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Deadly Threat Carried by Mosquitoes; Extremist Shooting Link; NATO Member Killed by "Friendly"; Assange's Message to Obama; Syria's Vice President a No-Show; Insurer Caves to Online Backlash; UN Mission Pulls Out of Syria; Medicare Debate Heats Up; Walletless Society Sooner Than Later
Aired August 19, 2012 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Alison Kosik, in tonight for Don Lemon. Let's get you up to speed on what's happening around the world.
He hasn't been seen publicly in months. Now on a London balcony, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange breaks his silence. He had a strong message for President Obama today. We'll hear it in just a few minutes.
In China today protesters attacked Japanese-made cars and targeted Japanese-owned businesses. The anger erupted after some Japanese activists landed on a disputed island claimed by both China and Japan.
Two car bombs blew up in Libya's capital Tripoli today. Three people died and several others were hurt when one car exploded in the city center. A second went off near a Libyan government building. Police arrested several people blamed for the bombings calling them criminals still loyal to late Moammar Gadhafi.
The new president of Egypt plans to visit Iran this month. That is a huge announcement. No Egyptian leader has set foot in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. President Mohamed Morsi's office says he'll take part in a summit in Tehran August 30th.
Wynonna Judd has postponed her concerts in Canada next week after her husband was injured in a motorcycle accident. The country star was riding ahead of Michael Scott's motor in South Dakota when he drifted across the center line. He collided with an oncoming car suffering serious but non-life threatening injuries.
First Lady Michelle Obama will travel to Wisconsin Thursday, she'll meet with families of the victims of the shooting rampage at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek earlier this month. A gunman killed six people and injured four others before killing himself. The First Lady will visit with immediate family members of those who were injured and killed.
There's another death in the worst West Nile virus outbreak the country has seen in eight years. This time the mosquito-borne virus is blamed for a death in Illinois one of at least 26 deaths nationwide. The virus is proven deadliest in Texas. In Dallas county leaders have been forced to spray pesticide from the air for the first time in 45 years. CNN's Nick Valencia joins me now. Nick the spraying has been pretty controversial in Texas. How safe is it?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well all signs point to yes Alison we're hearing from EPA officials and Texas state Department of Health officials that there's no reason for concern. There's nothing to worry about here.
Having said that, we spoke to some residents who were blogging about this and did have some concern about what exactly the spraying target -- is it the larva, is it the mosquitoes? We spoke to one resident Dallas resident whose municipality was telling her this doesn't kill the larva, this only kills the mosquitoes. We had the Dallas mayor on earlier last hour with Fredricka Whitfield, he disputed that saying final results will come out later this week.
So right now we just don't know.
KOSIK: And you wonder how effective is it really going to be.
VALENCIA: Right.
KOSIK: I mean to start spraying and spraying before you know what's the point?
VALENCIA: Sure you know -- but they think it's the best bet right now to help the residents there.
KOSIK: Ok let's talk about what happens when someone contracts the West Nile virus. You know, what are the possible outcomes?
VALENCIA: This is the scariest part about it sometimes there can be no symptoms at all. There's an incubation period for about two weeks where people who are affected and may have contracted that West Nile virus, they don't have it.
We -- we talked to a mother of one 14-year-old who doesn't really fit the mold of somebody who would contract the virus. You know usually you have toddlers, elderly -- people with pre-existing health conditions. This 14-year-old Jordan Connor had none of that. Her symptoms were vague. You know she told her mom that she had a headache one day and the next day she had a fever and that night she ends up in the emergency room.
In fact one of the concerns that Ebonie Connor had, the mother of this 14-year-old was that the vague systems -- symptoms weren't diagnosed properly by the doctors.
She talked to us about what a difficult time she's going through with her family yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EBONIE CONNOR, JORDAN CONNOR'S MOTHER: The symptoms play peek-a-boo with you. And so it was -- we were seven to 10 days into it. It's with the headaches, Jordan has never really said that she had a headache. So a mention of a headache became a complaint of the headache I was very concerned. And when the complaint included vomiting, well, the next day we had a doctor's appointment.
