we do have a lot of oversight at the smithsonian. we respect that when 70% of our money comes from the government and american people. we have tried to work to establish the in everything we do since i have been there. >> what kinds of innovative revenue opportunities are you looking at, like the movies? >> well, obviously, we are in a position like many institutions in the knowledge business. if you are in the newspaper, book, it university, museum business, or research business, these are interesting times. there is so much change. some funding sources are disappearing, others appear. you have to be agile if you will survive. if you are in an institution with 19 museums, you have to work at being nimble and responsive. we are doing strategic planning and hoping to position ourselves. that is important. as we look at the smithsonian will not going to the case of charging admission. that has been a tradition. it is great to walk into our museum into families enjoying themselves and able to do that without having to worry about an admi

the smithsonian was just behind the time in getting this done. it is a good thing that this was put in. we are working to make sure this will work. the essence of it isn't in place. -- is in place. >> the national zoo came under criticism for the number of animal death. is there more that needs to be addressed? >> the national zoo is a great resource. the only federally supported zoo in our nation. we do work around the world. that is another place that we hope to open it up to the rest of the world to see the great work that is being done. i would call your attention to look at the web cam. we just had the successful birth of --. they are amazingly cute. there is also a web cam for the newly arrived anteater. only a mother could love cyrano. but it is delightful. the animals are lovely when they are cute and great when they are mature but they are like us. they die. obviously, we don't want to be having any of those problems. we have worked hard to update our buildings. we are putting in millions of dollars of up grades. we are working hard to m

one year ago the smithsonian institution welcome to its 12 secretary. over the past year dr. has gotten to know the 19 museums, 20 libraries, nine research centers, the national zoo. he has traveled to smithsonian operations including panama and the united kingdom. his vision is for the life of the world. his moving forward with a major strategic planning effort. he wants to engage new audiences. he has shown great support for the national aerospace museum. he has viewed exhibits met with curious, participated in programs, and helped us break the wall through the center with a bulldozer to begin construction. it is my honor to introduce the 12th secretary of the smithsonian institution, dr. g. wayne -. >> thank you for your nice introduction. it is a wonderful thing for all of us. welcome to our special guests who are here. obviously, there are many here tonight, many who were heroes and who have made history. thank you for coming to help us celebrate the annual john glenn lecture and the 40th anniversary of apollo 11 of the moon landing. what to all of those who are watching

the astronauts made that pitch last night here at the smithsonian institute. 40 years ago today man first set foot on the moon and last night in washington kneel armstrong and his apollo crew members spoke about that moment. >> history is a sequence of random events and unpredictable choice, which is why the future is so difficult to foresee. >> reporter: those lucky enough to get tickets to last night's event at the smithsonian say they got a chance to be part of history. >> i figure this could be the last chance we will see the three apollo 11 astronauts together. >> reporter: the first men to sever their earthly bonds posed a question to their audience and the nation. >> america, do you still dream great dreams? do you still believe in yourself? are you ready for a great national challenge? >> reporter: that challenge, say the veterans, is for americans to also be the first to walk upon another planet. >> as celestial bodies go, the moon is not a particularly interesting place. but mars is. >> reporter: andrea, when the apollo 11 crew meet with president obama later today they are expe

the smithsonian though is in a new era. ant it reach not just the million who's visit here on the mall but the billions we can reach using digital technology to inspire young people themselves so that they willal want to be scientists and astronauts and nasa participants scientists. >> science, of what it can mean- what it means to be an american. there is a wonderful exhibit in this art museum. it's an example of how science and art come together. all of these stories speak to the great american spirit and what we stand for as a nation. the best of what we stand for is exemplified in our next speaker. and it is my distinct honor to introduce him. please welcome a true friend of the smithsonian for decades, the man for whom this lecture series is named and astronaut, a senator, a marine, a pioneer, and above all, a great american patriot. senator john glenn. >> thank you all very much. thank you. thank you. the summer of 1969 was a defining time in america because of the milestone that we're recognizing tonight of apollo 11.

