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CNN Saturday Morning News
Suspects in Natalee Holloway Disappearance Rearrested; Cruise Ship Sinks in Antarctica; Black Friday Shopping; Toys Still a Major Concern; Tasered Man Wants the World to See
Aired November 24, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, there. Good morning, everybody. From the CNN center in Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, November 24th. Hello to you all and welcome back, Betty.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. Did you have a great Thanksgiving?
HOLMES: I had a really good Thanksgiving.
NGUYEN: I'm still stuffed from it all. Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. We do hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are so very thankful that you're starting your day with us. Let's get right to it.
HOLMES: We are starting with this story, new developments to tell you about in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. The chief prosecutor says he believes she is dead and can prove it. We will talk to him this hour.
NGUYEN: Also just in to CNN, another Bush ally pushed out of office. First it was Britain's Tony Blair; now Australian John Howard loses his job.
HOLMES: This other story you've probably heard about, you've maybe seen on the Internet, getting a lot of buzz. A ticket, a simple traffic ticket and a man ends up tasered. Now he's talking to CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a potentially lethal weapon that was used on me over a trivial traffic violation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: We'll hear more from the shocked driver coming up.
HOLMES: And look at these pictures. Final moments before a ship sinks in Antarctica. That story, the rescues, all ahead on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: But we do want to start with latest movement in the Natalee Holloway investigation, one key suspect arriving in Aruba on a transatlantic flight just several hours ago.
HOLMES: New evidence now being promised in the case, but so far that new evidence is not being revealed publicly. CNN's Susan Candiotti brings us up to speed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Late Friday, Joran Van Der Sloot returned to Aruba from the Netherlands under police escort. Believed to be in the middle car, he was rushed out of the airport and back to jail. On Monday, he's scheduled to appear before a judge in a closed-door jailhouse hearing. Authorities will ask a judge to hold Van Der Sloot at least another eight days under suspicion of manslaughter in the death of Natalee Holloway.
HANS MOS, CHIEF PROSECUTOR: I think we have the evidence to prove that the girl is not alive anymore.
CANDIOTTI: Even without a body.
MOS: Even without a body.
CANDIOTTI: Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with Van Der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers more than two years ago. In interviews, Van Der Sloot denied accusations of rape and murder and said he regretted leaving Holloway alone on a beach.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At that moment in time, for me it was the wrong thing. But, for me, it's not something a real man would do. It's not normal. It's not right at all.
MOS: He doesn't deny he was involved in this case. He has his own truth, and we think our truth, the real truth, is other than his truth.
CANDIOTTI: Earlier Friday, a judge oversaw separate jailhouse appearances for two other suspects, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, who also denied harming Holloway. The judge ruled there's enough new so-called incriminating evidence to detain the brothers eight days for more interrogations. Defense attorneys weren't happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no new evidence. They don't have [ bleep ].
CANDIOTTI: A chief prosecutor won't reveal what the new evidence is. CNN has learned a new team of Dutch and Aruban investigators have been re-creating cell phone transmissions and text messages among the suspects after Holloway disappeared. Discrepancies allegedly were found.
MOS: We used state-of-the-art technology in reviewing this case, that's clear. It would be sad if we didn't do that, so that's what happened. We used state of the art stuff from the Netherlands brought in here to analyze the whole investigation again.
CANDIOTTI: Authorities say some information initially was improperly analyzed or overlooked. The chief prosecutor says by year's end, he hopes to decide whether to try the three young men for manslaughter. If found guilty, they'd face 15 years in prison.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Arajistat (ph), Aruba.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: As you saw, the chief prosecutor sounding pretty confident in the case. We're going to hear much more from him at the bottom of the hour. He'll be live from Aruba.
HOLMES: We'll turn to Bangladesh now this morning, more misery for survivors of that deadly cyclone.
NGUYEN: And people were rushing to get aid when a bridge collapsed and it happened in one of the areas hardest hit by the cyclone last week. The Associated Press says a local TV channel is reporting at least three dead, 100 others reported injured, thousands of victims trying to get to a relief center. But the bridge they were crossing just could not take all of the weight.
In Pakistan, at least 16 people were killed today by a pair of suicide bombers. One attacker ran the car rigged with explosives into the back of a bus carrying civilian workers for the defense ministry. The other bomber struck a military checkpoint, wounding three guards.
HOLMES: In Afghanistan as well, suicide bombers striking there killing seven people, six of them Afghan civilians, most children. The bomber was targeting a group of Italian soldiers working on a bridge construction project just outside the city.
Major political change to tell you about this morning in Australia.
NGUYEN: It's an end to 11 years of conservative rule as Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd wins the election. The current prime minister, John Howard, conceded just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I leave office as prime minister of Australia with our nation prouder and stronger and more prosperous than it has been.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, John Howard had been seeking a record fifth term in office. But voters responded to Rudd's promises of change on policies in Iraq and global warming.
HOLMES: People looking for an Antarctic adventure got a whole lot more than they bargained for. They got the Titanic experience. And if you remember, that Titanic story didn't work out too well. A hundred and fifty four passengers and crew rescued from a sinking cruise ship. The ship Explorer hit submerged ice and went down. Nobody here seriously injured. Everyone made it to the lifeboats. Another cruise ship took them aboard after just a short time in subfreezing temperatures. A few pictures here. What's left -- empty lifeboats there on top of freezing water. The cruise ship slipped beneath the sea just actually a few hours ago. Turn now, nice day, let's take a stroll in space, happening right now. Live picture that you're seeing here. Space station astronauts left the hatch just about an hour ago and they have been busy.
NGUYEN: Yeah, they have. They've been trying to connect critical components of a massive new module first put in place during the last space shuttle mission. It's the second time this week that astronauts have tried to get the Harmony module hooked up. NASA describes the Harmony module as a big tinker toy connector. It will be a docking center for international labs that will be sent up on future missions.
HOLMES: That makes perfect sense now. Thank you. Tinker toy.
NGUYEN: Easier to understand.
HOLMES: Where's Miles?
NGUYEN: Well, that's how he would explain it, right? He likes to break it down in our terms.
Firefighters are preparing for the worst in California today. Say it isn't so, because that's not what they need, especially after the last round of wildfires. But those Santa Ana winds are picking up.
HOLMES: Hundreds of firefighters ready to jump into action at the first spark, the first hint of danger. Right now, red-flag warnings for several southern California counties, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Diego Counties. Last month's wildfires destroyed parts of those counties.
NGUYEN: And red flag warning mean there are optimal conditions for the spread of wildfires. And meteorologist Bonnie Schneider, she joins us now with a live look. I know you've been watching this. In fact, we talked about it a little bit yesterday. Any chance it's going to get better?
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Pretty pictures, but a lot of frustration. Kids, shut up back there, we're not there yet and it's going to take a lot longer now with all this snow. All right, thanks, Bonnie.
