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Flying Public Gets More Rights; Gulf Oil Spill: One Year Later; Analyzing Homeland Security's New Terror Threat Scale; Tips for Trading in Gas Guzzling SUV; The Secret is Sex; Inside the Royal Garage
Aired April 20, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. I want to get you up to speed for Wednesday, April 20th.
Four Texas wildfires coming together. The result, an incredible inferno just 70 miles of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The fire covers 150,000 to 200,000 acres spread across three counties. Authorities evacuated several small towns.
Rain may fall today, but a firefighter says that it's not even going to make a dent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just burning from tree to tree. And it's so dry, once one tree goes, or grass and a tree goes, then the next one can go, and it doesn't even need wind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Severe weather warnings and watches are posted across parts of the Midwest and South right now. Witnesses say that two funnel clouds touched down in Pike County, Missouri, leaving homes and barns in splinters. A storm blew a tractor-trailer off the road in Arkansas. And in Memphis, thousands now have lost power.
Today marks one year since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, killing 11 workers. Oil flowed freely into the Gulf of Mexico for almost three months. A year later, not all of the oil is cleaned up and some businesses are still waiting on BP to pay up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLY NUNGESSER, PRESIDENT, PLAQUEMINES PARISH, LA.: We still have a problem, and we're still having a problem today, a year later. I can't tell you who's in charge still. Doug Suttles is gone. Thad Allen is gone. Who is in charge?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Japan is working on a legal way to both force and keep people out of the 12-mile-wide nuclear evacuation zone. Residents are going in. They want to get their belongings. And dozens of homeowners reportedly never left. They are living with daily radiation exposure.
Coming in August, the government's Passenger Bill of Rights gets stronger. Airlines must list fees and taxes on their Web sites in a prominent place. Tarmac delays for international flights can no longer be more than four hours.
The FAA is investigating the air traffic controller who handled first lady Michelle Obama's plane on Tuesday. The pilot had to circle Andrews Air Force Base before landing. Mrs. Obama's jet got too close to a cargo plane, prompting that go-around maneuver.
In New York this hour, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is unveiling the new terror alert system. The color-coded chart, well, that's gone now. The new alert system has just two levels that will be displayed on a map. It's Elevated Threat and Imminent Threat.
Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, well, he is some who call America's toughest sheriff. He's back with another controversial idea, and he's asking for your help.
Carol, you and I have both had numerous occasions to talk to the sheriff, and he is now making news again.
COSTELLO: Yes. Controversy, and it works for him, but some people are upset about this one, as well.
I'm sure you've heard of outspoken Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the guy who says it like it is, who's tough on immigration, tough on crime, the guy who puts inmates in pink underwear and striped uniforms. Well, here is his latest idea, and it's as controversial as the rest of them.
On his Web site, Sheriff Arpaio is posting mug shots from the county jail and inviting you to vote for the "Mug Shot of the Day." For Arpaio, the "Mug Shot of the Day" contest is not just fun, it could result in valuable leads for investigators.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNT, ARIZONA: I want people to tune in to see if their neighbor has been arrested.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Well, there goes that neighbor's privacy. Some are saying that this is just unfair.
Now, Sheriff Arpaio is not the only one posting mug shots online. You have got popular Web sites like SmokingGun.com and newspaper Web sites featuring mug shots, and the public loves them.
I know. It's fun looking at all those disheveled woozy shots of Nicolas Cage and Lindsay Lohan and Nick Nolte, and all the regular people out there, people that are not famous. But have you ever thought about this -- not everyone who is in a mug shot may actually be guilty. Arrested, yes, but not necessarily convicted.
In fact, some of them have been found innocent. Yet, those mug shots can live on in cyberspace, available for public viewing and public ridicule.
So, the "Talk Back" question today, is it fair to make mug shots public?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll read some of your comments later on in our show.
MALVEAUX: Do we know if the sheriff is actually going to indicate this person is innocent, this person is guilty, or no? Just put the mug shot up there?
COSTELLO: Just put the mug shot up there to drive people to his Web site for evidentiary. Like, he wants to gather evidence. So, no, I don't think he cares whether they're innocent or guilty in the end.
MALVEAUX: OK. A lot of people are going to weigh in on this.
COSTELLO: I hope so.
