Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
Hunter-Gault Reflects at Previous Racial Barriers in College for Blacks; A look at Varied Accounts of Prison Abuse Scandal by Those Involved
Aired May 15, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody.
Nice to have you with us.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for May the 15.
Great to have you with us today.
I'm Thomas Roberts.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Sophia Choi.
Thanks so much for being with us.
Here's what's on top this hour.
Polls show John Kerry is closing in on President Bush. We'll run down the numbers for you.
Also ahead, student athletes and gambling -- student campuses -- dirty little secrets are getting out now. Find out how bad it is.
And the latest trend in remodeling high end kitchens. For some, money is no object.
But first, let's get cooking with our headlines.
ROBERTS: Middle East reform -- Secretary of State Colin Powell will be tying to sell it when he arrives in Jordan within the hour for the World Economic Forum. Among the topics at the Forum, introducing democratic reforms in Arab states and ways to fight terrorism globally.
Well, India's Congress Party made it official today -- formally selecting Sonia Ghandi to be its candidate for India's prime minister. The Congress Party scored a big upset in this week's elections. So far, the Italian born Ghandi is non-committal about whether she wants to be prime minister.
Four soldiers from the U.S. 1st Armored Division have died south of Baghdad. Three were killed in separate attacks. One was killed when his vehicle overturned. The fifth died of natural causes.
CHOI: And now to our top story this morning -- more fallout from the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq. How far up the chain of command does the blame go? Conflicting stories on that and some interrogation methods are now being banned.
Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, is here now with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
05140003.v84
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: The American people say the blame goes higher than the M.P. guards charged so far in the abuse scandal. In our latest CNN/"Time" poll, we asked if the officers in charge of the prisons should face court-martial. Sixty-eight percent said yes, 24 percent said now.
Now, respondents were also asked which presidential candidate would do a better job handling Iraq and world affairs. Forty-six percent said John Kerry for both, 43 percent said President Bush would do better on Iraq and 44 percent chose him for world affairs.
Now, likely voters were also asked their choice for president. Forty-nine percent said Senator Kerry, 44 percent said President Bush and then there were six percent for Ralph Nader.
You know, many members were wearing "Cops for Kerry" T-shirts when the senator arrived to accept the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers. The Brotherhood endorsed George W. Bush in 2000. But the group's president says President Bush has provided "three and a half years of disappointing leadership."
Well, endorsements notwithstanding, no one can touch President Bush when it comes to fundraising. So far, the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign has raked in $203 million. The John Kerry campaign has raised about $110 million.
CHOI: And speaking of big money, here's the latest on gasoline prices. The government says the price of regular gas is expected to average $1.94 a gallon for the month of May, then peak at $2.03 in June. The current average is $2.01 per gallon. Motorists in Yorktown, Virginia pay the least -- $1.69. But some places in California, they're paying $2.30 for regular and more than $4 a gallon for premium gasoline, or about 80 bucks to fill a 20 gallon tank. Boy.
So what's ahead? The Federal Energy Administration says after that peak in June, regular gas will average about $1.94 a gallon nationwide for the remainder of the summer driving season.
Well, different reasons are being offered for the current spike in gas prices. Our unscientific sampling turned up some motorists who think they might have the answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They spent too much money on dropping bombs across the seas. They're trying to make the money up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely, I think that the conflict between America and Iraq has caused gas prices to increase.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably because of what's going on in Iraq. I'm not really sure beyond that. I mean I think it's associated with the Iraq war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: Whatever the reason, it is unlikely we will get any sympathy from European motorists. In France, they're paying $4.80 a gallon, in Germany $5, and in Britain, $5.40 for a gallon of gas.
And that brings us to our e-mail question this morning -- what's driving the high price of oil and gas? E-mail us now with your comments at wam@cnn.com.
ROBERTS: It's time now to check some stories making news across America.
A Georgia jury took less than five hours to convict a former 911 operator. It's in the 1995 anti-freeze poisoning death of her police officer husband. Lynn Turner was sentenced to life in prison. Next month a grand jury will look into whether Turner was involved in the death of her boyfriend back in 2001. Phil Spector and his chauffeur were arrested for assault on each other. The noted record producer is already awaiting trial for murder. Spector will appear in court in June on the assault charge. Now, the murder charge came after Actress Lana Clarkson was found shot at Spector's California mansion last year.
And competitors from all over the South Pacific are in Hawaii for the World Fire Knife Dance Competition. Look at this. The finals are tonight. The event began some 12 years ago to show off the best and the brightest in the art of twirling the fiery sticks.
CHOI: If you haven't had time to keep up the with news this week, that's what we're here for. Let's rewind for you now.
The general who wrote the report on Iraqi prisoner abuse testified on Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Antonio Taguba says the M.P.s at Abu Ghraib lacked discipline, training and supervision. This shortly before a Web site linked to al Qaeda posted video of American hostage Nicholas Berg being beheaded. His captors say it was retaliation for prisoner abuse.
Thursday, a surprise for troops in Iraq and for the rest of us, as Donald Rumsfeld arrived unannounced in Baghdad to visit troops. The secretary of defense also visited Abu Ghraib Prison. And that was just one day before hundreds of prisoners were released from that facility, the first mass release since the abuse scandal broke.
Tomorrow, we will fast forward to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.
ROBERTS: Well, 50 years ago the racial barrier in American schools was officially broken. And seven years later, CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault was among the first in the country to test the new rules at the college level.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The only room in the whole dormitory with a light on was mine, so everybody knew where to throw the bricks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: We're going to hear her emotional story later this hour.
CHOI: But up next, do you have a water faucet above the stove? Find out how to make your kitchen look hot without burning your pockets. And if you want to spend money, take a look at this six figure kitchen. Need we say more?
ROBERTS: But first, high gas prices are among the favorite editorial cartoon subjects this week. Take a peek. Here's one from Randy Bish at the "Pittsburgh Trib." A gas station owner is putting up a bridal registry sign next to his price list.
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: Take a look at this. If your kitchen needs a pick-me-up, this is one of the hottest trends in kitchen remodeling -- a water faucet above the stove so you can fill your pots right at the burner -- $300 plus installation.
Or, how about this? Conveniently placed cabinet drawers to keep your food warm for mealtime, 500 bucks apiece.
And wine refrigerators are selling well these days. This one would cost you about five grand, but you can get smaller ones for a lot less.
And that is just a sample of some of the latest trends in kitchen remodeling. The key word today seems to be convenience, but it can come with a pretty hefty price tag.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATALIE DALTON, EXPO DESIGN CENTER: One of the trends that we're seeing in remodeling today is homeowners are choosing to personalize their space and customize their space to make their lives more convenient. An example of this is an oversized refrigerator and freezer inside the kitchen. G.E. Monogram makes this model. This is the refrigerator, this is the freezer. So imagine storing all of your bulk purchases inside this large unit.
Another great convenience for the kitchen is modular dishwashing units, for example, this model by Fisher Pico (ph). Separate drawers for the dishwasher enable you to run smaller loads at one time. Also, the fact that it's raised off the floor, less bending. So unloading the dishwasher is a lot more easier than it has been before. There's an additional unit to the left side of this sink here which, of course, if you want a bigger load, you can fill both of them. So you can run a smaller, bigger, great for all sizes of families.
The cabinets that we chose here, this is a sleek line. It's a modified Shaker door with a larger rail, more of a contemporary look. Certainly another trend is organization and space saving.
Double ovens are certainly something that homeowners are opting for, cooking bigger meals, cooking for bigger affairs.
This is an oversized cook top, providing an additional burner so you can have more pots at the same time cooking, again for bigger meals.
