today -- gay, lesbian and transgender people are taking to the streets for a march on washington. we're going to take a look at those demonstrations and what the marchers say they want. last night president obama said he backs many of the goals of the gay movement. he once again promised to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. some activists say a promise isn't enough. plus -- wow. dramatic surveillance tape from ohio as a fistfight turns even more violent. hey, there. thanks for having us over. this is "hln news and views."

i'm virginia cha. right now in washington, gay rights advocates are marching past the white house on their way to the capitol building. the national equality march is designed to show president obama that his supporters in the gay community expect him to make good on his promises to them. organizers call it a low-key demonstration rather than a massive mobilization. some supporters say today's march recalls the struggles of an earlier generation for civil rights. >> the fact is in the '60s we were fighting for rights that we were denied because of what the illegal terms are call immutable characteristics. i'm black, you look at me and say i'm black. gay people have immutable characteristics. they are gay. they condition the change it if they wanted to. it seems to me these are the same fights. in fact, i'm fond of saying there are no such things as gay rights or black rights. there are only civil rights. and every american has a right to civil rights. >> the national equality march will end with a rally on the west lawn of the capitol. >> thank you.

>> president obama got a warm welcome when he talked to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to pursue an agenda that would bring an end to discrimination against gays. he specifically pointed out the need to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-discrimination law for the workplace. >> so i know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues that we're dealing with. but my commitment to you is unwavering even as we wrestle with these enormous problems. and while progress may be taking longer than you like as a result of all that we face, and that's the truth, do not doubt the direction we are heading, and the destination we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against

gays and lesbians, whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. >> president obama got standing ovations last night, but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored the event said never had a stronger ally in the white house, but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed the president repeated previous promises without laying out a time line for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it. the battle lines are being drawn in congress over the

future of the war in afghanistan. the top general in afghanistan presented several plans to president obama. stanley mccrystal is said to favor one that will deploy an additional 40,000 troops to afghanistan. the president is reviewing that request with his top advisers but the divide is growing between those who favor the troop increase and those who are against it. >> things in afghanistan are deteriorating. it's obvious that we got to change the direction in which we go. it's obvious we have to make changes relative to troop strength as well as what those troops are doing. general mccrystal has made a very positive recommendation, and i think it's incumbent upon the president to listen to his military commanders. >> my advice to the president would be that our national security interest and the future of afghanistan are better served with a smaller u.s. military footprint. i think the large number of troops that we have there already has served, you know, who have performed with an incredible skill, by the way. i think adding more to that

would be counterproductive. it would provide the -- the insurgents i think with the recruiting tool. i don't think we want to do that. >> vice president joe biden wants the u.s. to focus on counterterrorism in afghanistan that would use drones and special forces rather than relying on more troops. officials in pakistan say a hostage standoff at their army head quarters is over. a military spokesman said four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. but an alleged militant's leader was captured. the militants got into the headquarters yesterday after storming a checkpoint outside. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorist strikes in pakistan seemed to be picking up with at least three attacks just in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they are being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi. now, they accuse law enforcement of racial profiling and they say

they're neighborhood has been disrupted by police raids. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. khan has been under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosques. i was yesterday in the mosque for friday prayer. we are missing about two or three lines, plus the racial profiling that everybody has been questioned by the color of their skin, by the way they look and especially in our building. >> khan says he can't find a job because he was under police surveillance. meantime, zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he has pleaded not guilty. police in arizona have released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly.

>> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration, burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest. the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives of others or when you have to pay for it, that's -- that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught. and more and more in this society that money is evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he

warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had similar e-mails from thompson. thompson is accused of stabbing another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover. an early surprise in colorado led to a big headache for a lot of people. take a look. can you see what caused this massive pileup? some of the drivers didn't, and that is where the problem started.

this was the scene -- this fight turned into an all-out gun battle in toledo, ohio. people had already scrambled out the door. unbelievable. a few minutes later a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired. police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out what started the shootout. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out-of-control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah school say heather christianson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. christianson tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window, and she was killed when it rolled over. more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. authorities say the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. the school's director says christianson loved her students and died trying to save them.

parts of colorado seem to be skipping over fall and heading straight into winter weather. frigid temps led to a treacherous mix of ice and rain in the denver area. traffic accidents snarled the area but a serious 50-car pileup on interstate 25 near colorado springs is being blamed on black ice. the chain reaction wrecks happened early saturday morning. you can see the aftermath here. one person is in serious condition. record lows were set in a lot of areas. denver international airport reported a low of 17 degrees yesterday morning. a new record for that date. the previous daily low was 25 degrees for the date. a woman led florida deputies on a wild high-speed chase with a 7-year-old girl in the back seat. she was clocked at speeds topping 110 miles an hour, and at one point was driving the wrong way, weaving through traffic. she finally crashed into a guardrail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires. even after getting out of her car, police say she refused to

respond to their commands, so they say they finally tasered her. the child was not hurt in the crash. she was turned over to child protective services. storms and rain will head to parts of the south tonight, but for today, sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, on friday t destroyed at least two mobile homes, took down trees and power lines. fortunately, no one was seriously injured. meanwhile, northern alabama has some cleaning up to do as well. some power lines were toppled. trees came crashing down on home when's another storm hit there friday afternoon. there are women in every community who motivate, innovate and inspire. hln's own robin meade has the story of one breakthrough woman who is literally providing for others a moving experience. ♪ >> reporter: their joy, their love, their accomplishments.

>> boy, you did good. i'm very proud of you. >> reporter: that's what drives mickey cassella to get up on saturday mornings and dance. ♪ you do the hokey-pokey >> reporter: cassella is the director of physical therapy at children's hospital in boston. she's been there for more than 40 years. >> when you work with children that have special needs, there's not a whole lot out there for them as far as extracurricular activities. i really thought if we could find some type of activity that they could participate in together, we all like to be with our peers. >> reporter: cassella's also a physical therapist with the boston ballet. she combined her two worlds and formed a dance program for children with down syndrome seven years ago. professional dancers teach kids moves, while cassella lends a helping hand. >> there you go. >> reporter: 68-year-old cassella decided to become a physical therapist in high school. she was inspired by a child who learned to walk despite having a crippling disease. >> i thought, gee, that would be a wonderful thing to do, to help children that have some type of

a disadvantage to learn how to function in society. >> reporter: and now she hopes to inspire to do what they can to help. >> you can't just pay lip service to something. you have to live it.

tomorrow is columbus day, though you might not know it if you visit public schools in new york or chicago. the holiday is not observed in all public schools anymore, and

that may reflect the sharp divisions among educators about how best to portray the explorer in the classroom. now, he was once depicted as a conquering hero but christopher columbus has been much more complex. teachers struggle to balance the conflicting elements of his story, opening the americas to european exploration, for example, as well as the resulting exemploymentation and the repression of the native population. a big surprise for a small film at this weekend's box office. the scare fest "par norma activity" brought in a remarkable $7 million even though it was playing at fewer than 200 theaters. get this, the makers say it only cost them $15,000 to produce. this trailer, which shows audience reaction during a screening, has helped prompt huge buzz for the home video-style flick. more than a million people have signed internet petitions to release the movie in more cities. the top movie at the box office this weekend, though, was "couples retreat" with vince

vaughn. violence and guns added a somber note to the otherwise festive hip-hop awards hosted by b.e.t. in atlanta. rapper snoop dogg was there last night and commented on the recent deadly youth crisis in chicago. >> we need to learn how to become a better family at home first and foremost. and then once we become a family at home, it will pour out in the streets. i say to those out there crea creating that violent situation, let's stop the violence. i don't mean to say it like everybody else says it, i say it in a real way. we have a lot to live for, you understand what i'm saying. please be smart and understand we need to love each other instead of kill each other. that's from big snoop dogg. >> rapper t.i., who's in prison on a weapons conviction, won cd of the year. there was no on-stage drama from kanye west. he was a no show. jay-z was honored as the mvp of the year. comedian chris rock said when his daughters started wishing for "good hair" as

toddlers, he knew he had to find out more about what hair means to an african-american women. that led to a documentary that is funny, of course, but also opens up a new dialogue. we sat down with rock and actress nia long to talk about this film. >> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier or better than -- the lighter, the brighter, the better. >> oh, it is a black woman. if i look at brad pitt, he's a handsome guy. i go, man, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think, can i get his hair. >> but for us, the way you say suit is the same way we go, look at that hair. i want to get that hair. >> so what's in your hair now? >> this is a weave. >> this is a weave. >> two pieces here. >> like extensions. >> like -- like that. >> you do in the film, nia, why don't you tell us why you choose not to wear the hair you were born with? >> it's a little bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom, i'm an actress. i have to get my hustle all.

>> have you ever put your hand through a black woman's hair. >> hell, no, not a black woman. >> it's funny, but it's serious, too. where do you think the balance is in. >> i'm always going to start off trying to be funny, and if i can slip some knowledge -- >> medicine. >> -- a little medicine, some echinacea in there, i will give you a little echinacea. >> reporter: human hair is yandyan india's export. >> ten inches or better. it's like porno. >> i think he's so honest so it comes out without being preachy. so you can laugh. and you walk away going but you know what, even though i laughed, there are so many issues that have -- you know, that are clear and in your face in how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> relaxer is a chemical that will take a black woman's hair from this and change it into this. >> historically, the afro centric features have not always been celebrated. so in this it makes women not

just black women, but i think all women, kind of go -- especially black women because it is about us, but for all of us, it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves and what really motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include, for example, if you're going to straighten your hair like i do, putting a product on your scalp that could disintegrate a soda can in just a few hours. >> sodium hydroxide will burn through your skin, so that is a good perm. >> reporter: chris, as a man, knowing that women put themselves through this, what did you think? did you understand why they would do this? >> i mean, i'm never going -- there's no why. i mean -- i mean, there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago and it was to assimilate and to appeal more european. why women do it today? there's -- because they want to at the end of the day. >> you know, africa like this.

you want straight, more natural. >> so anybody ever try to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black woman, just run the other way. if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to head to south florida after seeing this. we will introduce you to an ice cream parlor where home made treats are served in massive proportions. kitchen sink, anyone? 

hey, there, you're watching "hln news and views." i'm virginia cha. here are some of the top stories we're covering for you. gay rights advocates are marching to capitol hill. a 911 call made after a sweat lodge ritual turned deadly. and a teacher killed trying to save her students as a bus careened out of control. right now in washington, gay rights activists are marching past the white house on their way to the capitol building. the national equality march is designed to show president obama that he's supporters in the gay community expect them to make good on his promises to them. organizers called it a low-key demonstration rather than a massive mobilization. some supporters say today's

march recalls the struggle of an earlier generation for civil rights. >> the fact is in the '60s we were fighting for rights in what the legal terms were called characteristics. you look at me and say i'm black. gay people have immutable characteristics. they're gay. they can't change it if they want to. it seems to me these are the same fights. in fact, i'm fond of saying there are no such things as gay rights or black rights. there are only six rights. and every american has a right to civil rights. >> the national equality march will end with a rally on the west lawn of the capitol. >> thank you. >> president obama got a warm welcome when he talked to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to pursue an agenda that would bring an end to discrimination against gays. he specifically pointed out the need to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-discrimination law for the workplace.

>> so i know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues that we're dealing with. but my commitment to you is unwavering even as we wrestle with these enormous problems. and while progress may be taking longer than you like as a result of all that we face, and that's the truth, do not doubt the direction we are heading, and the destination we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians, whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman.

