girlfriend, Brittany Mayti, faced on Fox's new game show "Million Dollar Money Drop."
Then, the question. "Which came first, the Sony Walkman or the Post- it Note?" Gambling $800,000 of the $880,000 they had banked at that point, Gabe had the answer. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GABE OKOYE, GAME SHOW CONTESTANT: You know what? I'm going to go with the Post-it Note.
DEVIN POLLAK, FOX HOST, "MILLION DOLLAR MONEY DROP": Post-it Note. Gabe seemed to know almost the entire history of the Post-it Note.
(LAUGHTER)
POLLACK: And so, therefore, $800,000 sits on Post-it Note.
AUDIENCE: Oh!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: They lost the $800,000 and, at the end of the game, walked away with nothing. But viewers did some research, and they found out, well, that Gabe was right. 3M sold Post-it notes in 1977. They were then called "Press 'N Peel." The name was changed in 1979 to "Post- it," the same year that the Sony Walkman came out.
On Thursday, the show producers apologized for their mistake, and they invited Gabe and Brittany back on to try again. The show did not, however, offer to award the couple the $800,000 that they technically won. The couple has not yet said if they would return to the show.
Well, from keeping it real to keeping quiet, what's up with funny man Dave Chappelle these days? You'll find out next in THE NEWSROOM.
(MUSIC - "What's Going On")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC - "Cold As Ice")
CHO: Keep it here to CNN, because we're keeping a close watch on the weather situation. This is a live look at Philadelphia from our affiliate WPBI, where the big news is that the football game that was scheduled for last night between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings actually had to be postponed because of the bad conditions there. City officials thought it would be unsafe for the fans, the game has now been rescheduled for tomorrow night.
We'll have more on the weather conditions and the impact it's having on the northeast throughout the newscast.
But first, from keeping it real to keeping relatively quiet. As we get ready to close out 2010, the question we often hear is, "Where Are They Now?" In the spotlight today, comedian Dave Chappelle. Now, a couple of years removed from the lime light, CNN Entertainment Correspondent Kareen Wynter has an update.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Dave Chappelle was a comedy prodigy, earning standup success in his early teens.
DAVE CHAPELLE, COMEDIAN (AS AHCHOO, "ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS"): Man, white men can't jump.
WYNTER: Movie offers rolled in, like "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," all before he hit 20.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How old are you?
CHAPELLE: Nineteen.
ANNOUNCER: Dave Chappelle!
(AUDIENCE CHEERS)
WYNTER: 2003 brought the debut of his Comedy Central series and superstardom. On the strength of sketch humor that often touched on race, Chappelle's show became a mega hit. Comedy Central offered him $50 million to do more seasons.
Then came the showbiz stunner. Chappelle walked away and traveled to South Africa to reflect on his life and career. He would tell CNN's Anderson Cooper he felt misunderstood by network executives and put off by show business.
CHAPPELLE: You look around Hollywood and you see, these aren't bad people, but it's so vicious.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 36O": Yes.
WYNTER: He never cashed that $50 million check.
Since abandoning his show, Chappelle has mostly laid low, living on a farm in Ohio with his family. He was spotted at a 2008 Obama campaign event.
And he's made surprise appearances, like this one in Portland, Oregon in 2009. He's also given impromptu performances at the Laugh Factory in LA. His friend, club owner Jamie Masada, predicts we haven't heard the last of Dave Chappelle.
JAMIE MASADA, FOUNDER, THE LAUGH FACTORY: He's working on new material. All new material. And that's amazing. I know he's coming back. He keep telling me, "I'm coming back."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Travel can be terribly stressful this time of year. Even more so when your flight plans don't go as planned, like this year with the bad weather. Three major airports closed in the New York City area, a live report from the Big Apple is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
CHO: We watched Congress argue over that tax legislation passing it just in time for the holiday break. But most of us don't make a senator's salary so every little change matters, of course. We brought in the heavy guns to explain what it all means for you. Barbara Weltman is a writer and tax pro.
First off, you're in Philwood (ph), New York. Are you piled under a ton of snow?
BARBARA WELTMAN, TAX ATTORNEY: Yes, I am, Alina. I got two feet of snow outside my door.
CHO: Man. It's a good thing we made this happen this morning.
All right. So first off, tell me what exactly the changes in these tax laws mean for us, bottom line.
WELTMAN: Well, the tax changes are all favorable. There were no revenue offsets so every tax change is favorable. They're going to impact 2010 taxes, as well as taxes next year and the year after.
CHO: So what does that mean? If you're getting ready, as I am, to start thinking about getting all those receipts and making an appointment with my accountant, what do I need to know about filing this year?
