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American Morning

Family Hopes for Release of Hostage; Officer Accused of Excessive Force Adjusts to Civilian Life; Hybrid Cars' Efficiency Questioned; Study Says Exercise More Important Than Calcium for Strong Bones

Aired June 14, 2004 - 08:30   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Extremely difficult time for the family of Paul Johnson. That's one of his sons, Paul Johnson III, in Cocoa, Florida.
His father was kidnapped over the weekend working for Lockheed Martin, an Apache helicopter specialist. He said he's been in Saudi Arabia since 1992.

You heard one of the questions from our own Gary Tuchman about coping at this point, Paul Johnson saying he finally got some sleep last night. He was up for about two days in time, hoping for a safe return. And again, he said many times, "I'm just praying and hoping."

And when you consider the fate of two other westerners, about a week ago a BBC cameraman was shot and killed in Saudi Arabia. Over the weekend, also, a man identified by the U.S. embassy as Kenneth Scroggs, he was also picked up and killed, as well.

A lot of concern happening today in Florida for the fate of Paul Johnson, the American.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And his son saying that he would be happy to exchange his place for his father's in a heart beat, if he possibly could.

So they're still waiting for some word. He said he's heard nothing new, as well.

It is just after half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Our top story this morning is Iraq. Another suicide car bombing there today, and this particularly devastating: 13 people killed, 60 wounded.

The target appears to have been a convoy of western electrical contractors. Five international workers were killed, though the break down of nationalities is not clear yet. After the explosion, a furious crowd began shouting "Down with the USA" and then looted some nearby buildings.

HEMMER: We'll get to that story in a moment here.

Also, an entirely different matter. Hybrids are some of the most sought after cars in showrooms today, so we're told. You only have to look at the price in gas stations to know why.

Do these half-gas, half-electric cars really save you the money they're worth? Some questions right now about how much you're getting, based on the fuel efficiency or the electricity efficiency, too. So we'll get to that in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: Do you remember the story of the former Army lieutenant colonel? Now he's adjusting to a new life outside the military after a highly controversial resignation.

Is Al West a hero, or is he a torturer? CNN's John Zarrella has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Al West was invited to ride along with North Miami Beach police officers who protect and serve. That's what he used to do during 22 years in the Army.

His life has been very different the past few months. Now that he's a civilian, his family gets more attention.

LT. COL. AL WEST, U.S. ARMY (RESIGNED): I get to spend more time with them and my back doesn't hurt so much from bending over and lacing up combat boots.

ZARRELLA: A year ago, West, a lieutenant colonel, was accused of using excessive force to get information about a rumored upcoming attack from a detainee in Iraq.

WEST: I took my service 9mm, I fired it up into the air and then setting his head away I fired across from it, kind of like in the Navy. They fire a shot across the bow. And then he fessed up to the interpreters.

ZARRELLA: West says his actions saved American lives. Critics say he should have been court-martialed.

The Army fined him $5,000 and virtually forced him to retire, though with benefits.

A career cut short, but West says he's not bitter.

WEST: For me to come back and say, I hate the Army, that would be, in turn, saying I hate myself.

ZARRELLA: Now, West spends hours each day at his new home in Plantation, Florida, answering and reading e-mails.

WEST: The vast majority of the American people support you. Appreciate you the sacrifice you made.

ZARRELLA: And those who admire him want to hear him. He has made speaking appearances before a local Republican club, at churches and to police. WEST: Sometimes and so often we forget that you all are the true heroes every single day.

ZARRELLA: Next fall West will begin teaching high school social studies. He has, he says, hung up his sword.

John Zarrella, CNN, Plantation, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Al West also says he's enjoying getting time to spend more time with his family. He was off and traveling while he was serving in the Army -- Bill.

HEMMER: Twenty-five minutes before the hour.

Hybrid cars are such hot wheels right now that auto dealers say they can't keep them in their showroom, but some hybrid owners think they're being taken for a ride when it comes to fuel economy. The government now urging the automakers to warn buyers that the hybrids will not get the advertised mileage.

Rick Paul, automotive editor at "Consumer Reports" magazine, he has road tested and rated a number of these.

Nice to see you.

RICK PAUL, AUTOMOTIVE EDITOR, "CONSUMER REPORTS": How you doing?

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine. EPA numbers say 47 in the city, 63 on the highway. Why are they higher than the manufacturers?

