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CNN Live Saturday

Iraqis Cautiously Optimistic; WTO Protests Turn Violent; Bush Upset at Senate Refusal to Extend Patriot Act; Air Quality Is A Long- Term Problem In New Orleans; Choking Hazards Of Infants' Toys For Christmas; Creative Ways To Get Revenge For Life's Little Annoyances

Aired December 17, 2005 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Patriot Act has accomplished exactly what it was designed to do. It has protected American liberty, and saved American lives.

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GERRI WILLIS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush lashes out at the Senate for a failed vote on the extension of the Patriot Act, and the president acknowledges ordering the National Security Agency to spy in the U.S.

Also ahead, police and protesters battle each other outside the World Trade Organization Conference in Hong Kong.

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Gerri Willis. All that and more after this check of the headlines.

More bargaining power in New York. Transit workers and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are trying to hammer out a new contract to avert a strike. Subways and buses are running this weekend, but that could change if no deal is reached by midnight, Monday.

And Vice President Dick Cheney is on a five-day trip to the front lines of the war on terror. He's stopping in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. He's expected to be in Afghanistan Monday for the opening of parliament.

And a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who spent his life fighting corruption is dead. Jack Anderson died today from complications of Parkinson's Disease. He was 83.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

It was a top secret just two days ago. Now President Bush is acknowledging and defending a spy program he calls a "vital tool in the war on terror." He made the comments today during a rare live radio address, and he turned up the heat on lawmakers blocking renewal of the Patriot Act. CNN's Kathleen Koch is following all the developments from the White House -- Kathleen. KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gerri, this was a dramatic departure from the White House's normal strategy when it comes to damaging leaks, which generally is circle the wagons and say nothing.

However, in this case, in a rare, live Saturday morning radio address, President Bush flat out, very candidly stated that yes, indeed, in the months after 9/11 he had ordered the National Security Agency to intercept the international phone calls and e-mails of people in the United States. The president, though, insisted that those spied on had known links to al Qaeda, and other related terrorist organizations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... Reauthorization Act of 2005.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. The question is ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And obviously we didn't -- we had a problem there with the tape of President Bush, but the president then said -- went on in his radio address this morning to say that Justice Department and NSA legal officials reviewed and approved the activities that were initiated under this program.

And he said that he had reauthorized the program more than 30 times since 9/11 and that he would continue to do so, calling it a "vital tool in our war against the terrorists."

There were numbers of critics though of the president's announcement of his decision to launch the program, many Democrats among them. Senator Russ Feingold, who called the revelation shocking and said it appeared the president was putting himself above the law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RUSSELL FEINGOLD (D), WISCONSIN: It doesn't matter how many times he talks to members of Congress, how many times the Justice Department tells him it's OK. If it's not within the law, if we haven't passed a law allowing it, he can't do it.

What he's doing is illegal. He talked about the revelation of this being illegal. That may be, but what he's doing I believe is illegal and it's really quite a shocking moment in the history of our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And, again now, we'd like to take the opportunity to share with you a bit of the president's radio address this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BUSH: This is a highly classified program that is crucial to our national security. Its purpose is to detect and prevent terrorist attacks against the United States, our friends and allies. Yesterday the existence of this secret program was revealed in media reports after being improperly provided to news organizations.

As a result, our enemies have learned information they should not have, and the unauthorized disclosure of this effort damages our national security and puts our citizens at risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And already there is a great deal of controversy on Capitol Hill about the president's announcement. Some senators, some House members, calling for hearings to probe the legality of the program. Back to you, Gerri.

WILLIS: Kathleen Koch, thank you for that report.

President Bush is preparing for another live speech, this one on Iraq. He'll address the nation from the Oval Office tomorrow night.

CNN's prime-time coverage begins at 7:00 Eastern with the "'TIME' Person Of The Year."

Then at 8:00 Eastern, join Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM" for a preview of the president's speech.

And at 9:00 Eastern, watch the presidential address in a special edition of "LARRY KING LIVE." That's tomorrow right here on CNN.

You've seen eavesdropping and bugged homes in countless movies, but how does a secret government operation work in real life? CNN's Brian Todd takes a look at a report you may have first seen on CNN's "THE SITUATION ROOM."

