president. >> the future to me should be abundantly clear to those who support the the assad regime. the days are numbered. >> egypt's newly elected president is defying the military in a power struggle that could decide the country's fate. president mohamed morsi is calling parliament back into session. military officials are plan ini a meeting to discuss the move. the death toll from the flash floods in southern russia is still rising as waters recede. at least 150 people are confirmed dead. some survivors are venting their anger at authorities saying they never had any warning of the floods. we have a tiny bit of optimism from a part of the world where a mystery disease has killed dozens of children. health officials may have an explanation for the deadly outbreak. they're seeing evidence of a virus known to cause neurological attacks. it's not definite, but something to go on. the hollywood legend,

erine erinest borginine dieded today. he died in a hospital in los angeles. he was 95 years old. at wimbledon, roger federer's victory stole the spotlight from andy murray's run at history. he won his seventh title at murray's expension. murray was the first british player to reach a final in the 64 years. federer had 17 grand slam trophies. the the weather went from wi wicked to deadly in cuba, missouri. a new mother was killed in a parking lot when debris crashed through her windshield and hit her in the chest. you're about to see a very brutal and frightening piece of video. it's shaky and blurry, but shows a woman being shot to death while a crowd of men stand by and watch and they cheer.

we're told it's a public execution carried out by the taliban. u.s. military commanders have now seen the video. here's barbara starr. >> don, an afghan woman killed, executed by the taliban because two taliban men had a dispute over here according to the governor of the the afghan province where the killing took place. amateur video very difficult to watch. we of course will not show the moment of death, but look, this is the ongoing brutality of the taliban. the local governor says the men involve accused her of adultery and then had her killed. that official says the men quote faked a court to decide about the fate of the woman and in one hour, they executed the woman. the two men involved were then killed by a third taliban commander. afghan officials say they are still looking for the others involved. there was a very strong and

swift statement from the top u.s. military commander, general john allen, who said quote let's be clear. this wasn't justice. this was murder and an atrocity of unspeakable cruelty. the taliban's continued brutality towards innocent civilians, particularly women, must be condemned in the strongest terms, there has been too much progress made by too many brave aftghans, especially on the part of women for this kind of criminal behavior to be tolerated. look, don, the deeper issue of course is the growing concern that women's rights in afghanistan will be set back. the human rights watch says nine out of ten women in that country suffer physical, sexual or psychological violence or forc d ed marriage.

the connection between slaveliry and some of the world's best athletes. but first, weather to the extreme weather temperatures. deadly storls as well and in one area, wildfires followed by dangerous floods. why not make lunch more than just lunch? with two times the points on dining in restaurants, you may find yourself asking why not, a lot. chase sapphire preferred. there's more to enjoy. i was worried about 'em, you know? i mean for instance my mom went to bed tonight before making my dinner. which is fine, i mean i, i know how to make dinner. it just starts to make you wonder. is this what happens when you age? my friends used to say i was the lucky one. i had the fun parents. where's the fun now? night guys! [ sighs ]

♪ [ male announcer ] venza. from toyota. in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history. so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪ and the next great idea could be yours. this is new york state. we built the first railway, the first trade route to the west, the greatest empires. then, some said, we lost our edge. well today, there's a new new york state. one that's working to attract businesses and create jobs. a place where innovation meets determination... and businesses lead the world.

the new new york works for business. find out how it can work for yours at thenewny.com. this has been our breaking news, the nightmare weather, the heat wave. 4500 daily heat wave records have been broken in the last 30 days and guess what? there is relief on the way. well, sort of. a cold front is moving in, which is great because it's going to break that heat spell, but with that cold front comes more storms, more wind, hail and

lightening. not welcome news those with no power. the weather in missouri causing a tragic death. nasty storm blew through the town of cuba last night. a new mother was riding out the storm in her car, just then, flying debris crashed through the car and struck her in the chest. in c kro nocolorado now, just c catch a break there. rocks washing out the streets. in ft. collins, meteorologist bonnie schneider, some parts need the rain, but it seems they are getting way too much at once. as they say, when it rains, it pours. >> it does and that's really the the last thing folks in colorado want to have to deal with because when you're talking about an area that was just severely burned, no trees, no shrubs to slow down the rush of the water. when you look at the rainfall