MALVEAUX: All right. Thanks, Carol.
Here's a look at what's ahead "On the Rundown."
New rules now for airlines, new rights for passengers, and no more hidden fees.
Plus, a car teetering on the edge of trouble.
Also, more powerful storms pounding the Midwest and the South. Our Jacqui Jeras tells us which months have the most tornadoes.
And an image that we all remember, oil gushing into the Gulf. How this picture got on the air.
And finally, a breakdown of the new terror alert system that replaces the old color-coded warnings.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "AIRPLANE")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've got to get out of here! I've got to get out of here!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Calm down! Get a hold of yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stewardess, please, let me handle this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Calm down. Now, get back to your seat. I'll take care of this. Calm down! Get a hold of yourself!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: "Airplane" jokes provide a lot of laughs in the movies. No movie is better than poking fun at it than "Airplane," the outrageous comedy from 1980, a favorite of a lot of ours here.
But, you know, you're probably not laughing when you're stuck on a plane, on the tarmac for hours, or the airline loses the bag. You pay $25, $50 to check.
Well, today, the Department of Transportation is out with a new expanded Passenger Bill of Rights.
Our CNN's Jeanne Meserve joins us from D.C.
And Jeanne, tell us about the new rules here, because a lot of us traveling, really frustrated. Obviously, they're doing something about it.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: That's right. A lot of us have pet peeves when we travel on airlines. These new rules are intended to calm some of us down about them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE (voice-over): Feeling ripped off by hidden airline fees for pillows, food, seats, luggage, reservation changes? Under new Department of Transportation rules, carriers are going to have to disclose them up front on their Web sites.
RAY LAHOOD, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: We're trying to look out after passengers who in some instances have been treated pretty shabbily.
MESERVE: If lost luggage is your gripe, you aren't alone. Last year, airlines lost, damaged or delayed more than two million bags. They've always had to compensate you for the bag. Under the new rules, they will also have to refund that pesky baggage fee.
If you were involuntary bumped from an overbooked flight, the new rules will ensure a refund double the value of your ticket up to $800. And the rules say no more tarmac delays of more than four hours for international flights, instituted in part because of extended delays at New York's JFK during last December's blizzard. Delays of more than three hours are already banned for domestic flights. Advocates for passengers' rights are delighted at the new rules.
KATE HANNI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FLYERSRIGHTS.ORG: This is really groundbreaking for airline passengers. Even to have been noticed by the government is amazing. But the fact that they're passing meaningful regulations that are going to make a big difference for airline passengers is just -- it's a miracle. (END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: While these rules were being finalized, the airlines raised concerns, particularly about the restrictions on tarmac delays, saying it could result in more cancellations. But in a statement today, the industry group the Air Transport Association doesn't mention that. It does say the industry will work as efficiently as possible to implement the new rules.
Suzanne, back to you.
MALVEAUX: It couldn't come soon enough, Jeanne. I know a lot of us are, like, about time.
MESERVE: That's right.
MALVEAUX: Traveling is pretty tough these days. Thanks, Jeanne.
Well, you know the announcement when you're taking off and landing to turn off all those electronic devices that we all have? Well, next hour, CNN's Ali Velshi explains why airlines ask you to do this and whether or not it's even necessary.
Time to ahead across country for stories CNN affiliates are covering.
First stop, Highland Township, Michigan, where this car sat teetering over a canal for more than an hour with a woman and child inside the car. Police say the driver slammed into the bridge after leaning over to grab a wallet. She was cited for that and for driving with an expired license.
Now to a fender-bender, but this happened at Boston's Logan Airport. A JetBlue plain was boarding passengers when a tractor- trailer backing up next to it clipped the plane's wing, taking a chunk out of it. Passengers were put on another plane.
And some folks in Rhode Island going the distance now to find the cheapest gas, all the way now to Massachusetts. Gas prices rose 11 cents in Rhode Island, compared to 7 cents in Massachusetts.
Powerful storms pounding now the Midwest and the South. We have new images coming in from the area hit. We are just getting these pictures in right now. We're going to have more in just a minute, so don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Want you to take a look at these pictures. We're just getting these images in right now.