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Experts say anytime the National Security Agency decides to eavesdrop, the operation is highly sophisticated.

GEORGE BAUREIS, FRM. FBI COUNTERTERROR AGENT: And it truly is the cream of the crop of technology in terms of the capability to listen to anything, anywhere, at anytime.

TODD: Former FBI counterterror agent George Baureis has worked extensively with the NSA for years. Baureis and other experts say there are essentially two ways to monitor a suspect's communications. One is the more traditional method of planting listening devices.

BAUREIS: Then the other type of eavesdropping would be basically intercepts that are coming from open airspace that are going through satellite communications, or actually targeting of databases.

TODD: In this age, cell phones and other telephone signals can be monitored by satellites. And a former NSA employee says the networks that operate cell phones and computers have built capabilities into them that allow intelligence agencies to monitor calls and e-mails.

The NSA can use one of its sophisticated satellites to pick up a call, then send the signal down to one of the various NSA listening posts around the world. But James Bamford, author of two definitive books on the NSA, says communications can also be monitored using microwave frequencies or by tapping undersea cables. Then an NSA analyst takes over.

JAMES BAMFORD, AUTHOR: An NSA analyst would eavesdrop or listen to communications, write up a report, and then send it to whoever asks for the information, whether it was the CIA, or the FBI, the White House, the Pentagon, whoever.

TODD: The analysts who can be linguists or code breakers, run the signals through computers. But often, as one NSA linguist showed our David Ensor a few years ago, getting the right information depends on human intuition.

EVERETTE JORDAN, NSA LINGUIST: You have to listen for -- for irony. You have to listen for sarcasm. You have to listen for tension. You have to listen for rhetorical statements being made, you also have to listen for humor.

TODD (on camera): We asked one expert how important it is for the NSA and its methods to be kept so secret. He cited one breach as an example, the damage done when it was made public that intelligence agencies were monitoring Osama bin Laden's cell phone calls.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: Let's take a closer look at the agency doing the eavesdropping and legal implications of the spy program. My next guest is the author of "Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency." James Bamford joins me now from Washington. James, welcome.

BAMFORD: Thanks, Gerri.

WILLIS: You know, you wrote the book, obviously, and have done a lot of work on this agency. What did you make of the news that the agency had secretly monitored Americans? Did it surprise you?

BAMFORD: Yes, I was actually both surprised and disappointed, because I had interviewed the director of the NSA over the past few years several times, and he always indicated that they were following the law, and so I had no indication that they were going back to the bad old days of warrantless, illegal eavesdropping.

WILLIS: Well, James, can the NSA spy on Americans at any time? Is there any protocol for actually wiretapping, eavesdropping on people? BAMFORD: Well, there is. The NSA is the most powerful weapon the U.S. government has in terms of a possible violation of privacies of U.S. citizens. So in 1978, there was basically a firewall created, a buffer zone, between the federal government and the American public.

And that was this secret court, so that if the government wanted to spy on a U.S. citizen, they would have to go to the court, present a reason why they wanted to spy on the person, and then get a warrant. And that's exactly the court that the Bush administration went around.

WILLIS: So are you saying that the president broke the law or the NSA broke the law?

BAMFORD: Well, the law says that in order to spy on a U.S. citizen there has to be a warrant, so whoever ordered the NSA to do it and whoever did it violated the law.

WILLIS: How hard is it to get one of these warrants?

BAMFORD: IT's very easy. It's very, very simple. In 30 or so, the court has only turned the government down once. So it's very easy, and they could get it -- they could actually do the interception immediately and then retroactively, within 36 or 48 hours, go back and ask the court for permission. So it's very easy.

WILLIS: James, there's some question as to whether this would have hurt the timeliness of the investigations. And as you know, there's been a suggestion here that, in fact, it interrupted two possible plots against Americans. Would it have hurt the investigation, set them back -- maybe possibly, allowed an attack to happen?

BAMFORD: No, because the law provides that the NSA can begin eavesdropping immediately, and then within 36-48 hours come back and ask for permission to do it. So they wouldn't lose any -- they lost time in the incident you just mentioned because they were trying very hard to convince the court to accept this procedure, and the court was refusing to do it, and that's why they lost a lot of time.