>> president obama got standing ovations last night, but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored the event said never had a stronger ally in the white house, but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed the president repeated previous promises without laying out a time line for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it. the battle lines are being drawn in congress over the future of the war in afghanistan. the top general in afghanistan presented several plans to president obama. stanley mccrystal is said to favor one that will deploy an additional 40,000 troops to afghanistan. the president is reviewing that request with his top advisers but the divide is growing between those who favor the troop increase and those who are

against it. >> things in afghanistan are deteriorating. it's obvious that we got to change the direction in which we go. it's obvious we have to make changes relative to troop strength as well as what those troops are doing. general mccrystal has made a very positive recommendation, and i think it's incumbent upon the president to listen to his military commanders. >> my advice to the president would be that our national security interest and the future of afghanistan are better served with a smaller u.s. military footprint. i think the large number of troops that we have there already has served, you know, who have performed with an incredible skill, by the way. i think adding more to that would be counterproductive. it would provide the -- the insurgents i think with the recruiting tool. i don't think we want to do that. >> vice president joe biden wants the u.s. to focus on counterterrorism in afghanistan that would use drones and special forces rather than relying on more troops. officials in pakistan say a hostage standoff at their army

head quarters is over. a military spokesman said four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. but an alleged militant's leader was captured. the militants got into the headquarters yesterday after storming a checkpoint outside. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorist strikes in pakistan seemed to be picking up with at least three attacks just in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they are being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi. now, they accuse law enforcement of racial profiling and they say they're neighborhood has been disrupted by police raids. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. khan has been under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosques. i was yesterday in the mosque for friday prayer. we are missing about two or

three lines, plus the racial profiling that everybody has been questioned by the color of their skin, by the way they look and especially in our building. >> khan says he can't find a job because he was under police surveillance. meantime, zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he has pleaded not guilty. police in arizona have released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly. >> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration, burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest.

the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives of others or when you have to pay for it, that's -- that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught. and more and more in this society that money is evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had similar e-mails from thompson.

thompson is accused of stabbing another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover.

this was the scene, this fight turned into an all-out gun battle in a bar in toledo, ohio. people had already scrambled out the door. unbelievable. a few minutes later a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired.

police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out what started the shootout. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out-of-control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah school say heather christianson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. christianson tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window, and she was killed when it rolled over. more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. authorities say the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. the school's director says christianson loved her students and died trying to save them. parts of colorado seem to be skipping over fall and heading straight into winter weather. frigid temps led to a treacherous mix of ice and rain in the denver area. traffic accidents snarled the area but a serious 50-car pileup on interstate 25 near colorado springs is being blamed on black ice. the chain reaction wrecks

happened early saturday morning. you can see the aftermath here. one person is in serious condition. record lows were set in a lot of areas. denver international airport reported a low of 17 degrees yesterday morning. a new record for that date. the previous daily low was 25 degrees for the date. a woman led florida deputies on a wild high-speed chase with a 7-year-old girl in the back seat. she was clocked at speeds topping 110 miles an hour, and at one point was driving the wrong way, weaving through traffic. she finally crashed into a guardrail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires. even after getting out of her car, police say she refused to respond to their commands, so they say they finally tasered her. the child was not hurt in the crash. she was turned over to child protective services. storms and rain will head to parts of the south tonight, but for today, sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, on friday t destroyed

at least two mobile homes, took down trees and power lines. fortunately, no one was seriously injured. meanwhile, northern alabama has some cleaning up to do as well. some power lines were toppled. trees came crashing down on home when another storm hit there friday afternoon. u.s. intelligence estimates say right now 600 million people around the world don't have enough fresh wat er and croplan to sustain themselves. and with continuing climate change, that's expected to get worse. there are concerns a scramble for resources could lead to armed conflict. cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr looks to that in today's "eco solutions." >> reporter: at the u.s. defense department, the prospect of conflict over diminishing resources as a result of climate change is now part of military planning. for the first time, it will be considered in an upcoming military report to congress.

>> when we look at climate change, and when you look around the globe, you see three key factors. you see rising temperature changes, you see rising sea level changes, and then you see increased intensity of extreme weather events. because of those, you see implications as far as food security, water security, increased disease factors, increased ecological system changes. so there's a full range of changes in the future security environment that we need to attend to. >> reporter: africa may be the new front line. sudan, somalia and kenya, which is already suffering the worst drought in years, topped the list of worries for relief groups. >> in sudan or just the long absence of government in somalia, you don't have effective national institutions that can manage conflict. that leads to violence, which then sends more people on the move, and that is when it starts

to become a humanitarian problem. >> reporter: in asia, the concern is that changing weather patterns and rising oceans could force millions of people to be on the move. it already happened in myanmar with the cyclone last year. >> the estimate is that there will be more frequent storms and the storms will be more intense. often in these countries, vulnerable people live on the coast. >> reporter: experts differ on the long-term solutions to problems like these, but there's one agreement between relief agencies and the pentagon, the u.s. military should only move in with relief supplies and help when impacted countries cannot or will not help their own people. barbara starr, cnn, the pentagon. for much more on this pressing concern and other important environmental news, please, go to our website, cnn.com/ecosolutions. face it. lots of people worry about bad hair days. but for african-american women,

c it can be serious business. we talk to comedian chris rock about his new docucomedy "good hair" and why he did it.

violence and guns added a somber note to the otherwise festive b.e.t. awards in atlanta. rapper snoop dogg was there and commented on the deadly youth crisis in chicago. >> we need to learn how to become a better family at home first and foremost. and then once we become a family at home, it will pour out in the streets. i say to those out there creating that violent situation, let's stop the violence. i don't mean to say it like everybody else says it, i say it in a real way. we have a lot to live for, you understand what i'm saying. please be smart and understand we need to love each other instead of kill each other. that's from big snoop dogg. >> rapper t.i., who's in prison on a weapons conviction, won cd of the year. there was no on-stage drama from kanye west. he was a no show. ice cube got the i am hip-hop icon award. jay-z was honored as the mvp of the year. comedian chris rock said when his daughters started wishing for "good hair" as toddlers, he knew he had to find

out more about what hair means to an african-american woman. that led to a documentary that is funny, of course, but also opens up a new dialogue. we sat down with rock and actress nia long to talk about this film. >> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier or better than -- the lighter, the brighter, the better. >> i don't know what it is with black women. if i look at brad pitt, he's a handsome guy. i go, man, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think, can i get his hair. >> but for us, the way you say suit is the same way we go, look at that hair. i want to get that hair. >> so what's in your hair now? >> this is a weave. >> this is a weave. >> two pieces here. >> like extensions. >> like -- like that. >> reporter: do you in the film say you wear a weave. so why don't you tell us why you choose not to wear the hair you were born with? >> it's a little bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom, i'm an actress. i have to get my hustle all. >> have you ever put your hand through a black woman's hair. >> hell, no, not a black woman.

>> reporter: it's funny, but it's serious, too. where do you think the balance is in. >> i'm always going to start off trying to be funny, and if i can slip some knowledge -- >> medicine. >> -- a little medicine, some something else in there, i'll give you a little. >> human hair is india's biggest export. >> i think what's great is that he's super honest. so with the honesty, the issues actually come out without it being preachy. you can laugh but you walk away going, but you know what? even though i laughed, there's so many issues that have -- that are clear and in your face and how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> relaxer will take a black woman's hair from this and change it into this. >> the features have not always been celebrated. in this it makes women not just

black women but all women kind of, go, especially black women because it's about us, but for all of us it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves and what motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include if you'll straighten your hair like i do, putting a product on your scalp that could disintegrate a soda can in just a few hours. >> it will burn through your skin. >> that can has a good perm. >> chris, as a man knowing that women put themselves through this, what did you think? did you understand why they would do this? >> i'm never going to -- there's no why. there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago and it was to appear more european. why women do it today? because they want to at the end of the day. >> africa like this.

looks more natural. >> anybody ever try to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black women, just run the other way. >> if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to head to south florida after seeing this. we'll introduce you to an ice cream parlor where homemade treats are served up in massive proportions.

today -- gay, lesbian and transgender people are taking to the streets for a march on washington. we're going to take a look at those demonstrations and what the marchers say they want. last night president obama said he backs many of the goals of the gay movement. he once again promised to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. some activists say a promise isn't enough. plus -- wow. dramatic surveillance tape from ohio as a fistfight turns even more violent. you're watching hln "news and views." i'm virginia cha.

kwai rights activists are gathering in washington d.c. the national equality march is designed to show president obama that his supporters in the gay community expect him to make good on his promises to them. organizers call it a low-key demonstration rather than a massive mobilization. marchers are trying to get answered to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and recognition of same-sex marriages. >> affording us the right to get married will destroy the family. they're preventing families from forming. the heterosexual community hasn't done the greatest job of keeping their families together. give us a chance. we've been together for 25 years. we have three 11-year-olds. >> i don't care about the title. however, what i do care about is the rights. if something happened to me there's nothing for him. there's all the rights that would come by being married that we don't have access to. >> voters in maine will vote on

legalizing same-sex marriages next month. >> thank you. >> president obama got a warm welcome when he talked to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to pursue an agenda that would bring an end to discrimination against gays and pointed out the need to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-discrimination law for the workplace. >> i know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues that we're dealing with. but my commitment to you is unwavering even as we wrestle with these enormous problems. progress may be taking longer than you like as a result of all that we face, and that's the truth, do not doubt the direction we're headed and the destination we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you

will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. >> president obama got standing ovations last night but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored the event said they never had a stronger ally in the white house but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed the president repeated previous promises without laying out a time line for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it.

officials in pakistan say a hostage standoff at their army headquarters is over. four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. an alleged militants leader was captured. the militants got into the headquarters yesterday after storming a checkpoint outside. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorists strikes in pakistan seem to be picking up with at least three attacks just in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they're being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi accusing law enforcement of racial profiling. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. he's been under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosque. yesterday i was in the mosque.

we are missing about two to three lines. plus racial profiling that everyone has been questioned by the color of their skin and by the way they look and especially in our building. >> he also says he can't find a job because he was under police surveillance. zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he's pleaded not guilty. police in arizona released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly. >> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration,

burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest. the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives of others or when you have to pay for it, that's -- that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught. and more and more in this society that money is evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had

similar e-mails from thompson. thompson is accused of stabbing another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover. an early surprise in colorado led to a big headache for a lot of people. take a look. can you see what caused this massive pileup? some of the drivers didn't, and that is where the problem started.

>> this was the scene of a fistfight turning into an all-out gun battle in toledo, ohio.

people had already scrambled out the door. unbelievable. a few minutes later a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired. police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out what started the shootout. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out-of-control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah school say heather christianson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. christianson tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window, and she was killed when it rolled over. more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. authorities say the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. the school's director says christianson loved her students and died trying to save them. parts of colorado seem to be skipping over fall and heading straight into winter weather. frigid temps led to a treacherous mix of ice and rain in the denver area. traffic accidents snarled the

area but a serious 50-car pileup on interstate 25 near colorado springs is being blamed on black ice. the chain reaction wrecks happened early saturday morning. you can see the aftermath here. one person is in serious condition. record lows were set in a lot of areas. denver international airport reported a low of 17 degrees yesterday morning. a new record for that date. the previous daily low was 25 degrees for the date. a woman led florida deputies on a wild high-speed chase with a 7-year-old girl in the back seat. she was clocked at speeds topping 110 miles an hour, and at one point was driving the wrong way, weaving through traffic. she finally crashed into a guardrail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires. even after getting out of her car, police say she refused to respond to their commands, so they say they finally tasered her. the child was not hurt in the crash. she was turned over to child protective services. storms and rain will head to

parts of the south tonight, but for today, sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, on friday t destroyed at least two mobile homes, took down trees and power lines. fortunately, no one was seriously injured. meanwhile, northern alabama has some cleaning up to do as well. some power lines were toppled. trees came crashing down on home when another storm hit there friday afternoon. vitamins, antioxidants, how far would you go to get them? >> in a trendy neighborhood, a quick fix health fad. the iv cafe. vitamins contain saline solution

and specific vitamins and minerals that target a particular health ailment or beauty concern. the orange touts anti-ageing. the placentia pack eases muscle stiffness du no conclusive evidence to back up the health clams and japan's national health insurance won't pay for the treatments. the iv cafe is a trend in japan a country known for all kinds of fads.

tomorrow is columbus day though you might not know it if you visit public schools in new york or chicago. the holiday is not observed in all public schools anymore and that may reflect the sharp divisions among educators about how best to portray the explorer in the classroom. he was once depicted as a conquering hero but christopher columbus has been more complex it teachers struggle to balance the his stories opening the americas to european exploration and the resulting exploitation and oppression of the native population. a big surprise for a small film at this weekend's box office. the scare fest "paira normal activity" brought in $7 million

even though it was playing at fewer than 200 theaters. makers say it only cost them $15,000 to produce. this trailer which shows audience reaction during a screening has helped prompt huge buzz for the home video style flick. more than a million people have signed internet petitions to release the movie in more cities. the top movie at the box office this weekend was "couples retreat" have vince vaughn. wrapper snoop dogg commented on the recent youth violence in chicago. >> once we become a family at home it will poor out into the streets. i say to those out there creating that violent situation, let's stop the violence. i don't mean to say it like everybody else says it. i say it in a real way. we have a lot to live for. please be smart and understand that we need to love each other instead of kill each other. that's from big snoop dogg.

