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CNN Sunday Morning
Another Bloody Attack Targets Civilians in Iraq; President Bush in Asia; Secret Service Agent Wounded After Breaking up Fight in Mall; APEC Tradition Calls for Group Photo in Host's Native Dress; Meditation and Happiness; Interview With Actress Julia Sweeney
Aired November 19, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," day laborers the target of a deadly suicide car bomb attack south of Baghdad this morning. Seventeen people were killed when they gathered around the vehicle thinking the driver was offering jobs. At least 49 others were injured in the blast.
We're going to go live to Baghdad for the latest. That, in three minutes.
In the meantime, another contractor identified. The family of Jonathan Cote provided this photo of him to CNN. It shows him while he was serving in the military. Cote is one of the five security contractors still missing in Iraq. Coalition forces are aggressively searching for the men who were abducted Thursday by phony Iraqi police officers.
Let's take you now to Asia. The economic summit has wrapped up in Vietnam. President Bush and the leaders of the Pacific Rim donned these Vietnamese gowns for the official group photo. President Bush is due in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, in just a few minutes.
Well, Mr. Bush's planned stop over in Indonesia tomorrow is generating protests. Thousands marched through the streets of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, today. They condemned the visit and called President Bush a war criminal and a terrorist.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: The campus of Ohio State University a little banged up this morning after fans got carried away celebrating a big win over Michigan. About 40 fires were set around the campus. Police say 20 people were arrested for disorderly conduct and assaults.
Why all this? Because Ohio State won 42-39 to stay undefeated and make their way into the national championship.
Now to Bonnie Schneider, who's hanging out with us this weekend for Reynolds Wolf for a check of the weather.
Good morning, Bonnie.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, T.J.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Thank you so much. We'll see you plenty this morning.
And of course we run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage for you all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 7:15 Eastern.
Another day of violence in Iraq as a suicide bombing and several car bombs leave scores of people dead and wounded. We'll go to Baghdad live in just a moment.
NGUYEN: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's November 19th.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And good morning. I'm T.J. Holmes. 7:00 a.m. here in the East, 3:00 p.m. in Baghdad.
Thank you so much for being with us this morning.
NGUYEN: Let's start now in Iraq, where we have learned the identity of another abducted security contractor. Jonathan Cote is from Getzville, New York. This photo was provided to CNN by his family, and it shows him while he was serving in the military. Now, his family had no statement except to say that they hope he is released.
Cote and Paul Reuben are two of the five Western contractors abducted Thursday in southern Iraq by men posing as Iraqi police.
Meanwhile, another bloody attack targets civilians south of Baghdad.
CNN's Arwa Damon is live in Baghdad. She joins us now with the latest.
Arwa, bring us up to speed.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, good morning.
That attack happened in the southern city of Hilla some 62 miles south of the capital, Baghdad. This is what the attacker did in this case. His target was a group of day laborers, Iraqis just looking for a job to carry them through the day.
He drove up to the crowd in his vehicle, beckoned them over, saying that he had jobs for them, and then as the crowd gathered around his vehicle, he detonated his explosives. He killed at least 17 Iraqis in that attack and wounded another 49.
Also this morning in Baghdad, in the southeastern portion of the city, which is also a predominantly Shia area, three car bombs exploded at a bus station. In that attack, at least 10 Iraqis killed, another 45 were wounded -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Well, while this violence continues I know the search is on for the kidnapped contractors. Any progress in that area? DAMON: Not that we're aware of, Betty. Again, the military is very tight-lipped when it comes to disclosing those sorts of details. They don't want to do anything that is going to jeopardize this rescue operation. What we do know is that there is a very intense search that is going on to try to rescue these five contractors -- four Americans and one Austrian.
This is what has the military interested, baffled about this -- about this kidnapping incident. They are saying that it was a very sophisticated, well thought-out and well-planned attack.
These contractors were driving in a 43-vehicle convoy. Of them, six were gun trucks. Somehow the attackers, who right now are believed to have created a fake checkpoint and were posing as Iraqi police, but still, somehow the attackers managed to make off with 19 vehicles and these five Westerners -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Arwa Damon joining us live from Baghdad this morning.
Thank you, Arwa.
HOLMES: The situation in Iraq is the focus of today's "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." Among Wolf's guests will be Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Carl Levin.
That comes your way today at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Also today, CNN correspondents discuss military options and troop levels in Iraq with host John Roberts. "THIS WEEK AT WAR" comes your way at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
NGUYEN: Now to Asia. The economic summit is over in Vietnam, and President Bush is due to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, in just a few minutes.
President Bush and Pacific Rim leaders issued an official declaration promising to revive the world trade talks and crack down on terrorism. But the concluding statement made no mention of North Korea, which has dominated the talks. Instead, the group issued a verbal call for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.
The two-day summit ended with a group photo, with the leaders sporting traditional Vietnamese gowns. You see it there in the top left. More on those gowns and the photo coming up a little bit later.
HOLMES: And tomorrow, the president plans to make a stop over in Indonesia. And a lot of people there don't like it a bit. Protesters have already hit the streets expressing outrage.
CNN's Atika Shubert has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is what awaits President Bush in Indonesia, protests in the world's largest Muslim nation, hurling criticism on everything from Iraq to Palestine to the war on terror, even global climate change. Thousands turned out on Sunday, and more protests are expected for his arrival on Monday.
(on camera): This is the largest protest against President Bush yet. But rather than angry demonstrators, the mood here is festive, a day out with the family, an expression of Muslim solidarity more than anything else.
(voice over): Despite the anti-Bush sentiment, Indonesia is a key U.S. ally on the war on terror. It has successfully jailed and prosecuted more than 100 terror suspects. But as these protests show, Indonesia and the U.S. still struggle to win the ideological battle against militants, according to counterterror officials.
INSPECTOR GEN. ANSYAAD MBAI, COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL: The harder the physical pursuit, (INAUDIBLE), they become. We will fail if we just lay (ph) on the use of our power. We need to go on the line of (INAUDIBLE). I think the (INAUDIBLE) U.S. president will talk on this issue.
SHUBERT: The U.S. has supplied much of the financing for Indonesia's so-called hard power. More than $14 million in aid created Attachment 88, Indonesia's elite anti-terror squad that has successfully tracked down al Qaeda-linked terrorists. But soft power, the ability to win hearts and minds, remains weak. American aid for Islamic schools and moderate Muslim forums is ignored, or worse, rejected.
