Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
United States Airlines; FAA Says U.S. Air Traffic To Soar; Deadly Protests In Bahrain; Underdog Now The Top Dog; Amanda Knox's Mom Speaks Out, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy For Book Store; The Death of Books; Jay Carney's First Briefing; Wisconsin State Workers on Strike in Madison; U.S. Marshal Shot and Killed in West Virginia; United Airlines Gradually Bringing Back 757s; Prostate Cancer Screening: Less is More?; The Future of Our Skylines; Dusty the Klepto Cat
Aired February 16, 2011 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: That was a great story. Suzanne, thanks very much. You have a great afternoon.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, you, too.
VELSHI: I'm Ali Velshi. I want to talk to you about the airlines. Big news, right now. But take a look. That's a picture you're looking at. Live picture of the White House briefing underway.
Why is that a big deal? Because there's a brand new guy at the podium. Jay Carney is the president's new press secretary. He's up there giving his very, very first press conference. So far, we've been checking into it, it looks like it's going OK for him. They're cutting him some slack. He's had a couple hard questions. We're keeping an ear on that and an eye on it. We'll bring you any information you need to know from that press conference.
But I want to talk about airlines. You know me, I'm always talking about airlines. For all that we complain about them, we are using them more and more. And I've got a lot of news on the airlines, today.
The first piece of news, the big one, united airlines. It is, gradually, bringing its Boeing 757s back into service, today, after safety inspections that should have been done seven years ago.
In June of 2004, the FAA ordered carriers to replace the jets' air data computers which regulate speed and altitude. United did do that, but it says it discovered, only yesterday, that it failed to do follow-up safety checks. So, 96 of the type of the plane you see, here, one of the most common planes, by the way, you are likely to fly on, the 757, is used heavily on cross country flights. Ninety-six of those were grounded.
United says, the checks take 60 to 90 minutes per plane. They've been working hard to get it done while several flights had to be canceled, yesterday. Today, they say, you should see only minimal delays. Airlines, in general, have just come off a disastrous decade, but U.S. carriers made money last year. The first time in a decade that they all made money. The FAA, federal Aviation Administration, predicts booming demand as far as the eye can see.
This year, alone, bookings on U.S. airlines, take a look at this, are expected to jump 3.5 percent from 2010 to 737 million passengers, this year. If you think planes, gates, terminals, parking lots are jam packed, right now, take a look at what it's going to be a year from now.
According to the FAA, U.S. carriers are expected to handle one billion passengers, in 2021. That's just 10 years from now. Two years sooner, by the way, than they had predicted just last year. And we're still climbing. 2031, 20 years from now, 1.3 billion passengers. Remember, I'm talking U.S. airlines only.
We are not the world's fastest growing airline users. Carriers, based in other countries, are not included in these forecasts, including those coming from china. Those numbers are going to dwarf these ones.
My colleague Richard Quest is based in London. He knows crowded skies are a global phenomenon. He travels more than I do. He joins me, now, for "Two at the Top."
Richard, it is kind of phenomenal how much we complain and carry on about the airlines. Why, if that's the case, are we using them more? I would have , over time, Richard, that with all these other ways of communicating, and better communication on the Internet, there would be fewer trips.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: And, indeed, that is certainly the case. The growth of things like visual aids and things like video conferencing has been phenomenal. But, the truth of the matter is, if you want to do real business, you have to get on a plane and you have to go and see people face to face. Also, don't forget, people are getting wealthier and an enormous, and I mean enormous, part of aviation, these days, is people going on vacation.
You talked about that statistic of 3 percent growth, in 2011, for domestic but that, Ali, is dwarfed, this year, in the U.S. by the 7.8 percent growth that will take place within the U.S. for international travel.
And, if you look internationally, in that FAA survey, if you look out into the future, international travel will grow from the U.S. by 4.3 percent, on average, for the next ten years.
VELSHI: OK. So, when we look at travel, Richard, we look at, as we say, packed airports, delays, full planes, right now. What is it the airlines and the industry are doing to prepare for this?
QUEST: The one thing that they're doing, of course, is trying to build new facilities. Now, in places like Asia, and, certainly, in the Gulf, in Qatar, Doha, and in Dubai, they don't, really, have much of a problem there. They are able to build large new airports, just pretty much like that. In the United States and in Europe, it's not the case.
So, in the U.S., for example, the FAA is using its next gen technology. Now, this is really cool stuff. Instead of planes flying from beacon to beacon, on the ground by radar, instead, they will use satellite to actually guide the planes. It's due to come in, or at least all the equipment in the United States, is due to be there by 2013. It should be operational in the later part of this decade.
And one little point about this, Ali. Already, at the moment, when planes come in to land, they tend to go like this then drop a bit, then they go like this, then they drop a bit. It is very wasteful. It's environmentally unfriendly. All this new technology will enable a much smoother, more precise, more direct approach for planes to fly in the future.