WILLIS: Now, what has been the reaction from your sources to this news?

BAMFORD: Well, a lot of them, especially the people at the NSA that I've talked to are very shocked and saddened, because they went through this huge trauma back during the Nixon/Watergate period where Nixon did the same thing, ordered people spied on illegally without notifying anybody, and the NSA put that way behind them and was acting very, you know, in accordance with the law for the last 30 years. So a lot of people were very unhappy with the news that all of a sudden, it looks like they're back in the old days of Watergate and Nixon.

WILLIS: Fascinating story. James Bamford, author of "The Body of Secrets: Anatomy of the Ultrasecret National Security Agency." Thanks for being with us.

BAMFORD: My pleasure, Gerri. WILLIS: As President Bush urges lawmakers to extend the Patriot Act, there's a lot of other unfinished business on Capitol Hill. You're looking now at live images from the Senate. Both it and the House are back in session right now as Congress faces a weekend of work. Some of the items awaiting action: the Republicans spending cut plan; the $453 billion Defense budget; a massive appropriations bill, and of course the Patriot Act. Congress may have to work through Tuesday to wrap up the legislative year.

Clubs, tear gas and sit-ins: riot police face off with anti- globalization protesters in Hong Kong.

And after the relatively peaceful elections in Iraq, what does the future hold for the country?

Chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour explores.

Also, you may want to think about taking a deep breath. Air pollution in New Orleans -- Dan Seiberg investigates. You'll want to see that story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: He won the long jump at four straight Olympic games and left a lasting impression as a sprinter. As part of CNN's anniversary series "Then and Now" we take a look back at Carl Lewis and find out what he has to say about the criticism he's received in the past.

ANNOUNCER: He exploded onto the track and field scene when he was a junior in high school. His unsurpassed talent in long jumping and sprinting became a surprise, even to himself.

CARL LEWIS, OLYMPIC ATHLETE: Oh, my goodness! I couldn't have imagined it in a million years. I didn't imagine in eleventh grade that I'd even be an Olympian.

ANNOUNCER: But Carl Lewis did become an Olympian. With an athletic career span of 18 years. Lewis dominated his sport for nearly a decade. But not without disparagement. Lewis was said to be conceited and unapproachable.

LEWIS: I was arrogant towards the other athletes -- not my teammates. Aloof, absolutely. I'd sit by myself and they'd say, He's so aloof. Well, you know what? Figure it our, because I won all those competitions.

ANNOUNCER: In 1996, at the age of 35, despite major criticism, he decided to go for the gold one last time. It was an unexpected victory that year at the Atlanta Games, as Lewis won his ninth gold medal.

Since then, Lewis has retired and is now concentrating on his second passion. He recently finished shooting a film in Atlanta, Georgia, called "The Last Atom (ph)" about a group of kids who meet up again as adults to attend their childhood coach's funeral.

Lewis appreciates where he is in life, and is thankful for being a working actor.

LEWIS: It doesn't really matter how far it goes, because I already have nine Oscars. They're called gold medals. I'm just doing what I enjoy, and it's a tremendous challenge to me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: Riot police are rounding up hundreds of protesters in Hong Kong after an evening of violent clashes over the World Trade Organization talks. The street violence was the worst Hong Kong has experienced in decades.

CNN's Mike Chinoy has been right in the middle of it and he joins me now on the phone. Mike?

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Gerri. Hong Kong is in some ways the symbol of globalization, a crossroad of international trade and business. That's one reason why the World Trade Organization is having its big meeting here, and it's the main reason why thousands of protesters -- anti-globalization protesters -- have poured into Hong Kong. Leading those protests: radical South Korean farmers. And they were at the forefront of violent protests which literally brought much of the center of Hong Kong to a halt. South Koreans trying to break through police barriers to get inside the convention center where the WTO meeting was under way, saying that was the only way their voices could be heard. Hong Kong's police equally determined not to let them disrupt the proceedings, at one point firing tear gas, as well as using hoses and pepper spray.