These are actual tornadoes on the ground near Bowling Green, Missouri, and Carlinville (ph), Illinois. We understand that a series of tornadoes actually damaged -- at least one home was destroyed, several barns, as well.
I want to bring in our Jacqui Jeras, who is tracking this system and all of these powerful storms that are happening.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MALVEAUX: We have three stories. Only one can air next hour. Let us know which one you'd like to see by texting 22360.
The first choice you have, how do you get more people to watch television? Well, make it action-packed, intensely-emotional show, and do it in Spanish. Find out why Spanish soaps are reviving a dying genre and increasing ratings here in the United States.
Second choice, bullet-proof boxers. The Marines order up specially-woven silk underwear to protect troops on the frontlines.
And your third choice, a new drink with colorful packaging, fruity flavors, and 12 percent alcohol creating some controversy. The reason, critics say, Blast is being marketed to kids.
Vote by texting 22360. Text 1 for "Spanish Soaps"; 1 for "Bullet-Proof Boxers"; or 3 for "Blast Controversy." The winning story will air in the next hour.
Well, they were the most vulnerable after the Gulf disaster, those birds, you may recall, covered in oil, fighting for their lives. Well, many are still dying one year later. A live report from the Gulf.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Ahead "On the Rundown," dramatic pictures of last year's Gulf oil spill, how they sparked a public outcry and a political fight.
Plus, no more color-coded terrorism alerts. There is a new system that is now taking its place.
And also, how do you add years to your life?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you a big coffee drinker?
CONAN O'BRIEN, TALK SHOW HOST: I'm a coffee drinker, yes.
GUPTA: How many cups?
O'BRIEN: I have, like, nine cups a day.
GUPTA: Wow. That explains it.
O'BRIEN: Especially in the half hour just before the show, yes.
GUPTA: No, two cups a day, no more than that, and you can add probably about two years of life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Good to know. I drink coffee, as well.
But it's not just coffee. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, with a very personal questions for Conan O'Brien.
It is actually one year now since the worst environmental disaster in this nation's history began. That is the BP oil spill.
Remembrances are being held for the 11 men killed when Transocean's Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20th, last year. Authorities say more than 200 million gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf and it took 87 agonizing days to completely stop the flow of oil. The disaster is still impacting the people, the water, the wildlife in that area, one year later.
Well, over the next two hours, we're going to focus on the current conditions as part of the coverage "CNN In Depth: The Gulf a Year Later" on tourism and business. You're going to hear from shrimpers. Plus, I'll talk to the manager of a hotel in the Gulf to see if visitors are actually coming back.
You're also going to get details on the cleanup efforts as the government reopens fishing in all federal waters in the Gulf. We've got a live update on how wildlife is faring.
But first, what is Congress doing to make sure that this never happens again?
Our congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar has that angle of the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're estimating 1,000 barrels per day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five thousand barrels a day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twelve thousand to 19,000 barrels per day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Forty thousand and 50,000 barrels a day.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As oil spill estimates ballooned, so did Americans' concerns.
May 20th, one month after the disaster began --
(on camera): With this new video, what you see there on the right --
(voice-over): CNN started showing live pictures of the oil gushing into the Gulf. BP had finally answered Democrats' demands to show the public what they were seeing.
And Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey put the so-called "spill cam" online.
(on camera): You put this on your committee Web site.
REP. ED MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: That's right.
KEILAR: The Web site crashed, didn't it? So many people were looking at it.
MARKEY: This was like an overnight sensation. There ultimately were hundreds of thousands, millions of people who became obsessed with, fascinated by what they were seeing.
KEILAR (voice-over): Now, one year later, what about making sure this never happens again?
(on camera): What has Congress done?
MARKEY: Congress has not passed any legislation yet to respond to the lessons which we have learned from that spill.
KEILAR (voice-over): Markey blames Republican senators who opposed a bill the House passed last Congress.
(on camera): It's not just Republicans, it's also Democrats who are running counter to what you say needs to be done.
MARKEY: Well, again, we had a majority of the votes in the Senate, but you need more than 51 in the Senate. You need 60 votes in the Senate.
KEILAR: But you didn't even have all Democratic votes.
MARKEY: No, we didn't have all Democrats, but it's a small minority of Democrats, plus just about every Republican, just to get the mix correct.