live from the smithsonian, armando trull for 9 news now and wusa9.com. >>> i'm taking over for him. we looked -- >> the astronauts in space where dealing with a big issue a broken toilet. one of the two bathroom on the international space station broke down and flooded. probably not a pretty scene. two astronauts tried to fix a broken pump but couldn't do the job. nasa's advice, hang an out of order sign on the door. the shuttle wakeup call comes in 830 minutes. >>> now this morning the crash of a fighter jet at the largest alternate base in southern afghanistan. the fighter jet went down a few hours ago. the crew did eject in time and should be okay. this is the second crash on the base in as many days. >>> this morning the pentagon is condemning the release of video showing a captured u.s. soldier. private first class bowe bergdahl vanished three weeks ago. he was captured by the taliban in eastern afghanistan. in the 28-minute video bowe bergdahl says he is scared and he talks an his family in idaho. >> i have a very, very good family that i love back home in america. and i miss t

for the first time since september 11 attacks, the smithsonian metro station was open to the public.ohn gonzalez, abc 7 news. >>> after the fireworks, the crowds went home, walking, and cars, the metro, the rush was on. richard reeve has that story. > john gonzalez showed us how many people were out on the mall. for many, the notion was how we get home tonight. this is also a question for ddot to figure out evacuation routes, doing it by going green. on a heavy traffic night for vehicles and pedestrians -- >> if people cannot celebrate the fourth of july and sit in traffic, do not come. >> dc is going green. >> you should not drive on july 4. about one not? >> the traffic is awful. >> ddot calls it operation fast forward, outbound traffic lights staying at green for four minutes at a time. >> we need extended time on the lights. >> the holiday traffic is a way to empty out the city on holiday nights and test the effectiveness of the five of the 19 evacuation routes. >> you cannot fake a hurricane to get out of fear. >> authorities believe the extended green lights could clear up larg

box son display at the smithsonian.om box. >> was there a certain swagger you had to have to look cool? >> it was determined by musculature -- >> so i couldn't carry one off? >> well, you wouldn't want one too big or too heavy, but -- if you wanted one, you can lug it around. >> madonna dusted one off in a recent video. and come to think of it, lady ga gaga. ♪ in fact, 20 years after boom boxes began disappearing, suddenly they're everywhere again. there's one in this evian commercial complete with break dancing babies. boom boxes are making a comeback. could it be because they bring back some good memories? lyle thinks so. he's writing a book about them. >> i think with the turmoil in the world, people are looking back to a touch stone in their memory, hey, a boom box put a smile on my face back in the mid or late '80's i'll get one to make my summer worthwhile. >> he's building up his collection. boom boxes that cost a hundred dollars a few decades ago run up to a thousand dollars. it kind of makes me wish i held on t

serious researchers such as a graduate students or filmmakers or historical workers for cable of the smithsonian. resurvey broad cross section. >> -- we serve a broad cross- section. >> we work for the u.s. department of the interior. the secretary of the interior and the president of the united states are who we work for. >> what is the budget for an operation like this? >> it little more than $23 million per year. more than 15,000 people come through our program. >>, java spending on this kind of effort compared to what it was 50 years ago? >> i do not think we were spending much money at all. i am the first historian we have had in the fish and wildlife. we did not have an archive 12 years ago. we did not have a history program. we have created a program since then. we do not spend a lot of money purchasing artifacts. we manage a couple personnel and that is about it. >> a begin have whatever you wanted to make this better, what would you add to it? >> i would want the general public in the u.s. to know who the fish and wildlife service is. we have dedicated people that do great work for the

