Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Bush's Wiretapping Scandal; Donald Rumsfeld Early Christmas Eve Dinner; Hurricane Katrina Update; Anniversary of Indian Ocean Tsunami; Hundreds Of Kids Still Missing After Katrina; How To Fry a Turkey; Holiday Song Reminiscing
Aired December 24, 2005 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: More government monitoring without warrant, CNN has confirmed though several government officials that hundreds of predominantly Muslim sites have been secretly tested for nuclear material.
The one-year anniversary of the devastating south Asia tsunami is Monday. As thousands of people are still without homes there are new signs of hope.
And hundreds of children caught in the middle of Hurricane Katrina will send this Christmas away from home and way their parents. The search continues for displaced children.
Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Randi Kaye in for Fredricka Whitfield.
A busy hour ahead, first some other stories we're covering "Now in the News." On this Christmas Eve, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld delivers a pep talk to American troops in Iraq. Rumsfeld stopped in Mosul earlier today where he told U.S. traps to shrug off misgivings about the war in Iraq. And he told them the United States will prevail in its mission.
In Bethlehem, the town revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus, there's a festive mood for first time in six years. Pilgrims from around the world have converged on the West Bank town for Christmas Eve celebrations. More than 30,000 people were expected today, the would be the largest turnout since fighting erupted five years ago. A sharp drop in violence this year has helped draw visitors back to Bethlehem.
In Azerbaijan authorities say search crews have recovered the bodies of all 23 people killed yesterday when a passenger plane crashed along the Caspian Sea. The twin engine turboprop went down shortly after taking off in the capital Baku. The flight was en route to Kazakhstan.
We begin with growing concerns and growing anger over some of the domestic spying tactics used by the Bush administration in the war on terror. Several government officials are confirming a monitoring program that targets mostly Muslim sites in the United States. One official tells CNN the monitoring began back in 2002, and looks for suspicious radiation levels. Mosques, businesses, and homes are the primary targets. The official says the monitoring is done without warrants in areas that are considered public property. Among the cities where it has taken place, Washington, New York, Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Seattle. Muslim leaders are condemning the program, and calling it a complete shock.
Also today, new twists and turns in the domestic eavesdropping controversy, now swirling around the Bush White House. The "New York Times" reports that the National Security Agency has conducted much broader, warrantless surveillance of e-mail and phone call than the Bush administration has acknowledged. The "Times" says telecommunications companies helped the NSA gain access to streams of domestic and international communications without court orders. When we have more information on the "New York Times" story, we will be sure to bring it to you.
President Bush and other top-ranking members of his administration are defending the once secret domestic spying program calling it "vital to the war on terror." During a trip to Pakistan, earlier this week, Vice President Dick Cheney weighed in on the controversy. His comments came in a rare one-on-one interview with CNN White House correspondent, Dana Bash.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We made the decision that when we have somebody inside the United States who's in touch, not just overseas, but who's in touch with the terrorists or a terrorist suspect or an al Qaeda affiliate, that in fact, that's proper and the president's authorized the NSA to be involved in looking that the action.
If we had been able to do that before 9/11 we might have been able to pick up on the two hijackers who were in San Diego in touch overseas with al Qaeda individuals or organizations. It is good, solid, sound policy. It is, I'm convinced, one of the reasons we have not been attacked for last four years. It's absolutely the right thing to do.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And you talked about the fact that you brief Congress voluntarily, that you do have a review process. But let's just say, in 10 years or a few years a president is elected who doesn't want to do those things, but you've given him this kind of power. What happens then?
CHENEY: Well, it will be up to him whether or not he uses it.
BASH: Does it concern you that maybe it's if you met, wouldn't even necessarily trust with that kind of power.
CHENEY: Well, the fact is, the law is the law, the Constitution's there. It's been adhered to, followed in this case, and you know, when you go to war, when you're attacked in your homeland, when you lose 3,000 people in a couple of hours, in one morning, and you're faced with the possibility that the same organization might try to attack the United States with an even deadlier weapon, perhaps a nuclear weapon, if they could get their hands on it, or a biological agent, you have to actively and aggressively go after the terrorists.