WELTMAN: Well, for some taxpayers you're going to have to wait a while to file. The IRS says mid to late-February, if you claim certain write-offs there were extended under the new tax law.
So if you claim the above the line deduction for tuition and fees, the $250 educator expense write-off, the -- if you opt to take state and local sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes, the IRS is working on their computers to make them ready to be able to process both electronically filed and paper returns.
CHO: And tell me, who -- you know, I was so interested to read the research last night and to find out there are some people who will benefit from this in particular. Some wealthier individuals should know something about charitable giving, right. And older people could benefit, too, right?
WELTMAN: Yes. There is a break that was extended and expired at the end of 2009, has been extended for two more years. It allows people who are 70 1/2 or older to transfer up to $100,000 directly from their IRA to a public charity.
And this break is really good because not only don't you have to include that in income, and that can include of course your required minimum distribution, the amount you to have taken each year. Because you don't have to include it in income, it may mean that you pay less tax on your Social Security benefits. And two years down the road it can mean that you will not be subject to an additional charge for Medicare Part B and Part D. Or if you are charged it might be at a lower amount.
CHO: And then what about for older individuals?
WELTMAN: Well, that is -- that's the break for elderly people who are 70 1/2 and older. And this is a really helpful break because, again, it will help your income taxes and could also help your Medicare premiums.
CHO: Barbara Weltman, stay inside of your home with all that of that snow there.
We thank you for joining us with those great tips.
WELTMAN: Oh, thank you so much.
CHO: Happy holidays.
Here are some of the stories grabbing our attention. Italian police are investigating the discovery of three suspicious packages at embassies in Rome. Police say the parcel at the Greek embassy contained a bomb. And police believe that those packages are related to two mail bombings at embassies in Rome last week. An anarchist group has claimed responsibility.
President Obama is in Hawaii for that family vacation. He met with troop there is over the weekend. He also spoke with his chief counter terrorism adviser about security for the holiday season.
Remember those Chilean miners who were trapped under ground for more than two months? Who could forget? Well, they already got to visit Universal Studios. And now they're going -- where else -- to Disney World. The Florida resort is treating them, their rescuers, and their families to a six-night stay. That's great.
Well, the holiday glow has turned to red hot frustration for travelers. All along the East Coast a massive storm has dumped up to 15 inches of snow on the northeast, canceling flights and stranding passengers. Wind gusts are clocked at 60 miles an hour or more. In fact, all three of New York City's major airports closed this morning. Newark, JFK, LaGuardia, are all expected to reopen at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
But imagine the backlog. That means many travelers are waking up in the same miserable conditions that they fell asleep to. For the latest we want to go to CNN's Patricia Wu. She's at LaGuardia with the latest.
What is it like being where you are right now, Patricia?
PATRICIA WU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, at least the sun is out Alina, so we've got that one bright spot. As for what's going on inside, well, you know, hundreds of travelers were stranded overnight. Some are waking up, some of them were lucky enough to get cots, others were sleeping in chairs, on the floor.
I even talked to one student who literally set foot on U.S. soil for the very first time yesterday. He flew in from Shanghai and was hoping to get to Ohio State, where he's going to go to school. Right now he's sitting in there. But he's actually making friends so his mood is more jovial than you might expect after they've being through so much and so much more to come, given that the airports are still closed.
Hundreds ever flights here at LaGuardia scheduled for today are already canceled. So, as you said, you can imagine there are going to be some big delays when the airports do reopen -- Alina.
CHO: Right. Some people can't get back on flights until Thursday of this week which should be tough holiday plans out of the state. Not good.
All right. Patricia Wu, thank you so much.
In many cities air travel is at a virtual standstill, this morning, including the New York area. Holiday travelers, of course, are stuck. Thousands of flights grounded on one of the busiest travel days of the year as a monster blizzard barrels up the East Coast. About 2,000 flights in all were canceled.
In the New York area alone, JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports all suspended air traffic, almost every hotel room in New York is booked. And that's affecting lots of people far away from the northeast, as well.
This morning our Kiran Chetry spoke with Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor at Travelocity to get tips on navigating those travel delays.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR, "AMERICAN MORNING": Do you have priority, meaning that if you are already stuck at an airport, let's say you missed your connection or whatever, you have no place to go.
Do they try to place you first as oppose to the people who at home? Or no, they don't do that?
GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN, SENIOR EDITOR, TRAVELOCITY: OK. They won't place you ahead of people who are ticketed to fly out, say today or tomorrow. Those people will go out as usual on their flights if their flights do, in fact leave. So the people who are stranded will be put on any available seats over the next few days.
