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CNN Sunday Morning
Meat Recall; Search for Video Assault Suspect; Myanmar Situation
Aired October 02, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN HOST, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is September 30th. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyn.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN HOST, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Good morning. I'm Rob Marciano, I'm in for T.J. Holmes. He's on vacation for the second week in a row.
NGUYEN: Just have a good time.
MARCIANO: It is 7:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, 5:30 in the afternoon in Myanmar where we're getting new I-reports from this week's protests. Today the streets are a bit more quiet; the diplomat efforts are still going on to resolve that situation as it intensifies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I'm concerned that one person had it, that's enough to do a recall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A massive meat recall, but this woman says it should have happened sooner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): That's been the Mexican that has been in the minds of Americans for 150 years. What I'm trying to do is rob it of its power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Yes, it's in your face. One man is taking on stereotypes about Mexican people and their culture.
Take you to Las Vegas; it is the focus this morning as authorities search for the suspect in a brutal sexual assault. Police are looking for the man seen on videotape molesting a then 3 year old girl. They're also searching for the man who turned over that videotape. CNN's Kara Finnstrom is live in Las Vegas. Kara, we know that the little girl is safe but now we've heard from someone who has talked to the suspect. What have you learned?
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We got new information overnight from a man who said he's had a close relationship with the main suspect in this case, Chester Stiles. The man we spoke with, his name is Todd Allen and he sat down with CNN's Dan Simon for an interview. Todd Allen tells us that he saw Chester Stiles just about a week ago here in Las Vegas shortly before Stiles was linked to this case.
Now here is the connection Todd Allen tells us that he lived with the little girl, who was seen victimized in this video tape with her mother and his sister in an apartment. They were all roommates. He says from the videotape clips that he's seen aired on TV, he knows that this was his apartment that this abuse took place in.
What's his connection to Stiles? These is where it gets complicated, but stick with me, he says his mother dated Chester Stiles for ten years and sometimes the two of them would come over to that apartment and they would all hang out. He says at some point the little girl was left in the care of his mother. Here is what he had to say about how he thinks Chester Stiles came to have time alone with this little girl.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD ALLEN, SON OF SUSPECTS EX-GIRLFRIEND: That's the difficult question that we're all trying to come up with. That's what we're trying to figure out, amongst out family is how it actually happened. The only thing I can think of is that he was there while somebody was baby-sitting the children and he managed to -- either that person fell asleep, took a nap or stepped out and managed to get time alone with her. But I don't see how that would happen. I can't see anybody allowing that to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FINNSTROM: Now Todd Allen says that at times Chester Stiles could become very violent, that he always carried a knife. He also says that nobody suspected or saw any signs of sexual abuse with this little girl and he says he feels this little girl acts like a normal 7-year-old now and that she's well taken care of by her mother.
As far as Chester Stiles, we want to take a look at this man's wrap sheet. It gives you a little bit more of an idea of who the suspect is. On that wrap sheet, we say things like grand larceny, auto burglary, domestic violence, resisting a police officer, assault with a deadly weapon and contempt of court. And not on there in addition to all that he's also wanted by the FBI on charges of lewd conduct with a minor in another case. This is a man that authorities say is very dangerous. They're hoping the public will take a look at these pictures they've released of him and hopefully call them with some tips.
And one side note to that Betty, Todd Allen tells us when he saw Chester Stiles; he had longer hair than what we're seeing in these pictures. So that may help some people who may have seen him during this last week.
NGUYEN: That will provide a clue. Let me ask you this, Las Vegas is the focus. This information is coming to light. Since we've been putting these pictures out, Chester Stiles is a suspect at this point, but is there some concern that he may have left that Las Vegas area, especially with the media attention?
FINNSTOM: There definitely is. Todd Allen confirmed what we've heard from other sources and that's that he's a survivalist. The district attorney down in Nye County talked with a number of people and said that this is a man that can live with little water, can live in very, very barren condition without a lot, so who knows where he could be hiding out.
NGUYEN: We'll continue following this search. Kara Finnstrom joining us live from Las Vegas with the new developments today. Thank you, Kara.
MARCIANO: New this morning out of Long Island, New York a noose has been found hanging at police headquarters. Right now, an investigation is under way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREY PEGUES, NATL. ORG. OF LBACK LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVES: In this day and time, 2007, we're not going to just stand by. Today it's a noose and tomorrow they are tying to put somebody's head in it.
NOEL LEADER, 100 BLACKS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO CARE: We want that person punished. They should no longer be a member of this agency. Their employment should be terminated immediately in order to send the proper signal that we will not tolerate a noose nowhere, no way at no time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: The police chief says the noose was found inside a locker room on Friday. About half of the police officers in the department are minorities. Officials recently took a part in a countywide effort to recruit more minorities and women.
Echos of the Jena six case there in New York and in Connecticut, too. Protesters marched yesterday in Hartford to support the Jena six. They're the six African-American students accused of beating a white classmate. None of the young men are in jail anymore, but they still face charges.
NGUYEN: Diplomacy is taking center stage in Myanmar today. The streets are relatively quiet. A U.N. envoy is in the country right now meeting separately this morning with both government leaders and the key voice for the pro democracy movement. Myanmar's military has clamped down on many of the people there living in the larger cities making numerous arrests overnight. CNN and other journalists are banned from broadcasting from inside Myanmar. So CNN's John Vause comes to us now this morning from neighboring Thailand. So we talk about the U.N. envoy and the hopes behind that yesterday. Now that these meetings have taken place at least some of them. What have you learned has become of it? JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty. Nothing is certain about this meeting that it was even going to take place. But it now appears that according to western sources, Gambari has met with Aung San Suu Kyi but just what was said and how long the meeting lasted, we don't know. There are also unconfirmed reports that the military representative was, in fact, the top leading general in this military government. But regardless of who Gambari met with from the military regime, the message would be the same, that the world wants them to show restraint and the time has come for the military government to begin talks with those pro democracy groups.
That message may now have a little more authority after comments made by the Chinese prime minister who called on the Myanmar government to resolve this peacefully. They're the strongest words so far coming from the Chinese and China is seen from the one country who has the most amount of sway over this military dictatorship.
NGUYEN: And we'll see what becomes of all that. CNN's John Vause, joining us live from Thailand this morning. John we thank you.
There is so much more on this story that we're going to talk about today, including speaking live with a Buddhist monk here in America. He's going to talk about his thoughts on the situation there in Myanmar and that is coming up a little later this morning. .