VELSHI: All right. You and I fly a lot. We are going to, in a couple weeks, come on here and compare the flying experience, domestically, in the United States, which is what I do a lot of, to the flying experience domestically within Europe, which you do a lot of. So, let's get that ready and we'll bring it to our viewers.
QUEST: Indeed, we will. And I promise you, neither of us is about to have a bonanza of a time.
VELSHI: I hear you. Richard, always a pleasure to see you, my friend. Richard Quest -- CNN International's Richard Quest host of "Quest Means Business", going on TV, very shortly.
All right. Let me bring you up to speed on some of our other top stories, right now.
The U.S. marshal's office confirms three of its deputy marshals were shot in Elkins, West Virginia, today. According to reports, a group of deputy marshals was serving an arrest warrant at a home when three officers were fired upon and struck by a shotgun blast. Two of them were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The third was transported by helicopter. Their conditions are unknown, at this time. We will keep you updated on the story.
In Mexico City, one U.S. immigration agent is dead. Another is wounded after a brazen, broad daylight attack on Tuesday. An official says, the two ice agents were driving between Mexico City and Monterey in an armored vehicle when they were forced off the road, surrounded by more than ten people and shot. A homeland security official tells CNN this incident has the, quote, "Full attention of all corners of the department."
Anger and violence bleeding over into Bahrain, today. A key U.S. ally in the Arab region. Take a listen to this.
(VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Thousands of demonstrators gathered for a peaceful funeral procession for a Bahraini man who was killed when clashes erupted during another protester's funeral.
Bahrain's king addressed his country, vowing justice after the citizen's death. Protesters had, initially, demanded reform in the wake of the uprising in Egypt. Now, though, some are calling for the removal of the royal family.
And an underdog is now the top dog at the Westminster dog show in New York. Five-year-old Hickory made history, Tuesday, becoming the first ever Scottish Deerhound to win best in show. Her handler says, the win was the thrill of a lifetime. Hickory bested more than 2,000 other pooches to take the top title.
The parents of Amanda Knox are now facing charges, themselves, more than a year after their daughter's murder conviction. In an exclusive interview, Knox's mother tells CNN the latest case feels, quote, "Very personal." We'll hear more right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: A new indictment has been filed against the parents of Amanda Knox. You'll remember, she is the American student who was convicted of murdering her British roommate, in Italy. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
Now, ever since her conviction, Knox's parents have been speaking out about their daughter's case. Now, in an interview, you'll only see here on CNN, Amanda Knox's mother speaks to our Drew Griffin about the latest charge of slander.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: You know, as an American citizen, you are going to ask yourself, what this is all about, after I tell you.
In 2009, the parents gave an interview to the "Sunday Times Of London", in which they were describing an interrogation that Amanda Knox had described to her parents. The parents were relating that she was denied food and water, she was denied an interpreter, and that she was physically and verbally abused during this intense interrogation. The police say, that's just blatantly not true and that is what this case is about. That is what they are being charged with.
Yesterday, I did sit down with the mother. This is what she had to say about this additional charge she, now, faces.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW: If you look at it as the Italian justice system versus our family. This almost feels like a persecution, not prosecution, going now after the parents.
EDDA MELLAS, AMANDA KNOX'S MOTHER: Well, I wouldn't say the Italian justice system. I would say, a few people in Prussia, definitely, it feels very personal, now. It feels like, OK, you're after our daughter, you're after, you know, us. Someone, today, commented on the radio, it's almost like they try to wear them down. Maybe, if we keep at them, they'll go away, or, you know, or go bankrupt or whatever, but it's not stopping us.
GRIFFIN: Will you?
MELLAS: Oh, probably, eventually, yes.
GRIFFIN: Go bankrupt?
MELLAS: Well, you know, I think, we've mortgaged just about everything we can mortgage but there's been of -- you know, there's been very kind people who have sent donations to help pay for Amanda's defense.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: There is a new appeal, in this case, and a lot of hope because there is, now, a new judge. A judge who ordered a new look at, quite frankly, scant physical evidence in this case. That review is due in May, and then the parents will face their judge in July. So, there is hope for a new appeal, here, but, again, you know, her conviction has been upheld by the higher courts in Italy, and she is serving 26 years in prison.
VELSHI: All right, Drew, the hearing in the parents' case is set for July 4th.
Well, it's chapter 11 bankruptcy for one of the country's top book store chains. Are hardbacks and paper backs going the way of records and 8 tracks? We'll talk about that. We'll read between the lines when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: From iPhones to e-books, digital devices are changing our way of life. The latest evidence of that may be Borders Group filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The nation's number two bookstore chain says it plans to close about 200 stores. It's seen a double digit drop in sales in the past three years. Meanwhile, e-book sales have doubled. Forester Research estimates that Americans spent $1 billion on e-book downloads in 2010. So are books on the way out?
