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NEW DAY SATURDAY
Blizzard Buries Eastern U.S.; Packers Fans Ready for Freezing Game; Lower Gas Prices Expected for 2014; Final Report on Paul Walker's Death; NSA Reportedly Building Super Computer
Aired January 4, 2014 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK: The best option today is stay close to home. The best option is to not be outside too long.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: An urgent warning from the mayor of New York for the tens of millions of you that got walloped from that deadly storm including the crew of this medical helicopter that skidded on ice from New York.
From the Midwest to Maine, the monster system dumping agency much as two feet of snow and ushering in bitter temperatures, as cold as 23 below.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And more than the temperatures and the snow, the storm is being blamed for seven deaths including an elderly woman in Pennsylvania who wandered away from home. And pop for travelers, major headaches. Cars frozen in their tracks. You've got thousands of flights canceled, including more than 600 just today.
KOSIK: And it's not over yet, because in the next few days, almost half the country is expected to plunge in to bone-chilling cold like we haven't seen in more than a decade.
Pedram Javaheri is in the CNN weather center. And Margaret Conley, she's in Boston.
But, first, let's get the latest from Alexandra Field on Long Island.
Good morning.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alison.
And we are already waking up to some of these cold temperatures here on Long Island. With three degrees in Sayville, with the wind-chill, it feels like 6 below. You can see this makes more solid ice kind of conditions. This is an icicle that we just pulled off of a store front this morning.
So, these are the kinds of things to be aware of as you head out this morning. These cold temperatures come on the heels of a whole lot of snow that were dumped out here. Parts of Long Island saw a foot of snow. New York City saw eight inches of snow.
People out here are, yes, used to dealing with the snow. But officials across the Northeast are also warning people that temperatures will continue to fall as the week continues. And they want to warn people, the Connecticut governor had a pretty unusual warning, a bit of advice for people dealing with the cold temperatures there.
Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. DANNEL MALLOY, CONNECTICUT: If you want some tips on how to deal with the cold. First of all, I'll give you mine. Don't put your tongue on a flag pole.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FIELD: All right, a little bit of unusual advice, obviously make something light of the situation, that can help when we're dealing with this tremendous cold.
But we'll give you a look at the road here in Sayville right now, the plows have been out. They've been salting. They've been trying to clean up to get ahead of the mess. That's because temperatures are actually going to warm up later today. That could make it messy and slushy.
And then we'll see the temperatures take that nosedive a little bit later this week. So, all of us are still in for a lot here -- Alison, Victor.
BLACKWELL: All right. Alexandra Field there for us in Sayville, New York. Rush back into the live truck, stay warm. We'll see you in a few.
Airports, they are struggling to get travelers on their way after thousands of flights were canceled this week. More than 600 have been already canceled today. And that's on top of more than 3,000 flights canceled yesterday. Airlines are adjusting their policies, of course, to help people get to where they're going. If you're flying today, plan on checking with the airline before you leave home.
KOSIK: And in Massachusetts, officials are urging residents who live on the coast to evacuate. This is what it looked like in a town there on Friday after high tides caused flooding in several homes. Residents who plan to stay will have a hard time getting around. Many of the streets have been coated with a thick sheet of ice, thanks to those freezing temperatures.
Officials have opened shelters for people in need of a place to stay.
Massachusetts also saw some of the heaviest snowfall and now people are just trying to dig out. More than 23 inches of snow fell in Foxborough, a town north of Boston. And now comes the bitter cold. It's about one degree Fahrenheit right now in Beantown. It feels like negative eight with the wind.
Margaret Conley is live there.
Margaret, how are you holding up?
BLACKWELL: Yes.
MARGARET CONLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm hanging in there, Alison and Victor.
Massachusetts is up to two feet of snow in a few areas. There was -- we had near record-low temperatures last night.
Take a look at the streets right now. No one is outside. I've maybe seen one person walking on the street.
There's also a wind-chill advisory in place. That wind-chill advisory is going to stay in place until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. Those advisories are issued when it's below 15 or below 24 degrees over a period of three hours. So, that -- those are the temperatures that we're dealing with out here.
The concern is frostbite. We're going to have a lot of advisories. It's based on the amount of wind and how long do you stay outside. People are advising if you have to go outside for work or you have to be outside to shovel the snow, wear gloves, make sure you pay attention to the warning signs that your body gives off. A lot of the local doctors are saying people are trying to tough it out and that's when they get into trouble.
Also, weather is a big factor for travel. Logan Airport, they have flights going in and out, but there have been a lot of delays, a lot of cancellations.
At our hotel last night, a lot of people were stranded. My flight was cancelled. They're expected to resume today.
But check those schedules before you head to the airport -- Alison, Victor.
BLACKWELL: So your flight was canceled. That's why you're up with us live on television this morning?
CONLEY: You got it.
BLACKWELL: Otherwise, she'd probably be in bed.