KEILAR (voice-over): And Markey lost another battle in February, when the Obama administration once again allowed deepwater drilling, with the support of Republicans and some Gulf state Democrats who argued that drilling means jobs.
(on camera): What do you say to the president?
MARKEY: It's important for the Obama administration to go only so far, not to be pushed into a situation where they once again are invoking the law of unintended consequences.
KEILAR: To play devil's advocate, that's pretty soft language for someone who looked at BP executives and demanded they apologize for lying. I mean, isn't that being soft on the administration?
MARKEY: No. I am saying that they have to be very careful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Brianna Keilar, asking the tough questions, live from Washington.
So, Brianna, Congress hasn't addressed the safety or preparedness issues. Why not?
KEILAR: Well, you know, Suzanne, it's the economy. It's been a bigger issue.
That bill that never went through the Senate in the last Congress, it was because the Senate got tied up dealing with those Bush-era tax cuts that were set to expire. And to be clear, it's not as if there aren't any new regulations dealing with safety and the preparedness. The Department of the Interior and the industry itself have actually made some moves forward on that, but Congress has not -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: And Congress, one thing they are doing, it seems, is moving legislation to increase drilling. Is that right?
KEILAR: That's right. Just recently, in the now Republican- controlled House, we have seen bills moved out of committee to expedite the permitting process, and also to increase the areas where you can do drilling.
This has the support of some Democrats. You have Republicans and a few of those Democrats saying this is striking a balance between the demand for oil. And let's be honest, gas is so expensive right now, striking a balance between that demand and for safety. But there are other Democrats like Ed Markey who say this is Congress behaving like the spill never happened -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right, Brianna. Way to hold their feet to the fire there with the members of Congress.
Appreciate the report. Thanks, Brianna.
KEILAR: Sure.
MALVEAUX: Well, who can forget the birds coated in oil? It was a race against time to save the wildlife. And one year later, our Rob Marciano, he is back in the Gulf checking in on the animals.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOBY SOLANGI, DIR., INST. FOR MARINE MAMMAL STUDIES: This one came just covered with oil. It was a little baby and now it's grown. This one came from Alabama and it was oiled.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Moby Solangi and his staff continue to treat dolphins and turtles impacted by the oil, but animals are still dying. Since January 1st, 220 sea turtles and 175 dolphins have been found dead. Solangi's team performed most of the necropsies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe take it on the edge of this.
MARCIANO: The results are not yet available but the early numbers are startling.
SOLANGI: In the months of January and February, we have never seen this type of spike. It's about 10 to 15 fold increase, which is significant.
MARCIANO: NOAA's Bob Haddad is collecting evidence and building a legal case against BP. He's looking for a settlement, big enough to rebuild the gulf.
BOB HADDAD, CHIEF, NOAA RESTORATION ASSESSMENT: This is not a spill about turtles or about shorelines or about fish. This is a spill about an ecosystem.
MARCIANO: One year later, man and machine work to clean some marshes still covered in oil.
DAVID MUTH, LOUISIANA DIR., NATIONAL WILDLIFE FOUNDATION: Everything out there is getting some of that sheen. You can't see it.
MARCIANO (on camera): Still?
MUTH: Sure. Still. And it happened, it's been happening for a year. You can't see any of it. All of those birds, even if all they have is a little smudge on their breast, they're constantly preening and trying to clean that off. They're ingesting the oil.
MARCIANO (voice-over): Last year, over 2,000 birds were rescued from oil, with over 1,200 moved away from the spill to Texas and Florida. David Muth of the National Wildlife Federation can only hope they survived.
MUTH: No one's done any real long-term studies of how effective it is to clean a bird of oil and then release it back into the wild.
MARCIANO (on camera): Come on, guys.
(voice-over): Nor will they ever know how many animals died or will die from the spill. In the end, all the best efforts man has made may not be enough.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Our Rob Marciano joins us live from Gulfport, Mississippi.
And Rob, it really is heartbreaking when you see some of those pictures and the story about those animals that are dying there. I mean, what's the one thing that really stood out in your mind coming back?
MARCIANO: Well, that we still have these animals that are dying on the beaches, and since January 1st. You heard the numbers and you can add two more to that.
