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CNN Live Today

Riding Highs and Lows of Stock Market; Gas Prices Affect Meals on Wheels

Aired April 22, 2005 - 10:30   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Moments ago, President Bush announced his pick for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is Marine Corps General Peter Pace. Pace is currently vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs and he would replace Air Force General Richard Myers. If confirmed by the Senate, Pace would become the first Marine Corps officer to become Joint Chiefs chairman.
And in about five hours, Zacarias Moussaoui is expected to plead guilty to 9/11 conspiracy charges. But Moussaoui has backed out of a similar arrangement before. And defense attorneys want a full hearing to determine Moussaoui's competency to enter the guilty plea. If Moussaoui's plea is accepted, he could ultimately face the death penalty. Moussaoui is the only person charged in the U.S. in connection with the 9/11 attacks.

And we have an update on the story of Steven Hatfill. He's the former government researcher who authorities named as a person of interest in the anthrax probe. Hatfill is suing the government. Today, a judge could decide whether to lift the restriction on Hatfill's attorneys. So far, they have unable to question government witnesses who had been involved in the investigation.

And more allegations are being raised about John Bolton's diplomatic style. Bolton is President Bush's pick for U.S. ambassador to the U.N. The former U.S. ambassador to South Korea says Bolton berated him two years ago. Thomas Hubbard says Bolton was angry that Hubbard failed to arrange a meeting with South Korea's president- elect. A Senate panel has delayed voting on Bolton's nomination.

Well, Toto, I guess we are in Kansas after all. Last night, storms whipped up tornadoes in southeast Kansas, the heart of Tornado Alley. Five homes were damaged or destroyed and more than 2,000 people evacuated from terminals in Kansas city international airport. No injuries were reported.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: All right, we've got an update on the sniper case here. It turns out that a Virginia supreme court has now affirmed the death penalty for John Allen Muhammad. He was the sniper mastermind convicted at least of one of 10 sniper killings that terrorized Virginia and Maryland, the killing of Dean Harold Meyers, near Manassas.

John Allen Muhammad's attorney had argued on appeal that their client could not be sentenced to death under state law, because he was not the triggerman in that shooting spree. The justice in the case, Donald Lemmons (ph), wrote in a ruling that Muhammad qualifies for the death sentence because -- and I'm quoting here -- "if society's ultimate penalty should be reserved for the most heinous offenses." John Allen Muhammad heading for the death penalty.

In the meantime, she was emotionally distraught during an interview on this show yesterday, but now she's playing a happy tune. Still to come, reunited with an $850,000 violin. Lindsay Deutsch joins me live to talk about her happy ending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All right, when you take a look at your stock portfolio or the S&P on a daily basis, does your head just sort of go like that? Are you experiencing a little whiplash because the Dow, you know, the Dow Industrials lost hundreds of points this month, only to shoot up 200 points for the best day in more than two years.

So how can you make sure your retirement nest egg can ride out these peaks and valleys? We've got CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis here this morning with her top five tips.

Gerri, first off, you're going to try to teach people a little patience, which I think is hard when your heart's racing.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Absolutely. It's all about the patience, Carol. Good to see you. You've got to ride out that wave. When you see the market go up, go down, that's not a time you want to make a move. Remember, it takes a lot of discipline to play the markets. You've got to be patient. Make sure you don't get out when the market's going town. And believe me, Carol, there were lots of days when the market was going down 900 points that I think people wanted to dump their stocks.

LIN: And you say don't listen to your cousin, but what if my cousin is a stock broker, a stock broker with that great tip at the dinner table?

WILLIS: I am just not a fan of hot stock tips, and I'll tell you why, Carol. It's difficult to make a lot of money, for most people anyway, on a hot stock tip. That's because you may know when people are selling -- buying, but you don't know when they're selling. You're much better off diversifying your portfolio and investing in a lot of stocks rather than just one that you hear about from maybe your cousin or your dentist or wherever.

LIN: Well, and you say have some patience. Maybe don't look at your portfolio every five minutes -- but you also say keep evaluating. So what do you mean by that?

WILLIS: Well, you've got to really look at what you're investing in, and by this I mean, check out the mutual funds that you're investing in because that's what most people do. Couple of great places to go here, our own cnn.money.com, as well as Morningstar, can help you find the winners in peer groups. Because remember, you're investing in asset allocation categories of stock funds and you'll want to be comparing like stock funds with like stock funds, make sure you're investing in the right ones. A rule of thumb here, if your fund is underperforming peers for two years or more, kick it out. It's time to move on.