Well, joining me for the discussion, Shelly Palmer, Rick Willard and Pete Dominick.
Gentlemen, does this feel like many years after the conversation we had about whether DVDs -- CDs are on their way out because of digital downloads? Is this just history repeating itself, Rick?
RICK WILLARD, SOCIAL & DIGITAL MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR: Yes, it absolutely is. Ali, how are you? E-books are not going away. They are here to stay. The big chains came out and moved the mom and pop stores out of neighborhoods and now they're getting a bit of poetic justice quite frankly. The e-book, the Nook, the Kindle is going to be used in schools. It's going to be used in homes. It might even have a resurgence. We might even see a resurgence in mom and pop bookstores in specific genres.
VELSHI: Right.
WILLARD: For instance, if you like murder mysteries, "Murder Inc." in New York City, for instance, they could expand their operation just a little bit. Put a little couch and everything in there and some coffee and then all of a sudden you've got an online and offline community (INAUDIBLE) going to go.
VELSHI: Makes it into a little Starbucks for people who want to read things.
OK --
SHELLY PALMER, HOST, "LIVE DIGITAL WITH SHELLY PALMER": You know the -- Ali.
VELSHI: Shelly, yes, go ahead.
PALMER: You know it -- yes, that's all nice and it sounds very convenient and it's a good narrative. But as it turns out, what killed Borders was, a, bad business practices and amazon.com and specifically consumer control over how they purchase stuff. And it's how you as a consumer are able to purchase now using the devices, like your smart phone, like your computer. And, actually, what I think is an interesting about Borders dying right about now is what it means specifically to other retailers in the very near future.
Google Goggles and devices like iPhones and smart phones running software like LogoVision, a company I'm involved in, where consumers can just walk into a store, take a picture of something -- not the bar code, just take a picture of it and get all the pricing that you want and instant access to it in other places. That's going to seriously change retail. Borders is the first version of how that's going to impact big retail.
VELSHI: Yes. OK, so you're saying it's more than just e-books.
PALMER: What's coming next is crazy.
PETE DOMINICK, SIRIUS/XM RADIO HOST, POTUS: Ali.
VELSHI: It's --
PALMER: Way more. Way more.
VELSHI: Dominic, what do you want to say about this?
DOMINICK: Ali -- hold -- well, I mean these guys are experts on the technology, these guys are expert on business, Rick and Shelly, of course. And, listen, I'm not anti-technology. I got two phones. I use it all, Ali Velshi. But I'm a traditionalist. I love books. I have book lined rooms in my homes. They're important to my kids. I don't really like the e-books. I don't really like reading that way. I like looking through pages. And, more important, I like spaces where people who like books gather.
Remember that movie, "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks?
VELSHI: Yes.
DOMINICK: And Rick was right, poetic justice. Now there goes Borders. But we've settled for these big book stores, Borders and Barnes & Noble, because you would go there, you could look at the books, you could see the books and, hey, they're a good place to meet people if you're single. I'm just saying, I like that space. I like those books. And I like them next to my night stand.
VELSHI: Rick, it took me a long time to move on to a Kindle and that's all I use now because I too like the book. I like to know where I was in the book, things like that. Number one, any particular gain or loss, other than that sentimental value, any particular gain or loss to the consumer? And, two, are more people going to read as a result of this or fewer?
WILLARD: More people are going to read, that's for sure. But the adoption of e-books in schools -- and California is testing that now -- as well as -- I think the entrepreneurship is going to actually get a boon from this. And, Shelly, I have to say this, you're right about your analysis of that segment, but you can't -- Dominick's right, you can't discount the human factor. There are going to be -- people who read books have communities. There are people who like certain kinds of things. Micro social is a --
PALMER: No, Rick, you're absolutely right. You're absolutely right.
VELSHI: Is that community -- is that community living on the Internet now? Is it social media that is that community?
WILLARD: It's living on the Internet.
PALMER: It's everywhere, Ali.
WILLARD: It's also begging for a physical space. It's begging for a physical space.
VELSHI: Right.
WILLARD: And I think you'll see in all social media, everything is coming both on and off line and books will be no different. That's why I talk about that shift in how we buy books. A lot won't change, but it will get more niched, just like social media. You can't discount the human factor, nor the social media factor.
PALMER: You know where Pete -- where Pete --
VELSHI: Shelly, finish this off.
PALMER: Where Pete says that he -- where Pete says where he -- you know that he likes books, physical books, a lot of people do. One of the things you can't stop is the e-book train. That is a trend that's never going to go back the other way.
VELSHI: Right.
PALMER: It's just too simple and too easy. But to blame Borders' demise as the death of books, no. Borders' demise is the death of Borders because they just didn't keep up with the technology and, truthfully, they got left behind.
VELSHI: Interesting discussion, guys. You bring good (INAUDIBLE).