Now, after 9/11, the 9/11 Commission criticized everybody in the government . Now we're connecting the dots and they're still complaining. So, seems to me you can't have it both ways. The fact of the manner is, it's good, solid program.
It has saved thousands of lives, and we're doing exactly the right, we're doing it in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and it ought to be supported. This is not about violating civil liberties, because we're not. This about defending the country against further terrorist attacks and that's exactly what we're sworn to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: The classified wiretap program is carried out by the National Security Agency.
Coming up, 2:00 p.m. Eastern we'll focus more on the monitoring program that targets mostly Muslim sites. :U.S. News and World Report" first broke the story and we'll hear from the magazine's chief investigative correspondent, David Kaplan, who wrote the article.
So, how is President Bush faring with the American people? I new Gallop poll shows his approval rating at 43 percent, with 53 percent disapproving of the way the president is handling his job. Even more Americans are unhappy were with the way things are going in the country, 62 percent, to be exact, while 36 percent say they're satisfied.
U.S. troops in Iraq get a pep talk from Donald Rumsfeld. The defense secretary also donned a chef's hat and served an early Christmas dinner to the troops. CNN's Aneesh Raman has more now on Rumsfeld morale-boosting tour of the war zone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wrapping up three-day trip to Iraq that included one night in Amman, Jordan. This morning, the secretary serving an early Christmas Eve dinner to troops in the northern city of Mosul.
He also spoke to the troop there, saying that victory and winning this war is within the grasp of the U.S. troops and that Iraqis stand on the side, he said, of freedom. Also in a rare moment of public emotion, Donald Rumsfeld, speaking about his own impressions of these U.S. troops.
CHENEY: I believe a long life, and as I think about it, it's hard to think of anything I've ever done that is as important or as -- gives me as much pleasure as working with each of you doing what you're doing, you do it so well. RAMAN: The secretary spent last night in the capital; here he met with U.S. troops. He also dined with Iraq's politic the leadership as they seek to form a government early next year. Secretary Rumsfeld had a briefing on improvised explosive devices; those IEDs remain the biggest killer of U.S. forces in Iraq. He also spoke with top intelligence officers about how to gather better intel on Iraq's insurgency.
Now, the headline of this trip, of course, came yesterday when Secretary Rumsfeld announced the president's decision to downsize the number of battalions in Iraq going into next year from 17 to 15, which means some 7,000 U.S. troops will not be coming to Iraq in early 2006, half of them staying in the U.S., half of them in Kuwait.
It also brings to below 138,000 the number of U.S. troops by early next year. That number had been the baseline of troops throughout 2005. The secretary said any further reduction in U.S. troops would be dependent on the situation on the ground, that being the success of Iraq's security forces to take over more control of the country and also how quickly and effectively Iraq's government forms early next year.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Coming up it is not the Christmas they hope for, but it seems to be bringing out the best in people. That's what's happening in a little town in Mississippi where Katrina tore houses and lives apart. Now hope and charity are blowing back in.
One year after the Asian tsunami we'll head back to Indonesia to see how survivors are coping and how they're finding hope
And what do you want for Christmas? We'll look back at how one of the holiday's most popular songs got its start.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: And Santa is making his way, he is tracking around the world, so we want to check in with Monica McNeal for a look at the holiday weekend weather across the United States. Make sure it's clear for Santa -- Monica.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: OK, Monica, we'll continue to check back with you. Thanks.
Hope is about the only thing many Gulf Coast communities still have as they try to recover from Hurricane Katrina. And that including Pearlington, Mississippi, some say it's been shadowed by relief efforts for New Orleans. But help and hope are on the way with volunteers bringing Christmas to town. CNN's Soledad O'Brien reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Deep in a Mississippi pine forest...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our kitties died in there.
