Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Department of Homeland Security Issues a New Playbook

Aired January 12, 2005 - 11:30   ET

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

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


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we're at the half hour.
Good morning, once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez.

And here's what's happening right now in the news. We take you live to Oklahoma City. That's where Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta is going to outline new measures regarding laser lights aimed at airline cockpits. See that right there in the background? That is a simulator. We understand they might actually do a demonstration to show how the laser beam could actually affect, or not affect, the pilot. A lot has been written about this and investigated recently because of the rash of incidents around the country. New steps detail how pilot shows respond and get law enforcement involved more quickly. We're going to be all over that for you. We'll bring it to you also.

Also, Army Specialist Charles Graner's defense is set to open today at his court martial in Texas. Graner has said he'll testify about his role in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. A prisoner testifying by videotape has identified Graner as the, quote, "primary torturer."

A group of industrialized nations is giving Indonesia and Sri Lanka a break on their debt. That means the tsunami-hit countries will not have to make payments for a while. It should save Indonesia $3 billion this year as it works to try and recover from this.

And NASA set to launch its Deep Impact mission this afternoon. If all goes as planned, the probe will release a projectile next summer that will collide with a comet, burying it deep inside.

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

KAGAN: Here now are the latest development in stormy weather we're following today across the Western U.S. Crews pulled several bodies out of the mud in Southern California today. The mudslide death toll now stand at 10, with 10 others still considered missing. Rescuers hope some may have survived in pockets of air under the mud. The Pacific storms are bringing rain to southern Nevada again today. It's been enough to flood streets in Las Vegas. Avalanche warnings are posted for the mountains of Nevada.

And in southern Utah, flooded rivers and creeks are beginning to fall today, but not before claiming this house in St. George. It was one of 15 washed away by raging currents.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: CNN's "NEWSNIGHT" devotes its show tonight to extreme weather. Aaron Brown will anchor that, 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

SANCHEZ: Let's check your security once again with "Security Watch." It's the federal government, and it's addressing a growing concern over those laser beams that have been aimed into airplane cockpits during takeoffs or landings, reports that we have been filling you in on.

Now There have been a dozen such reports in recent weeks, and it's feared that such an incident could possibly cause a crash. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta briefs reporters today and the FAA. he's is going to have a demonstration on how pilots and law enforcement -- that's what that simulator is up there for, by the way. That's a live picture you're looking at. They're going to tell how law enforcement can take action when people try and use this laser system.

Well, the Department of Homeland Security has also issued a new playbook to try to coordinate the national response to major incidents or accidents. But when disaster strike, local police and firefighters are usually the first on the scene. That's why they're called the first responder.

Our Ed Henry looking at the disaster plan and how it affects a Texas town.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): People here call this the sound of money. But it is also the sound of danger. The oil industry pumps billions of dollars into the economy of Baytown. Thirty miles east of Houston, the landscape is dotted with refineries and chemical plants run by several corporations like Exxon Mobile. And with oil and gas lines everywhere, the petro-chemical coast is a rich target for terrorists.

ASSISTANT CHIEF BERNARD OLIVE, BAYTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT: We know that the wolf is at the door. It may not be making sounds or anything like that but we know it's there.

HENRY: Meet Assistant Fire Chief Bernard Olive, Baytown's emergency coordinator. He has 70,000 lives on his shoulders. It weighs on him.

(on camera): Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and worry about the horrific scenarios?

OLIVE: Sometimes I don't go to sleep at night thinking about some of the scenarios.

HENRY (voice-over): But people here are stoic. They're used to playing and praying in the shadow of refineries. Chief Olive had a detailed playbook for dealing with disaster long before last week's streamlined national response plan from the Department of Homeland Security.

OLIVE: The federal government, when they get here, they'll be welcomed with open arms, believe me. But until that time arrives we have a duty to our citizens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine-one-one. Your emergency?

HENRY: In an attack, the mobilization starts with a dispatch call to first responders and an SOS to officials.

