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CNN Saturday Morning News

A reports on Hoax Involving a Baby Allegedly Thrown From Car; A Look at Daytona 500

Aired February 12, 2005 - 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.


TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A newborn baby tossed from a moving car. It turns out the story is a hoax. So why would someone make it up?
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

It is February 12 -- February 12? Wow! The 12th. BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Already.

HARRIS: Good morning, everyone.

I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.

7:00 a.m. in the East, 4:00 a.m., real early, out West

We want to thank you for joining us.

That story in just a moment.

But first, here's a look at those headlines.

Seventeen people are dead and at least 26 wounded after a suicide car bomb explodes in a town south of Baghdad. Six of the dead were police officers. Now, farther south in Basra, motorcycle riding gunmen assassinated a prominent judge this morning.

Back home, Howard Dean is expected to be chosen as the Democratic Party's new national chairman this morning, succeeding Terry McAuliffe. Dean is a former governor of Vermont who was unsuccessful, as you remember, in winning the party's presidential nomination in the last election. He is promising to take to offensive against Republicans, rebuild the Democratic Party at the state level and raise a lot of money, he says.

Well, 200 people have returned to their homes in San Marcus, Texas after a freight train derailment. Some of those derailed cars contained small amounts of potentially hazardous materials. But apparently there were no leaks and no one was hurt.

HARRIS: Well, you want to stick around for some amazing stories this hour, including two tales of pregnancies gone wrong. One involves a mother, a myth and a miracle named little Johnny. The other, a pregnant woman who fought to save her baby's life from someone trying to steal it from her womb.

In other news, NASCAR is revving up and ready to go. But what are the pitfalls of getting more eyeballs watching? We'll discuss that as we go "Beyond The Game."

And now that we've got your attention, a surprise pop quiz -- how might your kids hammer home better scores in math? Here's a hint -- put a hammer in their hands. Hmm.

NGUYEN: Hmmm.

HARRIS: Stay tuned for the answers.

NGUYEN: Well, the story of a baby tossed from a moving car caught the nation's attention. A good Samaritan stopped to help and rushed the baby to the hospital, a baby boy. It was an inspirational tale. But you know what? It never happened.

The good Samaritan was really the baby's mother. She concocted the whole story. And police say Patricia Pokriots hid her pregnancy and does not want the child. Now, this morning she is being held for psychiatric evolution. Pokriots has not been charged.

Patricia Pokriots has a 10-year-old son. He's also now in the state's car. The boy's father was denied custody due to a previous child abuse charge.

And Brian Andrews of CNN Miami affiliate WFOR has all the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN ANDREWS, WFOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scott Hargreaves was actually at the courthouse with his fiance to get married and ended up in a special hearing for the custody of his son. He's the father of Patricia Ann Pokriots' 10-year-old son Scottie. The state, though, won't give him custody, because, they say, he has an outstanding child abuse charge.

QUESTION: Have you see him recently?

SCOTT HARGREAVES: Two weeks ago.

QUESTION: Have you seen her recently?

HARGREAVES: Two weeks ago.

QUESTION: Did she look pregnant?

HARGREAVES: No.

QUESTION: She didn't look pregnant at all?

HARGREAVES: No.

QUESTION: Did she ever say anything to you at all about being pregnant?

HARGREAVES: No.

QUESTION: And your definite it's not your child?

HARGREAVES: Definitely not. Absolutely not, no.

ANDREWS: The state seeking custody of Scottie and baby Johnny now that their mother has been institutionalized. Patricia Ann's mother also attended the hearing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's got a microphone in my face.

QUESTION: I know. Do you think she's going to be OK, though?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put it away.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, then turn it off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then turn it off.

QUESTION: Do you think that she's going to be OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope so.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

NGUYEN: And that report from Brian Andrews of our Miami affiliate, WFOR.

Well, there is a safe haven law in Florida to protect parents and abducted newborns from these parents. But these parents have to follow the law to get that protection. Now, the newborn must be approximately three days old or younger. He or she must be left at a fire station or an emergency medical service station with full-time firefighters, paramedics or an emergency medical technician. The newborn may also be left at a hospital.

In exchange for leaving the child at those locations, a parent is allowed to remain anonymous and will generally avoid being the target of a criminal investigation, unless the newborn is abused or neglected -- Tony.

HARRIS: Police say a woman who's nine months pregnant fought off and killed a female attacker who was armed with a knife. Now, authorities are investigating whether the attack was an attempt to steal the fetus. The incident happened in suburban Cincinnati Thursday. Police say Sarah Brady acted in self-defense and she won't be charged. Brady wasn't hurt in the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I spoke to about 15 family members who told me that although her delivery date kept moving forward, that her latest delivery date was supposed to be yesterday or today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Now, both women had registered for gifts at the same baby store. Investigators are looking into whether the attacker used the registry to contact Brady.

NGUYEN: Now to that nuclear stand-off with North Korea. Ever since Pyongyang announced Thursday that it has produced nuclear weapons and is pulling out of six nation talks, antennas went up around the globe. Experts are debating whether it is a bluff, a negotiating tactic or a real threat.

Here's one opinion from a former secretary of state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: When North Korea, for instance, gets nuclear weapons, the issue is not simply whether they're going to use them against us or somebody else, but are they going to give them to Osama bin Laden or somebody else of that character? And then we have a real problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: The Bush administration has rejected Pyongyang's call for direct one-on-one talks.

HARRIS: And coming up at 9:00 Eastern, new insights on the North Korean stand-off from our military analyst, Retired Brigadier General James "Spider" Marks.

And here's our E-Mail Question this morning. Should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? Tell us what you think. We are at wam@cnn.com.

NGUYEN: Now to our "Security Watch" this morning, where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror.

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating complaints that dozens of Muslims were improperly detained and interrogated at U.S. border crossings in Upstate New York. According to "USA Today," the probe is focusing on whether U.S. border agents improperly detained the Muslims by misusing a government database.

President Bush's proposed 2006 budget funds a total of only 210 new Border Patrol agents. The change comes less than two months after he signed a bill adding thousands of agents along the U.S.-Mexico border. The president is utilizing an escape clause in the bill to justify that change.

And another part of the president's budget plan, higher security fees for airline passengers. The president wants the fee to go from $2.50 to $5.50 for a typical one way ticket.

Finally, several airports are testing new technology to detect explosives. The machine analyzes puffs of air that are blown on passengers, looking for trace amounts of explosives.

And this reminder. You want to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

HARRIS: In other news, portraits of grief -- celluloid sorrow. This picture is worth a thousand words. Now, it's won the World Press Photo contest. The picture shows an Indian woman, palms faced to the sky, mourning the death of a loved one claimed in the December Asian tsunami. The powerful image won the annual photo contest because, as one judge put it, it's graphical, historical and starkly emotional.

NGUYEN: It is very emotional, that picture.

Well, tsunami victims are getting a helping hand from NFL stars. We'll be talking to New York Giants quarterback Kurt Warner later this hour right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: And the girl from the block gets on a catwalk. Find out if she had a sweet reception.

Good morning -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Tony.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Coming up in about 90 seconds, the cold and flu report -- Betty, back over to you.

NGUYEN: Well, if that snow keeps you inside, here's something you can watch. Upcoming DVD releases include "Taxi," a comedy starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. And over in the movie theaters, just in time for the Valentine's Day. The rules of dating presented by, of course, Will Smith, who else, in this romantic comedy called "Hitch."

And for the kids, Pooh, Tigger and Rabbit go on an adventure, searching for a mysterious heffalump. We'll preview both later here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, here's a question for you. Would you buy a home in this neighborhood if you knew a registered sex offender lived there? Sales have reportedly come to a standstill and the developer is suing the company that sold a home to a convicted child molester. An intriguing dilemma for "Legal Briefs," live next hour, 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

MARCIANO: Hi, I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center.

Time for your cold and flu report. These are the latest numbers out of the CDC. Look at all the red popping up, 27 states now reporting widespread cold and flu. And in the blue states filling in, also, for regional activity and some purple. So everybody getting into the act here. California, which has seen a ton of rain in the past couple of days, in SoCal, well, they're feeling the best, at least for now.

Hope you're feeling well today.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Where's the J-Lo music? I would ask Tony to sing it but we know how that goes.

HARRIS: Yes, catastrophic.

NGUYEN: All right, well, her love might not cost a thing, but her clothes, they will certainly set you back some. J-Lo, AKA Mrs. Anthony, AKA Jenny from the block, has launched a new label. The Sweetface line of clothing by Jennifer Lopez made its New York debut last night. The show was split into three parts to play up different parts of the star's life, of course, Tony.

HARRIS: Oh, OK.

NGUYEN: Home Girl, hip huggers and such...

HARRIS: Wow!

NGUYEN: ... symbolized her start in the Bronx. Rock Star Wraparound marked her music career and the Ultra Lux Look symbolized her current red carpet style.

Though many in the crowd cheered, one fashion editor said of some of the pieces: "All I saw was a J.C. Penney rack."

HARRIS: Hey, that's not nice.

NGUYEN: No. I'm not sure if that was a compliment. I kind of think it wasn't.

HARRIS: Well, it didn't feel like one, did it?

NGUYEN: No. That's pretty, though.

HARRIS: OK, other stories across America this morning.

McDonald's has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a transfat lawsuit. A California activist had sued over the restaurant's delays in limiting the artery clogging fats in its cooking oil. McDonald's will donate $7 million of the settlement to the American Heart Association.