Here's an example of a custom range hood that fits the sides of the cook top. This will take care of all the ventilation needs for this cooking area. The range comes in a variety of different finishes, different styles, different sizes, and really customizes the look of the home and personalizes the look of the space.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: And the appliances alone in that kitchen we just showed you would run about $74,000. To get them installed would cost about 50 to 70 percent of what you paid for the equipment. So in this case we saved 60 percent, or about $45,000. Total cost for that kitchen? About $119,000.
Yes.
So if we've got you itching to remodel your kitchen now, Sam Clark is a veteran designer and builder specializing in kitchens. And Sam is the author of "Build Like A Pro: Remodeling Your Kitchen."
And he joins us now from Burlington, Vermont.
Good morning, Sam.
SAM CLARK, AUTHOR, "BUILD LIKE A PRO": Good morning, Sophia.
CHOI: So, before they even get started, what should a family consider before going into a renovation?
CLARK: Well, I think the first thing is to figure out what's wrong with the kitchen you have, what your needs are, and I think try to be real clear about what your budget is. Because if you're not clear, then you'll be likely to need that $100,000 that we were just hearing about.
CHOI: Exactly. How about getting a clear idea of what you want? Where do you look for ideas -- magazines, showrooms? CLARK: That's good, but I think your own experience. What do you experience as you cook and as you work and as you live in your kitchen. You know, what are the activities that are awkward there. Can you communicate well with your guests and your family? Are your kids have room to do their homework if they want to do that? It's really more looking at your own experience. Also, there are a lot of good books out there on kitchen design which I think are very helpful, as well as showrooms or TV shows or whatever.
CHOI: All right, you mentioned setting a budget and a timetable. But realistically, how closely are you finding that people stick to those things?
CLARK: Ah.
CHOI: Ah.
CLARK: I think it's very easy for a budget to get out of control. But I think if you find a builder who is good at thinking about that and working with you on that -- also, it's very important to be clear. If you say to your builder I have, you know, $42,000 to spend and that's it, then you'll get the response that you need from that builder. If you're unclear about what -- about it yourself, then it'll go higher than that.
CHOI: All right, typically how long does a renovation like that take and how much does it cost, generally?
CLARK: I would say for the projects that I work on, one to two months would be typical, but a big project can very easily take longer and, of course, a small project less. I would say typically it's $30,000 and on up from there, $30,000 to $50,000, I would say, would be not an -- would be typical.
CHOI: All right, so if you want to get the most bang for your buck, what are some of the things that you can immediately see a huge difference in a kitchen renovation from?
CLARK: OK, I'm going to -- to over simplify, I'm going to say good light, a really well thought out layout. I've noticed that midrange appliances are getting better and better all the time. They're picking up more of the features of the high end appliances. So that would be a good start. I think a good layout, a good practical layout is the most important thing.
CHOI: All right, well, Sam Clark, thank you so much for joining us with your advice and tips on what to watch out for.
CLARK: OK.
Thank you.
CHOI: Take care.
Happy renovating -- Thomas. ROBERTS: Well, stay with us everybody. A surprising number of college athletes are betting on their own sport. We're going to sit down and talk about the stats straight ahead.
And can "Troy" bet on ruling the box office this weekend?
Get these stories and much more when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.
Stay with us.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: OK, so you're looking for a little weekend entertainment, aren't you?
Well, here's a look at what's waiting for you in the theaters over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "TROY")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can save hundreds of them. You can end this war with a swing of your sword.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: All right, if action is what you're after, Brad Pitt stands ready to deliver in "Troy." The epic tale of Achilles is reenacted with Hollywood heavyweights, including a performance by Peter O'Toole that's already generating some chatter. Critics say overall the movie is not bad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "BREAKING ALL THE RULES")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kicked him to the curb.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my best man. You somebody else right now. You a alien right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: And from "Troy" to modern day, Jamie Foxx plays a man who doesn't take being dumped lightly. In "Breaking All The Rules," he fights back by writing a how to book on breaking up. The "Atlanta Journal Constitution" calls it a romantic comedy retread, kicked up a notch by the talents of Jamie Foxx and friends."
CHOI: "People" magazine reports Gwyneth Paltrow is a brand new mommy. A baby girl is the first child for the Oscar winning actress. Paltrow and hubby, "Cold Play" lead singer Chris Martin, are the proud parents of Apple Blythe Alison Martin. Yes, Apple. Maybe that's because she's the apple of her mommy's eye.
Anyway, Paltrow and Martin were married last December.
ROBERTS: Apple Blythe Alison Martin. CHOI: Yes.
ROBERTS: So initials...
CHOI: ABAM.
ROBERTS: ... ABAM, yes.
CHOI: Right.
ROBERTS: So you can put all that together.
It's time to talk about the weather, though, and say hi to Jacqui Jeras and find out what's going on -- hey, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS: Good morning.
CHOI: Good morning to you.
JERAS: How are you guys doing?
CHOI: Great.
ROBERTS: Not bad. We're still -- I think we're still getting over this name.
CHOI: I'm trying to wake up my eyes, though.
JERAS: It is a little early. Yes. None of us usually do this, do we, on the weekend?
ROBERTS: Un-nnh.
CHOI: No. I'm usually at nights.
JERAS: I'm happy to be here.
CHOI: Me, too.
JERAS: It's a good morning to get up and get going.
ROBERTS: A little cup of coffee and we'll get going.
JERAS: Absolutely. Get the rest of the day, then. Get the afternoon free.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHOI: And time now for a quick check of the headlines.
President Bush's numbers are tumbling. According to a new CNN/"Time" poll, the president's job approval is down to 46 percent and 51 percent of likely voters say they will cast their ballot for his Democratic challenger, John Kerry.
In Iraq, at least four Iraqis are dead following a mortar attack in the northern city of Mosul. Fifteen others were injured in the explosions near an Iraqi Army recruiting center.
ROBERTS: Stay with us, everybody.
World leaders are gathering at the Dead Sea, where the World Economic Forum has Iraq and Mideast heavy on the agenda. We're going to take you there live.
And then, a little later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTER-GAULT: The university officials came and told us -- told me that I was being suspended for my "own safety."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: The first African-American admitted to the University of Georgia -- what was it like to be breaking racial barriers?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TORI ATALI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The emotional toll of a troubled marriage could be killing you. Several new studies show marital stress greatly affects a person's health. The impact on the body is intensified because the stress is so personal. Also, it's harder to avoid the cause than with other types of health risks. An unhappy spouse is more likely to get sick, suffer from heart problems and chronic pain. Even their wounds were found to heal at a slower rate.
There is some good news, at least for those happily married. Those who spend a good deal of quality time with their spouses had much lower blood pressure than couples that did not. They also were in better overall physical condition. And research shows a low stress marriage can increase your chances of surviving when a health problem does strike.
Tori Atali, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: If you've been noticing less sunshine lately, well, don't be surprised. Some say the world is becoming a darker place. We'll explain why, ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: Here are the headlines at this hour.
More violence in Gaza. An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at the home of a key member of the radical group Islamic Jihad. Three people were injured in that attack. The strike in Rafah came just hours after a missile strike in Gaza City targeted another leader of the group. At least four Iraqis were killed this morning in a mortar attack in the northern city of Mosul. Fifteen others were injured in the attack outside an Iraqi Army recruitment center.
And jubilation this morning in South Africa. Less than an hour ago, the country was named the host of soccer's World Cup in 2010. They will become the first African nation to host the Cup in the event's 74 year history.
ROBERTS: More than 1,000 government and business leaders from around the globe are in Jordan today to begin the World Economic Forum. Among the items on the agenda, the future of Iraq and plans for peace in the Middle East.
