Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Trooper on Leave Over Assault Allegations; Scores Arrested in Mafia Crackdown; Interview With James Franco; Obama: State of the Union to Focus on Jobs
Aired January 23, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
An out-of-control traffic stop ends with a 53-year-old woman punched and Tasered, and a highway-patrol trooper in trouble after an extensive investigation. More of the dramatic footage and the twist that will have you thinking twice about this case, coming up.
From Chicago to Pittsburgh, on through New England, the temperatures can be measured in single digit. The extreme weather is more than a football nuisance; it is downright dangerous. Reynolds Wolf has that forecast.
Chaos and protests rock another North African country. This time, Algeria. Has Tunisia's revolution created instability in the region? We're tracking a global hotspot that has the Obama administration's attention.
It's early, and we're on it.
From CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's January 23. Good morning. I'm Randi Kaye.
We want to welcome our troops watching on the Armed Forces Network in Iraq and Afghanistan.
That's just some of what we have ahead for you. We also have what you could call the Cliffs Notes version of the State of the Union address. Are the president's priorities your priorities? You can hear for yourself in just a few minutes.
Are you trading security for convenience? You could be if you're using credit cards that can now be used without even taking them out of your wallet. It's a consumer warning you don't want to miss.
Die-hard Green Bay Packers fans are taking their hatred of the Chicago Bears to a bizarre level. They are roasting a bear. Who came up with this extreme menu, and just how do you roast a bear anyway? Those answers coming up.
But we start with some shocking video that's now being released by the Utah Highway Patrol. The video is at the center of a five-month investigation into the possible use of excessive force by one officer on a 53-year-old woman. Take a look. There's no question that the woman in this case, Darla White, was running from police. The question is, what happened after they stopped her? The officer at the center of this case is Sgt. Andrew Davenport. He's the one who broke the driver's side door and punched Darla White in the head several times. He's not disputing that.
Here's how he described it. Quote: "I did this to distract and stun her and to stop her from trying to drive off and strike our vehicles or possibly run us over. The strikes worked and we were able to grab her hands."
While Davenport was punching the woman, another officer fired his Taser into the car. Investigators want to know if police went too far. Did we mention that Sgt. Davenport is the cousin of the state's public-safety commissioner? Well, officials say that has no bearing on the case.
Davenport is on paid leave right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN HYER, DPS SPOKESMAN: Pursuits can be very, very dangerous. And for that reason, this review process is essential in what we do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Now, let's talk about the driver, 53-year-old Darla White. She was facing drunk driving, eluding arrest and assault charges, but ended up only being charged with failing to stop. The case was actually dismissed about a week ago.
So what is she saying about the incident? She told one Salt Lake City TV station that she doesn't really remember what happened, saying only - quote - "A black glove coming through and hitting me. Just, smack." She says she just wants people to see the video so they can decide for themselves.
Imagine this: An 18-year-old Dutch mental-health patient is tethered to the wall for hours every day. The hospital where he lives says it's for his safety and the safety of attendants who work with him. This video is from a documentary out of the Netherlands.
Health officials there say his treatment is in line with rules for restraining patients. But the documentary by the Evangelical Broadcasting Company is causing Dutch lawmakers to re-examine the treatment of psychiatric patients. The young man's mother says is constantly restrained.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETRA VAN INGEN, MOTHER OF MENTAL-HEALTH PATIENT: Well, this is Brandon (ph). He is chained to the wall with a line. He actually lives like a caged animal. He feels like a dog on a line.
"Is this day in and day out, his situation?" Yes, he sits like this the whole day, every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The hospital says the teen's treatment is an exceptional case. The country's public-health director says there are 40 similar cases in the Netherlands.
President Obama is already laying out his agenda for the upcoming year: Jobs. He sent this message to supporters, previewing the focus for Tuesday's State of the Union address.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We've got millions of our fellow Americans who are out there struggling every day. Don't have a job, or haven't seen a raise in a long time; paycheck is shrinking at a time when costs are going up.
And so my principal focus, my No. 1 focus is going to be making sure that we are competitive, that we are growing and we are creating jobs not just now, but well into the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And we will have much more on the State of the Union throughout the morning. And be sure to tune in for special coverage of the address here on CNN starting Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The ball is now in President Hamid Karzai's court in the tense showdown over Afghanistan's government. The newly elected parliament held a special session today and decided to accept Karzai's offer of a Wednesday inauguration - but only if he dissolved a special court that's looking into election-fraud allegations. Karzai wanted to delay the inauguration for a month so the court could finish its business.
There's more information this morning on the mysterious return of exiled former Haitian dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier. One of the three U.S. attorneys working with him says Duvalier wants access to $6 million frozen in Swiss bank accounts so he can use it to help Haiti rebuild. Duvalier is accused of looting the Haitian national treasury before fleeing the country. One of his attorneys is former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr.
Iran's national soccer team is having a good run at the Asian games this week. But some fans back home may not get to see them play. That's because the government now says women are banned from watching the games being shown on the big screen at movie theaters. The official stance is that the presence of women and families for that matter increases security risks and inappropriate behavior. Women are already banned from attending live soccer games.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: For couch potatoes who enjoy their winter sports sitting down - well, you might want to try something called "skouching." Reynolds, I know this is a big - a big part of your life.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely.
KAYE: Just put a couple of skis under an old couch and hit the snowy slope in style.
You've done this, right, many time?
WOLF: You know, I haven't tried yet. But I mean, I - I can't see it happening unless you've got a bowl of Fritos on the - on the couch with you, maybe some other kind of munchies.
KAYE: Skouching is actually, as Reynolds could probably tell you, a creation of a couple of fraternity guys. Talk about old school here, right?
There is a downside though: No ski lifts. So you get to do it all yourself and haul that couch back up the hill and do it all again.
Doesn't that look like fun?
WOLF: I - I weep for the future. I really do. These are the future leaders of America.
No, but I mean, you got to - you have to enjoy the fact they're able to get the skiis, but them on the couches and play ball. That's - that's a lot of fun.
KAYE: Oh yes.
WOLF: What else are you going to do? Stay inside? I mean, come on. That's a good thing to see.
KAYE: Yes, and watch football I guess?
WOLF: Absolutely. That's - that's not a bad idea. Yes.
KAYE: Let's go skouching lately, OK?
WOLF: Hey, we'll - we'll do what we can. You bet.
KAYE: All right. Thanks, Reynolds.
Tony Bagels, Veto Love, the Claw? These are all nicknames for some of the 120 alleged Mafia members arrested last week. What would your nickname be? You're definitely going to want to hear mine. That's next.
Plus, notes from the desk of John Lennon. How much would you pay to read the legendary songwriter's letters to the editor? Get out your checkbook.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. The FBI calls it the biggest Mafia takedown in bureau history. More than 120 alleged mob figures arrested in a single day. The list of charges is a mile long, including murder, labor racketeering, illegal gambling, arson and narcotics trafficking.