>> there was no onstage drama from kanye. he was a no show. comedian chris rock says when his daughters started wishing for good hair as toddlers, he knew he had to find out more about what hair means to an african-american woman. that led to a documentary that is funny, of course, but also opens up a new dialogue. >> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier and -- >> i don't know what it is with black women. if i look at brad pitt. he's handsome guy. i go, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think can i get his hair? >> but for us the way you say suit is the same way we go look

at that hair. i want that hair. >> what's in your hair? >> this is a weave. >> like that. >> you do acknowledge in the film that you wear a weave. tell us why you chose not to wear your hair as you were born with? >> it's a bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom. i have meetings. i'm an actress. i got to get my hustle on. >> have you put your hands through a black woman's hair? >> no. not a black woman. >> it's funny but serious. >> i'll always start off trying to be funny. if i can slip some knowledge. >> medicine. >> a little medicine. so >> human air is india's best export. >> i think what's great is that he's super honest so with the honesty the issues actually come out without it being preachy. so you can laugh but you walk away going, but you know what,

even though i laughed, there are so many issues that have -- that are clear and in your face in how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> relaxer will take a black woman's hair from this and change it into this. >> historically the features have not always been celebrated and so in this it makes women not just black women but all women kind of go -- especially black women because it is about us but it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves and what really motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include for example if you will strengthen your hair like do i putting a product on your scalp that could disintegrate a soda can in just a few hours. >> it will burn through your skin. >> that can has a good perm. >> as a man, chris, knowing that women put themselves through this, what did you think? did you understand why they

would do this? >> i'm never going to -- there's no why. i mean, there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago to appear more european. why women do it today? because they want to at the end of the day. >> africa like this. you mix. look more natural. >> anybody ever try to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black women, run the other way. there's a new way to rent movies. hln money expert clark howard shows you where to find cheap hollywood deals. >> are you looking for affordable entertainment? do i have a deal for you. all over america things that look kind of like soft drink vending machines are popping up by the tens of thousands. the biggest player is redbox but

there are lots of others where you can rent a movie many times recent releases for $1. i mean, what a deal. it doesn't have to be some movie from ten years ago. it's something that just recently was released on dvd is yours for a buck. people are clamoring for these things. now, these folks redbox, who are biggest player in the business, were facing a big fight in the studios trying to keep recent releases out of their machines. so far, redbox 1r, 1, studios, none. if you're looking for a particular movie, you can go to a website and reserve it so you know it will be there. >> clark has even more ways for you to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off on the clark howard show today at 4:00 p.m. eastern time right here on hln. if you have a sweet tooth,

you may want to head to south florida after seeing this. we'll introduce you to an ice cream parlor where homemade treats are served up in massive proportions. kitchen sink, anyone?      they said it would never last.

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it's the longest-lasting plugins ever. get freshness that won't fade away for 60 days. ahhh! with plugins lasting impressions. and yes, it's glade. s.c. johnson, a family company. hey this. this is hln "news and views." i'm virginia cha. gay rights advocates a marching on capitol hill. a 911 call made after a sweat lodge ritual turned deadly. and a teacher killed trying to save her students as a bus careened out of control. right now in washington, gay rights activists are marching past the white house on their way to the capitol building. the national equality march is designed to show president obama that his supporters expect him to make good on the promises he made to them.

marchers are calling for an end to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and recognition of same-sex marriages. >> they say by affording us the rights of those that can get married that they'll destroy the family. what they're doing is preventing families from forming. the heterosexual community hasn't done a great job keeping their families together. give us a chance. we've been together for 25 years. >> quite frankly i don't care about the title, however, what i do care about is the rights. if something happened to me, there's nothing for him. there's all the rights that naturally would come by being married that we don't have access to. >> voters in maine will vote on legalizing same-sex marriages next month. >> thank you. >> president obama got a warm welcome when he talked to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to pursue an agenda that would bring an end to discrimination against

gays reporting the need to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-discrimination law for the workplace. >> i know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues that we're dealing with. my commitment to you is unwavering even as we wrestle with these enormous problems. while progress may be taking longer than you like as a result of all that we face and that's the truth, do not doubt the direction we are heading. and the destination we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians, whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or

two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. >> president obama got standing ovations last night, but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored e the event said they never had a stronger ally in the white house but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed the president repeated previous promises without laying out a time line for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it. officials in pakistan say a hostage situation is over. four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. an alleged militants leader was captured.

the militants got into the area yesterday. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorist strikes in pakistan are picking up with at least three attacks in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they're being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi. they accuse law enforcement of racial profiling and say their neighborhood has been disrupted by police raids. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. he's been under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosque. i was yesterday in the mosque for friday prayer. we're missing about two or three lines. plus the racial profiling that everybody has been questioned. by the color of their skin and by the way they look and especially in our building.

>> he also says he can't find a job because he was under police surveillance. zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he's pleaded not guilty. police in arizona have released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly. >> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration, burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest. the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives

of others or when you have to pay for it, that's -- that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught. and more and more in this society that money is evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had similar e-mails from thompson. thompson is accused of stabbing another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover.

an early surprise in colorado led to a big head fach for a lot of people. can you see what caused this massive pileup? some of the drivers didn't. that's where the problem started.

this was the scene of a

fistfight turned into an all-out gun battle in toledo, ohio. people had already scrambled out the door. unbelievable. a few minutes later a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired. police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out what started the shootout. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out-of-control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah school say heather christianson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. christianson tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window, and she was killed when it rolled over. more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. authorities say the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. the school's director says christianson loved her students and died trying to save them.

parts of colorado seem to be skipping over fall and heading straight into winter weather. frigid temps led to a treacherous mix of ice and rain in the denver area. traffic accidents snarled the area but a serious 50-car pileup on interstate 25 near colorado springs is being blamed on black ice. the chain reaction wrecks happened early saturday morning. you can see the aftermath here. one person is in serious condition. record lows were set in a lot of areas. denver international airport reported a low of 17 degrees yesterday morning. a new record for that date. the previous daily low was 25 degrees for the date. a woman led florida deputies on a wild high-speed chase with a 7-year-old girl in the back seat. she was clocked at speeds topping 110 miles an hour, and at one point was driving the wrong way, weaving through traffic. she finally crashed into a guardrail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires. even after getting out of her car, police say she refused to

respond to their commands, so they say they finally tasered her. the child was not hurt in the crash. she was turned over to child protective services. storms and rain will head to parts of the south tonight, but for today, sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, on friday. it destroyed at least two mobile homes, took down trees and power lines. fortunately, no one was seriously injured. meanwhile, northern alabama has some cleaning up to do as well. some power lines were toppled. trees came crashing down on homes when another storm hit there friday afternoon. a wildfire that broke out near a popular resort outside l.a. last saturday is finally under control. it burned through more than 11 scare miles of brush and destroyed several structures. people living nearby were forced to evacuate they have returned home but are being kept away from the burn area. the cause of the wildfire is

being investigated. 49 tons of food intended for people who can't afford it was lost in a florida fire. it broke out at a warehouse where a food bank kept its inventory. one volunteer says up to 60,000 people who depend on this bank won't get any food inform until the weekend. a new series called "beyond the surface." we'll get the breakdown. the biggest benefits of eating a healthy breakfast is you get energy and nutrition to get you through your day. for parents who think it's only important for your kid and not for you, think again. and the doughnut and coffee, not your best option. if you want the healthiest breakfast possible, start with egg whites, throw in some veggies so that you have an egg

white omleleomelet. have oatmeal with berries. go crazy. i want you to throw out the old brown and beige boring meat and potatoes way of eating. get color into your diet which means eating copious amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables for breakfast and every meal of the day. your body will show you that you've made the right decision.

tomorrow is columbus day though you might not know it if you visit public schools in new york or chicago. the holiday is not observed in all public schools anymore and that may reflect the sharp divisions among educators about how best to portray the explorer in the classroom. he was once depicted as a conquering hero but christopher columbus has been more complex teachers struggle to balance his stories opening the americas to european exploration

and the resulting exploitation and oppression of the native population. a big surprise for a small film at this weekend's box office. the scare fest "paranormal activity" brought in $7 million even though it was playing at fewer than 200 theaters. that is a new record. get this. makers say it only cost them $15,000 to produce. this trailer which shows audience reaction during a screening has helped prompt huge buzz for the home video style flick. more than a million people have signed internet petitions to release the movie in more cities. the top movie at the box office this weekend was "couples retreat "with vince vaughn. a somber note for the b.e.t. awards. >> once we become a family at home it will poor out into the streets.

i say to those out there creating that violent situation, let's stop the violence. i don't mean to say it like everybody else says it. i say it in a real way. we have a lot to live for. please be smart and understand that we need to love each other instead of kill each other. that's from big snoop dogg. >> ti won cd of the career. no onstage drama from kanye west as he was a no show. comedian chris rock says when his daughters started wishing for good hair as toddlers, he knew he had to find out more about what hair means to an african-american woman. that led to a documentary that is funny, of course, but also opens up a new dialogue. we sat down with rock and nea long to talk about this film. >> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier and -- >> i don't know what it is with black women. if i look at brad pitt.

he's handsome guy. i go, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think can i get his hair? >> but for us the way you say suit is the same way we go look at that hair. i want that hair. >> what's in your hair? >> this is a weave. >> like that. >> you do acknowledge in the film that you wear a weave. tell us why you chose not to wear your hair as you were born with? >> it's a bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom. i have meetings. i'm an actress. i got to get my hustle on. >> have you put your hands through a black woman's hair? >> no. not a black woman. >> it's funny but serious. where do you think the balance sl? >> i'll always start off trying to be funny. if i can slip some knowledge. >> medicine. >> a little medicine. >> human hair is india's biggest export.

>> i think what's great is that he's super honest so with the honesty the issues actually come out without it being preachy. so you can laugh but you walk away going, but you know what, know what, even though i laughed, there are so many issues that have -- you know, that are clear and in your face in how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> relaxer is a chemical that will take a black woman's hair from this and change it into this. >> historically, the afro centric features have not always been celebrated. so in this it makes women not just black women, but i think all women, kind of go -- especially black women because it is about us, but for all of us, it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves and what really motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include, for example, if you're going to straighten your hair like i do, putting a product on your scalp that could disintegrate a soda

can in just a few hours. >> sodium hydroxide will burn through your skin. so that can has got a good perm. >> chris, as a man, knowing that women put themselves through this, what did you think? did you understand why they would do this? >> i mean, i'm never going -- there's no why. i mean -- i mean, there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago and it was to assimilate and to appear more european. why women do it today? i don't know. because they want to, at the end of the day. >> you know, africa like this. you want straight. look more natural. >> so anybody ever try to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black woman, just run the other way. if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to head to south florida after seeing this. we will introduce you to an ice cream parlor where home made treats are served in massive proportions. kitchen sink, anyone?