The terror threat remains. Eighteen thousand police and other troops have been deployed to secure the president's visit. So what does Bush hope to gain by coming to Indonesia?
SIDNEY JONES, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: I think for the United States the major benefit is the -- is the image of an American president standing side by side with the president of the largest Muslim country in the world. But there's a difference between the visuals that the United States wants and the very concrete things that Indonesia wants.
SHUBERT: Military equipment, more aid for its fledgling democracy is what Indonesia wants, not just for the war on terror. Yet, no amount of aid is likely to change the minds of these protesters. Indonesia may be a golden photo opportunity for President Bush, but for many here, it's a chance to send a clear and angry message to the president.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And CNN's Atika Shubert has been in the thick of the protests. She joins us now live from the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.
Can you tell us -- you've been in them, we're seeing them on tape here, but are these -- go as far as being angry protests that could potentially turn violent, or not so much?
SHUBERT: Well, unlikely at this point. The protests today were very well organized. The largest one, several thousand people in central Jakarta, gathered at a mosque, and it really was a festive atmosphere.
In addition to the speeches, they had also songs. There were bands there playing. And there was a market on the side. So it was really very much almost a day out with the family.
On the other hand, there is a radical fringe here that can become quite militant. For example, in front of the presidential palace today, in front of the U.S. Embassy, quite a few demonstrators there threatening violence. One of them even saying that it was -- it was OK to issue a death threat or kill the American president. But it seems unlikely that those threats will come to any reality.
Those are at the moment simply a militant fringe here. Nothing more than that.
HOLMES: Well, are Indonesian officials confident that they can do what they need to do? And what are they doing to step up security in light of the president's visit?
SHUBERT: So far they seem very confident. And what they've done is, they've put out about 18,00 police and other troops, deployed them in the area of Bogor. That's the town that President Bush will be visiting.
They're clearing out that area out of all traffic. There's even talk of cutting off cell phone communications there.
So they're really trying to make it as safe and secure a situation as possible. And keeping in mind that President Bush will only be in the country for less than 24 hours, only for a few hours at all. So they're really pulling out all the stops to try and make sure he's secure during that time.
HOLMES: All right. CNN's Atika Shubert for us in Jakarta.
Thank you so much, Atika.
NGUYEN: Well, it is a nightmare come true for shoppers in Annapolis, Maryland. A Secret Service agent involved in a shootout at a Maryland shopping center. How did it happen? Why did it happen? Find out when we go live to Annapolis in seven minutes.
Plus, President Bush and other world leaders in some colorful and special outfits. We were showing you this video a little earlier. And we'll look back and explore the history of the funny shirt tradition, if you will. That story coming up In 20 minutes, right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Is happiness the key to better health? Our main medical man, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, talks to everyone from comedians to scientists to figure out the keys to true happiness and how it could change your life. Do not miss, because we are not going to miss "HOUSE CALL," a very important "HOUSE CALL," this morning at 8:30 Eastern.
And we're back as happy people in 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: "Now in the News," a suicide car bomb kills 17 people south of Baghdad this morning. The attack took place in Hilla, about 60 miles from the capital. The bomber apparently targeted day laborers who crowded around the car before it exploded. Another 49 people were injured.
CNN has learned the identity of a second American abducted in Iraq. Jonathan Cote is one of the five security contractors kidnapped last Thursday. His family provided this picture to CNN. It shows him while he was serving in the military. The contractors were taken in southern Iraq by men posing as Iraqi police. Coalition forces are still searching for the missing men.
In Asia, the economic summit has wrapped up in Vietnam. Capped off by the official group photo. President Bush is due in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, in just a few minutes.
And then President Bush heads to Indonesia tomorrow, and already protesters are hitting the streets condemning the visit.
NGUYEN: And you'll want to say a happy birthday to two CNN icons this morning. There they are, check them out. You know who they are.
CNN founder Ted Turner, he turns 68. Turner launched the first 24-hour television news network back in 1980.
And Larry King celebrates birthday number 73. Larry joined CNN in 1985, hosting a worldwide call-in talk show, making him one of the most recognized names in television.
Happy birthday to you both.
And it's a happy day for some folks. Although it got a little rowdy.
Ohio State fans got really rowdy after Saturday's big game. They celebrated the 42-39 win over Michigan with a couple dozen fires around the campus in Columbus. They even overturned a car.
Now, police say about 20 people were arrested. But interestingly enough, they call it a calm celebration, and in fact they even characterized it as mellow, of all things.
We do run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. So, your next check of the headlines, that is coming up at 7:30 Eastern. HOLMES: A Secret Service agent is recovering this morning after he was shot while trying to break up a fight at a mall in Annapolis, Maryland. The off-duty agent managed to fire back, wounding his attacker.
Let's go live now to CNN's Gary Nurenberg for more details on what sounds like a scary scene in a mall here.
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a scene that you can really imagine, T.J. The weekend before Thanksgiving, what one police spokeswoman called a typical Saturday night for you at the mall, suddenly changed when a group of men began attacking another man, ganging up on him, we're told, punching him.
This took place in the food court area in front of hundreds of witnesses. Among them, an off-duty Secret Service agent and his family. He intervened, trying to stop that attack. Police captain Tim Bowman tells us what happened next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. TIM BOWMAN, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY POLICE: One of those individuals pulled a handgun and began shooting at the second individual. At that time an individual who was in the immediate area, we understand who's an off-duty federal agent, drew his service weapon, and began exchanging fires with the first assailant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NURENBERG: The Secret Service agent was struck. He returned fire, shot the gunman. And in the exchange of fire -- witnesses say they heard about 10 shots -- a third victim was struck. We do not know by whom.
The Secret Service agent and the original gunman were treated here and then transferred to Baltimore Shock Trauma, which is the premier emergency room in the state. The third victim was taken to a local ambulance. All three this morning we're told are in stable condition, with non-life-threatening injuries.
When the shooting took place, there was panic in the food court. We got the report of one eyewitness who said he saw one man throw his body over his family.
One man we talked to this morning had dropped him daughter off for the new James Bond movie. She was 15, going up an escalator, when she saw an unescorted 8-year-old child. She grabbed him, ran into the restroom to get him out of harm's way.