totals across the fire zones, imagine an inch and a half after recall in ft. collins. this rain would have been nice over the past couple of weeks gradually, but all at once, definitely a problem. there are still scattered showers in the region and that runs the risk of lightening anytime you have a fire danger area, but i think flash flooding will still continue to be a problem today and tomorrow. looking across much of areas further east, we have a new threat. thunderstorms. severe thunderstorms with deadly lightening. large hail and very damaging wind and these watch boxes extend all the way from kentucky to the coast of maryland and delaware. so it's a pretty expansive area that we're looking at these thunderstorms and i mentioned the the lightening, unfortunately this weekend, we had some deaths related to lightening strikes. you are looking at real time lightening strikes. this is happening as we speak.

i want to talk about the heat and some better news. i can't say it's great news because we have a lot of advisories. the picture is looking better at this hour than yesterday. the record heat just shattered many records as we've been talking about. literally, thousands of them for the past 30 days, but cooler air slowly but surely coming down. by the time we get to monday and tuesday and wednesday, we are going to see some improvements from the forecast. >> that's good news. thank you. next -- one of the fastest men on earth. >> you want to get up to speed as quickly as possible. >> reveals the secret to his success. slave slavery. >> i was able to break the world record. >> is he right? does the color of your skin make you better, faster, stronger? you don't have to be in front of a television to watch cnn. just go to cnn.com/tv.

then, some said, we lost our edge. well today, there's a new new york state. one that's working to attract businesses and create jobs. a place where innovation meets determination... and businesses lead the world. the new new york works for business. find out how it can work for yours at thenewny.com.

with two times the points onake lunch dining in restaurants,ch? you may find yourself asking why not, a lot. chase sapphire preferred. there's more to enjoy. in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history. so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪

this is a taboo topic and got you on social media going as well. i appreciate your comments ch keep them coming. here's the question. are black people better at sports than white people? more specifically, are black people bred to be better. michael johnson is not only fast on the track, he's also a little fast with his opinion, telling london's daily mail quote all my life, i believe i became an athlete through my own determination, difficult as it was to hear, slavery has benefitted descendants like me

and i believe there is a superior athletic gene in us. last night, we brought out the experts to see what they had to say about this. yes, he did say that. let's talk about it. joining me is es p srkspn and k author of black and white, race and sports in america. what is the bottom line here when you hear those comments from mr. johnson? i'll start with you, kenneth. >> it's problematic. nothing new. this is something that has occurred over the past 100 years. initially with african-american athletic success, then again in the '70s we saw it. this is a story that emerges and there's rarely been any sort of foundation for anyone to make such statements. >> there have been a number of studies done and this is drawing controversy because there are many people who believe that

what michael johnson says is true. both black and white. >> it's number one, an issue of correlation and causation. there are so many different issues and structures and everything else. one thing you could say, are black people better at sports, soccer is the most popular sport in the world and europeans seem to do fine with it. michael johnson is not a scienti scientist. it is a correlation causation issue and when he says there is a super athletic gene in all of us, i'm trying to figure out why i'm talking to you and not going to london next month. >> i want to read something that lee evans said. an olympic gold medalist. he says we were bred for it, certainly the the black people who survived in the slave ships, then on the plantations, a strong black man was mated with a strong black woman.

we're bred for physical qualities. still, you're not buying into that. sfwl he's not a scientist either. this is, it's also worth noting that we're a little bit far beyond slavery. i don't know how much the 150 years since then, but once again, i understand why people would say they see a certain thing, then say of course, it has to be da da da, but who is lee evans? >> why isn't science taking more time to study this and you think even by doing it, it would be a waste of time. >> what's the ultimate outcome? 100 meters in london, we'll see blacks with ten pound weights on or whites in baseball, all of a sudden, they only get two strikes. what kinds of changes do we make other than saying there's something to the hard work of individuals, their race, the desire in different sports an opportunity. >> maybe it has to do, too, growing up in certain

neighborhoods. which types of sports you have the opportunity to play. i want to go beyond this because you guys, as you guys said at the top of this broadcast, this has happened before. we heard about it in the '70s, '80s and '90s. remember when jimmy the greek made these comments? >> black is a better athlete to begin with because he's been bred to be that way. because of his high thighs and big thighs that go up into his back and they can jump higher and run faster because of their bigger thighs. the white man has to overcome that. but they don't try hard enough to overcome it. this goes back all the way to the civil war when during the slave trading, the big, the slave owner would, would, would breed his big black through his big woman so that he could have a big, black kids.