hey there. this is hln "news and views." i'm virginia cha. kay rights activists rallying around capitol hill. a 11 call after a sweat lodge ritual turned deadly. a teacher killed trying to save her students as a bus careened out of control. right now in washington, kay rights activists are rallying at the u.s. capitol building. it is designed to show president obama that his supporters in the gay community expect him to make good on them. organizers call it a low-key

demonstration rather than a massive mobilization. marchers are trying to get answered to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and recognition of same-sex marriages. >> they say that by affording us marriage or affording us the rights to get married will destroy the family. what they're doing is preventing families from forming. the heterosexual community hasn't done the greatest job of keeping their families together. give us a chance. we've been together for 25 years. we have three 10-year-olds -- or 11-year-olds. sorry, guys. >> i don't care about the title. however, what i do care about is the rights. so if something happened to me, there's nothing for him. there's all the rights that would come by being married that we don't have access to. >> voters in maine will vote on legalizing same-sex marriages next month. >> thank you. >> president obama got a warm welcome when he talked to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to pursue an agenda that would bring an end to discrimination against

gays. he specifically pointed out the need to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-discrimination law for the workplace. >> i know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues that we're dealing with. but my commitment to you is unwavering even as we wrestle with these enormous problems. while progress may be taking longer than you like as a result of all that we face -- and that's the truth -- do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize

relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. >> president obama got standing ovations last night, but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored the event said they never had a stronger ally in the white house, but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed that the president repeated previous promises without laying out a timeline for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it. officials in pakistan say a hostage standoff at their army headquarters is over. a military spokesman says four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. an alleged militants leader was captured. the militants got into the

headquarters yesterday after storming a checkpoint outside. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorists strikes in pakistan seem to be picking up with at least three attacks just in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they're being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi. they accuse law enforcement of racial profiling and say their neighborhood has been disrupted by police raids. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. naiz khan has been singled out and under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosque. yesterday i was in the mosque. we are missing about two to three lines. plus racial profiling that everybody has been questioned by the color of their skin, by the way they look and especially in

our building. >> kahn says he also cannot find a job because he was under police surveillance. zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he's pleaded not guilty. police in arizona released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly. >> two people aren't breathing with no pulse. >> not breathing? >> yes. >> okay. is this the result of a shooting or something. >> no, it's a sweat lodge. >> are you by yourself? >> no, there's a lot of people here. >> get them out of the sweat lodge. >> yeah, we are. >> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration, burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest. the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives

of others or when you have to pay for it, that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught and more and more in this society, that money's evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had similar e-mails from thompson. thompson is accused of stabbing another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover.

think you've heard everything about new york? well, there are still lots of hidden spots worth checking out. one of our i-reporters has a few for you in a look at "my city, my secret." >> hi, i'm julio. we're in new york city. and i want to show you some of my best-kept secrets of new york. we're inside the cathedral church at st. john. this is a hidden gem of new york because people don't know about the musical programs, the outreach to the community that the cathedral offers. and just the beauty of it. we're here at the hudson river park's pier 54. it's actually the remains of what's left of a magnificent pier. for me, it's the place where i end my bike ride on that little bench there. it also has a very historical significance because this is where they brought the survivors of "titanic" when they came

back. welcome to coney island, usa. this is where new york city ends. this is one of the world's most famous amusement parks. it is stuck in time. the attractions are the same from years ago. the whole feel of the atmosphere. the place is very old fashioned. those are the secrets of any new york city. go to i-report.com/mycitymysecret. let's see them. >> sponsored by british airways. rely on my city, my secret to find hot spots in your destination.

tomorrow is columbus day, though you might not know it if you visit public schools in new york or chicago. the holiday is not observed in all public schools any more. that may reflect the sharp divisions among educators on how best to portray the explorer

from the classroom. he was once depicted as a conquering hero. he's been much more complex. teachers struggle to balance the conflicting elements of his story. opening the americas to european exploration, for example, as a result the resulting exploitation and oppression of the native population. violence and guns added a somber note to the otherwise festive hip-hop awards hosted by b.e.t. in atlanta. rapper snoop dogg was there last night and commented on the recent youth crisis in chicago. >> we need to learn how to become a better family. once we do, it will pour out in the streets. i don't mean to ta sai it like everybody else says it. i say in it a real way. we have a lot to live for. please be smart and understand that we need to love each other and not to kill each other. >> rapper t.i. who is in prison o on a weapons conviction won cd

of the year. kanye west was a no-show. ice cube got the icon award. jay-z was honored as the mvp of the year. comedian chris rock says when his daughters started wishing for "good hair" as toddlers, he knew he had to find out more about what hair means to an african-american woman. that led to a documentary that is funny but it also opened up a new dialogue. >> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier than. the lighter, the brighter, the better. >> i don't know what it is with black women. if i look at brad pitt. he's a handsome guy. i go, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think can i get his hair! >> but for us the way you say suit is the same way we go look at that hair. i want to get that hair. >> what's in your hair? >> this is a weave. >> this is a weave.

>> like that. >> two pieces here. >> like two extensions. >> you do acknowledge in the film that you wear a weave. nia, tell us why you chose not to wear your hair as you were born with? >> it's a bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom. i have meetings. i'm an actress. i got to get my hustle on. >> have you put your hands through a black woman's hair? >> hell, no! not a black woman! >> it's funny but serious. where do you think the balance is? >> i'll always start off trying to be funny. if i can slip some knowledge. >> medicine. >> a little medicine. some echinacea in there, you know? i'll give you a little echinacea. human air is india's biggest export. >> ten inches and better? >> yes. >> like porno. >> i think what's great is that he's super honest so with the honesty the issues actually come out without it being preachy. so you can laugh, but you walk away going, but you know what? even though i laughed, there are so many issues that have -- you

know, that are clear and in your face and how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> relaxer is the chemical that will take a black woman's hair and change it from this and change it into this. >> historically the afrosent rick features have not always been celebrated. and so in this it makes women not just black women but all women kind of go -- especially black women because it is about us but it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves and what really motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include for example if you are going to straighten your hair, like i do, putting a product on our scalp, that could disintegrate a soda can in just a few hours. >> it will burn through your skin. >> that can has a good perm. >> as a man, chris, knowing that women put themselves through this, what did you think? did you understand why they would do this? >> i'm never going to -- there's

no why. i mean, there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago and it was to assimilate and appear more european. why women do it today? because they want to, at the end of the day. >> africa like this. make hair look more straight. look more natural. >> anybody ever try to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black women, run the other way. there's a new way to rent movies. hln money expert clark howard shows you where to find cheap hollywood deals. >> are you looking for affordable entertainment? do i have a deal for you. all over america things that look kind of like soft drink vending machines are popping up by the tens of thousands. the biggest player is redbox but there are lots of others where you can rent a movie many times recent releases for $1.

i mean, what a deal! it doesn't have to be some movie from ten years ago. it's something that just recently was released on dvd is yours for a buck. people are clamoring for these things. now, these folks redbox, who are biggest player in the business, were facing a big fight in the studios that are trying to keep the recent releases out of their machines. so far, redbox, 1, studios, none. by the way, if you're looking for a particular movie, you can go to a website like redbox.com and reserve it and know it will be there. i'm clark howard. for more ways to save a buck, go to cnn.com/clarkhoward. >> clark has even more ways for you to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off on the clark howard show today at 4:00 p.m. eastern time right here on hln. if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to head to south florida after seeing this. we'll introduce you to an ice cream parlor where homemade treats are served up in massive proportions. kitchen sink, anyone?

this was the scene that turned into an all-out gun battle in a bar in toledo, ohio. people had already scrambled out

the door. [ gunfire ] unbelievable. a few minutes later, a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired. police are trying to identify the gunmen and figure out what started the shoot-out. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out of control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah schools say heather christenson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. she tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window and she was killed when it rolled over. more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. christenson loved her students and died trying to save them. storms and rain will head to

parts of the south tonight. but for today sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, friday. it took down trees and power lines. fortunately no one was seriously injured. northern alabama has cleaning up to do as well. trees came crashing down on homes when another storm hit there friday afternoon.

vitamins, antioxidants. a lot of us are interested in supplements that may improve our health, but how far would you go to get them? dr. sanjay gupta looks at a new trend. for other interesting news from the world of health and medicine just go to cnn.com/vitalsigns. >> in a trendy tokyo neighborhood, this is home to one of the latest quick fix health fads. the iv cafe. here visitors look to get their vitamins intravenously, no appointment necessary. each pack is said to contain saline solution and vitamins and minerals to target a specific health ailment or beauty concern. the orange touts anti-aging properties. the placenta pack is said to help rejuvenate and easy muscle stiffness, but there's no medical evidence to back up the health plans. japan's national health

insurance won't pay for the treatments. the iv cafe and its marketing of what it calls instantaneous health is considered a trend in japan, a country known for all kinds of fads. >> vital signs in association with philips.

hey there. i'm virginia cha with a look at what's happening in the news. president obama said he wants an end to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. senator john mccain says there were tengs between his former campaign manager and his former running mate, sarah palin. but mccain said palin remains, a quote, formidable force in the gop. check this out. the 1500 calorie crazy burger is

going mainstream. cheeseburger sandwiched between two doughnuts is a staple on the state fair circuit but now on the cover of a new book titled "this is why you're fat." i'm virginia cha. "your bottom line" with gerri willis starts right now. hello, i'm gerri willis, and this is "your bottom line," the show that saves you money. credit card outrage. you know what i'm talking about. we'll tell you if your credit card company is racing to raise rates and minimum payments before new legislation goes into effect. aging in place, how to make homes safe for parents as they get older and save money while you do it. we know the saying opposites attract, how to find financial bliss with your partner. "your bottom line" starts right now. in less than five months, congress plans to implement new credit card rules designed to stop credit card companies from

unexpectedly raising your rates or arbitrarily doubling or even tripling your payments. jessica yellin shows us how consumers are getting crushed and how it's all perfectly legal. hi there, jessica. >> hey, gerri. the story i'm about to tell you is the kind of credit card nightmare that's happening to millions of americans. as credit card companies rush to change their practices before a new consumer protection law goes into effect. >> it's an injustice. >> reporter: chuck and jean lane are outraged. they have excellent credit, never been late, still chase credit cards jacked up their monthly payment from $370 to $911. so chuck lane called the bank to complain. what did you tell them? >> i told them this was the worst economic times in history practically. i work for a small company. we've laid off 30% of our workforce. i just took a 10% pay cut this morning, and this is what you're going to do to us?

>> reporter: he says he learned his credit card payments skyrocketed when he checked his online bank account. >> and i went to my checking account so i could write down the amount that was coming out, and lo and behold, it was $911. >> reporter: was that a surprise? >> i was shocked. i was stunned. >> reporter: now he feels abused. you thought you had a deal. >> i did. i thought i had a really good deal. >> reporter: the card was sold as a low-interest way to pay down big bills. the lanes paid off about half of what they owe but still have more than $18,000 to go. they can't afford the new monthly payment, so chuck lane called to ask chase for help and guess what he was told? >> you want me to pay 5% more in interest. >> reporter: he can go back to his old payment but only if he agrees to a higher interest rate. under a new credit card law the lanes will have options but for now they're stuck.

>> you're putting us into bankruptcy. i mean, i don't see how that helps me. >> reporter: the lanes aren't alone. in a statement to cnn, chase says they doubled the minimum payments for a million cardholders, because while tens of millions of chase loans have been paid back in less than 24 months, there have been a small percentage of customers that have not made as much progress. our desire is to have these balances paid back in a reasonable period of time. >> truly, this is the single-most abusive credit card change in terms that i've seen. >> reporter: the credit card industry insists companies are not trying to skirt the new law. >> it's their desire to provide the best products to consumers always, every day, to ensure that customers have the credit they need. >> reporter: ensuring that americans have affordable credit, that was one reason banks like chase got billions in taxpayer bailout money. do you think they're showing proper respect to what americans are going through? >> no, they're not. they have no respect for the american people. all they think about is the almighty dollar for themselves.

>> so many people, so frustrated. jessica yellin is with us along with greg mcbride, a senior financial analyst with bankrate.com and ryan mack, the president of optimum capital management. jessica, this is just amazing, this story. and i think so many folks out there, as i was saying, are really, really frustrated with what's happening. lawmakers though are trying to get out in front of this. what are they doing now? >> a couple of things, gerri. first of all, they're trying to move up the effectiveness date when the new credit card protections go into effect. there's a bill to make that happen in december rather than in february. we don't know whether that will pass. i can also say 18 members of congress saw the story you just showed. it aired originally earlier this week. they were outraged and wrote the banks asking them to voluntarily freeze their practices not to raise rates before the law goes into effect. bank of america had already agreed to do that. chase, the company that has the lanes' credit, they say they're not going to freeze their

practices. and wells fargo, they actually raised their interest rate 3%. >> wow. it's so amazing and congratulations again on that story. great story. greg, i want to turn to you now, though. i mean, we kind of took our credit cards for granted, i think. we thought we should have the terms we want and if we didn't, we were going to change. do you think the credit card companies are now going too far? >> well, the time for credit card issuers to be thinking about risk isn't now. it was three years ago, when they were giving out credit like it was candy and defaults were low. and only now that people are unemployed, people are relying on the ability to make minimum payments just so they can stay current on the payments only now do the credit card issuers have an eye towards risk. raising interest rates is only one part of the problem. the other thing here is this raising of minimum payment requirements, and with millions of households relying on those minimum payments because they've seen a reduction in income, that's enough to take somebody who is living on the edge and push them right over.