A joyous homecoming for about 70 New Hampshire Army National Guard soldiers. Family and friends welcomed them back after nearly a year of service in southeastern Iraq. No one from their unit was killed during the deployment. The soldiers took on several humanitarian missions while in Iraq.

And here's a couple for whom Valentine's Day never gets old. Arnold and Dina Larson have been friends for, listen to this, 88 years; married for 68 years.

NGUYEN: Wow!

HARRIS: Dina is celebrating her 100th birthday today. Happy birthday, Dina, if you're watching. Boy, I hope you are. Arnold had turned 100 last week. The New Hampshire couple's secret for a long and happy marriage -- don't carry your arguments into the next day. Just forget about it.

NGUYEN: That's kind of hard to do, though, huh?

HARRIS: No, no, no. You ought to. You really ought to.

NGUYEN: Just forget it.

HARRIS: And check out these pictures. This teenager is holding on for dear life. One of a few amazing rescue stories we've seen this week. We'll show you some in our "Wows of the Week." That's later this hour.

NGUYEN: Well, are you planning on catching a film this Valentine's weekend? Here is a real date movie for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "HITCH," COURTESY COLUMBIA PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not worried about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But if there are people there...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and they get word of...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand in that...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate to be a stickler, but I need to be thorough. Can -- show me what you mean by you're not worried about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trust me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Oh, no, look at those moves.

HARRIS: That is -- that's that Kevin James for you.

NGUYEN: Yes, he does need a little help, doesn't he?

HARRIS: Oh, bring it, big fellah.

NGUYEN: Well, meet Hitch, Manhattan's anonymous date doctor, who, for a fee, of course, helps desperate bachelors conquer the women of their dreams. Hitch finally meets his match, though, in an undercover gossip columnist who is trying to unmask the date doctor. Critics are harsh, though, on "Hitch." Filmcritic.com calls it "an unsightly mess of a romantic comedy."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE," COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first heffalump expedition in history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: All right, this may be more your speed if you have children. The gang from the Hundred Acre Wood is all together again. This time the search for a much feared heffalump teaches them a life lesson of accepting each other's differences and valuing true friends. Critics enjoyed this one. The "Chicago Tribune" says, "It is a beautifully animated romp through the world of Pooh."

HARRIS: Well, are you a NASCAR fan? Well, you're certainly not alone. Our sports guru, Rick Horrow, goes beyond the sport. That's really, well, sort of kicking into high gear next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

NGUYEN: Plus, driving rain, high winds, California takes a pounding. Our Rob Marciano has the forecast for the state and the rest of the nation. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS (voice-over): What a month for Florida when it comes to major sporting events.

First, the Super Bowl in Jacksonville, and then pro racing's equivalent of the big game. Start your engines for NASCAR's Daytona 500. three hundred thousand fans are expected to converge on Daytona Beach. The TV audience, an estimated 75 million viewers. In fact, NASCAR's ratings have jumped an astounding 34 percent since the year 2000. That may be cause for celebration, but as with any growing business, challenges remain. That's this morning's focus as we take you "Beyond The Game."

(on camera): So, what are the challenges for an industry that can make a $2.8 billion television deal with three different networks?

Time now to turn to the author of "When the Game Is On the Line," CNN sports analyst Rick Horrow -- but, Rick, before we get started with NASCAR, we've got a little bit of unfinished business to do.

In good natured fun, last week we made our Super Bowl picks, correct?

RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Yes. HARRIS: What's the problem? You're hesitating there. What's the problem?

HORROW: No, no, no. There's no problem, except here's the thing. Our producer told me that I've got to be very nice to you from now on.

HARRIS: Why is that? Why is that?

HORROW: Well, first of all, you're brilliant, you're good looking and you obviously know sports.

HARRIS: Oh, yes.

HORROW: But, by the way, just so you know...

HARRIS: Yes?

HORROW: I got the score right. I got 24-21, remember?

HARRIS: Oh, you did?

HORROW: I did.

HARRIS: Oh, you did. That's right, 24-21.

HORROW: 24-21. Yes. Wrong...

HARRIS: So, but...

HORROW: Wrong teams. I understand.

HARRIS: What about the rest of that?

HORROW: I understand.

HARRIS: What about the rest...

HORROW: I understand. Philadelphia didn't come to play...

HARRIS: Right.

HORROW: ... in the fourth quarter. And, by the way, we did say that New England knows how to win, and they clearly did.

HARRIS: OK, so...

HORROW: All right, you won. You're great.

HARRIS: ... that's Rick's pick.

Can we see the other screen, please?

HORROW: Oh, gosh.

HARRIS: The other screen says Tony's... HORROW: Let's move on here. We don't have time for this.

HARRIS: The other screen says Tony's picks, New England 20, Philadelphia 17. I believe, Rob Marciano, New England won the Super Bowl, correct?

MARCIANO: That's correct. And you have a higher number than Philadelphia on that board there.

HARRIS: Thank you.

All right, absolutely.

(CROSSTALK)

HORROW: Well, hey, you need your whole team to gang up with you. I do appreciate that. Let them all applaud. We'll do it again. We'll do...

HARRIS: Thank you.

HORROW: We'll do final four picks for college. We'll do the whole thing by the end of the year.

HARRIS: Thank you.

We'll do it. We'll do it.

OK, now, moving on to NASCAR and this weekend, we've got the big Daytona 500 and the Super Bowl certainly did its part in promoting the big race this weekend, didn't it?

HORROW: Yes, it did. And, by the way, NASCAR, you know, a 5 percent increase last year in ratings. Only the NFL's ratings are better than NASCAR's. Television is wonderful for them. Corporate America absolutely positively loves NASCAR. They're brand loyal. People buy products. And, frankly, a 10 race play-off they had last year certainly doesn't hurt, either. They've got major blue chip sponsors. They've got Bud. They've got Dodge. They've got Altel. They've even got that omnipresent Viagra.

And, by the way, Nextel spent a billion bucks over 10 years.

HARRIS: Wow!

HORROW: It's the largest sports sponsorship in history and a 90 percent approval rating for their customers, which is big. That's also why the ad rates for a 30 second spot for Daytona are a million and a half. They're almost Super Bowlish in their ratings.

HARRIS: Wow!

HORROW: They pushed the envelope even further. They lifted the ban on hard liquor sales. You've got Jim Beam. You've got other companies that are spending $35 million. And even though they're promoting responsible drinking now for NASCAR, they're clearly ahead. HARRIS: Well, it can't all be good news.

Any challenges out there?

HORROW: Well, yes. You know, one of the biggest challenges, obviously, is the marketing and diversity challenge. They need more women in the sport. Women have increased twofold as NASCAR fans and that's important, a $30 million ad campaign, by the way. And Home Depot dropped their U.S. Olympic Committee sponsorship because they wanted NASCAR sponsors to reach women. That's important.

African-Americans, drive for diversity. Magic Johnson is involved in that play, as well.

HARRIS: Right. Right.

HORROW: And, finally, the whole blurring of sports and entertainment. The Imax movie with NASCAR's $20 million gross, the highest documentary movie other than "Fahrenheit 911." You've also got the California race in Los Angeles the week after Daytona, which is going Hollywood for NASCAR.

HARRIS: OK.

HORROW: Robbie Gordon and the like.

"SpongeBob SquarePants" movie 300.

HARRIS: Right.

HORROW: That's the sponsorship of the race in Charlotte last year. We don't need to say anymore. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: Exactly.

OK, because of all of your disclaimers on your faulty Super Bowl pick, we've run out of time.

See you next week, Rick.

HORROW: Hey, man, I'll tell you...

HARRIS: Have a great week.

HORROW: Thanks, pal.

HARRIS: All right.

That's it.

NGUYEN: You've got to give him a hard time.

HARRIS: That's the bum's rush if there ever was one.

MARCIANO: Well, you know, in all fairness, Betty, we should act like parents and say you both were very close. HARRIS: Very close.

NGUYEN: It's not about who wins...

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: It's about playing the game.

MARCIANO: Did you guys have any money down, you cheapskates? Did you bet anything?

HARRIS: Oh, oh, oh, oh, there were bets.

MARCIANO: Oh, yes?

HARRIS: Oh, there were wagers.

NGUYEN: Really?

MARCIANO: Nice.

HARRIS: There were definitely wagers.

MARCIANO: Yes?

NGUYEN: Time to collect, Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

MARCIANO: Really?

HARRIS: Oh, absolutely.

MARCIANO: You can collect your $2, you know? And you can maybe buy Betty and I a cup of coffee or something.

NGUYEN: Are you saying he's cheap?

HARRIS: Well, good to see you again.

Good to see you...

MARCIANO: Nice to see you guys, as well.

HARRIS: ... after your trip to New York.

MARCIANO: I had a little -- yes, it was nice.

HARRIS: Yes?

NGUYEN: Enjoy yourself?

MARCIANO: Good to be back.

Yes, it was great. You know, they have a lot of people up there, you know? HARRIS: Yes, they do. Yes, they do.

MARCIANO: I mean a lot of people to take care of.

HARRIS: It's a big show.

MARCIANO: I think you two prima donnas should make a bit of a stink here.

NGUYEN: Oho, you think so?

MARCIANO: It makes...

NGUYEN: We need some more perch, don't we?

MARCIANO: It makes Atlanta look like a bit of a Mickey Mouse operation.

(CROSSTALK)

MARCIANO: No, it's not.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: I'm going back to my weather box upstairs.

HARRIS: Go back.

NGUYEN: And we'll try to get everything in place for you when you come back down.