Watching from the sidelines this week, Michael Franzese, as a made man with the Colombo family - Franzese admits to skimming more than $8 million a week in fuel taxes. He spent seven years in prison and then did the unheard of: He left the mob. His own brother sold out their father, who at age 94 will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
So when it comes to this week's latest Mafia roundup, Franzese tells our Susan Candiotti that he has seen it all before.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What was it like to belong to a "family"? What did it mean?
MICHAEL FRANZESE, FMR. ORGANIZED-CRIME FAMILY MEMBER: Well, you know, I was very attracted to the life because, you know, when you come in - I remember when I was proposed, they told me, 'Michael, from now on, anywhere you go in the world, you're going to have somebody, a brother, to back you up. You know, I got your back, you got mine. Nobody's ever going to bother your mother, your sister, your wife. You know, you've got brothers.'
I don't glorify the life, and - and I'll tell you, one of the reasons that I have such a problem with it is, I have not met one family of one member of that life that hasn't been totally devastated. And I don't mean hurt. I mean devastated, OK? Including my own. Dad gone away 30-some odd years. Just got another eight years at 94 years old.
Mother without a husband for all of these years. My brother's now in the Witness Protection Program, testified against my dad. Two sisters that died at a young age.
It's devastating to the families. It's - it's a horrible life in that regard.
CANDIOTTI: So the people who are charged now - these are allegations. Are these people, in your view, who got sloppy?
FRANZESE: Well, you know, it could be. I mean, it's easy to get sloppy because everything is all around you. Like I said, you don't know where it's coming form next. You don't know who to trust. They could be talking to somebody that they know for 10 years, not knowing that he's made a deal with the feds.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Franzese is now a born-again Christian and author, a motivational speaker and a son who still visits his mobster dad in prison. The mob bust reads like a script from a Martin Scorsese movie. Lawmen arrested wiseguys with names like Junior Lollipops, Jack the Whack, Johnny Bandana, Vinnie Carwash and Meatball.
You know, when a story like this breaks, and with names like that, it's going to be trending.
Digital producer Derek Dodge showed me why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEREK DODGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So this is a big story for many reasons. But one of the reasons is because of the nicknames of the alleged mobsters.
Here's a poll that was online from AOL. Which nickname of the alleged Mafioso is your favorite? Here are some, just to show you.
Tony Bagels. I like that one.
KAYE: Yes.
DODGE: Vinnie Carwash. The Claw. That sounds kind of scary.
KAYE: He sounds kind of mean.
DODGE: Baby Shacks. Baby Fat Larry.
KAYE: I like that one.
DODGE: So what happened was, these nicknames surfaced in some of the indictments. And then, of course, everyone takes to their social- media preference to talk about them.
Here's a tweet from misssrahfraser. She says, "What would my mob name be? Sarah 'Jimmy the Choo' Fraser?"
(LAUGHTER)
KAYE: Good question.
DODGE: So -- so everyone is tweeting, what would your mob name be? And then they take to those name generators. You know, those things online, like the pirate name generator, where you put in your first name and your last name.
KAYE: Isn't it amazing that a - that a Mafia sting would lead to this?
DODGE: So I found one. There's a bunch of them out there.
KAYE: OK.
This is one somebody made (INAUDIBLE) on the "Sopranos." Put in your first name and you put in your last name and it gives you your mob name.
So I did mine. "Derek Dodge." My mob name is "The Bishop."
KAYE: Nice.
DODGE: Which is not bad; I kind of like it.
KAYE: Not bad.
DODGE: It sounds - you know, it's got some heft to it.
KAYE: Is there any science to it at all, or is (INAUDIBLE) random?
DODGE: None. Totally random.
KAYE: OK. OK.
DODGE: Now for you, I wanted to find out what your mob name was.
KAYE: Oh, me too.
DODGE: But I had some trouble because a few of them were unflattering. I wanted to be nice to you.
So I found one...
KAYE: You're not going to share any of the unflattering ones before you give me the winner?
DODGE: I found that - that I would be complimentary. So Randi Kaye, "the Moustache."
KAYE: No. "The Moustache."
DODGE": What do you think? I think it's - you know, it works. It's mysterious.
KAYE: Is there any way - can we - can we do it again and generate another one maybe?
DODGE: I would be careful. I don't think you want to know what some of them were saying.
KAYE: Really?
DODGE: You know, it's...
KAYE: I want to be - I want to be "Randi the Bagel."
DODGE: Yes.
KAYE: I like...
DODGE: That's a good one.
KAYE: That seems to be the most popular.
All right, Derek.
DODGE: That's a lot of fun. So you can try it anytime. Try it at home. Whatever you want, you can do it all weekend long to get a name that you like.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: The "Moustache," really? Come on. I don't like that one.
"Three's Company" revisited. What? Did we really need that?
Actor James Franco debuts his new project at Sundance. I'll show you what he's done with Jack and Chrissy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: You will soon be able to read John Lennon's innermost thoughts - at least the ones that didn't already make their way into his songs.
His wife, Yoko Ono, has sold the publishing rights to around 150 letters written by Lennon. They include notes to newspapers, record companies and even kids. So how much are they worth? "The Guardian" newspaper in London is reporting that Ono got around $800,000.
The collection is expected to be on bookshelves sometime next year.
"Three's Company" made John Ritter and Suzanne Somers huge stars. Now, James Franco is adding a 21st-century spin to the popular 70s sitcom.
"SHOWBIZ TONIGHT"'s Brooke Anderson caught up with the actor at Sundance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Actor and upcoming Oscar host James Franco is here at Sundance not exactly with a film to promote but with an unexpected project called "Three's Company: The Drama," a creative take on the 70s sitcom.
I spoke with James about the installation and about how he's channeling his inner Chrissy from "Three's Company."
You've been around town in a couple of wigs.
JAMES FRANCO, ACTOR: Did you see photos or something?
ANDERSON: I have seen photos.
FRANCO: Really? ANDERSON: Yes, you look great as a - as a blond.
FRANCO: Well, that was a blonde wig that is related to the project that I have here, which is based on the sitcom "Three's Company." So that was a Chrissy wig, if you know the character Chrissy played by Suzanne Somers.
ANDERSON: Well, you carry it off very well.
And talk to me about the installation.
FRANCO: What we did is, we projected the first six episodes on to a huge screen at NYU, and then took four video cameras and shot into documentary-style - each camera following a different character. So then we projected those on all four walls. So when you walk in, you're not watching the show, you're in the middle of the show.
It's my voice and other's people's voices reading the dialogue with different kinds of inflection to make it a little bit more dramatic, to - to give it - a different spin on it.
ANDERSON: Well, let's talk about "127 Hours." A fantastic movie, a fantastic performance. Oscar nominations are coming up.