>> what do you do? if you have congresspeople calling these banks and asking for changes and terms and not telling the congress they'll work with them, what can an individual do? >> the outrage is merited. we gave trillions of dollars of taxpayer dollars to many of these banks that wouldn't be open and functioning right now had it not been for the taxpayers. now is not the time to play victim. it's the time to get on the aggressive, offensive to see what you can do to improve your financial situation, improve your fico score. somebody with a 750 fico score has a lot more leverage to transfer rates than somebody with a 650 fico score. >> there are lots of steps you can take out there to improve that. but changing the terms of your credit card can be tough. greg there was a poll from "consumer reports" and people are get smarter. let me show you some numbers. 21% of folks polled say they received unfair treatment. 32% say we've gotten a closed card. and 45%, almost half of folks say we're charging less on our

credit cards. are we getting smarter? >> absolutely. i mean consumers are dialing down their use of credit, focusing on paying down debt and even consumers that pay their balances in full every month, they're using credit less, resorting to other methods of payment. people don't want to be carrying a large load of debt at a period of time when job losses are still mounting. >> jessica, i want to bring you back in here. you know, we've always wanted our congressional representatives to jump in on this very tough problem for americans. now, they are. can we count on them to always be there and do they have anything else they're going to do at this time to help us out? >> actually, gerri, yes, they will have another chance to take a bite at this apple. it has to do with that financial regulation reform that's coming up. that has to do mostly with reforming wall street and changing some of the practices that led to the financial collapse. but there is a piece of this new bill that will deal with consumer protections. and i can tell you, lawmakers are getting lobbied

vociferously, aggressively by credit card companies, banks, trying to water down the consumer protection so people have an opportunity now to call their members of congress, write their members of congress, insist that they stand up for the regular guy. i can tell you i'm talking to a lot of members who are pretty angry about credit card companies right now. >> we've been covering this for months on this show, the relationship between credit card issuers and consumers. it has not been a level playing field. there's another area that's not a level playing field either. that's prepaid debit cards. i know this is one of your big topics. your big issue is fees. explain what those cards are and why they are so unfair. >> essentially these cards are essentially individuals paying money to use their own money, and so $9.95, activation card up to $20, $100 just to activate these cards to use your own money. >> $100? >> yes. there are various cards out there that they're selling at wal-mart and next to these prepaid phone cards where individuals put this money on

their cards. just to use their own money, they have o spend money. but they'll say there's no credit check, it's safer than using money and better than if you don't have a bank account. this is not the solution. the solution is to get yourself in that situation, if you've bounced checks before, if you have a check cashing system, go to credit unions, loan builder programs. make sure we're not bouncing checks any longer. get ourselves back into the system where we can use free debit cards. don't have to use excessive fees to spend money to use our own money. >> thanks to my guests, great information. jessica thanks for the story, greg, ryan, great information. thanks to both of you for being with me today. appreciate it. have extra cash in your account? we have creative ways to help the money go the extra mile, next.

well the stock market may be doing very well now, thank you very much. but last year, it was a different story. the average 401(k) fell 24% last year. the average balance according to the folks at the employee benefit research institute and the investment company institute was just $45,519. not enough to retire on. if you're still struggling to get back on your feet when it comes to retirement savings, take heart. the market's turnaround probably helped you considerably. there is one thing we should keep in mind from that experience. investing for the long run can't mean setting it and forgetting it. being a successful 401(k) investor means staying on top of your investments and making sure the way you're handling your money makes sense for your age and your personal situation. well, if you're lucky enough to have an extra $1,000 in your account right now, what should you do? spend it? save it? the folks at "money" magazine have interesting ways you can use that extra grand to make a big impact on your bottom line.

donna rosatto, senior writer with "money" magazine. good to see you again. >> good to see you, gerri. >> very swell gently, the first thing you say, emergency fund. >> people are saving more, but a lot of people are leaving their money in a bank account that's earning very little money. so first of all you want to make sure you're saving enough in your emergency fund. you don't need three months of savings these days. you probably want six months. and if you're in a really shaky industry because of the difficult job market, you might want to have a year's worth of savings. so take that extra $1,000, put it in a savings account, high-yield savings account that can earn over 1.5% to 2%. >> not a lot of money but over time hopefully it will build up. retirement, i just said the average retirement fund had about $45,000 in it last year. we need to work on that, too. . that's right. >> all of us can save for retirement. if you're over 50 years old, you can throw an extra $1,000 a year, that's called a catch-up provision into your i.r.a. so if you haven't done it this year, you can do it for 2009 and

again for 2010. >> donna, everybody is worried about their jobs. will i continue to have it? is there a way i can invest in myself right now? >> $1,000 can go a long way to preserving your job. a couple of ideas we had, take that money, take a class, probably spend about $500, take a class and improve your speech, take a language class, some kind of certification, look at your local college, invest in developing a website. you could pay a designer for $200, you can probably get a nice website set up, and if you have a smart teenager around, have them set it up for you. >> on the cheap. >> yeah. >> your next idea is probably my favorite for most people, paying down your credit card debt. you don't know where those terms are going, where your interest rate is going, what your limit's going to be. it's a great time to pay down credit card debt. >> a lot of people are seeing their interest rate rise. the rate right now is 15%. if you're carrying a $1,000, you're carrying $150 in interest. that's money in the bank for you.

>> all right. the gym. are you kidding me? >> right, everyone thinks it's great, an indulgence to join the gym but actually it's going to pay off. it's not going to make you only feel better but being fitter pays off in cheaper health care bills. the average overweight person pays almost $1500 more a year in health care costs. >> $1500. >> that's an average. >> by carrying a few extra pounds. >> the median gym annual membership is $750. spend $750 on the membership and $250 with a personal trainer and help you get up and get motivated. >> donna, thank you for that. depending on your habits the topic of money can become a major source of strife among married couples. what you need to know to keep your family free of stress.

the recession, it seems, is taking a bigger toll on singles when it comes to unemployment. according to a study by the federal bank of st. louis, the jobless rate is double for singles than married folks. married men are likely to take a new job at lower pay than single counterparts. singles on the whole are also younger and have less education and workplace experience. according to a report by professors at the wharton school in pennsylvania and northwestern university, people tend to marry spouses with opposing emotional reactions toward money. in other words, opposites attract. what do you do if you're a spendthrift and your spouse is a tightwad? jeff gardere is a clinical

psychology. times are tough, and now that all of us married our financial opposite, it's even worse, because you don't -- both have different reactions to how you cope with trouble. >> in the past we were able to get away with this because love does conquer all. and there were other things in the relationship that would buoy it. now we're finding with this great recession, this is the worst time to have these financial issues in your relationship. >> well, what do you do about that? i know this is true of you, it's true of me. >> yes. >> you have different reactions to the same problems. how do you come together? >> well, you have to get the emotion out of it. that's what happens all the time. we get into the blame game, we point fingers. we look at our financial opposite and we tell them how they're doing such a bad job as far as taking care of finances. what we really need to do is be able to sit down, count to 60, get all of that stress out as much as we can and then have a logical conversations as to how

we can solve the problem instead of pointing fingers at one another. >> and let's have a budget, too, as long as we're at it. right? that can keep everybody on the up and up. >> the budget is great because another and you have a plan. and that's the most important thing. instead of competing with one another, being in the conflict, now you have the team work, which is what relationships should be about in the first place. >> i want to give you some issues and you tell us how to solve that problem, how to work around it. in a lot of cases there's just one person making the financial decisions or paying the bills. they are in charge. is that the right way to go? >> that's the wrong way to go. two heads are better than one in this case, and people should split the responsibilities. look at the things you do well versus what your partner does, maybe even better. if you're able to have good people skills, maybe you should talk to the banks and your

partner should be the ones that does the stuff on the computers. >> do you believe in separate accounts speaking of splitting it up? >> i do, but don't do it if you're trying to hide but do it if you want independence but there should be open books where you can come together if you need the help. >> one other question. what do you do about the situation where one spouse earns all the money or most of the money. how do you manage the tension snl? >> the one who makes all the money should have the responsibility of making sure that we can both be on the same page in equitable as far as what we do in dealing with the finances. too often people that make all the money will bring the check in and tell the other person, you write all of the checks and writing the checks is a big responsibility and even more

stressful than going out and making the money. >> it's a team effort. >> absolutely. >> appreciate your help today 679 one big experience, caring for your parents. we'll te you how to save money by keeping them safe at home.

the economic news now is so confusing. you hear people saying things are getting better. but then you're wondering where are the jobs? well, you and i can't control when the economy turns into a positive direction. but there are things you can do in your own life to make your finances better. and that's what we do here on "the clark howard show. "you give me the next 30 minutes, i promise you'll pack a punch in your wallet. ever since i can remember, i've been fascinated by money. making it, saving it, studying it. by the time i was 31, i had earned enough to retire. so i'm barked on a new mission, helping you take care of your

money so you can save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off. i got to tell you something, i got a special warning for you that i've been getting all the calls from people about but i didn't know how serious it was. fico, the people who do the real credit scores that lenders choose about whether to lend you money or not, reports that 24 million americans who had not messed up on their credit at all had their credit line shut down or reduced by their lender. the effect of that? that then in turn crushes your credit score. what do you need to do? key thing. if you have just a line or two of credit or some credit cards sitting in a drawer, you got to use those just occasionally, or get some other credit cards. because otherwise, you're a sitting duck when your bank

decides they don't want you anymore or want you a lot less. and i don't want you to be a sitting duck. and now it's time to take your questions and see what's on your mind. deborah is with us. hello, deborah. >> caller: hi. >> how are you doing? >> caller: well, i'm a little concerned, to be honest with you. that's why i'm calling. my mortgage, i received a letter in this morning's mail informing me that my mortgage was either sold or transferred from taylor, bee, whittaker to this -- i don't know if it's a mortgage company or i've never heard of this. >> everybody has been scrambling. the feds have been scrambling trying to figure out what to do

about this huge pile of loans that just like that, i mean, just bam, suddenly nobody had a place to send their payment. >> let me tell you, i checked my bank account and they sure knew how to get the money out of my bank account. how could they do that without my permission? >> great question. your loan was assigned, the servicing of your loan was assigned to another player, and under the system where you allowed them to draft your account, you almost certainly gave them permission that they were allowed to sign the collection on your loan without notice to you. that's why you do not give authorization to a health club, a utility, a credit card company, in your case a mortgage company, no one should ever have permission to draft your account. tom is with us. how are you doing?