MARCIANO: Iran's parliament is condemning the U.S., the CIA, and also U.S. army. They're calling them terrorists. Iran's law makers issued a statement today calling the agency and the military trained terrorists. The statement criticizes the U.S. for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The action comes days after a U.S. senate resolution seeking a terrorist designation for Iran's revolutionary guard.
Meanwhile, two more Americans have been killed in Iraq. The military says one soldier was shot dead yesterday in Diyala Province yesterday just north of Baghdad. Another was killed by gunfire in southern Baghdad. The death toll is at 3,803 of Americans killed in Iraq since the war began.
A planned shuffle at the Pentagon takes place tomorrow with Admiral Michael Mullen who will be moving into the top spot. Mullen is now chief of naval operations, tomorrow he takes over as the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff. CNN has learned that one of the first things Mullen plans to do is to visit the military academy at West Point. Mullen says he plans to focus on accountability and reassuring U.S. troops who are exhausted from long tours of duty in Iraq.
Today on "This Week at War" CNN correspondents discuss Iraq, Iran and the crisis in Myanmar. "This Week at War" that's at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
NGUYEN: Well before you fire up that grill this afternoon, we want to tell you about a major hamburger recall. You may have heard about it earlier this week, 330,000 pounds recalled because of positive e. Coli tests. Now that earlier recall has been expanded to include millions of pounds of frozen hamburger patties across the country. Twenty five illnesses are under investigation. The meat has a sell by date of September 25, 2007 to September 25, 2008. CNN's Jim Acosta takes a closer look into this recall.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Where is the tainted beef? Federal and state health officials believe it was sold in the form of those popular frozen patties found in supermarkets and wholesale stores around the country.
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): I will not be buying it. I'm glad. I'll spread the world and let me families members knows and friends.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I probably won't buy them again.
ACOSTA: Groceries are pulling the products from their store shelves.
JEFF BROWN, SHOP RITE OWNERS: We went back and researched all customers who bought that Topps product from June to the current date and called those customers so make sure they didn't use the product and returned it to their local store.
ACOSTA: Topps Meat Company announced the recall of nearly 22 million pounds of beef after discovering the bacteria e coli in samples at this processing plant in New Jersey.
SAMANTHA SAFRANEK, POSSIBLY SICKENED BY E. COLI: Went through a lot. It was really painful. And in the back of my mine, I had that question if I was going to make it.
ACOSTA: State health officials in New York feel the number of illnesses could go higher, saying some of the tainted beef is still out there.
CLAUDIA HUTTON, NYS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: This is the first case we had in New York where one of the patients had leftover hamburger at home that we could take and test. That tested for e. Coli in a very particular strain that usually isn't seen in this state.
ACOSTA: A Topps official down played the public health threat saying most of the meat effective by this recall has already been eaten. The company noted, this is its first recall in its 65 years history.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Elizabeth, New Jersey. .
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Well will he or won't he?
NGUYEN: That's been the question.
MARCIANO: Newt Gingerich is going to make a decision on whether or not he runs for president. We will tell you the answer just minutes away.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider. We're going to take a look at the Tropics. While one system is fizzling out and another one is still going on. I'll have a look at that.
Plus your national forecast coming up.
NGUYEN: And the renewed search in Death Valley for an adventurer. The latest on the efforts that are still going on to find Steve Fossett.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: A renewed search today in Death Valley for missing aviator Steve Fossett. Teams both in the air and on the ground are combing a section of Death Valley landscape. Fossett a world famous adventurer was last seen taking off from a Nevada ranch in a small plane on Labor Day. Major searches were called off on September 19th, but new satellite imaging of the area turned up possible crash sites leading to the new searches yesterday and more today at first light.
MARCIANO: Happening this morning, space shuttle "Discovery" will be moving to the launch pad. It blasts off the International Space Station on October 23; you are looking at live pictures there. Today's mission is more of a slow crawl, it will take six hours for it to reach the pad, which is less than four miles away and we'll dip in and bring you all of that action.
NGUYEN: That excitement.
MARCIANO: Throughout the morning.
NGUYEN: The weather in Florida has forced the rollout to be postponed. And meteorologist Bonnie Schneider is here with a look at the weather across parts of the country. What is that brewing right behind you?
SCHNEIDER: We're going to take a look at the Tropics. Because we've had a lot of changes yesterday, yesterday we had two strong tropical storms. Now we have one and I think it's weakening, as well. Take a look at Melissa and Karen. Can you guess which one is stronger? I can show you that we still have the remnants, sort of what's left of Karen brewing out there. It may regenerate, but right now this tropical depression is -- we don't have advisories issued on it.
We do have tropical storm Melissa. This storm currently has winds at 40 miles per hour just like yesterday. Gusts are a little higher though at 50 miles per hour and the storm manages to stay sustained at least through Wednesday. We'll have to see what happens as it gets out to the open waters of the Atlantic.
One of the problems for these storms to really get going has been wind sheer coming from the southwest. That's really torn apart the thunderstorms and broken down the storm and that's why we're seeing Karen dissipate. We can't rule out what is going to happen with that one, we'll watch it closely.
In the meantime, it is a cool morning out there. We're wrapping up the month of September and as we go into October, you can feel that taste of the cooler weather in the air. Look at Caribou right now under a frost advisory, 35 degrees in Caribou, 46 degrees in Portland, 57 in New York City. We'll be seeing some warmer temperatures to the south, still in the 80s and 90s to the Gulf Coast.
Rob, Betty.
NGUYEN: All right, Bonnie. Thank you so much. We are watching that and this. Coming up, a boxer who is a real fire and she is today's CNN hero.
MARCIANO: Love this segment. You're going to want to stick around for it. We've been looking at heroes from around the country doing great things and around the world. That segment "CNN Hero's" is coming up stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: When the tragic death of a loved one happens, it's difficult, to say the least. Many people find their lives greatly affected. That happened to one of today's "CNN Heroes." But Monica Lovato, she came out swinging. Now she's using her talent to breathe life and a future into her drug ravaged community.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MONICA LOVATO: All right. So lets start.
Espanola is a small community. And the biggest thing out there, they always say, is these drugs and the overdoses and the poverty and all the bad things. But with that kind of reputation, it is negative and it hurts the kids. It hurts the kids to hear that and to think that, you know, that's all there is.