MARCIANO: Please do.

HARRIS: You know, whatever.

NGUYEN: We'll make sure management knows about this.

MARCIANO: Because I'm turning into a prima donna myself.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes. Yes.

NGUYEN: That's what New York will do to you, I'll tell you.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: All right, thank you, Rob.

HARRIS: You're out of here.

NGUYEN: Well, in case you didn't get a fill of your headlines this week, it's time to "Rewind" through some of the big stories of the past few days.

Amtrak says the Bush administration has, in effect, given the railroad a one way ticket to bankruptcy. President Bush's proposed budget, which was released Monday, essentially eliminates federal subsidies for the cash strapped railroad.

Now, Tuesday a cease-fire agreement between Israel's prime minister and the president of the Palestinian Authority. It came at the end of a day long summit in Egypt. But the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas says it is not bound by that deal.

And the scientists who cloned Dolly the sheep -- remember her? Well, they got permission from the British government Tuesday to clone human embryos for medical research. He will be doing what's called therapeutic cloning, where embryos are created as a source of stem cells. That type of cloning won't result in a baby, but it is still controversial since researchers must destroy human embryos to harvest those cells.

And Thursday, North Korea declared for the first time that it has nuclear weapons and then pulled out of six party disarmament talks. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged North Korea to return to those stalled talks or risk further isolation from the international community.

Roll that music. Yes, tomorrow we will "Fast Forward" to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.

HARRIS: And in just a few minutes, we'll talk to one of the NFL's top quarterbacks. But the topic won't be football. Kurt Warner tells us about his mission to help tsunami victims.

NGUYEN: Also, building knowledge. We talk to the man who is giving these children a hands on approach to learning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: A tragedy in Pakistan. Dozens of people are dead, more missing, after heavy rains and snow caused a dam to break.

We welcome you back this Saturday morning.

I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris.

That story in a minute.

First, a look at some other morning headlines.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tries to strike a conciliatory tone. At the European Security Conference in Germany today, he called on European countries to work with the U.S. in fighting the war on terror and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. He said it was the old Rumsfeld who was critical of European countries opposed to the war in Iraq.

People living in southern California can expect more rain today and that's just what they don't need. The powerful storms moved into the region Thursday, contributing to three deaths and hundreds of traffic accidents. Democrats are poised to elect Howard Dean to chair their national committee today. The former presidential candidate promises to rebuild the party and take the offensive against the Republicans. Dean is expected to hold a news conference at 11:30 Eastern.

NGUYEN: Well, two NFL players are working the front lines and making a very personal contribution to the tsunami relief effort.

New York Giants' quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Amani Toomer are in hard hit Indonesia, helping the U.N. deliver food to survivors there.

And Warner joins us now by phone from Banda Aceh.

Thanks for being with us today.

KURT WARNER, NEW YORK GIANTS QUARTERBACK: You bet.

Good to be with you.

NGUYEN: Well, many celebrities have traveled to the tsunami hit areas, but very few have really gone into the hard hit Banda Aceh.

What are you seeing there? Describe what you're seeing and what you're experiencing.

WARNER: Well, I mean it's so difficult to describe exactly what you're seeing. I mean you see it on CNN and you see it on television and you think you have an understanding of the devastation that's here. But to actually be in the heart of this, to see the way that the whole country, the whole community is devastated is -- it's hard to put words to it. You can't, you just drive out and see it and there's just nothing there. And it's amazing the attitudes of the people, the smiles, the resilience of the people here despite the major destruction that you see all around them.

NGUYEN: And, you know, you're traveling with wide receiver Amani Toomer. Tell us how both of you are assisting in this relief effort there.

WARNER: Well, we just basically got here today and today we had an opportunity to really go around to different areas, to see the devastation. We went over with the United Nations World Food Program. We did some loading of some helicopters, some distributing of some food. We helped load into their warehouse. We also went to the different villages and camps, you know, where there's kids and people that lost loved ones, lost, you know, lost everything, basically, and got to spend some time with them and, you know, share some things with them, get some hugs, hold some kids, you know, share some miles, do some of that stuff that was more hands on.

But, you know, to really come over and make a difference in four, five, six, seven days is difficult to do. But you can just see the attitude of gratitude that these people have for all the people that are assisting, are coming over and just showing them that they care, that they're interested and that they want to help. NGUYEN: Absolutely.

We are looking at some pictures right now of the work that you're doing over there, carrying supplies; also touching the children there. Because before you left, you said that the orphaned children are what spoke to you the most.

When you travel there and you see these children, many of them orphaned -- and we do have some pictures of you there with the children -- how is that affecting your life? Do you think this trip is really going to change you?

WARNER: Well, I mean I think it helps to keep everything in perspective, for sure, that we are so blessed to be in the position that we have. We are so blessed to live in the country that we live in and have the freedoms that we have. And to come over and just see, you know, this country and what they deal with on a daily basis lets us know how blessed we are.

But then to see the devastation and to understand that we have five healthy kids at home and to know that there's many, many children here that have lost both of their parents and, you know, what a horrific thought that is for me, as a father, to think that my kids would grow up without their parents. And, you know, so those are the things that really -- that you can really come to understand when you come here. You understand that this isn't just a short-term deal, that lives have been changed for the long-term, for years and years, if not forever, because of this horrific tragedy.

NGUYEN: Absolutely.

Well, we salute you for the good work that you're doing over there.

Kurt Warner, a quarterback with the New York Giants, in Banda Aceh.

Thank you for speaking with us today -- Tony.

HARRIS: He's a good man.

There have been some major developments around the world this morning.

NGUYEN: For a check on what is happening, we want to go now to Anand Naidoo at the CNN International Desk -- good morning to you.

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And a very good morning to you.

Yes, there have been some big developments coming in overnight.

First to Iraq. And no letup in the violence there. A suicide car bomb at a police checkpoint killed 17, wounded at least 26. Six Iraqi police officers are among the dead. The explosion went off in the town of Musab, south of Baghdad. American troops have cordoned off the blast area. And that attack at a hospital followed the assassination earlier of a very prominent Shiite judge. He was murdered by gunmen on motorcycles. Two bodyguards were seriously wounded. That incident taking place in the southern city of Basra. The dead judge was formerly the chief judge of Basra's highest court under Saddam Hussein. But he'd since been demoted under the new order.

And two other stories I want to tell you about. Only days after it claimed that it had nuclear weapons, or it has nuclear weapons, rather, there's more pressure on North Korea. This time it's coming from Japan. And Japan is turning up the heat. It wasn't the North Koreans to get back to six party talks on disarmament.

And this in just in the last few hours. A dam burst on southwestern Pakistan kills at least 84 people. Dozens are missing. There's been heavy rain and snow in that particular area.

That is a check around the world.

We'll be back with more.

For now, back to Betty and Tony.

NGUYEN: All right, thank you, Anand.

HARRIS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, speaking of dictatorships, our E-Mail Question this morning, check it out -- should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? That is the question. We want your responses. We're at wam@cnn.com. And we'll read those replies a little bit later this hour.

HARRIS: And good morning Washington, D.C.

Rob Marciano will have your weather forecast ahead, just ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Saturday morning we have plenty of questions.

Are you a budding musician but can't seem to get your career off the ground? Well, you might hit the right note, strike the right chord by turning to the Internet.

Joining me now with details is Valeria Delacruz from cnn.com -- good morning, Veronica.

VERONICA DELACRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.

HARRIS: Good to see you. Good to see you.

DELACRUZ: How are you doing?

HARRIS: I'm well, thank you. DELACRUZ: You are?

HARRIS: And you?

DELACRUZ: Good. I'm doing well on a Saturday morning.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

DELACRUZ: Tony, we all know that the Grammys are going to take place tomorrow night, right?

HARRIS: Yes, tomorrow.

DELACRUZ: Tomorrow night. And we're going to be seeing artists like Usher and Alicia Keys. Now, they've already made it big. But for artists just starting out, here's a way to kick start a career using today's technology.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JON DOE: My Web site is Meetjondoe.com.

DELACRUZ (voice-over): Jon Foster, known as D.J. Jon Doe, is using the Internet to jump start a recording career.

DOE: Even though I'm still in Atlanta, Georgia and I can't fly to Japan or even if I can't fly to New York to talk to the labels there, I think you're able to actually, you know, cultivate your career and what you want to present to the world in terms of music and even your image.

DELACRUZ: Technology is making it easier for him to promote himself online. But when it comes to the digital divide, he still faces a few challenges.

DOE: And then there's a lot of different types of formats that these companies are using to deliver, you know, the music. So that, I think, makes things even more confusing.

The most popular format is MP3. That's where, really, this entire revolution with all my music started. I can be in the studio on a Monday night, get done with a song and mix it, and send it out the next night. And it can preview on a radio show, you know, half way across the world. So, that's what's extremely powerful for me.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

DELACRUZ: And to read more about the online music revolution, you can log onto cnn.com/online music. And during that entire story, I saw you dancing.

HARRIS: The music. No, no, no. I love the music and I love the music that these kids are making. I can't wait for the Grammys tomorrow. And now to know that there is a way to move your career along on the Internet, that's great news. Great news.

Thank you, Veronica.

DELACRUZ: There you go.

HARRIS: Good to see you.

DELACRUZ: Nice to see you.

HARRIS: See you back at 9:00?

DELACRUZ: Um-hmm.

HARRIS: OK.

Thank you.

NGUYEN: See him try to get out of dancing there?

HARRIS: Wait, wait...