CNN's Walter Rodgers is at the Forum.
He joins us with the latest from the Dead Sea Coast -- Walter.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thomas, from an American point of view, what's most interesting here is that the U.S. secretary of state, Colin Powell, has just arrived a short while ago. He is meeting in Amman, not very far from this Dead Sea site. And there in Amman, he's meeting with Palestinian officials. The Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qureia.
Now, what's interesting about this is, of course, that the Bush administration has essentially snubbed all of Yasser Arafat's officials and Arafat's proteges for the past several years. But now, suddenly, and more interestingly, the Bush administration and the American secretary of state are now meeting again with Palestinian, that is, PLO officials.
Now, what's going to come of this we're not sure. Secretary of State Powell does have a speech to this World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea resort in just about two and a half hours. That speech is expected to send the message, or try to send the message to the Arab world that the United States still supports the idea of a Palestinian state. That is, of course, a point of great grievance with Arabs in this part of the world.
The Arabs see the Bush administration as, in the past several years, having totally aligned itself with Ariel Sharon and, of course, that's an anathema to most Arabs.
So, what Mr. Powell is going to do here at this summit meeting is he's going to try to recast the American image in the Arab world, and that's going to be very, very difficult after those pictures of abused Iraqi prisoners -- Thomas.
ROBERTS: Walter Rodgers live for us along the Dead Sea coast there.
Walter, thanks very much.
CHOI: Now here is a look at what you might have missed this week in the war on terror. President Bush tightens sanctions against Syria, banning all American exports except food and medicine. Mr. Bush says Syria is pursuing weapons of mass destruction. He says that action, combined with its influence over Lebanon, represents the threat to the U.S. national security and economy.
The 9/11 Commission was negotiating with the White House again this week, this time asking for access to information about top level al Qaeda detainees being held by the CIA.
And a judge in Washington said he just didn't buy it when convicted hijacker Zayd Hassan Latif Safarini expressed sorrow from the depth of his heart. Safarini was sentenced to 160 years in prison for his role in the 1986 hijacking of PanAm Flight 73 in Pakistan. The hijackers murdered 21 passengers.
ROBERTS: A 12-year-old boy, frequently the victim of bullying, hangs himself. And now his mom has been sentenced. That's just one of the intriguing cases on the docket in Legal Briefs. That's coming your way in the next hour.
Then, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, terrorism and the price of oil -- are they related? Just how tightly? A question for the editor of "Energy Risk" magazine. We'll sit down with him.
And then at 9:30, someone told Robert Novak to go take a flying leap, so he did. The Army's Golden Knights parachute team jump into the Novak zone.
And next, 50 years after "Brown v. the Board of Education," the first black woman to attend the University of Georgia takes us back to those turbulent days.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: The signs all seem to be that interest rates probably will soon start moving back up. So how could that affect you and what can you do about it? You're going to find out at 4:30 Eastern today on CNN "Dollar Signs." Our experts are going to help you prepare for the coming interest rate hikes. So send your questions to dollarsigns@cnn.com. Or you can phone us toll-free when the lines open at 4:30 Eastern today.
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: It has been nearly a half century since the Supreme Court struck down separate but equal guidelines for public schools.
CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault remembers when the ruling was made. She reflects now on her personal experiences attending an all black school and later becoming one of the first to integrate an all white college.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTER-GAULT: The first elementary school I went to was in Covington, Georgia. We used to, my neighbors and I used to walk about a mile and a half to get there and when we got there it was -- it was our school. At the same time, it was a little black school in a very segregated society. Nothing compared with what the white students had across town.
In 1954, my mother decided to join my father, who was a military chaplain in Alaska. And so in 1954, the year of the Supreme Court decision, it's sort of ironic, in a way, I attended a white school.
I stepped into a classroom where I had to compete with white students who had traveled all over the world, being military children. They had attended some of the best schools. So, in a way, that was a great preparation for what was to happen to me in January of 1961, when I entered the University of Georgia.
Of course, there was tension in the air. I had to live on campus as a female student. All of the anger and hostility and rage over our admission happened outside of my dormitory. Then the university officials came and told us -- told me that I was being suspended for my "own safety." And up to that point, I had been relatively calm. My room was right on the first floor. All of the girls in the dormitory, the white girls, lived on the second floor. And they had been told to turn out their lights. So the only room in the whole dormitory with a light on was mine. So everybody knew where to throw the bricks.
So when the brick and the Coca-Cola bottle came through my window, I remember thinking to myself, oh so this is how it is in the middle of a riot, because I was definitely in the middle of a riot.
But I was still very calm, until they came and told me that I was being suspended. And at that point I burst into tears, not because I was afraid, but because I couldn't think of any way to stop this on my won and I kept feeling that I had failed.
Obviously, it was worth it. And I think that even before the "Brown" decision, it's important to recognize that there were black doctors, lawyers, scientists, teachers, educators, civil servants who came out of black schools with black teachers, with the same crippling inequalities that I was exposed to and somehow they overcame.
In this year of celebrating a half century after "Brown," I think it's worth saying once again that, you know, there is no progress without struggle, words of Frederick Douglass, and we have to continue to struggle, because we're not perfect. We're not there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHOI: Five decades after "Brown v. the Board of Education," many African-Americans are choosing to live in separate neighborhoods with separate schools. Tomorrow on CNN SUNDAY, we will talk with people who made that decision and ask them if they'd do it again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wanted my kids to get this African-American experience and it was worth that that I did that, because they'd never experienced it. But at the same time, they needed it. But if I had to do it over again, I would rather them to be -- live in a diversified community.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I wouldn't change a thing. I think it's important that you recognize what your children are lacking and then as a parent you make sure that they have those experiences and exposures that prepare them to be productive citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: Some differences of opinion in a thought provoking discussion, tomorrow on "CNN Sunday Morning."
And tune in tomorrow night for "CNN Presents" -- "The Gap: Fifty Years After Brown v. the Board of Education." It takes a hard look at the achievement gap between black and white students. That's Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
ROBERTS: But first, are college athletes cheating? You're going to find out how gambling may change the future of college sports. That's next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Don't forget to e-mail us, either. What do you think is driving the high price of oil and gas? Our address is wam@cnn.com.
Back in a moment.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING everybody.
You know, the NCAA released some disturbing news this week on college sports and gambling. Among their findings -- 35 percent of male athletes have bet on college sports in the past year. But, you know, gambling scandals are really nothing new here. Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson was tossed off the team in 2002 after gambling allegations surfaced. A jury failed to convict McPherson for gambling, but he ended up pleading no contest in a plea deal.
But has gambling by student athletes really had an impact no the outcome of the games?
Joining me now to talk about that is Mike Fish of Sportsillustrated.com.
Mike, great to have you with us.
MIKE FISH, COLUMNIST, SI.COM: Yes, thank you.
It's good to be here.
ROBERTS: Well, let's talk about these findings. So the NCAA complied all these results, about 21,000 students that they talked to. The numbers, though, are pretty eye opening.
What are your thoughts on this?
FISH: I don't think the results are that surprising. I think that the NCA itself, its officials and previous studies, and indicated similar things. What is striking is the number of college football players -- I believe it was like 1.1 percent -- admitted that they were paid or accepted money to play poorly, I guess, which essentially sounds like fixing games.
And what's interesting in that aspect is that historically we have found point shaving has been in college basketball games. If you go back over the last 30, 40 years of basketball games with fewer player, you can influence a game and that sort of thing. You haven't really seen or there haven't been allegations of fixed college football games.
ROBERTS: And we're looking at this on the screen right now with the break down -- males, females, Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 schools.