LIN: OK, so you take a look at the fund. I like those bar charts, you know, that show, like, the hot stock funds, the most successful funds of the past three years, five years. Is that a good idea? Is that the way to make money, or are there other costs incurred?

WILLIS: I think the most important thing to do besides looking at long-term performance is also to look at expenses. It's one of the most important determinants to whether you make money in a mutual fund or not. Rule of thumb here, again, is look for a fund that is charging you less than one percent overall expenses. That's the best way to make your sure you're not overpaying and you're having great returns.

LIN: Well, the stock market hasn't been very reliable over the last several years, but you know what has, especially in places like New York and California and even places like Tennessee, real estate, people's home values are what they might be retiring on.

WILLIS: You bet, Carol. It often makes -- a big proportion of people's retirement nest egg is the important gains they've had in their house. Let's face it. Prices have gone up about 50 percent over the last five years alone in some markets. Less than that, obviously, in others. But I just want to remind people, that's part of the equation, too. And you'll be able to top that equity as you retire -- Carol.

LIN: All right, sounds good. Gerri Willis, I feel better already. Market's down today but hey, diversify, diversify, be patient. Thanks so much. Have a great weekend.

WILLIS: You, too.

LIN: We've got an update now on a story we told you about yesterday. Sweet music for a broken-hearted violinist. 20-year-old Lindsay Deutsch has the violin back after reporting it stolen. It's an $850,000 instrument made in the 18th century. A man who reported finding it in an alley turned it into police. A very sad Lindsay Deutsch yesterday is in a much better mood today. There she is.

LINDSAY DEUTSCH, VIOLINIST: For sure.

LIN: A big smile on her face. Lindsay. We didn't have any details about this man in the alleyway. I mean, tell us more about it. How did he come across it? Do you think he was the one who took it?

DEUTSCH: Well, what the police are saying was that he was walking his dog and he was very close to the store that it was stolen from and he saw the violin case in an alleyway, took it home, opened it up to see if he thought it was the same case that he'd seen on the media, the same violin and bow, so he was sure it was what he had seen and he went to the police asking for the reward. So we're going to give it to him and I'm not sure if it was him that took it, but for my own self, I'm just glad to have it back, so.

LIN: $10,000 reward, right?

DEUTSCH: Yes.

LIN: And some of that, you put up yourself.

DEUTSCH: I put all of it up myself. I mean, I thought if this wasn't found, I was going to be owing almost a million dollars, so to me $10,000 is nothing. For the time being, hopefully my parents will chip in some, but I'm going to hopefully pay it all back. But I'm just so glad to have it back that $10,000 is just nothing.

LIN: $10,000 and no questions asked of this man, right, because you got the violin back?

DEUTSCH: Right. Now it's in the police of -- in the hands of the police, so I'm just glad that I have it back.

LIN: All right. And it's not even your violin, so in the end, what you got, frankly, was the satisfaction of playing this instrument. My brother is a violinist and...

DEUTSCH: Oh, yes?

LIN: I have never known the passion of a musician, but I experience it through his absolute love of touching a great instrument. Can you share what was it like to play this violin? Why was it worth it?

DEUTSCH: Well, since the time I was five years old, I've dreamed of being a solo artist and you just can't become a solo artist unless you have an instrument of this great sound and quality and something this old. And I'm just so grateful to Peter Mandell of the Mandell Collection of Southern California for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am, I wouldn't be starting on a career. So I'm just thankful to have it back, and to -- I mean, it was, I feel bad to have let him down in this way, but he's a very forgiving person and has agreed to give it back to me. So I'm so thankful to him.

LIN: Lindsay, good luck. Good luck in your career. We look forward to seeing you play in the greatest halls in the nation, certainly.

DEUTSCH: Thanks, Carol.

LIN: Hang onto your instrument, huh?

DEUTSCH: Thanks.

LIN: Lindsay Deutsch, a happy gal, indeed. Have a great weekend.

DEUTSCH: In the meantime, high gas prices may be hurting your pockets, but what about the deliveries of donated food? Still to come, prices at the pumps threaten to put the brakes on Meals on Wheels.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LIN: We just got some financial advice from our hot tips Gerri Willis. But taking a look at the big board, her advice well-taken. The Dow Jones industrial down 21 points now. Nasdaq down 17. Gerri Willis tells us hang in there, in the meantime.