PAUL: Well, the EPA numbers -- the test that the EPA does on these cars produces numbers that are much higher than what they're getting in the real world.

And so buyers are going in, expecting these high fuel economy numbers. But what then what they find in the real world, they can't match that.

HEMMER: Are they overselling it, then?

PAUL: Well, the automakers can post lower numbers, more realistic numbers, but they don't, for obvious reasons.

HEMMER: Obvious reasons. Their sales would go down, right?

PAUL: Yes. Now, in our test, we found in "Consumer Reports'" test that we do get excellent mileage with these. The Toyota Prius, for instance, got 44 miles per gallon in mixed city driving. That's the highest we've gotten in any five-passenger vehicle we've ever tested.

Unfortunately -- a lot of people think that's great and it is very excellent. But a lot of people are disappointed they're not getting higher because of the EPA numbers. HEMMER: To get back to the point, though, if the manufacturers aren't posting the right and accurate information, is that not false advertising for a consumer?

PAUL: Well, not technically, no. Because they're allowed to post the EPA numbers. They also -- in fact, typically they will. They can't post anything higher than the EPA numbers.

They can post lower. So if they see their tests getting EPA -- if they're getting lower numbers they can do that. And now the EPA is requesting that they do do that.

HEMMER: When we introduced you, we said that auto dealers are having a hard time keeping these cars in their showroom. Is that a fact?

PAUL: Well, yes. The Toyota Prius, there's usually a waiting list for that in many dealerships. We've seen a steady increase of sales of that over the first five months of this year.

They're selling -- In May they're selling about 33 percent higher than in January.

HEMMER: What complaints do you hear from people who buy these cars and figure out, "You know what? You told me one thing, and I'm getting an entirely different deal."

PAUL: Well, we do get it on both sides. We hear people that are excited about it. We hear people that are disappointed with it.

I think that automakers may be undermining their own products, because they're creating these over expectations. And people come in and buy the cars. And then they don't get the mileage that's posted and they're disappointed.

And for people who are considering buying a hybrid, well, if they see disappointed owners and they think they're over-hyped, they're going to shy away from it.

HEMMER: Good information to know. Rick Paul, thanks for coming in. Nice to see you on a Monday.

PAUL: Thank you.

HEMMER: All right -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come on American morning, doctors say drinking milk builds strong bones, but there may be a more important factor. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's going to have a look at that, just ahead.

And also this morning, he didn't take everybody's money, so why is everybody happy that this guy is walking away from the card table? We'll explain as we continue right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: Got exercise? A study in this month's "Journal of Pediatrics" says that exercise is even more important than calcium for adolescent girls.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us from the CNN Center with more on this.

Hey, Sanjay. Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Really interesting there, because you typically think of calcium as being the main ingredient for strong bones later on in life, but it turns out, at least according to a small study, that exercise may have a greater impact.

Specifically, what they're looking at is bone strength, and they followed along girls for ten years, starting at the age of 12. And they followed them along for ten years, trying to figure out, A, how much exercise they were getting; B, how much calcium were they getting; and C, how strong were their bones as a result.

The study findings are pretty interesting, actually. Again, a relatively small study, but 16 to 22 percent stronger bones from the exercise component of the study, and the calcium, as long as they were getting at least 500 milligrams a day, actually had a pretty minimal effect.

Now one important point here, Soledad. The reason the study is important is that most of your bone strength later on in life is actually determined very early in life, specifically between the ages of 13 and 15. If your bone strength is strong at that time, usually it will continue to build and be less likely to develop osteoporosis later on in life, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: So then are doctors recommending exercise in addition to calcium or are they saying, well, forget the calcium altogether, since clearly, it doesn't seem to have much of an impact?

GUPTA: Well, it doesn't have as much of an impact on this one particular study finding, which was stronger bones. But calcium does have other important impacts on the body.

Doctors are going to recommend both, specifically about 30 minutes of exercise a day for women and at least about 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day.

But those other impacts on the body, including impact on hair, vision, teeth. And it does have some impact on the bones, as well. No one is ready to toss calcium out the window.

And again, this was just a study of about 80 girls/women. Bigger studies are going to be needed still, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: When they talk about 30 minutes of exercise a day, what specific -- I mean, these teenage girls aren't really necessarily going to the gym. What are they talking about?

GUPTA: You know, it's interesting with this specifically. They're talking about 30 minutes of some sort of aerobic exercise a day. Good for cardiovascular health. Things like that.

