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CNN Student News Transcript: September 15, 2009

  • Story Highlights
  • Uncover the details of a religiously significant discovery in Israel
  • Find out how financial concerns impacted one freshman's college choice
  • Offer your opinions on some recent outbursts by people in the public eye
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(CNN Student News) -- September 15, 2009

Quick Guide

Ancient Discovery - Uncover the details of a religiously significant discovery in Israel.

Detour to College - Find out how financial concerns impacted one freshman's college choice.

Public Outbursts - Offer your opinions on some recent outbursts by people in the public eye.

Transcript

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

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Today's show is dedicated to Ms. Willard's world geography classes at Lumberport Middle School in Lumberport, West Virginia! Welcome everyone!

First Up: Financial Markets

AZUZ: An overhaul of the rules for the country's banks. President Obama says that's what's needed to avoid another economic crisis. He made the statement during a speech on Wall Street yesterday. But some lawmakers and economic experts disagree with some of the president's proposals, like a federal agency that Mr. Obama says would be responsible for protecting consumers. Ben Bernanke, who heads up the country's central bank, says that's what his organization does, so a new agency isn't necessary.

The timing of the speech came on the one-year anniversary of the biggest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history! President Obama says America's financial industry needs to learn from past mistakes to avoid future crises.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: One year ago, we saw in stark relief how markets can spin out of control, how a lack of common-sense rules can lead to excess and abuse, how close we can come to the brink. One year later, it is incumbent upon us to put in place those reforms that will prevent this kind of crisis from ever happening again, reflecting painful but important lessons that we've learned and that will help us move from a period of reckless irresponsibility, a period of crisis, to one of responsibility and prosperity.

H1N1 Vaccine

AZUZ: From regulation to inoculation, health officials say a vaccine for the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, could be ready in a few weeks. That's earlier than expected. More good news: Researchers say one shot should be enough; originally, they thought it would take two. Experts say certain groups, including students, should get the vaccine. It takes a little more than a week for it to take effect.

Shoutout

Downloadable Maps

GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Which of these bodies of water is located in northern Israel? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it the: A) Sea of Galilee, B) Dead Sea, C) Red Sea or the D) Caspian Sea? You've got three seconds -- GO! You'll find the Sea of Galilee in the northeast part of the Middle Eastern nation. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Ancient Discovery

AZUZ: And that's where archaeologists have made a religously significant discovery. Today, the Galilee region is known as a tourist spot with a lot of resorts. But a couple thousand years ago, it played a big role in two world religions. And now, scientists have uncovered a piece of that history. Here's Paula Hancocks...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On the shores of the Sea of Galilee, a discovery that should excite both Jews and Christians. Israeli archeologists say they've found one of the world's oldest synagogues, from the time of Jesus and in the neighborhood of Jesus.

DINA AVSHALOM-GORNI, EXCAVATION DIRECTOR: It is possible to think that Jesus was sitting here with his community in this synagogue, praying together with Mary Magdalene.

HANCOCKS: The Bible documents Jesus' time at the Sea of Galilee, and Mary Magdelene is believed to have lived close by this site. The ruins date back some 2,000 years, and may not have been unearthed at all if it weren't for construction starting on the foundations of a hotel planned for this spot. For these archaeologists, the date is crucial, as they believe this synagogue was operational at the time of the Second Temple, the main synagogue in Jerusalem, and has a preserved, seven-branched menorah.

AVSHALOM-GORNI: We can see very nicely the curve of the menorah, which would presume exactly in the right temple, at the temple at this time.

HANCOCKS: Excavation is continuing, and already plans are underway to open the synagogue to the public.

YOSSI STEPANSKI, ARCHAEOLOGIST: This is certainly the most elaborate one, with a mosaic floor with frescoes. We have walls here that are painted with frescoes. This is really the first time that an elaborate, beautifully decorated synagogue from that time has been discovered.