Did this break down raise any eyebrows for you at all, to see that Division 3 students were -- it was a little more pervasive than the Division 1 players?
FISH: One reason you can think of that is that the real emphasis on education has been with Division 1, where they've really, you know, pounded away at players and had all sorts of programs in education in terms of not gambling and, you know, making people really aware, right? And that's where, obviously, where you have betting lines on games. You don't have betting line games -- or betting lines on Division 1 or Division 2 or 3, rather.
So there's probably been less emphasis on those kind of players in terms of encouraging not to bet.
ROBERTS: And so you also mentioned basketball...
FISH: Right.
ROBERTS: ... being a sport pretty popular to bet on.
FISH: Right.
ROBERTS: But also football, and there are a couple of others out there that are pretty popular for student athletes to gamble with.
FISH: I think, if I recall, it seemed like it was golf and a couple of other lesser or minor sports.
ROBERTS: I think lacrosse and wrestling.
FISH: It may also be that, you know, I haven't really analyzed it, but it might be that these are kids who tend to come from more affluent families that have money to gamble and are more likely to gamble because of that aspect.
The other thing that I don't think was pointed out that's really important to think about is the proliferation of Internet gambling. Now, it used to be you had campus bookies and you had to bet with bookies and that sort of thing.
ROBERTS: Right.
FISH: Now you can go online. You know, there's all sorts of sites, either offshore sites or, you know, sites that are based out of London or England or Australia and various places where there are betting lines on college sports and professional sports.
ROBERTS: One thing that really caught my eye is that 1.4 percent admit affecting -- this is an athlete -- affecting the outcome of the game because they already have gambling debts. So this is a really vicious cycle that they get themselves involved with.
FISH: Well, I think that's the great fear is once these kids do start gambling and they do run up debts, then they're essentially, you know, they owe some people things and are indebted to folks that control them.
ROBERTS: Right.
FISH: And that's the greatest fear.
ROBERTS: The greatest fear for these kids, though, is that this debt is probably going to linger with them for a long time to come.
But what happens to these kids, these students, if they do get pegged, like Adrian McPherson?
FISH: Right.
ROBERTS: You know, what happens to their careers down the line?
FISH: Well, if you followed his case at all, he's not playing in college football. He's not at Florida State. He was kicked off the team. Essentially, he couldn't get reinstated. He transferred to a couple of schools and ended up at Tennessee State trying to get reinstated. He couldn't. Now he's in one of the minor leagues, the Indoor Arena Football League, trying to resurrect his career and hoping at some point to catch on with an NFL team.
ROBERTS: It's surprising, though, that the NCAA would come out with this type of result finding, because they normally put out pretty positive reports.
FISH: Well...
ROBERTS: So, real quickly, in the last 20 seconds here, what can they do to turn this around and get kids, you know, back on the field without the lingering problems of gambling?
FISH: Well, I think there's great efforts in terms of education. I think a large impetus for this report and the reason it has come out is that the NCA has lobbied Congress for the last probably 10 years, even, trying to get legislation that would ban or outlaw gambling in Las Vegas. And that's their greatest concern is to eliminate the betting lines in Vegas, where most -- obviously, most of the legal gambling is done in this country.
ROBERTS: Well, Mike, we appreciate your time today.
FISH: OK, thank you.
ROBERTS: Mike Fish, with Sportsillustrated.com.
thanks for the insight.
FISH: All right, thank you.
ROBERTS: Sophia, back to you.
CHOI: Well, Thomas, from dark revelations about sports gambling to new earth theories now coming to light. Experts say the world has, yes, literally becoming a darker place. In a recent "New York Times" article, experts say less sunshine is reaching the surface of the earth today than in years past. One reason? Polluted air leads to dark clouds like these that can block out more light.
Experts record as much as a 10 percent drop in sunlight compared to the late 1950s and certain places in Asia, like Hong Kong, are even darker, with a 37 percent decrease in sunlight compared to years past.
So, are you scared of the dark or spiders or maybe heights? Twelve percent of Americans struggle with phobias. But don't worry, relief is on the way. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta will tell you how to fight your worst nightmares this morning on House Call at 8:30 Eastern.
But next, imagine walking away from this with only minor injuries. Find out how teenagers in this car got into trouble in our Wows of the Week, next.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: Time now for a fast moving edition of Wows of the Week.
Look at this. Auntie Em, we are in Kansas. Check out the highlighted area to see a Kansas farm house sucked up, literally, by this tornado. Right there. If you look closely, you can probably see a little dog. Just kidding.
CHOI: Oh, please.
ROBERTS: All right, fortunately, no one was in the house. No one was hurt.
Well, police in Utah reached speeds of 100 miles an hour while pursuing a 15-year-old runaway girl in her parents' car. The chase ended when the girl lost control and rolled the car into the median. The teen and two of her friends in the car suffered only minor injuries from the wreck.
And new meaning for the phrase "when pigs fly." The flying, flight competition in Lithuania drew all kinds of crafts, although none seemed to do very well. I want to look at this. OK, unless, of course, falling straight down and getting wet is really the object of the competition, which apparently happens a lot there.
CHOI: You know, I think you actually -- I'm serious -- I think you get a prize for the most injured.
ROBERTS: You probably do. The shortest distance, there's got to be a prize for that. Look. Let's see...
CHOI: No, I read it. They actually have a prize for most injured in this competition. Unbelievable what people put themselves through.
ROBERTS: Well, let's hope everybody was OK.
We want to find out, though, about how the weather is shaping up for us this weekend.
CHOI: Hi there, Jacqui.
JERAS: Hey, I guess if you can't fly, you know, just go for the most injured thing, right?
ROBERTS: Yes.
CHOI: Yes.
ROBERTS: Go for a dip.
JERAS: At least you win something.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHOI: Here now is a quick recap of our top stories.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is due in Jordan about now for the World Economic Forum meeting. On the sidelines, he's expected to meet with Palestinian officials on ways to revive the stalled road map for peace plan.
In Iraq, insurgents fired a mortar round at an Army recruiting center in Mosul, killing four Iraqi civilians and wounding 15 others. The shell landed in a crowd of people waiting to sign up for the military.
ROBERTS: Well, all over the country, getting from here to there is becoming a real pain, and that's because it's costing us more money than ever to buy gas.
So what's going on and what can be done about it?
Well, here's a sampling of what Americans are thinking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea. I have a good feeling that a lot of it has to do with OPEC and lack of production -- they're not making enough and so prices are going up.
QUESTION: What can be done about it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, President Clinton in the past released some of the oil reserves, you know, which did away with the shortage of oil and lowered the oil prices. It seemed to work back then. I'd like to see it done again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: OK, so just a little sampling there. It was our morning e-mail question for you today -- what is driving the high price of oil and gas?
Here's what we're getting so far.
CHOI: And William in Alexandria, Virginia says: "The rise in gas prices is being caused by poor planning, demand and control by oil/gas producing companies. Iraq, international conflict, Afghanistan -- no, let's be real, America. Go back to Econ 101. It's called supply and demand."
ROBERTS: This one from Robbie in Louisiana, writing in today" "Somebody has to pay for this expensive war. We're paying it but we're not supposed to know we're paying for it."
And I think coming up over the summertime, they're saying that the price of gas is going to hit a national average of about $2.03 or $2.04.
CHOI: Yes, premium in California, four bucks and over. Can you believe that?
ROBERTS: They're already feeling that pinch big time.
We want to get your thoughts on this, though, because we'll be talking about it throughout the morning. So you can e-mail us, wam@cnn.com. Again, the question -- what's driving the high price of oil and gas? We'd love to hear from you.