Also, they also limit TV time, encourage group sports specifically for younger girls, leading by example. Having parents certainly exercise with the girls.

One thing that sort of strikes me, as well, Soledad, is when you think about exercise, you usually think about strong muscles, not so much strong bones. What they find is that when your muscles are stronger, you're putting a little bit of a load, a little bit of a strain on the bones, which actually helps them become stronger later on in life. So that is why the two are sort of connected by exercise, as well -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right. Sanjay, interesting study, thanks.

GUPTA: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Still ahead, more violence yet again today in Baghdad. Who were the targets this time in Iraq? That's ahead in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: It's about 45 minutes past the hour. Time to go back over to Heidi Collins with a check of the other news. And Iraq again front and center.

Good morning, Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It sure is, Bill. Good morning, everybody. Here's what's happening now in other news.

An American contractor is among the dead in Baghdad after a car bomb went off during morning rush hour. The blast killed at least 12 other people. Dozens more were wounded.

Angry crowds gathered after the attack, which was apparently aimed at western targets.

Some lawmakers claim the CIA is taking too long to review U.S. intelligence on prewar Iraq. The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says the job should have been completed two weeks ago, but a CIA official said yesterday reviewing the report is, quote, "a very exacting process" and that further delays are likely.

Health news now. Have another glass of O.J. about this time of day and you could be staving off achy bones. A new study shows a diet rich in Vitamin C appears to protect against some types of arthritis. Researchers report people with a high daily intake of Vitamin C are three times less likely to develop the painful joint illness than those with less healthy diets.

Storms in Texas dumping heavy rains and flooding highways and roads. The severe weather knocked out power for thousands of residents, mostly in the Houston area. No injuries or major damage, though, were reported.

And a Vermont man upping the ante in the record books. Larry Olmsted spent 72 hours at a Connecticut casino poker table with only 15 minute breaks every eight hours. Olmsted worked his $100 into nearly $1,000, which he mostly gave away in tips to casino staff. The record still needs to be certified by Guinness, though, to become official.

That's a long, long time for a $900 profit, isn't it? Or increase, I should say.

O'BRIEN: He looks a little woozy.

COLLINS: Yes.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I mean, that's sort of get a life, I think, a little bit. But, you know, that's just me.

O'BRIEN: Ouch.

HEMMER: Thank you, Heidi.

How about a little movie to go with that commercial? Andy Serwer is checking in, "Minding Your Business." And the Olsen twin -- sisters, rather. Don't call them twins anymore. Rich and getting richer.

Good morning.

SERWER: Good morning again.

Yes, the movie theater business has been in very tough shape over the past couple years. As a matter of fact, a couple years ago most of them were in bankruptcy. Now they've come back, though, very nicely.

Hollywood has been on a hot streak, but also helping out the business: ads, ads, ads. Have you noticed? A lot more advertising being shown amongst the trailers before the movie starts.

Look at that, especially the first line there: $356 million worth of ads being shown in theaters, up 37 percent over the past year. The average viewer goes in 20 minutes before the movie actually starts. It's a captive audience. Advertisers love that. They can't click the VCR or anything like that, get a drink. And they're 18 to 35 years old. They like that, as well.

Real question, though, are they delaying the start of the movies? The advertisers say, no, it's not.

O'BRIEN: Yes, they are. SERWER: There have been suits saying that they are.

O'BRIEN: Absolutely.

SERWER: They are delaying the start of the movie. They're not starting at 5 p.m.; they actually start at, like, 5:10.

So, it's an interesting thing that's going on here. And you know, one guy was saying it's better than the trivia games they show and also, you know, the ads with the realtors with the big hair.

HEMMER: Seen them all.

SERWER: That's what the guy was saying. Buy anyway.

HEMMER: What's happening with the Olsen sisters? They're 18.

SERWER: Yes. Yesterday was their birthday, in case you missed it. I know Jack Cafferty had that on his calendar.

And today they become the co-presidents of their company. That was supposed to happen on their 18th birthday. They are now co- presidents of Dual Star, their production company, both of them worth $150 million each. A billion dollar empire in terms of sales and everything else.

Can you imagine them calling a meeting this morning and saying, "OK, everyone's fired, you know, because we're the presidents now."

HEMMER: Think that will happen?

O'BRIEN: No. They get along pretty well with the people they have.