NGUYEN: He is so smooth.

DELACRUZ: He was so funny. I say you bust a move right now.

HARRIS: Oh, come on.

NGUYEN: Yes, the next segment.

Still to come here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we are not making this up. These kids actually enjoy learning math. We'll talk to the man who is multiplying their skills in a very different kind of classroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Hey, who's this? Who are we listening to? This is Dwight Tills (ph)? Caribbean soul. Ah! And timely.

Good morning, Miami. The city will be the center of an afro- Caribbean and Cuban culture celebration this weekend. The program includes dance, film, music and, of course, plenty of partying.

Your weather forecast is coming up in about 10 minutes.

But here's a look at our top stories this morning.

A suicide car bomb takes 17 more lives in Iraq. The bomb detonated at a police checkpoint near a hospital south of Baghdad. Six Iraqi police officers are among the dead. Two dozen others are wounded.

In Washington, Howard Dean gets the nod today as the new Democratic National Committee chairman. Democrats are vowing to join their new leader to build the party's grassroots and reach out to voters in states where they've been losing ground.

In New York, a rare strain of HIV progressed to full blown AIDS within months, within months of diagnosis. Health officials say the HIV variant is difficult or impossible to treat.

And don't forget our E-Mail Question this morning -- should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? We are at wam@cnn.com. We'll be reading your replies in just a couple of minutes.

NGUYEN: All right, so what is your fear factor when it comes to math and science, say on the scale of one to 10, just to keep it simple? A carpenter, not a teacher, with a fist full of degrees has a solution for you. You just pick up a hammer and help build a house. Yes, that is the solution. Very simple.

Well, joining us from Memphis to explain all of this are Dr. Shirley Raines, president of the University of Memphis, and Perry Wilson, founder of If I Had A Hammer.

We thank you both for being with us today.

SHIRLEY RAINES, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS: Good morning, Betty.

PERRY WILSON, FOUNDER, IF I HAD A HAMMER: Good to be here.

RAINES: Yes.

NGUYEN: Well, Perry, let's start with you.

Talk about exactly how this program, If I Had A Hammer, works.

WILSON: Well, basically what we're doing is we are teaching children about the application of mathematics and how they're going to use it. Instead of doing your addition problems and then subtraction and multiplication and then not really knowing when and how they're going to use math, we use the construction and building to teach them the application of mathematics first and the value of it and how it's going to apply to their life. And then we take it and put it back to the book.

NGUYEN: And what, you're standing in one of the houses that you've built because of this program. Let's talk about that, because what inspired you to start If I Had A Hammer? You struggled with dyslexia as a child and on through your teenage years, as well. And then you had some trouble with math courses, as well.

Did you just think, you know what, I became a carpenter, this is a way to put real world application into the hands of children so they can learn math?

WILSON: That really that, you know, I had such learning problems coming through school that all -- when I became a carpenter, all of a sudden I realized this is mathematics that I could never pass in the classroom. When I was actually on the job and building, I was doing the most complex geometry they could throw at me, but I couldn't do it in a textbook.

And so I came up with the idea. Actually, I had built -- I had a friend that's little boy was struggling in school and I built a tree house with him and I was trying to teach him math, like I had taught myself. And that was kind of the catalyst for the idea. And when all of a sudden he took off with it and loved it, then 18 years ago, that's when it started.

But that's -- I think all children can learn if they have the opportunity to apply.

NGUYEN: And some 400,000 students have taken part in this program.

Let's talk with you, Shirley, for just a moment. You are hosting this project on the campus there.

Why this project? Are you seeing that it's really making a difference in the lives of children?

WILSON: We know it's making a difference in the lives of children, that they're learning more. One of the things we're aware of in the national studies is that children do well in mathematics in elementary school, but in the middle grades their interest and accomplishments in mathematics drops off. And because this project is designed to address middle school, it's a wonderful opportunity to apply what they are learning right on the spot.

NGUYEN: Absolutely. And...

WILSON: And we know -- yes?

NGUYEN: I was going to say parents...

WILSON: And we know that for student...

NGUYEN: This satellite little loop here is causing us to have a bit of an audio problem.

But let me talk to you for just a moment, Perry, if we could. I really get it, because in school when I was learning all of this math, I thought where in the world am I going to use it?

Now, as you show children this program, take them through it, what kind of reaction are you getting from kids involved?

WILSON: Well, I think all the kids absolutely love it. I mean we never have anything that we have any problems because one of the main things we do is we try to show them the difference in being a teacher and a boss. Your teacher is going to work with you all year long. But If I Had A Hammer, you don't have a teacher, you've got a boss. And if you don't listen and work hard with everybody, you're going to get fired.

So we try to, we, you know, generally that never happens. But what we try to do is we try to show kids that life is about working with a team. And school is a lot about individual accomplishments. But if you're going to be successful in life, you've got to be able to take the actual application we're talking about with this mathematics and be able to connect it with the real world. And that is working with people and the teamwork part of it is a very, very valuable component.

NGUYEN: And, quickly...

WILSON: We'll rise together as a group.

NGUYEN: Let me ask you this. Are you seeing test scores rise? And, are you seeing that boys are getting more from this, or are both boys and girls getting the same amount of education from this?

WILSON: Well, I think the test scores, the last group we've run through, we had a 15 to 40 percent gain in the math scores in 21 days. This is the after school tutoring program. And as far as the boys and the girls, I don't see any separation at all with it. It's -- the only separation that you have, I believe, in education, is how you are engaging a child. If you can excite them and motivate them and get them to really understand why they need it, then you have success.

For children that struggle at all, the biggest obstacle you have to do is to be able to get them to understand that they're perfect just like they are and they can achieve this and we're going to try to have some fun and show you how it's going to really work in your life.

NGUYEN: Yes, who doesn't want to pick up a hammer?

WILSON: That's right.

NGUYEN: All right, Perry Wilson and Shirley Raines...

RAINES: Right.

WILSON: All kids love to build.

NGUYEN: Absolutely.

We thank you both for joining us today in talking about this really wonderful project.

Thank you -- Tony.

WILSON: Thank you.

RAINES: You're welcome.

HARRIS: Well, they might have used hammers and rope and other tools in our next story, right after the break. Find out how this trucker and his truck landed in a muddy marsh and if they got out OK.

First, a CNN extra -- American Airlines -- listen to this -- announced this week it will remove pillows on most of its domestic flights starting next week. It's expected to save the airline about $370,000. So if you're flying within the continental U.S., Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Central America, used the headrest or bring your own pillow. The blankets, however, are staying.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Hey, take a look at this. The announcement out of Buckingham Palace this week has turned some heads. Editorial cartoonists, I'm sure, had a lot of fun with it. Here's a look at, well, the cartoons from Rob Rogers at the "Pittsburgh Post Gazette." A little harsh.

NGUYEN: We just want to give them a little time to read it. There's a lot to read there on the screen. But that's a funny one.

HARRIS: A little harsh.

NGUYEN: A little harsh is correct.

Well, from royal wows to other wonders, we begin our look at "Wows of the Week" with a warning -- look closely at this picture. Now, she might miss the baby in the middle. You're looking at the world's smallest baby. This Indian baby girl weighed just 8.6 ounces when she was born. The tiny tot put up a big fight for her life over the five months and she now weighs more than five pounds and has been sent home from a Chicago hospital.

Now to California. A truck driver plunges a big rig into a rain soaked bank and spends two hours teetering on top with nobody around to hear his yells for help. Trucker Steven Moore lost control of his rig on Interstate 5 yesterday. The tale ended well, though, when firefighters finally plucked him from peril.

And talk about dangling near danger, look at this. How about a 14-year-old girl? She falls 40 feet down a cliff, nearly freezes, but is finally found by firefighters. The young girl, who was hiking when she slipped, escaped with only, Tony, only minor injuries.

HARRIS: Now, that's good fortune. That's a lot of good fortune and a great looking rescue there.

I've got to tell you something. Rob, the folks out in California have had enough of this -- rain, rain and more rain.

NGUYEN: Too much rain.

HARRIS: We've been talking about this for, it seems, what, a couple of months now?

NGUYEN: It has been.

MARCIANO: Well, yes, all winter long. And it kind of happens in an el nino year, which this is a bit -- a slight el nino year. But these rescue workers...

HARRIS: Wasn't that great? Yes.

MARCIANO: They're getting some overtime.

HARRIS: Oh, yes.

NGUYEN: Hard working folks. MARCIANO: You know, I wouldn't be surprised at this point if by next year they have a reality TV show with, you know, they've done just about everything else.

NGUYEN: Mark Burnett is listening. Watch out, you're going to see it. You'd better collect your percentage right now.

MARCIANO: I just lost my point.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: All right, let's get you quickly to our E-mail Question of the Day. We want to know what you think about the negotiations with North Korea. Should the U.S. negotiate directly with that country?

Here's the first e-mail, from Justin from Cleveland. He says: "No, they have violated treaty after treaty, while America is supposed to stand up to its treaty agreements. If you ask me, I say let's go to the U.N. with Korea. Let's see what they say."

NGUYEN: And Millicent agrees. He says: "I don't think so. If North Korea had any intention of cooperating with anyone, they would talk with the countries in their region. North Korea is looking for the U.S. to offer them a lot of money. North Korea thinks the bomb makes them a major player in the world."

HARRIS: They sure do.

NGUYEN: And we invite you to keep on sending those responses in to our E-mail Question of the Day. It's on your screen. Should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? Send those to wam@cnn.com.

HARRIS: More, more, more, more. We want more.