HANCOCKS: Building plans for the hotel have obviously had to change, but this discovery could well attract far more visitors than a hotel ever could. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Word to the Wise

RAMSAY: A Word to the Wise...

matriculation (noun) enrollment, especially in a college or university

source: www.m-w.com

Detour to College

AZUZ: This year, matriculation has come at a higher price, literally. The average cost of tuition at a four-year public college is up more than six percent. Public versus private, in-state versus out-of-state: Different schools come with different price tags. And for many families, college choices can mean tough choices. Fredericka Whitfield has one student's story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Move-in day for college freshman Pressley Chakales to a place she never expected would bring so much happiness and harmony.

PRESSLEY CHAKALES, UGA FRESHMAN: I've been working all day getting my room together. But I like it, I'm excited

WHITFIELD: Also excited: her parents Peter and Ann.

PETER CHAKALES, FATHER: This is like a ride to a suburb when you live in Atlanta, so she's close.

WHITFIELD: But the hour-long ride to the University of Georgia in Athens didn't come without detours. Like thousands of American households on tighter budgets, savings and 401Ks taking double digit losses, family plans are forced to be flexible.

PRESSLEY CHAKALES: I was really, really completely set on going out of state.

WHITFIELD: Oh, we remember. We first met the Chakales last spring. College acceptance letters were coming in, along with the prospect of a full scholarship available to Georgia students with a 3.0 GPA or higher planning to attend an in-state school. But at the time, Pressley and her parents were not seeing eye to eye.

WHITFIELD: So, your heart tells you one thing, but the purse strings tell you another.

PRESSLEY CHAKALES: Yeah, definitely.

WHITFIELD: So, what are these conversations like with mom and dad when you all try to come to grips about a happy medium?

PRESSLEY CHAKALES: They can get heated.

WHITFIELD: That was last March. Now?

PRESSLEY CHAKALES: I ended up getting into UGA off the wait-list, and my decision immediately changed to back in-state, because I was going to UNC Wilmington, but I switched back to UGA to save an indescribable amount of money.

WHITFIELD: A huge relief for her parents. Even though they spent years saving for her higher education, the thought of unloading at least $25,000 a year for four years of out-of-state undergrad was stressful beyond words.

PETER CHAKALES: Well, it would have been very tough. It was frightening. The financial part was absolutely frightening.

WHITFIELD: Staying in-state, able to benefit from that Georgia full academic scholarship cut their expenses by more than half. Out of pocket now: $10,000 a year for Pressley's housing, books and other fees. The benefits of their family decision: endless.

ANN CHAKALES, MOTHER: I think she'll be able to study abroad for a semester if she wants to, and that probably would not have happened if she had gone out of state.

WHITFIELD: The Chakales are confident Pressley will maintain a 3.0 or better to keep the state scholarship until graduation. But the family savings plan continues. In three years, it'll be Pressley's younger brother's turn.

ANN CHAKALES: We will probably start prepping our son a little bit earlier.

WHITFIELD: In hopes that he, too, qualifies for the same kind of in-state help. Fredricka Whitfield, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Public Outbursts

KANYE WEST: I'm really happy for your, I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!

AZUZ: The most talked-about moment from the MTV Video Music Awards was not part of the script: Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech to announce who he thought should have won. The backlash against West has been fast, and heated. This isn't the only recent outburst from people in the public eye. You might have heard about tennis star Serena Williams being docked a point for her outburst during the U.S. Open, and U.S. Representative Joe Wilson yelling out during President Obama's recent address to Congress on health care reform.

Promo

AZUZ: All three have apologized; Kanye did it on his blog. But what we're asking on ours is, are these outbursts appropriate? Are they disrespectful? When and how is it okay to express your disagreement with something? Tell us your opinion at CNNStudentNews.com.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Finally, mark your calendars: CNN Student News is celebrating its 20th anniversary on September 25th. As a sneak preview for you, here's a look back at the past two decades.

(VIDEO MONTAGE)

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Goodbye

AZUZ: Looks great! We'll have more throughout the month. We'll be back tomorrow with more CNN Student News. See ya then.

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