HOLMES: Imagine this, folks -- a four-foot tall cross burning on a suburban front lawn.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ran out to see where the fire was coming from and as I came closer, I noticed a cross burning in another -- another fire right there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yea, a family in the house. Police investigating now. We'll show you the pictures. That's minutes away. NGUYEN: And with all of the recalls this year, you can bet Chinese-made toys are on every parents' radar, so is the made in the USA label your safest bet? We're going to put the toys to the test. That's next.
HOLMES: And one of the big stories this morning, new developments in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. The suspect you're seeing there, Joran Van Der Sloot now back in Aruba. The chief prosecutor in this case is going to join us live this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: And, yes, we have new developments this morning in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. The chief prosecutor telling CNN he's now confident he can get a conviction in this case and that he, in fact, does believe that Natalee Holloway is dead even though no body has ever been found. We will be talking live to that prosecutor this hour.
NGUYEN: Twenty six million toys have been recalled in the U.S. so far this year and the vast majority made in China.
HOLMES: So, what about the toys made in the USA? Are any of those any safer? CNN's Greg Hunter looking out for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The assembly line is running 24/7 at this Little Tikes toy plant in Hudson, Ohio, churning out its most popular toy, the cozy coupe, or what Little Tikes Executive Vice President Tom Prichard calls ...
TOM PRICHARD, EXEC VP, LITTLE TIKES: One of the best-selling cars in America that's made in America.
HUNTER: Instead of China, where 80 percent of the toys sold in the U.S. are made.
PRICHARD: We've got some of the best people right here in Hudson, Ohio, that know how to make the product and they're experts at doing it.
HUNTER: Workers here earn between $15 and $25 an hour, far more than most of their Asian counterparts. Still, the company says those higher wages pay off by creating a product with unique appeal. With $600 million in sales expected this year, Little Tikes is trumpeting the made in the USA pedigree.
PRICHARD: Made in America with Little Tikes means quality; it means safety; it means durability and hopefully it means a trust and mom understands that it's safe.
HUNTER: Marketing experts say the made in the USA cache goes far beyond Little Tikes.
DENNIS DUNLOP, CEO, AMERICAN MARKETING ASSN: Consumers right now in particular equate quality with made in America.
HUNTER: Other popular toys like Slinkies and Crayola crayons are also still made in the U.S. Consumer advocates say while the U.S.- made products are more likely to comply with regulations than toys made abroad...
RACHEL WEINTRAUB, CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA: A made in the USA label does not equal a safety certification.
HUNTER: Weintraub wants the government to test all toys no matter where they're made instead of relying on the companies to do so. Little Tikes conducts its own safety tests beginning with design. All products are first created in wood or foam and then put to the test. This slide set started out a little shaky, so they tacked on a foot. And on every item made here, Little Tikes is adding this label -- made in the USA. Is this just a sales ploy or are you proud of this?
PRICHARD: No. This is more than anything to help moms find the product that they're looking for easier.
HUNTER: Little Tikes does make some toys overseas, but it says the majority, nearly 70 percent, are made in Ohio and they don't have any plans to change that anytime soon.
Greg Hunter, CNN, Hudson, Ohio.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: CNN presents an hour long special report -- "Trouble in Toy Land." That's later today and tomorrow. Our Fredricka Whitfield examines the toy recalls, also the fears and solutions. That's this afternoon and tomorrow, 4:00 Eastern, 1:00 Pacific.
HOLMES: All right. Of course black Friday. Did you get out and get something yesterday?
NGUYEN: I did. I did a little bit of shopping. I know you were out early, early yesterday morning.
HOLMES: 4:00 a.m. I was there. I was paid to be there, though. I was working.
NGUYEN: And you did a little shopping which -- can you do that on the job?
HOLMES: Yes, apparently I can.
NGUYEN: Apparently I just told everybody right.
HOLMES: The retailers reporting a pretty strong start to the holiday shopping season, usually good news for the overall economy.
NGUYEN: Analysts attribute the spending surge to bargain hunting. The question now though is whether retailers can maintain the momentum over the next month. A university president accused of financial misconduct calls it quits. The resignation of Richard Roberts as president of Oral Roberts University is effective immediately. Roberts faces several lawsuits. He's accused of using the school's money to support a lavish lifestyle. Roberts and his wife have denied any wrongdoing.
HOLMES: So New York City police say they are investigating this as a hate crime, excuse me. A black family finding a cross burning in their front yard. The couple thinks the incident is related to a fight at a high school earlier that day involving their son. We're going to have a little more on this story coming up a little later this morning.
You know the saying you can't get something for nothing. Well, whoever said that is probably not (INAUDIBLE).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) and this economy, OK, I'll take it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: She'll take it. She'll take the trash, eating out of the trash by choice and not by necessity. We'll introduce you to the world of dumpster dining.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What are you doing there, T.J.?
HOLMES: I'm shopping. I've got a big Christmas list, a lot of people to shop for. I co-anchor with Betty, so you know my pain.
NGUYEN: I hope you brought me something really nice back.
HOLMES: Got you covered.
NGUYEN: Although I have yet to see that. So if you joined the legions of shoppers out there yesterday like T.J., you probably missed his trip to Wal-Mart complete with cart cam. No worry, though. We're going to re-rack the tape straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: You know what's coming, right?
HOLMES: I didn't know it was coming but I know now.
NGUYEN: OK, so 'tis the season to shop, and my partner here got a jump-start yesterday. Watch this. There they are. Ali at Roosevelt (ph) (INAUDIBLE) Garden City, New York with Santa and T.J. Holmes at a Wal-Mart, Wally world (INAUDIBLE) Georgia. Bring it on. I'm ready for it.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look at that iPod nano.
NGUYEN: OK, but -- thank you, Santa, but my first choice was a Bentley coupe. Can you swing that? There's our guy, not quite Santa. I gave you quite a list, T.J.. I hope you can deliver.
HOLMES: You know, what was that, Santa was giving you an iPod nano, was that right?
NGUYEN: Nice, right?
HOLMES: Santa doesn't know you as I know you because I know what Betty wants.
NGUYEN: Jewelry, diamonds.
HOLMES: You all see we have this cart cam going, if you will. To let you all know, this is not a mounted camera in the basket. There is a grown man in the basket right now with a camera.
NGUYEN: No, there is not.
HOLMES: I wish I could show it to you.
NGUYEN: Are you serious? He is in the basket.
HOLMES: It looks ridiculous, Betty and Tony. People have been staring at us, asking where can I get one of those. I co-anchor with Betty, so you know my pain.
NGUYEN: That was uncalled for during the holiday season.
HOLMES: This is a hot item you see here. A couple of things we got in the basket here. I hate to be showing this to you because I need to get this for a couple of folks who are going to see what I'm getting them now.
HARRIS: It's clearly time to go.
NGUYEN: Yeah.
HARRIS: They've been out way too long.
HOLMES: You all got any requests? Get it to me.
NGUYEN: Please let him out of the cart. That's our first request.
HARRIS: T.J., we appreciate it. Thank you.
HOLMES: OK.
NGUYEN: That poor photographer. How many hours was he in that cart?