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 February 12, 2005 - 07:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A newborn baby tossed from a moving car. It turns out the story is a hoax. So why would someone make it up?
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

It is February 12 -- February 12? Wow! The 12th. BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Already.

HARRIS: Good morning, everyone.

I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.

7:00 a.m. in the East, 4:00 a.m., real early, out West

We want to thank you for joining us.

That story in just a moment.

But first, here's a look at those headlines.

Seventeen people are dead and at least 26 wounded after a suicide car bomb explodes in a town south of Baghdad. Six of the dead were police officers. Now, farther south in Basra, motorcycle riding gunmen assassinated a prominent judge this morning.

Back home, Howard Dean is expected to be chosen as the Democratic Party's new national chairman this morning, succeeding Terry McAuliffe. Dean is a former governor of Vermont who was unsuccessful, as you remember, in winning the party's presidential nomination in the last election. He is promising to take to offensive against Republicans, rebuild the Democratic Party at the state level and raise a lot of money, he says.

Well, 200 people have returned to their homes in San Marcus, Texas after a freight train derailment. Some of those derailed cars contained small amounts of potentially hazardous materials. But apparently there were no leaks and no one was hurt.

HARRIS: Well, you want to stick around for some amazing stories this hour, including two tales of pregnancies gone wrong. One involves a mother, a myth and a miracle named little Johnny. The other, a pregnant woman who fought to save her baby's life from someone trying to steal it from her womb.

In other news, NASCAR is revving up and ready to go. But what are the pitfalls of getting more eyeballs watching? We'll discuss that as we go "Beyond The Game."

And now that we've got your attention, a surprise pop quiz -- how might your kids hammer home better scores in math? Here's a hint -- put a hammer in their hands. Hmm.

NGUYEN: Hmmm.

HARRIS: Stay tuned for the answers.

NGUYEN: Well, the story of a baby tossed from a moving car caught the nation's attention. A good Samaritan stopped to help and rushed the baby to the hospital, a baby boy. It was an inspirational tale. But you know what? It never happened.

The good Samaritan was really the baby's mother. She concocted the whole story. And police say Patricia Pokriots hid her pregnancy and does not want the child. Now, this morning she is being held for psychiatric evolution. Pokriots has not been charged.

Patricia Pokriots has a 10-year-old son. He's also now in the state's car. The boy's father was denied custody due to a previous child abuse charge.

And Brian Andrews of CNN Miami affiliate WFOR has all the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN ANDREWS, WFOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Scott Hargreaves was actually at the courthouse with his fiance to get married and ended up in a special hearing for the custody of his son. He's the father of Patricia Ann Pokriots' 10-year-old son Scottie. The state, though, won't give him custody, because, they say, he has an outstanding child abuse charge.

QUESTION: Have you see him recently?

SCOTT HARGREAVES: Two weeks ago.

QUESTION: Have you seen her recently?

HARGREAVES: Two weeks ago.

QUESTION: Did she look pregnant?

HARGREAVES: No.

QUESTION: She didn't look pregnant at all?

HARGREAVES: No.

QUESTION: Did she ever say anything to you at all about being pregnant?

HARGREAVES: No.

QUESTION: And your definite it's not your child?

HARGREAVES: Definitely not. Absolutely not, no.

ANDREWS: The state seeking custody of Scottie and baby Johnny now that their mother has been institutionalized. Patricia Ann's mother also attended the hearing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's got a microphone in my face.

QUESTION: I know. Do you think she's going to be OK, though?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put it away.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, then turn it off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then turn it off.

QUESTION: Do you think that she's going to be OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope so.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

NGUYEN: And that report from Brian Andrews of our Miami affiliate, WFOR.

Well, there is a safe haven law in Florida to protect parents and abducted newborns from these parents. But these parents have to follow the law to get that protection. Now, the newborn must be approximately three days old or younger. He or she must be left at a fire station or an emergency medical service station with full-time firefighters, paramedics or an emergency medical technician. The newborn may also be left at a hospital.

In exchange for leaving the child at those locations, a parent is allowed to remain anonymous and will generally avoid being the target of a criminal investigation, unless the newborn is abused or neglected -- Tony.

HARRIS: Police say a woman who's nine months pregnant fought off and killed a female attacker who was armed with a knife. Now, authorities are investigating whether the attack was an attempt to steal the fetus. The incident happened in suburban Cincinnati Thursday. Police say Sarah Brady acted in self-defense and she won't be charged. Brady wasn't hurt in the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I spoke to about 15 family members who told me that although her delivery date kept moving forward, that her latest delivery date was supposed to be yesterday or today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Now, both women had registered for gifts at the same baby store. Investigators are looking into whether the attacker used the registry to contact Brady.

NGUYEN: Now to that nuclear stand-off with North Korea. Ever since Pyongyang announced Thursday that it has produced nuclear weapons and is pulling out of six nation talks, antennas went up around the globe. Experts are debating whether it is a bluff, a negotiating tactic or a real threat.

Here's one opinion from a former secretary of state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: When North Korea, for instance, gets nuclear weapons, the issue is not simply whether they're going to use them against us or somebody else, but are they going to give them to Osama bin Laden or somebody else of that character? And then we have a real problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: The Bush administration has rejected Pyongyang's call for direct one-on-one talks.

HARRIS: And coming up at 9:00 Eastern, new insights on the North Korean stand-off from our military analyst, Retired Brigadier General James "Spider" Marks.

And here's our E-Mail Question this morning. Should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? Tell us what you think. We are at wam@cnn.com.

NGUYEN: Now to our "Security Watch" this morning, where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror.

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating complaints that dozens of Muslims were improperly detained and interrogated at U.S. border crossings in Upstate New York. According to "USA Today," the probe is focusing on whether U.S. border agents improperly detained the Muslims by misusing a government database.

President Bush's proposed 2006 budget funds a total of only 210 new Border Patrol agents. The change comes less than two months after he signed a bill adding thousands of agents along the U.S.-Mexico border. The president is utilizing an escape clause in the bill to justify that change.

And another part of the president's budget plan, higher security fees for airline passengers. The president wants the fee to go from $2.50 to $5.50 for a typical one way ticket.

Finally, several airports are testing new technology to detect explosives. The machine analyzes puffs of air that are blown on passengers, looking for trace amounts of explosives.

And this reminder. You want to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

HARRIS: In other news, portraits of grief -- celluloid sorrow. This picture is worth a thousand words. Now, it's won the World Press Photo contest. The picture shows an Indian woman, palms faced to the sky, mourning the death of a loved one claimed in the December Asian tsunami. The powerful image won the annual photo contest because, as one judge put it, it's graphical, historical and starkly emotional.

NGUYEN: It is very emotional, that picture.

Well, tsunami victims are getting a helping hand from NFL stars. We'll be talking to New York Giants quarterback Kurt Warner later this hour right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: And the girl from the block gets on a catwalk. Find out if she had a sweet reception.

Good morning -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Tony.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Coming up in about 90 seconds, the cold and flu report -- Betty, back over to you.

NGUYEN: Well, if that snow keeps you inside, here's something you can watch. Upcoming DVD releases include "Taxi," a comedy starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. And over in the movie theaters, just in time for the Valentine's Day. The rules of dating presented by, of course, Will Smith, who else, in this romantic comedy called "Hitch."

And for the kids, Pooh, Tigger and Rabbit go on an adventure, searching for a mysterious heffalump. We'll preview both later here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, here's a question for you. Would you buy a home in this neighborhood if you knew a registered sex offender lived there? Sales have reportedly come to a standstill and the developer is suing the company that sold a home to a convicted child molester. An intriguing dilemma for "Legal Briefs," live next hour, 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

MARCIANO: Hi, I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center.

Time for your cold and flu report. These are the latest numbers out of the CDC. Look at all the red popping up, 27 states now reporting widespread cold and flu. And in the blue states filling in, also, for regional activity and some purple. So everybody getting into the act here. California, which has seen a ton of rain in the past couple of days, in SoCal, well, they're feeling the best, at least for now.

Hope you're feeling well today.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Where's the J-Lo music? I would ask Tony to sing it but we know how that goes.

HARRIS: Yes, catastrophic.

NGUYEN: All right, well, her love might not cost a thing, but her clothes, they will certainly set you back some. J-Lo, AKA Mrs. Anthony, AKA Jenny from the block, has launched a new label. The Sweetface line of clothing by Jennifer Lopez made its New York debut last night. The show was split into three parts to play up different parts of the star's life, of course, Tony.

HARRIS: Oh, OK.

NGUYEN: Home Girl, hip huggers and such...

HARRIS: Wow!

NGUYEN: ... symbolized her start in the Bronx. Rock Star Wraparound marked her music career and the Ultra Lux Look symbolized her current red carpet style.

Though many in the crowd cheered, one fashion editor said of some of the pieces: "All I saw was a J.C. Penney rack."

HARRIS: Hey, that's not nice.

NGUYEN: No. I'm not sure if that was a compliment. I kind of think it wasn't.

HARRIS: Well, it didn't feel like one, did it?

NGUYEN: No. That's pretty, though.

HARRIS: OK, other stories across America this morning.

McDonald's has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a transfat lawsuit. A California activist had sued over the restaurant's delays in limiting the artery clogging fats in its cooking oil. McDonald's will donate $7 million of the settlement to the American Heart Association.

A joyous homecoming for about 70 New Hampshire Army National Guard soldiers. Family and friends welcomed them back after nearly a year of service in southeastern Iraq. No one from their unit was killed during the deployment. The soldiers took on several humanitarian missions while in Iraq.