What precipitated the attack we don't know. Police who were working at 7:15 this morning are unable to give us the identifies of either the agent or the other gunman, described as a teenager. But we're told we'll have more information from the police department shortly after 8:00 this morning, T.J.
We'll listen for it. When we get it, we'll let you know. HOLMES: All right. Gary, thank you so much. I guess we'll see you here in a little bit.
Thank you so much.
NGUYEN: Well, we don't want to get a check on the weather this morning, this Sunday, as you're headed out. Let's see how your day is shaping up.
Bonnie Schneider joins us from the weather center.
Good morning, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Good morning, Betty.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: In the meantime, do you remember Bracciano? It's a small...
HOLMES: Who can forget Bracciano? Come on.
NGUYEN: Yes, exactly. After all the pictures that we showed yesterday.
Well, it's a small town in Italy, incase you missed it -- I don't think you did -- that reportedly survived the TomKat marriage hype from yesterday. And it's still in good shape.
HOLMES: We want to make sure ourselves. We'll have the ultimate TomKat wedding wrap lined up right here for you.
Again, our Alessio Vinci will handle this task. He's coming up in just about three minutes.
NGUYEN: Plus, President Bush and Russia's president Vladimir Putin side by side in some quite interesting get-ups. Although they're very traditional for Vietnam. Time for a comprehensive review of what they call the funny shirt tradition of APEC summit. Some weird fashion coming your way in about 10 minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: OK. We can all finally move on with the rest of our lives. That's right, because Katie Holmes wakes up this morning the wife of Tom Cruise.
HOLMES: Oh.
NGUYEN: Oh, can we just breathe a sigh of relief? Well, her adolescent dream realized in a very big way, with big stars, big castle, big wedding.
Let's get a wrap on all of this with CNN's Alessio Vinci.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice over): Every fairytale needs a castle and a waiting princess. The prince groom, Tom Cruise, arrived a few hours after the bride, cheered by hundreds of fans who waited hours to get a glimpse of one of Hollywood's hottest stars. "We've been here since 11:30 this morning," says this young girl, "but we don't mind because he's so fabulous."
To local residents, the beauty of the castle was a perfect backdrop for an event that brought Hollywood to this idyllic Italian town. "It will only be for one day," he says, "but this is the opportunity for the town to get well-known all around the world."
Being in the spotlight was thrilling for many of the town's residents, used to seeing this kind of crowd only on television. Among the VIPs attending, Jennifer Lopez with husband Marc Anthony, Brooke Shields, and Richard Gere, just to name a few. Actor Will Smith and his wife were in a particular good mood as they left their posh hotel.
WILL SMITH, ACTOR: We're going to join (ph) them right now.
VINCI: Singer Andrea Bocelli, one of the few Italians on the guest list, reportedly serenaded the newlyweds after the ceremony. By nightfall, the beauty of the castle was even more evident.
(on camera): All the candles on top of the castle have been lit. We do understand that 6,000 candles have been organized for this ceremony.
Georgio Armani, the Italian designer, has been hired here to not only the organize the whole ceremony, but also to provide the suit and dress for the groom and the bride.
(voice over): The media had a field day. News organizations and the most intrepid paparazzi even hired choppers. But authorities imposed a no-fly zone over the castle.
By the end of the day, it was Mother Nature who kept them away. And the fireworks, well, it was easier to hear them than see them. Mr. and Mrs. Cruise finally got the privacy of a first night as husband and wife.
Alessio Vinci, CNN, Bracciano, Italy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. So, as Alessio mentioned, the stylist behind TomKat's wedding, fashion icon Georgio Armani. Who is any better than that?
Here's a sample of what Armani did for the couple. Holmes wore a fitted Armani off-the shoulder gown with a silk train adorned in hand- made French lace and Swarovski beaded crystal embroidery.
Gosh, I wish we had a picture of this for you.
She also wore an ivory-toiled (ph) floor-length veil and ivory silk shoes.
And for Cruise -- well, they're both Cruise now, right? For Tom, there's the picture. There we go. Armani created a hand-made navy blue satin single-breasted tuxedo.
They look lovely, don't they?
Underneath, Cruise wore a matching four-button vest.
I know you're taking all these details down because you want to know. So here's a little more for you. And with just an added touch, the groom wore an ivory silk French collar shirt in the same fabric as the bride's gown.
So now you know.
Are you happy?
HOLMES: Are you kidding me? We just did all that?
NGUYEN: Oh, yes. All of that, because there are people who want to know. And it makes them happy.
HOLMES: But it's a white dress and a dark suit.
NGUYEN: But it's beautiful. But people want to know the details. Come on. Don't be like that, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. I appreciate the details. Thank you.
NGUYEN: Speaking of happiness...
HOLMES: Yes, ask yourself, are you really happy?
NGUYEN: Did that make you happy?
HOLMES: Did that make you happy?
Well, if you're not happy and you've tried other things to try to make yourself happy, then maybe you should try a Buddhist monk treatment.
Stick around. Dr. Sanjay Gupta's report is coming up on his series of happiness and your health. That's in about eight minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Plus, a comedian on a spiritual journey leaving her Catholic roots and religion to explore the existence of a god. We'll talk to comedienne and actress Julia Sweeney in our "Faces of Faith." That happens in 18 minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: "Now in the News," violence in Iraq this morning. Here's some new video coming in to CNN. Check it out. A suicide bomb killed at least 17 people south of Baghdad. As many as 49 others were injured in the blast which apparently targeted day laborers looking for work.
Another contractor identified. The family of Jonathan Cote provided this photo of him to CNN, and it shows him while he was serving in the military. Cote is one of the five security contractors still missing in Iraq. Coalition forces are aggressively searching for the men who were abducted Thursday by phony police officers.
And the economic summit has wrapped up in Vietnam. President Bush and Pacific Rim leaders issued an official declaration promising to revive the world trade talks and crack down on terrorism. But the concluding statement made no mention of North Korea, which has dominated the talks. A diplomat involved in nuclear negotiations says U.S. envoy Christopher Hill is going from Hanoi to Beijing for follow- up discussions on the issue.
HOLMES: President Bush's plan to stop over in Indonesia tomorrow is generating protests. Thousands marched through the streets of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, today. They condemned the visit and called President Bush a war criminal and a terrorist.
We do run down the stop stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 7:45 Eastern.
And from the CNN Center here in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: And good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
We want to thank you for being with us today.