. >> for the first time since september 11, the smithsonian metro is open to the public. >> it was a lot of fun. >> pamela, park police believe that making less checkpoints will open the area, spread it out, help people get around easier. this is one of the checkpoints. long lines. they advised that if you come down here to pack very light because they are checking bags and that is what takes a long time. the concert on the west lawn of the capital starts at 8:00 sharp. the performance like aretha franklin, the muppets, and barry manilow. the fireworks get under way just after 9:00. >>> sounds like a lot of fun. as we saw in the live shot, lots of sunshine, but will the clear skies stick around for the fireworks? meteorologist steve rudin joins us with the early look. how're things shaping up? >> not so bad, well below average temperatures. the clouds are beginning to roll in from the west, not impacting temperatures right now. outside, across the mid- ,lantic83 degrees at reagan national. hagerstown at 82. cooler off to the north and west. ow tonight into tomorrow, and with it much

holly is there at the smithsonian. that is as close as we can get this morning. r: during the autobahn for all event, you can get great lease deals. i love it! i just want to know it's the right move. me? thirteen days in the future. you get a deal on the car you always wanted. scheduled maintenance is included, it's all good. what's the future like? you ve your new jetta. and the suit? you like it? no...i love it! sun's kind of strong. i don't know. i feel pretty good. let's try to finish it off. working in the hot sun with a dunkin' iced coffee... >>> good morning, everybody: today we are getting ready to celebrate an out of this world anniversary, as we are live at the smithsonian where they are gearing up for the count down to the moon day, tomorrow where they will celebrate the apollo 11 mission. tomorrow here at the museum, every gallery is going to come alive with activities that are interactive and educational for you and your family. we'll get a preview of all the different things going on. and there's wonderful people for you to talk to like a lunar rove

when neil armstrong became the first plan to step foot on the moon. >> it's been 40 years and the smithsoniannal air and space museum is getting ready the celebrate the anniversary of this ground breaking ssion. holly, you have a preview for us. >> reporter: the air and space museum is one that you can never come to enough. if you're schedulinga time to come, come tomorrow because they are calling it count down to the moon day. it is going to be spectacular to say the least and memorable for the whole family. pri sill la is with me this morning. happy anniversary, i guess. >> it's aigrette anniversary. >> it is. let's talk about that moment in time, what it really meant when it happened. >> tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of the launch of apollo 11. it was so much work over so many years for this fantastic event that ten years earlier would have seemed impossible. >> but the advances made in a relatively short amount of time in that decade were mazing. let's start with the museum piece you have here for this mission, the lunar module, which i understand has been restored. >> that's right, th

neil armstrong, buzz aldrin, and michael collins spoke yesterday at the smithsonian institute. >>> andhe u.s. million tricalls a taliban video showing a captured u.s. soldier propaganda that violates international law. private first class bowe bergdahl was captured in afghanistan about three weeks ago. >> it's a clear violation of international law to use prisoners for propaganda purposes, and that's in keeping with the way the taliban operates. they don't hold themselves to the same standards as the rest of us. it's not surprising, but it's disappointing. >> bergdahl is 23 years old and has been in afghanistan five months. >>> as we reported, the president is pushing congress to pass legislation overhauling the nation's healthcare system before it takes its summer recess. he meets with healthcare leaders today. susan roberts is in washington and joins us again. good morning to you, susan. >> reporter: michelle, good morning to you. the president is not letting up on that august deadline. meantime, republicans are fighting this tax on the wealthy, saying this will only kill jobs in ame

, your box is on display at the smithsonian.as looking for my box. >> reporter: so there was a certain swagger you had to have while carrying your boombox in order to look cool? >> the swagger was determined by your muscular ability. >> i guy like me wouldn't be able to pull it off? >> it depends. you probably wouldn't want to get one too heavy. just switch it arm to arm, 20 minutes over here, 20 minutes over there. >> reporter: maybe lugging her radio around is how madonna got all her muscles. she dusted off the box in a recent video. come to think of it, so did lady gaga. in fact, 20 years after boomboxes began disappearing suddenly they're everywhere again. there's even one in this new evian commercial complete with break dancing babies. boombaches are making a come back. could it be because they bring back such good memories? lyle thinks so. he's so caught up in the nostalgia, he's writing a book about them. >> i think with all the turmoil in the world, people are looking back to a time in their life that brought a good memo