O'BRIEN: ... little Lisa Autry (ph) and her neighbors still call the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina their home for the holidays.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's been miserable. We are not planning anything at all for Christmas or any of the holidays.
O'BRIEN: The shrimpers have no boats and the muddy Pearl River is choked with sewage, the Christmas bear limp with dirt.
Five people sleep in this chilly one bedroom FEMA trailer. Lisa bunks on a kitchen shelf.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is where I sleep and that's where my brother sleeps.
O'BRIEN: The Christmas stockings are empty, and talk of the holidays in Pearlington, Mississippi brings a rush of tears.
LINDA MARTIN, LISA'S GRANDMOTHER: About all we can live on is a ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be careful, you guys.
O'BRIEN: But a few volunteers are determined to bring hope to this little town, people who fear Pearlington will be overshadowed by the plight of New Orleans, folks who believe relief work shouldn't just be left to big government.
UNIDENTIFIED FIREFIGHTER: I'm glad to be a part of it.
O'BRIEN: Like these firefighters from Canyon, California.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Welcome to Pearlington.
O'BRIEN: Or B.J. Lee, the medical student from Stanford...
B.J. LEE, STANFORD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL STUDENT: It's such a big effort and there's so much bureaucracy involved. Sometimes it's easier to just drive down than like waiting for a call.
O'BRIEN: Steve Horn came from Carbondale, Colorado.
STEVE HORN, CARBONDALE, COLORADO, VOLUNTEER: I don't like to work for organizations because generally your -- your feet are kind of stuck in the mud.
O'BRIEN: Angela Cole, a New York nurse, has launched her personal relief mission.
ANGELA COLE, PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE: I was down here when they needed food and water and ice. You can't make that kind of connection with somebody in a situation that is so dire and then just say I did my part and walk away.
O'BRIEN: Dashing through the snow, she brought home pictures to her colleagues at LifeBrands, a medical advertising agency, and they shipped back supplies.
COLE: My concern was there wouldn't be a Christmas, that it would be just another day, just another time of year, and it would be too quiet and too dark and too dismal.
O'BRIEN: She found Susan and Reggie Livebrand (ph) from Unum (ph), Georgia, who sent aid by the truckload and a 600-pound Christmas tree.
ISAIAH OLIVER, HURRICANE VICTIM: It makes me feel good because that lets me know that people care.
O'BRIEN: So they strung up the lights...
(MUSIC)
O'BRIEN: ... unloaded the presents...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A heater to keep warm in the FEMA trailer.
O'BRIEN: ... and filled their shell of a church.
JACQUELINE BRADY, HURRICANE VICTIM: I know it's Christmas, but I don't have the spirit. I just have to -- I'm working on it.
O'BRIEN: Mama Sams (ph), the 88-year-old town elder, offered a prayer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have fed us, they have clothed us, they have give us shelter, and we want to thank the good lord for them.
O'BRIEN: Thankful new friends have not forgot Pearlington.
Soledad O'Brien, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Believe it or not more than 500 children are still displaced because of Hurricane Katrina. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, we are going to highlight some of the cases and show you how you may be able to help get them back with their families. Stay tuned for that at the bottom of the hour.
Now, checking news "Across America." A husband's agony: The husband of a pilot of seaplane that crashed off Miami on Monday is talking about his loss. All 20 people onboard died. Mark Marks addressed a news conference a short while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK MARKS, HUSBAND OF SEAPLANE PILOT: The very next day she arrived in front of my Marine laboratory in a van and as soon as she stepped out of the van I -- I got my first look at her and I was like, man, I'm in trouble. You know? And 10 days later I asked her to marry me, and we've been together ever since.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Police say a man accused of being a serial rapist is still on the run after busting the of a Miami jail. And two officers at the facility have been disciplined over the case. Corrections officials say the officers were not involved in the escape. Police Reynaldo Rapalo may still be in the Miami area.
Authorities in Albuquerque New Mexico are resting easier following a recovery of hundreds of pounds of stolen explosive. Four people, including two brothers are under arrest in connection with the theft.
