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CNN Saturday Morning News

Facebook Asked to Share Details; Colorado Fire Contained

Aired June 15, 2013 - 08:59   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And thank you for starting your morning with us.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: We have much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

Good morning, I am Alison Kosik.

BLACKWELL: I am Victor Blackwell. 9:00 here on the East Coast, 6:00 out West -- thank you for starting with us.

KOSIK: And we start this morning with some startling news about the government surveillance of Americans. Facebook is speaking out now about how much information it's been handing over to the government.

BLACKWELL: With permission from the government, Facebook says it received as many as 10,000 requests for information in the last six months of last year, and that's as many as 19,000 accounts affected. Rene Marsh is following the story from Washington. Renee, has there been any reaction from the White House?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I can tell you this, Victor, this morning we are at this moment reaching out to the White House for reaction and we are also digging to possibly get more insight on what these requests entail, whether these tech companies are essentially being forced to hand over conversations and even photos on these internet websites.

Now meantime on Capitol Hill this week, the director of the FBI confirmed publicly that federal prosecutors are preparing a criminal case against NSA leaker, 29-year-old Edward Snowden. Now just yesterday Attorney General Eric Holder was asked why the United States has not requested the arrest of Snowden and whether they even know where he is. Here is what Holder had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: This case is still under investigation, and I can assure you that we will hold accountable the person who is responsible for those extremely damaging leaks. The national security of the United States has been damaged as a result of those leaks. The safety of the American people and the safety of people who reside in allied nations have been put at risk as a result of these leaks.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MARSH: All right. Well, the leaks that reveal that the federal government has been tracking Americans' phone calls, specifically phone numbers, location and duration of the calls, well now the NSA has been feeling pressure from lawmakers who say Americans' civil liberties are being violated. So now in order to prove the success of their surveillance program this very secret agency may declassify information about specific terror plots thwarted as a result of the program. Again, what they are trying to do here is just prove how successful this surveillance program has been. Victor, Alison.

KOSIK: Rene, how soon could that information be declassified, and would it really be that specific?

MARSH: Right. Well, Senator Diane Feinstein - she has been on the record and she is saying that information could be released as soon as Monday. So right around the corner here. And that information could spell out where the terror plots were thwarted and give us a little bit more detail about what the plot was, and of course, the NSA director - he has actually promised lawmakers that he would provide more details.

BLACKWELL: Rene Marsh in Washington for us. Rene, thank you.

Another big story we are following this morning, 473 homes in Colorado have been destroyed. Destroyed by what is being called the worst wildfire in the state's history, but hard rain yesterday it helped firefighters north of Colorado Springs, get a little control over this black forest fire, and it's now 30 percent contained, up from five the previous day.

But that's little solace to people like Bill and Karen Monroe, they lost their dream home. All 7,000 square feet destroyed, one of the most painful moments, watching it burn on television from their hotel room. Bill and Karen Moreau, they join us live from Colorado Springs, Colorado, this morning. Thank you for coming to the camera there.

First, we have to express our sadness for your loss. Where are you staying now?

BILL MOREAU, HOME BURNED IN COLORADO FIRES: We're staying in a hotel south of town in the south part of town, about 15 miles away.

BLACKWELL: I want you to take me back to the moment when you saw your home burning on television. Did you know the fire was that close to your home? What were you feeling at that time?

BILL MOREAU: Well, what I -- we knew that the fire was all over the woods. It's pretty obvious from the smoke plume that it was a massive fire. When you actually see your house burn, it's an emotional kind of an event, because there are houses and homes. For us that was our home. What did you think?

KAREN MOREAU: Yes, we - yes, you go to a restaurant or something, and, yes, that house that burned on TV last night, that was ours. Oh, that one that they kept showing over and over and over? Yes. It's hard.

BLACKWELL: Do you relive it every time you see it?

KAREN MOREAU: I actually haven't watched the whole thing. My kids have been very kind and my husband, OK, why don't you turn your back to the TV right now.