HOLMES: He was in there -- he spent a couple hours in that cart. We were there from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., doing live shots. He was in that cart. But look at this here. I didn't realize this guy was behind me.
NGUYEN: Which guy? HOLMES: See this guy? That's not my security detail.
NGUYEN: Who is that?
HOLMES: I have no idea.
NGUYEN: He's just following you?
HOLMES: He's just following me around the store. I didn't know if I had an item in there that was last and he was trying to steal it from me, but what's going on there?
NGUYEN: He's trying to look nonchalant. There he passes you by.
HOLMES: And that's the Wal-Mart rep there who kind of got him out of the way, who ended up working security for us. We had a good time.
NGUYEN: You do have a few items there that were all gone off the shelves by the time that you were doing those live shots, so I'm sure that folks were looking at you.
HOLMES: They were, standing over my shoulder.
NGUYEN: They wanted that, what was it, picture frame?
HOLMES: The picture frame, lots of things were on sale, those door buster prices as they say, a lot of toys. We had the last of this parrot that talks or something.
NGUYEN: But you know what I noticed though? You did not have the GPS in the cart. Did you go put that back in the car because that was your item?
HOLMES: I actually bought a GPS. I did actually buy it. I shopped a little bit. I didn't put it on CNN's dime, but --
NGUYEN: You didn't show it to us. It was in the cart. You're afraid someone might tackle you for that.
HOLMES: There were only about three left (INAUDIBLE) Somebody else was out shopping yesterday, so I don't want to -- I can't say move over, Hannah Montana.
NGUYEN: Yeah, you can. Check out Allan Chernoff.
HOLMES: Allan Chernoff, a blonde wig? Come on Allan.
NGUYEN: This is what happens on a slow news day, folks. We've got to make it up. I guess there is some reality in this because anything Hannah Montana is truly flying off the shelves and apparently Allan is a big fan.
HOLMES: The other problem here is that we were out since 4:00 in the morning. You get us up at 4:00 in the morning, you know, it's just not working.
NGUYEN: After your 50th live shot.
HOLMES: And you're trying to come up with new stuff. So Allan, we understand.
NGUYEN: Next time, we want to see you in a wig.
HOLMES: It won't happen. Our Josh Levs, hope you're not wearing a wig this morning. He is keeping tabs on the recalls, toys, issues that people keeping an eye on. There he is, no waiting this morning, Josh Levs in D.C. Good morning to you, Mr. Reality.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: T.J., what did you get for me?
HOLMES: Nothing, Josh, of course. You didn't even have to ask.
LEVS: Betty, what did he get for me? Come on. Take a peek.
NGUYEN: That would be a big goose egg.
LEVS: OK, then, I'm returning the game system I bought you. There has been so much news this year about toys. We keep hearing about toys, particularly dangerous toys unfortunately. It can start to feel impossible to figure out what you need to look for. Coming up, I'm going to talk you through the key points and also, I'm going to let you know some good bets for little kids. That's coming up guys.
NGUYEN: Also some new developments in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. The chief prosecutor is going to be joining us live this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Online passwords are the gateway to your private information. To make sure you're the only one with access, keep this in mind when selecting one -- make it lengthy. Each character that you add increases protection. Use a minimum of eight, but more than 14 is ideal. Use the entire keyboard. Combine upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols like these. Better yet, combine all that into a full sentence that's easy for you to remember. And finally, test it. You can find pass word checkers online that tell you how strong or weak your new protection is.
I'm Gerri Willis and that's your tip of the day. For more ideas, strategies and tips to save you money and protect your house, watch "OPEN HOUSE" today at 9:30 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
NGUYEN: Old suspects, new arrests in the case of missing teen Natalee Holloway.
HOLMES: So, what is this new evidence being talked about? The chief prosecutor joining us live from Aruba next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Welcome back, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for starting your Saturday right here with us.
Up first here, in custody again. The three main suspects in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway back in an Aruban jail this morning. Joran Van Der Sloot arrived there from the Netherlands late last night. He is in that quick convoy you see there. Natalee Holloway, you will remember, disappeared more than two years ago while on a high school graduation trip to the island. But now there's new in evidence this case.
The chief prosecutor Hans Mos joins us now live from Aruba. Mr. Mos, sir, thank you for being with us this morning. Tell us first -- and I hate to start with this question -- but how sure are you that, in fact, Natalee Holloway is dead?
MOS: Well, I think we have enough evidence to be able to prove that she's dead. Whether that will be proved beyond reasonable doubt, that question to us is very hard to assess what a judge will say about this, but we have evidence that she is dead. And I can tell you any day that counts now is extra proof that she's not alive anymore.
HOLMES: What can you tell us about this new evidence? I know you have a case to build, but give us as much as you can about what this new evidence is.
MOS: I would love to do that, but under this law, we are very restricted in telling you guys what the new evidence is because the suspect has to be confronted with this new evidence. And we asked the judge to give an order not to give the same evidence to all the three suspects, so they got different news reports with evidence pertaining to them individually.
If I would expose on the new evidence, the lawyers would hear and the suspects would hear what the other evidence would be that was pertaining to the other suspects. So, I have to be very careful on that because then they would have all this information in advance and then the questioning would be rather useless.
HOLMES: Well, Mr. Mos, explain to us -- tell us this, at least, is this new evidence, brand-new evidence that you didn't have when the suspects were first arrested after her disappearance? Or is this the same evidence that's getting a fresh look?
MOS: No. Under the law, that would not be allowed. We couldn't sort of whitewash our old evidence and produce it as new evidence. That's not allowed under our law.
So what we have and what we have presented is new, and of course we re-evaluated the old file, too, and that came up with new leads too. But that cannot count into the decision of the judge. He does need new evidence, and that's exactly what we've produced to the judge.
HOLMES: And how did this come about? How did you find this new evidence? Was it just a matter of getting new investigators with a new set of eyes on it?
MOS: Well, that's a very -- that was a very important step for us, because as I've told before, this investigation came to sort of a standstill in about the midst of 2006 because investigators who were busy with this case from the beginning sort of -- they didn't see any leads anymore. And then it's good that you ask someone else to look at it with a fresh -- with a fresh view. And that's what Dutch investigators did. They found new leads, they found new questions, and they investigated them earlier this year.
HOLMES: And sir, last couple of things here. How difficult will it be to convict without a body? Do you think you'll have a body? And what do you think happened to Natalee Holloway? How did she die?
MOS: The last question I cannot comment on. The first question is no, we don't have a body. And your first question actually was, is it hard to prove that someone was killed, someone is dead? Yes, it is. It is not easy.
But there are other ways to prove that someone is not alive anymore, and we are working on that. And we think we have set a very good step with this new evidence and the old evidence that we have to prove that she's not alive anymore.
HOLMES: And Mr. Mos, I understand a final decision has not been made on whether or not you're going to prosecute these three. So, why arrest them? Why not know for sure that you have what you need, the evidence you need to move forward with the prosecution and possibly get a conviction, and then arrest them? Why arrest them and go through this again? And you might end up releasing these three suspects all over again.