But as you said, 2,000 flights canceled yesterday; that translates into tens of thousands of people now competing for very few available seats. This is the time to be as flexible as possible. If you're supposed to go to New York but you find a seat on a flight to Philadelphia, start making your way home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Stay flexible is easier said than done. In a few moments we'll check with the weather team and get the very latest on the country's travel delays.
Well, was a 3D TV on your wish list this year? Maybe you were hoping to find an iPad under the Christmas tree. There were a lot of great gadgets and innovations this year. Our Ali Velshi is taking a look at the year's very best. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ali Velshi with the top ten innovations of 2010.
Number 10; the rebirth of 3D. 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 storyteller to take the audience into that film -- into that storytelling, into the film experience. And it amplifies the feelings.
VELSHI: 3D 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.
VELSHI: At number nine; 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 on the phone, and put on makeup.
A malaria proof mosquito comes in at number eight. Scientists at the University ever 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, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA: Well, you know, again, malaria is causing 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 have to make a few tweaks though, before the sqeeters (ph)are left to go in the wild.
At number seven; biker chic and safety device rolled into one. The motorcycle jacket air bag. Inside a carbon dioxide cartridge when triggered by a rip cord, the vest inflates. I actually got to try this one out.
Dave Barbosa from Armored Air Products stopped by the studio to demonstrate. It protects your neck, spine and major organs. The jackets sell for $250 to $595.
At number six; 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 five innovation stories of 2010, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: I'm Ali Velshi. Now back with the list of top ten innovations stories of 2010.
Commercial space explorations checks in at number five, specifically Space X's Falcon 9.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two, one, lift off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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 X-box, Kinect. The next innovation for video games, let's you do away with the joy stick and buttons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, jump, jump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Where cameras and sensors measure your movements to make you part of the game.
Miraculous movement is at the heart of innovation number 3.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we have to try it.
VELSHI: Let's -- let's do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now there's no excuses, Ali. There's a -- for a doctor to ever say again you will never walk again, because we've got bionic technology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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 2, 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 carmaker to design at least one electric car. And that brings us to number 1, the number 1 innovation of 2010.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you here for the iPad?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am here for the iPad. The greatest newest best thing ever, man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: That's right Apple's iPad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it feels very exciting. You know, I can't believe I hold this in my hand.
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VELSHI: People lined up all over the world for a chance to get their hands on what Steve Jobs calls as 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.
CHO: Ali, thank you.
And now a look at today's flashback on this date back in 1947. The classic children's TV program "Howdy Doody" debuted on NBC and from that, that famous phrase.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, kids, what time is it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's howdy doody time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, howdy doody, kids. And howdy, Buffalo Bob.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, howdy there, Mr. Doody. And boys and girls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Oh, there's nothing like New York. Right? Even on a snowy day. Take a look at that. CNN producer, Julian Cumming, driving in New York's upper west side; thank you Julian for those pictures.
You can see just how bad the streets are. Parts of New York got pounded with 13 inches of snow yesterday. All three of the major airports in the area have been shut down and won't reopen until 4:00 this afternoon. It's still beautiful. And news from politics; there is a new development in the fight for the last contested Senate seat. Joe Miller says, he now won't appeal Lisa Murkowski being certified as the winner in Alaska. But there's a caveat.
Miller says the federal lawsuit will go forward. He argues that Alaska law doesn't allow the counting of misspelled names on the ballots. Murkowski, a write-in candidate holds a 2,200 vote lead even when those challenged votes are not counted.
Well, police are looking for the person who attacked an Arizona state lawmaker on Christmas day. Here's what happened, Frank Pratt, apparently went to check in on his swimming pool store when someone beat him, knocked him unconscious and left him tied up. The attacker then stole Pratt's SUV.
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RUSS BANTA, NEIGHBOR OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE FRANK PRATT: It's certainly shocking. I -- I couldn't believe it. When I first heard it, it just was devastating is -- that's Frank has been a good friend and a good neighbor all this time and -- and I just can't believe that something like that could happen to him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Well, Pratt is hospitalized in stable condition but his wife says he has no major broken bones. Let's hope not.
Well, we're following lots of developments in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in with CNN's Rob Marciano who joins us now from -- is that Rob? No it's Allan from Stanford -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Hi Alina, yes we're in Stanford, Connecticut, one of the many spots along the I-95 corridor buried with this blizzard of 2010. Folks are milling about just a little bit but for the most part this city has been shut down.