FRANCO: I am really proud of the performance. I really am. And I don't - I don't say that about a lot of - everything. And to be able to work with Danny Boyle on something that I feel is - I think it's truly the most innovative commercial movie that came out this year.
ANDERSON: OK. So you're preparing to host the Oscars.
What can we expect? What are you going to do? Sing, dance, all - the whole nine yards? Can you tell us a little bit?
FRANCO: I will do exactly that. I will sing and dance.
ANDERSON: I read an interview that you did, and you said that your entire team of advisers - publicists, managers, everybody - said, 'No, don't take this offer. Don't do it.'
FRANCO: They're supportive of what I do.
But the truth be told, they did say, 'Oh, James come on. Does it have to be this year?'
ANDERSON: What were they worried about?
FRANCO: They want me to win the - they want me to win the Oscar. That's what they want.
ANDERSON: Right.
FRANCO: I - you know, people like a British drama. They like a royalty family drama. So Colin's going to win. So I thought, 'That's fine.' I'll host. And - and I'll just show, like - and it'll be a way to tell myself, too, like, 'Just don't worry about it.' ANDERSON: So what else do you have planned this weekend at Sundance? Any more parties with the Chrissy wig on?
FRANCO: No more parties.
Who knows? I whip out the wig. I liked it. I got a lot of compliments.
ANDERSON: Now if you're wondering how James has time to do all of this, he told me that he only gets about five hours of sleep a night. And he might get a really early wakeup call on Tuesday morning. That is when the Oscar nominations are announced. And he is considered a favorite to get a best-actor nod for his performance in "127 Hours."
Brooke Anderson, CNN, Park City, Utah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: If you own a smartphone, be on the lookout for thieves. As your phone and iPads get smarter, so do the guys who use them to steal your money and personal information. I'll explain that ahead.
Plus, you'll want to stick around for this: I've heard a pig roast; I've heard of a pot roast, of course; but how about a bear roast? And what does it have to do with football?
Back in two minutes with (INAUDIBLE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK0
KAYE: A plan for the future of the country - at least for the next year. That's what President Obama is going to be spelling out Tuesday in his State of the Union address.
But he's already giving us a preview of the lead story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We're going to have to outinnovate; we're going to have outbuild; we're going to have to outcompete; we're going to have outeducate other countries. That's our challenge.
We're also going to have to deal with our deficits and our debt in a responsible way. And we've got to reform government so that it's leaner and smarter for the 21st century.
It's going to take a lot of work. These are big challenges that are in front of us. But we're up to it, as long as we come together as a people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Earlier, I talked with Craig Crawford, columnist for CQPolitics.com, and I asked him if the new air of civility in Washington would be on display Tuesday night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CRAIG CRAWFORD, COLUMNIST, CQPOLITICS.COM: The civility, I think, comes after the Tucson tragedy, gives him an opportunity to really get above the politics and put a lot of pressure on Republicans to be more bipartisan. And - and I think he'll reach out to them. He may even throw them some bones like talking about cutting spending and so on - to show the country that he wants to get along, so that if they don't get along in the future, they know it's not his fault.
KAYE: Right, and make them look like the bad guys.
CRAWFORD: Right.
KAYE: You really believe that the two parties are actually going to - to sit together?
CRAWFORD: I've already heard that one delegation, the Colorado delegation, is going to do that. And there's some talk about others doing it.
That would be a big change, because usually these things turn out very partisan, and you see the applause - the president's party stands up and cheers and the other side sits down, and the country never likes that. That never looks good. You know, people want more bipartisanship in Washington, and this would be a good way for the politicians to show that.
KAYE: And you know, we - we've seen before, some members of Congress have acted out a bit during - during these speeches.
CRAWFORD: Yes.
KAYE: Do you expect everybody to be on their best behavior?
CRAWFORD: I think that's another change coming so soon after Tucson. I think that would be very dangerous for - for - for that to happen. You - you had one congressman stand up and yell at the president, "You lie!" in the last one (sic).
I - I would be very surprised to see - to see that again.
KAYE: And after Tucson, the president really did get a boost. I mean, after that memorial ceremony, and even his poll numbers are up slightly.
How critical is this speech to sort of carry that forward?
CRAWFORD: I think it would be great for him if he took a page from his own notebook. That speech in Tucson was simple, it was direct, it was personal. That's the key.
I think Obama learned something in that speech that he ought to carry forward in the State of the Union. Usually these State of the Union addresses are laundry lists of lots of agenda items, to generate lots of applause. Speechwriters write a lot of applause lines in these because the media tends to focus - count - they count the number of times they get applause and compare that to past presidents.
And - and the speeches are usually fairly undisciplined. But I think that Tucson speech was a real model for him, particularly that personal tone and talking about individual people and getting back to the job scene. He should talk about people who have lost their job and personalize that more.
Those are the kind of things he did in Tucson that he should do again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Be sure to tune in Tuesday night for our special coverage of the president's State of the Union address. We kick off our coverage with the best political team on television at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Headed to court? The young man accused of shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and several others due in a Phoenix courtroom tomorrow. We will detail the charges.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. So glad you are with us. I'm Randi Kaye. It is half past the hour.
Checking top stories for you now. The young man accused of the deadly Tucson shooting two weeks ago is due to appear before a federal judge in Phoenix tomorrow. Jared Loughner has been indicted by a federal grand jury on three charges of attempted murder. Legal experts say he is likely to face more charges. Loughner is accused of killing six people and wounding 13 others, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Her rehabilitation could be delayed by a buildup of fluid on her brain.
The tense showdown between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the newly elected parliament continues. The parliament held a special session today and decided to accept the president's offer of a Wednesday's inauguration, but only if he dissolved a special court looking into election fraud allegations. Karzai wanted to delay the inauguration for a month so the court could finish its business.
Demanding reform in Algeria and clashing with police. Look at those pictures. Protesters in the capital defying a ban to call for government reform. Speakers at the protest demanded the lifting of a state of emergency that has been in place for almost two decades. Anti-government protests erupted earlier this month after weeks of similar demonstrations in neighboring Tunisia.
Thank you, for the billionth time. That message from Apple Incorporated yesterday after its app store hit the 10 billion download mark. Yes, I said billion. That's the milestone. Apple says that it will give its 10 billionth downloader a $10,000 gift card to its iTunes store.
This week Starbucks announced new app enabling you to pay by smart phone. It is part of the trend of using technology to make it's easier for us to use our credit cards or cash. But as the technology gets smarter, well, so do the criminals. Ted Chernecki, from our Canadian affiliate Global Network News, explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED CHERNECKI, REPORTER, GLOBAL NETWORK NEWS (voice over): Watch a man sit down next to a woman and without touching her successfully steal her key information from her credit card.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here is your visa number.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did you do that?
CHERNECKI: He works for Identity Stronghold, a company specializing in electronic fraud protection. Look for this symbol on your credit card. If you have it your card is sending out a radio frequency identification signal. It is designed so you can simply bring your card close to an object and purchase it without swiping the card. But thieves have figured out how to exploit that. Here again, a passing glance and he has the info.