after that, a conversation with the secretary of the smithsonian. >> joining us from the north lawn at the white house on c-span's "newsmakers" program is austan goolsbee, the chief economists for the president's advisory board. thanks very much for being with us. >> my pleasure. >> here for the questioning is laura meckler from the "wall street journal" and ceci connolly of the washington worst. >> hello, there. we saw some news come out last week about unemployment rising up to 9.5%. can you give us a sense of how high you think it will go? >> unfortunately, i don't think we're done. obviously, we aren't out of the woods. we've had some pretty tough job market reports over december, 2007, when the recession began. the rate of job loss has slowed considerably, fortunately, since the president has been in office. but i imagine that unemployment may be pushing in the double digits by the time we get to the peak of this. >> and when potentially would that level off? >> you know, i try to stay out of the forecasting business, but i don't have any reason to dispute what the private or the

the smithsonian air and space museum is twittering the mission as if it were happening now. twoont check in with our executive producer kelly franken in our control room. we did this once before for passion of the christ during the holiday. kelly, who is our twitter queen, i guess you could say, she is always keep meeg abreast on what they are doing. >> yes. >> how is this going down? splin. >> this is a really neat project that the smithsonian is doing through air and space museum. they are doing a real-time twittering of the event that took place. the latest one came a few minutes ago. apollo 11 will rotate several times during the mission. houston reassures cmp collins that they will take turns looking out the window. this is a project that i talked to a couple of folks at the smithsonian that they put together with basically volunteers. it was preset because they wanted the timing to be perfect. there are 700 tweets that have been created. it is going to be automatically generated. they are going to carry it all the way through july 24th just after splash down when all o

live at the smithsonian, 9 news now and wusa9.com. >>> all right. thank you. and if you do a bit too much reveling this 4th of july, the washington regional alcohol program will give you a free taxi ride home. the silver ride program runs until 4:00 a.m. just call for a free ride home. >>> a gas explosion in north west washington nearly levels a single family home. it happened around 6:30 tonight. fire officials say they smelled gas when they arrived on the scene. this video is courtesy of d.c. fire and ems. the house was severely damaged. no one was hurt. neighbors say the owners of the house are away on vacation. investigators are still trying to determine what caused the blast. >>> 6,000 people can now call themselves u.s. citizens on this 4th of july. 102 of them took the oath on george washington's lawn at mt. vernon. gary was there. >> say the oath because that's what makes you a citizen. >> reporter: they came from 43 countries. they're new national anthem hands on their hearts, flags everywhere, some already serving a country that until this morning was

went to africa, the amazon, and brought back specimens for the museum of natural history, for the smithsonian. you know, t.r.'s great love was the wilderness and nature, and he believes we need some green zones around urban places. that way, you always want to have the option of outdoor life -- he believes we need some green zone as. he had climbed the matterhorn in switzerland -- he believed we need some green zones. greta: i did not know how much heart -- how little i knew about this until i read this. a president i sort of ignored in my travels. anyway, it is a great book. thank you. i should point out that it is going on sale tomorrow or a manner of hours. thanks. up next, your favorite, the best of the rest. it looks like billionaire bill gates is losing all of his friends. how does a rich guys lose all of his friends? we will tell you how and why. and the number-one party school is named. it was not harvard or yale or m, greta: you have seen our top stories, but here is the best of the rest. everyone knows that secretary of state hillary clinton, wanted to be present. listen very carefu

>> and a unique display at the smithsonian. ahead in the weekend section, we are coming right b ñ?? >>> time to look ahead to the weekend scene with ellen mccarthy of "the washington post" weekend section. welcome again. >> thank you. >> this is all about freebies. we love free things. >> this is all about free in august. they say it slows down in august here but we don't think it does. not only are we giving you something to do every day but we will make it free every day. so one things this we really want to do in august is go to redskins camp. look how much fun lindsay having out there. the rest of us can, too. they want you to be out there. you know, get an autograph. see your favorite players up close. you know, hang out. have a bit of a party or a picnic. and it is free every day. you can get the schedule online. august 8th is going to be the big day. that's fan appreciation day where they will have games and they want kids in particular. but we do have something free every day for the month of august. if football is not your thing, poetry, concerts, theater. so much going on