GARY JACKSON, CITY MANAGER: Mr. Olive then would notify myself, the other key players, and we have a command and control meeting in our emergency operation center.

HENRY: Later this year, the city will have a modern command center. For now, it's makeshift. Everyone at this table has a role, from the police chief...

CHIEF BYRON JONES, BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Well, I think the first thing we have to do is find out what type of incident is occurring.

HENRY: ... to health officials who are ready for mass injuries or worse.

JACK PITCOCK, EMS DIVISION MANAGER: We would work with -- with our -- with Harris County medical examiner's office. We'd also work with our local funeral homes.

HENRY: They'd scramble a new HAZMAT truck bought with federal money and keep in close touch with industry officials.

PATTY FOWLER, ASSISTANT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR: It's partnership. We handle what we do best and we let them handle what they do best.

HENRY: The head of the parks department would have his staff direct traffic away from the disaster scene and bus people to shelters.

SCOTT JOHNSON, PARKS AND RECREATION: We're able to get people out really quick.

HENRY: Olive can't designate shelter locations in advance, because he has to make sure they're not in the danger zone. He'd prefer to pick schools instead of churches, because houses of worship have fewer bathrooms.

(on camera) No detail is too small in Chief Olive's plan. He even has a veterinarian on call to deal with pets. The department would use this truck and seven others just like it to race around town, rescuing as many dogs, cats and even horses as possible.

(voice-over) He's also stockpiled necessities.

OLIVE: Toilet paper, hand soap, diapers, everything. HENRY: No plan is perfect but the chief is driven to a devotion to firefighting, like his grandfather and a love of this community that runs through his veins like the oil that runs through the pipelines.

OLIVE: I've been in Baytown 55 years. It's -- my family is here. My friends are here. My church is here. Everything is here. I'm one of them. And I want them to know me as a citizen as well as an emergency management coordinator. Because a lot of times, they'll tell you things over a plate of barbecue that they wouldn't tell you, say, in my office.

HENRY: So, this, too, is part of the job, judging at a chili cook off. And the key to sampling 31 pieces of meat?

OLIVE: Little, little bites and lots of crackers.

HENRY: Chief Bernard Olive brings the same no nonsense approach to his work. As a boy, he met John Wayne, who was filming "Hell Fighters" in these very oil fields.

He still marvels at the duke's swagger, and maybe a little bit of that has stayed with them.

OLIVE: Hopefully, our citizens in Baytown won't have to put up with excuses. They'll see performance. And that's what -- that's why I guess some people might have the, you know, thought that I might be a little rough.

But I believe in performance. I don't believe in excuses.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: That report from CNN's Ed Henry. It's another one of our CNN "Security Watch" reports. It's what we do to keep you up-to- date on your safety. Stay tuned, day and night, for the most reliable news about security.

KAGAN: Talking food. The government announcing this hour new dietary guidelines. We're going to look at how this announcement could impact you.

SANCHEZ: Wonder how that chili cook-off would have done.

KAGAN: Not so good.

SANCHEZ: Also, Dan Rather -- there he is. He comments for the first time about the fallout on the CBS shake-up. What the veteran anchor has to say when CNN LIVE returns today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: On to today's "Daily Dose." Canadian authorities are confirming another case of mad cow disease in a herd in western Alberta. At a news conference in Ottawa, they say no part of the animal entered the human food chain. It's the second animal diagnosed since the U.S. announced it would resume cattle trading with Canada in March. The revelation by Canada may cause the U.S. to rethink that. The Agriculture Department is sending a team to Canada to evaluate the case.

SANCHEZ: Here are those new dietary guidelines that we've been telling you about. Unveiled this hour, they put the emphasis on watching your calories and also getting more exercise. The secretary of Health and Human Services says the goal is to try and somehow help Americans choose a lifestyle that promotes health and prevents disease. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: The guidelines offer Americans achievable goals for controlling weights, building stronger muscles and bone and preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Nearly two-thirds of Americans -- and you've heard me talk about this so often -- two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.