My name is Monica Lovato, and I started a boxing program last year at the city of Espanola so that the kids would have something to do and somewhere to go after school. When I was younger, there wasn't much to do in Espanola, we just found somebody's house to hang out at and party. Leroy was boyfriend throughout high school, after high school he got into a car accident on his way home late at night and he was killed in a car accident. Leroy's death really, really took a toll on me. It felt like a part of me died. To try and get my mind off of things, forget about Leroy and forget about what happened, I started boxing. It's really changed my life around.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): You're inner and the new champion, Monica!
LAVATO: I recently won the IBA Banum Weight World Champion title belt. Last year, I made an agreement with the city that I would volunteer my time to start the Espanola Boxing Club. It's something for the people. It's something for the community. The most important part of my program is teaching self-discipline and raising their self- esteem.
Those of you that have been slacking on running, you're only hurting yourself. Remember that, OK? The dream is to build a big community center that's affordable for everybody. If we don't keep them busy and have something for them to do, then we haven't accomplished anything. I'm not just boxing in the ring, but I'm fighting for my community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Go to CNN.com and you'll find out much more about Monica. Go to CNN.com/heroes. Check out a day in the live of Monica Lovato and see footage of her recent fight for the world champion title belt.
And while you're there, you are also going to want to nominate well may be a hero that you know. You have to hurry though the deadline for that is today, so hurry.
Betty.
NGUYEN: Great story Rob. Thank you so much.
Well lawmakers in one state are working overtime to prevent a partial government shutdown. That is just minutes away.
Plus we're going to talk to Bonnie for a second. Hey there Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Hi, Betty. We are watching some chilly temperatures this morning in the northeast. A frost advisory is in place for parts of Maine.
I will tell you when it will warm up and where else it is going to cool down. That is all coming up.
NGUYEN: We are following the latest developments in the child assault case out of Nevada. The search goes on for not one, but two men.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Welcome back. I'm Rob Marciano in for T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: All choked up. That happens when you work with me, huh?
MARCIANO: Sure.
NGUYEN: I'll pay you later for that. T.J. is off this morning having a good time, but we are here holding down the fort. And we have a lot to tell you about. Good morning everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen.
First up Latino Americans are the largest minority in the U.S. That is why both Republicans and Democrats are courting them for next year's elections.
MARCIANO: You've seen them lead protests, but what do these Buddhist monks really believe? Find out in our "Faces of Faith." New developments in the search for the suspect in a chilling sexual assault, the hunt for Chester Arthur Stiles is now focused in Las Vegas. Police say that's his most recent address and they believe Stiles is the man seen on a videotape molesting then three-year-old girl. Police are also looking for the man who turned over the tape, Daryn Tuck, but they can't find him, either.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED MILLER, "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED:" He found the sex tape. He claims that he found it in the desert while he was riding his dirt bike. Police do not believe that story. They gave him a lie detector test yesterday. He failed the lie detector test; he still maintains that he had nothing to do with this. He says he doesn't know the girl, he does not know Chester Stiles. He says in his opinion he was doing the right thing by turning it over to the police. The big question is why he held on to a tape for so long after finding it and not giving it to the police right away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Authorities says the girl on the tape was found safe with her mother. She's now 7 years old.
NGUYEN: All right. Let's talk presidential politics, shall we? The top two Democrats in the race are searching for support from the congressional black caucus. Senator Barack Obama is the first caucus member to run for president in more than 30 years. But Senator Hillary Clinton has a slight edge in endorsements of the group. Thirteen of the 42 members say they're backing Clinton, 12 are backing Obama.
Republican Rudy Giuliani says he is no Hillary Clinton, but he can beat her. Giuliani is campaigning in California this weekend and he is trying to convince the states Republican voters that he should be the party's nominee because he can take on Senator Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm the only one that has a real chance of beating her in some of the states that we have to carry like California. I think we could win in California. I think if it were another Republican, they would close down the office here in California the way we have in the past.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Giuliani told a convention of Republican women, Americans pick a president based on the person, not their gender.
Well, Democratic candidate and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is being honored in Spain. He received an award for encouraging closer relations between Spain and the U.S., a ceremony last evening in Washington. Richardson said he's also honored to be the first Hispanic to become a serious candidate for president.
And Republican candidate Mike Huckabee is running on faith. He was speaking at a church in New Hampshire today. Huckabee appeared before a Christian youth group yesterday and according to The Boston Globe, he told members his faith makes him feel humble, not superior to nonbelievers. The former Arkansas governor is also a former Southern Baptist preacher.
And listen to this, Newt is not running. That is the word from the spokesman for former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Gingrich hinted just days ago that he would make a run for president. On Thursday, he told reporters if they pledged $30 million over a three-week period, he would join the race. But Gingrich says he realized he can't legally run his political action committee and form a presidential exploratory committee at the same time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH (R), FMR. HOUSE SPEAKER: How do you abandon this project that we've launched for a year now that is beginning to gain momentum and how do you cut it off the weekend you're launching it? And so we concluded that it was impractical. You couldn't do both. And if you had to choose between exploring for a presidential campaign or continuing the momentum of an organization that I think will dramatically expand over the next year, and it's really bipartisan, it has Democrats and Republicans involved, then my job as a citizen was to focus on American solutions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Gingrich has not run for political office since he resigned from Congress almost 10 years ago. Well, coming up, Paul Steinhauser with CNN's political unit will talk about the battle between the Democrats and Republicans over Latino and Hispanic voters. You'll want to see that live. It comes your way in 20 minutes -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Betty, a spending showdown. Government operations still running this morning after President Bush signed a temporary emergency spending bill. The measure prevents a government shutdown. But president called out the Democratic-controlled Congress saying, they're planning, "the biggest tax increase in American history to pay for domestic spending." The president has threatened to veto most of those spending bills.
Meanwhile, Michigan lawmakers pulled an all-nighter, racing against the clock to head off a partial government shutdown. The state legislature is working to come up with a budget for the new fiscal year, which starts at midnight. They're considering measures that involve a higher income tax and expanded sales tax and government restructuring. The governor has already told about 35,000 of the state's nonessential workers not to report to work tomorrow if the deal is not reached and a shutdown occurs.
And the Supreme Court opens a new term tomorrow. And in a couple of hours, the justices will attend the annual Red Mass. The Mass traditionally marks the beginning of the Supreme Court's fall session. It includes a prayer for justices, judges and others. The Red Mass will take place in Washington at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. (WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Coming up, the monks of Myanmar. What motivates men of peace to take to the streets and protest? I'm going to talk to a Buddhist chaplain in our "Faces of Faith" segment, that is right after this.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Plus, how much do you know about the secretive country of Myanmar? I have got a quick Q&A to test your skills, that's all coming up next from the dot-com desk. So, Rob, you have got to study up.