HOLMES: And, of course, it's a bit early this Sunday morning, so how about starting the day off with a bit of a chuckle?
NGUYEN: OK.
HOLMES: Can you imagine President Bush wearing pretty much what amounts to a dress.
NGUYEN: Oh, it's a traditional Vietnamese outfit. It's not a dress. Come on.
HOLMES: But some people might think it's funny. I said essentially amounts to a dress.
Well, what about the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, wearing one of those things?
Well, CNN's Dan Rivers shows us a tradition world leaders face at some international summits.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After days of serious diplomacy over trade. security and development, in the end what we all remember of this year's APEC is the final group photo. It's become a ritual humiliation on the summit circuit. President Bush seemed barely able to stand still, such was his discomfort.
It's the same each year, garish costumes, embarrassed politicians, gleeful press. This was China 2001.
The next year, in Mexico, they wore the traditional guayabera shirts for a seaside snap. (INAUDIBLE) looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here.
In 2003, President Bush is trying to hide on the back row. We know you're there, Mr. President, and yes, we can see what you're wearing.
Chile, the next year, enough said.
And last year, in South Korea, it was this floor-length number.
And this is what they're wearing this year, traditional Vietnamese gowns. Don't adjust your TV. These really are the colors. Each is individually embroidered and each comes with its own accessories, a matching hat complete with its own little bag.
Designer Minh Hanh gave me a tour of her creations amid a flurry of last-minute alterations for her very powerful customers.
(on camera): Who would normally wear these garments?
MINH HANH, DESIGNER, APEC SHIRTS: Yes. The king, and here are queen and the first lady.
RIVERS: What's fascinating about these garments is what they tell us about the leaders that are going to wear them. For example, a lot of the men opted for this slightly more sober blue. They all wanted to look the same. But the women went for much more vibrant tones.
A couple of the leaders didn't want to wear the matching hats that come with the garments, because they're worried they were going to look a little bit silly. And interestingly, President Bush was simply too busy to have any sort of fitting at all.
And did their personality come out when you did the fitting? Were some of then funny? Were some of them very serious?
HANH: All of them is serious.
RIVERS: Oh, really?
(voice over): But really, how can you be serious when you look like this?
Dan Rivers, CNN, Hanoi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: That is just so wrong. That is a traditional outfit. I mean, come on. I thought they looked nice.
HOLMES: I'm sorry. I'm eating Twizzlers.
NGUYEN: Eating candy, again. Stayed up late to watch the game, eating candy this morning, just got busted. That's all right. Because you know what? If it's not candy that's going to cheer you up, we have something that might just cheer you up.
HOLMES: All right.
NGUYEN: Maybe you can take a lesson from a Buddhist monk. Their special ability to meditate is leading to surprising discoveries about happiness. Yes, happiness.
Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has this report from his series on happiness and how it can affect your health.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Few exert more power to shape their emotional state than Buddhist monks.
BARRY KERZIN, AMERICAN BUDDHIST MONK: There's so much happiness and joy and bliss, you almost don't know what to do with it.
GUPTA: Inside this MRI scanner, American Buddhist monk Barry Kerzin meditates with such focused attention that he can actually generate his own bliss. His good feelings show up in an area of the brain where researchers think happiness lives. The left pre-frontal cortex. Negative emotions such as fear and anxiety show up on the other side of the brain.
Now, any of us can try to elicit happiness like his. But the feelings we typically generate disappear in less than half a second. Kerzin meditates up to 12 hours a day. Somehow, he and others well practiced at meditation can manipulate the feelings to last for minutes, and minutes, and minutes sustained over time.
KERZIN: It kind of has a little bit of a blissful feeling. It feels nice. It feels lovely.
RICHARD DAVIDSON, MIND-BODY CONNECTION EXPERT: They will tell you that they are in a state of deep and genuine happiness all the time.
GUPTA: Kerzin, who was a doctor before becoming a monk, is collaborating with Dr. Richard Davidson, one of the world's leading experts on the mind/body connection. Davidson calls Buddhist monks the Olympic athletes of meditation, making them ideal candidates for research on how a positive disposition affects our health. Already, Davidson has found that people who are upbeat have a stronger immune response when they are given a flu vaccine. That means a positive outlook actually makes you less likely to get the flu. And population studies have shown that optimists live about seven years longer on average.
DAVIDSON: In general, there are data showing better health outcomes among optimists compared to pessimists on a number of different measures.
GUPTA: Meditation won't make you happier necessarily Davidson says, but even beginners can reduce the levels of stress hormone in the body and improve their immune response. Perhaps like the monks, all of us should think of happiness as a skill.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, here's something to know. You don't have to look far to find happiness on the Web. And Nicole Lapin, who is very happy this morning, joins us with more on that.
NICOLE LAPIN, CNN PIPELINE ANCHOR: Betty, are you happy?
NGUYEN: I'm pretty happy.
LAPIN: And you're healthy, right?
NGUYEN: 7:30 in the morning, I couldn't be any happier than this. Right?
LAPIN: And you're pretty healthy?
NGUYEN: Well, I would like to think so.
LAPIN: You're of course healthy.
NGUYEN: I should eat a little bit better, but, you know...
LAPIN: You're fine.
NGUYEN: We all have our problems.
LAPIN: That's another special.
NGUYEN: Yes, it's a whole other special.
LAPIN: There's a connection, actually, Betty, between happiness and your health. Well, so say experts. And you can find out more at CNN.com.
And, you know, we are always striving to be happy. Americans will actually spend more than $750 million on those self-help books this year.
And you can also check out this map online. It tracks the happiness levels in different countries.
So it's on a scale from 0 to 10, and then you can find out that the folks in Denmark are actually the happiest. They have a score of 8.2.
NGUYEN: Wow.
LAPIN: So where did the U.S. come in? Well, they actually came in number five. So not too great, not too bad. Average score of 7.4 there.
You can also watch several videos, several reports from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, including this one, where psychologists can actually tell how happy you are -- see this woman right there -- by reading your smile. They can tell if this woman's smile is real or if it's fake.
And are you happy at work?
HOLMES: Yes.
LAPIN: No, you're happy. You're away (ph).
NGUYEN: The answer would be yes, an undeniable yes.
LAPIN: You can take this quiz online to find out. All you have to do is answer a couple questions and it determines if you're really happy with your job.
NGUYEN: And if you're not, just send that questionnaire to your boss, right?