And more than 50 percent of us Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity. 30 minutes a day for adults, and 60 minutes a day for children. And if you want to reduce weight, you should put in 60 to 90 minutes, at least five times a week, in order to reduce weight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: So there you hear it.

SANCHEZ: Yes, just came in just a little while ago, by the way. It's a new nutritional guideline from the Feds. It's a consumer- oriented food pyramid. And it also addresses what manufacturers need to do. We're going to have a lot more on this dietary guideline coming up. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson will be a guest on news from CNN at 12:00 Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific.

KAGAN: Let's see if they ask him what he's having for lunch.

To get your daily dose of health news online, log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, the health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.

SANCHEZ: OK, you know him among other things, or most people do. The moment you see him, you think, oh, my goodness. Here's a guy who can probably use a makeover, right? Scruffy baseball cap, slouchy clothes. Well...

KAGAN: It looks like he got one. A new Michael Moore in town. How the controversial filmmaker has changed his signature style. That's coming up when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Want to talk more about the weather situation in Southern California. Mark Kriski, a familiar face to folks in L.A., forecaster for our affiliate KTLA. Mark, good morning.

MARK KRISKI, KTLA METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Daryn. How are you doing this morning?

KAGAN: I'm doing great, but I'm dry and blue skies here in Atlanta. Looks like you guys are getting kind of a break in my hometown.

KRISKI: Yes, we are definitely getting a break and that is good news, because boy, we need it. We have had the wettest 15 days ever recorded in the history -- and they started taking records, I think it was in 19, or 1877. We have had the wettest 15 days here in the Los Angeles area of Southern California.

We've got a lot of flash floods, lot of mudslides and just a lot of problems because of it. But finally, we're getting a clear break. Cold temperatures today, but boy, the sun is welcome. It looks like it's going to be clear for at least the next, oh, five, seven days, anyway.

KAGAN: You've been doing weather in L.A., what, ten years? That long?

KRISKI: 15 years I've been here myself, yes.

KAGAN: OK, now have we ever seen anything like this?

KRISKI: Never anything like this. We had an El Nino back about, I can remember, it was about four or five years ago when we had our last El Nino year, and and we had some heavy rainfull, but never that much rain for that many days, and just consecutively, day after day after day, and when we did really get the rains, that was more in February and March. And what we're talking about -- here it is. These wettest 15 days started December 27th and then continued into january 10th. Normally, the heaviest of rain still comes in February or March, so we may not be out of the thick of things now. You're looking at some of the mudslides, and this was a devastating mudslide, which did cause some fatalities, and they're still hopefully rescuing people out of that. But -- and we're just getting reports all over the place of mudslides and rock slides, and it is miserable out here, although, as we said, at least we got a break in the rain now.

KAGAN: Yes, you know, I get -- people ask me this all the time about Los Angeles and Southern California. You see the mudslides, you see the fires, you see the earthquakes. Why are people living there? I happen to love it.

KRISKI: You know what, I love it here too. Basically, 365 days out of the year, you get 300 beautiful days; 65 of them, you got to deal with this.

But you see the problem is California -- Los Angeles, we're still a desert area. This kind of rain in Seattle would cause absolutely no problem, because the ground can take and handle the rain. The problem is we're in a desert area. So you reach saturation where all of a sudden after an inch or two or three, the ground can't handle any more rain, so it's to go somewhere and it overflows, and then you do have the occasional earthquake,but you have the hurricanes in the Florida area. So everything good come with the good and the bad, then all of a sudden you get 300 days of beautiful sunny weather and temperatures in the '80s, and you go, I know why I'm living here.

KAGAN: And you know why you're doing the weather, because on those days, your job is pretty easy.

KRISKI: Absolutely.

KAGAN: It's going to be a nice day in Southern California.

Mark, thank you. We wish you blue skies.

KRISKI: Thank you very much, Daryn.

KAGAN: Mark Kriski from KTLA.

SANCHEZ: Pretty good payoff there, too.