MARCIANO: I'm taking notes, that's for sure.
And being Mexican in America, we'll talk to one guy who lays it on the line and sets the record straight about learning English, trucks and even pinatas. We will be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: We have some new I-Report video from Myanmar to show you. And it us just in to CNN. Take a look. It illustrates the ongoing crackdown by Myanmar's military. Security forces are seen going after pro-democracy demonstrations with an iron fist. Those protests were started by Buddhist monks. But what's behind their extraordinary effort? That's the question and that's the focus of our "Faces of Faith" segment today. So joining us from Austin, Texas, is Bhante Uparatana, a Buddhist chaplain at American University.
And we appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for being with us.
BHANTE KATUGASTOTA UPARATANA, BUDDHIST CHAPLAIN, AMERICAN UNIV.: Thank you. Good morning.
NGUYEN: I want to talk to you, first of all, as we have watched in horror as the scenes there in Myanmar, a country that is so very secretive, as a Buddhist monk, tell me, what is your reaction to what is going on there in Myanmar?
KATUGASTOTA: Buddhist monk is doing -- showing the people their rightness, and they are not having any arm and they just peace -- working with the peace and just fighting to -- showing the world and that more democracy way, they're just saying the right of the way to the military government.
The last few years and many, many years they have been in many difficulties and economically and some other -- they don't have much freedom.
NGUYEN: Well, Bhante, let's talk about that very quickly, because Buddhist monks are among the most revered in many Asian societies. And to see them come out in a huge display of nonviolent protests, what would it take? What are the situations and the difficulties that they must endure for them to take such extreme measures? KATUGASTOTA: We believe that the peace and we are teaching -- the Buddhist teaching there about the peace of the world. And we are practicing for that and the government and people, they are Buddhists too and the way they are treating the monk is not the right thing.
That's why the monks depend upon dualities' (ph) help and they are taking care of the monks. And when the dualities (ph) happen, some difficulties, they have to stand up for the duality (ph) and/or the government also doing the wrong thing. And we have to show us our loving kindness, compassion, and sympathetic joy and equanimity that the right thing we have to show them.
And we have to tell them and even the Buddha, emphasize about the democracy things how to act as a monk in a peaceful way.
NGUYEN: And they have been acting in a peaceful way, although it has been met with force. And at this point, it's not known exactly how many people have been killed. Official estimates range around 10, but many people believe there's a lot more bodies because of these clashes. So let me ask you this, when you look at the situation and the violent clashes there, how is this affecting the Buddhist community, especially when we're talking about in a nonviolent protest people have been killed?
KATUGASTOTA: That is the thing, we want to show them and not only for that thing happening in Burma, and other (INAUDIBLE) -- only a few countries, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, these countries are practicing the same thing.
And we have the many, many practice the (INAUDIBLE) the Buddhist. And if anything happening that's not right and same time, neighboring countries and they want -- we have to show our prayers and meditation and our sympathy about this thing happening and we have to meditate them and keep our positive way to think about peace -- bring to the peace entire Burma and entire world.
NGUYEN: And the world is watching and many people, even outside the Buddhist community are praying for a peaceful ending to all of this. Bhante, we appreciate your time this morning and shedding some light on how the Buddhist community is viewing what is going on in Myanmar. Thank you.
KATUGASTOTA: You're welcome.
MARCIANO: Well, Betty, as you know, information is difficult to get out of Myanmar, but according to the media, opposition reports, which we can't really independently confirm, at least 10 people have been killed in those demonstrations. So what sparked the protests? What do demonstrators want? Veronica de la Cruz from the dot-com desk joins us with some answers.
You know, with the traditional media kind of being restricted a little bit, the Internet becomes extremely important.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. And as you know, the government has shut down links to the Internet. That has been something that has been really, really difficult for the bloggers who have been kind of tracking -- helping us keep track of this story.
So I wanted to get to cnn.com, Rob. And I wanted to show you what is happening there. We have got this great Q&A I wanted to show you. Since we've re-launched the site, we've kind of started to give you story highlights in the box right off the top. And I know it's something that you would like, Rob, because I know you like the Cliff Note version.
MARCIANO: Yes. Just give me the brief headlines.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, right, right, right, right, right. OK. So let's go ahead and give you a basic understanding of why this is happening, who exactly is involved here. You were just asking, Rob, what might have sparked the protests. One of the first things to happen, there was a huge spike in fuel, raised by the military, and that affected the cost of public transport.
Now as you can imagine, people were outraged that it was costing so much to get around. And you have to remember that this is a country in which the majority of the population lives in poverty. So on top of that, pro-democracy activists were continuing to voice their discontent with the military's regime, which is known to repressive. So it was really the combination of these two things and that's kind of what fuelled these protests.
MARCIANO: It's amazing that oil seems to be involved in everything around the world.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, I'm going to get to that in a second. We were talking also about the Buddhist monks, you know, Betty just had a guest on on this, and, you know, the country's Buddhist monks, normally known as peaceful people, they have been involved in these protests. And looking back over time, it is the monks who have traditionally spearheaded these types of social and political movements. And as Betty was just talking about, the monks are revered by the nation's predominantly Buddhist society.
Now the other thing you were just talking about, oil. What is it that Myanmar has that other countries might want? Well, the country is rich in oil, natural gas, and the country's location also is attractive to countries like China and India. It's right on the Indian Ocean, which makes it a desirable outlet to the sea for China. And it's also a huge source the illicit drug trade, opium and heroin.
Though the government claims it is trying to suppress all of that. So there is a quick Q&A on cnn.com. And it's available to you. It is a Cliff Note version because I know a lot of people are saying, why should we be concerned with this. This is something that is happening halfway around the world.
And also at the same time, I want to know more, you know, and how can I kind of get up to date without having to go back and do tons and tons of research?
MARCIANO: Well, from what I read yesterday, there was like back in the '80s, something similar happened and over 3,000 people were killed. So it's something that humanitarianly speaking, we wouldn't want to happen again.
DE LA CRUZ: Right, right, exactly.
MARCIANO: Cliff Note versions on cnn.com.
DE LA CRUZ: The Q&A is available there, cnn.com/world is actually the place.