LAPIN: Right. Right. And send a little note.
And then when's the last time you were really happy? You can send us your pictures. Was it a wedding? Was it when you had a baby? Was it when you were going shoe shopping? Watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING?
Whatever it was.
NGUYEN: And if you're shoe shopping, just take a picture of yourself.
LAPIN: Just take a picture, send it in to us, and we could feature it. It's all at CNN.com.
NGUYEN: True happiness.
LAPIN: True happiness.
NGUYEN: At least for us females, yes.
LAPIN: Retail therapy, that's what we like to call it.
NGUYEN: Love it. All right, Nicole. Thank you for that.
LAPIN: Sure.
NGUYEN: It made me happy.
And you don't want to miss Sanjay's hour-long special, "Happiness and Your Health." It is a closer look at the surprising mind-body connection. It's tonight at 10:00 Eastern, only right here on CNN.
HOLMES: Well, all this happiness is just getting a little disgusting isn't it?
Stick around. A lot of happy people coming back after the break.
And also, our "Faces of Faith" segment.
Don't go away -- please.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: "Now in the News," day laborers the target of a deadly suicide car bomb attack south of Baghdad this morning. Seventeen killed when they gathered around the vehicle, thinking the driver was offering them jobs. At least 49 others were injured in that blast.
CNN has learned the identity of a second American abducted in Iraq. Jonathan Cote is one of the five security contractors kidnapped last Thursday.
His family provided this picture to us. It shows him while he was serving in the military. The contractors were taken in southern Iraq by men posing as Iraqi police. Coalition forces are still searching for these missing men.
In Asia, the economic summit has wrapped up in Vietnam, capped off by this official group photo. President Bush arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, just minutes ago.
President Bush heads to Indonesia tomorrow, and already protesters are hitting the streets there condemning his visit.
NGUYEN: In Gaza, Israel called off airstrikes when hundreds of Palestinians formed a human shield at an intended target. Now, the airstrikes were to have destroyed two homes of militant leaders after more rockets were fired in Israel from Gaza. The Palestinian prime minister was among those acting as a human shield.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at the top of the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIA SWEENEY, ACTRESS, "GOD SAID HA!": There lives Julia Sweeney. You know, she never married after a brief early liaison. But we've never known anyone who was happier and more full of life than that Julia Sweeney. How we envy her existence.
Well, that's when god just said, "Ha!"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: That is comedienne and actress Julia Sweeney in her 1998 monologue, "God Said Ha!" Many of you know her, though, as the androgynous Pat from NBC's "Saturday Night Live." But what you may not know about Julia is that she has embarked on a journey that led her away from her Catholic roots and religion to explore the very existence of god.
I spoke with Julia about her latest one-woman show, "Letting Go of God."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: You were a good Catholic girl, brought up Catholic. You were in the church, the whole deal. Well, after all of that, how long did it take you to get comfortable and are you comfortable now completely with being called an atheist, after all of that upbringing in the Catholic Church?
SWEENEY: No. I don't like that word "atheist". I mean, I was brought up like everyone here in America to really hate that word and think of, you know, atheist as associated with communist, you know. And I feel like that word only describes the teeny part of me, just one thing, that I don't live my life believing that there's a god watching over me. That's all it says about me.
HOLMES: Help people understand, how do you get from where you were, now, to being -- even though it's just a small part -- but still the word applies to being an atheist? How do you get from that to that?
SWEENEY: Well, it didn't happen overnight. It was a really long process that took about three years. And it started with me -- I was raised Catholic. I was happily Catholic.
I wasn't always going to church. I think from college until I was about 38, I only sporadically attended. But I really enjoyed being Catholic. The culture of Catholicism, my upbringing was fantastic, and I enjoyed it. But then I rejoined the church and I took a bible study class. The more I learned about it, the less I could believe that it was inspired by a supernatural force.
HOLMES: Your show now, "Letting Go of God," yes, the title itself will make you giggle a little bit, I guess. But what are you wanting other people to get out of that show? Do you want them to walk away and take more of a critical look at the bible?
Are you not necessarily preaching, but in a way kind of preaching atheism? Do you want other people to go that route? What do you want people to get out of that show?
SWEENEY: I don't know. You know, when I wrote the show, I wasn't -- I didn't an agenda about it.
I just wanted to tell my story, because, you know, like you, and probably everyone, I've heard millions of stories of people who found god, and what a beautiful story that was, finding god. And I enjoy those stories, too.
You know, I've listened and read and listened to the radio, and all that, gone to church for years and years. But I also feel like my story, which is leaving god and letting go of god, is a really beautiful story.
I'm a story where I went away from god, and I realized that there's really poor evidence for the existence of a god. I looked at the world through those lenses and it was still beautiful. Terrifying, but also beautiful.
And I just wanted to tell that story. So I don't think of it like preaching exactly.
HOLMES: All right. Well, real quick, last question I have to ask, are we ever going to see Pat again?
SWEENEY: No.
HOLMES: Never?
SWEENEY: Well, I have the outfit in my garage.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: OK.
SWEENEY: But I don't really have a reason to take it out of the box.
HOLMES: If you ever decide to, let us know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And Sweeney's monologue, "Letting Go of God," available on CD. And you can also find her blog on JuliaSweeney.com.
NGUYEN: She's done with god, she's done with Pat.
HOLMES: Done with Pat.
NGUYEN: She's done.
HOLMES: Letting a lot of things go.
NGUYEN: Just letting them go.
Well, it is a busy weekend for video game fans as Wii -- s in Nintendo's Wii...
HOLMES: Yes, some serious gamers stayed up late last night to get their -- Wii, Wii, Wii, Wii -- trying to get their hands on this new player.
So, was it worth the wait and worth the losing of the sleep? We will find out after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: I miss the "WaterCooler" sound.
HOLMES: That's the "WaterCooler".
We're back by popular demand, "WaterCooler". Another batch of odd stories you may have missed.
NGUYEN: You know we love it, and hopefully you love it as much as we do. So let's get started, shall we?
The Marine Corps reserves has made an about-face on a talking doll. You see it there. A donation of several thousand Jesus dolls will be enlisted after all in the Marines' annual Toys for Tots drive.
HOLMES: Earlier the donation was rejected because the Marines didn't want to offend anyone with the dolls, but Toys for Tots now said it's found appropriate recipients for the scripture-packing action figures.