>> you know -- just hearing that, you go, you're just going, just stop. stop right there. don't say it. jimmy was prompt ly fired for hs comments. michael johnson is also a sports caster, guys. should he be fired? our guests are going to weigh in next. stand by. congratulations you are our one millionth customer. people don't like to miss out on money that should have been theirs. that's why at ally we have the raise your rate 2-year cd. you can get a one-time rate increase if our two-year rate goes up. if your bank makes you miss out, you need an ally. ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. by what's getting done. measure commitment the twenty billion dollars bp committed has helped fund economic and environmental recovery. long-term, bp's made a five hundred million dollar commitment to support scientists studying the environment. and the gulf is open for business -

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from jimmy the greek and it was so profound to see on the air. we're going to play part of it again. >> this goes back all the way to the civil war. when during the slave trading, the big, the owner, is slave owner would, would, would breed his big, black through his big woman so that he could have a big, a big, black kids. >> okay, so cbs promptly fired jimmy the creek. johnson told london's daily mail in part he believes slavery benefits athletes like him, so should he be fired, too? they're back. what do you think? should jones be fired or is this a double standard because he is a black athlete or have times changed now? >> well, if somebody were to fire him, i would understand,

but jimmy the greek worked on c cbs nfl today. associated with the nfl, you will get fired for. if he had not been fired, i don't think it would have been an issue, but i think the real fireable offense for him was that somebody put a microphone in his face when he had no business talking on television. >> kenneth, should he be fired? >> i don't think so. michael's on more of a personal journey. this was more of a documentary. he made some comments, believing what he believes, but without going through a full scientific method to understand what the reality is. >> does it sound worse coming from the the mouth of a white man? do you think that's why? herbalsy, you know, the language that jimmy the greek used, a big, black man with his big, black woman for a big, black baby. but come on, guys, they're saying the same thing. >> i think one of the difficulties is when you start

talking about people talking about race in this context, we start making preferences to black people that are uninformed. there are few, if any ster stereotypes of black people that are remotely positive, so when you start talking hear somebody talking about black people and sounds like they're discussing animals, you can see how that goes. what he said wasn't that utterly propostrouse, but i don't think double standard is the right word. i'm a little uncomfortable saying what it is, but it does sound -- that normally these things end badly. >> you guys remember james baldwin, the fire next time and the four ward of that letter. a letter to my nephew, to his nephew and it's kind of the same argument. but he says here, it will be hard, james, but you come from sturdy pe stock and achieved an

unassailable dignity. you come from a long line of poets and goes on to talk about homer. is he essentially saying the same thing? are people using this argument when they think it benefits them and at other points are offended by it? >> the positive is that we all have a history. we all come from somewhere. there's an influence from everyone based on their background, but to say that because i came across in a slave ship, i should be able to run the 100 faster than anyone else, there's a few things. >> michele:. >> baldwin didn't say we built a river, we were naturally built to do so. he said we did that and survived speaking to the speak,

literally. so i don't think they're even close to being the same thing. and i promise you -- we are naturally built to build rivers -- >> and you know, i had used that quote in graduation speeches that i do. you can take it depending on your interpretation to mean the same thing. thank you very much. appreciate it, guys. so moving on now, how's this for support. the house speaker, a republican, says he doesn't think the american people will fall in love with the presumptive republican nominee for president, but that's okay. what? we're talking about it. ♪

♪ pop goes the world ♪ it goes something like this ♪ everybody here is a friend of mine ♪ ♪ everybody, tell me, have you heard? ♪ [ female announcer ] pop in a whole new kind of clean with new tide pods... a powerful three-in-one detergent that cleans, brightens, and fights stains. just one removes more stains than the 6 next leading pacs combined. pop in. stand out. than the 6 next leading pacs combined. i'm one of six children that my mother raised by herself, and so college was a dream when i was a kid. i didn't know how i was gonna to do it, but i knew i was gonna get that opportunity one day, and that's what happened with university of phoenix. nothing can stop me now. i feel like the sky's the limit with what i can do and what i can accomplish.