DOMINICK: The problem now, Ali Velshi, is books are too long. I only want to read things in 140 characters or less. So e-book or old book, you know, listen, I don't have the time. I just need quick verse, quick verse.
VELSHI: That's what it is. Rick -- Pete Dominick, Rick Willard and Shelly Palmer, great to talk to you guys. I'm sure we'll have more of this discussion. Great to see all of you.
All right, be sure to tune in to "Your Bottom Line," by the way, each Saturday morning at 9:30 Eastern with Christine Romans and "Your Money" which airs Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and Sundays at 3:00.
All right. Let me bring you up to speed with some of the top stories that we're following right now at 21 minutes after the hour.
Hundreds of -- look at this thing. This is not across the world. This is in America. Hundreds of Wisconsin state workers are rallying for a second straight day at the capital in Madison. They are protesting Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill. The governor is expected to hold a news conference shortly to respond to the workers. Protesters say they are prepared to stay late in the night. This is the second day this has been going on for.
The U.S. Marshal's service confirms three of its deputy marshals were shot in Elkins, West Virginia, today. According to reports, a group of deputy marshals was serving an arrest warrant at a home when three officers were fired upon. They were struck by a shotgun blast. Two deputies were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The third was transported by helicopter. The conditions are unknown right now. We'll keep you updated on this story as we get more information.
And convicted swindler Bernard Madoff says banks should have known he was ripping off thousands of investors. The banks should have known, he says. In his first interview since he was sentenced to 120 years in prison, Madoff tells "The New York Times" that banks and hedge funds were complicit in his multibillion dollar Ponzi scheme. Madoff previously said he alone was responsible for the fraud. I'm really curious as to what you think about this. Tweet me at Ali Velshi or go to my Facebook page. Facebook.com/alivelshicnn. Tell me what you think of Madoff saying banks and hedge funds are complicit.
And instead of asking the tough questions, he's now the one answering them. Ed Henry joins us next with the White House new spokesman holding his first briefing. Ed was in there in the room when it was going on. We'll talk to him right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: The new White House press secretary, there he is on the left-hand side of your screen. He stepped in front of the mike within the last hour to take questions from reporters. His first time doing that. It's the first briefing for Jay Carney. That's his name. You'll hear his name every single day. He replaces Robert Gibbs. Ed Henry was right there when this briefing started. I don't know if it's still going on.
Ed, Jay Carney --
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is.
VELSHI: Tell us about Jay Carney for those who don't know.
HENRY: Well, you know, he was a journalist. And he mentioned that right up front. Look, I know where you come from, I know where you sit because I've been there. He was in that White House briefing room for "Time" magazine, our CNN sister publication. Other publications as well. And he's basically saying that he understands our needs but there are competing interests because he doesn't work for the media. Obviously he works for the president, works for the American people and the president's got some political goals. And he was asked right up front, you know, are you going to be pushing for those political goals or are you going to be helping the media inform the American people about what's happening inside the White House. Here's what he had to say about that. Take a quick listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Said before that the office that the press secretary has is somewhat symbolically located about halfway between the Briefing Room and the Oval Office. And I think that says something about what the nature of the job is. That I mean I do work for the president, but I'm also here to help the press understand what we're doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So it's interesting because it's a balancing act for any press secretary, especially a former journalist. But he also seems to have gotten lingo down pat. He used phrases like, "I'm not going to speculate," "I'm not going to engage in hypotheticals." The kind of things that seasoned press secretaries use. But it was funny because then someone asked him, I think it was Ann Compton of ABC News, who do you want to play you on "Saturday Night Live" when they do a skit on your first briefing, Jay? And he said, you know, I don't really care. It doesn't matter. And someone piped up and said, you just engaged in a hypothetical about, you know, "Saturday Night Live" maybe having you. So, look, every word is going to be watched. And we should note that for the last couple of years he was press secretary, communications director for Vice President Biden. So this transition has been happening for Jay. He's not coming right out of journalism.
VELSHI: But there was a sense -- there was a sense, Ed, that Robert Gibbs, who's worked with Obama for six years, knew him. Knew the guy. Knew you could ask Robert Gibbs questions about how the president's really feeling. Is there that sense with Jay Carney?
HENRY: No. And that's going to be a challenge for Jay Carney, no doubt about it, that he is somebody who has not been, you know, quote- unquote, in the room with this president from the beginning, like Robert Gibbs, who, as you know, going back to his first Senate campaign was there with Barack Obama, knows him well. And, look, one of Robert Gibbs' big strengths was that he had direct access in the Oval Office to President Obama going back all those very many years that predated their time together in the White House. Jay Carney does not have that sort of personal connection, but it doesn't mean he can't get there. It doesn't mean he will not have that kind of Robert Gibbs type access. It just means there is going to be a bit of a transition here.