You know one thing I find that actually helps keep at least reporters who are out there, warm, those thermal back pain things, you know, you get there for back pain, thermal care or something.
KOSIK: Oh, yes, but you get plaster them all over your body. It's only in one spot.
BLACKWELL: Just one on the lower back helps me.
CONLEY: That's right.
BLACKWELL: You focus on a warm spot, yes.
CONLEY: All over the body.
KOSIK: You know, Margaret, I know they're a hardy bunch in Boston. They're used to the cold. I don't see anybody out? I mean, is anybody out this morning yet?
CONLEY: It's still a little bit early. I think you guys are the only ones that get up that early. But, yesterday, we saw people playing around in the snow. Give it a little bit more time. But it is expected to be very, very cold. So, we'll keep watch for who comes out to join us.
BLACKWELL: How about the roads? Are they clear?
CONLEY: The roads are pretty clear. You got to be careful of black ice. That's the other advisory that we've seen.
So, right now, you're looking down here. You know, you can drive on the roads because a lot of the snow cleared out. But you just got to be really careful.
We probably will still see people shoveling. That was the big thing yesterday. But it looks like a lot of the snow has been cleared out and not sustained.
BLACKWELL: Yes, the right tires and maybe chains, if people still do those, they can help you through the snow, but there's nothing that helps you with ice.
All right. Margaret Conley in Boston for us -- thank you. Stay warm.
KOSIK: I love her hat.
BLACKWELL: Yes, it is very nice.
KOSIK: Stylish.
BLACKWELL: Stylish.
In the Midwest, temperatures are expected to plunge as a dangerous arctic blast moves in.
KOSIK: Some states could see the coldest temperatures in more than a decade. Officials are warning bone-cold temps could cause rapid frostbite and hypothermia.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is in the CNN severe weather center.
Any relief, Pedram? Is this going to continue for days and days?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Up until at least Wednesday.
We do see above-average trend later next weekend. So, that's the good news long term. But right now, you're talking about the bone-cold temperatures.
I just want to show the temperatures as far as what the ambient temperatures, what it is without the wind. You factor in a 10-mile an hour wind. Anywhere from zero to minus 10, it would feel as cold as minus 28 -- 20 to 30 below.
That's some of the temperatures forecast for areas across the upper Midwest, the northern portion of the Great Lakes. You factor in a 10- mile-per-hour wind. It could feel as cold as 53 below zero. That's the concern.
That's why schools across portions of Minneapolis, across Madison, across Milwaukee have been cancelled and closed on Monday because it's actually the first day for kids to go back to school from the holiday break. And they don't want kids standing outside at the bus stop when the wind chills is could be as cold as 50 below zero in some of these regions.
And, you know, the arctic region, it's just becoming settled in across the northern tier of the country. We have yet another storm system coming in. This would be the second storm in the first four days of 2014. It's going to bring in significant snow showers ahead of it, across the Northeast it will actually warm up.
So, everything we get here will be rain, behind it or across portions of the Ohio Valley. We're talking snowfall on the order of possibly a foot. That happens sometimes Saturday night into Sunday night. Where Indianapolis could be upwards of a foot, while Chicago, about 10 inches, St. Louis gets about 10 inches.
And keep in mind, snow, the color white there, what we call high albedo that reflects any amount of solar radiation that we get. So, it allows temperatures to cool off more efficiently. And that's a regular cold front was coming in.
But what we have in store is one of the coldest air masses we've seen in the 21st century, as pungent down southward, temperatures as far south as Nashville could reach zero for a low temperature on Monday night. Atlanta, some of the models but Atlanta down to 6 degrees on Monday night, pretty incredible stuff. And I want to show you some of the high temperatures across portions of the Upper Midwest, because Minneapolis could spend upwards of 80 consecutive hours below zero degrees, the last time this happened was mid-1990s.
Chicago, 10 below. That's your high temperature come Monday afternoon. It warms up to about two by Tuesday. Notice the high for this time of year is right around freezing. Far shy of that. Even portions of the Northeast, Alison and Victor, take a look at New York City, 49 on Monday, drops down to 14 come Tuesday.
Well, Boston goes from 50 on Monday to 18 degrees. And usually with an arctic air mass, guys, the winds are rather calm. This time around, we're going to see blustery conditions. The wind-chills some of the coldest in years.
BLACKWELL: You know, I was just fascinated by one thing you said that because snow is white it cools quicker. I never considered that.
JAVAHERI: It does. It reflects any amount of solar radiation that we get. It's more efficiently cooled off. As it tries to melt, not doing that this time of around, but as it does, it draws the temperature down more efficiently as well.
So, all of that coming together with one of the coldest air masses that we've seen in a very long time.
BLACKWELL: Wow. All right. Pedram, thank you.
JAVAHERI: Thank you.