CHOI: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 15, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody.
Nice to have you with us.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for May the 15.
Great to have you with us today.
I'm Thomas Roberts.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Sophia Choi.
Thanks so much for being with us.
Here's what's on top this hour.
Polls show John Kerry is closing in on President Bush. We'll run down the numbers for you.
Also ahead, student athletes and gambling -- student campuses -- dirty little secrets are getting out now. Find out how bad it is.
And the latest trend in remodeling high end kitchens. For some, money is no object.
But first, let's get cooking with our headlines.
ROBERTS: Middle East reform -- Secretary of State Colin Powell will be tying to sell it when he arrives in Jordan within the hour for the World Economic Forum. Among the topics at the Forum, introducing democratic reforms in Arab states and ways to fight terrorism globally.
Well, India's Congress Party made it official today -- formally selecting Sonia Ghandi to be its candidate for India's prime minister. The Congress Party scored a big upset in this week's elections. So far, the Italian born Ghandi is non-committal about whether she wants to be prime minister.
Four soldiers from the U.S. 1st Armored Division have died south of Baghdad. Three were killed in separate attacks. One was killed when his vehicle overturned. The fifth died of natural causes.
CHOI: And now to our top story this morning -- more fallout from the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq. How far up the chain of command does the blame go? Conflicting stories on that and some interrogation methods are now being banned.
Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, is here now with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
05140003.v84
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: The American people say the blame goes higher than the M.P. guards charged so far in the abuse scandal. In our latest CNN/"Time" poll, we asked if the officers in charge of the prisons should face court-martial. Sixty-eight percent said yes, 24 percent said now.
Now, respondents were also asked which presidential candidate would do a better job handling Iraq and world affairs. Forty-six percent said John Kerry for both, 43 percent said President Bush would do better on Iraq and 44 percent chose him for world affairs.
Now, likely voters were also asked their choice for president. Forty-nine percent said Senator Kerry, 44 percent said President Bush and then there were six percent for Ralph Nader.
You know, many members were wearing "Cops for Kerry" T-shirts when the senator arrived to accept the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers. The Brotherhood endorsed George W. Bush in 2000. But the group's president says President Bush has provided "three and a half years of disappointing leadership."
Well, endorsements notwithstanding, no one can touch President Bush when it comes to fundraising. So far, the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign has raked in $203 million. The John Kerry campaign has raised about $110 million.
CHOI: And speaking of big money, here's the latest on gasoline prices. The government says the price of regular gas is expected to average $1.94 a gallon for the month of May, then peak at $2.03 in June. The current average is $2.01 per gallon. Motorists in Yorktown, Virginia pay the least -- $1.69. But some places in California, they're paying $2.30 for regular and more than $4 a gallon for premium gasoline, or about 80 bucks to fill a 20 gallon tank. Boy.
So what's ahead? The Federal Energy Administration says after that peak in June, regular gas will average about $1.94 a gallon nationwide for the remainder of the summer driving season.
Well, different reasons are being offered for the current spike in gas prices. Our unscientific sampling turned up some motorists who think they might have the answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They spent too much money on dropping bombs across the seas. They're trying to make the money up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely, I think that the conflict between America and Iraq has caused gas prices to increase.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably because of what's going on in Iraq. I'm not really sure beyond that. I mean I think it's associated with the Iraq war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: Whatever the reason, it is unlikely we will get any sympathy from European motorists. In France, they're paying $4.80 a gallon, in Germany $5, and in Britain, $5.40 for a gallon of gas.
And that brings us to our e-mail question this morning -- what's driving the high price of oil and gas? E-mail us now with your comments at wam@cnn.com.
ROBERTS: It's time now to check some stories making news across America.
A Georgia jury took less than five hours to convict a former 911 operator. It's in the 1995 anti-freeze poisoning death of her police officer husband. Lynn Turner was sentenced to life in prison. Next month a grand jury will look into whether Turner was involved in the death of her boyfriend back in 2001. Phil Spector and his chauffeur were arrested for assault on each other. The noted record producer is already awaiting trial for murder. Spector will appear in court in June on the assault charge. Now, the murder charge came after Actress Lana Clarkson was found shot at Spector's California mansion last year.
And competitors from all over the South Pacific are in Hawaii for the World Fire Knife Dance Competition. Look at this. The finals are tonight. The event began some 12 years ago to show off the best and the brightest in the art of twirling the fiery sticks.
CHOI: If you haven't had time to keep up the with news this week, that's what we're here for. Let's rewind for you now.
The general who wrote the report on Iraqi prisoner abuse testified on Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Antonio Taguba says the M.P.s at Abu Ghraib lacked discipline, training and supervision. This shortly before a Web site linked to al Qaeda posted video of American hostage Nicholas Berg being beheaded. His captors say it was retaliation for prisoner abuse.
Thursday, a surprise for troops in Iraq and for the rest of us, as Donald Rumsfeld arrived unannounced in Baghdad to visit troops. The secretary of defense also visited Abu Ghraib Prison. And that was just one day before hundreds of prisoners were released from that facility, the first mass release since the abuse scandal broke.
Tomorrow, we will fast forward to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.
ROBERTS: Well, 50 years ago the racial barrier in American schools was officially broken. And seven years later, CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault was among the first in the country to test the new rules at the college level.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The only room in the whole dormitory with a light on was mine, so everybody knew where to throw the bricks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: We're going to hear her emotional story later this hour.
CHOI: But up next, do you have a water faucet above the stove? Find out how to make your kitchen look hot without burning your pockets. And if you want to spend money, take a look at this six figure kitchen. Need we say more?
ROBERTS: But first, high gas prices are among the favorite editorial cartoon subjects this week. Take a peek. Here's one from Randy Bish at the "Pittsburgh Trib." A gas station owner is putting up a bridal registry sign next to his price list.
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: Take a look at this. If your kitchen needs a pick-me-up, this is one of the hottest trends in kitchen remodeling -- a water faucet above the stove so you can fill your pots right at the burner -- $300 plus installation.
Or, how about this? Conveniently placed cabinet drawers to keep your food warm for mealtime, 500 bucks apiece.
And wine refrigerators are selling well these days. This one would cost you about five grand, but you can get smaller ones for a lot less.
And that is just a sample of some of the latest trends in kitchen remodeling. The key word today seems to be convenience, but it can come with a pretty hefty price tag.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATALIE DALTON, EXPO DESIGN CENTER: One of the trends that we're seeing in remodeling today is homeowners are choosing to personalize their space and customize their space to make their lives more convenient. An example of this is an oversized refrigerator and freezer inside the kitchen. G.E. Monogram makes this model. This is the refrigerator, this is the freezer. So imagine storing all of your bulk purchases inside this large unit.
Another great convenience for the kitchen is modular dishwashing units, for example, this model by Fisher Pico (ph). Separate drawers for the dishwasher enable you to run smaller loads at one time. Also, the fact that it's raised off the floor, less bending. So unloading the dishwasher is a lot more easier than it has been before. There's an additional unit to the left side of this sink here which, of course, if you want a bigger load, you can fill both of them. So you can run a smaller, bigger, great for all sizes of families.
The cabinets that we chose here, this is a sleek line. It's a modified Shaker door with a larger rail, more of a contemporary look. Certainly another trend is organization and space saving.
Double ovens are certainly something that homeowners are opting for, cooking bigger meals, cooking for bigger affairs.
This is an oversized cook top, providing an additional burner so you can have more pots at the same time cooking, again for bigger meals.