But coincidentally that night, that's when the sedation, her natural (inaudible) deeply sedated came in. And I took her straight to the emergency room.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: So what Jordan contracted less than one percent of those that get the virus end up getting this neurological disorder. It called West Nile meningoencephalitis, it controls what -- it hits the brain functions, Alison.
So the mother right now is worried about seizures. And the guidance that she's been getting from the doctors as you can believe it is just sort of wait it out. We'll see what happens. You know she's worried about seizures though and definitely concerned about the safety of her daughter.
KOSIK: And with that some scary stuff.
VALENCIA: Absolutely.
KOSIK: It really is. All right Nick Valencia, thank you.
VALENCIA: Thank you.
KOSIK: Seven people are in custody over a fatal shootout with deputies in Louisiana. Now we're learning some of the suspects may have ties to violent anarchists groups and some may have been on the FBI's domestic terrorism watch list.
Susan Candiotti joins us from New York with more on these developments -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Alison. Two law enforcement officials say that some of the suspects in the case may have ties to an antigovernment group called the Sovereign Citizens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Sovereign Citizens on the FBI's domestic terror list doesn't recognize the authority of law enforcement and has been known to use violence. Seven people are charged in last Thursday's shooting of four deputies outside of New Orleans. Two were killed and two were wounded. Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle of DeSoto Parish in northwestern Louisiana says his department had previous surveillance on the suspects and turned over its file to state police leading the investigation into the shootings further south near New Orleans.
About two months ago, Arbuckle's deputies set up surveillance on the group for about a week. He says investigators were working on a tip that the man had AK-47s and a lot of ammo in their trailer. But authorities never saw the suspects who were in the process of moving out of state.
One of the suspects Terry Lynd Smith has a Facebook page. It includes a photo of Smith holding a gun. Under the photo he appears to comment, quote, "For all you haters, see the snake eye". It's unclear who he means by "haters".
Under political views, he's listed Independent Citizens whose stated admission is giving government back to the people. Sheriff Arbuckle says he believes the group is linked to Sovereign Citizens. Law enforcement sources say it's too early to link the deputy shootings to the Sovereign Citizens extremist group.
Smith's son also charged in the case has a Facebook page as well. In it he has pictures where he too is posing with guns including what appears to be an assault weapon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: The Sovereign Citizens United Web site says it does not endorse violence against police or the government -- Alison.
KOSIK: Susan where does the case stand now?
CANDIOTTI: Well of course the investigation is ongoing, but at this point, suspects in the case have been charged with wounding the police officers. Remember, that two of the four were wounded, two were fatally shot. Murder charges are pending.
KOSIK: Ok Susan Candiotti in New York, thanks.
To politics now and six term Missouri Republican Congressman Todd Akin, he's backing away today from an answer he gave to KTVI Television when he was asked whether he thought abortion should be legal in the case of rape. He referenced (ph) his answer by mentioning what he called legitimate rape and then said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TODD AKIN (R), MISSOURI SENATE CANDIDATE: The female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something. You know I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be in the rapist and not attacking the child.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Congressman Akin issued a statement a short time ago that reads in part, quote, "In reviewing my off the cuff remarks it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year."
Akin is running against incumbent Senate Democrat Claire McCaskill in the November election. Ahead a man dressed as an Afghan police officer pulled out a gun today and now a NATO service member is dead. It's the latest in the string of attacks against U.S. and NATO forces from the same people they're trying to help.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: A NATO member died today in Afghanistan. We don't yet know the nationality. A gun -- a gunman dressed as an Afghan police officer again turned his weapon on NATO troops. It's the latest in a string of attacks aimed at Americans and NATO members by the same people they are trying to train and help. Here's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At least 24 American troops in Afghanistan attacked and killed by Afghan forces this year. The top commander, General John Allen, is ordering massive new security measures starting with his own headquarters in Kabul, Allen has ordered all troop to carry their weapons loaded at all times.