The high price of gas is taking a bite of household budgets, but it's also sinking its teeth into charities. Specifically, it's threatening Meals on Wheels programs that deliver hot food and warm smiles to those in need. CNN's Chris Huntington takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From salads to carrot cake to Polish sausage, 72-year-old retiree Ron Robertson is busy preparing the meals he will soon deliver. Ron is a Meals on Wheels volunteer in Livingston County, Michigan. He covers about 60 miles a day and he pays for gas out of his own pocket. But at current prices, those trips that bring him and so many other joy are now in jeopardy.

RON ROBERTSON, MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEER: I don't feel good at all. This is -- you know, you've got so many expenses anyway, and then they keep raising the price of gas, and it's causing me problems. And if it's going to start costing me money to do it, then I have to rethink what I'm doing.

Meals on Wheels. There she is. Hi. We got CNN with us today. They want to get a picture of a beautiful woman.

HUNTINGTON Ron has been delivering hot, nutritious meals to shut-in seniors for close to four years now. He delivers up to 20 meals a day to elders like Margaret Link (ph), who depend on Ron for more than just food.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And this hug every morning makes me feel better than all of the medicine you could give me.

HUNTINGTON: It costs him $40 to fill up his truck, an expense that he says he may not be able to afford much longer.

ROBERTSON: And it seems a shame that you can't volunteer because it's too expensive, but that's the way it's becoming.

HUNTINGTON: Livingston nutrition director Margaret Davey has been with Meals on Wheels for nearly 15 years. She says the high cost of fuel is beginning to drive away some volunteers. MARGARET DAVEY, MEALS ON WHEELS: Just last month we had two people come in and ask us how much more we could really give to them and we said we can't and so they quit. So we lost them.

HUNTINGTON: Meals on Wheels has nearly half a million volunteers nationwide delivering a million meals a day to homebound seniors.

DAVEY: I have heard from all of the other people across the country that this a major problem, all the other contractors.

HUNTINGTON: As for Ron, he says he'll keep delivering meals as long as he can afford to.

ROBERTSON: Bye, Mary, and we'll see you again tomorrow. You take care of yourself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure, Ron.

ROBERTSON: Right. Bye,.

HUNTINGTON: Chris Huntington, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Also, we've been tracking some killer weather that's crossing from the Midwest into the Southeast. Take a look at this live picture out of Birmingham, Alabama, looks relatively calm, kind of cloudy, but our Orelon Sidney has a different picture developing on her radar screen, severe weather heading towards the entire southeast after tornadoes shut down an international airport in Kansas City.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN PENN, ACTOR: How did you happen to be up there after hours?

NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTRESS: We had an evacuation. I left some of my things in the sound booth. I had to go back for them.

PENN: And at that moment there happened to be a couple of fellows talking about an assassination in a language that you and maybe eight other people understand in the room, full of microphones?

KIDMAN: Do you think I'm making it up?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Yes, that's Hollywood, but U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised the movie "The Interpreter" as dignified, honest and reflective of the United Nations. Pretty high praise, considering it's about a murder plot, but we rely on Russ Leatherman, the voice of Mr. Moviefone for our weekend movie report, and he joins us from L.A.

Russ, kind of ironic, you know, because here Nicole Kidman plays this interpreter who has overheard a conversation about a potential assassination in the making, and you have a U.N. secretary-general saying, hmmm, like that, pretty dignified and honest.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Quite frankly, I'm a little nervous about giving any opinion now. I mean, who is right, him or me? This dude or Mr. Movie. Who are you going to listen to?

LIN: Did you like it? Did you like the movie?

LEATHERMAN: Well, here's the deal. I thought it was a pretty good movie. I didn't think it was an a-plus. I mean, you've got such a terrific pedigree here. You've got Sydney Pollack, who's directed some great movies, you have Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, and you basically outlined the plot. It is about any Nicole Kidman, who overhears this plot to assassinate an African leader, and really that's what the movie centers on.

I have to tell you I thought that it's all about expectations. I expected this movie to be great just because of the director, the actors.

LIN: Me, too.

LEATHERMAN: I have to say I was mildly disappointed.

LIN: Oh!

LEATHERMAN: No, It's true.

Now that doesn't mean it's a bad movie compared to everything else in theaters now. It's actually pretty good. But I'd give it a B, B-minus, and mostly because the thriller was missing most of the thrill, I thought. And you know, just one other little thing, Sean Penn, he just has to stop crying in movies. I just can't watch that anymore.