And it's happening, let's not forget, in the context of just a broader shakeup that's been going on here. A president having his first news conference yesterday of the new year dealing with a whole new dynamic on Capitol Hill with Republicans running the House. Just put out his budget. And, by the way, Jay Carney got a lot of tough questions about that budget because yesterday the president made the claim that he -- his budget would not add to the national debt. And Politifact, a non --
VELSHI: I heard that question.
HENRY: Yes.
VELSHI: I mean it was interesting that Carney got a -- because I thought it was going to be a bunch of softballs from you guys on the first day and that was a good question.
HENRY: Oh really?
VELSHI: But let me ask you about that. About the softball. How many press secretaries have you lived through during your stint at the White House?
HENRY: Oh, God, it's probably about six or seven.
VELSHI: OK.
HENRY: Which is probably a small amount compared to Wolf or John King or someone. But six or seven.
VELSHI: Right, but you guys get -- you develop a relation -- it's a weird relationship because it's kind of like a crime reporter, you've got to know the cops but you're reporting on them. You've got to critique them and then you've got to travel with them and you've got to kind of be friendly with them.
HENRY: Yes.
VELSHI: Where you have to watch where you step over the line. It's kind of like dating all over again. What is the relationship between you and Jay Carney or your colleagues to Jay Carney going to be? You can take out the dating reference. HENRY: Yes, I'm not sure that the dating part works. I don't want to go there with Jay just yet. I think it's only day one. But in all seriousness, I think that, you know, you've put me in a really awkward position, Ali, which is what you do best.
And, you know, the bottom line is I think you're right, though, in all seriousness, that there is a balance there as well in terms of, you have to -- you don't want to be friends with the press secretary, but you want to have a working relationship where, you know, you're not pals but you know each other because you're going to need to call this press secretary sometimes at 1:00 in the morning to confirm some story that's just broken or get some reaction to unrest in Egypt.
You have to be able to have somebody who's going to return your call, who's going to return your e-mail. There's a push and a pull there. There are going to be other days where you're asking tough questions in the briefing and they're going to feel like you're being unfair and they're not going to be too happy with you. But, like any other relationship, there's going to be some back and forth. Some people criticize it and say we get too close to the people we cover. You have to know these people in order to cover them, though. You need to know the president and the people around them. So, it is a balance.
VELSHI: Some people say we're too close, Ed.
But, good to see you. It's always a pleasure to have you here on the show in the Stakeout. Our senior White House correspondent Ed Henry at the White House reporting on the new press secretary.
OK. When it comes to men getting screened for prostate cancer, fewer visits to the doctor might actually be better. I'll explain after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Happening now. Hundreds of Wisconsin State workers are rallying for a second straight day at the capitol in Madison. They're protesting Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill. Here's a live shot. I mean, this is a big demonstration. Two days in a row.
The governor is expected to hold a news conference shortly to respond to the workers. Protesters say they are prepared to stay late into the night. They were demonstrating yesterday. It's cold in Madison, but they are really paying close attention to what's going on and we are paying close attention to them right now.
In other news we're following, we've just learned that one of the deputy U.S. marshals shot today in West Virginia has died. They were attempting to serve a warrant at a home in Elkins, West Virginia. The marshal's office says the officers were hit by shotgun fire as they went inside the house. One of the officers has been released from the hospital. The other one is still being treated.
United Airlines is gradually bringing its long haul 757s back into service after safety inspections that should have been done seven years ago, were discovered not to have been completed. In 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered carriers to replace the jets' air data computers which regulate speed and altitude. United did that but says it discovered yesterday that it failed to do follow-up safety checks. So 96 planes just like the one you're looking at right there had to be pulled out for inspections. They only take an hour and a half per plane. They're trying to get most back in service today.
Listen, we often talk about getting cancer screenings on a regular basis. It seems obvious you should do it as regularly as possible. But a new study says when it comes to prostate cancer specifically, less may be more.
Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now with the details -- counterintuitive.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Totally counterintuitive. When it comes to prostate cancer, prostate cancer is just different.
VELSHI: Right.
COHEN: And the reason why is that it grows really slowly.
VELSHI: Right.
COHEN: For example we were talking about if you find cancer in a woman's ovaries, you want to nab that sucker right away.
VELSHI: That's a fast growing cancer.
COHEN: Faster growing. You want to catch it.
When there's cancer in a man's prostate, you sometimes are better off just letting it sit.
VELSHI: Why is that?
COHEN: Because it grows so slowly. Let's say a 40-year-old man has prostate cancer. It may kill him when he is 112. Something else clearly is going to kill him first.
VELSHI: Right. Right.
COHEN: But if he treated it, he could become impotent, he could become incontinent. But who wants to live like that?
VELSHI: OK, so what is the test right now? It's a blood test?
COHEN: Right. It is a blood test and it's called the PSA.
VELSHI: Right.
COHEN: And so this new study, what they found is that if your PSA is less than three, you probably don't want to get checked every year. You should wait several years between screenings.
VELSHI: OK.