BLACKWELL: The CDC says the number of states reporting widespread flu activity jumped from 10 to 25 last week. Now, widespread means that more than half of the states geographic regions like counties or townships are reporting activity. The most common strain has been H1N1. Back in 2009, it was known as the swine flu.
CDC says six children have died since the end of September. Some states have also reported adult deaths.
KOSIK: The 1967 Ice Bowl could be one of the most famous football games ever.
BLACKWELL: You know, we could see a sequel on Sunday. We'll talk to someone in Green Bay about that game. You know, some people consider this to be the greatest game ever played. We'll see if we get Ice Bowl take two.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: And not a soul on road in Sayville, New York.
KOSIK: Everybody's hiding in their houses like I will be doing to. It's 7:14 there. So, maybe people -- hey, one guy. And he's in a Hummer. Most roads, you got to have something that will handle it.
A live look now at Sayville, snow piled up on the sidewalks. The streets are plowed there, but be careful of the ice.
And if you thought that the worst was behind us, wait until you hear what's coming our way. P.J.'s here with the forecast. That's coming up later.
There's a reason they called Lambeau Field the Frozen Tundra. The Green Bay Packers fans are coming out to get the stadium ready for Sunday's playoff game against San Francisco. The game kicks off tomorrow afternoon in subzero temperatures.
KOSIK: So to help fans, the team is going to be offering free hot chocolate and coffee during the game. I think they're going to need to drink it fast because I think it's going to freeze solid.
BLACKWELL: Yes, Sunday's game, we understand, is drawing comparisons to the Ice Bowl of '67. KOSIK: It is because in that legendary game, it was so cold. It was so cold, the field froze. And the refs, they couldn't use their whistles, and a fan even died in the stands.
BLACKWELL: Hopefully, tomorrow's game won't be that bad. But it has the potential to be a classic because of the temperatures.
Chris Terlop is the host of "Sports Line" on Sports Radio 107.5 The Fan, in Green Bay. He's here via Skype.
Chris, you know, we've been talking all morning about what this game will be, and now comparing it to the Ice Bowl.
I mean, how close are the comparisons here?
CHRIS TERLOP, SPORTS LINE: I mean, the temperatures are going to be extremely similar when they kick off. The Ice Bowl is negative 13 degrees. The wind-chill was around negative 37. Green Bay, we're looking at temperatures below zero to kick off. Wind-chills could be anywhere from negative 30 to negative 40.
Obviously, the technology is much better now than it was back then. But the temperatures are going to be extremely similar. Not expected any snow because there won't be any moisture, but it's going to be pretty close to the exact situation as it was in 1967.
KOSIK: But, Chris, isn't this part of Green Bay's culture? And if so, why couldn't they -- you know, sell it out, sell out the game?
TERLOP: It's definitely part of Green Bay's culture. This is what Green Bay fans really thrive on, they pride themselves on. These are the fans of the NFL because they're willing to go out in these temperatures and watch their team play.
The sellout issue, it was a little different from years past, the way that they handled ticket sales this year. They had 40,000 tickets to sell on Monday when they released for the playoffs, because the Packers late season resurgence. A lot of people weren't sure they were going to make the playoffs. So, then they made a push to sell it.
And, Green Bay obviously isn't a huge market. So, it's difficult to sell out 40,000 tickets. They rely a lot on out of town people to come in and buy the tickets. Fans who haven't, trying to book a flight, book a hotel with a week's notice is ridiculous and the product, in your home, on TV, is phenomenal.
That's why you're seeing these issues across the NFL, with the ticket prices. I think a little bit had to do with the cold. But it really wasn't a huge factor and why fans didn't show up. They eventually sold out yesterday around 11:00 a.m.
BLACKWELL: You know, let me ask you more about the cold, because while most of the country, and especially people who aren't huge football fans are looking at the folks going to be at this game tomorrow and wondering why are they going in these temperatures. Are there people there in Green Bay who are actually looking forward to the challenge of sitting out in 35 below zero temperatures?
TERLOP: Absolutely. As sick and as strange as that sounds, people are getting really excited for this. Back in 1967, you have people come up all the time, when you bring up the ice bowl. I was there. Here's the ticket stub. I braved the weather.
We saw that package for the Super Bowl, that's the same kind of thing. (AUDIO BREAK) And hopefully, they will survive with the Packers win.
KOSIK: Where are you watching the game? I'm curious.
TERLOP: I'm going to be in the press box, luckily. I don't have to worry about it. I got hand warmers for Christmas from my grandma. But I'm not going to need to be them. It will be nice and warm in the press box.
KOSIK: OK, important last question. How many naked fans are going to be in the stands tomorrow?
(LAUGHTER)
TERLOP: Oh, there's normally a few. I've been -- before I got this job up here, I actually went to a game shirtless at 20 degrees. It wasn't the best decision in the world. It's something you brag about when you're not as bright when you were younger.