MOS: The final decision has to be taken. And we promised the suspects to do that by the end of the year, by the 31st of December.
The new evidence we gained was evidence that was so important that we thought it was necessary to rearrest these suspects, to confront them with it. Because if we wouldn't have them in custody, we wouldn't be able to confirm them with this material because they will not come to the police office voluntarily. They will say, I stay at home, you're not going to take me with you.
Well, that's exactly what we wanted. We wanted to question them and to confront them with each other's stories and with the new evidence we have. And we think this evidence is important, so important enough to have them rearrested.
HOLMES: All right.
MOS: If we make the final decision and when we will make that final decision, that decision will be taken within a few weeks.
HOLMES: All right. Well, Mr. Mos, Hans Mos, prosecutor in the case, new evidence in Natalee Holloway. We look forward to hearing what that new evidence may be later. Again, Mr. Hans Mos coming to us live from Aruba. Sir, we appreciate your time this morning.
MOS: You're welcome, sir.
NGUYEN: All right. So, as if holiday shopping wasn't stressful enough, now you have to worry about whether this year's toys are safe for your kids.
HOLMES: And our Josh Levs in Washington actually this morning. He's been looking into this "Trouble in Toyland." He has a reality check.
Mr. Reality, sorry you're not hear with us. I can't believe I'm saying that to you, but good morning to you, sir.
LEVS: You were just nice to me on the air by mistake.
HOLMES: It was an accident. It was an accident.
LEVS: Good morning, everybody.
It is too bad, isn't it? I mean, this is holiday time. We're supposed to be excited. We're supposed to enjoy the process of going out there and finding what you want for your families. So what we want to do today is give you some key pointers about shopping for toys.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS (voice over): You know the scary stories, the health worries, the almost daily announcements of new recalls.
ROBERT ECKERT, MATTEL CEO: Our systems were circumvented and our standards were violated. We were let down. And we let you down.
LEVS: Manufactures promised tough new steps, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission says, "Toys are undergoing more inspection and scrutiny than ever."
Still, the reality is...
MIKE LEAVITT, HHS SECRETARY: We'll never inspect our way to safety. What we can do is make certain that products that come into the United States are certified as safe and that people are using best practices.
LEVS: The needed changes could take a long time. So, what do you do for buying gifts?
Compare your shopping list to the recall lists and print out photos and descriptions to bring with you. But there are so many recalled toys, it's overwhelming. More than 60 different toys, including 25 million units, were recalled this year. And toys not listed could be recalled in the future.
So, what else can you do? Officials say buy age-appropriate toys. Generally, younger kids put toys in their mouths and could swallow paint chips containing lead or choke on small parts. So, look at age labels.
And speaking of labels, while most recalled toys were manufactured in China, don't assume toys made in other countries are automatically safer. They may not be.
"Consumer Reports" suggests these as good bets for little kids: board and picture books; unpainted wooden toys; balls; non-toxic paints and crayons; and washable stuffed animals. If you're concerned your children may have been exposed to lead, the government says get a blood test, since most kids with elevated levels of lead in their blood show no symptoms.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: Sweetheart.
The government also says the main source of lead exposure for kids is not toys. It's actually chips of lead paint in old houses or dust or soil around the house that gets contaminated with that lead, that kids may then swallow.
So, while you're being vigilant about what toys you buy, officials say also take a good look around the house and keep the toys that you do have clean so they don't get contaminated -- Betty, T.J.
NGUYEN: All right. So when you're looking at these toys around the house, Josh, I mean, do these at-home lead tests, do they work for toys?
LEVS: You know what? Actually, the government recommends that people not use that. And this is important.
The government is saying that they've put those at-home tests to the test, and what they have found is if you want to check toys and other consumer products, that's not the time to use it. I have a quote here from the CPSC. They say, "We do not recommend that these test kits be used for consumer products."
There it is right there. But this is why people get confused, Betty, because those at-home lead tests, the government actually does recommend those for testing the paint on your walls at home. So, the idea is, if you have those, you can test the paint on your walls, but don't think you can then take it and test a toy. You have to understand, toys are different.
NGUYEN: Right. Absolutely.
All right. Josh Levs setting us straight. That's why you're Mr. Reality.
Thank you.
LEVS: Thanks, guys. NGUYEN: CNN presents an hour-long special report on this. I know you're interested, so here we're going to tell you about when you can watch. It's called "Trouble in Toyland." It's a little bit later today and tomorrow.
Our Fredricka Whitfield examines the toy recalls, also the fears and the all-important solutions. That's this afternoon and tomorrow at 4:00 Eastern, 1:00 Pacific.
HOLMES: Well, one woman's trash is another woman's dinner.
NGUYEN: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eggs, cheese. There's another dumpster where I usually get bread.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Did you hear that? We're going to introduce you to one woman who eats from the dumpster by choice.
HOLMES: Also this video of a man being tasered by a police officer. It's getting a lot of attention. You will hear from that shocked driver who just went down, yes. And this was over a speeding ticket.
We'll explain and you'll hear from him next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. Watch carefully here. You are about to see a man get tasered.
Whoa. Right down. Tasered by a state trooper.
Jared Massey put this dash cam video on YouTube this week to support his dispute with Utah State Police there over the procedures that were used. Massy spoke to AMERICAN MORNING'S Kiran Chetry and the state police got a chance to weigh in as well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JARED MASSEY, TASERED BY UTAH STATE TROOPER: When I got out of the car, I was under the impression -- I was under no impression that he was going to arrest me, that it was going to escalate to anything like that. I honestly thought he was asking me to get out of the car so that we could look at the sign.
So when I saw him pull a gun on me -- and you've got realize, at the time, I thought -- I thought it was a gun. I was scared to death. I was scared for my life.
I had my six-and-a-half-month pregnant wife in the car, a 15- month-old baby. And you know, those panicked thoughts started going through my mind of what's going to happen to me, what's going to happen to them. I really felt that this cop would shoot to harm me. So, you know, I turned around and I'm...
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Wow. You didn't know it was a taser -- you didn't know it was a Taser at that point.
MASSEY: I had no idea it was a Taser, no.
CHETRY: You did file for a Freedom of Information request, and that's why you posted it on YouTube. What did you -- you wanted people to see this, clearly. What do you want to see happen in this situation, Jared?
MASSEY: You know, this -- this is probably one of the wonderful things about America, is here we are in a country where we can take something like this and begin a public dialogue on it and say, is this right? If it's not right, how can we correct the problem, what do we need to do to correct it?
Do we need to, you know, better train, regulate better when Tasers are used? Do we need to educate the public better? You know, because this is a potentially lethal weapon that was used on me over a trivial traffic violation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turn around and put your hands behind your back. Turn around. Put your hands behind your back.