COHEN: And the reason why is, if it's that low it's not going to, it's probably not going to go way, way up any time soon. And if you did keep getting tested every year, it may find something you might not want to know about. And it may not be accurate.
VELSHI: This is a test that like so many others, it's looking for a marker, it's looking for an indicator. It's not always right.
COHEN: Right. It's not always right. It doesn't always give you an entirely clear idea of what's going on in the prostate. It's an indicator. I think that is important to know.
VELSHI: Wouldn't it be better to do the test regularly and know whether you do or don't and then make that decision with your doctor as to whether to treat it? Or is it one of those things if you know there is cancer in you it's going to make you crazy until you get it out of you?
COHEN: You have hit the nail on the head. There are some people who say test me every year, I want to know. And if it shows something is wrong and later testing shows I'm OK, I won't worry about it. Other people say don't even test me because the test is so -- it doesn't work always so well.
And, in fact, if you go to CNN.com/empoweredpatient we talked to four male doctors and we said what do you do? Do you get tested every year? Or how often do you get tested? And two of them, including the medical director of the American Cancer Society don't get tested at all.
VELSHI: How interesting.
COHEN: They just don't want to get tested at all. And you know what? These four men, all of them are right, because there is no wrong answer here.
VELSHI: Right. Except we're going toward a world where people are going to start getting DNA tests and evaluations so we're working toward this world where everybody wants to know everything. And I'm one of these people who says I'm not sure I want to know every last thing about what sickness I may get.
COHEN: Would you want to know if you had a cancer that would kill you at 120?
VELSHI: I'm not sure I would. I think it could ruin my day.
COHEN: Right. It would ruin your day and then you might get treatment and that might hurt you. I mean, you might not want to know. You have to talk to your doctor and figure out what's best for you.
VELSHI: All right. Thanks, Elizabeth. Good to see you, as always.
COHEN: Thanks.
VELSHI: The sex scandal involving Italy's prime minister heats up. An alleged Madame talks about the case and her relationship with Silvio Berlusconi in an interview that you will only see here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: It is the biggest sex scandal to hit Italy in years. And, by the way, that is saying a lot. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vowed today to stay in office until his term ends in 2013. Says he's not the least bit worried about his upcoming trial on charges of having sex with an underage girl and abuse of power. Defiant as usual, Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing.
Now, another woman allegedly involved in the case is speaking out to CNN's Dan Rivers. Dan joins us now from Milan, which is where the trial is going to be held in April.
Dan, just bring us up to speed with who this woman is and what she said to you.
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, the prime minister here Silvio Berlusconi, as you say, has been accused of sleeping with this young 17-year-old prostitute, something he denies. But there's a whole bevy of other women who have been linked with the prime minister by prosecutors here in a huge dossier of information, including wiretaps.
One of these women who's linked to the prime minister is Nicole Minetti, who's now a local politician. She used to be a TV show girl. And she gave her first TV interview to CNN, to sit down and answer allegations by prosecutors who are investigating her that she was procuring other prostitutes for the prime minister. She flatly denied that, flatly denied that there had been wild sex orgies at the prime minister's villa.
I asked her also about her relationship with Silvio Berlusconi, particularly their financial relationship.
Here is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: So you would deny ever having received any money from Silvio Berlusconi?
NICOLE MINETTI, LOMBARDY REGIONAL COUNSELOR: Well, he helped me in some situations. I mean, he's -- he doesn't have any problems helping people even in an economic way.
RIVERS: How much money did he give you?
MINETTI: That's a detail which I wouldn't go into.
RIVERS: But thousands of euros?
MINETTI: It doesn't matter. That's not the matter.
RIVERS: Well, some people say it does matter because it would suggest that he was either paying for your services or paying to keep you quiet.
MINETTI: Or he was helping me just because he cared for me. It could be one thing or the other.
RIVERS: How would you describe your relationship with the prime minister?
MINETTI: I had an affectionate relationship, meaning as someone that you care for and cares for you.
RIVERS: But not an improper relationship, a sexual relationship?
MINETTI: I wouldn't go in those details. Those are private details. Private details.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: An affectionate relationship but she wasn't really willing to go and explain any more than that.
The wiretap evidence that's been leaked here suggests that she took part in some of these so-called wild parties according to prosecutors, even that she was among the topless dancers entertaining the prime minister. She flatly denied that.
But it's all deeply embarrassing for Silvio Berlusconi. This whole thing, as you say, Ali, is going to go before the courts in April. And guess what? The three judges who will be examining this, they're women.
VELSHI: Dan Rivers, in all the time I've known you I never thought I would hear you utter the phrase "wild sex orgies."
Thank you for your coverage of this story. Dan Rivers in Milan. This story promises not to go anywhere.
All right. The pro-democracy flame sparked first in Tunisia, then moved to Egypt. It is now burning like a wild fire in the Gulf State of Bahrain. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets for the third straight day demanding government reforms. Many people attended the funeral of a man killed yesterday during clashes with police at the funeral of another protester who was killed on Monday. The police stayed away this time. Human rights groups say the man who died yesterday was shot by security forces. A government official says those involved in the killings are now in police custody.