MARCIANO: Excellent. Thanks, Veronica.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, the only way to break through stereotypes is often just to go straight to the source. Right, Rob?
MARCIANO: That's what I like to do.
NGUYEN: So today we're going to talk live with the author of "Ask a Mexican."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUSTAVO ARRELLANO, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: That has been the Mexican that has been in the minds of Americans for 150 years. What I'm trying to do is just rob it of its power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Yes, he is. So find out why he is taking a no holds barred approach to tackling stereotypes. We are "Uncovering America," right after this break.
MARCIANO: But first, live pictures for you of the Space Shuttle Discovery, probably as slow as it's ever going to move. It is moving, four miles down the road to the launching pad for its next mission to the International Space Station. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: "Uncovering America." This weekend, we're taking a closer look at the Hispanic culture and their contribution.
NGUYEN: Yes. That's also the focus of a wide popular weekly newspaper column. And what it does is it takes an in-your-face, no- holds-barred look at stereotypes. CNN's Kara Finnstrom "Asks a Mexican."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't expect the man behind Orange County's wildly successful "Ask a Mexican" column to look like this.
ARRELLANO: Don't you see the moustache here, the big sombrero? I'm offended that you say this.
FINNSTROM (on camera): Who is this? ARRELLANO: That has been the Mexican that has been in the mind of Americans for 150 years. What I'm trying to do is just rob it of its power.
FINNSTROM (voice-over): Do expect Gustavo Arrellano to be disarmingly politically incorrect, tackling questions ranging from racist to absurd.
Like: "Is it the nature of Mexicans to steal?" And: "Why do Mexicans want my truck?"
(on camera): Do you ever get offended by these questions?
ARRELLANO: Oh, of course you do. All the questions in a way that are offensive in the sense that Mexicans are still this mystery to a lot of Americans.
FINNSTROM (voice-over): His response to the alleged truck coveting: "It's as natural to us as moustaches and Menudo." At least that's the part we can broadcast.
ARRELLANO: If people want a pinata, if people want to wail their frustrations out on someone, they can do it on me. But the problem is, this pinata pokes back.
FINNSTROM: Arrellano pokes back from his desk at the Orange County Weekly, trying to demystify Mexican culture at a time when the immigration debate is creating an ugly backlash. And readers are flocking. He says within three years, he has grown from one publication to 28 nationwide.
ARRELLANO: Thanks so much for, you know, reading the column.
FINNSTROM: He has also written an L.A. Times bestseller. His writings give some their most authentic taste yet of today's Latin culture.
(on camera): Why did you bring us here?
ARRELLANO: This is 4th Street in Santa Ana, this is the heart of the Mexican Orange County here. This is a place where you can find a quinceaneras (ph) shop, a mango stand. Mango with chili, a lot of people would say, oh my God, that's the most disgusting thing, it's delicious. Be careful. It is going to be a little bit spicy.
FINNSTROM: Arrellano's column isn't always nice to immigrants.
ARRELLANO: A guy once wrote in and said: "Why don't Mexicans want to learn English? Are they too stupid, too dumb? Did they not have enough gratitude for this country?" And my response was, I agree with you.
FINNSTROM: Arrellano says Southern and Eastern Europeans were once also criticized for not speaking English.
ARRELLANO: American racism is a carousel in this country. And here we are again, it just happens to be that the idiot immigrants nowadays are Mexicans.
FINNSTROM: In the politically charged debate over immigration, it's political incorrectness that sometimes gets the most attention.
Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Orange County.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: Our uncovering America series continues through Wednesday. Check it out at cnn.com's special online report: The Hispanic Experience Today. You can read all about the real issues facing the Latino community and significant moments in Hispanic history.
We extend our "Uncovering America" series to next year's election, right after this, Latino voters, how important is their vote, and do the candidates stack up?
NGUYEN: Plus, at 8:00 Eastern, have passport, will travel, except when there is a passport backlog on applications.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel frustrated because I want my passport. I don't have it. And I can't travel, I can't go nowhere without any passport.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Not only that, but starting tomorrow, restrictions get even tighter. Find out how travel rules are changing. That's 10 minutes away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: We are talking politics this morning as part of our "Uncovering America" series. This is Hispanic Heritage Month and there's one statistic a lot of people have heard. An estimated 44 million-plus people, Latinos, make up America's largest minority group. So political contenders from would-be presidents on down are courting Latino votes. CNN's deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins us live from Washington with a little bit of insight.
Good morning, Paul. Why are Hispanic and Latino voters so important?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, Rob, they make up about 15 percent of the population right now, and 9 percent of the eligible voting population. Every year, more and more Latinos are voting. More and more Hispanics are voting. Every year they're taking a bigger part in the political process. And you know what, the political parties, they want a piece of that action because it is only going to get bigger and bigger and more important.
MARCIANO: So which party is doing a better job, GOP or the Dems? STEINHAUSER: Well, the GOP for a while, earlier this decade, was doing a great job. In 2004, the Republicans really made a concerted effort to grab the Latino vote. And they got up to 40 percent of the vote in 2004. But then, the immigration debate, 2005, 2006, you know the conservatives took a very hard stance against the pathway to citizenship.
In the 2006 midterm elections, the Republicans only grabbed about 30 percent of the votes, so -- of the Latino and Hispanic vote, so they kind of lost all the gains they made.
MARCIANO: All right. And they did one other thing that may stand out. I mean, the Dems had the first-ever, I believe, Spanish debate on Univision just a short while ago. And the GOP had an opportunity, yes, and said no?
STEINHAUSER: Exactly. The Democrats at Univision, which is the largest Spanish-language network here in the United States, they had a debate, all the Democratic candidates went down to Miami, they showed up. The following Sunday, the Republicans were supposed to do the exact same thing. Univision invited all of them.
The only Republican presidential candidate who had decided to attend was John McCain. The rest said, scheduling issues, other reasons, couldn't attend. So the debate was postponed for now. I guess in theory it could be held down the road.
But the Republicans did not do themselves any favors here whatsoever. Latinos, from our last polling, make up -- about 60 percent of Latinos and Hispanics are Democrats. So the Republicans, they have their work cut out for them. And by not showing up for whatever reasons, it gives an impression that they're not hungry for Latino voters.
MARCIANO: On the Democratic side, Governor Bill Richardson, he's a Latino, I would think he would be doing better with the Latino vote.