Here's an example of a custom range hood that fits the sides of the cook top. This will take care of all the ventilation needs for this cooking area. The range comes in a variety of different finishes, different styles, different sizes, and really customizes the look of the home and personalizes the look of the space.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: And the appliances alone in that kitchen we just showed you would run about $74,000. To get them installed would cost about 50 to 70 percent of what you paid for the equipment. So in this case we saved 60 percent, or about $45,000. Total cost for that kitchen? About $119,000.
Yes.
So if we've got you itching to remodel your kitchen now, Sam Clark is a veteran designer and builder specializing in kitchens. And Sam is the author of "Build Like A Pro: Remodeling Your Kitchen."
And he joins us now from Burlington, Vermont.
Good morning, Sam.
SAM CLARK, AUTHOR, "BUILD LIKE A PRO": Good morning, Sophia.
CHOI: So, before they even get started, what should a family consider before going into a renovation?
CLARK: Well, I think the first thing is to figure out what's wrong with the kitchen you have, what your needs are, and I think try to be real clear about what your budget is. Because if you're not clear, then you'll be likely to need that $100,000 that we were just hearing about.
CHOI: Exactly. How about getting a clear idea of what you want? Where do you look for ideas -- magazines, showrooms? CLARK: That's good, but I think your own experience. What do you experience as you cook and as you work and as you live in your kitchen. You know, what are the activities that are awkward there. Can you communicate well with your guests and your family? Are your kids have room to do their homework if they want to do that? It's really more looking at your own experience. Also, there are a lot of good books out there on kitchen design which I think are very helpful, as well as showrooms or TV shows or whatever.
CHOI: All right, you mentioned setting a budget and a timetable. But realistically, how closely are you finding that people stick to those things?
CLARK: Ah.
CHOI: Ah.
CLARK: I think it's very easy for a budget to get out of control. But I think if you find a builder who is good at thinking about that and working with you on that -- also, it's very important to be clear. If you say to your builder I have, you know, $42,000 to spend and that's it, then you'll get the response that you need from that builder. If you're unclear about what -- about it yourself, then it'll go higher than that.
CHOI: All right, typically how long does a renovation like that take and how much does it cost, generally?
CLARK: I would say for the projects that I work on, one to two months would be typical, but a big project can very easily take longer and, of course, a small project less. I would say typically it's $30,000 and on up from there, $30,000 to $50,000, I would say, would be not an -- would be typical.
CHOI: All right, so if you want to get the most bang for your buck, what are some of the things that you can immediately see a huge difference in a kitchen renovation from?
CLARK: OK, I'm going to -- to over simplify, I'm going to say good light, a really well thought out layout. I've noticed that midrange appliances are getting better and better all the time. They're picking up more of the features of the high end appliances. So that would be a good start. I think a good layout, a good practical layout is the most important thing.
CHOI: All right, well, Sam Clark, thank you so much for joining us with your advice and tips on what to watch out for.
CLARK: OK.
Thank you.
CHOI: Take care.
Happy renovating -- Thomas. ROBERTS: Well, stay with us everybody. A surprising number of college athletes are betting on their own sport. We're going to sit down and talk about the stats straight ahead.
And can "Troy" bet on ruling the box office this weekend?
Get these stories and much more when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.
Stay with us.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: OK, so you're looking for a little weekend entertainment, aren't you?
Well, here's a look at what's waiting for you in the theaters over the weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "TROY")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can save hundreds of them. You can end this war with a swing of your sword.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: All right, if action is what you're after, Brad Pitt stands ready to deliver in "Troy." The epic tale of Achilles is reenacted with Hollywood heavyweights, including a performance by Peter O'Toole that's already generating some chatter. Critics say overall the movie is not bad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "BREAKING ALL THE RULES")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kicked him to the curb.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my best man. You somebody else right now. You a alien right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: And from "Troy" to modern day, Jamie Foxx plays a man who doesn't take being dumped lightly. In "Breaking All The Rules," he fights back by writing a how to book on breaking up. The "Atlanta Journal Constitution" calls it a romantic comedy retread, kicked up a notch by the talents of Jamie Foxx and friends."
CHOI: "People" magazine reports Gwyneth Paltrow is a brand new mommy. A baby girl is the first child for the Oscar winning actress. Paltrow and hubby, "Cold Play" lead singer Chris Martin, are the proud parents of Apple Blythe Alison Martin. Yes, Apple. Maybe that's because she's the apple of her mommy's eye.
Anyway, Paltrow and Martin were married last December.
ROBERTS: Apple Blythe Alison Martin. CHOI: Yes.
ROBERTS: So initials...
CHOI: ABAM.
ROBERTS: ... ABAM, yes.
CHOI: Right.
ROBERTS: So you can put all that together.
It's time to talk about the weather, though, and say hi to Jacqui Jeras and find out what's going on -- hey, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS: Good morning.
CHOI: Good morning to you.
JERAS: How are you guys doing?
CHOI: Great.
ROBERTS: Not bad. We're still -- I think we're still getting over this name.
CHOI: I'm trying to wake up my eyes, though.
JERAS: It is a little early. Yes. None of us usually do this, do we, on the weekend?
ROBERTS: Un-nnh.
CHOI: No. I'm usually at nights.
JERAS: I'm happy to be here.
CHOI: Me, too.
JERAS: It's a good morning to get up and get going.
ROBERTS: A little cup of coffee and we'll get going.
JERAS: Absolutely. Get the rest of the day, then. Get the afternoon free.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHOI: And time now for a quick check of the headlines.
President Bush's numbers are tumbling. According to a new CNN/"Time" poll, the president's job approval is down to 46 percent and 51 percent of likely voters say they will cast their ballot for his Democratic challenger, John Kerry.
In Iraq, at least four Iraqis are dead following a mortar attack in the northern city of Mosul. Fifteen others were injured in the explosions near an Iraqi Army recruiting center.
ROBERTS: Stay with us, everybody.
World leaders are gathering at the Dead Sea, where the World Economic Forum has Iraq and Mideast heavy on the agenda. We're going to take you there live.
And then, a little later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTER-GAULT: The university officials came and told us -- told me that I was being suspended for my "own safety."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: The first African-American admitted to the University of Georgia -- what was it like to be breaking racial barriers?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TORI ATALI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The emotional toll of a troubled marriage could be killing you. Several new studies show marital stress greatly affects a person's health. The impact on the body is intensified because the stress is so personal. Also, it's harder to avoid the cause than with other types of health risks. An unhappy spouse is more likely to get sick, suffer from heart problems and chronic pain. Even their wounds were found to heal at a slower rate.
There is some good news, at least for those happily married. Those who spend a good deal of quality time with their spouses had much lower blood pressure than couples that did not. They also were in better overall physical condition. And research shows a low stress marriage can increase your chances of surviving when a health problem does strike.
Tori Atali, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: If you've been noticing less sunshine lately, well, don't be surprised. Some say the world is becoming a darker place. We'll explain why, ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: Here are the headlines at this hour.
More violence in Gaza. An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at the home of a key member of the radical group Islamic Jihad. Three people were injured in that attack. The strike in Rafah came just hours after a missile strike in Gaza City targeted another leader of the group. At least four Iraqis were killed this morning in a mortar attack in the northern city of Mosul. Fifteen others were injured in the attack outside an Iraqi Army recruitment center.
And jubilation this morning in South Africa. Less than an hour ago, the country was named the host of soccer's World Cup in 2010. They will become the first African nation to host the Cup in the event's 74 year history.
ROBERTS: More than 1,000 government and business leaders from around the globe are in Jordan today to begin the World Economic Forum. Among the items on the agenda, the future of Iraq and plans for peace in the Middle East.
CNN's Walter Rodgers is at the Forum.