And here's a couple for whom Valentine's Day never gets old. Arnold and Dina Larson have been friends for, listen to this, 88 years; married for 68 years.

NGUYEN: Wow!

HARRIS: Dina is celebrating her 100th birthday today. Happy birthday, Dina, if you're watching. Boy, I hope you are. Arnold had turned 100 last week. The New Hampshire couple's secret for a long and happy marriage -- don't carry your arguments into the next day. Just forget about it.

NGUYEN: That's kind of hard to do, though, huh?

HARRIS: No, no, no. You ought to. You really ought to.

NGUYEN: Just forget it.

HARRIS: And check out these pictures. This teenager is holding on for dear life. One of a few amazing rescue stories we've seen this week. We'll show you some in our "Wows of the Week." That's later this hour.

NGUYEN: Well, are you planning on catching a film this Valentine's weekend? Here is a real date movie for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "HITCH," COURTESY COLUMBIA PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not worried about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But if there are people there...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and they get word of...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stand in that...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate to be a stickler, but I need to be thorough. Can -- show me what you mean by you're not worried about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trust me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Oh, no, look at those moves.

HARRIS: That is -- that's that Kevin James for you.

NGUYEN: Yes, he does need a little help, doesn't he?

HARRIS: Oh, bring it, big fellah.

NGUYEN: Well, meet Hitch, Manhattan's anonymous date doctor, who, for a fee, of course, helps desperate bachelors conquer the women of their dreams. Hitch finally meets his match, though, in an undercover gossip columnist who is trying to unmask the date doctor. Critics are harsh, though, on "Hitch." Filmcritic.com calls it "an unsightly mess of a romantic comedy."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "POOH'S HEFFALUMP MOVIE," COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first heffalump expedition in history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: All right, this may be more your speed if you have children. The gang from the Hundred Acre Wood is all together again. This time the search for a much feared heffalump teaches them a life lesson of accepting each other's differences and valuing true friends. Critics enjoyed this one. The "Chicago Tribune" says, "It is a beautifully animated romp through the world of Pooh."

HARRIS: Well, are you a NASCAR fan? Well, you're certainly not alone. Our sports guru, Rick Horrow, goes beyond the sport. That's really, well, sort of kicking into high gear next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

NGUYEN: Plus, driving rain, high winds, California takes a pounding. Our Rob Marciano has the forecast for the state and the rest of the nation. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS (voice-over): What a month for Florida when it comes to major sporting events.

First, the Super Bowl in Jacksonville, and then pro racing's equivalent of the big game. Start your engines for NASCAR's Daytona 500. three hundred thousand fans are expected to converge on Daytona Beach. The TV audience, an estimated 75 million viewers. In fact, NASCAR's ratings have jumped an astounding 34 percent since the year 2000. That may be cause for celebration, but as with any growing business, challenges remain. That's this morning's focus as we take you "Beyond The Game."

(on camera): So, what are the challenges for an industry that can make a $2.8 billion television deal with three different networks?

Time now to turn to the author of "When the Game Is On the Line," CNN sports analyst Rick Horrow -- but, Rick, before we get started with NASCAR, we've got a little bit of unfinished business to do.

In good natured fun, last week we made our Super Bowl picks, correct?

RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Yes. HARRIS: What's the problem? You're hesitating there. What's the problem?

HORROW: No, no, no. There's no problem, except here's the thing. Our producer told me that I've got to be very nice to you from now on.

HARRIS: Why is that? Why is that?

HORROW: Well, first of all, you're brilliant, you're good looking and you obviously know sports.

HARRIS: Oh, yes.

HORROW: But, by the way, just so you know...

HARRIS: Yes?

HORROW: I got the score right. I got 24-21, remember?

HARRIS: Oh, you did?

HORROW: I did.

HARRIS: Oh, you did. That's right, 24-21.

HORROW: 24-21. Yes. Wrong...

HARRIS: So, but...

HORROW: Wrong teams. I understand.

HARRIS: What about the rest of that?

HORROW: I understand.

HARRIS: What about the rest...

HORROW: I understand. Philadelphia didn't come to play...

HARRIS: Right.

HORROW: ... in the fourth quarter. And, by the way, we did say that New England knows how to win, and they clearly did.

HARRIS: OK, so...

HORROW: All right, you won. You're great.

HARRIS: ... that's Rick's pick.

Can we see the other screen, please?

HORROW: Oh, gosh.

HARRIS: The other screen says Tony's... HORROW: Let's move on here. We don't have time for this.

HARRIS: The other screen says Tony's picks, New England 20, Philadelphia 17. I believe, Rob Marciano, New England won the Super Bowl, correct?

MARCIANO: That's correct. And you have a higher number than Philadelphia on that board there.

HARRIS: Thank you.

All right, absolutely.

(CROSSTALK)

HORROW: Well, hey, you need your whole team to gang up with you. I do appreciate that. Let them all applaud. We'll do it again. We'll do...

HARRIS: Thank you.

HORROW: We'll do final four picks for college. We'll do the whole thing by the end of the year.

HARRIS: Thank you.

We'll do it. We'll do it.

OK, now, moving on to NASCAR and this weekend, we've got the big Daytona 500 and the Super Bowl certainly did its part in promoting the big race this weekend, didn't it?

HORROW: Yes, it did. And, by the way, NASCAR, you know, a 5 percent increase last year in ratings. Only the NFL's ratings are better than NASCAR's. Television is wonderful for them. Corporate America absolutely positively loves NASCAR. They're brand loyal. People buy products. And, frankly, a 10 race play-off they had last year certainly doesn't hurt, either. They've got major blue chip sponsors. They've got Bud. They've got Dodge. They've got Altel. They've even got that omnipresent Viagra.

And, by the way, Nextel spent a billion bucks over 10 years.

HARRIS: Wow!

HORROW: It's the largest sports sponsorship in history and a 90 percent approval rating for their customers, which is big. That's also why the ad rates for a 30 second spot for Daytona are a million and a half. They're almost Super Bowlish in their ratings.

HARRIS: Wow!

HORROW: They pushed the envelope even further. They lifted the ban on hard liquor sales. You've got Jim Beam. You've got other companies that are spending $35 million. And even though they're promoting responsible drinking now for NASCAR, they're clearly ahead. HARRIS: Well, it can't all be good news.

Any challenges out there?

HORROW: Well, yes. You know, one of the biggest challenges, obviously, is the marketing and diversity challenge. They need more women in the sport. Women have increased twofold as NASCAR fans and that's important, a $30 million ad campaign, by the way. And Home Depot dropped their U.S. Olympic Committee sponsorship because they wanted NASCAR sponsors to reach women. That's important.

African-Americans, drive for diversity. Magic Johnson is involved in that play, as well.

HARRIS: Right. Right.

HORROW: And, finally, the whole blurring of sports and entertainment. The Imax movie with NASCAR's $20 million gross, the highest documentary movie other than "Fahrenheit 911." You've also got the California race in Los Angeles the week after Daytona, which is going Hollywood for NASCAR.

HARRIS: OK.

HORROW: Robbie Gordon and the like.

"SpongeBob SquarePants" movie 300.

HARRIS: Right.

HORROW: That's the sponsorship of the race in Charlotte last year. We don't need to say anymore. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: Exactly.

OK, because of all of your disclaimers on your faulty Super Bowl pick, we've run out of time.

See you next week, Rick.

HORROW: Hey, man, I'll tell you...

HARRIS: Have a great week.

HORROW: Thanks, pal.

HARRIS: All right.

That's it.

NGUYEN: You've got to give him a hard time.

HARRIS: That's the bum's rush if there ever was one.

MARCIANO: Well, you know, in all fairness, Betty, we should act like parents and say you both were very close. HARRIS: Very close.

NGUYEN: It's not about who wins...

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: It's about playing the game.

MARCIANO: Did you guys have any money down, you cheapskates? Did you bet anything?

HARRIS: Oh, oh, oh, oh, there were bets.

MARCIANO: Oh, yes?

HARRIS: Oh, there were wagers.

NGUYEN: Really?

MARCIANO: Nice.

HARRIS: There were definitely wagers.

MARCIANO: Yes?

NGUYEN: Time to collect, Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

MARCIANO: Really?

HARRIS: Oh, absolutely.

MARCIANO: You can collect your $2, you know? And you can maybe buy Betty and I a cup of coffee or something.

NGUYEN: Are you saying he's cheap?

HARRIS: Well, good to see you again.

Good to see you...

MARCIANO: Nice to see you guys, as well.

HARRIS: ... after your trip to New York.

MARCIANO: I had a little -- yes, it was nice.

HARRIS: Yes?

NGUYEN: Enjoy yourself?

MARCIANO: Good to be back.

Yes, it was great. You know, they have a lot of people up there, you know? HARRIS: Yes, they do. Yes, they do.

MARCIANO: I mean a lot of people to take care of.

HARRIS: It's a big show.

MARCIANO: I think you two prima donnas should make a bit of a stink here.

NGUYEN: Oho, you think so?

MARCIANO: It makes...

NGUYEN: We need some more perch, don't we?

MARCIANO: It makes Atlanta look like a bit of a Mickey Mouse operation.

(CROSSTALK)

MARCIANO: No, it's not.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: I'm going back to my weather box upstairs.

HARRIS: Go back.

NGUYEN: And we'll try to get everything in place for you when you come back down.

MARCIANO: Please do.

HARRIS: You know, whatever.