>> caller: well, my dilemma is i've got over $60,000 in the bank collecting maybe a point and a half percent interest. and i've got a little over $40,000 left on my mortgage for my house. and that interest rate is right at 4 and 7/8ths. my dilemma is do i take the $40,000 and pay off my house and be debt free or pay off my mortgage and have it strand out another five, six, seven years? >> well, my answer historically has been if you have a mortgage rate below 5% is you pay as agreed on that loan. but you presented me a stark choice that put me in a bind. so we got to talk here, okay? because why is that $60,000 sitting in a savings account in a bank instead of being invested

in something that might earn you more money? >> caller: i do have a lot of investments. i've had tough luck in the stock market over the past three years and i've gotten out of trading options, so i've been building up my cash. now that i am, and i am investing in some things like gold and silver and more stable things, but i guess with the economy, and i lost my job but luckily was able to get another job, i don't want to have losing my job and being stuck with a mortgage over my head. >> so you have no other debts in your life at all? >> caller: none so to speak of. >> well, you know, there is the psychological benefit. if you're not going to invest the money, and it is sitting earning a puny rate, i have to throw out my normal rule book

and say, yes, makes sense, take $40,000 of the $60,000, pay the mortgage off, you'll still have $20,000 in savings and you'll be completely debt free. next on "clark howard," -- >> we would like to diversify my 401, and some in savings bonds as well as a savings account. >> when you're selling a vehicle, the number of times that you'll be contacted by a fraudster is far greater than the number of times you'll be contacted by a legitimate buyer, i'm sorry to say that.

you probably have figured out by now, i am a very opinionated guy and it's all about you taking control of your wallet. if you go to

cnn.com/clarkhoward, scroll down to commentaries, i've got a variety of them there for you to see how to take control right now. mark is with us. mark, how are you doing? >> caller: good, clark. thanks. how are you? >> good, thank you. how can i be of service? >> caller: i've got a car that's a fairly unique car and there is a definite following for them, and so i advertised it online and i got a surprising number of responses, all of which i'm pretty sure most are legitimate, one of which the one that was very first to call is overseas. and he wants to know how i want to be paid and i don't know how i want to be paid safely. >> the only reasonable way for you to be paid by an overseas buyer, when you're selling a vehicle, the number of times

that you'll be contacted by a fraudster is far greater than the number of times you'll be contacted by a legitimate buyer, i'm really sorry to say that. but the only safe way for you to be paid is to be wired the funds. >> caller: is that straight to my bank? >> they would give wiring instructions to your bank account. the danger is, if this person is in fact a crook, it is possible that the individual could use your wiring instructions to reverse it and take money out of your account. so you would find that usually you want to set up a separate account just for receiving these funds. so that there is no other money that a dishonest individual could sweep out of your account. >> caller: the bank can't say that wire we thought you got wasn't legit, that won't happen? >> i hope not, because i've

never had a call that -- there's not a call i can recall in 22 years where a wire later blew up on somebody. when you tell them you want them to wire the funds to your account, depending on how the individual responds, you'll get a pretty quick look-see into whether or not this is somebody on the up and up or not. the great news is you're trying to protect yourself up front rather than scramble after the fact, which is always the key to avoid being taken. >> i love how many people submit questions to me every week. but you've got a better chance of getting your question answered if you submit a video question. how do you do that? cnn.com/clarkhoward, click on video submission and who knows, you might find yourself with me on tv just like carman and ray. >> i'm carman.

>> i'm ray. >> and which need a money coach. my goal is in 12 years to retire. i'll be able to collect a pension, we want to move some place nice and quiet, small little town. my biggest concern is having enough money for retirement. in the past, savings bonds were always one of the safest places to put your money. i want to make sure it still is a safe place and if it is worth us putting our money there. our question is, we're particularly interested in bonds. >> it's neat that you're such good savers. what you did not get a chance to say what a great job the two of you have done building up retirement savings and emergency funds through the years. but savings bonds have become a raw, rotten deal. the series i-savings bonds stinks now and the traditional

savings bond pay an interest rate of .7% per year, not even 1%. so i want you to look at t.i.p.s., it's like a cousin of i-bonds you can buy them directly from the u.s. treasury. they pay substantially more money than you're going to earn on a series-i savings bond and they're just as safe. for you, when you're building a portfolio, generally as you're building up money for long-term, for retirement, you cannot be as conservative as you just heard me say. because you have to deal with the fact that you need your money to grow so that when you do retire, that money will last with you. but in their case, they've already save sod much money, that if they want to be ultraconservative in something

like a treasury, like a t.i.p., is ultimately conservative, it's only okay if you already put aside that ton of dough. next -- >> no matter what, regardless of what happened with the value of your home, they have can't stop you from petitioning them and forcing them to remove your pmi. they even absorb the 1% fee that visa imposes. so it is a straight-up best deal out there.

as you're flipping through channels with your remote and you might pick up a little bit of what i said, you missed something else, don't worry about it. just go to cnn.com/clarkhoward and i'll bring you up to speed. you can see more information about any topic that you want to know more about. tonya is with us. hello, tonya. >> caller: hello, clark. >> you are stuck with something that sticks to people like glue. what is that yuckey thing? >> caller: pmi, private mortgage

insurance. the letter i received says there has to be verification the property value has not declined. which in this economy i'm believing it would not have. and then i have to go through an evaluator of the company's choosing, which they're saying is $410. and i wanted to know from you if that may be negotiable and in this economy, with the property values, is it even worth me pursuing? >> well, they probably explained there are two procedures for dumping pmi. one is appraising out, as you just described, and the second method is the one that the lender cannot keep you from dumping pmi. and that is once you have paid off 22% of the amount of money

you borrowed. no matter what, regardless of what happened with the value of your home, they can't stop you from petitioning them and forcing them to remove your pmi. >> caller: oh, okay. >> how long have you had this loan? >> caller: i've had this loan 11 years. >> also, if you've been paying for 11 years, you may have enough equity even with the decline in value in real estate. but then it's a gamble. how much are you paying per month in pmi? >> caller: about $100 in pmi a month. >> so it would be a gamble if they turn you down. so i would go back first and see if you can get it removed because of the 22%. if that fails, and you think may believe you have enough value, it would be worst the $400. virginia is with us. hello, virginia. >> caller: hi. >> you're headed to scotland?

>> caller: i am. >> how long are you going to be staying? >> caller: for the academic year this year. >> how can i be of service for your year in scotland. >> caller: i have a question concerning my banks while i'm over there. i'm not sure, i was planning on opening a bank account when i arrived but i'm not sure if i should do that, if i should use my current wachovia account or use a credit card because i have the capital one that has no fees. >> absolutely use the capital one credit card. and using the capital one credit card where they give you -- they even absorb the 1% fee that visa imposes. so it is a straight-up best deal out there. here's the second thing. there are going to be times you're going to need pounds as you go out and about and you'll neat atm access for that. what's important for you to do

is find a credit union or a bank that will not charge you an exchange fee for using an atm or a cost for using an atm, because you can get hit with both and before you leave, you want to see if there is in fact a credit union available to you, or generally maybe a smaller bank that says we pay your atm fees for you or whatever offer they're making. >> caller: my only other question was, i have to pay for housing. so they were telling me it would be easier with a direct debit thing from an account. >> that would be a circumstance where you are going to have to establish a banking relationship, probably in scotland. do you know following up on cash for clunkers, we're going

to have cash for appliances? you think i'm making it up, don't you? but actually, it could come up as soon as maybe november, december. we're going to have a gimme for appliance manufacturers where if you buy a new appliance that meets each state's standards for energy efficiency, that you will receive cash back from your state. the money is ultimately from the feds, and each state is free to set its own rules for cash for appliances. want to hear something goofy? you don't have to trade in an old appliance, although who really wants them? speaking of which, one thing a lot of people are doing now is when they buy a new rid refrigerator, they put nit the garage and run that clunker. don't do it. costs you too much. next --

>> they then purposefully messed up your computer and then held your computer hostage and wanted you to buy your computer back from them. they kidnapped your computer.

unfortunately, there are people out there that want to take advantage of senior citizens. if you have parents, i want you to protect them. in this half hour, you'll learn about ways people might try to rip them off. you give me this half hour, you're going to be so much smarter about your wallet, you can't stand it. ever since i can remember, i was fascinated by money, making it, saving it, studying. by the time i was 31, i had earned enough to retire. so i'm barked on a new mission, helping you take care of your money, so you can save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off.

i've had issues in the past with people trying to steal my identity. so i froze my credit where even if somebody steals my information, they can't do much with it. but there's some hassles involved with freezing credit and a real credit, how much risk are you under for somebody stealing your identity? well, you know, for a lot of us, we don't have big risk factors. how would you know whether you're at great risk or not? there's a new website you can go to, to figure out what your risk assessment is. you put in personal information and then, by choice, you can either include your social security number or not. and then you'll get a number back that runs from one to 999. my number was nearly 500, which still put me in a fairly low risk category, but you want to

know where you rank. how do you do this? go to myidscore.com, pop in your information and you'll instantly have your answer. answers, that's my game. you got a question for me? fire away. tell me how i can be of service to you, jered. >> caller: i sold my house about two years ago, and i sold the house upside down, you know, where normally i was requesting a short sell but they didn't short sell it to my, it was roughly $25,000 upside down, so they said we will finance that money to you. i'm trying to negotiate myself a cash settlement with them, and it's $24,000 now. i offered them an $8,000 cash settlement and they said we'll knock off 25% and take $18,000. i'm not satisfied with that. >> well, it is a horse trading

mode you're in now. and they're looking at one prospect, getting monthly payments they may or may not ever get for years down the road, or they can get a certain amount of cash up front. so you made an offer to pay 33 cents on the dollar. they came back and said they want 75 cents on the dollar. now you should come back with another counter. >> caller: when i talked to her, she didn't sound like there was room for a counteroffer. so my question is, i would be willing to go down and tell her i'm having hardship, take a credit hit and not make a payment if that would give me an opportunity to save $5,000. >> it might. there's the possibility that if they're facing the point of a writeoff, they may be willing to negotiate a much more favorable

deal with you. you do know you'll owe tax on whatever they agree to write off. >> caller: i'm willing to make that sacrifice, absolutely. >> make another offer and see just because you've been told it's 18,000 or nothing, you say how about nothing, i'll just stop paying, this is a situation where you can choose to flex your muscles as much or as little as you want. but just as in any game of chicken, you be careful how far you push this thing. amy, i have not heard from someone who took out an hsa and probably more than a year. are you self-employed? >> caller: well, my husband is. >> and that is such a wonderful choice for a self-employed individual, couple or family. >> caller: that's great to hear. i feel like from what i've heard from you and what i'm hearing it is a good thing. but i'm also feeling like i need

a better understanding of how to manage it and use it. >> hit me with some questions. >> caller: i think one of the main things i need to figure out is really how much should we be contributing each year to it? >> a ton. first, let me do a quick thing for people. health savings account is a combination of a high deductible health insurance plan, coupled with a tax-free savings account to pay for medical. but even better than the fact that it's tax free, your husband, because he's self-employed, gets a trim tax benefit from doing an hsa. and wait, there's more. if your husband is making and you combined with him are making big money, then it is your advantage to allow the hsa money to continue to grow tax free if

you can afford to pay for r routine visits to pay them out of money you just have. >> caller: oh, really? so don't use it if you don't have to? >> right. >> caller: so if you don't have anything catastrophic or any major need for that money down the road, what happens to it? >> well, that is a great question. and what happens is it can transition into money that when you're in retirement you're going to have more medical expenses. and then it becomes for the portion of medical bills that are yours, if we have a medicare system by the time you would retire, or whatever it is in that time, it then transitions to be money to pay what would be your out of pocket at that time of your life. again, tax free. next -- >> the main disagreement point

is that overall, sara is a spender and i'm a saver. so we want to make sure we strike a right balance. >> what is it this investment adviser is recommending to your mom. >> a variable annuity? >> what? are you serious? >> yes. >> no, no, no, no, no, no! knew n .

arthur is with us. how are you doing? >> caller: doing well, thanks, clark. >> so you're watching out for your mom. that's a good son, watching out for her. >> caller: thank you. i'm trying to. she has, subsequent to the death of my father, is taking care of her financial matters. >> first, i'm sorry about the loss of your dad. >> caller: well, thank you. and an investment adviser recommended an investment product to her that i'msome what skeptical of. >> how old is your mom? >> caller: she's 72. >> what is it this investment adviser is recommending to your mom? >> caller: a variable annuity. >> what? what? are you serious? >> caller: yes. [ cow mooing ] >> no, no, no, no, no!