NGUYEN: And yet another scientific study confirming what you already suspected, that chocolate is good for your heart.
HOLMES: Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found chocolate, like aspirin, helps prevent blood clots. Now, don't get nuts with this thing. They didn't say you should pig out on the stuff every day.
NGUYEN: Oh, come on. It's good for you. They simply said a little nip -- a little nip of chocolate can be...
HOLMES: How much is that?
NGUYEN: Yes, that's exactly what I was about to ask -- to be considered a healthy food. We don't know exactly what that means, but just go ahead and eat chocolate, especially the dark chocolate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii! Wii!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A little enthused maybe?
HOLMES: Yes. Can you guess what they want? Nintendo's new game console with the funny name went on sale at midnight last night.
NGUYEN: As you see, some people camped out for a week. Yes, an entire week to get their hands on the Wii, spelled W-I-I.
At about 250 bucks, many consumers see it as a smaller, more affordable game console to the flashier PlayStation 3, which we played yesterday, which debuted the day before to equal fanfare. But at a much higher price, around $600.
HOLMES: And I have to say, it's spelled funny, so we had someone who shall remain unnamed...
NGUYEN: OK.
HOLMES: ... called it the WII.
NGUYEN: Does it? It wasn't me. Let me just say that.
HOLMES: We're not going to say any names. But it did happen.
Finally here, if you're heading into the wilderness, one of the most important pieces of survival gear, your iPod.
NGUYEN: Of course.
HOLMES: Ask a young man who got lost in the Oregon woods after nightfall last Thursday.
NGUYEN: Yes. Fortunately, he had his cell phone and iPod. So while searchers spoke with him on his cell phone, it was the glow of his iPod screen in the darkness that eventually led to his rescue.
See? They're good for your health after all.
Well, if you're just waking up with us right now, it is 7:57 Eastern.
HOLMES: Yes. And we're going to get you caught up on all the top stories in just a minute.
NGUYEN: Yes. Can your high school photo -- mine's awful -- but can your really predict your odds for a happy future? Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the answer, and that is coming up.
HOLMES: I've seen your picture. It's a good picture, Betty.
Plus, put down the fork, walk away from that buffet table. You may not know it, but your mind may be making you fat. We'll tell you how to avoid mindless eating during this holiday season.
NGUYEN: We'll explain a little later on, on this edition of CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Here is some stories now in the news. President Bush arrived in Ho Chi Minh City just minutes ago. It is the city in Vietnam formerly known as Saigon. Mr. Bush is there for a quick stop over after attending the Economic Summit. We have a live report that is straight ahead.
HOLMES: The president's plane stop over in Indonesia tomorrow is generating protests. Thousands march through the streets of Indonesia's capital Jakarta today. They condemned the visiting call of President Bush a war criminal and a terrorist.
In Iraq a suicide car bomb killed 17 people south of Baghdad this morning. The bomber apparently targeted day labors. It drove around the car before it exploded. We will take you live to Baghdad in just a minute.
NGUYEN: When the campus at Ohio State University a little banged up this morning. Check this out; fans got carried away celebrating a big football victory over Michigan about 40 fires were set around campus. Police say 20 people were arrested for disorderly conduct and assault. Ohio State as you know won 42-39 to stay undefeated.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING with in depth coverage all morning long. You next check of the headlines coming up at 8:15 Eastern.
HOLMES: The power children have over your happiness. Coming up in 30 minutes. Find out who has higher rates of happiness parents or adults who don't have kids.
NGUYEN: I think I know the answer but I will wait.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is November 19, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, 8:00 am on the East Coast, 4:00 pm in Baghdad, 8:00 pm in Ho Chi Minh City formerly Saigon. Good morning everybody I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for being with us here this morning.
We are following two major stories out of Iraq this morning. CNN has identified a second contractor among those abducted Thursday. Also, a major suicide attack this morning targeting Iraqi day laborers. CNN's Arwa Damon is live in Baghdad following all these developments for us. Arwa hello.
DAMON: Hi T.J. Now that attack happened in the southern city of Hilla. Some sixty-two miles south of the capital Baghdad. It is a predominantly Shia area. Now there day labors had gathered Iraq is just looking for work, just looking for a job. When a suicide bomber drove up. This what he did, he drove up to the crowd and in his vehicle, called them over saying that he was going to be offering them a job, as the crowd gathered around his vehicle he detonated two explosives. At least 17 Iraqis were killed in that attack, another 49 were wounded and also this morning in southeastern Baghdad, again in a predominantly Shia area of the capital, three car bombs exploded at a bus station killing ten Iraqis and that attack wounding another 45.
The search continues for five contractors who were abducted in southern Iraq just in the vicinity of Basra. They were kidnapped when their convoy came upon a safe checkpoint. Insurgents were masquerading as Iraqi police. They were kidnapped along with nine of their drivers. The drivers were released. There are intense military operations to try to rescue these victims. The U.S. military is calling this a very complex and well-coordinated attack, T.J.
HOLMES: And Arwa what I believe will be the first a representative from Syria's government is actually making a visit to the new Iraqi government. What can you tell us about this visit of Syria's foreign minister?
DAMON: The Syrian foreign minister is due to arrive in Baghdad. This is the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. We don't have details of what their agenda is going to be at this point, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Arwa Damon for us in Baghdad. Thank you so much Arwa.
Iraq is the focus of today's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer." Wolf's guest includes the Iraqi ambassador to the U.S, as well as Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas and the incoming he will have the Iraqi am to the U.S. And the incoming chairman of the Senate Arms Services Committee Carl Levin of Michigan. That all comes your way at 11:00 am Eastern.
NGUYEN: Well Tony Blair back peddling on comments he made about Iraq. The British prime minister agreed with an interviewer who says Iraq was a disaster. But now Blair's spokeswoman clarifying he never called it a disaster itself, but meant to say the violence in Iraq is regrettable.
The British prime minister meanwhile is in Pakistan right now. He's talking about anti-terrorism efforts and Blair vows that British forces will stay in Afghanistan to battle Tailbone fighters there and he's pledging to help fund moderate Islamic schools in an effort to battle Islamic extremism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I think we are fighting against this Islamic extremism that is based on a warped and perverted view of Islam. I think that is happening everywhere, and I think we are in the middle of what is a difficult, global struggle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Blair and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf also saying a resolution is needed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict calling it a major rallying point for extremists.