STEINHAUSER: You know, he is trying to become the first Latino president of the United States, American of Hispanic heritage. But I think a lot of people don't know Bill Richardson outside his native -- outside of his home state of New Mexico. Richardson is not a Latino- sounding name.
And I've talked to the governor many a times, and he'll be the first to say, he's hungry for Latino votes across the country, but he's not going to run as a Latino candidate. So while he is fluent in Spanish, he grew up in Mexico. He was raised in Mexico, he is not running as a Latino candidate and most Americans don't know that Bill Richardson is Latino.
MARCIANO: You just got off the CNN Election Express, that big, swanky tour bus. Where is it now and where is it going?
(CROSSTALK)
STEINHAUSER: We were just up in New Hampshire. We had Bill Schneider up there, Tom Foreman, Candy Crowley. And now we're heading south. We're going to go down to South Carolina with the bus. Probably next week you'll see John King with it. And you know what, we're going to take it all over the country.
It's going to go to Iowa, it's going to go out West, it's going to go -- you name it, we're going to be all around the country. And, Rob, maybe we can get you on the bus and have a good time.
MARCIANO: I'd love that. Man, I'd feel like a -- for once in my life, I'd feel like a rock star. Josh Steinhauser, CNN's deputy director of politics -- or Paul, I should say, thanks for joining us this morning. We'll see you later.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right. Coming up later this morning on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, our political director, Amy Walter, will talk about some other hot issues politically, money, of course, always a big topic. How much do the candidates have and how much will they spend? That is at 9:15 Eastern.
NGUYEN: First daughter Jenna Bush is kicking off her national book tour. In Annapolis, Maryland, yesterday, Bush signed copies. The book is called "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," and it's about a teen mother infected with HIV, a real girl Bush met on a trip with UNICEF, is really the premise behind this. And it's a story that Bush says changed her life.
MARCIANO: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's September 30th. 8:00 a.m. here at the CNN Headquarters where it all happens, we like to think certainly.
Good morning. I'm Rob Marciano, in for T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Not just the headquarters, but the world headquarters, Rob. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. Hey, are you still waiting for your passport? Well, you are definitely not alone. And to add to it, the rules are about to change, and you may not like it. We're going to explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): We got them when they were 12, probably starting them. We would get a little glass of wine or a beer when we were 16.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: A sip of wine or a small taste of beer, are you hurting or helping your children by giving them even the smallest bit of alcohol when they are teenagers? You may be surprised by what one man is suggesting.
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Five, four, three, two, one! NGUYEN: Blast off! Oh, my. We stopped it because you're not going to believe what happens next. He is in our water cooler for good reason. You don't want to miss it.
But first, I want to give you a warning for travelers this morning. Previously delays security (INAUDIBLE) will take effect first thing tomorrow morning. Now what does that mean, well if you're going to go to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean, you better have your passport in hand or don't even bother trying to get on the plane. CNN's Allan Chernoff has more details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Texan Sandra Vazquez calls the passport information center to check on the application she filed back in April.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): The computer is just not working.
CHERNOFF: Only to learn that the center's computer system is down. Already she's had to cancel a summer trip to Costa Rica and now feels she won't be able to go in October.
SANDRA VAZQUEZ, PASSPORT DELAYED: I feel frustrated because I want my passport. I don't have it. I can't travel. I can't go nowhere without any passport.
CHERNOFF: Earlier this year Sandra's situation is common. Tens of thousands of passport applicants were frustrated by unprecedented delays. Waits of three months or even longer to get their document. The State Department was overwhelmed with a record number of applications. Today the State Department says Sandra's case is an exception. The department maintains it has caught up with all its applications, as a result of hiring 400 extra workers since the end of May, calling retirees back to work, and even pressing Foreign Service staffers into passport duties.
The department also opened a new processing center in Arkansas and suspended a role introduced in January requiring passports for air travel to the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico.
COLIN WALLE, PRESIDENT, NFFE LOCAL 1998: There truly has been a mountain of applications, carts of applications taking over some of our break rooms, teetering over employees. Just the sheer volume of work itself has been grossly intimidating.
CHERNOFF: Passport officials say the normal waiting times are back. Six to eight weeks for a standard application, three weeks for expedited service, which costs an extra $60? So as of Monday morning, the tighter security regulations are back on. Americans need passports to fly to the Caribbean, Canada and Mexico. Next summer security for American travels will get even tighter. Passports will be required for driving back into the country. The State Department is continuing to add more employees so people like Sandra Vazquez won't have to cancel overseas trips.
Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Phoenix police are investigating a death at Sky Harbor International Airport this morning. Police say a 45-year-old woman became irate when she wasn't allowed to board a flight because she was late. The woman was handcuffed and taken to a holding cell at the airport where later she was found dead. Police say she may have accidentally strangled herself while attempting to get out of her cuffs.
NGUYEN: There are new developments this morning in the videotape of a sexual assault on a young girl. Authorities have more questions for this man, Darren Tux. He is the man who handed over the tape, but gets this, they can't find him. And a search for a suspect in the case shifted to Las Vegas. CNN's Kara Finnstrom is there and she has new information about the suspect. What do you know, Kara?
RINNSTROM: Well, we have new information this morning from a man who says he had a close personal relationship with the main suspect in this case, Chester Stiles. The person we spoke with is a man by the name of Todd Allen. CNN's Dan Simon sat down for an interview with him. Todd Allen tells us that he saw Chester Stiles here in the Las Vegas area here a little over a week ago shortly before Stiles was officially linked to this crime.
Here's the connection. Todd Allen tells us that at one time he lived with the little girl that is seen victimized in that videotape, her mother, and his sister. They were all roommates. He said from the videotape clip that he has seen on TV, he knows that the place where this little girl was brutally attacked was in that apartment. Now, this is where it gets complicated.
This is how he is linked to Stiles. Todd Allen says his mother dated Chester Stiles for about ten years and that the two of them would come over to that apartment and hang out. And he says his mother was often asked to baby-sit. He says that this is where Stiles may have had some access to the child. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD ALLEN, SON OF SUSPECT'S EX GIRLFRIEND: That's a difficult question that we're all trying to come up with. That's what we're trying to figure out amongst our family, is how it actually happened. The only thing I can think of is that he was there while somebody was baby-sitting the children and he managed to -- either that person fell asleep, took a nap or stepped out and managed to get time alone with her. But I don't see how that would happen. I can't see anybody allowing that to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FINNSTROM: Todd Allen also told us Chester Stiles could be violent at times and that he always carried a knife. He did say that the little girl appears to be a happy 7-year-old right now and at no time did anyone that was around them in this apartment suspect that Chester Stiles was sexually abusing her. We want to give you a look at Chester Stiles' wrap sheet.