It's a headquarters visited by defense secretaries, diplomats and journalists. Until now, it's only been protected by security forces ready for instant combat as they were in September of last year when insurgents attacked from outside the base.
But now, across the country, Afghan forces are turning their weapons on NATO and U.S. troops.
LEON PANETTA DEFENSE SECRETARY: Our enemies have attempted to undermine the trust between the coalition and Afghan forces and in particular, they have tried to take credit for a number of so-called green on blue or insider attacks that have taken place this fighting season.
STARR: Since 2007, 69 Americans have been killed by Afghan forces according to the Pentagon. The military already is using so-called "Guardian Angels", a service member designated to stand watch over others while they eat and sleep; anywhere they might come into contact with Afghan forces.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is calling once again for better intelligence and better screening of new Afghan recruits. But the Pentagon is emphasizing the attacks are still relatively small in numbers.
PANETTA: I want to stress that these incidents, which have now involved 31 Afghans, do not reflect the pride and dedication of the 350,000 soldiers and police of the Afghan national security forces.
STARR (on camera): Small numbers or not, the attacks are taking their toll. One U.S. Military official in Afghanistan who is now carry this weapon around the clock told me everyone is watching everyone else, just in case.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: It was enough to make thousands of people rush angrily to the street. No, no, they weren't messing around. We'll tell you what made them boil over and hit the streets.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: I'm going to tell you what I look for in teaching. First thing I look for is that that they love children. Another one, I want winners. I want people to really, really want to win and that means that they're going to do whatever they have to do to win. Winning in education is making sure the child knows how to do something.
The third thing I actually look for, the teacher is attractive. I'm not talking by attractive like they're cute, but that they have a way about them that makes you want to listen to what they have to say. There's a certain swagger that they have about them that commands attention. Because children's attention needs to be commanded and if this person is a shrinking violet in front of the classroom, bad things are going to happen in that classroom.
I'm looking for the total package. I'm looking for somebody who loves kids. I'm looking for somebody who wants to win and then they're just attractive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: As we told you earlier, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, emerged in public for the first time in months. He's at the Ecuador Embassy in London trying to avoid extradition to Sweden on questions about alleged sex crimes. He says those are trumped up charges so governments can prosecute him for leaking world leader's embarrassing messages.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN ASSANGE, FOUNDER, WIKILEAKS: I ask President Obama to do the right thing. The United States must renounce its (inaudible) against WikiLeaks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Ecuador has granted Assange asylum, but Britain says the moment he leaves the embassy, he'll be arrested.
On Monday, a Chinese court is due to hand down a verdict in a murder trial that has riveted people around the world. The court will decide the fate of Gu Kailai. She is the wife of a former politician and she confessed to killing a 41-year-old British business man during the trial. Experts say she will likely avoid execution, although murder typically carries the death penalty in China.
Another headline out of China today where today was a bad day to own a Japanese import. A mob attacked Japanese-made cars in one city as anger over a disputed island chain grows. Both countries claim the islands and a Japanese group landed on one today sparking protests in several cities. Japan deported 14 Chinese citizens who landed on the islands last week.
In Syria today, everyone was watching to see if the country's vice president showed up for a national religious service. He did not and that's adding fuel to fast growing speculation that he somehow fled the country and joined the rebels trying to overthrow Syria.
More now from CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So what we can learn from this, the fact the vice president wasn't there at this important prayer service is that the government's been lying. They've been saying that he's at his job. He has no intentions to defect, yet now we see if the situation was normal, he would have been there with the president, with the other government officials and he wasn't.
It doesn't mean we know where he is, however. What rebels are telling us is that their commanders, who have been trying to get him out of the country, have lost communications with them and they don't know exactly where the vice president is. He's trying get out of the country to Jordan. They say he's been trying get out for the past week.