The anchor of CBS News, Dan Rather, has come out with the very first statement since the firings at CBS. It's in the form of a memo he writes to his staff. We have some of those. In fact, we'll put them up as we read them. Mr. Rather says, and we quote, "My strongest reaction is one of sadness and concern for those individuals whom I know and with whom I have worked. It would be a shame if we let this matter, troubling as it is, obscure their dedication and good work over the years." Mr. Rather goes on to say, "I have been here through good times and not so good time. I have seen us overcome adversity before. I am convinced we can do so again. Lest anyone have any doubt, I have read the report, I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind."

There you go.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Let's talk about laser beams now, what can or can't be done about it, what pilots could possibly do, and what law enforcement needs to do to make sure it doesn't happen in the future. That is Norm Mineta, secretary of transportation, he's talking about this very thing. Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

NORMAN MINETA, U.S. SECY. OF TRANSPORTATION: I am very, very concerned about the recent increases in the frequency of these reportings by pilots.

Now, first of all, let me address the security issue. There is no credible or specific intelligence that would indicate that these laser incidents are connected to terrorists. As far as we know, lasers are not the terrorists' weapon of choice, nor is there any evidence that these incidents are terrorists practicing for use of other weapons, as some people have speculated. What we are concerned with is a very small number of irresponsible people using pen-style lasers and commercially-available star pointers to illuminate aircraft in a way that could be dangerous to their operation, as Dr. Atananyu (ph) has indicated, or illegal.

Now, lasers are not toys. And shining lasers into a cockpit can put pilots, crew and passengers in harm's way.

Recent research conducted by the FAA, right here at Cami (ph), has found that some lasers, when shined into the pilot's cockpits, could temporarily disorient or disable a pilot during critical stages of flight, such as landing or take off. Even worse, in a few cases, these lasers can cause permanent eye damage for those who look directly into the beam.

Now, we are treating lasers in the cockpit as a serious aviation safety matter. We will not allow careless people making stupid choices to put pilots and their passengers at risk.

And that is why today I am announcing new measures designed to protect pilots and crew and to discourage future laser incidents.

I have asked the department's Federal Aviation Administration to distribute what is known as an advisory circular that contains new guidelines to give pilots, air traffic controllers and law enforcement agencies timely information about laser incidents.

The new guidelines will help pilots identify areas where lasers have been sighted, will assist air traffic controllers in reporting laser incidents, and will give police the information as quickly as possible, in order to investigate and prosecute those who put aircraft at risk.

Now, effective January 19th, all pilots will be required to report immediately any laser sightings to air traffic controllers.

Controllers will then be required to share these reports through what we know as the federal domestic events network, the DEN.

The DEN is a phone grid that is constantly monitored by safety, security and law enforcement personnel. And once these laser incidents are posted on the network, our air traffic controllers will work with the police to identify the source of the lasers. The goal is to get the police to quickly get to the scene of the crime.

If the person is apprehended, we will do everything we can to make sure that that case is aggressively prosecuted.

So let me be very, very clear. Shining these lasers at an airplane is not a harmless prank. It is stupid and it is dangerous. These people are putting others at risk. And law enforcement authorities are going to seek these folks out and, if they are caught, they are going to be prosecuted.

This is not a harmless prank. And that is why the advisory council also establishes procedures for pilots to get timely information about any reported laser sighting.

The FAA is putting in place a new system that will allow air traffic controllers to broadcast any and all laser sightings so that pilots know about these incidents as quickly as we do.

Now, these broadcasts will begin as soon as an incident is reported. And they will be repeated by the air traffic controllers to their pilots every five minutes.

SANCHEZ: You have the secretary of transportation, Norm Mineta. He's essentially establishing some guidelines that will be given to all pilots, as well as some folks on the ground as well, so that they can better understand what can happen. He says this isn't a prank. He says this is something that's stupid and serious, and they're going to make sure they try to get to the bottom of it by giving pilots information on where areas are susceptible and what traffic controllers can do to help the pilots as well.

KAGAN: And they want to hear from pilots if they see laser beams.