DREW GRAINGER, ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE: It is as simples that chip here that has been added to a once functioning PIN pad.
CHERNECKI: Police are seeing a whole new level of cyber crime. When a merchant is not looking thieves swap a normal PIN pad with an identical looking, but tone that has been customized, and inside you find one extra small computer chip that takes all that key information, and via Bluetooth, broadcasts it to a distance up to 30 feet. Increasingly thieves are going wireless.
GRAINGER: There is a rogue fraudster in the parking lot monitoring on a laptop, live, what activity is going on in this PIN pad, including your PIN number and all of your account information.
CHERNECKI (On camera): Not only are they monitoring it, they can actually start printing the cards right away.
GRAINGER: Absolutely. And all that data that comes from this piece of equipment, here, is quickly captured on to some of the magnetic strip like this. They simply write what the PIN number is on the card, and all of a sudden you have, your bankcard.
CHERNECKI: Police are being proactive, warning merchants how fast crime tactics are evolving.
AMAR GILL, ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE: Just to provide you with information on preventing yourself, your business, being a target.
ALAINA CLOKE, CRUSH CLOTHING: We have a Forlaski (ph) crystallized debit machine. So, it is interesting because like a lot of people say if they put a little sticker on it and stuff, it is easy to replicate. You can go out and buy a sticker and stick it on there and never know the difference. This is pretty hard to replicate. CHERNECKI: There are self-powered card skimmers that thieves place over the banks card slot, your card is taken into the machine, you still do your transaction so everything looks normal.
GRAINGER: But as the card slips back through after the transaction is made, all that data is captured on this little device right here, including your PIN number.
CHERNECKI: You can get lead lined sleeves in wallets to block skimmers from picking up your new RFID enabled credit cards, but ultimately, consumers just have to stay on top of what's going on, and protect sensitive financial information like never before.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: That's pretty scary. Internet security company ABG polled 2200 moms in several developed countries and got some very eye-opening results. Small kids, we are talking ages two to five, seem to be mastering technical skills before life skills; 19 percent can play with a smart phone application. Imagine that. But only 9 percent can actually tie their shoelaces. Wait until you hear what seems to be replacing exercise these days.
But first -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are roasting a bear on Sunday for the Packers game.
We are going to fire up the heat on the bear, when the Packers score.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Fire up the heat on the bear? Roasting a bear? Yes, he said that. That story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. More numbers for from you from that study by Internet security company ABG, suggesting small children are picking up technical skills faster than life skills. So, 58 percent can play a basic computer game. While 43 percent can ride a bike, 25 percent can open a web browser. But only 20 percent can swim without help. Interesting to note there's no gender divide that in that study. Just as many boys as girls can play a computer game or make a cell phone call.
Win or go home. Even in the bitter cold. Everything is on the line for the last four teams standing in the NFL playoffs. The winners today are going to the Super Bowl but they will need every ounce of mental toughness to beat a common enemy. It is beyond freezing in Pittsburgh and Chicago, where both games are being played.
Let's see how the forecast shapes up for both Pittsburgh and Chicago. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf here to tell us about that. We will be watching it, of course, from our cozy homes inside with the remote control.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Exactly. I don't know if this weather is going to help one team or the other. It will be brutal out there. Here is what we are talking about.
Let's set the groundwork with what's happening in these places across the Great Lakes into the Midwest. Milwaukee, it is 4 degrees, in Chicago, it is 3, currently in Detroit and Pittsburgh we have temperatures in the single digits.
Chicago is one of the spots where one game will be taking place today. A live image for that shows a nice shot. Looks pretty good, looks wonderful. But if you have to go outside in those elements, it could be downright brutal. The forecast this afternoon looks brutal. Also, over in Pittsburgh, we have a live image in Pittsburgh, too. Here is the shot we have. It is going to be looking good. But feeling kind of raw. How rough would it feel? Well, take a look at this.
Here is your AFC Championship forecast. Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. Playing in Heinz Field, that is going to be at 6:30 this evening. Temperature, 14 degrees at kickoff with the wind. It will be breezy at times. It will feel like it is 6 degrees. Yeah, enjoy that one. Partly cloudy skies for you, too.
If you are making your way back over to Chicago, basically the same situation to get the cold air that will be piling in. With that cold air the temperatures there are also going to be very brutal.
As we fast forward this forecast, well, you know, sometimes things just don't move for us on here. I will let you know.
It will feel like it is in the single digits in Chicago. Brutal conditions for both the Bears and Packer fans. Both those teams are kind of used to cold weather. Soldier Field, is going to be a cold time, Randi. No question about.
KAYE: It who is your pick? I have to ask. Green Bay/Bears game?
WOLF: You know, I don't have a favorite team in this, but I would say probably, I'm thinking the Packers. They have a lot of momentum.
KAYE: All right. Then you would be very welcome at this place I'm just about to tell you about. Big game takes whole different meaning in St. Paul, Minnesota today, where one bar full of Green Bay fans had planned on serving roasted bear in honor of today's game. Yes, it is true, roasted bear. Reynolds over here saying what? Today's game between the Packers and, yes, of course, the Chicago Bears. Talk about taking a bite out of your opponent from CNN affiliate KAR-TV. Here's Carla Halt (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BLAKE MONPETIT, OWNER: Hey, what's going on? How you guys doing?
REPORTER (voice over): For every bar there is an image.
MONPETIT: You guys have wings?
REPORTER: Or an attitude shared with the customers. For Tiffany Sports Lounge in St. Paul that attitude --
MONPETIT: Bears are going down.
REPORTER: Is right now a little hard to hide.
MONPETIT: We are roasting a bear Sunday for the Packers game.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, are you?
REPORTER: If you didn't quite catch Blake's casual comment to his customers, hear it again. His bar plans for how to mark the Sunday showdown between the Packers and Bears.
MONPETIT: We are roasting a 180-pound black bear for the Bears/Packers game in a little good spirited rivalry for our friends in Chicago.
REPORTER: That's right. The trash talking has taken on a whole new meaning. We are talking the full-on roasting of a rather large mammal.
MONPETIT: We are going fire up the heat a little bit on the bear when the Packers score.
REPORTER: But don't think Bears fans will take this one lying down.
ROB AUSDEMORE, ALERY'S BAR: The owner played for the Bears right there, Al Bazi (ph), No. 26.
REPORTER: Alery's Bar in St. Paul plans a little roasting of their own, albeit, the verbal sort.
AUSDEMORE: Everybody is going to be here watching the Bears win. All TVs will be on the Bears. We will be grilling out, tailgating style. We will have brats, we're going to have burgers.
REPORTER: Yes, the attitude at the Bears bars, like the Packers one, pretty prominent. But at the end of the weekend one will be humbled. For between these dueling bars is a bit of a challenge.