In Texas a 69-year-old man is mistakenly left in jail for 15 months. Walter Mann was released last week, he was initially jailed in a contempt of court case repeatedly postponed. If he had been convicted the maximum sentence would have been nine months. He was released only after a cell mate told an attorney about the case.
In New Orleans the bars on Bourbon Street can stay open all night if they want to, a 2:00 a.m. curfew is lifted in parts of that city, it's been in force since Hurricane Katrina first struck. Some areas, in including the devastated 9th Ward will remain off-limits between Midnight and 6:00 a.m.
The lives of hundreds of thousand were changed forever a year ago Monday, that's when a tsunami struck south central Asia, leaving a broad swath of destruction in its wake. But now, some have found hope in the very things they lost.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: For survivors last year's tsunami, life goes on, albeit forever changed. People in a dozen countries hit by the December 26 tsunami are preparing to reflect on the disaster in their own way. At least 179,000 people were killed and possibly thousands more. Thousands of homes were demolished. But John Irvine reports that efforts continue to rebuild communities and lives.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN IRVINE, REPORTER, ITV NEWS (voice over): He's less than a minute old. After all the misery and grief, the cry of new life is not only cherished here, but eagerly sought. One year on, and Banda Aceh is enjoying a baby boom.
The doctor said that sheer human instinct persuaded couples who had lost children in the tsunami to have more. But many of the newcomers have not been born to an easy life.
The tsunami made 600,000 people here homeless. In this camp, we find Kuz Mayata (ph) and her 3 week-old baby. Her two other children were killed by the wave.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We decided to have a baby as soon as possible because we tried to move on. But sometimes the sadness struck me when I remember those two kids that were lost.
IRVINE: Among the problems here is that land on which thousands of homes once stood is now either seabed or uninhabitable swamp. That said, reconstruction is gathering pace where possible, and the experts are satisfied that the world's largest charitable donation is not being squandered.
DOUG KEATING, OXFAM: We are very happy with the relationships we have, where the money's being spent. We are rigorously audited by outside auditors internally. And I think really the work is going on.
Look behind you. The job is getting done, and I can confidently say that to people.
IRVINE: Off the southwestern coast, fishermen are back at sea. In pulverized villages, mosques that were structural sole survivors no longer stand alone.
This one is used as a kindergarten, although there are few children. The teacher doesn't talk about the tsunami, and the boys don't ask.
Nearby, mass graves, a callous necessity a year ago, are now neat and tended. Fitting memorials at the heart of small communities where people are trying to make the most of having lived.
What they went through is so cataclysmic the rest of us still find it unimaginable.
(on camera): There are pictures of the tsunami coming ashore in Thailand and elsewhere. But none from here, in Indonesia.
So how big was it? Well, look at the evidence. This tree is one of very few left standing here. The tsunami ripped off most of its branches. By my reckoning, that makes the wave at least 70 feet high at this particular point.
(voice over): In terms of infrastructure, it will take years to undo what the tsunami did. Six thousand miles of road were destroyed, although this one, the coastal highway, is manageable once more, even if it does now follow a different path.
Retracing the steps of a year ago, we return to the remnants of another village. Last December, we couldn't discover its name, for there was nobody to ask. But incredibly, there were survivors in Karang (ph), and a few of them have come back to new homes on a hillside.
It was by running to higher ground that this woman escaped the wave. She said her 4-year-old son was washed away, never to be seen again. By contrast, this little boy was the only survivor of his family. His adoptive parents who lost four of their own have named him Rahmed (ph). It means blessing. He's a miracle child in the land of the world's worst recorded natural disaster.
And at the end of year one, post-tsunami, those who have come through it are coping as well as anybody could have hoped.