I'd say there will be 10 fans crazy enough to try to start the game. Then they'll hide in the bathrooms halftime those are at least heated.
BLACKWELL: Well, we'll count them. And thanks, grandma, for the hand warmers.
Chris Terlop in Green Bay, Wisconsin, good to have you.
TERLOP: Thanks for having me guys.
BLACKWELL: Sure.
Coming up, an old favorite gets a new label.
PERINO: Why cheerios have bowed to public pressure to change their ingredients.
BLACKWELL: And Facebook under fire again. The new lawsuit that says the social network is guilty of snooping and selling.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: It's money time on NEW DAY.
So far, 2014 is looking nothing like 2013 on Wall Street. After kicking off the New Year with a luck, stocks ended Friday a miss (ph).
BLACKWELL: Now, the Dow rose slightly while the S&P 500 and NASDAQ finished lower. Volume was low. The snowstorm in the Northeast kept traders away. A status update for you: not happy. Two people have filed a lawsuit against Facebook. The suit claims Facebook cans messages between users labeled private. And it says that the social media company looks for links and others to be sold to advertisers.
Now, Facebook has not immediately responded but other media reports the company says the suit is without merit.
KOSIK: Let me ask you this, what is in your bowl of cheerios this morning? General Mills changed that cereal so it's not using GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. The company says it switched from using non-GMO corn and non-GMO sugar. But the changes only apply to original Cheerios and not the other 50,000 flavors of Cheerios that are out there.
BLACKWELL: Love a good honey nut Cheerio.
All right. It's top of the morning when we look at our biz talk. It's actually, 7:23 here on the East Coast. Some stories creating buzz.
First up, good news for gas prices.
KOSIK: Yes.
BLACKWELL: And a lot of people have noticed this.
2013 saw some low prices. Apparently, it's going to get better in 2014.
KOSIK: Yes. So, the average cost of a gallon of regular last year was $3.49 a gallon. That was the lowest average since 2010. AAA said that South Carolina has the lowest price at $3.24. The highest price, that was in Hawaii at $4.24.
Now, 2014 prices are expected to be lower because of increased efficiency in cars and refineries expanding production.
BLACKWELL: Let's take a look at gas prices here. Got the national average, $3.22. Hawaii is, I mean, always the highest. They're $3.95. Montana, coming in at the bottom here, $3 a gallon. It could go to probably not.
You know, there are people who I am sure at home right now saying, I remember when gas was whatever a gallon, because everybody says that. I remember one time I got it, 99 cents a gallon for regular.
KOSIK: How old are you?
BLACKWELL: Not playing that game with you. I'm not playing that game. Not doing it.
All right. Let's talk about a car now. A car brand made in America will no longer be an American-owned company because Italian automaker Fiat has agreed to buy full control of Chrysler. Yes. KOSIK: It already owns a majority share of the company but will sell the remaining 41 percent of the company for $3.6 billion. This deal is actually coming after 4 1/2 years after the Obama administration brought in Fiat to rescue Chrysler from bankruptcy.
And now, there's word that Chrysler, there could be an IPO in the mix. So, we may see Chrysler go public again. So, really, Chrysler turning into the comeback kid. The commercials are out there. The momentum is there. We'll see how much Fiat has a hand in turning this company out.
BLACKWELL: You know, one other entity that's making the biz talk is "Duck Dynasty."
KOSIK: Yes.
BLACKWELL: I mean, we thought that maybe the Robinson clan has slowed down because of the controversy Phil Robertson, not so much.
KOSIK: The family behind the runway TV hit has just announced they're going to be launching their own line of guns this year. They have teamed up with gun maker Mossberg to release 12 weapons. So, here's the lineup. They're going to release nine shot guns, two semiautomatic rifles, one semi-automatic pistol. And the guns are going to be inscribed with the motto, "faith, family, ducks".
Already, there's some ad out for them. Here's one of them. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHIL ROBERTSON, DUCK DYNASTY: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and they've been endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. Those are rights that no government can take from you, to live, be free and pursue happiness. You know what makes me happy, ladies and gentlemen? To blow a mallard drake's head smooth off.
We hold these truths to be self-evident --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: OK.
KOSIK: Speak in the moment, I guess.
BLACKWELL: Speaks for itself.
Got new details on the crash that killed Paul Walker.
KOSIK: We knew the Porsche was going fast, but now we're finding out just how fast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: Mortgage rates dipped this week. Take a look. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: Bottom of the hour now. Welcome back. I'm Alison Kosik.
BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell.
If you don't have to go out, don't. Stay with us.
We've got five things you need to know for your NEW DAY.
KOSIK: Number one, a coroner has released a death certificate for a young California girl declared brain-dead. Also on Friday, a court hearing ended with Jahi McMath's family agreeing with the hospital on a protocol to move her to another facility. The judge ruled the hospital can take the 13-year-old girl off a ventilator at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday.