BILL MOREAU: It's really tough to watch. You know, you see the chairs and things like that on the deck that we sat on just a few days ago, in fact one that I sat on the morning of the fire, and just to realize not so much the flames, but what is behind the flames, all of those personal things that are important to you emotionally, you know, and that's what is tough. The strangest things set you off.

BLACKWELL: Have you have been able to go back to the house?

KAREN MOREAU: No.

BILL MOREAU: No, but we are really anxious to. I think that's kind of part of the emotional closure, you know. We have seen it burn and it's on the list as destroyed, and, you know, we are in a constant tug of war between dealing with the emotions of losing our home and just simply trying to focus on trying to make good business decisions now moving forward.

And so, you know, little things just set you off. You will stick your hand in your pocket and pull out something that reminds you of the house, and it's just really tough. But we are moving forward, and, you know, we got knocked down and we're going to stand up and do what we need to do.

BLACKWELL: Yes, I was having a conversation when I was in Colorado Springs two days ago with a man who was drinking coffee, and he said that he missed his coffee cup which he left in the house that he still is not sure if that house is still standing. Those little things that you miss.

I want to ask about your son's family and your nine-day-old grandson. They were forced out of their home. Any update on how they are doing?

KAREN MOREAU: They got in last night. They were - they had to wait in line for, I think, like 45 minutes and they were escorted in, and you could only get in if you had a pet, and they still had their cat there and they had chickens, and they were able to go in for five minutes, and their house was there and it was burned all around the periphery, I mean, right up to the house. It was amazing. The firefighters drove their truck up to the cul-de-sac so it was safe, and they watered their chickens for them. I can't say enough for their firefighters. Amazing.

BILL MOREAU: Yes, it was really amazing. They actually let the fuel burn right up to the house and then stopped the fire and left their card, and they are from (INAUDIBLE) in Denver, and just on behalf of the entire Moreau family, we want to thank them for working in the heat, the fire, the danger, just to protect our children's home. Thanks.

BLACKWELL: And more did the Moreau family, a lot of people there in Colorado Springs and central Colorado and across the country. Bill and Karen Moreau, thank you so much. Of course, our thoughts are with you.

You know, that's not a unique story of the firefighters standing near these buildings and homes and having their backs to the building and spraying water. We know an elementary school was saved by two firefighters who determined that they were going to save that building and they did whatever they had to and they did.

KOSIK: And it's amazing to hear them talk, and they are so grateful for all the work that the firefighters are doing. And the coffee cup, it's true, we really take for granted the little things. But when you hear these stories, it really makes you think twice about the things in your own life.

BLACKWELL: And we know it is no small thing to come to a camera and talk about having your home burned to the ground by a fire. We thank them for doing that. The reason we invite people to come to the camera to tell their story is because we want to go beyond the number of 473.

KOSIK: It's more than just a number, right?

BLACKWELL: Yes, and these are families and these are places they raised their children. And they are losing more than just physical, because many of them have insurance. They are losing their sense of security, and they are losing something that is intangible. We thank the Moreau family and all the families who have talked to us about with what the black forest fires has done.

So, on another topic, a bit lighter, there's buzz about Apple. Not the newest Mac or the iPad, and we are talking about a kill switch. We'll tell you what it is and why you will want it for your iPhone. I would want it for mine. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: If you are one of the millions of Americans that had your iPhone or other smart phone stolen, you know how infuriating it is. Sometimes it could be very terrifying as well. It's gotten so bad there's now a nickname for it, Apple picking. The top prosecutors in New York and San Francisco are now forming a nationwide coalition to combat the problem, but Apple says they have come up with something to deter would-be thieves. A so called kill switch for the device. Here to tell us about it, tech expert Carley Knobloch, the founder of Digitwirl. So tell me, how does this work?