MONPETIT: If the Packers go to the Super Bowl we would like their staff to wear the Packers gear. If Chicago goes to the Super Bowl, our staff will wear Chicago gear here.
AUSDEMORE: Yes, if -- for some reason the Packers did win, we would wear green and gold. Is that what they call them? REPORTER: Yes.
AUSDEMORE: We don't even know what -- what Packers wear over here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: A 180-pound black bear. Would you take a bite out of that?
WOLF: At least it is edible, Randi. Thank heavens they are not playing the Jets. If they played the Jets would they eat a jets engine? Is that how that works? Or if they are playing the Cardinals, the cardinal is kind of a small animal, you know? Not a lot of meat on that.
KAYE: Not very tasty. They can't legally sell wild game there, so they actually just have to just give away the bear. Then of course they will charge for the sides, and all of that good stuff.
WOLF: Whatever it takes for a victory. There you go.
KAYE: Sounds really-not very yummy to me.
WOLF: Whew! I'm with you.
KAYE: Pretty funny stuff.
The competition is fierce. The gowns and swimsuits are simply stunning, the contestants, absolute dolls. You are watching a global beauty pageant for, yes, Barbies. We will introduce you to the finalists.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. It is 47 minutes past the hour.
So, you thought playing dress-up with dolls was just for little girls, think again. Our "Passport" this morning takes us from Venezuela to South Korea, where fashion designers faced off in a global beauty pageant for Barbies.
Nadia Bilchik joining me now. Barbies, really?
NADIA BILCHIK, Yes. Barbies. What's happened is around the world Barbie beauty pageants, from Seoul to Paris, have become very popular. Particularly in Venezuela. What's interest being Venezuela is the people who partake in these Barbie dressing competitions.
KAYE: I can't wait to see this.
BILCHIK: Are often men. The detail, Randi, that they go to is beyond extraordinary. Look at the makeup, the clothes. Each item of clothing is made by hand. And all the categories they would be in a Miss America or Miss World. There's the ball gown. There's the cocktail dress. Then, of course, there's a swimsuit competition. And it is just extraordinary.
KAYE: Wait a second. You are saying men are doing this?
BILCHIK: Yes, men are doing this.
KAYE: Dressing up their Barbie dolls?
BILCHIK: It is very creative. It is a great outlet. Think of what people do for recreation.
KAYE: I didn't even go that far when I was 10 years old with my own Barbie dolls. They must have a lot of free time.
BILCHIK: And by the way, if you have an old Barbie doll they can be quite valuable. If anyone handed you down from the original, in 1959, they are now worth $10,000. That's a Barbie in impeccable condition.
KAYE: I don't think mine are that old.
BILCHIK: What's so extraordinary, look at the detail, look at the dresses. Look at the effort these people go to. What's extraordinary are the artists, these fashionistas, doing the hair of these Barbies, applying their makeup. Literally taking it incredibly seriously.
KAYE: Like backstage at the dog shows where they dry their hair and all that, fluffing them.
BILCHIK: Exactly. That's the amount of primping that takes place. Let's say they win Miss Venezuela. And whoever wins the Miss Venezuela, they give them a profession, they tell the body measurements, and then go on to the Miss Universe. And they call it the Miss Unibass, Miss Universe Barbie.
Now there are a couple coming up. There is going to be April 2 in Venice, is a Miss Barbie World. And Miss Barbie International is going to be June 12 in Japan.
KAYE: Are we going?
BILCHIK: I was thinking, you know, I could just see the two of us. Sitting so well, kind of colored coordinated today, think what we could do there.
Barbie Universe in Paris in October. Here you have Global Barbie around the world. The one thing is these contestants don't age.
KAYE: I wish that was true for all of us.
BILCHIK: Exactly. At 8:00 I will be talking to you about the Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi. And his penchant for bunga-bunga.
KAYE: Barbies, in a way?
BILCHIK: Bunga-bunga. KAYE: All right, Nadia, thank you. We will see you then.
Watch out, Sarah Palin. There may be some other potential candidates for the 2012 presidential race. I'll tell you who it is, next.
But first, if you are looking for a great place to work, you may consider these companies. "Fortune" magazine published the list of the best companies to work for. Number five, data storage firm, NetApp, where employees get free espressos. Google's cafeterias are free and so is the laundry service. Wegman's food markets covers flu shots, and H1N1 vaccine for its workers.
We are coming back with the two best companies to work for, and you won't believe the perks of the number one.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Good morning. Washington, D.C., isn't that a beautiful shot of the nation's capital? The sun just starting to come up there. Glad to have folks there waking up with us and glad to have you all waking up with us.
Before the break we started telling you "Fortune" magazine's list of top companies to work for. Folks want to work for Boston Consulting Group, because of the firm's generous pay and commitment to social work. That lands them at number two. The number one place to work, software firm SAS. "Fortune" calls its perks epic with everything from a tailor, a manicurist, and a hair salon to summer camp programs for kids, and even car detailing. You can check out more of this list at MONEY.cnn.com.
Republicans in New Hampshire have made their choice for 2012, although the results aren't binding. Mitt Romney ran away with the win in the straw poll done during the annual meeting of the New Hampshire Republican Party. The former Massachusetts governor got 35 percent of the vote. His closest competitor was Congressman Ron Paul that got 11 percent. Sarah Palin got 7 percent.
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser has more on a busy week ahead for Republicans looking ahead to 2012.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Good morning, Randi.
Some Republicans who are seriously thinking of running for the White House top our look at the political week ahead. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's book tour brings him to New Hampshire tomorrow and Tuesday and to Iowa next weekend. Former House Speaker Gingrich speaks in Iowa on Tuesday.
Now, Iowa and New Hampshire play crucial roles in the race to the White House. As they go one, two, in the presidential primary calendar. Meanwhile, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin gives two speeches in Nevada this week. That state also votes early at the primary season. On, Wednesday, back here in Washington, the first meeting of the Tea Party Senate Caucus; Senators Jim DeMint, Rand Paul and Mike Lee will meet with Tea Party leaders from across the country--Randi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Thank you, Paul.
What about Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann? Speculation on her possible 2012 run has been heating up lately. Her appearance in Iowa Friday night does little to dispel those rumors. Side stepping the Republican Party, Bachmann is teaming with the Tea Party Express to give her own state of the union response Tuesday night. Wisconsin's Paul Ryan is giving the official Republican rebuttal.
Still ahead, the campaign against yoga. Sure, it is one of the most popular fitness options around. But that's not enough for one group. Details now in the next half hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Sad news to pass along this morning. Ed Mauser, the oldest living survivor of the 101st Airborne Division, or the Band of Brothers, as known by many, passed away Friday in Omaha, Nebraska. Mauser was 94. We should note the recent death of Easy Company leader, Dick Winters, he passed away earlier this month in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Winters was 92.