Number two, members of an honor guard from Ft. Bragg were seriously hurt when their van hit a tractor trailer loaded with logs. Rescue teams have cut away part of the van to save some of the soldiers. Five are now in critical condition. Police cited the van's driver for failure to yield. The driver of the log truck was slightly hurt but refused medical treatment.
BLACKWELL: Number three, rock 'n' roll legend Phil Everly has passed away.
(MUSIC)
BLACKWELL: You know the song. The Everly Brothers soared to the top of the music world in the late '50s, early '60s with hits like this one and they influenced d hits like the Beatles. Phil Everly's wife told "The L.A. Time" he died Friday in California due to complications from chronic, obstructive pulmonary disease. Phil Everly was 74 years old.
KOSIK: Number four: total whiteout. That's the story across the eastern half of the country, where 100 million people are still feeling the effects of a blizzard that dumped two feet of snow in some places and pushed temperatures in New England to more than 20 below.
The storm is being blamed to seven deaths including a Wisconsin man who succumbed to hypothermia.
Number five: major headache for travelers heading to the airport. So far, almost 700 flights have been canceled just today. More than 500 have been delayed. Passengers are encouraged, of course, to check the status of their flights before leaving home. Many airlines are waiving fees for travelers forced to reschedule their plans.
Across the country, officials are warning people to stay off the roads as bone-cold temperatures move into the Midwest.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is in the CNN weather center.
What's -- anything new on this, Pedram? PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You know, the expansive nature of this, Alison, to see this much cold air for such a large area, an area that's impacted by 140 million people, something you see once every decade, sometimes once in every two decades.
So, pretty rare event sitting up here across portions of the Upper Midwest. The cold air eventually pushes in for the Northeast where they're getting off the heels of an impressive storm system.
But I want to show you the temperatures as far as what's forecasted across portions Minneapolis. The high temperature, the high temperature, minus 15 degrees. The low dropped down to 25 below in Minneapolis, it should be about eight for this time of year. So, some of the hardiest folks in the country dealing with some temperatures you don't see very often.
In fact, just saw the National Weather Service saying that wind-chills in Minneapolis on Monday morning could be 60 below zero. Incredible stuff. That kind of temperature puts frostbite and also hypothermia within a matter of five to 10 minutes, even less than that when once you post that 60 below mark.
But look at Atlanta, 6. That's the forecast low temperature. It warms up to 43, worth nothing. Sunday night into Monday morning, a few flakes possible across the greater Atlanta area as well, the temperatures certainly cold enough to support that. New York, all the snow they've seen, they go to near 50 on Monday, and drop down to 13 for a high on Tuesday, and that really seesaw action isn't the forecast for much of the eastern half of the country.
Of course, a lot of people are talking about the game taking place at Lambeau Field. We're talking about 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, 3:40 is the game time in the afternoon hours, but temperatures expected somewhere between zero to six below guys, and that would make it the third coldest NFL game in history. It could easily be the coldest game in NFL history.
So, a lot of people impacted by this over the next couple of days.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I mean, these aren't temperatures we typically hear about in the U.S.
JAVAHERI: And we're talking about Minneapolis. So, it's not an isolated area in a remote corner of the country. It's very densely populated.
BLACKWELL: Wow, thank you, P.J.
JAVAHERI: Yes.
BLACKWELL: Paul Walker and his friend, they were traveling faster than 100 miles per hour before their Porsche crashed.
KOSIK: That is the new info from the final coroner's report that was just released. And what it says is that how the "Fast & Furious" star and his friend died, giving lots of details. Here's CNN's Casey Wian with more -- Casey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Victor, the final autopsy report for actor Paul Walker contained few surprises but lots of graphic detail.
(voice-over): Millions of fans of Paul Walkers's "Fast & Furious" movie series were shocked in November when a real life car crash killed the 40-year-old actor. The Los Angeles County coroner's final autopsy report shows Walker's death was gruesome and swift.
Walker was a passenger in an ultra high-performance car driven by his friend Roger Rodas on November 30th. The autopsy states the driver was driving a red Porsche Carrera GT at an unsafe speed, approximately 100-plus miles per hour.
JIM TORP, FRIEND OF PAUL WALKER AND ROGER RODAS: When they passed, there are no other cars around at all.
WIAN: The driver lost control, spun, struck a sidewalk, tree and a light post. Exclusive video obtained by CNN shows the moment of impact, and a full minute later this car bursting into flames.
ANTONIO HOLMES, WITNESS TO CRASH: There is nothing. We tried. We went through fire extinguishers.
WIAN: Concerned that Walker and Rodas may have been alive that entire time not supported by the autopsy. It says both bodies were found in a pugilistic stance, like a boxer, perhaps bracing for impact.