NGUYEN: We'll make sure management knows about this.

MARCIANO: Because I'm turning into a prima donna myself.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes. Yes.

NGUYEN: That's what New York will do to you, I'll tell you.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: All right, thank you, Rob.

HARRIS: You're out of here.

NGUYEN: Well, in case you didn't get a fill of your headlines this week, it's time to "Rewind" through some of the big stories of the past few days.

Amtrak says the Bush administration has, in effect, given the railroad a one way ticket to bankruptcy. President Bush's proposed budget, which was released Monday, essentially eliminates federal subsidies for the cash strapped railroad.

Now, Tuesday a cease-fire agreement between Israel's prime minister and the president of the Palestinian Authority. It came at the end of a day long summit in Egypt. But the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas says it is not bound by that deal.

And the scientists who cloned Dolly the sheep -- remember her? Well, they got permission from the British government Tuesday to clone human embryos for medical research. He will be doing what's called therapeutic cloning, where embryos are created as a source of stem cells. That type of cloning won't result in a baby, but it is still controversial since researchers must destroy human embryos to harvest those cells.

And Thursday, North Korea declared for the first time that it has nuclear weapons and then pulled out of six party disarmament talks. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged North Korea to return to those stalled talks or risk further isolation from the international community.

Roll that music. Yes, tomorrow we will "Fast Forward" to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.

HARRIS: And in just a few minutes, we'll talk to one of the NFL's top quarterbacks. But the topic won't be football. Kurt Warner tells us about his mission to help tsunami victims.

NGUYEN: Also, building knowledge. We talk to the man who is giving these children a hands on approach to learning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: A tragedy in Pakistan. Dozens of people are dead, more missing, after heavy rains and snow caused a dam to break.

We welcome you back this Saturday morning.

I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris.

That story in a minute.

First, a look at some other morning headlines.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tries to strike a conciliatory tone. At the European Security Conference in Germany today, he called on European countries to work with the U.S. in fighting the war on terror and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. He said it was the old Rumsfeld who was critical of European countries opposed to the war in Iraq.

People living in southern California can expect more rain today and that's just what they don't need. The powerful storms moved into the region Thursday, contributing to three deaths and hundreds of traffic accidents. Democrats are poised to elect Howard Dean to chair their national committee today. The former presidential candidate promises to rebuild the party and take the offensive against the Republicans. Dean is expected to hold a news conference at 11:30 Eastern.

NGUYEN: Well, two NFL players are working the front lines and making a very personal contribution to the tsunami relief effort.

New York Giants' quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Amani Toomer are in hard hit Indonesia, helping the U.N. deliver food to survivors there.

And Warner joins us now by phone from Banda Aceh.

Thanks for being with us today.

KURT WARNER, NEW YORK GIANTS QUARTERBACK: You bet.

Good to be with you.

NGUYEN: Well, many celebrities have traveled to the tsunami hit areas, but very few have really gone into the hard hit Banda Aceh.

What are you seeing there? Describe what you're seeing and what you're experiencing.

WARNER: Well, I mean it's so difficult to describe exactly what you're seeing. I mean you see it on CNN and you see it on television and you think you have an understanding of the devastation that's here. But to actually be in the heart of this, to see the way that the whole country, the whole community is devastated is -- it's hard to put words to it. You can't, you just drive out and see it and there's just nothing there. And it's amazing the attitudes of the people, the smiles, the resilience of the people here despite the major destruction that you see all around them.

NGUYEN: And, you know, you're traveling with wide receiver Amani Toomer. Tell us how both of you are assisting in this relief effort there.

WARNER: Well, we just basically got here today and today we had an opportunity to really go around to different areas, to see the devastation. We went over with the United Nations World Food Program. We did some loading of some helicopters, some distributing of some food. We helped load into their warehouse. We also went to the different villages and camps, you know, where there's kids and people that lost loved ones, lost, you know, lost everything, basically, and got to spend some time with them and, you know, share some things with them, get some hugs, hold some kids, you know, share some miles, do some of that stuff that was more hands on.

But, you know, to really come over and make a difference in four, five, six, seven days is difficult to do. But you can just see the attitude of gratitude that these people have for all the people that are assisting, are coming over and just showing them that they care, that they're interested and that they want to help. NGUYEN: Absolutely.

We are looking at some pictures right now of the work that you're doing over there, carrying supplies; also touching the children there. Because before you left, you said that the orphaned children are what spoke to you the most.

When you travel there and you see these children, many of them orphaned -- and we do have some pictures of you there with the children -- how is that affecting your life? Do you think this trip is really going to change you?

WARNER: Well, I mean I think it helps to keep everything in perspective, for sure, that we are so blessed to be in the position that we have. We are so blessed to live in the country that we live in and have the freedoms that we have. And to come over and just see, you know, this country and what they deal with on a daily basis lets us know how blessed we are.

But then to see the devastation and to understand that we have five healthy kids at home and to know that there's many, many children here that have lost both of their parents and, you know, what a horrific thought that is for me, as a father, to think that my kids would grow up without their parents. And, you know, so those are the things that really -- that you can really come to understand when you come here. You understand that this isn't just a short-term deal, that lives have been changed for the long-term, for years and years, if not forever, because of this horrific tragedy.

NGUYEN: Absolutely.

Well, we salute you for the good work that you're doing over there.

Kurt Warner, a quarterback with the New York Giants, in Banda Aceh.

Thank you for speaking with us today -- Tony.

HARRIS: He's a good man.

There have been some major developments around the world this morning.

NGUYEN: For a check on what is happening, we want to go now to Anand Naidoo at the CNN International Desk -- good morning to you.

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And a very good morning to you.

Yes, there have been some big developments coming in overnight.

First to Iraq. And no letup in the violence there. A suicide car bomb at a police checkpoint killed 17, wounded at least 26. Six Iraqi police officers are among the dead. The explosion went off in the town of Musab, south of Baghdad. American troops have cordoned off the blast area. And that attack at a hospital followed the assassination earlier of a very prominent Shiite judge. He was murdered by gunmen on motorcycles. Two bodyguards were seriously wounded. That incident taking place in the southern city of Basra. The dead judge was formerly the chief judge of Basra's highest court under Saddam Hussein. But he'd since been demoted under the new order.

And two other stories I want to tell you about. Only days after it claimed that it had nuclear weapons, or it has nuclear weapons, rather, there's more pressure on North Korea. This time it's coming from Japan. And Japan is turning up the heat. It wasn't the North Koreans to get back to six party talks on disarmament.

And this in just in the last few hours. A dam burst on southwestern Pakistan kills at least 84 people. Dozens are missing. There's been heavy rain and snow in that particular area.

That is a check around the world.

We'll be back with more.

For now, back to Betty and Tony.

NGUYEN: All right, thank you, Anand.

HARRIS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, speaking of dictatorships, our E-Mail Question this morning, check it out -- should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? That is the question. We want your responses. We're at wam@cnn.com. And we'll read those replies a little bit later this hour.

HARRIS: And good morning Washington, D.C.

Rob Marciano will have your weather forecast ahead, just ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Saturday morning we have plenty of questions.

Are you a budding musician but can't seem to get your career off the ground? Well, you might hit the right note, strike the right chord by turning to the Internet.

Joining me now with details is Valeria Delacruz from cnn.com -- good morning, Veronica.

VERONICA DELACRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.

HARRIS: Good to see you. Good to see you.

DELACRUZ: How are you doing?

HARRIS: I'm well, thank you. DELACRUZ: You are?

HARRIS: And you?

DELACRUZ: Good. I'm doing well on a Saturday morning.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

DELACRUZ: Tony, we all know that the Grammys are going to take place tomorrow night, right?

HARRIS: Yes, tomorrow.

DELACRUZ: Tomorrow night. And we're going to be seeing artists like Usher and Alicia Keys. Now, they've already made it big. But for artists just starting out, here's a way to kick start a career using today's technology.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JON DOE: My Web site is Meetjondoe.com.

DELACRUZ (voice-over): Jon Foster, known as D.J. Jon Doe, is using the Internet to jump start a recording career.

DOE: Even though I'm still in Atlanta, Georgia and I can't fly to Japan or even if I can't fly to New York to talk to the labels there, I think you're able to actually, you know, cultivate your career and what you want to present to the world in terms of music and even your image.

DELACRUZ: Technology is making it easier for him to promote himself online. But when it comes to the digital divide, he still faces a few challenges.

DOE: And then there's a lot of different types of formats that these companies are using to deliver, you know, the music. So that, I think, makes things even more confusing.

The most popular format is MP3. That's where, really, this entire revolution with all my music started. I can be in the studio on a Monday night, get done with a song and mix it, and send it out the next night. And it can preview on a radio show, you know, half way across the world. So, that's what's extremely powerful for me.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

DELACRUZ: And to read more about the online music revolution, you can log onto cnn.com/online music. And during that entire story, I saw you dancing.

HARRIS: The music. No, no, no. I love the music and I love the music that these kids are making. I can't wait for the Grammys tomorrow. And now to know that there is a way to move your career along on the Internet, that's great news. Great news.

Thank you, Veronica.

DELACRUZ: There you go.

HARRIS: Good to see you.

DELACRUZ: Nice to see you.

HARRIS: See you back at 9:00?

DELACRUZ: Um-hmm.

HARRIS: OK.

Thank you.

NGUYEN: See him try to get out of dancing there?

HARRIS: Wait, wait...

NGUYEN: He is so smooth.

DELACRUZ: He was so funny. I say you bust a move right now.