We just came back from southwest Mississippi beaches, right around Pass Christian and in between there and Long Beach and we found another dead Kemp's ridley turtle and another dead dolphin. Again, not sure if they're associated with the spill. We got to wait for those tests to come back. So that's certainly heartbreaking to see that rash of 10 to 15 in some cases 20 times normal than the number of strandings that we've been seeing.
But this lawsuit that they're getting together, which will take some time before they get money from, a lot of environmentalists are hoping let's take that money, let's put it to reworking the Mississippi and so we can rebuild the marshlands that have been really been eroding well before this oil spill. That's the big picture. That hopefully that can happen.
Hey, Suzanne, do you want to see some of these turtles? Let's show you some live turtles. I don't want to talk about dead ones anymore. Come on, Megan (ph), show them this one. All right.
Kemp ridley?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kemp's ridley.
MARCIANO: OK. Gorgeous, gorgeous turtle. They've got about 17 of these, including some logger heads and green turtles that are in custody here at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies here in Gulfport. This is a place that's not going away. They're here year- round and they not only rehabilitate turtles but dolphins, as well. And hopefully in the coming weeks, some of these will be let back into the wild.
So, some amazing animals and certainly those worth saving. For those in middle America who are thinking how does this affect me? Forget about how cute these animals are, all the fish that comes out of the Gulf of Mexico that you eat and birds -- right now there are millions of birds that are migrating through this part of the world that go too far places like Kansas, that go to places like Canada. It's a huge, huge ecosystem that really the rest of the world depends on -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. Rob, thanks. Very encouraging.
And this is all part of a CNN in-depth series. We're going to take a look at day long at just how the Gulf has changed from one year ago. And next hour, we're going to talk with Gulf Coast business owners about the oil impact.
It's been the way that we've measured the risk of the impact for almost a decade. But the days of red and orange alerts are over. Carl Azuz is breaking down the government's new system for sounding the alarm.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Blue, green, yellow, orange, red. They were colors that took on new meaning for Americans after the 9/11 with the introduction of the color coded terror alert system. But those terror alerts were often criticized for being confusing. So today the Department of Homeland Security is unveiling a new system to replace those color coded alerts. You can see live pictures there of the Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano at the podium there, at the microphones, outlining what this new system is going to be.
Our Carl Azuz is here to break this down for us.
You know, I had a chance to talk to Tom Ridge, the former homeland security secretary, and even he realized at some point everyone is making fun of this color coded system and making jokes of it. He's like, OK, maybe it wasn't the best idea.
So what do we have before and what are we looking at now?
CARL AZUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the old one did cause some confusion. You had all of those color codes you saw just a moment ago, Suzanne, and some folks thought that was too complicated. The new one is definitely simpler.
And we have a couple things we want to talk about. The first thing is this only has two sort of levels that we're talking about in this new system. You have elevated and imminent. According to Homeland Security, elevated warnings of a credible terrorist threat against the United States, and imminent warnings that there is a credible, specific and impending terrorist threat against the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security is also planning to get a little more media savvy with the way it alerts people about these things. They plan to use Twitter, social media to let people know, along with traditional news sources to get the word out about which level we're sort of looking at.
Also, today, there's something new called a sunset clause. The sunset clause is kind of interesting because it makes these threat levels temporary. The alert is issued for a specific time period and then it expires, and then down the line, new information becomes available, you don't have the situation anymore and it kind of gives the Department of Homeland Security more flexibility in terms of how they release this information.
So whether or not it's going to be as effective as the old one, Suzanne, it's kind of like one of those wait, see and hope scenarios; the hope being it's not tested any time soon, anytime ever.
MALVEAUX: Do we know it's going to be an improvement? I mean, maybe this will create a little bit anxiety among folks when you get to the airport and you see the color code -- the system and you look and you think, OK, you start to think -- maybe we're at a high state of alert. People -- if there's no threat, people aren't going to see those warnings.
AZUZ: Well, there's always sort of a level of threat they're giving us now. So they're saying there's always a credibility threat against the United States. So it kind of reminds us that we should always be vigilant, we should always be on guard. If you see something threatening, go alert a member of the Homeland Security Department. Go alert somebody who's in uniform, let them know.
But, you know, as far as when it becomes elevated, Suzanne, if the threat is imminent, what will remain to be seen is what authorities do, how they assemble to tackle it and how they prevent anything from actually becoming real.