Walker's was burned so badly, only his lower back, buttocks and feet were uncharred. He had multiple bone fractures. Only a scant amount of soot was found in Walker's throat, indicating he wasn't breathing for long.
The body of Rodas was in an even more gruesome condition. He died instantly.
JUAN BANUELOS, FAN OF PAUL WALKER: In Hollywood, they never get hurt. They always drive as fast.
In reality, we do have to be concerned. We have to be concerned that this could happen to any of us. We've got to follow the rules. Follow the speed. We can't be too fast, too furious.
WIAN: The final autopsy confirms the coroner's initial ruling on the cause of death, an accident. Walker lives on on film. Seventh installment of the "Fast and Furious" franchise partially shot at the time of Walker's death is scheduled to be released next year -- Alison and Victor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: Casey Wian, thank you. KOSIK: A Medicaid problem in North Carolina. The state's Department of Health and Human Services mailed almost 49,000 Medicaid cards to the wrong people. According to our affiliate WRAL TV, officials were trying to issue new cards to about 70,000 children being switched to Medicaid but more than half the cards went to the wrong addresses.
Health officials say the mix up won't affect coverage for any children.
This is amazing now. Listen to this. This guy didn't even know he was holding the winning ticket. I'm talking about the second winner of last month's $648 million mega millions jackpot.
BLACKWELL: Can you imagine the moment when you realize what you have?
This guy, Steve Tran. He's a delivery driver from North Carolina, talk about a tip. According to California lottery officials, Tran was oblivious for about two weeks about this massive fortune.
KOSIK: Imagine. Tran says he bought tickets for the mega millions game all along his delivery route but it wasn't until a few nights ago, uh-hmm, that he realized one of them came from the San Jose gift shop that sold one of the winning tickets.
BLACKWELL: Tran said he left his boss a message saying he didn't think he'd be coming in today, or tomorrow or ever.
KOSIK: I wonder how those last two weeks of work were for him, when he didn't sort of living oblivious to the fact he won. We're the good weeks --
BLACKWELL: Take it back, I could have been living a millionaire the whole time? Well, congratulations now that you found your ticket.
We're moving from a sleeping beauty spinoff to a World War II Nazi hunt. 2014 is expected to be a big year at the box office.
KOSIK: Up next, we're going to be talking about the must-see movies of the New Year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $430,000 in one monstrosity, huh?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The business expense --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look what you got here? Look at this, $26,000 --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: "The Wolf of Wall Street", no, no, it's not going to breaking any records but it is making history in its own little way.
BLACKWELL: I love this scene he tries to explain the $30,000 dinner by saying there were lots of sides.
KOSIK: Of course, yes.
BLACKWELL: I love it. Anyway, Martin Scorse's latest film has a record number of "F" bombs.
KOSIK: What are those?
BLACKWELL: Do you think I'm going to lose my job on this show? Not going to happen.
The most "F" bombs ever, according to "Variety", which apparently keeps track of these things the word is said, screamed or yelled 506 times in that movie. Now, the previous record was held by Spike Lee "Summer of Sand". We here at NEW DAY want to congratulation Mr. Scorsese.
KOSIK: Congratulations.
Kesha says she is heading to rehab to confront a dangerous eating disorder.
BLACKWELL: Yes, the singer plans to spend 30 days in treatment. Her visit to rehab comes just a month before she's scheduled to perform in Dubai.
In a statement, she wrote, "I'm a crusader for being yourself and loving yourself, but I've found it hard to practice. I'll be unavailable for 30 days seeking treatment for my eating disorder. To learn to love myself again exactly as I am." Good for you.
KOSIK: Yes.
BLACKWELL: A New Year means a new selection of the box office and if it sounds too early to talk about Oscar-worthy performances, think again.
You know, typically, the January movers are the ones that they want to get out of the day before people really start paying attention.
KOSIK: We're still seeing the December movies.
BLACKWELL: Yes, we are still seeing the December movies because it is award season. But plenty of movies causing buzz before they hit the big screen. Let's talk about this. What to watch in 2014.
We got senior editor of "In Touch Weekly," Kim Serafin. And editor of Oscar site, goldderby.com, Tom O'Neill.
Good to have both of you.
I want to start with "The Monuments Men." George Clooney is in it. It's based on a true story about a World War II platoon tasked with hunting art stolen by Nazis. We've got a clip. Let's look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put our team together and do our best --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't be afraid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's much better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you want to go into a war zone with architects and artists and tell our boys what we can and cannot blow up. Aren't we a little old for that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We go through basic and then we wait for orders.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: You've got Matt Damon there. I think I saw a flash of John Goodman under that helmet there.
Let's start with you, Kim. Do you think "The Monuments Men" has Oscar potential?
KIM SERAFIN, IN TOUCH WEEKLY: Well, it's interesting because people thought this would have Oscar potential for this coming year Oscars. It was supposed to be released in December, but then they pushed it. So, it's not going to be released now for a couple of months. So, February, because they wanted everything set up the right way. So, yes, I think it has Oscar potential. It's interesting because it's based on a true story, true happening.