They are concerned they say that if his family are captured, then he may be forced into surrendering, but no indication of that so far.
But these pictures, these images of President Bashar Al-Assad appearing at this tiny mosque close to his presidential palace tell us quite a lot. I mean this is a rare appearance by him in the first place. They haven't seen him for a month. Normally, he would attend these important Eid'l Fitr prayers at Umayyad mosque in the center of Damascus. He's chosen to go to a tiny mosque close to the presidential palace.
It clearly gives the impression that he doesn't want to drive into the center of the capital somewhere where he would normally feel safe to do so. He doesn't appear to feel that safe now.
And his political world is shrinking not just his physical world. The vice president's not there. The prime minister sitting there with him was only appointed a couple of weeks ago. Just Saturday, he changed his -- he changed the health minister, the minister for industry and the justice minister and the governor of Aleppo -- all important positions right now.
So it does appear his support for him is crumbling. There were plenty of anti Assad protests. Some protests in the city of Hama, for example, people chanting against Bashar al Assad as they would normally do has become typical on Fridays. Also, waving their shoes in the air to insult the president.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: It was a statement that created a PR nightmare. How one man took on a massive insurance company and what happened after his opinion went viral.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: You don't have to be in front of a television to watch CNN. You can do what I do. You can stay connected. You can do it on your cell phone or you can do it from your computer at work. Just go to cnn.com/TV.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: The family of a woman killed in a car accident goes after her insurance company online and shows how the power of digital complaints can spark quick action by companies that might otherwise hold their ground.
Here's CNN's Alina Cho.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the headline that went viral.
"My sister paid Progressive Insurance to defend her killer in court."
MATT FISHER, KATIE FISHER'S BROTHER: My Tumblr is not an especially large (inaudible) site. I was speaking out of a sense of obligation to my sister and my parents.
CHO: Matt Fisher He posted the blog on Monday, but the story begins in June of 2010 when Matt's sister, Katie, was killed in a car crash in Baltimore, Maryland. The SUV that hit her had run a red light. The 24-year-old was killed instantly.
FISHER: The day she died, she had just run a ten-mile road race.
CHO: Her brother says Katie she had a $100,000 insurance policy with Progressive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Flo-bot, great job.
CHO: The family says the policy also stated Progressive would make up the difference if she was killed by an underinsured driver, like the one that hit her, so the Fisher family was paid $25,000. They thought Progressive would pay the rest -- $75,000. They were wrong.
FISHER: Progressive took the position that my sister was at fault in the accident that killed which under Maryland law would free them of the obligation to pay.
CHO (on camera): Out of a sense of honor and because Katie Fisher had student loans that still had to be paid, the family decided to go after the money, but in Maryland, it's against the law to sue an insurance company that refuses payment. So the family had to sue the man who killed Katie even though they didn't want to, establish negligence and then armed with that decision, force Progressive to pay. But in court --
FISHER: Progressive, my sister's insurer, sat across the room. They, their lawyer argued for the defendant in the case; argued that he was not negligent in my sister's death.
CHO (voice-over): So outraged he wrote on his blog, "If you are insured by Progressive and they owe you money, they will defend your killer in court in order to not pay you your policy. And when the chips are down, your money will have bought you nothing but a kick in the face."
After a whirlwind of criticism on Facebook and Twitter, Progressive responded with the same tweet over and over saying in part, "We properly handled the claim within our contractual obligations," and that in the eyes of some, made matters worse.
ERIC DEZENHALL, CRISIS MANAGEMENT EXPERT: When you respond to a very emotional issue using a mechanical technology like Twitter, it doesn't work. It's very difficult to tweet compassion.
CHO: The tweet was taken down. And Progressive released a statement saying it did not serve as the attorney for the defendant in the case. He was defended by his insurance company, Nationwide. There was a question as to who was at fault and a jury decided in the Fisher family's favor just last week. We respect the verdict and now can continue to work with the Fisher family to reach a resolution."