CARLEY KNOBLOCH: FOUNDER DIGITWIRL: It's pretty sad when the theft of one device or several devices is so prevalent that it gets its own nickname, and its exactly what happened and it's really due, I think in part, to the high resale value that Apple devices get. And up until now Apple's response (INAUDIBLE) around this has been pretty lack luster. You can erase your phone remotely if it gets lost or stolen but still fully operational, and it could be wiped clean and resold. But now with the upcoming release of ios 7, there is this kill switch. That completely deactivates the phone. So if it gets lost or stolen, you can render it completely useless.

KOSIK: OK. So is there a timetable on this? When would the kill switch be available? You said it could be coming out soon, and will it really stop criminals?

KNOBLOCH: Yes, it's coming out with the upcoming release of ios7 which is happening in the fall. You know, I don't know if it's going to be a deterrent anytime soon. I mean there are millions of devices that won't be compatible with ios 7, and it's going to take a while for people to upgrade to the new operating system and a thief is not going to know any of that until they have your phone already in their hand. But I think it's a great precedent. Apple is trying to be part of the solution to this huge problem.

KOSIK: All right. So besides the kill switch, how else can we protect ourselves if you have an iPhone or smart phones?

KNOBLOCH: Right. And I think it's really important to keep all of your information backed up, so that if somebody walks off with your phone, they are not taking your whole digital life with them. And also, if you're going to be in a place where you feel vulnerable to theft or mugging, you know, resist the urge to tweet and keep your iPhone in your pocket.

KOSIK: OK. So let's switch gears for a moment. Another big announcement happening this week from Facebook and they are going to start using hash tags just like twitter - I guess we kind of knew this was coming. First, explain to viewers who don't know what are these hash tags.

KNOBLOCH: Right. So if you have seen them around (INAUDIBLE) social media, the been, that number sign or pound sign next to a word or phrase, that's a hash tag. It's essentially a way to organize information by topic. So if you use a hash tag in one of your posts, you are including that post in a larger global conversation around that topic.

KOSIK: OK. So when will everybody start to be able to use these hash tags on Facebook? I have not seen the ability yet. Are they going to really work the same way they do on twitter, where they can really consolidate a lot of information?

KNOBLOCH: Yes, similar to Twitter, they are rolling out the hash tag feature to all of their users in the coming weeks. They like to do this slowly and in phases and it is going to work in a similar way to twitter although you're only going to be able to see posts that you are authorized to see. So if you put up a post up that only supposed to be shown to your friends, then only those friends are going to be able to see that in their hash tag screen. So it's going to look a little bit different for everybody.

You know, Facebook realizes that their posts are very ephemeral. They get lost in the stream. So this is another way that they are trying to help people find and relocate existing content that is on Facebook.

KOSIK: OK. Carley Knobloch, thanks so much.

KNOBLOCH: Thank you.

BLACKWELL: Farmers suffered through a really brutal drought last year. The fallout from that just added to a nightmarish year. We will tell you how bad it was after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: With all the tornadoes we have seen this year, consider this. Last year was the most expensive for natural disasters in a generation.

KOSIK: And those disasters from hurricanes to droughts, they costs the U.S. $110 billion, and that's actually the most since 1980. Super storm Sandy, that may have been the worst, but it was far from the only one.

BLACKWELL: And even worst, it could be just a taste of what is to come. We'll speak with CNN's Alina Cho in a moment from the New Jersey shore. First, a look at what those disasters cost us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, 2012 was the second costliest year ever in terms of damage according to the National Climatic Data Center. More than $110 billion spread out over 11 major weather disasters, each costing more than $1 billion.

CHAD MYERS, METEOROLOGIST: That is just a number that you can't even put your head around.

Weather is becoming more extreme.

CHO: The most extreme of 2012? Super storm Sandy. 65 billion in damage and let's not forget the human cost. More than 130 lives. Perhaps lost in the coverage, washed away by news of Sandy was the year-long drought. The longest since the dust bowl days of the 1930s, affecting more than half the country for most of the year and costing $30 billion. And remember, the drought leads to wildfires, which last year burned nine million acres across the country. What is being done?