SERWER: No. Not in a New York minute.

HEMMER: No.

O'BRIEN: Very good.

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Thank you.

Still to come this morning, sick of long lines at the airport? They could be a thing of the past, but does it mean sacrificing security for convenience? We'll look at that question ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Question of the day and "Jack Cafferty File."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Time for "File."

People browsing the Web site CheapTickets.com came across an interesting item, intriguing. The Web site accidentally put up $61 round trip tickets to Iceland. They usually cost about $778, but before they could pull it down, like, 100 people bought the tickets.

And the Iceland Tourist Board is so happy that the people are even considering going to Iceland that they are giving each ticket holder free admission to the country's geothermal pools.

It's Monday.

A 27-year-old marathon -- I don't believe this story. A 27-year- old marathon runner in Mid-Wales outran 37 horses and 500 other runners and became the first human to win this horse against man race in the 25-year history of the event. That's just hard to believe.

I mean, Huw Lobbs, his name. He dominated the 22-mile long course through Morland (ph) farm tracks and roads and beat 47 horses to the finish line. The closest four-legged entry was a horse named Kay Bee Jay, and he finished two minutes and change behind the two- legged guy. He's now on his way to the glue factory.

Lobbs cannot claim to be the first human ever to beat a horse, however. 1936 Olympics runner Jesse Owens outran a 100-meter dash against a thoroughbred and whooped him.

Inmates at Juarez jail down there on the U.S./Mexican border are a bad group. These are murderers, rapists and the like, most of them serving 40-year sentences or more. But the guy who runs the jail has a heart, apparently.

The prison governor is offering up aromatherapy and classical music to calm the savage beasts. Scent of sandalwood and Mozart complement the romantic atmosphere and fine dining in the prison.

The prison governor says, "We don't want the prisoners to pass through jail without being looked after properly."

HEMMER: Sure.

Ever been to Reykjavik? Not a bad place, actually.

O'BRIEN: It's beautiful, actually. I've been to Iceland.

HEMMER: Yes.

CAFFERTY: Can't you get the same effect if you, like, just run some hot water in your bathtub? Could do the same thing.

HEMMER: Not exactly.

HEMMER: I guess not. Thank you, Jack.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment here, why some ex-diplomats who worked under President Reagan want President Bush out of office. That story is in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired June 14, 2004 - 08:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Extremely difficult time for the family of Paul Johnson. That's one of his sons, Paul Johnson III, in Cocoa, Florida.
His father was kidnapped over the weekend working for Lockheed Martin, an Apache helicopter specialist. He said he's been in Saudi Arabia since 1992.

You heard one of the questions from our own Gary Tuchman about coping at this point, Paul Johnson saying he finally got some sleep last night. He was up for about two days in time, hoping for a safe return. And again, he said many times, "I'm just praying and hoping."

And when you consider the fate of two other westerners, about a week ago a BBC cameraman was shot and killed in Saudi Arabia. Over the weekend, also, a man identified by the U.S. embassy as Kenneth Scroggs, he was also picked up and killed, as well.

A lot of concern happening today in Florida for the fate of Paul Johnson, the American.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And his son saying that he would be happy to exchange his place for his father's in a heart beat, if he possibly could.

So they're still waiting for some word. He said he's heard nothing new, as well.

It is just after half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Our top story this morning is Iraq. Another suicide car bombing there today, and this particularly devastating: 13 people killed, 60 wounded.

The target appears to have been a convoy of western electrical contractors. Five international workers were killed, though the break down of nationalities is not clear yet. After the explosion, a furious crowd began shouting "Down with the USA" and then looted some nearby buildings.

HEMMER: We'll get to that story in a moment here.

Also, an entirely different matter. Hybrids are some of the most sought after cars in showrooms today, so we're told. You only have to look at the price in gas stations to know why.

Do these half-gas, half-electric cars really save you the money they're worth? Some questions right now about how much you're getting, based on the fuel efficiency or the electricity efficiency, too. So we'll get to that in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: Do you remember the story of the former Army lieutenant colonel? Now he's adjusting to a new life outside the military after a highly controversial resignation.

Is Al West a hero, or is he a torturer? CNN's John Zarrella has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Al West was invited to ride along with North Miami Beach police officers who protect and serve. That's what he used to do during 22 years in the Army.

His life has been very different the past few months. Now that he's a civilian, his family gets more attention.