On Thursday, the company announced "An agreement has been reached with the Fisher family to settle the claim." An attorney for the family says Progressive will pay them tens of thousands of dollars.
(on camera): What's your message to Progressive if they're watching?
FISHER: When there's -- when there's an adjuster or someone who sits in a room and says this policy will have to pay x amount, should we pay or drag this out, add this to the calculus.
CHO (voice-over): Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: Setting sail for only the second time in over 100 years. "Old Ironsides" takes to the water.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: Half past the hour, let's get you up to speed with the headlines.
The United Nation's observer mission in Syria is over. The mission's mandate expired today and was not extended. That means the 300 observers will leave the country and just the U.N. liaison office will remain in Damascus. The unarmed observer mission was not a very effective one. None of the ceasefire terms was followed by the Syrian troops or the rebel.
Also today, the mystery thickens over the fate and location of Syrian's vice president. He was a no show at a national holiday service today giving way to rumors that he defected.
Some good news from firefighters in Washington state today. A wildfire that chewed up more than 22,000 acres is about half contained and will probably be completely out by this time tomorrow. Credit lower temperatures and round the clock work on the ground and from the air.
(INAUDIBLE) planes a pair of attacks in the caucuses region on Islamic militant militants. A suicide bombing killed at least seven and wounded 11 who were attending the funeral of a police officer. Meantime, at least six were wounded when two men opened fire inside a mosque.
The West Nile virus has claimed another life, this time, in Illinois. The mosquito borne virus is blamed for at least 26 deaths nationwide. Most come in Texas. In Dallas County, leaders have been forced to spray pesticide from the air for the first time in 45 years. The spike in West Nile infection is the worst in eight years.
One of America's most infamous killers is up for parole. Mark David Chapman, the man convicted of gunning down former Beatle John Lennon is seeking freedom for the second time. Chapman is set to stand before the parole board as early as Tuesday. He's serving 20 years to life and was last denied freedom two years ago. Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, has in the past been against his release.
The nation's oldest commissioned naval ship set sail today for just a second time in 131 years. The USS Constitution built in 1797 earned the nickname Old Iron Sides after defeating five British ships in the war of 1812. Today, it sailed under its own power across the Boston Harbor. All this to commemorate the 200th anniversary of those battles with the Brits.
A new study says doctors has been accepting fewer Medicaid patients because of falling reimbursement rates from the government, but those reimbursement rates will climb next year temporarily. Will the higher rates last and will they mean more patients get care? CNN's Athena Jones reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning. Dr. Bone's office.
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The work day begins early at the Maryland office of Dr. George Bone.
DR. GEORGE BONE, INTERNIST: That tingling in the hands and the buzzing in your ear. How long have you had that?
JONES: Dr. Bone is the only physician in an office serving about 6,000 patients. But only about 60 of them are covered by Medicaid. The government health insurance program for low income families. The reason is economics.
BONE: Primary care is a mix of compassion and economics. You have to pay a rent. We have to pay electricity. We have to pay the staff. And I have to take something home to my family. It is basically trying to run a business. If the economics are not right the economics are not right.
JONES: While the amount Medicaid pays doctors varies by state it is often much lower than what doctors get from Medicare or private insurers. Those lower payments can translate into less access. According to a new study 96 percent of doctors accepted new patients last year but nearly a third were unwilling to accept new Medicaid patients while less than 20 percent turned away patients with Medicare or private insurance.
Acceptance rates for new Medicaid patients were higher in states where payments were higher. The new health care law will raise Medicaid payments to primary care doctors making it an equal to Medicare payments in 2013 and 2014.
JACK HOADLEY, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE: What we're going to see we hope with this higher payment rate is that doctors will be more willing to take these people with new Medicaid coverage and see them in their offices and provide them primary care services, rather than expect those people to end up in an emergency room to get care.