This is the main suspect in this case. This is part of his background; it may give you a better idea of who he is. On that wrap sheet, grand larceny any, battery, domestic violence, resisting a police officer, assault with a deadly weapon and contempt of court. And also not on there the FBI has been sticking him in some charges in an unrelated cause of lewd conduct with a minor. So the FBI, local police feel he's a very dangerous man. They want to get him into custody and they want to question him.
And again Betty he's their main suspect in this case. They've been putting pictures out of him hoping that the public will get involved. And one other note on this picture that may help anyone who sees him is Todd Allen tells us the last time he saw him, just a little over a week ago is Chester Stiles actually had longer hair than we're seeing in these pictures.
NGUYEN: All right. And just help us with the timeline. If Todd Allen saw Chester Stiles about a week ago, had this been in the media at that point to where they may have even discussed what's been going on.
FINNSTROM: Actually, it was September 8th that the detectives got a hold of this videotape. They held onto it for a long time because they wanted to protect the privacy of this little girl. They didn't come public with this and actually put this entire out to the public until about a week ago so it was right before that time that he saw Stiles.
NGUYEN: Just that small little window before the time. All right. Good information coming in mainly to a possible location of Mr. Stiles this morning as he is the prime suspect at this point. Thank you so much, Kara Finnstrom. We appreciate it.
MARCIANO: Moving overseas now and diplomatic attempt today. Diffusing the situation in Myanmar. The streets of the countries largest city relatively quiet today. There are scores of unrest overnight. We heard that today a U.N. envoy in the country has already met with at least one of the military leaders of Myanmar's government, as well as the leading voice of the pro democracy movement Aung San Suu Kyi.
NGUYEN: A crack down of protesters also being seen in Pakistan. Look at this new video coming into CNN. Police used tear gas to try and break up the demonstration. Protesters won a court decision overturn that cleared the way for President Musharraf to run for another five-year term.
Also new this morning, a couple powerful earthquake shook the south Pacific, one quake stroke about 125 miles off the islands of New Zealand. Japan's meteorologist's agencies say the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.4. It happened Sunday afternoon Japanese time. And another strong quake hit 250 miles southeast of the U.S. Territory of Guam, farther north in the Pacific. Now Japan meteorologist agency says it measured 7.1. But no tsunami warning was issued. MARCIANO: Meanwhile, floodwaters caused by hurricane Lorenzo are receding in parts of eastern Mexico this morning. Mudslides and flooding triggered by the storm are blame for at least five deaths. Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes by the hurricane.
Mexican civil defense says it could be weeks before all the flooding actually subsides. More tropical activity, although not in Mexico right, Bonnie Schneider. Where are things cooking this morning?
SCHNEIDER: Way far away from that. We are looking far out into the Atlantic. And what is happening is the Atlantic has some very strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere. So that kind of breaking down any topical system that tries to work its way to the northwest and it is protecting us here in the U.S. At least for now Karen has really diminished. That tropical storm was a depression last night. No advisories issued unless it regenerates. But Melissa still is out there, a tropical storm with winds right now of 40 miles per hour, gusts at 50. The movement settling to west-northwest takes the storm further off to the Atlantic.
But notice the intensity also diminishes by Wednesday due to that wind sheer.
Taking us back to the U.S. mainland at this hour, we have some chilly temperatures up into the northeast. Look at this, in Caribou, Maine it is 35 degrees. It's not even October yet and it's that cold already. We have a frost advisory in place until 9:00 this morning. That includes a few counties in Maine and then back up toward northern and central New Hampshire to the areas north of Manchester. We are going to see the temperatures teeter around inches, mid 30s for today. Keep that in mind.
As we travel off further to the areas of the Midwest we have a high wind warning to the west. Advisories for Nebraska and northern Kansas. Winds were strong yesterday. We had reports of wind damage and large hail. Now we're seeing storms work their way to the north. In and around the Minneapolis area and just to the east of Denver we'll be watching for strong thunderstorms.
Rob, Betty.
MARCIANO: When Bonnie works, it makes us all look bad in the weather department.
NGUYEN: Why is that?
MARCIANO: She has the maps moving, she has the counties highlighted.
NGUYEN: All the bells and whistles.
MARCIANO: You've got it down. Thanks, Bonnie.
NGUYEN: Well kids and alcohol. Most people think it's not a good mix.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): We got sips and stuff when we were like 12, probably starting then. We got a glass of wine or a beer when we were 16.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: From just say no to just say yes. Why one parent says it's the key to keeping kids from becoming binge drinkers.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, DOT COM DESK: And many of you are surfing CNN.com. this morning. And you might be e-mailing your favorite stories to your friends, maybe your significant other. So what are the most e-mailed stories right now? I'll show you next from the dotcom desk. I'll give you a hint. One of the stories has to do with toilet paper.
NGUYEN: Uh-oh.
DE LA CRUZ: That's all I'm going to say.
NGUYEN: I'm almost afraid to hear that one.
And you want to see this though, Veronica. It's a real blast for this man. He's a human cannon ball. A little bit later on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Since Nancy Reagan was first lady, we've heard just say no as a theme to fight drug abuse and underage drinking. One psychologist and author says maybe it's better to teach children how to drink as a way to prevent abuse. Here's CNN's medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You're watching underage drinking in action. Anna Peele is 19 years old. Do her parents know she's drinking? You better believe they do. In fact her father gave her this wine. He's been serving her alcohol for years.
ANNA PEELE, STUDENT: We got to sip stuff when we were about 12. We would get a glass of wine or beer when we were 16.
COHEN: Psychologist and author of the book "Addiction Proof Your Child," Stanton Peele has a pretty radical motion. He says give your kids alcohol at home and they won't end up becoming crazy binge drinkers.
So you served a glass of wine to your kids when they were just 16?
STANTON PEELE, "ADDICTION-PROOF YOUR CHILD:" We taught them to drink like a civilized human being.
COHEN: Of course the more conventional approach.
EMILY: My name is Emily. In seven years I'll be an alcoholic.
COHEN: Tell kids no alcohol, no way.
CALVINA FAY, DRUG FREE AMERICA FOUNDATION: Well, alcohol is a drug, plain and simple. It's a dangerous drug. It is an addictive drug.