Eventually, after a series of running battles with the police, the South Koreans settled on a main highway that goes through Hong Kong and they stayed there for several hours until in the wee hours of what is now Sunday morning. They announced that they would submit to what they called an arrest with dignity, without fighting back. And they're now being led away by the police.

But that may not be the end of the protest, because another big rally is being called for Sunday afternoon here to mark the end of the WTO meeting in Hong Kong -- Gerri?

WILLIS: Mike Chinoy, quick question here. This is an important issue, not just economically but almost emotionally, correct?

CHINOY: That's true. South Koreans in particular, what they're objecting to is imports of foreign rice into South Korea. That say that's a consequence of globalization, they blame the WTO for it. They say that if that happens, their way of life, not just their income, but a whole traditional way of life will be destroyed, and so they've been taking to the streets for a long time in South Korea. They have a long history of violent clashes with the police there, and they brought their cause here to Hong Kong. Most of the protesters are, in fact, farmers. They're real kind of salt-of-the-earth people. They have tried to say they have nothing against Hong Kong, but they are determined to put their case before the folks at the WTO meeting, and so far, they've had to do that in the streets -- Gerri?

WILLIS: Mike Chinoy, thank you so much for that report.

With Iraq's election past, young Iraqis are wary about their country's future. Hear what they have to say.

And, do chemicals and other waste pose a threat to air quality in New Orleans? We'll examine the challenge of keeping the air safe. That's coming up.

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WILLIS: There are growing calls for political unity in Iraq. Two days after the landmark election, Prime Minister Ibrahim al Jaafari today urged Sunni Arabs to unite with rival Shiites in Iraq's new parliament. A leading Sunni politician appears open to the idea. Adnan al Duami (ph) vowed to form alliances with any group that will work to protect the best interests of all Iraqis. Sunnis largely boycotted the last election, but turned out in big numbers in Thursday's vote.

President Bush addresses the nation tomorrow night about Iraq. He will congratulate the millions of Iraqis who participated in this week's election, like the family you're about to meet. As you may have seen on CNN's "ANDERSON COOPER 360," our chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, shows us life in Iraq between the bombs and the ballots.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Iraq through the eyes of a child. Driving his car through a virtual reality, 13-year-old Anmar Rashid avoids what's actually out there.

"When I wake up every day, maybe I play computer games or play football in the street outside my house. That's how I spend my time," he says.

Because Baghdad is so dangerous, fun and games, hanging out, a kid's life happens mostly inside. Just going to the elections with his family was a rare day out.

"We went and voted and I put my finger in the ink," he laughs.

The day after the election is a holiday, and Anmar's mother, Raghad, has cooked a special lunch.

"For me as a mother, of course, it is very difficult," she tells us. "I always try to keep them inside the house. I always make sure the door is locked. And I don't let them talk to strangers."

The family moved here four months ago because there was just too much violence in their old neighborhood. Anmar's 17-year-old brother, Karrar, was chased twice and nearly kidnapped by bandits.

"I'm not only still scared," he says, "but every time I tell the story, I feel terrified." He now passes his time either at high school or on the computer chatting with friends and relatives outside Iraq. So, does their 18- year-old sister, Ula, grounded not just by the danger, but by tradition, too.

"For me, as a girl, I can't go outside alone," she says. "So, I spend my time in the house, helping my mother or chatting on the Internet."

(on camera): Do you have a boyfriend?

ULA RASHID, 18-YEAR-OLD IRAQI: No.

(LAUGHTER)

U. RASHID: In Iraq, no.

(LAUGHTER)

AMANPOUR (voice-over): On calm days, like this, with traffic banned and streets empty for the election period, children have a chance to be outside and feel safe. They can, at last, be children, playing soccer and riding bicycles.

But these days are rare, and the little ones tell us they're afraid of the explosions and the killing. Anmar, though, is feisty. Perhaps, it is his way of surviving this madness.

"When I go outside and play," he says, "it is like I defy the terrorists and I help get rid of them."

His parents can afford to take their children out of Iraq for holidays, and then they feel safer and saner. Their father, Ihsan, says he never expected things to be this bad in Iraq after Saddam.

IHSAN RASHID, FATHER: It's too much wars. Everything is -- is dangerous here in Iraq. So, I hope and -- and try and fighting to be their life is better life than my life.