JONES: But what happens after 2014?
HOADLEY: We will see whether states are willing to (INAUDIBLE) whether the federal government can step in and say if it was a good idea. We're going to put more federal money up to insure that it continues to have more years.
JONES: As for Dr. Bone, he plans to take new Medicaid patients next year. But just how many is impossible to say.
Athena Jones, CNN, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: Come on. Do very successful people really feel guilty about it? Comedian D.L. Hughley says he does. He says it's a bit like survivor's guilt. He'll explain next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: CNN.com spoke with comedian D.L. Hughley. He talked about how he feels guilty about his success and about how reality TV just turned into just plain reality for some people. Here's his Red Chair interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) D.L. HUGHLEY, COMEDIAN: I believe firmly that I've used all the luck up in my family. That every shred of luck that, you know, every ounce of good fortune or undeserved fortune was bestowed on me and now my children are just left with hard work. So daddy got all the breaks.
I think that the closest way I can equate it is survivor's guilt. You'll see people that have survived these horrific tragedies and they feel guilty. Like why me and what happened? And I think that with successful black people - there's an element. I shouldn't speak any bias but for me there's an element of that. If you take the class that I graduated from in elementary school, I don't know one of them besides maybe my best friend, Tommy, who isn't homeless, in jail, on dope, you know, dead.
I said if I can stay out of trouble and not get killed, something's going to happen.
I very definitely feel I have a role as a black man in America and I feel that role is to be as honest and forthright as I can be and to be as clear as I can be. The sad thing to me is that getting a chance, black people kill black people all over the world. I don't care if its Rwanda, Detroit, or Chicago. If what's happening to a black man would happen to a species of plant, a species of plant, people, humanitarians, environmentalists, would get together and try to have that species declared a name.
But we could also be the first species of life that was complacent in its on demise. We live in a world where reality shows now, everything's kind of a derivative of it. Our country is so devoid of actually living, we go home to watch other people live. We DVR other people living. And now, you have serious news anchors or people that are supposed to be serious news anchors telling you about the most asinine thing you've ever seen in your life. You don't have to actually cover it.
Do you think Dan Rather ever would have to say Snooki in like a sentence and be serious?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: And you can see more fascinating interviews like this one online at our Web site. Just go to cnn.com/video and search red chair.
So let me ask you this, do you want everyone to know your every move? Facial recognition software recognizes you, then gets information about you from your Facebook page. We're going to look at what you get out of it and what's in it for the stores.
And don't forget, you can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work. Head to cnn.com/tv.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CATALINA ESCOBAR: Teen pregnancy in Cartajenas is a very big issue. When you go to the slums, it is unbelievable what you see. Many of my girls live here. This is so wrong. You see these girls, they're babies holding babies.
About 10 years ago, I was volunteering at this maternity hospital and I was holding this baby and he passed away with me. His teen mother failed to raise the money to cover treatment. Four days later, my own son passed away in an accident. I realized I didn't want any mother to feel the same grief that I went through.
My name is Catalina Escobar and I help teen moms get a healthy and productive life for them and for their babies.
When we first started at the maternity hospital, we reduced dramatically the infant mortality rate. But the real problem it was much more than that. My girls end up being pregnant because they don't have a sexual education and many of my girls are sexually abused.
When my girls come, they drop their babies in the day care center. We have different workshops so they can develop their skills.
We are changing the lives of these girls. If you give them the right tools, they're capable of moving forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: CNN heroes are all chosen from people who you tell us about. To nominate someone who you know who is making a difference, go to cnnheroes.com.
It wasn't too long ago when the phrase it's all about the Benjamins was pretty popular. Benjamins, of course, referring to Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill, but it soon may be all about your cell phone.
CNN's Dan Simon has a look at a new way to pay.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It wasn't too long ago when food trucks could only take cash. The San Francisco Start Up Square, became an instant hit by making it easy for them or anyone else for that matter to accept a credit card by using a smart phone.