Another war and the story of a missing brother in North Korea. Twins who did everything together. CNN's Kyra Phillips talked with Vincent Krepps, a Silver Star recipient, about efforts to have north Korea return the remains of his brother, Richard.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Twin brothers, Vincent and Richard Krepps, enlisted in the Army on September 2, 1949. They were just 19 years old.
VINCENT KREPPS, KOREAN WAR VETERAN: We were both in the Second Infantry Division, a branch of the Army. We were in the same unit, same battery, same platoon.
PHILLIPS: During a vicious battle against the North Koreans, the Krepps brothers, and their platoon were given the order, stand or die. Vincent survived. Richard vanished.
KREPPS: By this time I was -- I had tears running down my face. I knew the worst probably had happened.
PHILLIPS: Richard was captured by the enemy and later died in captivity.
KREPPS: Richard lives through me and live through Richard. Richard was very quiet, very -- he loved being home.
PHILLIPS: Vincent spent the last 60 years trying to have his brother's remains brought home. He's encouraged by North Korea's recent offer to return the remains of several hundred American soldiers, encouraged but guarded.
KREPPS: I know that there's a lot of families out there that are thrilled to death over this. But there's some caution in my mind.
PHILLIPS: Krepps has heard this tune before. So has Congressman Charles Rangel of New York, also a veteran of the Korean War. The congressman even takes it one step further.
REP. CHARLES RANGEL, (D) NEW YORK: I don't pay too much attention to the North Koreans, as we didn't pay too much attention in 1950 when we drove them to the Yalu River. It is the Chinese communists that are pulling the strings there. Everyone knows it.
PHILLIPS: Krepps doesn't know if the North Koreans are sincere, or if they're trying to deflect the international spotlight off of themselves. But he says the offer represents movement and perhaps a chance to finally say goodbye to Richard.
VINCENT KREPPS, KOREAN WAR VETERAN: I miss sitting around with him and having a beer or something, and talking about the days in Korea, talking about all of our days as youngsters. We played together and played baseball together. We did everything together every day of our life. I miss that part of it, as much as anything.
PHILLIS: Kyra Phillips, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Good morning.
Take a look at this. A traffic stop ends with a 53-year-old woman getting punched. A highway patrol trooper at the center of the chaos is under investigation. Coming up: more of the dramatic footage and the twist that will have you thinking twice about the case.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
KAYE: Chaos and protests rock another North African country, this time, Algeria. Has Tunisia's revolution created instability in the region? We are tracking a global hotspot that has the Obama administration's attention.
And, relax, at least you're supposed to when you're doing yoga. That's not the case, though, for one group. They're angry because the workout isn't sacred enough.
It's early and we're on it. From CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's January 23rd. Good morning, everyone. Glad you're with us. I'm Randi Kaye.
Imagine this -- an 18-year-old Dutch mental health patient is tethered to the wall for hours every day. The hospital where he lives says it's for his own safety and the safety of attendants who work with him. This video is from a documentary out of the Netherlands. Health officials there say his treatment is in line with rules for restraining patients. But the documentary by the Evangelical Broadcasting Company is causing Dutch lawmakers to re-examine the treatment of psychiatric patients.
The young man's mother says he's constantly restrained.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETRA VAN INGEN, MOTHER OF MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT (through translator): Well, this is Brandon. He is chained to the wall on a line. He actually lives like a caged animal. He feels like a dog on a line. This is day in and out. His situation -- yes, he sits like this the whole day, every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The hospital says that the teen's treatment is an exceptional case. The country's public health director says there are 40 similar cases in the Netherlands.
Now, check out this video just released by the Utah Department of Public Safety. It shows a highway patrolman punching the driver of a stopped car in the head. First, let me point out that this is the end of a police chase through Ogden, Utah. Now, let me say that the driver was a 53-year-old woman. The trooper is on paid leave while investigators sift through the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN HYER, UTAH DPS SPOKESMAN: Pursuits can be very, very dangerous. And for that reason, this review process is essential in what we do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The charges against the driver were dropped earlier this month.
President Obama is already laying out his agenda for the upcoming year -- jobs. He sent this messaging to supporters previewing the focus for Tuesday's State of the Union address.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've got millions of our fellow Americans who are out there struggling every day, don't have a job or haven't seen a raise in a long time, paycheck is shrinking at a time when costs are going up. And so, my principle focus -- my number one focus -- is going to be making sure that we are competitive, that we are growing and we are creating jobs not just now but well into the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: We will have much more on the State of the Union throughout the morning. And be sure to tune in for special coverage of the address here on CNN starting Tuesday night. You can catch it at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Two forensic scientists have now been cleared by the court to retest key evidence in the Italian murder case of American Amanda Knox. Knox was convicted in 2009 in the killing of her roommate. She's appealing and the independent review of the murder weapon is key to her case. Those forensic experts are expected to have their testing done by early May.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
KAYE: Unrest in Algeria where pro-democracy demonstrators defied a government ordered ban yesterday in the capital. Security forces clashed with the protesters. Algerian press services report 11 individuals injured, eight policemen as well.
Last week in neighboring Tunisia, similar protests led to the ouster of Tunisia's longtime president.
The search for a missing 4-year-old boy in northern California has stalled. Authorities suspended their search of a canal in Patterson until tomorrow. Patterson is about 75 miles west of Oakland. The sheriff says Juliani Cardenas was snatched from his grandmother's arms Tuesday by Jose Esteban Rodriguez, the ex-boyfriend of the child's mother.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF ADAM CHRISTIANSON, STANISLAUS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: This is getting frustrating. It's like riding a rollercoaster. You think you're going to be able to bring closer to this case, and then, suddenly, you know, once again, we recovered probably another stolen vehicle.
So, as always, we remain hopeful that we're going to be able to find Juliani alive and bring him home. That's our goal. It's -- that's always been our goal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: A witness had told investigators he saw a car with a male driver and a youngster drive into a canal in the area.
Afghanistan's parliament held a special session today. They decided to accept Karzai's offer of a Wednesday inauguration but only if he dissolves a special court that's looking into election fraud allegations.
CNN's Arwa Damon is in Kabul.
And, Arwa, can you tell us where things stand now?
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Randi, there have been all sorts of back-and-forth regarding that special court. Right now, the decision is with the president. The parliamentarians are waiting to see if he will decide to, in fact, dissolve it.
This special court was set up by President Karzai in December, largely to appease the losing candidate in the parliamentary election and investigate their various complaints, hundreds of them. These elections that took place in November were severely marred with widespread allegations of fraud, irregularities. The Independent Election Commission did eventually verified and certified those results but only after tossing out more than a million ballots.
President Karzai wants the parliament to agree that will accept the legitimacy and the findings of the special court. Parliamentarians, however, argue that it is unconstitutional. They want to see it dissolved and add a solution and are suggesting that the country's Supreme Court look into those claims. So, it's very much still a waiting game at this stage.