We want to hear from Wolf Blitzer, because that's going to do it for us, and we're going to toss it off to Wolf in Washington D.C.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired January 12, 2005 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we're at the half hour.
Good morning, once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez.

And here's what's happening right now in the news. We take you live to Oklahoma City. That's where Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta is going to outline new measures regarding laser lights aimed at airline cockpits. See that right there in the background? That is a simulator. We understand they might actually do a demonstration to show how the laser beam could actually affect, or not affect, the pilot. A lot has been written about this and investigated recently because of the rash of incidents around the country. New steps detail how pilot shows respond and get law enforcement involved more quickly. We're going to be all over that for you. We'll bring it to you also.

Also, Army Specialist Charles Graner's defense is set to open today at his court martial in Texas. Graner has said he'll testify about his role in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. A prisoner testifying by videotape has identified Graner as the, quote, "primary torturer."

A group of industrialized nations is giving Indonesia and Sri Lanka a break on their debt. That means the tsunami-hit countries will not have to make payments for a while. It should save Indonesia $3 billion this year as it works to try and recover from this.

And NASA set to launch its Deep Impact mission this afternoon. If all goes as planned, the probe will release a projectile next summer that will collide with a comet, burying it deep inside.

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

KAGAN: Here now are the latest development in stormy weather we're following today across the Western U.S. Crews pulled several bodies out of the mud in Southern California today. The mudslide death toll now stand at 10, with 10 others still considered missing. Rescuers hope some may have survived in pockets of air under the mud. The Pacific storms are bringing rain to southern Nevada again today. It's been enough to flood streets in Las Vegas. Avalanche warnings are posted for the mountains of Nevada.

And in southern Utah, flooded rivers and creeks are beginning to fall today, but not before claiming this house in St. George. It was one of 15 washed away by raging currents.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: CNN's "NEWSNIGHT" devotes its show tonight to extreme weather. Aaron Brown will anchor that, 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

SANCHEZ: Let's check your security once again with "Security Watch." It's the federal government, and it's addressing a growing concern over those laser beams that have been aimed into airplane cockpits during takeoffs or landings, reports that we have been filling you in on.

Now There have been a dozen such reports in recent weeks, and it's feared that such an incident could possibly cause a crash. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta briefs reporters today and the FAA. he's is going to have a demonstration on how pilots and law enforcement -- that's what that simulator is up there for, by the way. That's a live picture you're looking at. They're going to tell how law enforcement can take action when people try and use this laser system.

Well, the Department of Homeland Security has also issued a new playbook to try to coordinate the national response to major incidents or accidents. But when disaster strike, local police and firefighters are usually the first on the scene. That's why they're called the first responder.

Our Ed Henry looking at the disaster plan and how it affects a Texas town.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): People here call this the sound of money. But it is also the sound of danger. The oil industry pumps billions of dollars into the economy of Baytown. Thirty miles east of Houston, the landscape is dotted with refineries and chemical plants run by several corporations like Exxon Mobile. And with oil and gas lines everywhere, the petro-chemical coast is a rich target for terrorists.

ASSISTANT CHIEF BERNARD OLIVE, BAYTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT: We know that the wolf is at the door. It may not be making sounds or anything like that but we know it's there.

HENRY: Meet Assistant Fire Chief Bernard Olive, Baytown's emergency coordinator. He has 70,000 lives on his shoulders. It weighs on him.

(on camera): Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and worry about the horrific scenarios?

OLIVE: Sometimes I don't go to sleep at night thinking about some of the scenarios.

HENRY (voice-over): But people here are stoic. They're used to playing and praying in the shadow of refineries. Chief Olive had a detailed playbook for dealing with disaster long before last week's streamlined national response plan from the Department of Homeland Security.

OLIVE: The federal government, when they get here, they'll be welcomed with open arms, believe me. But until that time arrives we have a duty to our citizens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nine-one-one. Your emergency?

HENRY: In an attack, the mobilization starts with a dispatch call to first responders and an SOS to officials.

GARY JACKSON, CITY MANAGER: Mr. Olive then would notify myself, the other key players, and we have a command and control meeting in our emergency operation center.