All right, every day on this show, every day, we do something called the "Big I." It's about big news ideas or innovations. We talk about thinking outside the box. Now in today's "Big I," it is no different.
Take a look at these crazy looking buildings. Take a look at this thing, this is actually a building. Check this one out. This is actually modeled after a Chinese character. The man behind these designs is Bjarke Ingels the founding partner of Bjarke Ingels Group. Initials -- BIG. He has developed some of the most revolutionary structures in the world, he's a walking, talking, breathing big idea. He joins me live right here in the studio. Even his company website is one of the most innovative that I've ever seen cause you can rearrange it the way you want to.
Bjarke, good to see you.
BJARKE INGELS, BJARKE INGELS GROUP: Thank you.
VELSHI: You are -- you know, when we talk about thinking outside the box, it seems in your designs you don't even start with the box.
INGELS: Sometimes we actually almost do start with a box. I can show you like -- essentially this is our website, all these little colorful icons are essentially big ideas.
VELSHI: Something you've built.
INGELS: So just to give you an example.
VELSHI: That's the one we were just looking at. What is this?
INGELS: It's a project we did in Copenhagen that's called "The Mountain." And essentially, we were asked to do an apartment building and a parking structure. And we thought instead of building a traditional stack of apartments next to a big box of parking, we would turn all the parking into a manmade, south facing hill, creating a mountain of homes where essentially rather than sitting stacked on each other, each house has actually a garden the same size as the property itself. So it becomes like a mountain in otherwise flat Copenhagen in Denmark.
VELSHI: All right, let's look at another one that you've got. You did the Danish pavilion at the expo.
INGELS: Yes.
VELSHI: In Shanghai.
INGELS: Essentially what we were trying to show -- cause just the whole theme of the expo was sustainability. So we were trying to show this idea that actually sustainable cities can actually increase the quality of life.
So we designed the pavilion as a loop where people can bicycle like they do in Copenhagen. And at the heart of it we had a harbor bath because in Copenhagen the harbor water has become so clean that you can swim in it. So essentially to transmit this idea that the sustainability is not necessarily a question of like sacrificing your quality of life. It sort of -- I'm Danish, so we call it a protestant idea that it has to hurt to do good.
VELSHI: Right. INGELS: But that actually sustainability can increase the quality of life.
VELSHI: That is excellent.
All right, you've got some things underway right now. I'm on my way to New York this evening. You have a great project, West 57.
INGELS: Yes. Actually, we're doing a project on the west side of Manhattan for Durst Fetner Residential. And essentially what we're trying to do is we're trying to sort of -- let me help you here.
VELSHI: There we go, all right good.
INGELS: We're trying to sort of combine the typology of the American skyscraper that creates density with the typology of the European courtyard that creates a garden at the heart of the block as this sort of urban oasis in the middle of the dense city. So you can see the outside --
VELSHI: And this is what it's going to look like?
INGELS: You can really see the trees and the nature inside the block.
VELSHI: All right. You're working on something else that has to do with waste. Tell me about this.
INGELS: One of the most recent projects we did. Let me find it here. It's a waste to energy plant in Copenhagen.
VELSHI: So turning waste into energy?
INGELS: Essentially sort of burning waste as fuel. And we thought that since it is going to be the biggest and tallest structure in Copenhagen and Copenhagen actually has the climate but not the topography for alpine skiing, so we basically took a skiing resort and pasted it on the roof of the factory.
VELSHI: Right.
INGELS: So that instead of having this sort of big box that blocks the views or casts shadows on the neighbors, we actually get a manmade mountain for alpine skiing in the heart of Copenhagen.
VELSHI: So people can ski on this thing.
INGELS: Basically, you can take the elevator along the chimney up to the top of it and then take a green, a blue, or a black slope all the way down and you can -- because we can engineer it, you'll return at the foot of the elevator and you can get another ride.
VELSHI: That's brilliant. And because you said the climate is suitable, it just doesn't have the topography. So you put a mountain into place that can sustain a ski hill.
INGELS: We have the snow, but we don't have the hills.
VELSHI: Brilliant. We love this. This is fantastic. Thank you for these innovative, forward-looking designs. We look forward to following much more of your work.
INGELS: Thanks.
VELSHI: A pleasure to see you.
Listen, to check out Bjarke's architecture, his design website and to check out the complete videos that we were just showing you, go to my blog CNN.com/Ali. If you have any inkling toward design, you are going to find this fascinating. I can't design anything but this stuff is neat.
OK, it's been a battle of the brains, human versus computer on "Jeopardy." But the fight to see who is the smartest is starting to fizzle. Watson is just too good. This is day two of a three-day faceoff. The IBM -- yesterday, was day two, you're looking at it now. The IBM super computer, Watson, is whipping the competition by nearly 25 grand. You'll remember on the first day there was a tie between the guy you see right there and the computer.