that is wrong! i don't know if that individual investment adviser is just misguided or is a dishonest individual. but there is absolutely never a circumstance, never where a variable annuity would be proper for someone in her 70s. a variable annuity is a type of insurance product that has massive commissions, and massive ongoing expenses and huge what are known as surrender charges. the idea at 72 is that normally your mom is not looking for something that might generate an income for her at 100. your mom is looking for something that will cover her needs for the remainder of her lifetime. >> caller: is this advice so

egregiously bad that we should take our business elsewhere? >> i would consider that, because there's not even a reasonable difference of opinion on this. flat-out bad, rotten, terrible, crooked advice. it's time for "money coach" where you pose your financial situation to me and find out what i think is best for you to do. and right now we're going to visit with ben and sara and hear their story and get their question. >> my name is sara. >> and i'm ben. >> and we need a money coach. >> we got married, bought a house. i started a new job. we're kind of starting over in a lot of ways. >> we've been in super save mode, everything that we can put away, we have. and now we're not sure what we should be doing. we track all our experiences that are going out. >> i want to get to the point

that we're making our money work for us and doing everything as efficiently as possible to make sure that we're living comfortable in the future. our question is, how much should we be saving and where should we be investing that money? >> first, i got to tell you how neat it is that you're in a mode that you're tracking all your spending, watching where your money goes. that's the first step to getting to your goals. but you've got something you got to deal with first. enormous amounts of student loans, many carrying a significant interest rate. so where i would be having you pound away at putting money aside for retirement, because the earlier you do it, the more you can save, in your case your first priority is to pay those student loans. how do you do that? well, what i recommend is you pay as much as you can toward the highest interest rate student loan and pay, well, just minimums against the others.

the retirement thing, you still want to start saving some for retirement, so i have a solution that i think works for you and works for others. you know, in this dilemma you have where you have debt in your life but at the same time you know you need to save for retirement, my best answer is the 50/50 solution. and that is for every dollar that you can put aside, stake -- take 50 cents toward the debt and the other 50 towards retirement. next -- >> the key is what are you paying right now as an interest rate? because that's really what makes the decision. >> we're in the high 6s i think. >> high 6s? here's something about the hybrids. the math for the first time and

forever shows that buying a hybrid actually will pay off.

hi, mary. how are you? >> caller: i'm doing good. how are you? >> great, thank you.

you have just the nicest bank that you have your credit cards with. >> caller: yes, one of your favorite giant monster mega banks. >> what has this giant monster mega bank done to you? >> caller: they increased my interest rate on my credit card. >> from what to what? >> caller: from i believe it was 1. -- 11.99 to 15.99. and i'm desperately trying to pay it off. it's about $5,000. and what i'm wondering is, how that they've increased my interest rates, i see that about $60 of everything i pay is going to finance charges. >> here's a question for you. were you given an option to reject the interest rate increase? >> caller: i do not recall seeing that. >> how long has it been? >> caller: i just noticed it on the statement i received. >> oh, so they may have given you notice prior month or two

months ago and you just noticed the rate was higher? >> caller: yeah. >> so this $5,000 balance, do you have funds in savings or is there any -- do you have any source of cash you could use to tell them to get lost? >> caller: about $2,000. >> then wipe out your savings account, and i know that sounds weird, but on your savings, you're earning maybe 1%, if. versus paying interest of 16%. i would take that $2,000, put it towards the credit card. then the same payment that you send each month will have a much greater impact, and are you a member of a credit union? >> caller: yes, i am. >> see if your credit union offers a better deal on a credit card that you can move it from the giant monster mega bank to the credit union. that seems to be working well for people right now. no matter how much money you make, knowing what to do with it

is key. even if you make huge bucks, you might not know. i recently visited with members of the atlanta braves' baseball team and they had some questions for me as their money coach. you know the stories of all the big-time athletes who finish their careers and end up bankrupt. >> it looms in your head. you're like, wait a minute, when i made a million dollars, i thought i would be set for life and there's a lot less there than you think. so that's where we have people like you to ask questions. at 31, you never know what's going to happen. i'm not guarantied a job anywhere next year. we're going to have enough money to pay off our house, but we don't know whether to pay it off and have no house payment the rest of our life, hopefully, or to stay liquid. or a combination thereof and

just get a very manageable mortgage payment. >> what are you paying right now as an interest rate? that's what makes the decision. >> we're in the high high 6s i . interest only loan. we either have to -- >> pay it off. pay it off. pay it off. >> okay. >> if you told me you were sitting at 4.5 or 4.75, you would be in the cat bird seat. pay it as agreed over the years. 6 point whatever, bail out. >> thank you very much. >> what's going on with your wallet? >> everything is good. i got a question about investing in this rough economy. what are some things i can do for the long run as far as save money. >> the thing is that you're young. you'll have playing career that

will end much younger than most people's work lives for what you do right now. so you have to invest far more money every year than other people. you do the same kind of portfolio as someone else but the amount of your pay that has to go in has to be a much, much, much higher percent. typical person would be 10% of their pay through their working lifetime. believe it or not, what percent do you think you should be saving? >> wow. right now it's a good question. a lot. >> it should be half of your take home pay. more specifically, i would take half of your savings and put them in tax free municipal bonds. intermediate length like 7 to 11 years. and then the other half i would diversify international and this is something that scares a lot of people. i would do as much as half of your stock based portfolio

overseas and the other half domestic. >> wow. okay. good deal. >> next on clark howard -- >> it's not just players in the ballpark that have money questions for me. so do the fans. ddddddddd

rainbow flags and homemade signs demanding equality gathered at the u.s. capitol. what's on the agenda of the national equality march? last night president obama says he backs many of the goals of the gay movement and promised to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. some activists say a policy isn't enough. plus -- dramatic surveillance tape from ohio as a fistfight gets even more violent. >> you're watching hln "news and views." i'm have a cha. gay rights activist took to the streets of washington today marching from the white house to the u.s. capitol building.

their national equality march designed to show president obama that his supporters in the gay community expect him to make good on his promises to them. the marchers are demanding an end to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and asking for recognition of same-sex marriage. >> i have one very simple request for the members of congress, members of the senate, for folks in state houses all over the country particularly in my home state of albany, a very simple request. look me in the eye and tell me i'm less of a person than you are. look me in the eye and tell me my family is worth less than yours and look me in the eye and tell me i'm not an american. >> voters go to the polls in maine to decide whether to legalize same-sex marriages.

>> thank you. >> president obama got a warm welcome when he spoke to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to bring an end to discrimination against gays and will end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-discrimination law for the workplace. >> i know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues we're dealing with, but my commitment to you is unwavering as we work on these promise. do not doubt the direction we're headed and the destination we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against

gays and lesbians whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. >> president obama got standing ovations last night but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored the event said they never had a stronger ally in the white house but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed the president repeated previous promises without laying out a time line for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it. officials in pakistan say a hostage standoff at their army headquarters is over.

a military spokesman says four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. an alleged militants leader was captured. the militants got into the headquarters yesterday after storming a checkpoint outside. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorists strikes in pakistan seem to be picking up with at least three attacks just in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they're being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi accusing law enforcement of racial profiling. they say their neighborhood has been disrupted by police raids. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. he's been under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosque. yesterday i was in the mosque. for friday prayer we're missing

about two or three lines. plus racial profiling that everybody has been questioned by the color of their skin, by the way they look and especially in our building. >> he also says he can't find a job because he was under police surveillance. zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he has pleaded not guilty. police in arizona released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly. >> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration, burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest.

the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives of others or when you have to pay for it, that's -- that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught. and more and more in this society that money is evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had similar e-mails from thompson. thompson is accused of stabbing

another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover. an early surprise in colorado led to a big headache for a lot of people. take a look. can you see what caused this massive pileup? some of the drivers didn't, and that is where the problem started.

>> this was the scene of a fistfight turning into an all-out gun battle in a bar in toledo, ohio. people had already scrambled out the door. unbelievable. a few minutes later a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired.

police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out what started the shootout. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out-of-control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah school say heather christianson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. christianson tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window, and she was killed when it rolled over. more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. authorities say the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. the school's director says christianson loved her students and died trying to save them. a woman led florida deputies on a high-speed chase with 7-year-old girl in the back seat she was topped at speeds of more than 110 miles an hour. she finally crashed into guard rail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires.

even after getting out of the car, police say she refused to respond to their commands so they said they finally tasered here. the child was not hurt in the wreck. she was turned over to child protective services. parts of colorado seem to be skipping over fall and heading straight into winter weather. frigid temps led to a treacherous mix of ice and rain in the denver area. traffic accidents snarled the area but a serious 50-car pileup on interstate 25 near colorado springs is being blamed on black ice. the chain reaction wrecks happened early saturday morning. you can see the aftermath here. one person is in serious condition. record lows were set in a lot of areas. denver international airport reported a low of 17 degrees yesterday morning. a new record for that date. the previous daily low was 25 degrees for the date. a woman led florida deputies on a wild high-speed chase with a 7-year-old girl in the back seat. she was clocked at speeds topping 110 miles an hour, and at one point was driving the wrong way, weaving through

traffic. she finally crashed into a guardrail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires. even after getting out of her car, police say she refused to respond to their commands, so they say they finally tasered her. the child was not hurt in the crash. she was turned over to child protective services. storms and rain will head to parts of the south tonight, but for today, sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, on friday. it destroyed at least two mobile homes, took down trees and power lines. fortunately, no one was seriously injured. meanwhile, northern alabama has some cleaning up to do as well. some power lines were toppled. trees came crashing down on homes when another storm hit there friday afternoon. a wildfire that broke out near a popular resort near l.a. last saturday is under control. it burned through 11 square

miles of brush. they are being kept away from the burn area. the cause of that wildfire is still being investigated. 49 tons of food intended to people who can't afford it was lost in a florida fire. it broke out at a warehouse where a food bank kept its inventory. one volunteer says up to 60,000 people who depend on this bank won't get any food until after the weekend. lots of people worry about bad hair days but for african-american women it can be serious business. we talk to chris rock and why he did his new documentary.

tomorrow is columbus day though you might not know it if you visit public schools in new york or chicago. the holiday is not observed in all public schools anymore and that may reflect the sharp divisions among educators about how best to portray the explorer in the classroom. he was once depicted as a conquering hero but christopher columbus has been more complex teachers struggle to balance the conflicting stories opening the americas to european exploration and the resulting exploitation and oppression of the native population. a big surprise for a small film at this weekend's box office. the scare fest "paranormal

activity" brought in $7 million even though it was playing at fewer than 200 theaters. that is a new record. get this, the makers say it only cost them $15,000 to produce. this trailer which shows audience reaction during a screening has helped prompt huge buzz for the home video style flick. more than a million people have signed internet petitions to release the movie in more cities. the top movie at the box office this weekend was "couples retreat" with vince vaughn. violence and guns added a somber note to the awards in atlanta. rapper snoop dogg commented on the recent youth violence in chicago. >> we need to learn to become a better family. once we become a family at home it will pour out into the streets. i say to those out there creating that violent situation, let's stop the violence. i don't mean to say it like everybody else says it. i say it in a real way. we have a lot to live for.

you understand what i'm saying? be smart and understand we need to love each other instead of kill each other. that's from big snoop dogg. >> rapper ti won cd of the year. there was no onstage drama from kanye west. he was a no show. ice cube got the i am hip-hop icon award. jay-z honored as mvp of the year. comedian chris rock says when his daughters started wishing for good hair as toddlers, he knew he had to find out more about what hair means to an african-american woman. that led to a documentary that is funny, of course, but also opens up a new dialogue. we sit down with rock and actress nia long to talk about this film. >> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier and -- >> i don't know what it is with black women. if i look at brad pitt. he's a handsome guy. i go, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think can i get his hair?