MALVEAUX: OK. Carl, thank you.
AZUZ: Thanks very much, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Thanks for breaking it down. Appreciate it.
AZUZ: No problem.
MALVEAUX: One group that might actually miss the color coded system, late night comedians. Over the years, they got a lot of laughs at its expense.
A look back at our Jeanne Moos who covered the story shortly after the system went into place.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It used to be orange was just a bold and flashy color that not everyone looks good in. Yet even as orange was popping up on runways during New York's fashion week --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: More visible signs that the orange threat level is taking hold.
MOOS: -- it was also popping up on TV screens.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is no reason for anyone to panic.
MOOS: Right. With a tank at Heathrow Airport in one corner and terror alert high in the other, no wonder we went from the latest bin Laden tape to getting too wrapped up in duct tape. Still, the Connecticut homeowner intent on covering his entire house was the aberration, rather than the rule.
Most folks were like this woman.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I figured if it's going to happen, all of that's not going to be of use, anyway. So --
MOOS (on camera): What is it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm afraid of the unknown.
MOOS (voice-over): Back when FDR was trying to buck up the nation -- VOICE OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
MOOS: -- the enemy consisted of armies. But now it is what's scaring us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I sort of feel that I can't do anything about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it happens, it's going to eat up through the duct tape.
JOHNS: It's just taken naturally some joy -- a great deal out joy out of life. And
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel most sorry for the grandchildren.
MOOS (on camera): They're never going to know --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- what it was like not to have this.
MOOS (voice-over): Not to have this on the news.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if all that's not enough not enough to get worried about, look at this --
MOOS: Not to have this as some kind of bad joke.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officially upgraded the nation to terror alert level orange. Hey, happy orange alert, everybody!
MOOS: These days, orange means watch your back and if she wants to color coordinate her accessories --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an escape pod.
MOOS: Maybe the best advice comes from the Buttercup Bake Shop. Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Here's a reminder about the three choices in Choose the News. Pick the one that you'd like to see in the next hour. Vote by texting 22360.
Text one for Spanish soaps. While American soaps are dying, the Spanish language ones are growing in popularity here in the United States.
Text two for bulletproof boxers. We're serious about this. The Military enlists some special silk underwear that can actually repel bullets.
Or three for Blast controversy. Critics say that a new fruit flavored alcoholic drink is being marketed to kids.
The winning story will air next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: With gas prices close to $5 a gallon in some states, many folks may be thinking of trading in that big gas guzzler SUV for a smaller fuel efficient car. Well, our CNN Money Team is looking into that.
Stephanie Elam is here with some of the things you might want to consider before you downsize.
Hey, Steph.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, definitely, Suzanne. In fact, we were taking a look -- 92 percent of people in a Consumer Report national survey said improved steel economy is the main reason they want to downsize. But, before you go ahead and make the switch let's talk about gas mileage.
In the survey, drivers said their current car's median fuel economy is 23-miles per gallon. But in tests, Consumer Reports found to save even $500 a year with a 23 mile per gallon car, your choices would be limited to hybrids, diesels and just a bunch of smaller cars.
Also, the Consumer Reports folks say you can't go just by what the sticker on the car says. They found that the real world overall MPG, which combines city and highway mileage, is often considerably less than the EPA highway mileage figure that manufacturers advertise, Suzanne. But I think we all knew that, right?
MALVEAUX: Yes, we did. Gas mileage, Steph, it's one of the big things out there. But there are other costs, right, that you need to factor in if you have like a more fuel efficient car?
ELAM: Definitely, and "Consumer Reports" points this out. They're saying you should definitely take into account other new car expenses like interest on financing, you've got sales tax, you've got insurance as well. There's also maintenance and repair costs.
Also, there's there issue of depreciation when the value of your car actually goes down. So in five years or more, most vehicles have lost nearly half their original value, but you may end up paying more for a new car in the end.
So, for example, if you own a 206 V6 Ford Explorer and it gets 15 miles per gallon and costs around $247 a month or about $2,900 a year in gas, and you want to be a 2011 four-cylinder Toyota RAV4 that gets 23 miles per gallon, it will reduce your monthly fuel costs to about $1,900. Sounds great, but in the long term, it could actually end up costing you more. So something to keep in mind.