AMANPOUR: He hopes the latest elections will be the beginning of a better life for his family and for his country.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad.

WILLIS: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! maybe in Kansas City, for example? Monica, what have you got up with the weather?

MONICA MCNEAL, CNN METEOROLOGIST: What's up with the weather, Kansas City is getting pounded, Gerri. I tell you what, so far they've already gotten seven inches of snow in some places. And we'll give you all the details on how much more know the city of Kansas and the state of Kansas will get, coming up.

WILLIS: Also ahead: with only one week left to find the perfect gift for your kids, the toys you may consider buying are a top concern for some experts on child safety. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GERRI WILLIS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY: here are some of the latest developments. President Bush said today he will not back down on the anti-terror initiative first disclosed yesterday. That lets the government monitor communications in the U.S. without court orders. Republican Senator Arlen Specter says he plans to hold hearings on the program. He says it is hurting the president's push to get the Patriot Act renewed.

With eight days left until Christmas, the Vatican lit its Christmas tree today. It's 100 feet tall, the tree is a gift from Austria and on display in St. Peter's Square. That's really pretty.

Power still is out to more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Carolinas. The ice storm that hit the region Thursday continues to cause problems. The utility says it may be until Tuesday before everyone has electricity in upstate South Carolina.

Boy, that is some storm. Monica McNeal, when does that stop?

(WEATHER FORECAST)

WILLIS: New Orleans residents forced to flee after Hurricane Katrina are returning home in droves, but they're doing so under looming fears that their return could be hazardous to their health. CNN Technology Correspondent Dan Seiberg explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SEIBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It will be a long time before many New Orleaneans breathe a sigh of relief and maybe even longer before they breathe fresh air.

We took to the air to talk about what's in it, with the local professor who studied the topic for years.

BARRY DELLINGER, LOUISIANA STATE UNIV.: It's supposed to be segregated into appliances, construction debris, and trees, things like that. But it's difficult to tell here, from the air, what segregation is actually going on. I don't seem much difference in the piles.

SEIBERG: At one major site in devastated Plaquemines Parish where Katrina came ashore, workers are beginning the long process of grinding up debris, millions of cubic yards of it, before putting it into a landfill.

(On camera): Here's the annihilator machine we're looking at it, right here. What could possibly be coming out of this device in terms of what's going into the air?

DELLINGER: I think the main concern is fine, particular matter. And there is a grinding operation that would be released, so it could contain fungus, pathogens, as well as just toxic chemicals could be released from household waste during the hurricane, possibly even chemical plant waste as well.

SEIBERG: FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers denied us access to the grinder, citing safety concerns. The Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring the air quality here. After Katrina the EPA began conducting daily tests at 18 locations around New Orleans.

DWAYNE ALLEN, EPA CONTRACTOR: When I first got here, it seemed like no matter where you went to, it smelled like a city dump. And now the air is quite clear and crisp, and not bad.

SEIBERG: Some independent reports say certain neighborhoods contain traces of arsenic, benzene, mercury, lead and hydrocarbons but the EPA says overall the air in New Orleans is safe.

STEVE CALANOG, EPA: What we're finding is the air conditions are similar to those we saw prior to Katrina coming through, and we're very encouraged by those air sampling results.

SEIBERG: But Dellinger says the EPA may not be testing for new types of toxins released after the floodwaters receded. He says "we need more information."

DELLINGER: We need a study. I guess the danger there is people get to repopulate and then do the study, and they say it's not safe. They've moved back in. You're not going to get anyone out.

On the other hand, you got all of these people with no place to live so they have to live somewhere. All I can say is I'm glad I don't have to make that decision or come up with that plan.

SEIBERG: That decision is on Mayor Ray Nagin's shoulders.

RAY NAGIN, MAYOR, NEW ORLEANS: They don't feel as thought there is any long-term risk, but if you have a respiratory challenge, I would advise you to wait a little longer. We are starting to see other so-called experts come in and dispute the findings that the EPA has, so we need to make sure that all of the dust settles and we know exactly what we're dealing with.