JEFF NIGBUR, Utah HIGHWAY PATROL SPOKESMAN: I think there was a lot of -- I would even go as far as saying a little bit of ego involved on both sides. And we want to look at this, every Taser deployment, at least from our troopers of the highway patrol, as a serious matter, and we look into each and every one of those.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: When Jared Massey was tasered back in September and then posted that video on YouTube just this week -- every time you watch it, you kind of get that shocking reaction.
HOLMES: And like you mentioned, he went right to the ground.
NGUYEN: The man was standing straight up. And then, boom. Once he gets tasered, he falls straight down. You can see it right here, it's about to happen right -- boom.
No -- I mean, nothing to catch his fall or anything. It's just really shocked him.
HOLMES: Well, this has been seen now by over 600,000 folks -- been viewed over 600,000 times on YouTube. The Utah Highway Patrol said they are investigating, but that investigation certainly was sped up a bit by all the exposure that this video is now getting.
NGUYEN: You think?
HOLMES: Yes. NGUYEN: We'll be watching that one.
HOLMES: We sure will.
Well, this is an interesting story here. Folks are not homeless, not starving. So why do they dig through dumpsters looking for food?
NGUYEN: Well, they're called freegans. And for one woman, it beats shopping at the grocery store.
Liz Tufts of our affiliate WSHM explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUTHY WOODRING, FREEGAN: I'm going to get a few more of these.
LIZ TUFTS, REPORTER, WSHM (voice over): It's shopping time for Ruthy Woodring, and today she's on the hunt for bread.
WOODRING: Oh, tasty.
TUFTS: Once a week, she hops on her bike at the wee hours of the morning and travels through the land of dumpsters, hoping to snatch up any unwanted food from local stores.
WOODRING: I like the hunt, the chase, the treasure.
TUFTS: And Ruthy has been forging for food inside garbage cans and dumpsters for the past 15 years.
WOODRING: This is full of bread.
TUFTS: She can tell you the best dumpster to look in for vegetables, where to find fresh fruit, and even where the best baked goods may be laying around.
WOODRING: There's one dumpster that I hit regularly where I can get eggs, cheese. And there's another dumpster where I usually get bread, other dumpsters where I get produce.
TUFTS: And it's not because Ruthy can't afford food from the grocery store.
WOODRING: I really hate to go shopping inside stores. I go inside and the fluorescent lights and the bright colors and the packages on the walls just screaming at me, I feel like my senses are assaulted. So, in the dumpster, I feel like I'm more in control.
TUFTS: It's because she can't stand seeing food like this going to waste.
WOODRING: I recycle my food into my body and the bodies of my friends and divert it from the landfill.
TUFTS (on camera): As I stand in the middle of this dumpster, you're probably thinking about the smell and the filth, but believe it or not, Ruth says you actually have to bring your manners here to the dumpster just as you would to the dinner table.
WOODRING: You want to try and leave it neat for next person. You also want to try and leave it neat so that the store people don't get upset.
TUFTS (voice over): And if you're thinking about how someone could eat food out of a dumpster, Ruthy says she's not worried about getting sick. She says most of the food they find comes prepackaged, and what's not they take home and clean.
WOODRING: The stuff that I find in a dumpster is usually fresher than most people have in their fridge that they've forgotten about.
A cheap, bad bag.
TUFTS: At one dumpster we stopped by, Ruthy left with a few loaves of bread, bagels and a dozen pastries.
WOODRING: There's three times as much as this in there.
TUFTS: So what may look like a dumpster full of trash to some people could actually be a dumpster full of dinner.
WOODRING: I want to leave it somewhat nice for the next dumpster diver.
TUFTS: Or what Ruthy calls a freegan feast.
WOODRING: So, dumpster diving is kind of like, well, as long as it's there in this economy, yeah, OK, I'll take it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Why not?
T.J., what's wrong? Look at your face.
Can we get a shot of T.J.?
You're shocked.
HOLMES: What do you say? I am. And a lot of people are, because it's one thing -- I mean, it's unfortunate anybody has to do that.
NGUYEN: Right. But to willingly do it?
HOLMES: To willingly do it and to say she doesn't like being in a grocery store?
NGUYEN: Well, but did you see that? Did you see all the waste that a lot of companies will throw out?
HOLMES: I see it.
NGUYEN: And she said a lot of it was prepackaged. So, you know, I guess if someone wants to have it, why let it rot in the dumpster?
HOLMES: Why not? But I guess most people can just not understand. And it's OK.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: And we're going to talk to those folks.
NGUYEN: Exactly. You know, a lot of you, just like T.J., are wondering why are they doing this? Well, we're going to ask a so- called freegan in our 10:00 a.m. Eastern hour. You don't want to miss that.
HOLMES: I will be right here, Betty, listening to that.
All right. Well, the certainties of science, the mysteries of death.
NGUYEN: Yes. DNA helping identify those who died without a name. One mother's loss leads to a second look at unsolved cases.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. So, these are the coldest of cold case files. Not only are the deaths unsolved without any clues, the identities of the victims are not even known.
HOLMES: Yes. Until now, there was little help these bodies would ever have names. Now modern science has changed all of that.
Here now, CNN's Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice over): In a quaint Key West, Florida, cemetery, most graves have tombstones. Some dating back to 1885. Amid flowers left for loved ones and figurines memorializing those who died too young, the stillness has been broken.
In a way, police are waking up the dead. Buried in this mausoleum, those who died without a name. Authorities want to change that.
DET. SGT. PATRICIA DALLY, MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Even if we can solve one or two and get the families back together, that would be a huge, huge, great thing.
CANDIOTTI: Huge, because most of these graves have been untouched for nearly a quarter century. Police say the youngest unidentified body is a murdered newborn found in a garbage back in 1991.
So, where to begin?
SHERIFF RICHARD ROTH, MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA: These bodies, we have no starting place. We don't know who they are. We don't know who they were associated with. And so, we had no starting place to work on these bodies.
CANDIOTTI: Enter science and DNA. To get it, investigators are painstakingly removing deteriorating remains from the vault.
First hurdle, preventing crumbling wooden caskets from disintegrating. In case they do, police hold up a tarp for privacy. Gurneys move each body to a makeshift outdoor lab where the medical examiner extracts DNA samples.
DR. MICHAEL HUNTER, MONROE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER: We're removing the skull, we're removing portions of the pelvis. And the pelvis is helpful in determining age. The skull is helpful in determing age, sex and race.
CANDIOTTI: The samples are headed to the FBI's lab in Quantico, Virginia. More on that in a moment.
But first, what prompted the sheriff to unearth the remains after so many years? It's more a who.
MERCEDES CRUZ, MOTHER: I hurt so bad. And I don't tell my kids anything. I cry in silence.
CANDIOTTI: Mercedes Cruz' emotions still raw more than 33 years since her daughter Teresa (ph) disappeared.
CRUZ: Nothing is good for me anymore. You know? It's just thinking, well, I'll go here, I'll go there. I mean...
CANDIOTTI: Teresa (ph) was only 12 when her mom dropped off her and her girlfriend at this former movie theater. Neither was heard from again.