LIN: Can't stand to see a grown man cry.

LEATHERMAN: I can't, time and time again. But it' a pretty good movie. It's not great like I was hoping it would be, but it's OK, pretty good.

LIN: Well, can't exactly see the U.N. secretary-general sitting down for "A Lot Like Love" with Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher, but it's supposed to be a funny love story about fate, two people maybe meant to be together.

LEATHERMAN: Maybe so, and he and I should sit down, hold hands and watch this movie together, I think. That would be fantastic. Again, about expectations. I expected nothing from a new Ashton Kutcher movie. What we got is a pretty good little romantic comedy. Really he stars as a guy who meets a girl on an airplane, they join the mile-high club, and then decide that they can't be in a relationship, so about every two years they get together, and you know what I mean by get together, and the big question of the movie is, can that be love? Can they both find love after this?

I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. I think that they're two very likable actors in a pretty good romantic comedy. It ain't "When Harry Met Sally," but then again what is?

LIN: Can it be love? All right. Well, it's Friday night. I think a lot of people are going to be making that claim tonight.

In the meantime, "Kung Fu Hustle," all right, Chinese action comedy?

This thing is all over the board. It's a musical, it's a comedy, it's action, it's drama. You got to go see this thing. Well worth the 10 bucks. It really is a send-up of all of the Hong Kong kung-fu movies you've seen in the past, and really brings a lot of fun and flavor to the whole genre again. So I would say if you're looking to just have a good time at the movies this weekend, this thing is well worth your 10 bucks from director Stephen Chow, and he just does a fantastic job. So I liked it. I'm in. I say check out "Kung Fu Hustle."

LIN: All right, because you know, Russ, we Chinese people really aren't this funny. So it might be good to live out the fantasy on the big screen.

LEATHERMAN: I think everybody's going to like this.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much, Russ, you have a great weekend.

LEATHERMAN: See you next time.

LIN: In the meantime, it is now 10:56, four minutes to the top of the hour right here on the East Coast, 7:56 out west. Good morning out there. We are expecting stormy weather in parts of the country today. Will there be more tornadoes? Stay right there, because we're going to have a check of the forecast with Orelon Sidney coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 22, 2005 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Moments ago, President Bush announced his pick for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is Marine Corps General Peter Pace. Pace is currently vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs and he would replace Air Force General Richard Myers. If confirmed by the Senate, Pace would become the first Marine Corps officer to become Joint Chiefs chairman.
And in about five hours, Zacarias Moussaoui is expected to plead guilty to 9/11 conspiracy charges. But Moussaoui has backed out of a similar arrangement before. And defense attorneys want a full hearing to determine Moussaoui's competency to enter the guilty plea. If Moussaoui's plea is accepted, he could ultimately face the death penalty. Moussaoui is the only person charged in the U.S. in connection with the 9/11 attacks.

And we have an update on the story of Steven Hatfill. He's the former government researcher who authorities named as a person of interest in the anthrax probe. Hatfill is suing the government. Today, a judge could decide whether to lift the restriction on Hatfill's attorneys. So far, they have unable to question government witnesses who had been involved in the investigation.

And more allegations are being raised about John Bolton's diplomatic style. Bolton is President Bush's pick for U.S. ambassador to the U.N. The former U.S. ambassador to South Korea says Bolton berated him two years ago. Thomas Hubbard says Bolton was angry that Hubbard failed to arrange a meeting with South Korea's president- elect. A Senate panel has delayed voting on Bolton's nomination.

Well, Toto, I guess we are in Kansas after all. Last night, storms whipped up tornadoes in southeast Kansas, the heart of Tornado Alley. Five homes were damaged or destroyed and more than 2,000 people evacuated from terminals in Kansas city international airport. No injuries were reported.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: All right, we've got an update on the sniper case here. It turns out that a Virginia supreme court has now affirmed the death penalty for John Allen Muhammad. He was the sniper mastermind convicted at least of one of 10 sniper killings that terrorized Virginia and Maryland, the killing of Dean Harold Meyers, near Manassas.

John Allen Muhammad's attorney had argued on appeal that their client could not be sentenced to death under state law, because he was not the triggerman in that shooting spree. The justice in the case, Donald Lemmons (ph), wrote in a ruling that Muhammad qualifies for the death sentence because -- and I'm quoting here -- "if society's ultimate penalty should be reserved for the most heinous offenses." John Allen Muhammad heading for the death penalty.