He joins us with the latest from the Dead Sea Coast -- Walter.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thomas, from an American point of view, what's most interesting here is that the U.S. secretary of state, Colin Powell, has just arrived a short while ago. He is meeting in Amman, not very far from this Dead Sea site. And there in Amman, he's meeting with Palestinian officials. The Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qureia.
Now, what's interesting about this is, of course, that the Bush administration has essentially snubbed all of Yasser Arafat's officials and Arafat's proteges for the past several years. But now, suddenly, and more interestingly, the Bush administration and the American secretary of state are now meeting again with Palestinian, that is, PLO officials.
Now, what's going to come of this we're not sure. Secretary of State Powell does have a speech to this World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea resort in just about two and a half hours. That speech is expected to send the message, or try to send the message to the Arab world that the United States still supports the idea of a Palestinian state. That is, of course, a point of great grievance with Arabs in this part of the world.
The Arabs see the Bush administration as, in the past several years, having totally aligned itself with Ariel Sharon and, of course, that's an anathema to most Arabs.
So, what Mr. Powell is going to do here at this summit meeting is he's going to try to recast the American image in the Arab world, and that's going to be very, very difficult after those pictures of abused Iraqi prisoners -- Thomas.
ROBERTS: Walter Rodgers live for us along the Dead Sea coast there.
Walter, thanks very much.
CHOI: Now here is a look at what you might have missed this week in the war on terror. President Bush tightens sanctions against Syria, banning all American exports except food and medicine. Mr. Bush says Syria is pursuing weapons of mass destruction. He says that action, combined with its influence over Lebanon, represents the threat to the U.S. national security and economy.
The 9/11 Commission was negotiating with the White House again this week, this time asking for access to information about top level al Qaeda detainees being held by the CIA.
And a judge in Washington said he just didn't buy it when convicted hijacker Zayd Hassan Latif Safarini expressed sorrow from the depth of his heart. Safarini was sentenced to 160 years in prison for his role in the 1986 hijacking of PanAm Flight 73 in Pakistan. The hijackers murdered 21 passengers.
ROBERTS: A 12-year-old boy, frequently the victim of bullying, hangs himself. And now his mom has been sentenced. That's just one of the intriguing cases on the docket in Legal Briefs. That's coming your way in the next hour.
Then, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time, terrorism and the price of oil -- are they related? Just how tightly? A question for the editor of "Energy Risk" magazine. We'll sit down with him.
And then at 9:30, someone told Robert Novak to go take a flying leap, so he did. The Army's Golden Knights parachute team jump into the Novak zone.
And next, 50 years after "Brown v. the Board of Education," the first black woman to attend the University of Georgia takes us back to those turbulent days.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: The signs all seem to be that interest rates probably will soon start moving back up. So how could that affect you and what can you do about it? You're going to find out at 4:30 Eastern today on CNN "Dollar Signs." Our experts are going to help you prepare for the coming interest rate hikes. So send your questions to dollarsigns@cnn.com. Or you can phone us toll-free when the lines open at 4:30 Eastern today.
COMMERCIAL
CHOI: It has been nearly a half century since the Supreme Court struck down separate but equal guidelines for public schools.
CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault remembers when the ruling was made. She reflects now on her personal experiences attending an all black school and later becoming one of the first to integrate an all white college.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTER-GAULT: The first elementary school I went to was in Covington, Georgia. We used to, my neighbors and I used to walk about a mile and a half to get there and when we got there it was -- it was our school. At the same time, it was a little black school in a very segregated society. Nothing compared with what the white students had across town.
In 1954, my mother decided to join my father, who was a military chaplain in Alaska. And so in 1954, the year of the Supreme Court decision, it's sort of ironic, in a way, I attended a white school.
I stepped into a classroom where I had to compete with white students who had traveled all over the world, being military children. They had attended some of the best schools. So, in a way, that was a great preparation for what was to happen to me in January of 1961, when I entered the University of Georgia.
Of course, there was tension in the air. I had to live on campus as a female student. All of the anger and hostility and rage over our admission happened outside of my dormitory. Then the university officials came and told us -- told me that I was being suspended for my "own safety." And up to that point, I had been relatively calm. My room was right on the first floor. All of the girls in the dormitory, the white girls, lived on the second floor. And they had been told to turn out their lights. So the only room in the whole dormitory with a light on was mine. So everybody knew where to throw the bricks.
So when the brick and the Coca-Cola bottle came through my window, I remember thinking to myself, oh so this is how it is in the middle of a riot, because I was definitely in the middle of a riot.
But I was still very calm, until they came and told me that I was being suspended. And at that point I burst into tears, not because I was afraid, but because I couldn't think of any way to stop this on my won and I kept feeling that I had failed.
Obviously, it was worth it. And I think that even before the "Brown" decision, it's important to recognize that there were black doctors, lawyers, scientists, teachers, educators, civil servants who came out of black schools with black teachers, with the same crippling inequalities that I was exposed to and somehow they overcame.
In this year of celebrating a half century after "Brown," I think it's worth saying once again that, you know, there is no progress without struggle, words of Frederick Douglass, and we have to continue to struggle, because we're not perfect. We're not there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHOI: Five decades after "Brown v. the Board of Education," many African-Americans are choosing to live in separate neighborhoods with separate schools. Tomorrow on CNN SUNDAY, we will talk with people who made that decision and ask them if they'd do it again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wanted my kids to get this African-American experience and it was worth that that I did that, because they'd never experienced it. But at the same time, they needed it. But if I had to do it over again, I would rather them to be -- live in a diversified community.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I wouldn't change a thing. I think it's important that you recognize what your children are lacking and then as a parent you make sure that they have those experiences and exposures that prepare them to be productive citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHOI: Some differences of opinion in a thought provoking discussion, tomorrow on "CNN Sunday Morning."
And tune in tomorrow night for "CNN Presents" -- "The Gap: Fifty Years After Brown v. the Board of Education." It takes a hard look at the achievement gap between black and white students. That's Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
ROBERTS: But first, are college athletes cheating? You're going to find out how gambling may change the future of college sports. That's next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Don't forget to e-mail us, either. What do you think is driving the high price of oil and gas? Our address is wam@cnn.com.
Back in a moment.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING everybody.
You know, the NCAA released some disturbing news this week on college sports and gambling. Among their findings -- 35 percent of male athletes have bet on college sports in the past year. But, you know, gambling scandals are really nothing new here. Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson was tossed off the team in 2002 after gambling allegations surfaced. A jury failed to convict McPherson for gambling, but he ended up pleading no contest in a plea deal.
But has gambling by student athletes really had an impact no the outcome of the games?
Joining me now to talk about that is Mike Fish of Sportsillustrated.com.
Mike, great to have you with us.
MIKE FISH, COLUMNIST, SI.COM: Yes, thank you.
It's good to be here.
ROBERTS: Well, let's talk about these findings. So the NCAA complied all these results, about 21,000 students that they talked to. The numbers, though, are pretty eye opening.
What are your thoughts on this?
FISH: I don't think the results are that surprising. I think that the NCA itself, its officials and previous studies, and indicated similar things. What is striking is the number of college football players -- I believe it was like 1.1 percent -- admitted that they were paid or accepted money to play poorly, I guess, which essentially sounds like fixing games.
And what's interesting in that aspect is that historically we have found point shaving has been in college basketball games. If you go back over the last 30, 40 years of basketball games with fewer player, you can influence a game and that sort of thing. You haven't really seen or there haven't been allegations of fixed college football games.
ROBERTS: And we're looking at this on the screen right now with the break down -- males, females, Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 schools.