COHEN: Just say no has been the approach of choice for years. And advocates say it works. In 1991, 31 percent of high school students reported heavy drinking. But in 2005, that number went down to 26 percent. Peele says other studies show drinking at home moderately, like a glass of wine with dinner, means your child will less likely binge drink with friends. Peele says she seen it college. The kids who weren't allowed to drink growing up ended up being a mess.
A. PEELE: I met this guy from Canada and it's totally forbidden in his family. He told me he had like 18 beers in a sitting. That doesn't appeal to me at all.
COHEN: Peele hope that one day just say no becomes just say yes.
Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Veronica De La Cruz with us. My dad let us have a little bit vino when I was younger.
DE LA CRUZ: My father grew up in Chile and he said it was not uncommon to have a bottle of wine on the table and all the kids would drink it.
MARCIANO: Can we have some more bourbon in my coffee please?
Dot.com desk.
DE LA CRUZ: We're talking about not the really most popular stories. But the most e-mailed stories. There is a whole other section called the most emailed stories. But I guess that would make them really the most popular stories as well. Right?
MARCIANO: Let's hear them.
DE LA CRUZ: Topping that list, Rob, we start with the FDA is examining the safety and effectiveness of 800 medicines for children. They are saying very young kids should not take some commonly used cold and cough medication; the agency also wants the consult your physician advice to parents dropped from the label. There's a hearing planned for October 18th and 19th. Again you can get all the details at CNN.com. Another story Rob that is being e-mailed around today, the five most often misdiagnosed diseases. Can you take a guess at what some of them might be?
MARCIANO: Um.
DE LA CRUZ: There they are right there.
MARCIANO: The prompter got it. How about cancer?
DE LA CRUZ: Yeah. Clogged arteries, heart attack, and infection. These are the most commonly diagnosis diagnosed. Make sure all your doctors talk to one another and share information.
All right. Now in Wisconsin where someone is just too cheap to buy toilet paper. Six rolls per week have been stolen from a town Wisconsin's town government center is all happening in the men's public restroom which seems to be the target area for the thief. A county executive is vowing to crack the case.
MARCIANO: That's the chief stuff. You don't want that.
DE LA CRUZ: I don't know why that article reminded me of you.
Moving on. You just heard Elizabeth Cohen's report. A new book out by psychologist Stanton Peele called "Addition Proof Your Children." Says that forbidding kids from drinking creates temptation. We just saw in her piece in it it says that parents should teach kids how to drink responsibly. Because preparing your child to drink at home lessens the likelihood of bingeing.
Critics say it is ridiculous. That brings us to our question this morning. Do you think that moderate underage drinking at home is a good idea? E-mail us your thoughts at WEEKENDS@CNN.com. I'll be reading you those comments.
MARCIANO: That's a little bit different than a little sip here and there when you're a little kid.
NGUYEN: When I was a kid I was getting a little sip like the girl in the piece was given glasses of wine starting at age 16. So that is a little bit different then a little sips here and there. What do I think about it?
DE LA CRUZ: What do you think?
NGUYEN: E-mail that in. How about that?
MARCIANO: Thanks.
NGUYEN: For serving that one up.
All right. This man, take a look, is taking a walk on the wild side on his way to being shot from that very cannon. We have his big blast-off just ahead. MARCIANO: And a moving memorial, literally. The national tour for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is making its way around the country. Where is it now? A chance to see if it's coming to your city.
Now look at "House Call."
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I know you heard the story this week. Health insurance for millions of American kids is in jeopardy. We'll have tips to help your family find affordable insurance and how to know if that's enough.
Then, empower yourself to avoid being miss diagnosed. Get smart about what questions to ask your doctor.
And ditch the eyeglasses. We look at vision surgery. All that coming up on "House Call" at 8:30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): One hundred calorie snacks can be awfully tempting for those watching their weight. But registered dieticians Page Love says you don't need to turn to a box to find something healthy.
PAGE LOVE, DIETICIAN: Wonderful options for snacks, particularly if we are talking about meeting your food group maze can start just in the produce section of just choosing fruits and vegetables.
COSTELLO: Love says knowing how to coordinate foods from different groups is important.
LOVE: Give yourself a mixture of nutrients, particularly nutrients that give you protein and fiber. An apple or pear or an orange could be a snack.
COSTELLO: Following certain guidelines can target what your body is craving, but don't limit yourself to 100 calories. Most adults and children need up to 300 calories as a minimum range to fit their snack needs.
LOVE: Mozzarella low fat string cheese with your apple, with your cracker. Would be a great combination in fact I highly recommend you don't eat one food for a snack.
COSTELLO: Most importantly.
LOVE: The objective of a snack should be to give you a combination of protein and carbohydrate that holds you three or four hours until the next meal.
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Take a look at what's happening this morning. Right now, live pictures of space shuttle "Discovery" is moving to the launch pad. Believe it or not that thing is moving very slowly. It blasts off for the International Space Station on October 23rd. Now we know that it is just September 30, but today's mission is more of a slow crawl. And preparation for that launch will take six hours for it to reach the pad, which is less than four miles away.
MARCIANO: You don't want to get that thing going too fast, I'm sure.
Well the Supreme Court opens a new term tomorrow. And this year the justices will tackle some major issues. One of the biggest cases involves a legal right of terror suspects detained at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The justices will also consider the issue of lethal injection in Kentucky. Death row inmates claim it violates the constitution ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
NGUYEN: Well the coming apart of September 11th history. A traveling 9/11 Memorial is winding its way around the country. It made a stop in Cincinnati yesterday giving people an opportunity to sign a steel beam that would be used in the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The exhibit includes pictures, artifacts and a film featuring firsthand accounts of 9/11 through the eyes of survivors and first responders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): It's been really heart-warming. People are coming out, parents bringing their kids. The average public to come, sign their name on a steel beam. Go through the exhibition; maybe put a dollar or two toward the contribution of building a memorial.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: The exhibit is scheduled to travel to 25 states this year. And it helped raise more than $325 million to build the 9/11 National Memorial and Museum. So for more information on this, all you have to do is go to WWW.buildthe memorial.org.
MARCIANO: All right. Take a look at this video. Charlie Brown would have been proud. Look at the great pumpkins. Massive.
NGUYEN: And if that's something spectacular, check this out. Get ready to blast-off. Bam! My goodness.
MARCIANO: Do they still do that?
NGUYEN: Apparently, they do. That is a human cannon ball and it lifts off next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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