HOLMES: Developments this morning in Israel. This information just coming. An Israeli aircraft fired at least one missile at a car in Gaza City. There are initial unconfirmed reports of casualties. This after Israeli sources say Palestinian militants launched four rockets into an Israeli town three miles from Gaza. Four Israelis were wounded, one critically.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians acting as human shields gathered at the home of two militant leaders. Not clear whether this action was a planned one or spontaneous one. And ad to the mix comments from Israel's deputy prime minister calling for Israel to walk away from international peace efforts to ignore the moderate Palestinian president and for Israel to assassinate Hamas leaders.
NGUYEN: Well just moments ago President Bush arrived in Ho Chi Minh City. Most Americans remember it as Saigon during the Vietnam War. Earlier the president wrapped up his participation at an Economic Summit in Hanoi. CNN's Elaine Quijano is traveling with President Bush and she joins us with an update from Ho Chi Minh City. What's on the agenda today, Elaine?
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you Betty. We'll let you know in just a minute, but first, security, of course, was a main issue in addition to trade talks here in Vietnam. Interesting to note, we were expecting to get a statement from the APEC leaders talking about concern over North Korea's resent nuclear activities, but instead when we saw the final written communique by the APEC leaders there was no mention of North Korea. We heard the APEC chairman who this year is the president of Vietnam expressing that concern verbally. He did it behind closed doors we are told with the other APEC leaders, but also as a news conference that he held earlier today when he called on North Korea to return to the negotiating table.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT NGUYEN MINH TRIET, VIETNAM (through translator): The leaders agreed to ask the party's concern to certainly implement the Resolution 1718 of the U.N. Security Council and they also called to come back to the six-party talks so as to reach a satisfactory solution to the Korean nuclear issue at the earliest possible date contributing to peace and stability in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Earlier President Bush sat down for a one-on-one discussion with the president of China, President Hu Jintao. China is a critical ally, particularly for the U.S. when it comes to those six- party talks aimed at getting North Korea to abandon the nuclear weapons program.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: China is a very important nation and the United States believes strongly that by working together we can help solve problems such as North Korea and Iran. Our bilateral relations are very good and you and I are committed to keeping them that way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: And President Bush also met one-on-one with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As expected the two leaders announced that in fact the United States will back Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization. As for the event here in Vietnam, a full day of events scheduled tomorrow, Betty. President Bush will be doing a number of things including stopping by the stock exchange here in Ho Chi Minh City as well as sitting down with business leaders here in the city. Clearly President Bush trying to underscore and highlight what he sees is the new face of Vietnam.
Betty.
NGUYEN: Let me ask you this Elaine, it is Sunday, where did the president attend religious services in a communist nation?
QUIJANO: It's interesting. This is a symbolic move. A deliberate move by President Bush to send a message politically. The president earlier today in Hanoi attended a church service, an ecumenical service, actually. He came out and made a very clear statement about the importance of societies tolerating religious freedom, obviously a not so subtle message to the government here in the communist lead government here in Vietnam. President Bush clearly not only doing something that he usually does Sunday mornings, but trying to send a political message as well.
Betty.
NGUYEN: It is clearly a message. CNN's Elaine Quijano joining us from Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Thank you Elaine.
HOLMES: A U.S. Secret Service agent trying to break up a fight at a mall food court and ended up getting shot. Those details coming your way in four minutes.
NGUYEN: Fighting food temptations this holiday season, ooh it is hard, isn't it? You might not realize how your everyday behavior could be setting yourself up for failure. In the next hour we're gong to talk with a food psychologist, yes, they do exist, about steps you can take to win that weight battle.
But first, here's Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
GUPTA: Hey thanks Betty. Today we're looking at the mind-body connection on "House Call," specifically happiness. It's something that people strive for and it is even in our Declaration of Independence. This morning we're going to find out who's the happiest and more importantly why.
Plus call positive attitude can actually reduce the amount of medicine people take. All of that coming up on "House Call" at 8:30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now in the news, authorities in Albuquerque want to know who left a container at this location here. You see the police are around this area. This was actually a festival. People were gathered in the city's fairgrounds on Saturday when someone noticed two containers that were labeled radioactive. Officials sent busses to transport people to a shelter. While Hazmat crews removed the containers.
A Secret Service agent is recovering in the hospital this morning after being shot in an Annapolis Maryland Mall. He the off duty agent was shot while intervening in fight between two teenagers; he returned fire, wounding the armed teenager. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG WHIPPS, WITNESS: About five bangs and then I didn't know what it was at first until I saw everybody running and I looked into the food court and there were people, like, hiding under the tables.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The crowded mall was evacuated after the shooting. None of the injuries are considered life threatening.
NGUYEN: All right. Check this out, Ohio State fans got rowdy after Saturday's big game and we mean big game, they celebrated the 42-39 win over Michigan with a couple dozen fires around campus in Columbus, they even overturned a car. Police say about 20 people were arrested but interestingly enough, they still characterize celebration as mellow, of all things.
HOLMES: In related news, they won the SCC West Division Title. Go Hogs!
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING of course, in-depth coverage for you all morning long. Next check coming up at the bottom of the hour.
NGUYEN: All right. Can a photograph that you take today really predict your odd for a happy future? Really? Can it? I don't know. We'll have details on that in just minutes.
HOLMES: Can it? Today's not a good day for me to show my happiness.
NGUYEN: I think they can tell if it's a fake smile.
HOLMES: Give me a real smile.
NGUYEN: I don't know why I just did that. I fell right into the old trap. Bonnie Schneider can you bail me out with a real smile.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No problem. That was a real smile. All right. A lot of people are smiling today in Columbus, Ohio and they're also smiling because we're getting good weather. As we look toward the Carolinas getting ready for another football game, the Carolina Panthers versus St. Louis Rams that is at 1:00 today at the Bank of America Stadium. We have a live picture to show you of Charlotte, North Carolina and it really looks nice for game time at 1:00, clear skies, looks beautiful.
We have temperatures in the mid 50s in the forecast. There will be snow to the mountains north of the city. Temperatures are chilly right now and once again it will warm up and we'll look for some nicer weather there. We'll have current temperatures in the 40s across much of the Northeast and even though there are spotty showers here and there overall, it doesn't look like a bad day, but of course, there's some place in the country where the weather is turning from bad to worse, lets take a walk over to the bigger wall now and I'll show you an area we're watching for serious, stormy weather and that's across the Pacific Northwest.