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coming up on half past the hour, we want to get you up to speed on the headlines. first to afghanistan today where six nato troops were killed and we just learned in the past hour that all the troops were americans. it happened in the eastern part of afghanistan. a total of eight nato troops died yesterday and today in three separate incidents. the attacks come as hillary clinton meets with diplomats in tokyo. also in afghanistan, a woman was shot to death, executed in public. there's the video right there. someone recorded this public killing of the the woman. she was wearing a burka and we won't show you the moment of her

death, but a man with an automatic rifle shoots her at least nine times while men gather around and cheer. afghan officials believe she was part of a love triangle involving two taliban commanders who accused her of adultery. kofi annan is back in sierra to sign on to a new peace plan. activists say at least 43 people were killed today. secretary of state clinton had her own message for syria's president. >> the future to me should be abundantly clear to those who support the assad regime. the days are numbered. >> egypt's newly elected president is defying the military in a power struggle that could decide the country's fate. president mohamed morsi is calling parliament back to session.

we have a tiny bit of optimism from part of the world where a mystery disease has killed dozens of children. health officials in cambodia may have a -- seeing evidence of a virus known to cause neurological attacks. a hollywood legend, ernest borgnine died today. he was a veteran of shows like air wolf and mchale's navy. he was 95 years old. at wimbledon, roger federer's victory stole the spotlight from andy murray's run at history. he won his seventh wimbledon title at murray's expense. murray was the first british player to reach the finals in 74 years. that music and all that

means time to talk politics. house speaker john boehner says you don't have to vote for mitt romney. he just wants you to vote against president obama. how's that for candor, huh? let's talk about it with two sitting contributors, maria cardona and anna navarro. do you guys ever sleep? >> we're doing our job, don. >> here's what boehner said. the american people probably aren't going to fall in love with mitt romney. 95% of the people what show up to vote in november are going to show up in that voting booth and vote for or against barack obama. anna. ever heard the speaker of the house say that about his party's nominee? does that worry you at all? >> it doesn't worry me at all. i think the man is absolutely

right. and you know, the first time you marry for love, the second time you marry for money. we fell in love with barack obama four years ago. this country fell in love with barack obama. the young, charismatic leader. four years later, we're no hope and wait. unemployment's been at over 8% for over 41 months. i don't need to fall no love with mitt romney. i just need for unemployment numbers to fall. if we're looking for love, we can go on math.com. for a president, it's an entirely different thing. >> i think the concern is passion with actually going to the voting booth. going to the polls. you have to be, we use that term, love. something that has to move you in order to get you out of the house to do that. maria, is boehner right? by the way, i like that. very good, anna. but is this an up or down

referendum on barack obama and if so, is that good or bad for him? >> it's not, don, and here's what i think boehner, i think it was an astounding moment of candor because i think he realizes mitt romney is not lovable and somebody ta the voters are going to ever feel passionate about. it would be enough the barack obama wasn't so likable himself and you know, i agree with anna on one thing. there are certainly disappointment from a lot of voters in the fact that this president hasn't been able to do everything he set out to do four years ago, but they are also giving him and i've seen this in many polls and many focus groups that i've been in, they are giving him the benefit of the doubt. they understand what he was going up against and they also understand that it's going to take more time. so mitt romney is going to have

to offer something a little bit more than i am not barack obama. especially when barack obama still has some very high personal likability numbers. >> all right. so let's talk -- >> i agree with maria on that, don. i think barack -- mitt romney does need to offer more. we are in the oprah and dr. phil generation. we want to know this guy and we don't know him yet. we need to understand what he stands for, what his convictions are, what moves him. how he feels about things -- >> this is the whole thing about being drawn to someone because you know them personally. >> the economy was going off a fiscal cliff when he got into office cht i s office. i see both sides to it. people are frustrated. been out of work for a long time. there were issues going into the