HENRY: Later this year, the city will have a modern command center. For now, it's makeshift. Everyone at this table has a role, from the police chief...

CHIEF BYRON JONES, BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Well, I think the first thing we have to do is find out what type of incident is occurring.

HENRY: ... to health officials who are ready for mass injuries or worse.

JACK PITCOCK, EMS DIVISION MANAGER: We would work with -- with our -- with Harris County medical examiner's office. We'd also work with our local funeral homes.

HENRY: They'd scramble a new HAZMAT truck bought with federal money and keep in close touch with industry officials.

PATTY FOWLER, ASSISTANT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR: It's partnership. We handle what we do best and we let them handle what they do best.

HENRY: The head of the parks department would have his staff direct traffic away from the disaster scene and bus people to shelters.

SCOTT JOHNSON, PARKS AND RECREATION: We're able to get people out really quick.

HENRY: Olive can't designate shelter locations in advance, because he has to make sure they're not in the danger zone. He'd prefer to pick schools instead of churches, because houses of worship have fewer bathrooms.

(on camera) No detail is too small in Chief Olive's plan. He even has a veterinarian on call to deal with pets. The department would use this truck and seven others just like it to race around town, rescuing as many dogs, cats and even horses as possible.

(voice-over) He's also stockpiled necessities.

OLIVE: Toilet paper, hand soap, diapers, everything. HENRY: No plan is perfect but the chief is driven to a devotion to firefighting, like his grandfather and a love of this community that runs through his veins like the oil that runs through the pipelines.

OLIVE: I've been in Baytown 55 years. It's -- my family is here. My friends are here. My church is here. Everything is here. I'm one of them. And I want them to know me as a citizen as well as an emergency management coordinator. Because a lot of times, they'll tell you things over a plate of barbecue that they wouldn't tell you, say, in my office.

HENRY: So, this, too, is part of the job, judging at a chili cook off. And the key to sampling 31 pieces of meat?

OLIVE: Little, little bites and lots of crackers.

HENRY: Chief Bernard Olive brings the same no nonsense approach to his work. As a boy, he met John Wayne, who was filming "Hell Fighters" in these very oil fields.

He still marvels at the duke's swagger, and maybe a little bit of that has stayed with them.

OLIVE: Hopefully, our citizens in Baytown won't have to put up with excuses. They'll see performance. And that's what -- that's why I guess some people might have the, you know, thought that I might be a little rough.

But I believe in performance. I don't believe in excuses.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: That report from CNN's Ed Henry. It's another one of our CNN "Security Watch" reports. It's what we do to keep you up-to- date on your safety. Stay tuned, day and night, for the most reliable news about security.

KAGAN: Talking food. The government announcing this hour new dietary guidelines. We're going to look at how this announcement could impact you.

SANCHEZ: Wonder how that chili cook-off would have done.

KAGAN: Not so good.

SANCHEZ: Also, Dan Rather -- there he is. He comments for the first time about the fallout on the CBS shake-up. What the veteran anchor has to say when CNN LIVE returns today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: On to today's "Daily Dose." Canadian authorities are confirming another case of mad cow disease in a herd in western Alberta. At a news conference in Ottawa, they say no part of the animal entered the human food chain. It's the second animal diagnosed since the U.S. announced it would resume cattle trading with Canada in March. The revelation by Canada may cause the U.S. to rethink that. The Agriculture Department is sending a team to Canada to evaluate the case.

SANCHEZ: Here are those new dietary guidelines that we've been telling you about. Unveiled this hour, they put the emphasis on watching your calories and also getting more exercise. The secretary of Health and Human Services says the goal is to try and somehow help Americans choose a lifestyle that promotes health and prevents disease. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: The guidelines offer Americans achievable goals for controlling weights, building stronger muscles and bone and preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Nearly two-thirds of Americans -- and you've heard me talk about this so often -- two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.

And more than 50 percent of us Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity. 30 minutes a day for adults, and 60 minutes a day for children. And if you want to reduce weight, you should put in 60 to 90 minutes, at least five times a week, in order to reduce weight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: So there you hear it.