MALVEAUX: Sure. And, Steph, there's another big question we have to ask you before downsizing your car. We're going to have you stick around, we're going to talk about that right after the break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We're back with Stephanie Elam talking about whether or not you should downsize your car to beat the high gas prices.
And, Steph, there's a question about whether or not it's quality versus quantity. Can you explain?
ELAM: Yes, exactly. Well, you know, while switching to a smaller car might save you on gas, it might not make sense if you have a big family or often use all the space in your larger vehicles. So if you downsize and then you miss all the room, you're probably just going to trade back as soon as the prices for gas go down.
And "Consumer Reports" says what matters most are your goals. If you're looking to help out the environment or cut your monthly expenditures, then giving up a little elbow room might be right for you. So crunch the numbers and decide what size car you really need.
And one last point I want to make to you, too, Suzanne, when you take a look at the loan, you know, if you have a bigger car and let's say you've had it for awhile, you only have three more years or so to pay it off, it might be cheaper to keep that car because buying a new car might be more expensive. And that's the point I was trying to make before the break, and I want to make sure that's clear. You just want to make sure that you're not biting off more by trying to save on gas prices.
MALVEAUX: OK, we got it. All right, thanks, Steph, appreciate it.
ELAM: Sure.
MALVEAUX: Well, vote for your favorite mug shot. Yes, that's the latest idea from Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He is famous for dressing inmates in pink underwear and now he's asking online voters to choose a mug shot of the day.
Carol, oh boy, people are going to weigh in on this one.
COSTELLO: I know it's a strange question, but not all the people in those mug shots have been convicted of any crimes, and there their mug shot is on Joe Arpaio's Web site and people are voting for the favorite mug shots.
So, the "Talk Back" question of the day: Is it fair to make mug shots public?
This from Debra, "Sure, make them public, but if you are falsely arrested or found not guilty of the charge, then by law they should have to post a public apology and a complete retraction."
This from Will, "I support Sheriff Joe and I like his ideas. Post all mug shots and let's see the crime rate go down."
This from Curt, "Too many are arrested and then either found not guilty, innocent or charges are never pressed and what then? Innocent until proven guilty should be the call of the legal system. After the conviction, then rank the mug shots."
This from Janice, "Nothing is private in a police station, come on."
And this from Tom, "Humiliation is the point, isn't it? Otherwise the series 'Cops' wouldn't have been as popular as it has been. People love to see others in trouble. It's like a car accident, people can't help but watch."
I can't really disagree with that, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Most people don't have good mug shots either.
COSTELLO: No they're bad. Well, some people do, some of the stars.
MALVEAUX: They actually smile sometimes I've noticed. Disgusting.
COSTELLO: I know it's strange.
Facebook.com/CarolCNN.
MALVEAUX: All right, thank you, Carol. Oh, I want you to stick around for the punchline. This is good, because our -- CNN's Dr. Gupta answers the age-old question, what is the secret to long life. And our resident brain surgeon, he told Conan O'Brien, it is easy. He says, drink coffee, floss daily, live with parents.
COSTELLO: No.
MALVEAUX: No? OK.
And finally, intimacy.
COSTELLO: I'll remain mum on that.
MALVEAUX: Sanjay says it can add eight years to your life. Listen to this, Carol.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Regular sex, you having regular sex.
CONAN O'BRIEN, HOST, TNT'S "CONAN": You're a pervert.
(LAUGHTER)
GUPTA: I can ask these questions.
TINA FEY, COMEDIAN: Regular style or regular frequency?
O'BRIEN: Yes, exactly. That's the question. (LAUGHTER)
GUPTA: You all take it to a different level, don't you?
O'BRIEN: I don't have sex, but when I do, it's not regular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: OK, so the question we've been asking, Carol, is how do you -- OK, you floss, you drink coffee, you live with mom and dad. How are you having regular sex if you're living with mom and dad?
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: That doesn't seem to make sense to me.
COSTELLO: Great question. I'm going to e-mail Sanjay right now.
MALVEAUX: Well, hopefully, he'll give more details about how it works.
COSTELLO: Get him live on the set.
MALVEAUX: Of course.