And there's a new trailer out there that's kind of a news reel, a historic news reel footage type of reel that's really interesting. It's really a creative way of doing it. It will probably go viral. I think it's very interesting way of getting people to understand what this movie is about. So, I think this definitely has Oscar potential. And when you have George Clooney and Matt Damon and John Goodman and Bill Murray involved, yes, definitely, some people involved.
KOSIK: Tom, do you see the same thing she's seeing about the movie?
TOM O'NEILL, GOLDDERBY.COM: Yes, but I think they moved it primarily to get it out of that Oscar corridor, but this is really a commercial. Is this "Oceans 11" goes to World War II. It's got a lot of comedy. George Clooney directed it. It's the first time since "Ides of March" three years ago, so that's why there's the Oscar buzz. But it looks like it's going to be guaranteed entertainment.
BLACKWELL: Hey, let's talk more about, I want to stay with which movies have the best cast. I mean, "The Monuments Men" has a great lineup. But what else in 2014 do you see a great ensemble? Where else do you see it?
O'NEILL: I like the "Interstellar" movie that Christopher Nolan has. It's got Matthew McConaughey. It has Anne Hathaway. He gave us "Inception" and "The Dark Night". And this is the movie that's rich with worm holes and time travel. It looks spectacular.
KOSIK: Anything else.
SERARFIN: Yes. This is definitely going to be an interesting movie. And the same thing with this trailer, they have a trailer going NASA footage, Matthew McConaughey is narrating this. Like Tom says, it's deal with like a worm hole.
But when you have Christopher Nolan involved, and it's also kind of very mysterious, you know? These explorers find a worm hole. They find parts of the universe that have never been explored before. There's a lot of anticipation about this one.
KOSIK: OK, let's switch gears movies for the whole family. The next film starring Angelina Jolie hitting theaters next summer. It's a spinoff of the classic story of "Sleeping Beauty" told through the eyes of a villain. Let's go to a clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't about afraid.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not afraid.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then come out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then you'll be afraid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: Ooh, that's a good one.
Well, is Angelina Jolie perfect in this flick? She delivered that line well. How about the role, Kim?
SERAFIN: Oh, my gosh, yes. I mean, just look at this trailer. This, alone, tells you she so perfect for this. Her daughter actually is in the movie. Her daughter Vivian.
You can see her in the trailer. Her daughter is running through the grass. There she is, running through the grass.
Yes, it's pretty amazing to see her in this kind of role. A Disney role, but a very scary, spooky Disney role.
BLACKWELL: Tom, what about action movies?
O'NEILL: Action movies, well, let's take a look -- do you want to move to "The Hunger Games"?
BLACKWELL: How about it?
O'NEILL: OK. Well, where we left off "Catching Fire" first thing out of the dome, and there's a revolution brewing. You know the book series, you know that it's all about that revolution. So what they did, with the movie, was to break it into two parts, part 1 and part 2. And part 1 is coming and if you liked "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" and first one, you're going to love what's coming next. KOSIK: And when is it coming out?
O'NEILL: It's due out I think late summer, I believe.
KOSIK: I can't wait.
BLACKWELL: Perfect time to release a big blockbuster. Kim Serafin, senior editor of "Us Weekly", and Tom O'Neill, thank you very much.
SERAFIN: "In Touch Weekly."
BLACKWELL: I'm sorry. "In Touch Weekly", I want to get right.
Thank you, Kim. Thank you, Tom.
KOSIK: Another revolution from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. According to documents released by Snowden, the NSA is trying to build a secret computer that can break almost any kind of encryption.
BLACKWELL: Just how powerful would it be and what exactly will it be used for?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Coming up close to the top of the hour, 10 minutes until the top of the hour. A top secret federal court has reauthorized the NSA's mass phone records collection program.
KOSIK: It's the first time the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has ruled since two courts issued rulings of the legality of the program. One court deemed it likely unconstitutional and the other upheld it. Both rulings have been appealed. So, the issue could eventually head to the Supreme Court.
BLACKWELL: And you remember this program first came to light where documents leaked by this man, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
And now, the National Security Agency is reportedly working on a super computer that would be able to break nearly any kind of encryption, including codes use to protect banking and medical and government information.
KOSIK: It's the latest revelation from documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
CNN's Brian Todd has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, Alison, it's not just the encryption codes that guard government and business secrets that the NSA will be able to break. It's also the encryption many of us use everyday to access our bank accounts, medical records.
When the NSA finishes the so-called Quantum Computer, just about all of the encryption can be broken. And it maybe pointless to try to protect anything online.
(voice-over): Encryption, those scrambled codes that protect our most sensitive information online, shield the most top- secret, crucial data that governments possess from hackers and cyber- spies.