And this is really not boding well for the future of Afghanistan, Randi, especially not for U.N. and U.S. officials who have been watching this unfolding with great concern. They desperately want to see a stable government seated here.
There is one point, though, that all sides do agree on and that is that this ongoing stalemate is serving to further deepen ethnic divide and also playing straight into the hands of the Taliban -- Randi.
KAYE: And I know, Arwa, there's been a lot of concern, of course, about rising tensions there. Have you seen any signs of unrest?
DAMON: Well, there are some initial signs that took place today in Kabul. For example, one of the losing candidates staged a small demonstration with a few hundred people in attendance. They were largely protesting the fact that these negotiations were even taking place between the president and parliament. They were also protesting the potential inauguration of parliament that could still take place on Wednesday if they do reach a compromise.
One of the leaders of this loose coalition that has been formed by losing candidates were saying that if parliament is, in fact, inaugurated these types of demonstration would intensify, that they plan on having them take place across the entire country.
The losing candidates really feel as if this election was stolen from them. Most of them are from the country's predominantly Pashtun. They say their constituents could not go out to vote because, remember, that is where a lot of the fighting with the Taliban is currently concentrated. Therefore, security intimidation kept people from getting out to the polls. And they say that the Independent Election Commission did not adequately investigate their claims of fraud either.
And so, what's going to happen is still very much uncertain. But if this parliament does end up being inaugurated as it stands, it does threaten to further alienate the country's Pashtun population and raising concerns that it could drive even more people straight into the hands of the Taliban -- Randi.
KAYE: All right. Arwa Damon in Kabul -- we'll have to leave it there. Thank you, Arwa.
Talk about cold cash. Take a look at what some people will do to help their kids. Even Gumby couldn't wait to take the plunge.
Reynolds Wolf, I know you're a big fan of these polar bear dips, aren't you?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Sort of kind of, but not really. Gumby is green, but that water, it looks like it's starting to make him turn blue, doesn't it? I mean, that's certainly some cold times. I'll tell you what? We're going to see a plunge, Randi, of some very cold temperatures moving across a third of the nation. That's coming up in a few moments. Things are looking pretty nice in our nation's capital.
We'll have more coming up in a few. Keep it here. You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. It is nearly a quarter past the hour. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf has our check on today's forecast.
Look at what's shaping up to be some pretty chilly weather. The word of the day for football fans at least is layer up during the game.
WOLF: Absolutely. Absolutely. That's going to be a big thing. We've got the football forecast to deal with. We've got bitter cold across parts of the Northern Plains.
There's something else, Randi, that we have is the potential for some interesting weather as we make our way into next week. In fact, we're going to be watching on Tuesday, especially Monday and Tuesday, will be this area of low pressure that's going to be developing across parts of the northern gulf. Now, first and foremost, it's going to be a rainmaker, bringing some scattered showers from Alabama back into Texas.
As we fast forward, though, into Tuesday evening, there is the possibility we might see some kind of freezing precipitation from Atlanta in through parts of Tennessee and into the Carolinas and then as we fast forward from Tuesday into Wednesday, there's also this possibility that this may back fairly strong nor'easter. It might bring some snow to parts of the northeast.
The thing is, you have to keep in mind right now it is still very early. Computer models are showing different scenarios. There's no way to say with any type of accuracy where we might get some frozen precipitation or we might not. So, there's a chance from the Southeast and the Eastern Seaboard over the next 24 to 48 to 72 hours, we might see some interesting and rough weather.
Very quickly, let's show you what else we have. A little bit of snow is forming across parts of the mid-Mississippi Valley. One inch of snow is possible for parts of Missouri. And into the Northern Plains, we have a light dusting of snowfall.
But the biggest story that we have for you is the wind chill advisory in parts of Minnesota, into the Dakotas, even as far south as Nebraska where temperatures this morning with the wind chill, it feels like 30 below just the east of Fargo, over Moorhead, Minnesota, in Omaha, into south of Sioux Falls, 21 below is what it feels like. It's going to be brutal across much of the Great Lakes.
Chicago this morning, three degrees right now and we have a live image for you. This afternoon, it's going to be the Bears and the Packers. Brutal conditions at Soldier Field.
Another spot in Pittsburgh, currently 9 degrees, only warming up into the teens. As we wrap things up, in Pittsburgh, and it's going to be a brutal day weather-wise. Hopefully, if you happen to be a fan of either team, hopefully, both teams show up and it's a good contest and at least the game itself won't be too brutal.
Randi, that's the latest.
KAYE: And, Reynolds, I know you love -- I know you love the weather and cold. But would you ever swim in a freezing cold pond?
WOLF: Yes, no way.
KAYE: No?
WOLF. No way in the world. You know, I enjoy swimming. Whenever I see people leave these things, very seldom see them smile. You don't see a lot of enjoyment, you know what I mean?
KAYE: Right. So, I want to know if you would do this. I know it may sound crazy but the sixth annual YMCA polar plunge at this outdoor center in Connecticut is in the books. And as you can see, they had a few brave souls take the plunge. Proceeds, of course, go to the summer scholarships for deserving YMCA campers.
Even Gumby was there. Do you see that, Reynolds?
WOLF: Brave guy.
KAYE: Wow. They do look freezing. You are right. They don't look happy but brave. But brave, very brave.
All right. For couch potatoes who enjoy their winter sports sitting down, well, you might want to try "skouching." That's right. You just put a couple of skis under an old couch and you hit the snowy slope in style.
I think actually Reynolds holds the world record for this one, yes. Skouching is the creation of a couple of fraternity guys, old school. That's what it is all about. There's a downside, though, of course. No ski lifts. You get to do it yourself. You got to haul that couch all the way back up the hill.
WOLF: Rumor has it, Randi, this may be entered in the next Winter Olympics, skouching. It might be something. I mean, Bode Miller, this might his next area of expertise. And who needs to bobsled when you can actually climb on a couch with skis on the bottom and roll?
KAYE: I know who would win the gold, right there.
WOLF: I want to be part of the team.
KAYE: I want to be part of your team.
WOLF: Good jives.
KAYE: Can the way we practice yoga be offensive to Hindu religious beliefs? There's a group that says we completely missed the point. My interview with Hindu-Americans who want to take yoga back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Sixteen million people practice yoga here in the U.S. Lots of them do it for exercise. But there's a spiritual element, too. And some Hindu Americans say that aspect is being overlooked.
I got a chance to find out more. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHEETAL SHAH, SENIOR DIRECTOR, HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION: Yoga is part in parcel of being Hindu. Yoga is a way of life for me.
KAYE (voice-over): Sheetal Shah of the Hindu American Foundation hears a lot about the physical practice of yoga, but not much about its religious roots.
SHAH: Gita is actually a Hindu text that when you enter a yoga class and you say, "Namaste," that is a Hindu greeting.
KAYE: Her group, reporter: a progressive voice for American Hindus mounted a campaign to take back yoga.