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: This is urgent work and it must begin now.

CHO: Just this week, New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, proposed a $20 billion plan, to build flood walls, levees and upgrade the city's building codes. New York City suffered $19 billion in damage post Sandy, and Bloomberg says the forecast by mid century is that a similar storm could cost nearly five times that. $90 billion.

BLOOMBERG: We can do nothing and expose ourselves to an increasing frequency of sandy-like storms. We could abandon the waterfront or we can make the investments necessary to build a stronger and more resilient New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: And Alina Cho joins us from Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Alina, you know, they suffered so much after super storm Sandy, and how are they doing? CHO: Alison, good morning. Well, just to put things in perspective, remember Seaside Heights was the sight of one of the most iconic images from super storm Sandy. I mean who can forget that enormous roller coaster, which by the way was right there on that pier, washing away into the ocean in one piece. Generations of families have come to this boardwalk which is 92 years old, to eat the fried dough and sit on the beach, walk the boardwalk and enjoy the rides, and today I am happy to report that this boardwalk has been entirely rebuilt. You actually can smell the fresh wood still. 85 to 90 percent of the businesses have re-opened and they do say that some of those rides will also come back this summer, Alison, including one that we're told will be named super storm.

BLACKWELL: Wow. CNN's Alina Cho in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Thank you.

And just a quick programming note. "New Day" starts this Monday on CNN at 6:00 a.m..

KOSIK: We'll be watching.

BLACKWELL: We certainly will.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: All right. So we all know that smoking is bad for our health, but what about cooking? When one person learned millions of people died every year from exposure to cook stove smoke, she helped create a solution that saved lives, and that's why Nancy (INAUDIBLE) is our CNN hero of the week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY HUGHES, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: People have no idea that cooking kills people. Indoor air pollution is estimated that it kills millions of people every year. A mother who got a baby over an open fire, I mean, that's the equivalent of that baby smoking packs of cigarettes every day.

When my husband died of breast cancer my life changed because I volunteered with medical team in Guatemala. There were doctors who could not put tubes down the baby's throat because is soaked with (INAUDIBLE). This is what they're breathing. Their lungs are like this inside.

I thought we need to change this.

My name is Nancy Hughes. And I want to save lives and save forests by providing fuel efficient stoves to the world.

The stove is called e-cocina. E for environmental and cocina for kitchen. It's safe, and it's cool to the touch. It prevents (INAUDIBLE) buildup in the lungs. It contributes to better health by preventing skin diseases and eye diseases and also you don't have to cut down trees, you can use small branches. It's kind of a little miracle. We started six factories in five countries. We wanted to give employment in the areas where there is poverty. Those factories that we started have produced 35,000 stoves.

I am addicted to this. The first year I went to Latin America eight times on my own nickel. There are a lot of women and a lot of children who are breathing a lot easier because of the e-cocina stove.

I am 70 now and this is what I do in my, "retirement."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Some of the things you never consider, the smoke from those open fires.

KOSIK: Well, the same when you are barbecuing.

BLACKWELL: Yes, oh, that's true.

KOSIK: Yes.

BLACKWELL: Do you still use a charcoal grill?

KOSIK: Yes, I do. You should see me, I am quite good.

BLACKWELL: OK. All right. I will take your word on it.

KOSIK: All right. It's been quite a jam-packed few hours hasn't?

BLACKWELL: Yes. You have a little sweat on your brow.

KOSIK: There is. And here is what is coming up at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, more on the wildfires in Colorado. Two are confirmed dead and almost 500 homes destroyed in what has been called the worst wildfire in the state's history.

BLACKWELL: Plus we have the latest on the NSA surveillance program and the government wants Facebook to turn over information about its users. We will bring you the latest like only CNN can in just 30 minutes from now.

KOSIK: So thanks for watching today. I'm going to see you right back here at the top of the hour, 10:00 a.m..

BLACKWELL: Yes.

"Your Money" starts right now. Thanks for watching, everybody.