>> but for us the way you say suit is the same way we go look at that hair. i want to get that hair. >> what's in your hair? >> this is a weave. >> extensions. >> like that. >> you do acknowledge in the film that you wear a weave. tell us why you choose not to wear your hair as you were born with? >> it's a bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom. i have meetings. i'm an actress. i got to get my hustle on. >> have you ever put your hands through a black woman's hair? >> no. not a black woman. >> it's funny but serious. where do you think the balance is? >> i'm always going start off trying to be funny. if i can slip some knowledge. >> medicine. >> a little medicine. >> human hair is india's biggest export. 10 inches and better like porno. >> i think what's great is that he's super honest so with the honesty the issues actually come out without it being preachy.

so you can laugh but you walk away going, but you know what, even though i laughed, there are so many issues that have -- that are clear and in your face in how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> relaxer will take a black woman's hair from this and change it into this. >> historically the features have not always been celebrated and so in this it makes women not just black women but all women kind of go -- especially black women because it is about us but it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves and what really motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include for example if you will strengthen your hair like i do, putting a product on your scalp that could disintegrate a soda can in just a few hours. >> it will burn through your skin. >> that can has a good perm. >> as a man, chris, knowing that

women put themselves through this, what did you think? did you understand why they would do this? >> i'm never going to -- there's no why. i mean, there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago to appear more european. why women do it today? because they want to at the end of the day. >> africa like this. you mix. look more natural. >> anybody ever try to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black women, run the other way. there's a new way to rent movies. hln money expert clark howard shows you where to find cheap hollywood deals. >> are you looking for affordable entertainment? do i have a deal for you. all over america things that look kind of like soft drink vending machines are popping up by the tens of thousands.

the biggest player is redbox but there are lots of others where you can rent a movie many times recent releases for $1. i mean, what a deal. it doesn't have to be some movie from ten years ago. it's something that just recently was released on dvd is yours for a buck. people are clamoring for these things. now, these folks redbox, who are biggest player in the business, were facing a big fight in the studios trying to keep recent releases out of their machines. so far, redbox, 1, studios, none. if you're looking for a particular movie, you can go to a website and reserve it so you know it will be there. i'm clark howard. for more ways to save a buck, go to cnn.com/clarkhoward. >> clark has even more ways for you to save more, spend less and avoid getting ripped off on the clark howard show today at 4:00

p.m. eastern time right here on hln. if you have a sweet tooth, you may want to head to south florida after seeing this. we'll introduce you to an ice cream parlor where homemade treats are served up in massive proportions. kitchen sink, anyone?

rainbow flags and homemade signs demanding equality gathered at the u.s. capitol. what's on the agenda of the national equality march? last night president obama said he backs many of the goals of the gay movement and promised to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. some activists say a promise isn't enough. plus -- dramatic surveillance tape from ohio as a fistfight gets even more violent. you're watching "hln news and views." i'm virginia cha. gay rights activists marched

on the capitol today. the marchers are demanding an end to the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and asking for recognition of same-sex marriages. >> i have one very simple request for the members of congress, members of the senate, for folks in state houses all over the country particularly in my home state of albany. a very simple request. look me in the eye and tell me that i'm less of a person than you are. look me in the eye and tell me my family is worth less than yours. look me in the eye and tell me i am not an american. >> vote gers go to the poll in maine to decide whether to legalize same-sex marriages.

>> thank you. >> president obama got a warm welcome when he talked to the largest gay rights group in the country last night. he renewed his promise to pursue an agenda that would bring an end to discrimination against gays. he specifically pointed out the need to end the military's don't ask, don't tell policy and called for an anti-d anti-discrippleation lanti-disc ati law for the workplace. >> i know you want me working on the issues dealing with the economy. while progress may be taking longer than you would like as a result of all that we face and that's the truth do not doubt the direction that we're headed and the destination that we will reach. my expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against

gays and lesbians, whether in the office or on the battlefield. you will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. >> president obama got standing ovations last night, but today not everyone is applauding. the president of the group that sponsored the event said they never had a stronger ally in the white house but other gay rights leaders say they're disappointed the president repeated previous promises without laying out a time line for fulfilling them. both democratic and republican lawmakers say it's crucial that repealing the don't ask, don't tell policy should happen only if military leaders support it. officials in pakistan say a

hostage standoff at their army headquarters is over. four militants and three hostages are dead after troops launched a rescue operation this morning. an alleged militants leader was captured. the militants got into the area yesterday after storming a checkpoint outside. they held dozens of people hostage for 18 hours. terrorist strikes in pakistan seem to be picking up with at least three attacks just in the past seven days. some new york muslims say they're being singled out in a terrorist investigation. they held a protest yesterday as investigators look into the actions of suspect najibullah zazi. they accuse law enforcement of racial profiling and say their neighborhood has been disrupted by police raids. one of the men questioned in the probe spoke out at the protest. he's been under surveillance since the probe began. >> people are scared to go to mosque. i was yesterday in the mosque for friday prayer. we're missing about two or three lines.

plus the racial profiling that everybody has been questioned. by the color of their skin and by the way they look and especially in our building. >> he also says he can't find a job because he was under police surveillance. zazi is suspected of planning a terrorist attack in new york. he's pleaded not guilty. police in arizona have released the 911 tapes from a purification ritual that turned deadly. >> two people died after sitting in a so-called sweat lodge thursday. 19 other people were hospitalized for a range of problems including dehydration, burns, kidney failure and respiratory arrest.

the people who participated in the sweat lodge were attending a program by self-help guru james ray. >> everybody has the right to believe and practice the way they wish to. but when it endangers the lives of others or when you have to pay for it, that's -- that's not a spiritual belief. >> there's nothing evil or wrong about money. that's one of the things that we're taught. and more and more in this society that money is evil. it really isn't. it just provides wonderful things. if you have the ability, you can help many, many people. >> of the 19 people who were taken to the hospital, one is still in critical condition. a ucla professor says he warned the school that a stabbing suspect needed serious help for his shaky mental health. professor steven frank told "the l.a. times" he told a university administrator months ago that 20-year-old damon thompson sent him several e-mails accusing other students and even frank himself of taunting him during an exam. he said other teachers had similar e-mails from thompson. thompson is accused of stabbing

another student in the throat during a chemistry lab. other students watched in horror on thursday as blood gushed from the 20-year-old woman's neck. her family says she is expected to recover. an early surprise in colorado led to a big headache for a lot of people. can you see what caused this massive pileup? some of the drivers didn't. that's where the problem started.

vitamins, antioxidants, many of us are interested in supplements that may improve our health. how far would you go to get them? dr. sanjay gupta looks at a new trend. >> in a tokyo neighborhood, this is home to one of the latest japanese quick fix health fads. the i.v. cafe. here visitors look to get vitamins. each pack contains solution and specific vitamins and minerals to target a health concern or beauty concern. the pack is said to help rejuvenate and ease muscle stiffness but no conclusive health evidence to back up the claims. the iv cafe and marketing have instantaneous health in japan, a

country known for all kinds of fads. this was the scene of a fistfight turned into an all-out gun battle in toledo, ohio. people had already scrambled out the door. unbelievable. a few minutes later a second camera captured several people outside firing into the bar. amazingly, no one was struck, even though as many as 20 shots were fired. police are trying to identify the gunman and figure out what started the shootout. a teacher who grabbed the wheel of an out-of-control school bus only to die when it crashed in a ditch is being hailed as a hero. officials from the utah school say heather christianson grabbed the wheel after the driver lost control on an idaho interstate. christianson tried to get the bus back on the road but couldn't do it. she was actually thrown out of a window, and she was killed when it rolled over.

more than a dozen students were taken to hospitals. authorities say the bus driver may have had a medical condition that caused the crash. the school's director says christianson loved her students and died trying to save them. parts of colorado seem to be skipping over fall and heading straight into winter weather. frigid temps led to a treacherous mix of ice and rain in the denver area. traffic accidents snarled the area but a serious 50-car pileup on interstate 25 near colorado springs is being blamed on black ice. the chain reaction wrecks happened early saturday morning. you can see the aftermath here. one person is in serious condition. record lows were set in a lot of areas. denver international airport reported a low of 17 degrees yesterday morning. a new record for that date. the previous daily low was 25 degrees for the date. a woman led florida deputies on a wild high-speed chase with a 7-year-old girl in the back seat. she was clocked at speeds topping 110 miles an hour, and at one point was driving the

wrong way, weaving through traffic. she finally crashed into a guardrail after deputies laid stop sticks on the interstate to take out her tires. even after getting out of her car, police say she refused to respond to their commands, so they say they finally tasered her. the child was not hurt in the crash. she was turned over to child protective services. storms and rain will head to parts of the south tonight, but for today, sunny weather will give people a chance to clean up from the massive earlier storms. this is what a twister did after it struck near liberty, kentucky, on friday. it destroyed at least two mobile homes, took down trees and power lines. fortunately, no one was seriously injured. meanwhile, northern alabama has some cleaning up to do as well. some power lines were toppled. trees came crashing down on homes when another storm hit there friday afternoon. a wildfire that broke out near a popular resort outside l.a. last saturday is finally under control. it burned through more than 11 square miles of brush and destroyed several structures.

people living nearby were forced to evacuate they have returned home but are being kept away from the burn area. the cause of the wildfire is being investigated. 49 tons of food intended for people who can't afford it was lost in a florida fire. it broke out at a warehouse where a food bank kept its inventory. the flames never got to the food itself but ruined it for consumption. one volunteer says up to 60,000 people who depend on this bank won't get any food until after the weekend. face it. lots of people worry about bad hair days. for african-american women, it could be serious business. we talk to comedian chris rock about his new comedy. why he did it.

tomorrow is columbus day though you might not know it if you visit public schools in new york or chicago. the holiday is not observed in all public schools anymore and that may reflect the sharp divisions among educators about how best to portray the explorer in the classroom. he was once depicted as a conquering hero but christopher columbus has been more complex.

teachers struggle to balance his conflicting elements of his story. opening the americas to european exploration for example as well as resulting exploitation and oppression of the native population. a big surprise for a small film at this weekend's box office. the scare fest "paranormal activity" brought in $7 million even though it was playing at fewer than 200 theaters. that is a new record. get this. makers say it only cost them $15,000 to produce. this trailer which shows audience reaction during a screening has helped prompt huge buzz for the home video style flick. more than a million people have signed internet petitions to release the movie in more cities. the top movie at the box office this weekend was "couples retreat" with vince vaughn. a somber note for the b.e.t. awards. rapper snoop dogg was there and

commented on the deadly youth violence in chicago. >> we need to learn how to become a better family at home first and foremost. once we become a family at home it will pour out into the streets. i say to those out there creating that violent situation, let's stop the violence. i don't mean to say it like everybody else says it. i say it in a real way. we have a lot to live for. please be smart and understand that we need to love each other instead of kill each other. that's from big snoop dogg. >> no onage drama from kanye west as he was a no show. comedian chris rock says when his daughters started wishing for good hair as toddlers, he knew he had to find out more about what hair means to an african-american woman. that led to a documentary that is funny, of course, but also opens up a new dialogue. we sat down with rock and nia long to talk about this film.

>> within the black community if you have good hair, you're prettier or better than -- the lighter the brighter the better. >> i don't know what it is with black women. if i look at brad pitt. he's a handsome guy. i go, that's a cool suit. i want to get that suit. i don't think can i get his hair? >> but for us the way you say suit is the same way we go look at that hair. i want that hair. >> what's in your hair? >> this is a weave. >> like that. >> extensions. >> you do acknowledge in the film that you wear a weave. tell us why you choose not to wear your hair as you were born with? >> it's a bit of a convenience thing. i'm a mom. i have meetings. i'm an actress. i got to get my hustle on. >> have you put your hands through a black woman's hair? >> no. not a black woman. >> it's funny but serious. where do you think the balance is? >> i'm always going start off

trying to be funny. if i can slip some knowledge. >> medicine. >> a little medicine. >> human hair is india's biggest export. ten inches and better. it's like porno. >> i think what's great is he's super honest, so with the honesty, the issues actually come out without it being preach chi. you can laugh but you walk away going, but you know what? even though i laughed, there's so many issues that have, you know, that are clear and in your face and how we look at ourselves and what we consider beautiful. >> chemicals that will take a black woman's hair from this and change it into this. >> historically the afro centric features have not been celebrated. it makes women, not just black women, go, especially black women, because it is about us, but for all of us it makes us question the integrity of our beauty standards for ourselves

and what really motivates us to make certain choices. >> choices that include, for example, if you're going to straighten your hair like i do. putting a product on your scalp that could disintegrate a soda can in a few hours. >> peroxide will burn through your skin. >> chris, as a man, knowing that women put themselves through this, what do you think? did you understand why they would do this? >> i'm never going to understand -- there's no why. i mean, i mean, there's a reason why it was done 50, 60 years ago and it was to assimilate and appear more european. why women do it today? i have -- there's -- because they want to at the end of the day. >> look more natural. >> has anybody ever tried to steal your hair? >> no. >> if you see some black women, just run the other way. >> if you have a sweet tooth you may want to head to south florida after seeing this.

we will introduce you to an ice cream parlor where homemade treats are served up in massive proportions. they said it would never last.

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