Watson choked on the final "Jeopardy" question last night, which is "What city had its largest airport named for a World War II hero? And a second airport named for a World War II battle?" Watson incorrectly answered Toronto, an answer that wouldn't have made sense. Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter both had the correct answer, Chicago.
That is one for mankind. The final match airs tonight.
Whole lot of presidential buzz around a guy from New Jersey. It's our political update coming up after this break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Time now for a CNN Political Update.
Presidential buzz seems to follow New Jersey Governor Chris Christie wherever he goes. Today, he's in Washington for a high profile speech.
CNN political producer Shannon Travis joins me live.
Why, why do we care so much about Chris Christie, the new governor of New Jersey, Shannon?
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Well, we care so much, Ali, because Chris Christie may be the one governor, the one person who vows that he's not running for president that a lot of people hope and want to draft that he will run for president.
As you just said, he's here in Washington, he's speaking with the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative organization. And it's a packed room. So much so that a lot of reporters who wanted to get in and cover this event were actually turned away.
Let's talk about why his popularity is soaring right now. He's talking about slashing spending, he's talking about not raising taxes, he's talking about making really painful cuts that's really a buzz to a lot of conservative activists.
He just -- moments ago, people were saying, you know, are you going to run for president. He said you know what, what do I have to say, that I'm going to commit suicide in order to get people to stop speculating that I'm going to run.
But listen to this sound bite that he also said when he talked about President Obama's recent State of the Union speech. Listen to the sound bite that he talked about priorities, tough priorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: The big things are high- speed rail. The big things are high-speed Internet access for almost 80 percent of America or something, by some date. A million electric cars on the road by some date.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is the candy of American politics. Those are not the big things. Because let me guarantee you something, if we don't fix the real big things, there will be no electric cars on the road. There's going to be no high-speed Internet access or if there is, you won't be able to afford to get on it.
We're not going to be able to care about the niceties of life, the investments that Washington wants to continue to make.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TRAVIS: Ali, it's that kind of brash style from the New Jersey Republican governor that a lot of people like.
And one other thing, he also mentioned a little anecdote where there was a little bit of a showdown between him and New Jersey Democrats. And he told the Democrats, hey, you can go ahead and threaten to raise taxes or shut down the government, I'll be in the governor's mansion having a beer until you come to your senses.
VELSHI: Ha! We are definitely going to continue to follow him. He's definitely appealing to fiscal conservatives who don't necessarily identify as social conservatives. That's part of his appeal.
TRAVIS: That's right.
VELSHI: All right, Shannon.
TRAVIS: Absolutely right.
VELSHI: Go ahead, go ahead.
TRAVIS: You're absolutely right. No, I was just going to say that you're absolutely right. That a lot of his followers, a lot of Tea Party activists also tend to stress more fiscal economic issues and not social issues.
VELSHI: All right, Shannon, good to see you, as always. Thanks very much.
Your next update from "The Best Political Team on Television" just one hour away.
Coming up next, "Odds and Ends." The cat that just can't stop stealing. Yes, stealing. A story you've got to see to believe coming up next after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Topping "Odds and Ends" today, a San Francisco neighborhood has been getting robbed blind for three years straight. Items they leave in their yards, porches, garages, driveways, all snatched in the middle of the night.
The good news is the culprit has been caught. The bad news, he's still at it. Why? Because the sticky-pawed pillager is this little guy, Dusty the cat. Or as the neighbors now call him, "Klepto the Cat."
See, Dusty's got a pension for prowling the streets, locating his loot and hauling it all back home, all before the sun comes up. His owners say he's taken at least 600 items in the past three years, 600 items. Look at his rap sheet -- shoes, gloves, children's toys, towels, socks, underwear. Dusty's favorite booty? Women's bikinis.
How does this fleeting little feline manage such sneaky feats? Well, Animal Planet caught the cat red-pawed on its night cam. Look at this, Dusty's dirty little secret exposed. He is seen here dragging the items meticulously piece by individual piece back home. Look at him, he looks so innocent.
Neighbors are wary about leaving their items out unattended anymore. They are willing to cut the bandit a break. His record for the number of items snatched in one night, 11 golden goodies.
Speaking of golden, how does a million dollar bill sound? Too good to be true, right? It is. Officials at an elementary school in Deltona, Florida didn't think so. In fact, they thought what they saw was the real deal. So what did they see? This, the student -- they saw a student with this supposed $1 million bill. It looked so real that school officials called the Volusia County Sheriff's Department. It turns out it was fake that several kids had gotten at a local monster truck bash.
Just so you know, million dollar bills are not in print or circulation. That's a lesson that the school officials have now apparently learned.
And if somebody gives you something at a monster truck bask -- I'm just saying.