SHAH: Over the years, yoga, there's been a conscious delinking between Hinduism and yoga.
KAYE: Yoga is mentioned in many of the ancient India text, which formed the basis of Hinduism, the oldest and third most practiced religion in the world.
Dr. Uma Mysorekar is president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, which runs a yoga class at a temple in New York.
They offer yoga as a spiritual practice.
DR. UMA MYSOREKAR, HINDU TEMPLE SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA Yoga is really a spiritual discipline. That's a true definition of yoga. Yoga really originated from a Sanskrit word yog (ph), which means union and to join, and to unite. And unite is between individual being or the soul with Paramatma, which is the cosmic being.
KAYE: According to a study commissioned by "Yoga Journal," there were nearly 16 million yoga practitioners in America in 2008, spending almost $6 billion a year on yoga classes and gear.
Yoga is usually marketed as an exercise or health practice. And people from a number of religious backgrounds have incorporated it into their lives.
At Atlanta Hot Yoga in Atlanta, Georgia, where they offer yoga in a heated environment, many practitioners say that they feel a vaguely spiritual aspect to their practice. But balk at labeling it a religious act or tying it to a particular religious tradition.
LEAH CULBERSON, MANAGER, ATLANTA HOT YOGA: Some come to tighten their muscles, to, you know, get a great butt. Everybody comes for a different reason. It's my belief that at the heart of every practice, it's always a spiritual practice. You're going to have thousands of clients who pass through and practitioners who never get to that point, never want that point.
KAYE: But the Hindu American Foundation says it wants to make sure that yoga's roots are never lost.
SHAH: People are now starting to put yoga and Hindu in the same sentence, in the same paragraph. And they may not be agreeing with the HAF's stance but they are thinking about it, they are talking about it.
KAYE: Talking and making the connection with people from many faiths.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And now for some seemingly extreme yoga, this next piece of video is burning up the Web. And I'm not sure you want to try this at home. In fact, I wouldn't even recommend it.
OK. Here's the video. Take a look. It is called, they say, baby yoga. Yes. That's supposedly a real baby being swung around there. Look at that.
Now, you judge for yourself, the baby twirling is being done apparently by a Russian yoga expert. Can you believe those pictures?
Fans of this yoga exercise, if can you call it that, believe it leads to more courageous babies. Yes. Well, they've got to be pretty brave to let anyone swing them around like that, won't you say?
Chips, chili, hot dogs, and -- moving along now -- roasted bear. We'll tell you how's planning an extreme menu in honor of today's big NFL fl games. That's just two minutes away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Today's big football game between Chicago and Green Bay takes on a whole new meaning, and in all places, Vikings Country. One lounge in St. Paul, Minnesota, has a special meal in mind for today's NFC championship game. But more so for Packer fans and those who follow the "Monsters of the Midway."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLAKE MONTPETIT, BAR OWNER: We are roasting a 180-pound black bear for the Bears/Packers game and a little good spirited rivalry for our friends in Chicago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The bar's plans were blocked by the local health department who put the kibosh on the bear meet meal.
Sports moments this week that made you go wow. HLN's sports anchor, Joe Carter, is sharing them all with us.
Now, what do you think of that?
JOE CARTER, HLN SPORTS ANCHOR: Thank goodness somebody steps in and put the kibosh on that.
KAYE: Wait a minute.
CARTER: Hello. I mean, how gamey is bear?
KAYE: Who went out and shot that 180-pound black bear and now what are they going do with it?
CARTER: Well, I actually read the story. And apparently fans are -- customers of the restaurant are going to be able to take pictures in front of it while it roasts. And then because the health department put the kibosh on it, they're going to send the bear meat to a party, a private party in Wisconsin. Have fun chewing on that tonight guys.
KAYE: Yuck.
CARTER: Gamey.
KAYE: Yes.
Moving on, what else do you have?
CARTER: You know, the New York Jets are one win from the Super Bowl. And recently, they have attached themselves to a story of inspiration, comeback story. And it's about Dennis Byrd who used to play for the Jets but his career was ended back in 1992 because of a neck injury when he was temporarily paralyzed. Now, the team met him the night before they played the Patriots last week. And he gave an emotional motivational speech before they played the Patriots. So, his words inspired the team to carry his number 9 jersey to midfield for the coin toss.
Well, now, he's been invited to come back with the team. He's going to actually be there in person today to walk on the field before the coin toss. He's been named an honorary captain for the Jets for the AFC Championship game. It's actually going to be first time he's walked on the field with the Jets since 1993 when the team honored him 10 months after he was temporarily paralyzed.
KAYE: Team inspiration.
CARTER: Yes. Also, more inspiration for the Jets. Now, they arrived in Pittsburgh late last night and greeted at the team hotel by tons of fans. One of the fans in particular was Aiden Binkley's father. Now, Aiden is a small boy and a dear friend and inspiration of Jet's quarterback, Mark Sanchez. He was just 11 years old and died from a very rare form of cancer.
Now, before he passed, he became very close with the quarterback, Mark Sanchez. The two exchanged -- yes, phone calls, text messages, they even met and hung out a couple of times at his house. And the Jets decided to invite the father to the game today as their guest to watch and hang out with the team. So, nice gesture there as well.
KAYE: I love to see that when the teams really support some of these kids. It means so much to them.
CARTER: Yes, yes. You know, one of the wishes was -- two wishes. One was to always have his brother stay in good health. And his other wish was to meet quarterback Mark Sanchez.
KAYE: Oh.
CARTER: I know. Right? Right? Very good.
Well, let's end on a fun story.
KAYE: OK.
CARTER: My favorite video of the week is courtesy of Novak Djokovic, the tennis player.
KAYE: Oh, I love this.
CARTER: This is in court 16 of the Australia open. He was with the beautiful Kym Johnson of "Dancing with the Stars." Impromptu ballroom dancing event is going on here.
Watch as the video goes on here. Djokovic clearly is not a shy guy. He rips off his shirt.
KAYE: Oh, he's such a ham.
CARTER: I mean, really, right?
KAYE: And a great teacher. But a ham, too.
CARTER: He is a good tennis player. Well, Kym Johnson, she's Australian native. That's why she's there. And she tweeted later saying that Djokovic is not only a good dancer but would make a great contestant on "Dancing with the Stars."
KAYE: Really?
CARTER: Yes.
KAYE: So, we might see him there. I don't know if he has enough time for that, maybe in the offseason or something.
CARTER: I don't know if he's a big enough star to be in the tennis world, but he's got a good bod and he can dance.
KAYE: Yes, he can dance. He's s doing pretty well there, too. He is still in it, right? Right?
All right. Joe Carter, thank you. Good to see you.
CARTER: You, too.
KAYE: Most people never see what goes on inside of an operating room. But our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is giving us an all-access pass inside the O.R. And this caution: some of the operation video is a bit graphic. "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." starts right now.