campaign. we get it. but at least there is been at least positive job growth, maybe not what people wanted, over many months. >> that's right. >> so the question is, are people going to say hey, why change horses in midstream or is what the 59 point plan, whatever he has on paper, is that going to actually work once mitt romney gets into office if he ever gets into office? that's a huge if as well. >> i agree with you, don. i think he should listen to one of his staunchest supporters, let's keep it simple. a 59 point plan. don, i can't even follow a 59 point recipe. that gets too complicated. we need to feel confidence. we need to understand what he's offering and yes, look, the question's going to be, do you stay with a devil you know or go with a devil you don't know. and i'm not calling obama a devil or romney.

not only is there passion to leave obama and to turn away from obama, but also, romney has got to give us something to run towards. and that's something that i think he needs to start working on very effectively in a very short period of time. he needs to start going big. he needs to start talking big. >> i go get it. can we put the quote up here in jeanie -- she says lawmakers can't control for all the potential head winds that can hurt hiring such as the turmoil in europe, but they can choose to clear up the uncertainty about u.s. fiscal policy. problem is, almost no one expects him to do so before november elections. is the president going to get involved or just focus on his re-election? we know two people are running. but something has to be done in

washington while this is going on and they're going back and forth. nothing is happening and people are out of work and the economy isn't getting better. >> the president, sure. right. xagtly. so the president has already said that he would sign a bill tomorrow that deals with this fiscal cliff if the way that you deal with it is balanced. meaning that there is, that there is substantive and robust deficit reduction, but that there are also new revenues. this goes back to the first topic we were talking about. the the majority of the american people want for this deficit and the problems in terms of the fiscal cliff to be solved in a balanced and fair manner. you can't just cut, cut, cut your way to increased jobs and that's what this president is talking about. he's talking about fairness, fighting for the middle class. when voters go into the voting booth, they want to vote for

someone, knowing that person is waiting up every day fighting for them and that's what this president is going make the case in this election for. >> thank you very much. that is the end of it. some people marry for money the first time. thank you. it's likely on a short list of songs that everyone knows. lee greenwood talks about the tune made even more famous after the events of 9/11. but first, american public school students are ranked avrng at best when compared to other nations in reading, math and science. it's today's perry's principles. >> reading is not just fundamental. it's essential. it's what makes a child's confident in the classroom. it's not just about being able to recognize the words. we're talking about being able to predict. when a child doesn't feel comfortable in school, i bet you

u it's because they don't read very well. teachers, they're the people that are trained and certified to determine a child's capacity to read. they have all of the resources at their disposal to make sure that child's reading level goes up. one of my biggest frustrations that teachers in the primary grades don't work hard enough u to effectively teach children to read. so what i need educators to do is to own the fact it is their responsibility to teach children to read. reading for understanding. being able to read and make deductions and being able to have a conversation with the author. the expectation is that you will teach children to read. homicide of young people in america has an impact on all of us. how can we save these young people's lives? as a police chief, i have an opportunity to affect what happens in a major city.

if you want to make a difference, you have to have the right education. university of phoenix opened the door. my name is james craig, i am committed to making a difference, and i am a phoenix. visit phoenix.edu to find the program that's right for you. enroll now. ♪ pop goes the world ♪ it goes something like this ♪ everybody here is a friend of mine ♪ ♪ everybody, tell me, have you heard? ♪ [ female announcer ] pop in a whole new kind of clean with new tide pods... a powerful three-in-one detergent that cleans, brightens, and fights stains. just one removes more stains than the 6 next leading pacs combined.