Did this break down raise any eyebrows for you at all, to see that Division 3 students were -- it was a little more pervasive than the Division 1 players?
FISH: One reason you can think of that is that the real emphasis on education has been with Division 1, where they've really, you know, pounded away at players and had all sorts of programs in education in terms of not gambling and, you know, making people really aware, right? And that's where, obviously, where you have betting lines on games. You don't have betting line games -- or betting lines on Division 1 or Division 2 or 3, rather.
So there's probably been less emphasis on those kind of players in terms of encouraging not to bet.
ROBERTS: And so you also mentioned basketball...
FISH: Right.
ROBERTS: ... being a sport pretty popular to bet on.
FISH: Right.
ROBERTS: But also football, and there are a couple of others out there that are pretty popular for student athletes to gamble with.
FISH: I think, if I recall, it seemed like it was golf and a couple of other lesser or minor sports.
ROBERTS: I think lacrosse and wrestling.
FISH: It may also be that, you know, I haven't really analyzed it, but it might be that these are kids who tend to come from more affluent families that have money to gamble and are more likely to gamble because of that aspect.
The other thing that I don't think was pointed out that's really important to think about is the proliferation of Internet gambling. Now, it used to be you had campus bookies and you had to bet with bookies and that sort of thing.
ROBERTS: Right.
FISH: Now you can go online. You know, there's all sorts of sites, either offshore sites or, you know, sites that are based out of London or England or Australia and various places where there are betting lines on college sports and professional sports.
ROBERTS: One thing that really caught my eye is that 1.4 percent admit affecting -- this is an athlete -- affecting the outcome of the game because they already have gambling debts. So this is a really vicious cycle that they get themselves involved with.
FISH: Well, I think that's the great fear is once these kids do start gambling and they do run up debts, then they're essentially, you know, they owe some people things and are indebted to folks that control them.
ROBERTS: Right.
FISH: And that's the greatest fear.
ROBERTS: The greatest fear for these kids, though, is that this debt is probably going to linger with them for a long time to come.
But what happens to these kids, these students, if they do get pegged, like Adrian McPherson?
FISH: Right.
ROBERTS: You know, what happens to their careers down the line?
FISH: Well, if you followed his case at all, he's not playing in college football. He's not at Florida State. He was kicked off the team. Essentially, he couldn't get reinstated. He transferred to a couple of schools and ended up at Tennessee State trying to get reinstated. He couldn't. Now he's in one of the minor leagues, the Indoor Arena Football League, trying to resurrect his career and hoping at some point to catch on with an NFL team.
ROBERTS: It's surprising, though, that the NCAA would come out with this type of result finding, because they normally put out pretty positive reports.
FISH: Well...
ROBERTS: So, real quickly, in the last 20 seconds here, what can they do to turn this around and get kids, you know, back on the field without the lingering problems of gambling?
FISH: Well, I think there's great efforts in terms of education. I think a large impetus for this report and the reason it has come out is that the NCA has lobbied Congress for the last probably 10 years, even, trying to get legislation that would ban or outlaw gambling in Las Vegas. And that's their greatest concern is to eliminate the betting lines in Vegas, where most -- obviously, most of the legal gambling is done in this country.
ROBERTS: Well, Mike, we appreciate your time today.
FISH: OK, thank you.
ROBERTS: Mike Fish, with Sportsillustrated.com.
thanks for the insight.
FISH: All right, thank you.
ROBERTS: Sophia, back to you.
CHOI: Well, Thomas, from dark revelations about sports gambling to new earth theories now coming to light. Experts say the world has, yes, literally becoming a darker place. In a recent "New York Times" article, experts say less sunshine is reaching the surface of the earth today than in years past. One reason? Polluted air leads to dark clouds like these that can block out more light.
Experts record as much as a 10 percent drop in sunlight compared to the late 1950s and certain places in Asia, like Hong Kong, are even darker, with a 37 percent decrease in sunlight compared to years past.
So, are you scared of the dark or spiders or maybe heights? Twelve percent of Americans struggle with phobias. But don't worry, relief is on the way. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta will tell you how to fight your worst nightmares this morning on House Call at 8:30 Eastern.
But next, imagine walking away from this with only minor injuries. Find out how teenagers in this car got into trouble in our Wows of the Week, next.
COMMERCIAL
ROBERTS: Time now for a fast moving edition of Wows of the Week.
Look at this. Auntie Em, we are in Kansas. Check out the highlighted area to see a Kansas farm house sucked up, literally, by this tornado. Right there. If you look closely, you can probably see a little dog. Just kidding.
CHOI: Oh, please.
ROBERTS: All right, fortunately, no one was in the house. No one was hurt.
Well, police in Utah reached speeds of 100 miles an hour while pursuing a 15-year-old runaway girl in her parents' car. The chase ended when the girl lost control and rolled the car into the median. The teen and two of her friends in the car suffered only minor injuries from the wreck.
And new meaning for the phrase "when pigs fly." The flying, flight competition in Lithuania drew all kinds of crafts, although none seemed to do very well. I want to look at this. OK, unless, of course, falling straight down and getting wet is really the object of the competition, which apparently happens a lot there.
CHOI: You know, I think you actually -- I'm serious -- I think you get a prize for the most injured.
ROBERTS: You probably do. The shortest distance, there's got to be a prize for that. Look. Let's see...
CHOI: No, I read it. They actually have a prize for most injured in this competition. Unbelievable what people put themselves through.
ROBERTS: Well, let's hope everybody was OK.
We want to find out, though, about how the weather is shaping up for us this weekend.
CHOI: Hi there, Jacqui.
JERAS: Hey, I guess if you can't fly, you know, just go for the most injured thing, right?
ROBERTS: Yes.
CHOI: Yes.
ROBERTS: Go for a dip.
JERAS: At least you win something.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHOI: Here now is a quick recap of our top stories.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is due in Jordan about now for the World Economic Forum meeting. On the sidelines, he's expected to meet with Palestinian officials on ways to revive the stalled road map for peace plan.
In Iraq, insurgents fired a mortar round at an Army recruiting center in Mosul, killing four Iraqi civilians and wounding 15 others. The shell landed in a crowd of people waiting to sign up for the military.
ROBERTS: Well, all over the country, getting from here to there is becoming a real pain, and that's because it's costing us more money than ever to buy gas.
So what's going on and what can be done about it?
Well, here's a sampling of what Americans are thinking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea. I have a good feeling that a lot of it has to do with OPEC and lack of production -- they're not making enough and so prices are going up.
QUESTION: What can be done about it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, President Clinton in the past released some of the oil reserves, you know, which did away with the shortage of oil and lowered the oil prices. It seemed to work back then. I'd like to see it done again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: OK, so just a little sampling there. It was our morning e-mail question for you today -- what is driving the high price of oil and gas?
Here's what we're getting so far.
CHOI: And William in Alexandria, Virginia says: "The rise in gas prices is being caused by poor planning, demand and control by oil/gas producing companies. Iraq, international conflict, Afghanistan -- no, let's be real, America. Go back to Econ 101. It's called supply and demand."
ROBERTS: This one from Robbie in Louisiana, writing in today" "Somebody has to pay for this expensive war. We're paying it but we're not supposed to know we're paying for it."
And I think coming up over the summertime, they're saying that the price of gas is going to hit a national average of about $2.03 or $2.04.
CHOI: Yes, premium in California, four bucks and over. Can you believe that?
ROBERTS: They're already feeling that pinch big time.
We want to get your thoughts on this, though, because we'll be talking about it throughout the morning. So you can e-mail us, wam@cnn.com. Again, the question -- what's driving the high price of oil and gas? We'd love to hear from you.
CHOI: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