John Irvine, ITV News, Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And you will want to watch "PAULA ZAHN NOW" on Monday. She will have a special on the tsunami one year later. It will look at victims are and recovery efforts still go on there. Watch "PAULA ZAHN NOW" Monday, that's 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLY BEEKMAN, MANAGING EDITOR "SKI" MAGAZINE: A new trend that we've seen a lot of this season is hard shell jackets with an interior zip-out or detachable layer. And while the concept of this is not new, what is new is that the inside layer is actually a fully functional very cool jacket that stands on its own.
This jacket has something that we've seen more and more apparel companies incorporating into their products. It's got a RECCO avalanche reflector which enables search and rescue teams or ski patrollers to locate you very quickly in the unfortunate event that you're caught in an avalanche.
This is not a substitute for a transceiver for back country skiers. However, for the inbound skier makes a great safety net, because you never know what can happen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Let's check again now on some stories we're following. Now in the news, U.S. officials confirm to CNN that since 2002, the government has been monitoring for suspicious radiation levels outside more than 100 predominantly Muslim-related sites in the United States. Officials say the classified program is aimed at detecting any radioactive material that could be used to make a so-called dirty bomb.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld praised U.S. troops in Iraq today for the job they're doing to bring freedom to the Iraqi people. Rumsfeld visited U.S. troops in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. He told the troops, in his words, "we will win this war. It is a test of wills."
President Bush called troops in Iraq today to wish them happy holidays. He told U.S. servicemen and women that Americans are proud of them for keeping the nation safe and defending freedom around the world. The White House released a photograph of Mr. Bush telephoning U.S. troops from Camp David on this Christmas Eve.
And kidnappers in Yemen have freed two Austrian tourists taken hostage four days ago. The Austrian Foreign Ministry says the two freed hostages are in good health. Officials say it is still unclear who kidnapped the tourists or why they were let go.
An estimated 470,000 people evacuated Louisiana and went to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Now, a Texas economic researcher says many of them will remain in the Lone Star State. Tens of thousands of storm victims spent their first days in makeshift shelters in Texas.
Officials say by year's end, a task force in the Houston-Harris County area will have placed about 100,000 Katrina evacuees in temporary or permanent housing. Federal emergency officials admit the future is still uncertain for tens of thousand of Katrina victims.
It may seem hard to believe but hundreds of children are still displaced four months now after Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of people, young and old, were evacuated and many became separated from loved ones in the process. Thousands of cases have been resolved, but your help is still needed.
Bob O'Brien is in Washington today. He is the director of the missing children's division of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bob, good to have you with us.
BOB O'BRIEN, MISSING CHILDREN ADVOCATE: Good to be here.
KAYE: Let's talk about these children. I know you like to refer to them as displaced, not missing. Can you explain the distinction? Do you believe that a lot of these children are possibly with other relatives?
O'BRIEN: It is quite possible that they are with other relatives or family friends. We had 5,041 reports of missing children since the hurricane. And up to this past Wednesday, all but 490 of those children have been located or recovered.
KAYE: So we're certainly heading in the right direction.
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
KAYE: What have been some of the issues and some of the challenges in getting these children reunited with their families?
O'BRIEN: Well, the -- actually there are more than one evacuation for facilities in the states that were hit the worst. And to other states the moving of 471,000 to 48 states is a sign of benevolence on a part of the other states, but it was a challenge to track these individuals from location to location.
That's one of the things that will be looked at more specifically next time we have this sort of thing, to able to find out who is where, and how we can actually locate them and recover them back to their missing family. KAYE: And how about the fact that so much of the items were destroyed there in the New Orleans area? Hard to find pictures of many of these displaced children.
O'BRIEN: So many these -- the families didn't have their wallets, didn't have their purses. We used school records, school sources for photos, sometimes. We do have children we looking for. We don't have a photo of the child. It's an extra challenge.
KAYE: Well, I know that you want to give us a few cases specifically and we want to share them with our viewers today, hoping to find them and reunite them. Let's start with some of the children that you have for us today. The first one, Precious Smallwood.
O'BRIEN: Precious is a 6-year-old girl. She's believed to be missing with her mother, Connie Johns, and she was reported missing to us by a relative. We have no idea where she and her mother are at this point.