There were flyers, even updated photos of how Teresa (ph) might look now. Her mother doubts she's alive.
CRUZ: I left it in God's hands, but I just got a feeling, I don't know, that I'm going to find her. And I pray every single day, God, please, if she's with you, let me know, but if she's here, please let me find her before I leave.
CANDIOTTI: Cruz found out about the FBI's missing persons database and submitted a sample. She hopes her daughter's remains will be found one day.
CRUZ: I would recommend every mother to do that that is missing a child, yes.
CANDIOTTI: She told the Florida Keys sheriff's office what she had done, and that's why they decided to open those paupers graves.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Very interesting.
HOLMES: Yes. And still, yes, we're going to have more on the FBI lab and whether it will help Mercedes Cruz find her missing daughter.
That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, can the dead really speak? The answer is yes, with a little help from modern science.
NGUYEN: Here now is part two of Susan Candiotti's reporting, "Digging up the Dead."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CRUZ: And took her to the drive-in...
CANDIOTTI: Mercedes Cruz's daughter Teresa (ph) was only 12 when she disappeared more than 30 years ago.
CRUZ: There's so many days and endless nights that all I do is think and cry and think and cry.
CANDIOTTI: She gave a DNA sample to the FBI's missing persons database.
CRUZ: It was a swab from the mouth, and they did it in my teeth, and that was the way they did it.
CANDIOTTI: The database can vastly improve the chances of identifying mystery remains. But of the estimated 60,000 people believed missing nationwide, only 1,500 skeletal remains are in the database and only 3,600 relatives of missing persons have submitted DNA samples to check for a match or keep on file.
The FBI admits not enough people know about it.
ERIC POKORAK, FBI FORENSIC EXAMINER: There's a lack of knowledge of the program, and we're trying to reach out to both family members and the local law enforcement community to make them aware of the service that's available to them.
CANDIOTTI: The work is intricate, time consuming, and in need of more DNA samples from relatives to cross-check. There have been only three matches since 2001.
POKORAK: It's essentially finding a needle in a haystack.
CANDIOTTI: Cruz now knows one of the newly exhumed bodies in Key West is her daughter Teresa (ph). None fits her description. But Cruz won't give up hope. Occasionally, she retraces her daughter's steps before she disappeared here at a neighborhood dry cleaner's.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, the girls were good friend and the kids were always here.
CANDIOTTI: She's convinced the DNA database someday will help solve the mystery. CRUZ: I'm going to find my daughter.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): Why are you so sure?
CRUZ: Something inside tells me that.
CANDIOTTI (voice over): At that Key West cemetery where DNA has been extracted from the remains of seven unknowns, the dead have been returned to their final resting place with a blessing from a police chaplain.
We pray, oh God, that closure would be brought and that loved ones would be notified and people would be at peace.
CANDIOTTI: Peace that so far has eluded Mercedes Cruz.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, in the Florida Keys.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: From the CNN center here in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. So glad you could start your day right here with us.
NGUYEN: New developments in the Natalee Holloway case this morning and the chief prosecutor is speaking out.
HOLMES: Also iceberg, straight ahead. OK, just a few pieces of ice.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: Really, not the Titanic quite, but, I don't know, it sank like the Titanic. This is the real thing. An adventure cruise ship sinks in Antarctica.
NGUYEN: And big international news this morning. Another Bush ally and supporter of the Iraq war pushed out of office.
HOLMES: We're going to start here with the arrival of the prime suspect in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. Joran Van Der Sloot is back in Aruba. He arrived under police guard late last night and is scheduled to be in court for the first time on Monday. Now, the case is moving forward on the strength of new evidence.
We talked about that at length last hour with Aruba's chief prosecutor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOS: Well, I think we have enough evidence to be able to prove that she is dead. Whether it will be proof beyond a reasonable doubt, that's a question to us is very hard to assess what the judge will say about this, but we have evidence that she is dead and I can tell you with any day that passes now is extra proof that she is not alive anymore.
HOLMES: What can you tell us about this new evidence? I know you have a case to build, but give us as much as you can about what this new evidence is.
MOS: I would love to do that, but under this law, we are very restricted in telling you guys what the new evidence is because the suspects have to be confronted with this new evidence. We asked the judge to give an order not to give the same evidence to all the three suspects so they got different police reports with evidence pertaining to them individually.
If I would expose on the new evidence, the lawyers would hear and the suspects would hear what the other evidence would be that was pertaining to the other suspects. So, I have to be very careful on that because then they would have all this information in advance and the questioning would be rather useless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, the prosecutor also told us he hopes to bring charges by the end of this year. We're going to have much more on this story throughout the morning.
NGUYEN: Well, a major ally of President Bush in the war has been defeated. We're going to talk about that.
But first, the crippled cruise ship "Explorer" is gone. She lid beneath the Antarctic waves overnight. I want you to take a look at this. Passengers had every reason to feel safe up to that point, but as the situation turned more perilous, it became clear help was a long way off.
Here's CNN's Carol Costello.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over:) She's touted as a ship that can go where others cannot, designed to navigate the heavy icy waters in the Antarctic, giving her passengers a chance to see incredible beauty. According to "The Times" online of London, passengers paid $8,000 per cabin for what was billed as an adventure cruise. They sure got one. The ship hit ice and like the Titanic, the "Explorer" began taking on water in the engine room. The ice punched a fist-sized hole in the ship's hull.
SUSAN HAYES, GAP ADVENTURES SPOKESWOMAN: The water began leaking in, but it was a very slow process. The pumps were managing the water quite well for several hours.
COSTELLO: But the sea won and the captain ordered 100 passengers to board the lifeboats. A rescue effort was mounted by British, Argentine, Chilean and U.S. Coast Guard.
VOICE OF MIKE MULFORD, ROYAL AIR FORCE RESCUE AND SEARCH: We cannot underestimate how difficult it is when a ship gets into trouble somewhere like the Antarctic. You've got cold, you've got distance, you've got the fact that there will be no helicopters locally.
COSTELLO: And even though it's spring in Antarctica, it is bitterly cold. These pictures were taken aboard a nearby ship. The temperature hovered around 24 degrees Fahrenheit. The water temperature was around 34 degrees.
HAYES: The captain stayed on. Initially the passengers were led into the lifeboats. The captain stayed on and the crews stayed on. They were the last to actually leave.
COSTELLO: They left only when it was clear the ship was sinking. For up to three frigid hours, 154 passengers and crew huddled in their life rafts until a Norwegian ship was able to rescue them. Captain Armvid Hansen (ph) told "The Times" online - they were wet and cold when they came aboard. None of them have hypothermia. In fact, all are just fine and waiting for a plane to take them home.
Carol Costello, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Back to this story, now, a major political change to tell you about in Australia this morning. It's an end to 11 years of conservative rule as Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd wins parliamentary elections. Australian's Prime Minister, John Howard, a major ally of President Bush, has conceded the election.
HOLMES: Rudd has already promised changes in Australia's policies on Iraq and global warming. John Howard may still serve, however, in the parliament.