LT. COL. AL WEST, U.S. ARMY (RESIGNED): I get to spend more time with them and my back doesn't hurt so much from bending over and lacing up combat boots.

ZARRELLA: A year ago, West, a lieutenant colonel, was accused of using excessive force to get information about a rumored upcoming attack from a detainee in Iraq.

WEST: I took my service 9mm, I fired it up into the air and then setting his head away I fired across from it, kind of like in the Navy. They fire a shot across the bow. And then he fessed up to the interpreters.

ZARRELLA: West says his actions saved American lives. Critics say he should have been court-martialed.

The Army fined him $5,000 and virtually forced him to retire, though with benefits.

A career cut short, but West says he's not bitter.

WEST: For me to come back and say, I hate the Army, that would be, in turn, saying I hate myself.

ZARRELLA: Now, West spends hours each day at his new home in Plantation, Florida, answering and reading e-mails.

WEST: The vast majority of the American people support you. Appreciate you the sacrifice you made.

ZARRELLA: And those who admire him want to hear him. He has made speaking appearances before a local Republican club, at churches and to police. WEST: Sometimes and so often we forget that you all are the true heroes every single day.

ZARRELLA: Next fall West will begin teaching high school social studies. He has, he says, hung up his sword.

John Zarrella, CNN, Plantation, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Al West also says he's enjoying getting time to spend more time with his family. He was off and traveling while he was serving in the Army -- Bill.

HEMMER: Twenty-five minutes before the hour.

Hybrid cars are such hot wheels right now that auto dealers say they can't keep them in their showroom, but some hybrid owners think they're being taken for a ride when it comes to fuel economy. The government now urging the automakers to warn buyers that the hybrids will not get the advertised mileage.

Rick Paul, automotive editor at "Consumer Reports" magazine, he has road tested and rated a number of these.

Nice to see you.

RICK PAUL, AUTOMOTIVE EDITOR, "CONSUMER REPORTS": How you doing?

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine. EPA numbers say 47 in the city, 63 on the highway. Why are they higher than the manufacturers?

PAUL: Well, the EPA numbers -- the test that the EPA does on these cars produces numbers that are much higher than what they're getting in the real world.

And so buyers are going in, expecting these high fuel economy numbers. But what then what they find in the real world, they can't match that.

HEMMER: Are they overselling it, then?

PAUL: Well, the automakers can post lower numbers, more realistic numbers, but they don't, for obvious reasons.

HEMMER: Obvious reasons. Their sales would go down, right?

PAUL: Yes. Now, in our test, we found in "Consumer Reports'" test that we do get excellent mileage with these. The Toyota Prius, for instance, got 44 miles per gallon in mixed city driving. That's the highest we've gotten in any five-passenger vehicle we've ever tested.

Unfortunately -- a lot of people think that's great and it is very excellent. But a lot of people are disappointed they're not getting higher because of the EPA numbers. HEMMER: To get back to the point, though, if the manufacturers aren't posting the right and accurate information, is that not false advertising for a consumer?

PAUL: Well, not technically, no. Because they're allowed to post the EPA numbers. They also -- in fact, typically they will. They can't post anything higher than the EPA numbers.

They can post lower. So if they see their tests getting EPA -- if they're getting lower numbers they can do that. And now the EPA is requesting that they do do that.

HEMMER: When we introduced you, we said that auto dealers are having a hard time keeping these cars in their showroom. Is that a fact?

PAUL: Well, yes. The Toyota Prius, there's usually a waiting list for that in many dealerships. We've seen a steady increase of sales of that over the first five months of this year.

They're selling -- In May they're selling about 33 percent higher than in January.

HEMMER: What complaints do you hear from people who buy these cars and figure out, "You know what? You told me one thing, and I'm getting an entirely different deal."

PAUL: Well, we do get it on both sides. We hear people that are excited about it. We hear people that are disappointed with it.

I think that automakers may be undermining their own products, because they're creating these over expectations. And people come in and buy the cars. And then they don't get the mileage that's posted and they're disappointed.

And for people who are considering buying a hybrid, well, if they see disappointed owners and they think they're over-hyped, they're going to shy away from it.

HEMMER: Good information to know. Rick Paul, thanks for coming in. Nice to see you on a Monday.

PAUL: Thank you.

HEMMER: All right -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come on American morning, doctors say drinking milk builds strong bones, but there may be a more important factor. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's going to have a look at that, just ahead.