But the winds are still blowing, live report coming up at the top of the hour.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: I'm Allan Chernoff at LaGuardia Airport in New York; no flights, not for hours and hours to come. People are waking up from having slept here over night. We'll have details coming up.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And the snow may not just be slowing traffic it may also be keeping millions of Americans from returning their Christmas gifts and finding some post-holiday deals.
But how much is it going to hurt the nation's retailers? More on that is coming up right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Well, that's for sure. You're taking a look at midtown Manhattan there where traffic is moving a little slowly. The city got up to 13 inches of snow, maybe more in some parts. All of the area's airports are shut down, and LaGuardia, JFK and Newark won't reopen until 4:0 p.m. today.
If you're at an airport keep it here at CNN or read a magazine. There's not much else to do, guys. Or get a mail.
I want to get the latest on the weather situation now with Reynolds Wolf.
You know, Reynolds, I -- actually got on one of the last flights out of New York yesterday. And my flight left at 4:30 in the afternoon if you can believe it.
(CROSSTALK)
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You are so lucky --
CHO: No piling about -- I know I was lucky. I thought I was going to have to --
WOLF: You are so fortunate.
CHO: I was.
WOLF: My goodness gracious, you know, when you have a weather story like this it can either be the greatest thing in the whole world that you don't have to be anywhere or if you are just staying home.
I mean, this is the reason why they made coaches but if you do have to get out and about it's going to be a rough day for you.
This is the reason why all of this is coming into play. We have this area of low pressure, this nor'easter that's been churning its way up the Eastern Seaboard. What we expect this thing to do is we fast forward from today into tomorrow. It will continue its track a little to the northeast still tapping into that moisture in the Atlantic bringing initial snowfall to parts of Maine and into New Hampshire and then into Vermont.
But that doesn't mean that we're through with the snowfall in parts of say Massachusetts, or of course, back even into New York State. At this hour we still have the scattered snow showers. It's not just in parts of New York where we're seeing this though, back out to the finger lights.
We've got a few areas where the snow continues to come down. And as we make our way back towards Boston, notice how in Boston all the way (INAUDIBLE), it's mainly snow. When you get out into Cape Cod a lot of it is going to transfer on a virtual rainfall, especially out on the cape. We have temperatures about the freezing point.
Again the snow continues to fall in some of the most populated areas in the country. We will talk more about what you can expect coming up very soon. Certainly tough for people trying to get from Point A and Point B. We're going to talk more about what you can expect, coming up very soon. Alina let's send it back to you.
CHO: Very busy Reynolds. Thank you very much. All right.
The NFL cancelled last night's Eagles Vikings game because of the snow emergency in that Philadelphia region. The league cited public safety concerns and the need to have roads fully cleared of vehicles. The game will be played tomorrow night. It will be the first Tuesday NFL game since 1946.
All of the other NFL games went on as scheduled yesterday thankfully for the record setting performance in one of them.
Former Atlanta Falcons running back, Jamaal Anderson, joins us now with this morning's sports highlights.
Hey, good morning Jamal. Nice to see you. What do you have?
JAMAL ANDERSON, FORMER ATLANTA FALCONS RUNNING BACK: Good morning. We have got -- I mean weather? It doesn't really matter for these guys in New England. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots continue to roll looking to lock up the AFC east here. The Patriots playing the bills and you're going to get to see Danny Woodman right here with a 29-yard touchdown burst as the middle; patriots lead 7-3.
Check it out.
The second quarter, record breaking Tom Brady hits tight end Rob Brankowski here for an 8 yard TD pass. Brady on the day, 309 straight completions, passes the record for Bernie Cosar where you have 309 straight completions; without an interception. There's another touchdown pass there, another eight yarder.
To Rob Brankowski. Yes, deja vu. Tom Brady terrific. Brady finished on the day with three TD passes as the Patriots win 34-3, clinched number one in the AFC playoffs. They are one of the top teams in football. They have been rolling all season long.
Another move here in the NFL -- nothing -- I don't think a lot of people are surprised by this one. You are getting a look right here at Mike Singletary on the sideline; emotional, the temperament and everything. Mike Singletary's was fired after this game by the San Francisco 49ers. Singletary's record in San Francisco 18 and 22; this is eight straight years the Niners have gone now without making it to the playoffs. We knew this was coming.
The 49ers are tough. It's the craziest thing about this. The 49ers if they would have won yesterday and they would have won next week they would have gone to the playoffs, Alina. Very surprising but Singletary is out. One more position open in the NFL. Back To you Alina.
CHO: All right Jamal. Thank you so much.
ANDERSON: Thank you.