Now, the NSA is reportedly developing what's called a quantum computer. When it's complete, it will be able to break just about any encryption in the world.
(on camera): When NSA gets that quantum computer, what will it be able to do?
JAMES LEWIS, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Quantum computing will be a game changer. It will make it a lot easier for NSA to break the codes that foreign governments use, that foreign criminal groups use.
TODD (voice-over): But NSA will also be able to break encryption codes that we all use, to protect or bank accounts, e-mails, medical records. A privacy advocate says that may lead to a world with no secrets, where it would be almost pointless trying to protect anything.
MARC ROTENBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER: We don't know for the most part in fact what the capabilities are, what steps are being taken to undermine the types of encryption that you and I might rely on, for example, when we go online to purchase a book or download some music.
TODD: The quantum program is revealed in documents provided by NSA leaker Edward Snowden and reported by "The Washington Post." How would this supercomputer work? When a regular computer tries to solve a problem, it has to go through each possible solution one by one by one until it arrives at the correct answer.
What makes a quantum computer so special is that it simultaneously tries every possibility, arriving at the correct answer much quicker.
According to the documents, the quantum computer is being developed at this lab in College Park, Maryland.
(on camera): Quantum computing is so difficult to master. This computer is fragile. It is being built in room-sized cages that have to seal out any electromagnetic energy in the air, like cell phone or GPS signals. How close is NSA to finishing the computer?
Experts say it could be anywhere from five years away or a decade or more. Contacted by CNN, the NSA wouldn't comment on the project -- Alison and Victor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: OK. Our thanks to Brian Todd for that.
BLACKWELL: Fire and ice, they're making for big trouble for firefighters. How nature threw them together for this interesting challenge, which is coming up after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Dangerous combination here of fire and ice. This is in Nebraska.
KOSIK: As firefighters battle the blaze in historic building in Plattsmouth, the water from their hoses hit the ground instantly, freezing.
BLACKWELL: We're told there's a lot of slipping and sliding. Good news is no one was hurt.
KOSIK: Kids in one school district in St. Louis, they got a welcome surprise on Friday.
BLACKWELL: School was canceled.
KOSIK: Yes.
BLACKWELL: Not because of snow, because it was too cold for the buses to run. I imagine those temperatures.
KOSIK: Those are freezing temperatures. They put 20 buses out of service. And while the brakes wouldn't work on another 85 buses. Parents, of course, not as happy as the kids, but the school is saying it's going to put policies into place so this won't happen again.
BLACKWELL: The buses are freezing, wow.
KOSIK: It's about to get a lot easier for people in wheelchairs to get around when it snows. A new product called wheel blade is helping some people in wheel chairs glide over the snow and ice instead of getting stuck in it, which will be use for in Minneapolis where Sam and Tracey Tabaka (ph) live.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We spend many months out of the year with snow in Minnesota. This is a huge thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It definitely allows me to be more independent. It changed my outlook on what I can do in the winter on my own.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: I love -- I love inventions that better people's lives. I mean, those are the kinds of inventions that make a mark.
BLACKWELL: That's a challenge I've never really considered. That the wheelchairs can't get through the snow. It makes sense once you actually see that this has been invented. But thanks for the folks -- wheel blades, they're called?
KOSIK: Wheel blades.
BLACKWELL: All right. Snow angels -- they're so yesterday. They really are.
Take a look at this. Three Minneapolis brothers built this ten-foot shark out of snow. It took them 95 hours.
KOSIK: Oh my God, who has the patience for that?
BLACKWELL: They do.
KOSIK: Get a good look at the fins and tail and the teeth. They are sharp. Those alone took ten hours to build. The brothers made the first snow sculpture three years ago. It has since become a family tradition.
I can't make a snowman. I'm so inept. Maybe because I'm from Florida, from Miami.
BLACKWELL: My snowmen are always terrible, but that's huge. I mean, is that all solid snow?
KOSIK: It's got to be. It's amazing. I like the shark teeth.
BLACKWELL: Yes, good job.
Remember the documentary "Super Size Me", this is the one when Morgan Spurlock only ate McDonald's. He put on weight, got out of shape. Remember that?
Well, one science teacher in Iowa made his own amateur film. He said you can eat the fast food giant as long as you, quote, "eat smart" the rest of the day and try to balance it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN CISNA, MADE AMATEUR FILM ABOUT MCDONALD'S: The point behind this documentary is that, hey, it's choice. We all have choices. It's our choices that make us fat. Not McDonald's.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: So, John Cisna, he ate 90 days of Mickey D's for breakfast, for lunch and for dinner, and limited himself to 200 calories while trying to take in the right amount of nutrients like proteins and fat.
BLACKWELL: Was that the before and after? Because I don't know if that was the best argument in that picture that's to them.
But thanks for starting your morning with us.
KOSIK: The next hour of NEW DAY starts right now.