Vendors like Shari Washburn tell me her revenue would be half without the technology.
SHARI WASHBURN, EBBITS GOOD TO GO: It's a game changer for us because we can accept all forms of payment. It takes every credit card and people don't carry a lot of cash.
SIMON: And now, Square has made it even easier for people to pay just by telling the cashier your name. Users need to download the payless square app and go through the set-up. From there, a cashier knows you're a legitimate paying customer because your name and photo pop up on the other end. All the money is exchanged on the back end with the customer's stored credit card number.
(on camera): But it's not just food trucks, 75,000 small businesses throughout the country including this sandwich shop are using the technology, but now, you can take the small out of the picture.
(voice-over): Starbucks announced that it will be using Square in 7,000 of its U.S. stores will accelerate the movement toward a walletless society, according to tech analysts like Jeff Kagan.
JEFF KAGAN, TECHNOLOGY ANALYST: You know, when we leave the house, we have to take our wireless phones, our wallet and our keys. Going forward at some point, we may be able to leave our wallet at home because we're going to have all of these information in the wallet on our smart phone.
SIMON: Starbucks will initially accept payment by scanning a bar code. Something it already does with its gift cards. Having a major store chain as a client makes Square one of the early leaders in the mobile payment industry, but more established brands like Google, Intuit, Paypal and others are looking to make a major dent in the space.
Other start-ups like GoPayGo offer their own innovative features. Its technology allows customers to complete the transaction even before entering the store.
KAGAN: This is very early in this brand new game. We're still in the first inning. So the companies that are leading today may not be the companies that are leading in a year or two years.
SIMON: Still, all the mobile payment companies face certain challenges like convincing a wide audience that paying with a phone is safe and even more convenient than using a traditional credit card or cash. But it seems certain that day is coming when neither would be required.
Dan Simon, CNN, San Francisco.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: And CNNEspanol and tech pro Alejandra Oraa joins me now to explain a little more. You know, we are banking more on our phones and as we just saw on this piece, we are our phones as our wallets. I mean how safe really is this?
ALEJANDRA ORAA, TECH CORRESPONDENT: It depends on how you use the application also, how you protect your telephone information. I think that's the key for you to be able to purchase things with your telephone without jeopardizing your personal information. We have to be honest, how many times do you really leave a credit card on the table in comparison to your cell phone, right? Many times more the cell phone than the credit card.
So with some simple guidelines for you to protect the telephone information, I think we will be pretty safe, just as safe as a credit card actually. The most important one I would believe is creating a password for your cell phone in case it gets stolen or somebody tries to use that information, they're not going to know the passcode. So they're not going to know, your pictures are not going to - your personal information in your phone and they're not going to be able to use the applications. I think that's the most important.
KOSIK: OK. Here's another way to pay with your face, of all things.
ORAA: Yes. That's going to be pretty interesting. I don't know if you ever saw the movie "Minority Report," when Tom Cruise was walking through the mall and basically - we're actually watching it right now. And every single store started talking to him, requesting him or telling him - actually advising him what things to buy. So in a way, we're able to do that now. The future has come.
KOSIK: Yes, there's a new company called Face Deal that connectors your Facebook profiles to cameras that are sitting outside of stores. And you're offered the deals right there in the street. I'm telling you just like "Minority Report" kind of gave me the creeps. I thought then when I saw it, "oh my god, imagine when this happens." Well, it's happening now. There's a creep factor to this, isn't there?
ORAA: I don't know we should be excited or completely freaked out. I'm going to have to agree with you on that one because not only will they be able to know where we are, they are going to have that information. And they are going to know within a period of time one or two years exactly what restaurants you're visit, what stores you like and how many times you go to the stores throughout the year. We have to emphasize though, this is not something created by Facebook. However it uses your personal information of Facebook if you allow the application.