In the meantime, she was emotionally distraught during an interview on this show yesterday, but now she's playing a happy tune. Still to come, reunited with an $850,000 violin. Lindsay Deutsch joins me live to talk about her happy ending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All right, when you take a look at your stock portfolio or the S&P on a daily basis, does your head just sort of go like that? Are you experiencing a little whiplash because the Dow, you know, the Dow Industrials lost hundreds of points this month, only to shoot up 200 points for the best day in more than two years.

So how can you make sure your retirement nest egg can ride out these peaks and valleys? We've got CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis here this morning with her top five tips.

Gerri, first off, you're going to try to teach people a little patience, which I think is hard when your heart's racing.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Absolutely. It's all about the patience, Carol. Good to see you. You've got to ride out that wave. When you see the market go up, go down, that's not a time you want to make a move. Remember, it takes a lot of discipline to play the markets. You've got to be patient. Make sure you don't get out when the market's going town. And believe me, Carol, there were lots of days when the market was going down 900 points that I think people wanted to dump their stocks.

LIN: And you say don't listen to your cousin, but what if my cousin is a stock broker, a stock broker with that great tip at the dinner table?

WILLIS: I am just not a fan of hot stock tips, and I'll tell you why, Carol. It's difficult to make a lot of money, for most people anyway, on a hot stock tip. That's because you may know when people are selling -- buying, but you don't know when they're selling. You're much better off diversifying your portfolio and investing in a lot of stocks rather than just one that you hear about from maybe your cousin or your dentist or wherever.

LIN: Well, and you say have some patience. Maybe don't look at your portfolio every five minutes -- but you also say keep evaluating. So what do you mean by that?

WILLIS: Well, you've got to really look at what you're investing in, and by this I mean, check out the mutual funds that you're investing in because that's what most people do. Couple of great places to go here, our own cnn.money.com, as well as Morningstar, can help you find the winners in peer groups. Because remember, you're investing in asset allocation categories of stock funds and you'll want to be comparing like stock funds with like stock funds, make sure you're investing in the right ones. A rule of thumb here, if your fund is underperforming peers for two years or more, kick it out. It's time to move on.

LIN: OK, so you take a look at the fund. I like those bar charts, you know, that show, like, the hot stock funds, the most successful funds of the past three years, five years. Is that a good idea? Is that the way to make money, or are there other costs incurred?

WILLIS: I think the most important thing to do besides looking at long-term performance is also to look at expenses. It's one of the most important determinants to whether you make money in a mutual fund or not. Rule of thumb here, again, is look for a fund that is charging you less than one percent overall expenses. That's the best way to make your sure you're not overpaying and you're having great returns.

LIN: Well, the stock market hasn't been very reliable over the last several years, but you know what has, especially in places like New York and California and even places like Tennessee, real estate, people's home values are what they might be retiring on.

WILLIS: You bet, Carol. It often makes -- a big proportion of people's retirement nest egg is the important gains they've had in their house. Let's face it. Prices have gone up about 50 percent over the last five years alone in some markets. Less than that, obviously, in others. But I just want to remind people, that's part of the equation, too. And you'll be able to top that equity as you retire -- Carol.

LIN: All right, sounds good. Gerri Willis, I feel better already. Market's down today but hey, diversify, diversify, be patient. Thanks so much. Have a great weekend.

WILLIS: You, too.

LIN: We've got an update now on a story we told you about yesterday. Sweet music for a broken-hearted violinist. 20-year-old Lindsay Deutsch has the violin back after reporting it stolen. It's an $850,000 instrument made in the 18th century. A man who reported finding it in an alley turned it into police. A very sad Lindsay Deutsch yesterday is in a much better mood today. There she is.

LINDSAY DEUTSCH, VIOLINIST: For sure.

LIN: A big smile on her face. Lindsay. We didn't have any details about this man in the alleyway. I mean, tell us more about it. How did he come across it? Do you think he was the one who took it?

DEUTSCH: Well, what the police are saying was that he was walking his dog and he was very close to the store that it was stolen from and he saw the violin case in an alleyway, took it home, opened it up to see if he thought it was the same case that he'd seen on the media, the same violin and bow, so he was sure it was what he had seen and he went to the police asking for the reward. So we're going to give it to him and I'm not sure if it was him that took it, but for my own self, I'm just glad to have it back, so.