KAYE: OK, and let's take a look at our next one. We have a picture, if we can put that on the screen for us. There we have two children there, that's Molly and Gino Divincenti.
O'BRIEN: They are believed to be missing with their father, Gino Divincenti Senior, and a grandparent. It's possible that they may be in the Pensacola, Florida area. We don't know for sure, but that's where one of the focuses is at this point.
KAYE: And do you still have families calling in looking for their children?
O'BRIEN: We still have actually new cases called in each day. The fact that a family's not been able to get in touch with a missing family or missing child in the two, particularly Louisiana, Mississippi -- more specifically in Louisiana.
KAYE: Right. We're looking now at a picture of Emmanuel McGee. Tell us about him.
O'BRIEN: 10-year-old child is missing with his mother, Tasha (ph) McGee. The adult sister of this young boy has reported him missing. We have no idea where either one of them are.
KAYE: And is there any reason -- in many of these cases, is there any reason to believe that these children are still alive?
O'BRIEN: Absolutely. We always keep a positive attitude until we find out otherwise. There certainly are children that became deceased as a result of the storm, but we keep the mind-set that we're going to find the child someplace, find the adult, find them alive.
KAYE: And we have one more picture there on the screen. Tell us about this little one.
O'BRIEN: The ...
KAYE: This Kevionte Thornton.
O'BRIEN: That young man was reported missing by his father. And we are -- he's been missing with the mother, Lashaunye Thornton. Actually, reported by the paternal grandmother. That's the individual who reported it. And we're still trying to find out where they are as well. They're both missing.
KAYE: And that child is just 14-months-old. So if you've seen any of these children anywhere, what should the public do? What should our viewers do right now?
O'BRIEN: We should -- they should call the 1-800-the-lost which is our phone number. And it's at no charge t -anybody that might see the child. Our Web site is missingkids.com, where they can go up and take a look at the pictures of missing children and see if there's other children that we're looking for that maybe you could be helpful.
And we want to actually thank CNN for focusing on missing children because the children in our nation are our most valuable resource for the future.
KAYE: And, Bob, do you have a memorable reunion that has since happened? I know we were on the air for many hours over one full weekend trying to help with these reunions. Is there one that stands out for you?
O'BRIEN: Well, I think the one that stands out for me is the 12- year-old boy in Biloxi, Mississippi who actually helped rescue his mother first by getting her out of the third floor of the house on a mattress and taking her a long distance in the water, came back to the same house and helped his uncle who was handicapped and actually -- rescued that child as well.
And the whole family was reunited. And our Team Adam (ph) consultants were there to help put that together. It was really just amazing heroism and good fortune.
KAYE: We love to hear stories like that. Bob O'Brien with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Thanks so much for your time today, and we'll have our fingers cross that something comes from those pictures that we just put on the air.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much.
KAYE: For some, it is the new and improved holiday bird: the fried turkey. How this popular cooking technique could be more dangerous, though, than first thought.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Techies are likely to have a bountiful holiday this Christmas with a wide range of new gadgets on the market. From the CNN.com desk Melissa Long takes a look at some good ideas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MELISSA LONG, CNN.COM: If you stumped about what to buy someone who loves high-tech toys, CNN Money's gift guide shows you what many techies may want this holiday season.
What do you buy someone who owns one of the 28 million iPods sold over the last two years? Accessories. This gallery shows you the latest peripherals from wireless head phones to a mobile disc jockey mixer that also works with other MP3 players.
If you're Shopping for the techie who has everything try the Nokia N91 phone, which is also an MP3 player and a camera all in one.
Or if you have deep pockets and know someone who doesn't mind a little wind in their hair, the suggest the trendy Vespa as an option.
You can browse through this gallery and for other suggestions. And for more help with holiday shopping logon to CNN.com/tech.