From Bangladesh this morning, more misery for survivors of that deadly cyclone.
NGUYEN: People just rushing to get aid. As they were doing that, a bridge collapsed. It happened in one of the areas hardest hit by the cyclone last week. The Associated Press says a local TV channel is reporting at least three dead, 100 others reported injured. Thousands of victims were trying to get to a relief center, but the bridge that they were crossing just could not take all of that weight. Look at this.
Taking you to Pakistan now. At least 16 people were killed today by a pair of suicide bombers. One attack rammed a car rigged with explosives into the back of a bus carrying civilian workers of the defense ministry. The other struck a military checkpoint wounding three guards.
HOLMES: Another suicide bomber striking, this time in Kabul, Afghanistan. Seven people killed here, six of them were Afghan civilians, most were children. The bomber was targeting a group of Italian soldiers working on a bridge construction project that's outside of that city.
NGUYEN: You may have seen the shocking video, we've been talking about it today, a man getting tasered by a Utah state trooper during a traffic stop.
HOLMES: There he is there. The man gets tasered, as you see, and you're going to see him drop. There it is. He is now talking about this incident. Jared Massey is his name. He posted this dash cam video from the trooper's patrol car on YouTube this week. He was zapped because he refused to sign a speeding ticket. As you see in the video as well, he tried to walk away. In an interview on CNN's "American Morning," Massey says he was fearing for his life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED MASSEY, TASERED BY UTAH STATE TROOPER: You got to realize at the time I thought it was a gun. I was scared to death. I was scared for my life. I had my 6 1/2-month pregnant wife in the car, 15-month-old baby. And, you know, those panic thoughts started going through my mind, what's going to happen to me, what's going to happen to them. I really felt that this cop would shoot to harm me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Utah highway patrol is speeding up the investigation now that the video has hit the Internet.
NGUYEN: What's interesting is that he, Massey, put that video out there on YouTube and a lot of people wondering how in the world did he get that video because it was from the trooper's dash cam.
HOLMES: And the Freedom of Information Act is what he explained there. He was able to get it. So, there was a way. The police certainly didn't put it on YouTube themselves. But once it hit and it's been viewed now 670,000 times at last check on YouTube. So, this thing is spreading. We're talking about it here. Getting a lot of news coverage. So they are speeding up their investigation.
NGUYEN: Apparently, it is helping Massey's case. Highway patrol spokesman says he's concerned about what that could do to the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF NIGBUR, UTAH STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SPOKESMAN: I think our biggest concern is simply putting out this video prior to any type of litigation or any type of review or IA investigation could compromise that case. And that's kind of our biggest concern. Does is concern us that it's out there to the public, absolutely not. We're very open as the Utah department of public safety to the public and to the media. But that is one of the things that concerns us. Will it compromise a case in the future?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Here's how it shakes out, because under patrol policy, troopers can use tasers if someone is a threat to themselves or others or if other means of control are unreasonable.
HOLMES: Certainly more to come on that story. Listen to this -- a burning cross found in a black family's yard. What does it sound like, something from the Klan days, right? Actually something that happened these days, this week, in Westchester County, New York.
NGUYEN: State police are investigating. The parents though think the incident may be related to a fight at a high school involving their son. They were just shocked by what had happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WESLEY ARTOPE, FATHER: I ran out to see where the fire was coming from and as I came closer, I noticed the cross burning and another fire right there.
CLARA MONTAGUE ARTOPE, MOTHER: We were, you know, just more concerned about how our kids feel. I mean, we're adults. We're just trying to explain things to them and have them feel, you know, more comfortable. It was shocking for us and traumatic for our children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Police say whoever is responsible faces charges of aggravated harassment, reckless endangerment and possibly arson.
Well, good-bye, Indian summer. Warmer than usual temperatures this November are giving way to scenes like that across the southern and central plains. The early winter storms stretch from New Mexico through the Texas panhandle into Oklahoma and Kansas. It left behind about a foot of snow in places, most of it, though, quickly melting away. However, that's only because the ground is still warm, which really speaks to the fact that a lot of folks, especially in Texas, weren't expecting snow this early. It was only Thanksgiving this week.
HOLMES: This got to me. I fired up my fireplace for the first time last night for the year. It is almost December. I guess it should be cold. But we had a day, Bonnie, bring you in here, it was about 70-something degrees and sunny earlier this week, wasn't it?
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Looking forward to those. Thank you, Bonnie.
HOLMES: Yet another food warning to tell you about as you sit down to breakfast this morning, maybe making some cheese, eggs or something like that. Sweetwater Valley farms out of Tennessee recalling its southern cheddar jack volunteer special cheese. The cheese may be contaminated with potentially deadly listeria bacteria.
No illnesses have been reported however, but look out for lot number 539 on those packages. The cheeses may be sold in stores in seven southern states, but bricks of the cheese may have been shipped nationwide as part of gift baskets sold by the company. So keep an eye out.
NGUYEN: For those gift baskets. Thanks. Nice gift.
HOLMES: Recalled cheese. Thank you.
NGUYEN: Just because a toy hasn't been recalled doesn't mean it doesn't contain lead.
HOLMES: How parents are finding out the hard way and what they can do to prevent it.
NGUYEN: Also want you to take a look at this bling. Check that out. That's what a million dollars looks like.
HOLMES: Why do you sound so excited, Betty?
NGUYEN: Pretty.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Trouble in toy land. We are taking a closer look with these toys these days and after all those recalls. We're looking at some of the items that might be on your kids' holiday wish lists.
HOLMES: You've certainly been talking about this a lot in the past couple months, parents have, we have here. But in the last two months, millions of toys and other kids' products have been recalled, all because of high levels of lead.
NGUYEN: But here's a question, how do you know if your kids are in danger? CNN's Rusty Dornin has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nine-month-old Jake Duquette (ph) loves to put just about everything in his mouth. Two and a half- year-old Taylor is past that stage, but the lead toy scare has Joe and Lisa Duquette worried. Lisa took them to a free lead testing event in Gainesville, Georgia, sponsored by Safe Kids. Parents brought bags of toys, toys that were not on any recall lists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nope. Fine.
DORNIN: That was a relief. But then Duquette decided to have her toddler's blood screened just in case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're about to do the blood test next. So, that's the fun part.
DORNIN: Fun it was not. Especially when she found out both her children tested positive for lead. She took them immediately to her pediatrician for complete blood tests but now must wait two to four weeks to find out the results. We visited them five days later. Were you shocked when you found out that --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was upset. I left there very upset. I mean, these are, you know, my babies, and if anything can inhibit their intellectual level of any sort, it just had me distraught. DORNIN: The Duquettes live in a brand-new house, so they're not worried about lead paint but wonder where is the exposure?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We tied to test some of these mugs that have been in the cabinets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think there's much more lead out there than the we know.
DORNIN: Epidemiologist (INAUDIBLE) gives seminars on what he calls the silent epidemic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guess how much lead content this has? 50 times more than the normal content it should have.