And also this morning, he didn't take everybody's money, so why is everybody happy that this guy is walking away from the card table? We'll explain as we continue right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) O'BRIEN: Got exercise? A study in this month's "Journal of Pediatrics" says that exercise is even more important than calcium for adolescent girls.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us from the CNN Center with more on this.

Hey, Sanjay. Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Really interesting there, because you typically think of calcium as being the main ingredient for strong bones later on in life, but it turns out, at least according to a small study, that exercise may have a greater impact.

Specifically, what they're looking at is bone strength, and they followed along girls for ten years, starting at the age of 12. And they followed them along for ten years, trying to figure out, A, how much exercise they were getting; B, how much calcium were they getting; and C, how strong were their bones as a result.

The study findings are pretty interesting, actually. Again, a relatively small study, but 16 to 22 percent stronger bones from the exercise component of the study, and the calcium, as long as they were getting at least 500 milligrams a day, actually had a pretty minimal effect.

Now one important point here, Soledad. The reason the study is important is that most of your bone strength later on in life is actually determined very early in life, specifically between the ages of 13 and 15. If your bone strength is strong at that time, usually it will continue to build and be less likely to develop osteoporosis later on in life, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: So then are doctors recommending exercise in addition to calcium or are they saying, well, forget the calcium altogether, since clearly, it doesn't seem to have much of an impact?

GUPTA: Well, it doesn't have as much of an impact on this one particular study finding, which was stronger bones. But calcium does have other important impacts on the body.

Doctors are going to recommend both, specifically about 30 minutes of exercise a day for women and at least about 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day.

But those other impacts on the body, including impact on hair, vision, teeth. And it does have some impact on the bones, as well. No one is ready to toss calcium out the window.

And again, this was just a study of about 80 girls/women. Bigger studies are going to be needed still, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: When they talk about 30 minutes of exercise a day, what specific -- I mean, these teenage girls aren't really necessarily going to the gym. What are they talking about?

GUPTA: You know, it's interesting with this specifically. They're talking about 30 minutes of some sort of aerobic exercise a day. Good for cardiovascular health. Things like that.

Also, they also limit TV time, encourage group sports specifically for younger girls, leading by example. Having parents certainly exercise with the girls.

One thing that sort of strikes me, as well, Soledad, is when you think about exercise, you usually think about strong muscles, not so much strong bones. What they find is that when your muscles are stronger, you're putting a little bit of a load, a little bit of a strain on the bones, which actually helps them become stronger later on in life. So that is why the two are sort of connected by exercise, as well -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right. Sanjay, interesting study, thanks.

GUPTA: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Still ahead, more violence yet again today in Baghdad. Who were the targets this time in Iraq? That's ahead in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: It's about 45 minutes past the hour. Time to go back over to Heidi Collins with a check of the other news. And Iraq again front and center.

Good morning, Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It sure is, Bill. Good morning, everybody. Here's what's happening now in other news.

An American contractor is among the dead in Baghdad after a car bomb went off during morning rush hour. The blast killed at least 12 other people. Dozens more were wounded.

Angry crowds gathered after the attack, which was apparently aimed at western targets.

Some lawmakers claim the CIA is taking too long to review U.S. intelligence on prewar Iraq. The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says the job should have been completed two weeks ago, but a CIA official said yesterday reviewing the report is, quote, "a very exacting process" and that further delays are likely.

Health news now. Have another glass of O.J. about this time of day and you could be staving off achy bones. A new study shows a diet rich in Vitamin C appears to protect against some types of arthritis. Researchers report people with a high daily intake of Vitamin C are three times less likely to develop the painful joint illness than those with less healthy diets.

Storms in Texas dumping heavy rains and flooding highways and roads. The severe weather knocked out power for thousands of residents, mostly in the Houston area. No injuries or major damage, though, were reported.

And a Vermont man upping the ante in the record books. Larry Olmsted spent 72 hours at a Connecticut casino poker table with only 15 minute breaks every eight hours. Olmsted worked his $100 into nearly $1,000, which he mostly gave away in tips to casino staff. The record still needs to be certified by Guinness, though, to become official.

That's a long, long time for a $900 profit, isn't it? Or increase, I should say.

O'BRIEN: He looks a little woozy.

COLLINS: Yes.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I mean, that's sort of get a life, I think, a little bit. But, you know, that's just me.