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proud to be an american. a phrase synonymous with lee greenwood. it is after all his song. tonight, he sits in the red chair and talks tears, religion and wardrobe. >> there is no doubt that in

performances of "god bless the u.s.a.," i will lose it. in the first two or three years, it was almost every night. ♪ and i'm proud to be an american where at least i know i'm free ♪ i began to evolve as a patriot, if you will. i always loved what i did, entertaining people and getting them to feel good about themselves, but then you started getting people to feel good about themselves as being an american and it placed me in a little different of a position. i became known as an american artist. my song was what everybody knew me by. i don't ever get tired of singing it. you don't have to be a christian to be a patriot. but i think as the title of my book, does god still bless the the u.s.a. is relevant because

as we begin as a country, many patriots of course had the faith of their god. and i, i am a christian as well. i'm proud to say that. and one of the things that's right about america is that we display our faith as a christian nation and there's so many things that are wonderful about being christian. now, i'm not making the statement, you have to be one, but in this nation, the overall general population, most of us are christian. i know we're changing a little bit and there's many immigrants who come here from different faiths, but i just question any poll that would say we're not mostly a christian nation. if i were to go to israel, i expect to see jewish faith. japan, buddhist. middle east, probably the muslim faith. so if you were a jewish person, japanese or middle eastern, you are in this country and may regard your own faith, but you're still in a christian nation.

♪ you know, i have micked feelings about the clothes i wear when i sing. i like to represent myself and represent myself as a patriot and i get people who say you can't wear the stars and stripes as a piece of clothing. well, actually, the supreme court said you can. it's not a desecration of the flag. the flag is what it is. i don't wear the flag, but i do wear colors of the flag. red, white and blue is something i love to wear. i also have a black and white stars and stripes jacket i wear and it's a symbol of what i was and who i am. >> you can see more fascinating interviews like this one online, just go to cnn.com/video and search for red chair. a new program turning the healthy eating argument upside down. fitness and nutrition expert. oh, my gosh. trouble is here.

mark mcdonald here to talk about why banning unhealthy foods is not the solution. that is not a gun show, man. that's a six shooter and you can watch cnn live on your computer while at work. cnn.com/tv. i read an article... well, i read the majority of an article online about how older people are becoming more and more antisocial, so i was really aggressive with my parents about joining facebook. my parents are up to 19 friends now? so sad. ♪ i have 687 friends. this is living. what!? that is not a real puppy. that's too small to be a real puppy. [ male announcer ] venza. from toyota.

bring that camera in here. do the thing. what do you call that? >> the popping pecks of love. that creeps you out. why? >> now, my son loves this. he says, daddy, do the popping pecks of love. >> christie is our floor director. oh, that creeps me out. your one dollar a day.

doesn't seem like a lot, but could add up to $$100 a month. they're giving families a subsidy that encourages healthy eating. mark mcdonald joins me here in atlanta. this idea seems to be the opposite of banning unhealthy foods here. >> we were on last time, we talked about banning people. but to me, we're educating the opportunity to get healthy foods, also having a nutritionist who will educate them how to realistically work that into their day. >> we've been program to think if you eat healthy, it can be more expensive. you are saying it's cheaper? >> it can be. when you go through a fast food restaurant, you see the dollar menu is a dollar but a salad more expensive. you go to a warehouse or costco or sam's club or trader joe's,

you can get quality vegetables and fruits at a very low price. >> what i love about new york city, you can get almost on every corner fruit, you can pay a quarter and a dollar and get like four -- that doesn't happen everywhere, because we have these food places, have we forgotten the importance of fruits and vegetables. working with you, i don't just pick up an apple, it will throw me off balance. >> apples is carbohydrates. fruits are critical because it's our cells. we talk about antiodants. every breath we take, we create free radicals, poisons to your body. left unchecked, poisons. fruits and vegetables provide your body ability to combat those radicals, your body's bodyguard. critical. >> i kind of like them when they're tempura. not good? >> all in moderation, don. we have to find way to make it

realistic for people. people think it's not possible to eat healthy and it is. >> can programs like this motivate people to make healthier choices? >> i think so. it's a bridge for people. not only providing people with money but education. >> it bit's a nanny state, you're telling me what to eat. i should be able to eat what i want. >> you know i'm not a big government intervention for health, to me, not only do we provide them the bridge to do it but nutritionist to make it part of their day. create lifestyles. if kids don't eat healthy, when kids gotten eat healthy, parents eat unhealthy. we need to stop it with education. >> bring me new stuff they're testing on the market. you got nothing? >> next time, i will have super props. >> i just want new stuff, antioxidant. 95 great antioxidants. >> just for christie, do the

pecs thing. >> pops of love? >> she goes, i'm not watching. >> archie will love this. >> stop it. you're embarrassing everyone. they are cute, sometimes cuddly and funny. why won't athletes leave mascots alone. first this, as a police officer, zack encounter people victims of crime and neglect. whether than wait for his neighbors, he organized neighbors to help protect them. >> i've been a police officer over 10 years. we see people at their worst. the one thing i have seen over and over again is victimization of the elderly. they're the forgotten portion of our society that nobody really thinks about. they're alone and yet they don't ask for help. >> hey, buddy. you got a flat tire going there. >> i know. i don't have the money to fix it. >> that's not good. >> they're that much easier to victimize. extremely sad.