DORNIN: Mengele (ph) believes there are many toys containing lead that haven't been discovered yet, and not just toys -- pottery, kids' jewelry and certain candy from Mexico. Some have lead in the wrapper and sometimes in the candy itself. Back at the Duquette house, Joe researches on the Internet while Lisa works the phone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm wondering if there's someone I can speak with in reference to having our home tested for lead.
DORNIN: Mengele has advised the Duquettes to wait until the complete blood test comes back. Nationally, the CDC sets the blood lead level at (INAUDIBLE) is considered unsafe. The Duquette children screened at 7. Is there more of a concern for her because she has smaller children that put things in their mouth?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. That is a major concern.
DORNIN: If parents suspect their children may have been exposed to lead, Mengele suggests there's only one way to be absolutely sure -- test the children...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That didn't hurt at all, did it?
DORNIN: ...the toys.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Gainesville, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And CNN presents an hour-long special report, "Trouble in Toyland." That's later today and tomorrow. Our Fredricka Whitfield examines the toy recalls, also the fears and the all- important solutions. That's this afternoon and tomorrow, 4:00 Eastern, 1:00 Pacific.
HOLMES: And, you know, Betty I've been thinking hard about what to get you for Christmas.
NGUYEN: Is it going to be a toy?
HOLMES: It will probably be a toy but I want to give -- this story has given me an idea, if you want a gift that really makes a difference, how about a goat?.
NGUYEN: You're going to give me a goat for Christmas? Where would I put a goat?
HOLMES: Give it a chance.
NGUYEN: Let me go on with the story and I'll deal with you in a minute. Right after this, how one goat can make a huge impact on families around the world. Oh, I see, very nice. But it wasn't your idea.
HOLMES: All right.
NGUYEN: Plus "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta begins in 20 minutes. This week, Dr. Gupta brings you the inside story of how one man is predicting his health by mapping his DNA. And tips for beating stress. That's at 8:30 Eastern.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Merry Christmas.
NGUYEN: The day after Thanksgiving.
HOLMES: Yes. I got my tree yesterday, but it's not looking like that just yet. This is a flip of a switch. Yes, Christmas in San Francisco's Union Square, very nice spot out there in San Francisco. This year's tree features 20,000 energy-efficient lights that use 90 percent less electricity.
NGUYEN: That's the way to go. I need to do that for my tree. Well, I got to get a tree first.
HOLMES: Get your tree first, Betty.
NGUYEN: Have you ever bought a really nice holiday gift for someone only to see it tossed aside unused and unappreciated?
HOLMES: Maybe you're giving it to the wrong people. Molly Shen of affiliate KOMO explains how you can still take care of everyone on your list and do a world of good at the same time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOLLY SHEN, KOMO REPORTER (voice-over): When the holiday shopping frenzy kicks into high gear, people will scramble for the hottest toys and edgiest electronics. But in the world vision gift catalog ...
DAVE BERGGREN, WORLD VISION: The most popular one is our goat. That's right in the first section right here.
SHEN: The goat goes to a family in another part of the world. Your loved one gets a card that says, I made a donation in your name, and that's it. That's the gift.
JOHN YEAGER, WORLD VISION: At first you don't see anything under the tree and you're saying, well, where's my gift. And when you read into it, you realize that it really does something good and really does something that makes a difference, a real difference.
SHEN: John Yeager has seen that difference up close. Families around the world know their livestock or their clean water came through the gift catalog.
BERGGREN: It's been gradual growth until the last couple years. 2006 we were fortunate to raise $10 million through the gift catalog. This past year, we raised over $18 million.
SHEN: Medical teams international also has a gift catalog, and that's how Chris Warjone shops.
CHRIS WARJONE, SHOPS BY CHARITIES: All of our lives are blessed, we've been very blessed and if we can give, why wouldn't we give?
SHEN: $7 buys an infant's medical care in Afghanistan. $75 pays for dental care here at home.
LEE KELLER, MEDICAL TEAMS INTERNATIONAL: We all have this overabundance of things, material things and I know it's a decision I've made this year to give in an alternative way because we just don't need more things.
SHEN: But people in other parts of the world need things. And you can help them. Buy something for your friend who has everything and for the stranger who has nothing.
Molly Shen, KOMO 4 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And wanted to let you know if you're interested in getting folks a goat, which will help so many families, if you go to worldvision.org, you can get that goat for $75 each. If you want, you can buy a whole herd of goats.
HOLMES: See, and you thought I was being nasty.
NGUYEN: I didn't know where it was coming from the way it was presented.
HOLMES: From the heart, Betty.
NGUYEN: Right and you know what, in that case, you can buy me all the goats that you want.
HOLMES: I will hold you to that.
NGUYEN: OK. Still ahead, much more on your holiday shopping and some tips to help you out this season. Coming up at 10:00 Eastern, Jean Halloran of "Consumer Reports" will explain how to buy safe toys, plus alternatives you might not have thought about.
HOLMES: How about this as a gift? A $2 million check comes in the mail.
NGUYEN: That's a lot of goats.
HOLMES: You can buy a lot of goats with that. Was this just his lucky day? We'll get into that. Stick around.
NGUYEN: And they drop like flies, over 100 of them. These sky divers set a a world record. We're going to show you the amazing video right after this.
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HOLMES: What a good day to walk it out in space. Betty, this is happening right now, a live picture. Space station astronauts left the hatch just about an hour ago and they have been busy this morning.
NGUYEN: They're trying to connect critical components of a massive new module first put in place during the last space shuttle mission. It is the second time this week that astronauts have tried to get the Harmony module hooked up. It will be a docking center for international labs that will be sent up out on future missions, so they got a lot to do today, important work up there in space.
All the talk this morning is around the water cooler and one man's fleeting brush with great fortune.
HOLMES: Yeah, listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 2.24 -- 200 -- yeah, I can't even say it, it's so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: OK.
NGUYEN: That's a problem I'd like to have.
HOLMES: We'll help him here. The check in his name, $2,245,342.00. Doesn't even matter that his name is on it, doesn't matter that the check is real. Jerry Mika (ph) is his name. The money is the problem. It was not his money.
NGUYEN: Yeah, Mika was supposed to get a $15 refund from the state of Utah. Instead, a clerk accidentally cut him a seven-figure check.
HOLMES: How do you make that accident?
NGUYEN: I don't know. It's not even close to 15. I mean there are several other numbers there. Mika joked about being a millionaire, but finally gave the check back, he was a good guy, much to the state's relief, obviously when he did give it back. But get this, though, here is why they say, you know, good guys always finish last, because he still hasn't received his $15 refund. Can you believe that?
HOLMES: You call him a good guy. I think other people might call him, I don't know, an idiot for giving the money back.
NGUYEN: They would have found out some way. He'd be in jail if he didn't give it back.
HOLMES: He would be in Mexico somewhere.
NGUYEN: And then once they do find you, they'll charge you interest on it.
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