Happy shopping. From the Dotcom desk, I'm Melissa Long.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: If you've been with us all morning you know we've been tracking Santa and Rudolph and the gang on radar.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Coming up, during this Christmas weekend there will much turkey eating. And now, the growing trend is to fry the holiday bird. There are a few things you absolutely need to know before the frying begins. The crucial information coming next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
You can tell it's the holiday season. Frying holiday turkey is get to be more popular in American homes. If that's what you're planning to do for tomorrow's big Christmas feast, you should be aware of some dangers involved. Details now from CNN's Greg Hunter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At an apartment complex in Tucson, Arizona, Christmas Eve, 2002, ended with this fire investigators say was caused by a turkey fryer.
K.D. PREBLE, HOMEOWNER: My dad and two sisters ran out the door, and I had to jump out my bedroom window.
HUNTER: Incidents of fires or burns have happened at least 112 times in the last seven years, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, attributed to people around the country improperly using turkey fryers.
One industry groups estimates there are 10 million propane fryers in use today. People who cook with them say they work fast and the turkey's delicious, most of the time. Thanksgiving Day, 2003, at the Moon home in Aloha, Oregon, described by a couple of terrified neighbors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a house on fire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. Sarala, up 170th.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's -- the flames are 20 feet high. There's black smoke in the air. It's a whole back side. It started on the deck.
HUNTER: Dr. Stephen Moon says he had been cooking the family feast with a turkey fryer.
STEPHEN MOON, FIRE VICTIM: I thought, well, if something happens I've got a fire extinguisher. That will take care of it. And it was like spitting into the wind. It was nothing compared to this fire that was going on.
HUNTER: The fire raged on. And eventually the fire department had to come put it out, but not before it caused more than $100,000 in damages.
Underwriters Laboratories in North Brook, Illinois, a world recognized product testing organization says frying a turkey can be hazardous. Spokesman John Drengenberg says that's why U.L. will not put its seal of approval on any turkey fryer.
JOHN DRENGENBERG, UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES: There have been safety improvements on turkey fryers, but it's still not at that point where U.L. will authorize the use of its mark.
HUNTER (on camera): It's not safe?
DRENGENBERG: Because we don't believe it is safe enough for people to use.
HUNTER (voice-over): U.L. has been testing turkey fryers for the past three years. In this company video they show how easily fires can get out of control when typical consumer mistakes are made, like dropping a partially frozen bird into a pot of overheated oil.
The industry says over the last few years they've corrected many problems. In 2002, the Canadian Standards Association, a U.L. consumer testing competitor, began certifying some turkey fryers as safe. The stands are sturdier and the tanks are better marked so consumers won't overfill.
Manufacturers have also decreased the intensity of the flame, so the oil won't overheat as quickly. And fryers come with pages of explicit cautions. One booklet contains at least 15 specific warnings on the dangers of frying a turkey.
Industry group The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association suggested we talk to a Don and John McLemore, who own Masterbuilt, one of the biggest makers of turkey fryers.
JOHN MCLEMORE, CO-OWNER, MASTERBUILT: If you don't drive your car attentive and like you should, automobiles can be dangerous. So turkey frying is the same way. If you use it, follow the instructions and do what we say in our instructions, it's a perfectly safe product to use.
HUNTER: Simple instructions like making sure the fryer is outside, away from all buildings, on level ground, and is watched at all times.
(on camera): The industry has warnings on their products. Isn't it consumer's fault that they don't listen to the warnings?
DRENGENBERG: Well, the industry has added a lot of warnings to these turkey fryers. But the fact is the construction has to be improved to the level of safety that U.L. would demand for such a product.
HUNTER (voice-over): U.L. says it wants a device that will automatically limit the temperature of the oil in a gas turkey fryer, because it's not practical to expect consumers to watch a turkey fryer every minute, especially around the holidays.
The McLemore brothers point out they already make an electric fryer with a control to keep the oil at the correct temperature, but it will take time to develop one for their gas fryer that's safe.