COSTELLO: You can talk about sex the rest of the show. The ratings will skyrocket.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: OK. That's a good idea, Carol. Maybe tomorrow.
We want you to keep tabs on Sanjay Gupta's blog, go to CNN.com/thechart.
We also have more crazy royal wedding paraphernalia. We're going to show you a pizza with Kate and Will's likeness.
Plus, inside the queen's royal garage. Why Kate Middleton needed a lesson on her wedding ride.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Have you ever scooted across the floor in an office chair? Maybe out of boredom or maybe even laziness? Well, dozens of folks in southeast Germany have taken it a big step further by hurtling themselves down a 600-foothill. It is for the Annual Office Chair Racing Championships. Some with tricked out chairs and a dream to reach speeds of up to 22 miles per hour.
Now to Britain, where those with a taste for the upcoming royal wedding may want to try a royal wedding pizza. Yes, pizza-maker Papa John's has created one. The image of Kate's face is made out of mushrooms and Prince William's suit? Salami and peppers. It's available only in Britain. Papa John's said it tastes as good as it looks. A pizza. A royal pizza. Transportation fit for a queen. Princess-in-waiting Kate Middleton, she's going have to learn how to manage a wedding dress and climb up on a century-old horse drawn carriage. That's a tough thing to do.
CNN's Max Foster has a behind-the-scenes look at the royal stables and the garage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you live in a palace, you need a garage to match, and this is what's known as the royal muse behind Buckingham Palace. It's where the queen keeps her carriages, horses and cars.
All eight state limousines will be used on the wedding day. Kate will be travelling to the abbey in one like this, but with a glass roof at the back.
ALEXANDER GARTY, TRANSPORT MANAGER, BUCKINGHAM PALACE: It's designed with visibility in mind so that you actually probably get a better view in the Rolls Royce she's using than with a closed carriage.
FOSTER: This is the car. It was attacked by protesters when Charles and Camilla were using it in December. It's been undergoing repairs.
After the wedding, Kate and William will leave the abbey in this carriage. It 's the queen's favorite. It's was also used by Charles and Diana on their wedding day. It's the 1902 state's landau.
If it's raining, though, the couple reverts to the glass coach which has a hard roof.
Four other carriages like this one will be used to carry principal guests, including, of course, the queen.
(on camera): What's your biggest worry?
MARTIN OATES, SENIOR CARRIAGE RESTORER: The wheel falls off. Then, obviously, I will possibly lose my job. That is a bit of a worry.
FOSTER: So you're constantly checking the wheels?
OATES: Wheels are a big problem.
FOSTER: On the big day you'll notice many horses, these brown ones and also grays. The Windsor grays only ever normally pull the sovereign, the queen. But on the wedding day, they'll also be pulling the bridal party.
(voice-over): Preeminent amongst the grays is Daniel.
JACK HARGREAVES, HEAD COACHMAN: Daniel is just a good steady horse. No horses are guaranteed 100 percent, but he's one of those that you do trust, that you do have faith in. Doesn't worry about big noises, doesn't worry about sudden movements, and that's what we want from royal horses, really.
FOSTER: Which is why Daniel has a key role pulling the bride and bridegroom.
Kate isn't used to traveling by carriage, so she'll need practice in the art of getting in and out gracefully.
TOBY BROWN, CROWN EQUERRY: I think she'll wish to probably practice getting in and out of the carriages. Because, obviously, on the day, she'll be wearing a dress with a large train and it'll be a -- it's quite a difficult event to get in the carriage and get settled and so it all looks perfect. But I think she's very excited about it.
FOSTER: And so are all the staff behind the palace walls as they frantically prepare to make what is in all but name a full state occasion.
Max Foster, CNN, Buckingham Palace, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And you've got a wedding invitation, you're invited. On Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, CNN takes you behind the scenes with "CNN PRESENTS: THE WOMEN WHO WOULD BE QUEEN." We'll take a look at the comparisons between Princess Di and Kate Middleton and the obvious differences as well.
Plus, set the alarm Friday, April 29th. At 4:00 a.m. Eastern, CNN begins its coverage of William and Kate's wedding day as millions, even billions watch at home. CNN's royal wedding experience hosted by Anderson Cooper, Piers Morgan, Richard Quest and Cat Deeley.