You can see all that moisture coming into the Pacific and into northern California. This is a lot of rain. We're expecting heavy rain, two to three inches or more over the next 48 hours. This computer model takes us into the future and we can show you where we are looking at the wet weather. Particularly right along the Oregon coastline, we are looking at not only wet but also windy weather; we already have high-wind warnings in effect. Some of the heaviest rain will be right here in northwestern sections of Washington, including Seattle and into much of Washington State, specifically Seattle and it's been so wet, already shadowed the record for the wettest November ever so it looks like we are going to get more wet weather in that part of the country.
Now as we look at high temperatures for today to the south in the desert southwest, it looks very warm into Phoenix, 84 degrees, maybe even warmer than that. The record high is 88 and we may get close to tying it or breaking it. So hot weather there and the rest of the country looks cool.
Betty, T.J.
NGUYEN: Bonnie let me ask you this. Do you remember your high school yearbook photo?
SCHNEIDER: Please don't put it out there. Big hair yes.
NGUYEN: Spiral perm it was bad. But T.J., how did yours look because I thought, Bonnie, that he would look the same.
HOLMES: It was just like this. Maybe the hair was a little longer.
NGUYEN: No you had extra something. He had a mustache. He had a mustache in high school.
SCHNEIDER: He was trying to be very manly apparently.
NGUYEN: You should bring that in.
I'm saying this for good reason Bonnie because this weekend Dr. Sanjay Gupta is exploring the link between health and happiness and how laughter is really the best medicine sometimes. So with that said? What's in a smile? Well, see for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's good. Where's that smile?
GUPTA: That smile means more than you think. Psychologist Dascher Keltner studies human emotion. He looks for it tell tale muscle movements.
In a genuine happy smile the corners of the lips go up just as other muscles contract around our eyes. DASCHER KELTNER, PSYCHOLOGIST: They're hard to fake and several studies have shown correlate with feelings of happiness, with activation in the left hemisphere of the brain. If you see evidence of that muscle movement you know the person is happy.
GUPTA: In one groundbreaking study, Keltner analyzes smiles of women in the college yearbook photo. These two women look very much alike, but hold on. Look closer. The woman on the left, see how her skin pouches under her eyelids? The woman on the right that tiny protrusion isn't there and sees this little crinkle in her cheek, it's less intense in the other woman's smile. The other woman on the left looks happier. Researchers followed the sample of women, as they got older. Keltner's findings?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: So what did the study reveal? Well we are going to make you wait. You have to wait for that one. Here's what you do, you tune in tonight at 10:00 Eastern for a special Dr. Gupta investigation where he looks at the surprising connection between your happiness and your health.
HOLMES: If you need more immediate Gupta fix. We have something else for you, you don't have to wait that long to get a taste of what the special holds. Just 10 minute away from Dr. Sanjay Gupta he looks at how you can get happy if the stresses of everyday life are wearing you down.
NGUYEN: And not only that did you ever wonder who was happier? Older, younger people, how about married couples or single. How do children affect your happiness?
HOLMES: Again, Dr. Gupta has all -- people just say that, sometimes, I don't have all the answers. Dr. Gupta has all of the answers at the bottom of the hour. Don't go away for that you just might be surprised by some of the answers to those questions.
We have another question for you here. Have you ever tried Budokon?
You're missing out on the latest low-impact to whip that body of yours into shape. We'll show you what's so special about Budokon.
NGUYEN: Then you can find what has the power to stop more than a thousand New Yorkers in their tracks?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can probably compete with your kids.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, absolutely, I'm going whip their butts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What do you get when you fuse martial arts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And scoop the pelvis, rolling the head forward.
COSTELLO: And ancient and modern yoga technique. Add meditation and you have Budokon which translated from Japanese means way of the spiritual warrior.
MAURA BARCLAY, BUDOKON INSTRUCTOR: And then we move into the more rigorous or marshal portion of the class. We do all ground fighting as you do is all ground fighting which is tremendous for women particularly because that's where we are the strongest on the ground.
COSTELLO: Master Cameron Shane a multiply black belt created Budokon and said it's the art of living, the way your body moves influences the way you live your life. Barclay says it's the ultimate total body fitness.
BARCLAY: When you practice with your mind involved the body gets sculpted and you get incredible abdominal cavity because it takes so much work, all of the kicking and punching firms the legs and the buns, everything. You can expect your body to completely transform.
COSTELLO: Shane has taught Budokon to celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox and David Arquette. The goal is to improve agility and strengthen the mind and body.
ANGELICA ANNINO, BUDOKON STUDENT: An amazing workout and you feel your mind feels so clear after you're done. It's incredible.
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. We get it! OK! Guess what these shoppers want, right? The new game console with a funny name that went on sale at midnight. Some people camped out for a week. Not just a day, an entire week to get their hands on the Wii. About $250 bucks, many consumers see it as a smaller, more affordable game console to the flashier Playstation 3, which debuted the day before to equal fanfare at a much higher price.
HOLMES: They were about $400 short. It's a good game system.
NGUYEN: It worked pretty good.
HOLMES: You were doing it well. We have a happy birthday for two very important men here at CNN.
NGUYEN: No doubt, birthday wishes to Ted Turner, the man responsible for this very network. He started CNN back in 1980 and 1991 Turner was named by "Time" Magazine as man of the year.
HOLMES: Today also Larry King's birthday. He joined CNN in 1985 hosting a worldwide call-in talk show making him one of the most recognized names in TV.
NGUYEN: A big happy birthday to two CNN's icons.
HOLMES: What do you think they'll do? Do you think they'll party together?
NGUYEN: I bet Larry gets some suspenders for his birthday. How much you want to bet?
HOLMES: Yes.
Well, if you're just starting your day. Stick around we'll run down what happened around the world while you slept. That's coming up in three minutes.
NGUYEN: If you're determined to not gain those extra holiday pounds you'll want to hear from our guest next hour. You can find out simple food tricks you can play on your mind. Yes, your mind to stay in control.
HOLMES: And also straight ahead.
NGUYEN: It makes me want to laugh.
HOLMES: Okay. That's funny.
Is she OK?
NGUYEN: I think so.
HOLMES: This will be good for your health. This is part of the special Dr. Sanjay Gupta investigation. You don't want to miss this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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