DON MCLEMORE, CO-OWNER, MASTERBUILT: It's got to be done right. Can't be done overnight and thrown in the marketplace. That could be a worse mistake than not having one at all.
HUNTER: Until a thermostat is developed, overheating oil is Underwriters Laboratories' main concern. U.L. set up a demonstration for CNN.
(on camera): One thing you need to be careful of when using a turkey fryer is something called the oil flashpoint. That's where if you leave this unattended too long and the oil gets too hot, it can ignite without even touching a flame. Watch.
(voice-over): As you can see, even putting the lid on doesn't stop the fire. And within seconds, flames are leaping four feet over the fryer. Within 2 1/2 minutes, the demonstration wall catches fire. This shows how quickly one of these fires can get out of control.
And when U.L.'s firefighters take the lid off to extinguish the fire, watch what happens. They spray foam on the fire, but even in this controlled situation, it's not easy to put out.
To see how to works in the real world we went to this house, waiting demolition, near Chicago. With the help of Frankfurt, Illinois, firefighters we set up a turkey fryer with the kind of mistakes assistant chief Larry Rouck (ph) he sees all the time.
(on camera): This looks like a dangerous setup. It by the back door, you got the leaves around there. It might be a little bit above the "full" line. Is that how some people would treat this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.
HUNTER: Not surprising?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not surprising at all.
HUNTER: Homeowners make mistake when using a turkey fryer. For example, this one is way too close to the house. It's too full of oil and too hot. On top of that, we're going to put a semi frozen bird right into the fryer to show you what can happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Target!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Target!
HUNTER (voice-over): We had firefighters standing by to make sure this didn't get out of control, because as Dr. Stephen Moon will tell you, turkey fryer fires can get out of control in a hurry.
(on camera): Would you fry one here at your house again?
MOON: Not at my house, no.
HUNTER: For those who will, follow the instructions carefully, or risk a holiday dinner tragedy.
Greg Hunter, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Up next ...
(MUSIC)
KAYE: ... love those songs. And what do you want for Christmas? We'll look back at how one of the holiday's popular songs got its start, next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
KAYE: Ever wonder about the nature of some classic holiday songs, especially that hit "All I Want for Christmas"? CNN's Kyra Philips offers this lyrical history lesson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): If you were a school kid in the '60s, chances are you spent at least one Christmas lisping along with Alvin and the Chipmunks.
(MUSIC)
PHILLIPS: This song for the dentally challenged was penned in 1944 by Don Gardner. Gardner and his wife, Doris, were both music teachers at an elementary school in New York. One day, Don filled in for his wife and was struck first by a certain condition her students shared and then by inspiration.
DORIS GARDNER, DON'S WIFE: He told them a little Christmas joke and they all laughed. Sixteen out of the 22 had no front teeth.
PHILLIPS: He whipped up a tune for the class that night, in less than half an hour. It was later published, and in 1948 it was recorded by Spike Jones.
(MUSIC)
PHILLIPS: Gardner was underwhelmed to say the least.
DON GARDNER, TEACHER: We both thought it was God awful. I said, my God that won't even tell a hundred copies.
PHILLIPS: But within two months it had sold two million copies, and even made Billboard's Top Ten List that year. Since then, it's been recorded by many diverse talents, from the London Symphony to RuPaul.
But forgive us if we're partial to this rendition. Alvin, Simon and Theodore were already cartoon stars, and had several earlier records to their credit.
(MUSIC)
PHILLIPS: Their distinctive sound came courtesy of actor and songwriter Ross Bagdasarian (ph), also known as David Seville. While fiddling around in a recording studio, he stumbled on the technique or recording at half speed, and then playing back at full speed. Low- tech tinkering, but high comedic value, especially for second graders.
(MUSIC)
PHILLIPS: "All I Want For Christmas" helped boost sales of 1963's "Christmas With The Chipmunks Volume Two." It wasn't the Chipmunks first or only hit, though, but it remains a classic and one you love to dusk off every Christmas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: There is much more ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