SEIBERG (on camera): One area of serious concern is here in the Lower Ninth Ward where people are now allowed to go back into their homes to try to recover whatever they can. But the dust and sediment is still everywhere, and that has some health officials worried about what the long-term effects could be.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These are 95 respirators. Wear one a day and throw it out.

SEIBERG: Johanna Congleton spends her time trying to keep workers and residents in places like the Lower Ninth Ward safe. She says federal, state and local agencies are not doing enough to provide proper protective gear or clean up the mess.

JOHANNA CONGLETON, PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: People have the right to come back to safe and healthy neighborhoods, and this should have been taken care of a long time ago, especially before they opened neighborhoods back up to people to return.

SEIBERG: From the air, the stark reality on the ground is even more apparent. Dellinger says long-term air quality analysis is needed to know what the lasting impact will be. But he knows he can't stop people from coming home.

(On camera): On the one hand, it's not practical, because these people are trying get back to their homes, or trying to put the city back to what it was. On the other hand, it could be unhealthy for them.

DELLINGER: That's right, and but that's the best we can, I think, hope for here is we learn from this one. So that we know what to do for the next one. That's the best we can hope for.

SEIBERG: Daniel Seiberg, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: Checking news "Across America", hoping to avert a strike, Transit Authority and union negotiators in New York are trying to reach an agreement on a new contract. Now, if they fail, the first phase of a strike is scheduled to begin after midnight Monday.

Tennessee police say a New York fugitive stabbed himself in the neck when confronted in Memphis. They say Peter Braunstein is in fair condition. He's accused of posing as a fireman on Halloween and sexually assaulting a woman for 12 hours.

In California, scandal for kids channel Nickelodeon. Police say they've arrested a convicted sex offender who was working at Nickelodeon's animation studio. He's suspected of molesting a boy at the studio.

And Hollywood is remembering veteran actor John Spencer today. He played Leo McGary on the NBC's TV show "West Wing." Spencer died yesterday of a heart attack. He was 58.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: OK, a lot of shoppers using this last weekend before Christmas to buy kids' toys but you know the problem, the wrong toy in tiny hands can become dangerous and quickly. What should you look for when toy shopping? Here's Gary Nurenberg.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know which one I like the most.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which one do you like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want the building one?

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christmas shopping for toys Saturday Kristen Shumaker (ph) was getting help from her four-year-old Gabby and six-year-old Kate, who were also watching over their little brother, Jack.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ouch, he's going to eat me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, because he puts a lot of things in his mouth. We have to be careful with that, don't we?

NURENBERG: Jack's capacity to gobble anything in sight is hardly unique.

JULIE VALLESE, CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMM.: Choking on small parts, that's one of the biggest things that your kids each and every year.

NURENBERG: Emergency room doctor Eric Glasser expects to see a lot of it in the days following Christmas.

DR. ERIC GLASSER, EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR: f they cough it up and it goes into the lung that can be very serious, that can be fatal.

NURENBERG: The SPSC says choking was a leading cause of the 16 toy-related deaths last year, a small parts choking label is the only warning the CPSC requires on toys.

ALISON CASSADY, PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP: We continue to find toys on store shelves that pose a range of hazards.

NURENBERG: Alison Cassady is director of research for the Public Interest Research Group.

CASSADY: Not all toys are safe or tested by the government, so parents should look at a toy and think, how is my child going to play with this toy?

NURENBERG: The CPSC says toy-related injuries cause more than 161,000 kids to visit hospital emergency rooms last year.

(On camera): Consumer experts say the best advice when shopping for toys is simple. Just use common sense.

VALLESE: Every parent wants to fulfill their child's wish list. What kids are wishing for right now may not be the most appropriate in terms of safety.

NURENBERG: Vallese says manufacturers' labels on appropriate ages for toy use can be a good guide and because use of scooters, bikes and skateboards are a big cause of injury, Vallese think about stocking stuffers to go along with those gifts.

VALLESE: Things like a bike helmet, elbow pads, knee pads.

NURENBERG: The experts say don't panic.

VALLESE: Toys on the shelves now are really some of the best made products in the United States. NURENBERG: Which means Gabby and Kate should have a safe Christmas as they help Kristen keep their toys way from Jack.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It only takes a second for him to roll over and put it in his mouth.