SANCHEZ: Yes, just came in just a little while ago, by the way. It's a new nutritional guideline from the Feds. It's a consumer- oriented food pyramid. And it also addresses what manufacturers need to do. We're going to have a lot more on this dietary guideline coming up. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson will be a guest on news from CNN at 12:00 Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific.

KAGAN: Let's see if they ask him what he's having for lunch.

To get your daily dose of health news online, log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, the health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.

SANCHEZ: OK, you know him among other things, or most people do. The moment you see him, you think, oh, my goodness. Here's a guy who can probably use a makeover, right? Scruffy baseball cap, slouchy clothes. Well...

KAGAN: It looks like he got one. A new Michael Moore in town. How the controversial filmmaker has changed his signature style. That's coming up when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Want to talk more about the weather situation in Southern California. Mark Kriski, a familiar face to folks in L.A., forecaster for our affiliate KTLA. Mark, good morning.

MARK KRISKI, KTLA METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Daryn. How are you doing this morning?

KAGAN: I'm doing great, but I'm dry and blue skies here in Atlanta. Looks like you guys are getting kind of a break in my hometown.

KRISKI: Yes, we are definitely getting a break and that is good news, because boy, we need it. We have had the wettest 15 days ever recorded in the history -- and they started taking records, I think it was in 19, or 1877. We have had the wettest 15 days here in the Los Angeles area of Southern California.

We've got a lot of flash floods, lot of mudslides and just a lot of problems because of it. But finally, we're getting a clear break. Cold temperatures today, but boy, the sun is welcome. It looks like it's going to be clear for at least the next, oh, five, seven days, anyway.

KAGAN: You've been doing weather in L.A., what, ten years? That long?

KRISKI: 15 years I've been here myself, yes.

KAGAN: OK, now have we ever seen anything like this?

KRISKI: Never anything like this. We had an El Nino back about, I can remember, it was about four or five years ago when we had our last El Nino year, and and we had some heavy rainfull, but never that much rain for that many days, and just consecutively, day after day after day, and when we did really get the rains, that was more in February and March. And what we're talking about -- here it is. These wettest 15 days started December 27th and then continued into january 10th. Normally, the heaviest of rain still comes in February or March, so we may not be out of the thick of things now. You're looking at some of the mudslides, and this was a devastating mudslide, which did cause some fatalities, and they're still hopefully rescuing people out of that. But -- and we're just getting reports all over the place of mudslides and rock slides, and it is miserable out here, although, as we said, at least we got a break in the rain now.

KAGAN: Yes, you know, I get -- people ask me this all the time about Los Angeles and Southern California. You see the mudslides, you see the fires, you see the earthquakes. Why are people living there? I happen to love it.

KRISKI: You know what, I love it here too. Basically, 365 days out of the year, you get 300 beautiful days; 65 of them, you got to deal with this.

But you see the problem is California -- Los Angeles, we're still a desert area. This kind of rain in Seattle would cause absolutely no problem, because the ground can take and handle the rain. The problem is we're in a desert area. So you reach saturation where all of a sudden after an inch or two or three, the ground can't handle any more rain, so it's to go somewhere and it overflows, and then you do have the occasional earthquake,but you have the hurricanes in the Florida area. So everything good come with the good and the bad, then all of a sudden you get 300 days of beautiful sunny weather and temperatures in the '80s, and you go, I know why I'm living here.

KAGAN: And you know why you're doing the weather, because on those days, your job is pretty easy.

KRISKI: Absolutely.

KAGAN: It's going to be a nice day in Southern California.

Mark, thank you. We wish you blue skies.

KRISKI: Thank you very much, Daryn.

KAGAN: Mark Kriski from KTLA.

SANCHEZ: Pretty good payoff there, too.