O'BRIEN: Ouch.

HEMMER: Thank you, Heidi.

How about a little movie to go with that commercial? Andy Serwer is checking in, "Minding Your Business." And the Olsen twin -- sisters, rather. Don't call them twins anymore. Rich and getting richer.

Good morning.

SERWER: Good morning again.

Yes, the movie theater business has been in very tough shape over the past couple years. As a matter of fact, a couple years ago most of them were in bankruptcy. Now they've come back, though, very nicely.

Hollywood has been on a hot streak, but also helping out the business: ads, ads, ads. Have you noticed? A lot more advertising being shown amongst the trailers before the movie starts.

Look at that, especially the first line there: $356 million worth of ads being shown in theaters, up 37 percent over the past year. The average viewer goes in 20 minutes before the movie actually starts. It's a captive audience. Advertisers love that. They can't click the VCR or anything like that, get a drink. And they're 18 to 35 years old. They like that, as well.

Real question, though, are they delaying the start of the movies? The advertisers say, no, it's not.

O'BRIEN: Yes, they are. SERWER: There have been suits saying that they are.

O'BRIEN: Absolutely.

SERWER: They are delaying the start of the movie. They're not starting at 5 p.m.; they actually start at, like, 5:10.

So, it's an interesting thing that's going on here. And you know, one guy was saying it's better than the trivia games they show and also, you know, the ads with the realtors with the big hair.

HEMMER: Seen them all.

SERWER: That's what the guy was saying. Buy anyway.

HEMMER: What's happening with the Olsen sisters? They're 18.

SERWER: Yes. Yesterday was their birthday, in case you missed it. I know Jack Cafferty had that on his calendar.

And today they become the co-presidents of their company. That was supposed to happen on their 18th birthday. They are now co- presidents of Dual Star, their production company, both of them worth $150 million each. A billion dollar empire in terms of sales and everything else.

Can you imagine them calling a meeting this morning and saying, "OK, everyone's fired, you know, because we're the presidents now."

HEMMER: Think that will happen?

O'BRIEN: No. They get along pretty well with the people they have.

SERWER: No. Not in a New York minute.

HEMMER: No.

O'BRIEN: Very good.

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Thank you.

Still to come this morning, sick of long lines at the airport? They could be a thing of the past, but does it mean sacrificing security for convenience? We'll look at that question ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

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O'BRIEN: Question of the day and "Jack Cafferty File."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Time for "File."

People browsing the Web site CheapTickets.com came across an interesting item, intriguing. The Web site accidentally put up $61 round trip tickets to Iceland. They usually cost about $778, but before they could pull it down, like, 100 people bought the tickets.

And the Iceland Tourist Board is so happy that the people are even considering going to Iceland that they are giving each ticket holder free admission to the country's geothermal pools.

It's Monday.

A 27-year-old marathon -- I don't believe this story. A 27-year- old marathon runner in Mid-Wales outran 37 horses and 500 other runners and became the first human to win this horse against man race in the 25-year history of the event. That's just hard to believe.

I mean, Huw Lobbs, his name. He dominated the 22-mile long course through Morland (ph) farm tracks and roads and beat 47 horses to the finish line. The closest four-legged entry was a horse named Kay Bee Jay, and he finished two minutes and change behind the two- legged guy. He's now on his way to the glue factory.

Lobbs cannot claim to be the first human ever to beat a horse, however. 1936 Olympics runner Jesse Owens outran a 100-meter dash against a thoroughbred and whooped him.

Inmates at Juarez jail down there on the U.S./Mexican border are a bad group. These are murderers, rapists and the like, most of them serving 40-year sentences or more. But the guy who runs the jail has a heart, apparently.

The prison governor is offering up aromatherapy and classical music to calm the savage beasts. Scent of sandalwood and Mozart complement the romantic atmosphere and fine dining in the prison.

The prison governor says, "We don't want the prisoners to pass through jail without being looked after properly."

HEMMER: Sure.

Ever been to Reykjavik? Not a bad place, actually.

O'BRIEN: It's beautiful, actually. I've been to Iceland.

HEMMER: Yes.

CAFFERTY: Can't you get the same effect if you, like, just run some hot water in your bathtub? Could do the same thing.

HEMMER: Not exactly.

HEMMER: I guess not. Thank you, Jack.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment here, why some ex-diplomats who worked under President Reagan want President Bush out of office. That story is in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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