LIN: $10,000 reward, right?

DEUTSCH: Yes.

LIN: And some of that, you put up yourself.

DEUTSCH: I put all of it up myself. I mean, I thought if this wasn't found, I was going to be owing almost a million dollars, so to me $10,000 is nothing. For the time being, hopefully my parents will chip in some, but I'm going to hopefully pay it all back. But I'm just so glad to have it back that $10,000 is just nothing.

LIN: $10,000 and no questions asked of this man, right, because you got the violin back?

DEUTSCH: Right. Now it's in the police of -- in the hands of the police, so I'm just glad that I have it back.

LIN: All right. And it's not even your violin, so in the end, what you got, frankly, was the satisfaction of playing this instrument. My brother is a violinist and...

DEUTSCH: Oh, yes?

LIN: I have never known the passion of a musician, but I experience it through his absolute love of touching a great instrument. Can you share what was it like to play this violin? Why was it worth it?

DEUTSCH: Well, since the time I was five years old, I've dreamed of being a solo artist and you just can't become a solo artist unless you have an instrument of this great sound and quality and something this old. And I'm just so grateful to Peter Mandell of the Mandell Collection of Southern California for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am, I wouldn't be starting on a career. So I'm just thankful to have it back, and to -- I mean, it was, I feel bad to have let him down in this way, but he's a very forgiving person and has agreed to give it back to me. So I'm so thankful to him.

LIN: Lindsay, good luck. Good luck in your career. We look forward to seeing you play in the greatest halls in the nation, certainly.

DEUTSCH: Thanks, Carol.

LIN: Hang onto your instrument, huh?

DEUTSCH: Thanks.

LIN: Lindsay Deutsch, a happy gal, indeed. Have a great weekend.

DEUTSCH: In the meantime, high gas prices may be hurting your pockets, but what about the deliveries of donated food? Still to come, prices at the pumps threaten to put the brakes on Meals on Wheels.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LIN: We just got some financial advice from our hot tips Gerri Willis. But taking a look at the big board, her advice well-taken. The Dow Jones industrial down 21 points now. Nasdaq down 17. Gerri Willis tells us hang in there, in the meantime.

The high price of gas is taking a bite of household budgets, but it's also sinking its teeth into charities. Specifically, it's threatening Meals on Wheels programs that deliver hot food and warm smiles to those in need. CNN's Chris Huntington takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From salads to carrot cake to Polish sausage, 72-year-old retiree Ron Robertson is busy preparing the meals he will soon deliver. Ron is a Meals on Wheels volunteer in Livingston County, Michigan. He covers about 60 miles a day and he pays for gas out of his own pocket. But at current prices, those trips that bring him and so many other joy are now in jeopardy.

RON ROBERTSON, MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEER: I don't feel good at all. This is -- you know, you've got so many expenses anyway, and then they keep raising the price of gas, and it's causing me problems. And if it's going to start costing me money to do it, then I have to rethink what I'm doing.

Meals on Wheels. There she is. Hi. We got CNN with us today. They want to get a picture of a beautiful woman.

HUNTINGTON Ron has been delivering hot, nutritious meals to shut-in seniors for close to four years now. He delivers up to 20 meals a day to elders like Margaret Link (ph), who depend on Ron for more than just food.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And this hug every morning makes me feel better than all of the medicine you could give me.

HUNTINGTON: It costs him $40 to fill up his truck, an expense that he says he may not be able to afford much longer.

ROBERTSON: And it seems a shame that you can't volunteer because it's too expensive, but that's the way it's becoming.

HUNTINGTON: Livingston nutrition director Margaret Davey has been with Meals on Wheels for nearly 15 years. She says the high cost of fuel is beginning to drive away some volunteers. MARGARET DAVEY, MEALS ON WHEELS: Just last month we had two people come in and ask us how much more we could really give to them and we said we can't and so they quit. So we lost them.

HUNTINGTON: Meals on Wheels has nearly half a million volunteers nationwide delivering a million meals a day to homebound seniors.

DAVEY: I have heard from all of the other people across the country that this a major problem, all the other contractors.

HUNTINGTON: As for Ron, he says he'll keep delivering meals as long as he can afford to.

ROBERTSON: Bye, Mary, and we'll see you again tomorrow. You take care of yourself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure, Ron.

ROBERTSON: Right. Bye,.