HARRIS: Oh, come on.

NGUYEN: Yes, the next segment.

Still to come here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we are not making this up. These kids actually enjoy learning math. We'll talk to the man who is multiplying their skills in a very different kind of classroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Hey, who's this? Who are we listening to? This is Dwight Tills (ph)? Caribbean soul. Ah! And timely.

Good morning, Miami. The city will be the center of an afro- Caribbean and Cuban culture celebration this weekend. The program includes dance, film, music and, of course, plenty of partying.

Your weather forecast is coming up in about 10 minutes.

But here's a look at our top stories this morning.

A suicide car bomb takes 17 more lives in Iraq. The bomb detonated at a police checkpoint near a hospital south of Baghdad. Six Iraqi police officers are among the dead. Two dozen others are wounded.

In Washington, Howard Dean gets the nod today as the new Democratic National Committee chairman. Democrats are vowing to join their new leader to build the party's grassroots and reach out to voters in states where they've been losing ground.

In New York, a rare strain of HIV progressed to full blown AIDS within months, within months of diagnosis. Health officials say the HIV variant is difficult or impossible to treat.

And don't forget our E-Mail Question this morning -- should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? We are at wam@cnn.com. We'll be reading your replies in just a couple of minutes.

NGUYEN: All right, so what is your fear factor when it comes to math and science, say on the scale of one to 10, just to keep it simple? A carpenter, not a teacher, with a fist full of degrees has a solution for you. You just pick up a hammer and help build a house. Yes, that is the solution. Very simple.

Well, joining us from Memphis to explain all of this are Dr. Shirley Raines, president of the University of Memphis, and Perry Wilson, founder of If I Had A Hammer.

We thank you both for being with us today.

SHIRLEY RAINES, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS: Good morning, Betty.

PERRY WILSON, FOUNDER, IF I HAD A HAMMER: Good to be here.

RAINES: Yes.

NGUYEN: Well, Perry, let's start with you.

Talk about exactly how this program, If I Had A Hammer, works.

WILSON: Well, basically what we're doing is we are teaching children about the application of mathematics and how they're going to use it. Instead of doing your addition problems and then subtraction and multiplication and then not really knowing when and how they're going to use math, we use the construction and building to teach them the application of mathematics first and the value of it and how it's going to apply to their life. And then we take it and put it back to the book.

NGUYEN: And what, you're standing in one of the houses that you've built because of this program. Let's talk about that, because what inspired you to start If I Had A Hammer? You struggled with dyslexia as a child and on through your teenage years, as well. And then you had some trouble with math courses, as well.

Did you just think, you know what, I became a carpenter, this is a way to put real world application into the hands of children so they can learn math?

WILSON: That really that, you know, I had such learning problems coming through school that all -- when I became a carpenter, all of a sudden I realized this is mathematics that I could never pass in the classroom. When I was actually on the job and building, I was doing the most complex geometry they could throw at me, but I couldn't do it in a textbook.

And so I came up with the idea. Actually, I had built -- I had a friend that's little boy was struggling in school and I built a tree house with him and I was trying to teach him math, like I had taught myself. And that was kind of the catalyst for the idea. And when all of a sudden he took off with it and loved it, then 18 years ago, that's when it started.

But that's -- I think all children can learn if they have the opportunity to apply.

NGUYEN: And some 400,000 students have taken part in this program.

Let's talk with you, Shirley, for just a moment. You are hosting this project on the campus there.

Why this project? Are you seeing that it's really making a difference in the lives of children?

WILSON: We know it's making a difference in the lives of children, that they're learning more. One of the things we're aware of in the national studies is that children do well in mathematics in elementary school, but in the middle grades their interest and accomplishments in mathematics drops off. And because this project is designed to address middle school, it's a wonderful opportunity to apply what they are learning right on the spot.

NGUYEN: Absolutely. And...

WILSON: And we know -- yes?

NGUYEN: I was going to say parents...

WILSON: And we know that for student...

NGUYEN: This satellite little loop here is causing us to have a bit of an audio problem.

But let me talk to you for just a moment, Perry, if we could. I really get it, because in school when I was learning all of this math, I thought where in the world am I going to use it?

Now, as you show children this program, take them through it, what kind of reaction are you getting from kids involved?

WILSON: Well, I think all the kids absolutely love it. I mean we never have anything that we have any problems because one of the main things we do is we try to show them the difference in being a teacher and a boss. Your teacher is going to work with you all year long. But If I Had A Hammer, you don't have a teacher, you've got a boss. And if you don't listen and work hard with everybody, you're going to get fired.

So we try to, we, you know, generally that never happens. But what we try to do is we try to show kids that life is about working with a team. And school is a lot about individual accomplishments. But if you're going to be successful in life, you've got to be able to take the actual application we're talking about with this mathematics and be able to connect it with the real world. And that is working with people and the teamwork part of it is a very, very valuable component.

NGUYEN: And, quickly...

WILSON: We'll rise together as a group.

NGUYEN: Let me ask you this. Are you seeing test scores rise? And, are you seeing that boys are getting more from this, or are both boys and girls getting the same amount of education from this?

WILSON: Well, I think the test scores, the last group we've run through, we had a 15 to 40 percent gain in the math scores in 21 days. This is the after school tutoring program. And as far as the boys and the girls, I don't see any separation at all with it. It's -- the only separation that you have, I believe, in education, is how you are engaging a child. If you can excite them and motivate them and get them to really understand why they need it, then you have success.

For children that struggle at all, the biggest obstacle you have to do is to be able to get them to understand that they're perfect just like they are and they can achieve this and we're going to try to have some fun and show you how it's going to really work in your life.

NGUYEN: Yes, who doesn't want to pick up a hammer?

WILSON: That's right.

NGUYEN: All right, Perry Wilson and Shirley Raines...

RAINES: Right.

WILSON: All kids love to build.

NGUYEN: Absolutely.

We thank you both for joining us today in talking about this really wonderful project.

Thank you -- Tony.

WILSON: Thank you.

RAINES: You're welcome.

HARRIS: Well, they might have used hammers and rope and other tools in our next story, right after the break. Find out how this trucker and his truck landed in a muddy marsh and if they got out OK.

First, a CNN extra -- American Airlines -- listen to this -- announced this week it will remove pillows on most of its domestic flights starting next week. It's expected to save the airline about $370,000. So if you're flying within the continental U.S., Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Central America, used the headrest or bring your own pillow. The blankets, however, are staying.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Hey, take a look at this. The announcement out of Buckingham Palace this week has turned some heads. Editorial cartoonists, I'm sure, had a lot of fun with it. Here's a look at, well, the cartoons from Rob Rogers at the "Pittsburgh Post Gazette." A little harsh.

NGUYEN: We just want to give them a little time to read it. There's a lot to read there on the screen. But that's a funny one.

HARRIS: A little harsh.

NGUYEN: A little harsh is correct.

Well, from royal wows to other wonders, we begin our look at "Wows of the Week" with a warning -- look closely at this picture. Now, she might miss the baby in the middle. You're looking at the world's smallest baby. This Indian baby girl weighed just 8.6 ounces when she was born. The tiny tot put up a big fight for her life over the five months and she now weighs more than five pounds and has been sent home from a Chicago hospital.

Now to California. A truck driver plunges a big rig into a rain soaked bank and spends two hours teetering on top with nobody around to hear his yells for help. Trucker Steven Moore lost control of his rig on Interstate 5 yesterday. The tale ended well, though, when firefighters finally plucked him from peril.

And talk about dangling near danger, look at this. How about a 14-year-old girl? She falls 40 feet down a cliff, nearly freezes, but is finally found by firefighters. The young girl, who was hiking when she slipped, escaped with only, Tony, only minor injuries.

HARRIS: Now, that's good fortune. That's a lot of good fortune and a great looking rescue there.

I've got to tell you something. Rob, the folks out in California have had enough of this -- rain, rain and more rain.

NGUYEN: Too much rain.

HARRIS: We've been talking about this for, it seems, what, a couple of months now?

NGUYEN: It has been.

MARCIANO: Well, yes, all winter long. And it kind of happens in an el nino year, which this is a bit -- a slight el nino year. But these rescue workers...

HARRIS: Wasn't that great? Yes.

MARCIANO: They're getting some overtime.

HARRIS: Oh, yes.

NGUYEN: Hard working folks. MARCIANO: You know, I wouldn't be surprised at this point if by next year they have a reality TV show with, you know, they've done just about everything else.

NGUYEN: Mark Burnett is listening. Watch out, you're going to see it. You'd better collect your percentage right now.

MARCIANO: I just lost my point.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: All right, let's get you quickly to our E-mail Question of the Day. We want to know what you think about the negotiations with North Korea. Should the U.S. negotiate directly with that country?

Here's the first e-mail, from Justin from Cleveland. He says: "No, they have violated treaty after treaty, while America is supposed to stand up to its treaty agreements. If you ask me, I say let's go to the U.N. with Korea. Let's see what they say."

NGUYEN: And Millicent agrees. He says: "I don't think so. If North Korea had any intention of cooperating with anyone, they would talk with the countries in their region. North Korea is looking for the U.S. to offer them a lot of money. North Korea thinks the bomb makes them a major player in the world."

HARRIS: They sure do.

NGUYEN: And we invite you to keep on sending those responses in to our E-mail Question of the Day. It's on your screen. Should the U.S. negotiate directly with North Korea? Send those to wam@cnn.com.

HARRIS: More, more, more, more. We want more.

The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.

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