>> if i can help you with that tire, give me a call. >> i realize something had to be done. i've had enough. >> i'm officer zack hudson. i was raised by grandparents and my great-grandmother. i'm bringing people together to help seniors. >> mr. anderson, how are you? >> cops and firefighters come across seniors that have swrarious problems and call us and seniors reach directly us to. >> how's your floor looking? soft. >> my floor getting mushy, i was scared to death that would go right down through it. >> we contact ed not-for-profit, faith based organizations and businesses and get it done information free. if we get the tile down, that wheelchair won't take its toll on the floor like it did. >> we have 25 yards to do. >> it takes commitment from the community. >> nice and solid. >> i love it. >> elderly people rescued me in a lot of lot of ways. what do you think, mrs.

anderson? >> i won't want to leave my bathroom. >> this is simply an opportunity for me to give back to them. >> remember "cnn heroes" are all chosen from people you tell us about. to nominate someone making a difference, go to "cnn heroes."com. homicide of young people in america has an impact on all of us. how can we save these young people's lives? as a police chief, i have an opportunity to affect what happens in a major city. if you want to make a difference, you have to have the right education. university of phoenix opened the door.

my name is james craig, i am committed to making a difference, and i am a phoenix. visit phoenix.edu to find the program that's right for you. enroll now.

most people wouldn't consider it a dangerous job. sometimes being a mascot can be down right brutal. jeanne moos. >> reporter: his critics say for a winner he sure acted like a loser seconds after this french runner won the 3,000 meter steeplechase event at the european championships in finland. a gift bag and then shoved away a mascot, the mascot for 2012. turns out under that blue eye'd head was a flesh and blood 14-year-old girl. now, he didn't know she was shoving a 14-year-old. still, what's he got against mascots? okay. slap. reaction on the runner's own facebook page was way worse. bloody stinky swan. embocile. what a psycho.

he has been hat headed in the past. when a competitor head butted him, he came out swinging. this wasn't the first time the runner has had a run-in with a mascot. two years ago after winning the same race in barcelona, he gave the mascot a big hug, asked him to get down on his knees, then pushed him over. we've seen mascots assaulted before, most memorably when a pittsburgh pirate player used his bat on passion italian sausage, who fell and took out a weiner. there have been cases of mascot on mascot assault and we've seen mascots help run down rally fans, in this case with a belly flo flop. >> those who work as characters say something strange happens, that you become dehumanized and people do things they'd never do to another human. it could have been worse for appy, the helsinki mascot.

look what happened to elmo when he tried to spread cheer among school kids. tickle me elmo became torture me elmo until he managed to dance out of danger. jeanne moos, cnn. >> go elmo. >> reporter: new york. >> ah. poor mascots. jeanne, i want that lemon head thing. that would be perfect for me. send it down via company e-mail. i'm don lemon at the cnn headquarters in atlanta. see you back here at 10:00 p.m. eastern. cnn presents "cruise to disaster" begins right now. friday the 13th of january. italian cruise ship costa concordia has just left port. the more than 4,000 passengers and crew on board had no idea of

the terror that was about to unfold. >> and all of a sudden, bang. the lights went out. and the ship listed. >> the side of the ship is now the bottom of the ship. >> everybody was panicking, running for their own lives. >> it showed the kind of chaos, the ill preparedness the company had. >> and i can remember thinking, oh, my gosh, we're going to die. let's just get it over with. >> today, the costa concordia lies on its side off the italian island of giglio. one of the largest cruise ships in the world ripped apart by rocks. 32 people died on the ship, on that cold january night. a cnn investigation has pieced together theti