. >> for baseball fans, saturday is national baseball family fun day at the smithsonian art museum. meet players from the washington nationals and get pictures and autographs. there is music, prizes, crafts, tours and more. the fun begins at 11:30 a.m. >> it's brook side garden's 40th birthday on saturday. you'll enjoy the many colorful flowers in the gardens and a special treat. starting at 10:00 a.m. free admission to the wings of fancy live butterfly exhibit. where many spaceys are flying freely amid tropical plants. >> here the music of the washington rebels and it includes audience participation. there is an evening concert with beach bums and fun activities and birthday cake. the party is in wheaton. for more on these and other free events, go to myfoxdc.com and click on midday. and if you have any free events to share with us, send them to fox 5 freebies at wttg.com. we like to have them at least three weeks in advance. >>> dozens of puppies rescued from a puppy mill finding new homes here in our area. the washington area animal rescue league all about eight of the dog have be

even though the smithsonian spot will be open for the first time in years. >> we're going to sit tighur, hour and a half afterwards and see how much the crowd dies down. >> reporter: the locals will tell you there is another option. these folks from beltsville started out early, parked about six blocks away aengsd expect to drive back home in about a third of the time it used to take. >> hopefully the lights are supposed to be green all the way out so stay in maryland, it will take us a half hour to get home. >> reporter: chalk that one up to operation fast-forward a plan first testedlyju ju 4, 200. it involves using five of d.c.'s marked evacuation routes in and around the mall to get people in cars out in record time. bus barriers block off side streets to vehicles. there are plenty of police officers to direct pedestrians. and traffic lights on the evacuation routes are longer for cars herded out toward maryland and virgina. so far it's been a hit. >> it's sort of fun -- funnels you out to the rain areas and get on constitution and it works. >> you can clap and cheer out the window

outside the smithsonian tonight, scott thuman, abc 7 news. >> we do want to know what you think at home about the future of the space program. we invite you to go to wjla.com and vote in our pulse poll. the question is do you think nasa should focus its mission on putting an astronaut on mars? right now most voters say no. >> coming up on abc 7 news at 5:00, disturbing images of what prosecutors say a mother did to her children. >> plus why back-to-school shopping is going to be more expensive in the district. >> and michael jackson's final performance may be available for you to watch at home. >> and warning about a scam promising to pay you for >> "7 on your side" with a swarning about a scam hitting our area. >> it sound like it could be a fun or. police say it is designed to take your money. pamela brown is here with what to look out for. >> being a mystery shopper is quick, fun and easy and a good way to make money on the side. problem is scam artists have figured out how to turn it into a lucrative business and their prig on the most vulnerable. it seems like the perfect way to ma

greta: if you'd like to see more of his paintings, they are on display at the smithsonian's national rospace museum into next year. coming up, now suppose a plan to return to the moon. the grand plan has a glitch. >> to put a pound of anything into orbit costs $10,000. to go to the moon is4l it can be tough living with copd... but i try not to let it slow me down. i go down to the pool for a swim... get out and dance... even play a little hide-n-seek. i'm breathing better... with spiriva. announcer: spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled maintenance treatment for both forms of copd... which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. i take it every day. it keeps my airways open... to help me breathe better all day long. and it's not a steroid. announcer: spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. stop taking spiriva and call your doctor if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, or have vision changes or eye pain. tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, problems passing urine or an enlarged prostate, as these may worsen with

and the smithsonian metro station was open, a major change from past years. >>> we have an update now on breaking news we brought you at the top of the show. a serious crash on i-95 in laurel, maryland, has put eight people in the hospital. this is an i-95 between routes 198 and 216. we're told a v hit a median and flipped over in the northbound lane, landing on the side of the roadway. three people were ejected from the van. there's no word on what led to this wreck. eight people, all adults, have been taken to the hospital. no one with life-threatening injuries. >>> let's find out how it's affecting the rush hour ride home, however. >> ashley is in the news4 traffic center with details. >> hey, guys. well, it is impacting traffic. now, the good news is the accident activity has been cleared from the roadway. all travel lanes are reopened. it already did its damage. travelers on 95 are going to encounter delays. northbound, a line forms around powder mill road. southbound, around 216. so an exit in both directions, you'll encounter these delays. it's back to whatever you were trying