NURENBERG: Gary Nurenburg, CNN, Rockville, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: It's time for our "Living Well" segment. Today we're talking about the brewing benefits of tea. A new Swedish study finds drinking two or more cups a day may cut a woman's risk of ovarian cancer. Tea is loaded with anti-oxidants and it can also help lower cholesterol. Dr. Bill Lloyd is with the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

Dr. Bill, welcome.

DR. BILL LLOYD, SURGEON, UNIV. CA, DAVIS MEDICAL CNTR.: Hi, Gerri.

WILLIS: Good to have you.

LLOYD: Thank you.

WILLIS: You've read the study. How significant is this? What did they find?

LLOYD: Well, here we go again, a magic bullet. This is the study that says if women drink three or more cups of tea a day, they will lower their risk of developing ovarian cancer.

They conducted the study by looking at 61,000 women. It's important to know these women were actually enrolled in a mammogram study, so they kind of like got alongside of them, hey, do you mind if we take a look at the women as well. And the women between the ages of 40 and 76, they were followed up for 15 years.

At the beginning they were given a questionnaire to fill out. Tell us about your life, what medications you're taking, your other health problems, et cetera and how much tea do you drink? And they repeated the survey 15 years later. When they went back and counted up the number of cases of women who had acquired ovarian cancer, versus women who did not they found women who drank three or more cups of tea were in a far less risk, 46 percent less risk, of developing that deadly cancer.

WILLIS: Well, Dr. Bill are you taking this seriously? Should every woman in the country go out and start drinking tea?

LLOYD: That's the problem, of course, and you probably remember a decade ago there was this enormous pendulum in the role of coffee and prostate cancer. It does, it doesn't, it does, it doesn't. And I fear we may be heading down that same way. Tea is a wonderful product, and it's very, very safe to enjoy tea. And as you mentioned there's many healthy benefits in enjoying a cup or two -- or maybe three -- of tea day. But I wouldn't get your hopes up too high.

WILLIS: All right, well, if it's not the silver bull, to prevent cancer, then what can it help us with?

LLOYD: Well, tea is full of flavanoids and catechins an these are chemicals called polyphenols.

WILLIS: Those are some pretty complicated words.

LLOYD: Oh, they are. But remember tea, a three-letter word can lower your bad cholesterol, raise your good cholesterol, and it has very healthy effect on the blood vessels. And in several studies from Asia, they have shown women who drink lots of tea also have better control of their high blood pressure.

WILLIS: Those are big benefits. Let's talk, though, about ovarian cancer for just a second. Is there a way to prevent that at all or is it mostly genetic the people who get it?

LLOYD: The rate of death from ovarian cancer has dropped significantly over the past 15 years. And it continues to drop because women are getting earlier and earlier diagnoses. It used to be a death sentence, but now, with early diagnosis, early screening and early sampling, we can find the women who have developed ovarian cancer.

Women have the responsibility to tell their doctors if they have any changes that may be suggestive for ovarian cancer. It's not that common. It accounts for about 3 percent of female cancer cases. But women who have noticed changes in their appetite, changes in bowel habits, painful sex, problems urinating, or any other kind of symptom they're not familiar with, that they haven't been bothered with in the past. They might talk to their women's health specialist and say is there any chance I may have ovarian cancer?

WILLIS: Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks so much for joining us with some important information about cancer today.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

WILLIS: Life's little annoyances, they're everywhere, so don't get mad. Get even. CNN's Jeanne Moos shows you some creative ideas, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIS: Carol Lin is here with a preview of what she's got to come on her 6 o'clock show.

Carol, what's on tap?

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Actually for the next couple of hours, starting at 5 o'clock.

WILLIS: Awesome.

LIN: Of course, all the day's news. But got a great segment coming up in the next hour about alternative gifts. You know, never mind all of this stuff, you're buying for everybody. There's a way to gave to really make a difference. Like an ox, for example, to a poor village. Or you can vaccinate an entire village. There are lots of ways to make a difference with a gift this holiday season.

WILLIS: I think that makes such a big difference this year. Particularly, because so many people across the globe have had problems with weathers and disasters and to do this, this year is just a great thing.