HUNTINGTON: Chris Huntington, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Also, we've been tracking some killer weather that's crossing from the Midwest into the Southeast. Take a look at this live picture out of Birmingham, Alabama, looks relatively calm, kind of cloudy, but our Orelon Sidney has a different picture developing on her radar screen, severe weather heading towards the entire southeast after tornadoes shut down an international airport in Kansas City.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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SEAN PENN, ACTOR: How did you happen to be up there after hours?

NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTRESS: We had an evacuation. I left some of my things in the sound booth. I had to go back for them.

PENN: And at that moment there happened to be a couple of fellows talking about an assassination in a language that you and maybe eight other people understand in the room, full of microphones?

KIDMAN: Do you think I'm making it up?

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LIN: Yes, that's Hollywood, but U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised the movie "The Interpreter" as dignified, honest and reflective of the United Nations. Pretty high praise, considering it's about a murder plot, but we rely on Russ Leatherman, the voice of Mr. Moviefone for our weekend movie report, and he joins us from L.A.

Russ, kind of ironic, you know, because here Nicole Kidman plays this interpreter who has overheard a conversation about a potential assassination in the making, and you have a U.N. secretary-general saying, hmmm, like that, pretty dignified and honest.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Quite frankly, I'm a little nervous about giving any opinion now. I mean, who is right, him or me? This dude or Mr. Movie. Who are you going to listen to?

LIN: Did you like it? Did you like the movie?

LEATHERMAN: Well, here's the deal. I thought it was a pretty good movie. I didn't think it was an a-plus. I mean, you've got such a terrific pedigree here. You've got Sydney Pollack, who's directed some great movies, you have Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, and you basically outlined the plot. It is about any Nicole Kidman, who overhears this plot to assassinate an African leader, and really that's what the movie centers on.

I have to tell you I thought that it's all about expectations. I expected this movie to be great just because of the director, the actors.

LIN: Me, too.

LEATHERMAN: I have to say I was mildly disappointed.

LIN: Oh!

LEATHERMAN: No, It's true.

Now that doesn't mean it's a bad movie compared to everything else in theaters now. It's actually pretty good. But I'd give it a B, B-minus, and mostly because the thriller was missing most of the thrill, I thought. And you know, just one other little thing, Sean Penn, he just has to stop crying in movies. I just can't watch that anymore.

LIN: Can't stand to see a grown man cry.

LEATHERMAN: I can't, time and time again. But it' a pretty good movie. It's not great like I was hoping it would be, but it's OK, pretty good.

LIN: Well, can't exactly see the U.N. secretary-general sitting down for "A Lot Like Love" with Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher, but it's supposed to be a funny love story about fate, two people maybe meant to be together.

LEATHERMAN: Maybe so, and he and I should sit down, hold hands and watch this movie together, I think. That would be fantastic. Again, about expectations. I expected nothing from a new Ashton Kutcher movie. What we got is a pretty good little romantic comedy. Really he stars as a guy who meets a girl on an airplane, they join the mile-high club, and then decide that they can't be in a relationship, so about every two years they get together, and you know what I mean by get together, and the big question of the movie is, can that be love? Can they both find love after this?

I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. I think that they're two very likable actors in a pretty good romantic comedy. It ain't "When Harry Met Sally," but then again what is?

LIN: Can it be love? All right. Well, it's Friday night. I think a lot of people are going to be making that claim tonight.

In the meantime, "Kung Fu Hustle," all right, Chinese action comedy?

This thing is all over the board. It's a musical, it's a comedy, it's action, it's drama. You got to go see this thing. Well worth the 10 bucks. It really is a send-up of all of the Hong Kong kung-fu movies you've seen in the past, and really brings a lot of fun and flavor to the whole genre again. So I would say if you're looking to just have a good time at the movies this weekend, this thing is well worth your 10 bucks from director Stephen Chow, and he just does a fantastic job. So I liked it. I'm in. I say check out "Kung Fu Hustle."

LIN: All right, because you know, Russ, we Chinese people really aren't this funny. So it might be good to live out the fantasy on the big screen.

LEATHERMAN: I think everybody's going to like this.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much, Russ, you have a great weekend.

LEATHERMAN: See you next time.

LIN: In the meantime, it is now 10:56, four minutes to the top of the hour right here on the East Coast, 7:56 out west. Good morning out there. We are expecting stormy weather in parts of the country today. Will there be more tornadoes? Stay right there, because we're going to have a check of the forecast with Orelon Sidney coming up.

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