The anchor of CBS News, Dan Rather, has come out with the very first statement since the firings at CBS. It's in the form of a memo he writes to his staff. We have some of those. In fact, we'll put them up as we read them. Mr. Rather says, and we quote, "My strongest reaction is one of sadness and concern for those individuals whom I know and with whom I have worked. It would be a shame if we let this matter, troubling as it is, obscure their dedication and good work over the years." Mr. Rather goes on to say, "I have been here through good times and not so good time. I have seen us overcome adversity before. I am convinced we can do so again. Lest anyone have any doubt, I have read the report, I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind."

There you go.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Let's talk about laser beams now, what can or can't be done about it, what pilots could possibly do, and what law enforcement needs to do to make sure it doesn't happen in the future. That is Norm Mineta, secretary of transportation, he's talking about this very thing. Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

NORMAN MINETA, U.S. SECY. OF TRANSPORTATION: I am very, very concerned about the recent increases in the frequency of these reportings by pilots.

Now, first of all, let me address the security issue. There is no credible or specific intelligence that would indicate that these laser incidents are connected to terrorists. As far as we know, lasers are not the terrorists' weapon of choice, nor is there any evidence that these incidents are terrorists practicing for use of other weapons, as some people have speculated. What we are concerned with is a very small number of irresponsible people using pen-style lasers and commercially-available star pointers to illuminate aircraft in a way that could be dangerous to their operation, as Dr. Atananyu (ph) has indicated, or illegal.

Now, lasers are not toys. And shining lasers into a cockpit can put pilots, crew and passengers in harm's way.

Recent research conducted by the FAA, right here at Cami (ph), has found that some lasers, when shined into the pilot's cockpits, could temporarily disorient or disable a pilot during critical stages of flight, such as landing or take off. Even worse, in a few cases, these lasers can cause permanent eye damage for those who look directly into the beam.

Now, we are treating lasers in the cockpit as a serious aviation safety matter. We will not allow careless people making stupid choices to put pilots and their passengers at risk.

And that is why today I am announcing new measures designed to protect pilots and crew and to discourage future laser incidents.

I have asked the department's Federal Aviation Administration to distribute what is known as an advisory circular that contains new guidelines to give pilots, air traffic controllers and law enforcement agencies timely information about laser incidents.

The new guidelines will help pilots identify areas where lasers have been sighted, will assist air traffic controllers in reporting laser incidents, and will give police the information as quickly as possible, in order to investigate and prosecute those who put aircraft at risk.

Now, effective January 19th, all pilots will be required to report immediately any laser sightings to air traffic controllers.

Controllers will then be required to share these reports through what we know as the federal domestic events network, the DEN.

The DEN is a phone grid that is constantly monitored by safety, security and law enforcement personnel. And once these laser incidents are posted on the network, our air traffic controllers will work with the police to identify the source of the lasers. The goal is to get the police to quickly get to the scene of the crime.

If the person is apprehended, we will do everything we can to make sure that that case is aggressively prosecuted.

So let me be very, very clear. Shining these lasers at an airplane is not a harmless prank. It is stupid and it is dangerous. These people are putting others at risk. And law enforcement authorities are going to seek these folks out and, if they are caught, they are going to be prosecuted.

This is not a harmless prank. And that is why the advisory council also establishes procedures for pilots to get timely information about any reported laser sighting.

The FAA is putting in place a new system that will allow air traffic controllers to broadcast any and all laser sightings so that pilots know about these incidents as quickly as we do.

Now, these broadcasts will begin as soon as an incident is reported. And they will be repeated by the air traffic controllers to their pilots every five minutes.

SANCHEZ: You have the secretary of transportation, Norm Mineta. He's essentially establishing some guidelines that will be given to all pilots, as well as some folks on the ground as well, so that they can better understand what can happen. He says this isn't a prank. He says this is something that's stupid and serious, and they're going to make sure they try to get to the bottom of it by giving pilots information on where areas are susceptible and what traffic controllers can do to help the pilots as well.

KAGAN: And they want to hear from pilots if they see laser beams.

We want to hear from Wolf Blitzer, because that's going to do it for us, and we're going to toss it off to Wolf in Washington D.C.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com