LIN: Wouldn't that be great? You're going to find out how at 5 o'clock. And at 6 o'clock, did you hear about the college student nailed for Internet -- actually, he was trying rob a bank to pay off an Internet gambling debt, and it goes to show you don't know who's hooked.

WILLIS: So the first problem is the Internet gambling, second is that you rob a bank to pay off your debt. It just gets bigger and bigger.

LIN: That's how desperate he was. It could have been your next door neighbor, you never know. But it's a big problem apparently. We'll talk about that at 6 o'clock.

WILLIS: Carol, thank you so much.

When it comes to life's annoyances there's one school of thought that says don't sweat the small stuff, but deep down, most of us agree that revenge is sweet. So here are some tips on how to fight back from CNN's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Let's see, is it cell phones, junk mail, crazy drivers? Well, thanks to life's little annoyances we've got strategies to fight back.

Take those subscription cards that cascade out of magazines, some folks mail them back blank just to make the publisher foot the bill for the prepaid postage. And there's one guy who fills junk mail reply envelopes with actual junk to make them heavier and cost the sender more.

"New York Times" reporter Ian Urbina collected such anecdotes for his book, annoyances like Starbucks lingo; they want you to call a small, a tall. Resist.

(On camera): I got a small, skim latte.

IAN URBINA, AUTHOR, "LIFE'S LITTLE ANNOYANCES": The same thing as kicking the Coke machine when it keeps your coins. It's not going to get your soda, but it feels good doing it.

MOOS: What annoys David Terry is the adult video store near his Hamilton, New Jersey home. He calls it a dump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey.

(CAR HORN HONKING)

MOOS: So whenever he sees someone going into the porn store he does the honk and wave to mortify patrons.

DAVID TERRY, ANNOYED BY ADULT STORE: They're thinking like, who was that? Was that my brother-in-law? Was that my boss?

(HONK)

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: Maybe bad parking drives you nuts, when Jason Brunette sees someone taking up two spaces he leaves a leaflet offering a free parking tutorial at this website.

Wrong, wrong, correct.

But bad driving, rather than bad parking spawned road rage cards dot-com.

(On camera): Can you read?

(Voice over): There's a card for every occasion, like this mean one to flash when you see a driver putting on makeup, or signs like "I hope your cell phone gives you cancer". No wonder they carry the disclaimer, may result in injury or even death.

Though some folks can take a joke.

(LAUGHTER)

Each phrase comes in reverse so you can insult drivers through their mirror. Who would think of this as a weapon against tailgaters?

Allan Doeksen modified his rear wiper squirter.

ALLAN DOEKSEN, ANNOYED BY TAILGATERS: To spray directly on their vehicle when they're behind me.

MOOS: Allan also gets mad at shoppers who leave their grocery carts blocking the aisles.

DOEKSEN: I would put like expensive items in the cart or possibly some embarrassing items condoms, perhaps, in their cart as well, when they're not looking. So, when they go to the check outline they're slightly embarrassed.

MOOS: What annoys Chris Baker is when the person in front of him in the express check out has too many items. (on camera): So what this guy does is count the culprits items out loud, as the cashier scans each one -- five, six, seven.

But almost nothing annoys folks more than loud cell phone conversations, so a Chicago graphic designer has created cards you hand out to offenders.

(On camera): We are aware that your ongoing conversation about your husband's vasectomy is very important to you, but we thought you'd like to know that it doesn't interest us in the least.

(Voice over): If you're tall, maybe you are you're annoyed by airline seats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was tired of being bopped in the knees.

MOOS: So Ira Goldman invented and now sells the Knee Defender.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Table comes down, take the knee defenders, seat won't recline.

MOOS: Whatever you do, don't use this on us. TV be gone is dreamed up by a guy who was sick of seeing televisions everywhere. This universal remote turns off any TV. We caused confusion in the news room.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You see our TVs, they're all going black? In and out.

MOOS: Now, what could cause that?

Sometimes all the tactics do is give you a chuckle, but when facing life's annoyances, laughter is music to your ears. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: There's still much more ahead on CNN. Carol Lin is up next with more of CNN LIVE SATURDAY after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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