KOSIK: You see this really companies really taking off with this, don't you?
ORAA: Right now, it's starting only in Tennessee. But the company said, called Red Pepper, its advertising agency is called Red Pepper. They're using it in Tennessee. But if it works well we're going to see it in all the stores.
KOSIK: It's expensive though isn't for these companies to invest in this kind of technology?
ORAA: It is expensive. But at the end of the day, if it does work, they're going to have a good turnaround with the actual companies because all the stores or all the (INAUDIBLE) are going to be using the applications and they're going to be putting a lot of money into this technology because they know that these people are going to come back because they're having discounts with the phone. That's the idea.
KOSIK: All right. Alejandra, we have to get used to big brother watching us all over the place, just to go shopping.
ORAA: I know, right?
KOSIK: Thanks very much. ORAA: Thank you.
KOSIK: So sheep do it, rats do it and we know dogs do it, most of us have actually seen it. It's the wet shake. And now researchers are looking into the science of the shake coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: Time now to look ahead to the week's top stories. It's going to be a week packed by campaign events, the economic news and looking back at one of Hollywood's biggest weddings of the year, our correspondents tell you what you need to know. We begin tonight with the president's plans for the week.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. This week, President Obama heads back out on the campaign trail, flying west of Nevada, a state that has been hit hard by the mortgage crisis. He'll also visit the state of Ohio, a key battleground state where he currently leads in the poll. Both of these states could decide who wins the White House. Then the president heads to New York City, a fund-raiser to raise much needed campaign cash.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: I'm Paul Steinhauser on the campaign trail in Florida. After campaigning separately for a week, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan reunite. They team up tomorrow for a big rally in New Hampshire, a crucial battleground state. Later in the week, both men held a lot of fund raisers in this crucial last week leading up to the Republican national republican convention in Tampa.
KOSIK: Can we learn anything from how wet animals dry themselves or is it simply an excuse to play video dogs in slow motion? You decide. Here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It may not be research that's earth shaking but it's definitely dog shaking and pig shaking and even rat shaking. Most of us try to avoid getting showered by the dog shake. But researchers at Georgia Tech decided to study it.
DR. DAVID HU, GEORGIA TECH: They can actually do a miraculous job of drying themselves.
MOOS: They used a high speed camera to record the shakes, resulting in images so stirring that the journal "Nature" put them to waltz music.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MOOS: A mouse shakes around 30 times per second.
HU: They basically compensate for their size by shaking faster.
MOOS: Dogs shake about four times a second, leaving them 70 percent dry within one to four seconds. (on camera): Now, we humans don't want loose flesh, but on a dog, it comes in handy.
(voice-over): That loose skin increases the speed at which the water is whipped away. While the dog's backbone goes back and forth only 30 degrees.
HU: The skin will go back and forth, 90 degrees to the right and 90 degrees to the left. And that's only possible because it's loose enough to perform as a whipping action around the body.
MOOS: Increasing the force nine times, mammals have mastered what divo preached back in the '80s.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MOOS: Hey a vigorous whipping sure beats sitting under the blow dryer. Researchers even went to the zoo and recorded a lion, Dr. David Hu says furry mammals probably developed the shaking mechanism to avoid staying wet and getting hypothermia. Goats do it, even sheep shake.
HU: The sheep has some style when it shakes.
MOOS: The Georgia Tech team even managed to x-ray shaking. This guy looks like a rat at a disco.
(on camera): Now maybe you think a big butt is easier to shake.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MOOS: But try telling that to a kangaroo.
(voice-over): It's built for hopping, not shaking.
HU: They can't really shake these sort of large buttocks, kangaroo buttocks and it just can't shake that around. So it just shakes its head.
MOOS: Hey, whose butt are you calling big?
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: Who knew? I'm Alison Kosik at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. I'll see you back here at 10:00 Eastern. "CNN PRESENTS" begins right now.