he inpats these paamazing paintings with lunar dust on exhibit at the smithsonian i'an withth is. th . en my view fr eve the even last night where i got to hear armstrong speak and i have two astronauts in my family and that's as close as i could get but had a great time and a fabulous event. i will have more on my blg at wusa9.com. >>> thank you for bringing your mom, dr. anna fisher to our studios yesterday. district residents could face a number of tax hike an their husbands lay off forces one stay at home mom to take control of her financial future. we'll be right back. discover a light yogurt like no other. activia light! delicious, fat free, and above all... the only one that has bifidus regularis and is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive system. activia light. ♪ activiaaa! how about a swim? i'm a little irregular today. don't you eat activia? for my little issues? summer is no time to put up with even occasional digestive problems. take the activia challenge now. it works, or it's free. ♪ activia get gold bond pain relieving foot cream. maximum strength medici

. >> reporter: those lucky enough to get tickets to last night's event at the smithsonian say they had a chance to be part of history. >> i figured this could be the last chance we will see them together. >> reporter: the first men to sever their earthly bonds and stride on a celestial body posed a question to the audience and the nation. >> america, do you still dream great dreams? do you still believe in ourself? are you ready for a great national challenge? >> reporter: that challenge, say the veterans, is for americans to also be the first to walk upon another planet. >> as celestial bodies go, the moon is not a particularly interesting place, but mars is. >> reporter: that's it, andrea when the apollo crew meets with obama they will ask him to fund a mission to mars so america can be the first to step on the red soil of the red planet. armando trull for 9 news now an wusa9.com. >>> the u.s. military is condemning the newly-released taliban video of captured video of bowe bergdahl. the u.s. commander in afghanistan says the extremist group is exploiting the soldier in violation of

today they meet president obama at the white house and they told a crowd at the smithsonian yesterday man should go to mars. >> at the time america stood at sort of a critical cross roads, and i think that apollo 11 did a lot to bring this country back together again. people suddenly had a feeling that we were all one again, and we could go ahead and move ahead like we hadn't felt for a long time. >> of course that was john glenn, the first american to orbit earth. right now nasa has plans to return to the moon and build a permanent human base there. >>> paula abdul may not return to "american idol"? her new manager said she's hurt and angry she hasn't received a proposal for a new contract. auditions for the ninth season of "idol" start next month. reps for the show have not commented. a keep paula movement has started on twitter. >>> six minutes after the hour. some of you had a gorgeous weekend, and if you didn't, let's find out where the trouble spots are this week. here's chris in for bob. good morning. >> good morning. we're talking about record cold temperatures this morning as

thing that i love about this is that in the original capsule, which you can't see anymore at the smithsonian, the covering of both eagle and columbia is this beautiful metallic mirror finish and that was so that when they reunited they could see each other and you found exactly the same finish on sputnik for the same reason. the designer of sputnik wanted people to be able to see it. so it was quite a beautiful ship these two little silver ships. now, a lot of people complain about the look of the lunar lander. that it's ugly but i think it's quite fantastic because it shows you the fact that when you have a spaceship that doesn't travel in an atmosphere you can make it look like anything. and it's really a shame that the science fiction people have never followed up on this. they make their space ships look like barges but if it's not sailing through an atmosphere you don't have to make it arrow dynamic. at this moment armstrong has just separated from mr. collins who's still in columbia and he's showing mr. collins his legs because they're little rockets inside the legs to extend them and

news 4's megan mcgrath joins from us the smithsonian air and space museum with more. morning, megan. >> reporter: well, good morning, joe. it was 40 years ago today that neil armstrong climbed down that ladder and took the famous first step on the moon, and all three members of the apollo 11 crew are here in washington to mark the anniversary. neil armstrong, buzz aldrin and michael collins, they all came here to the air and space museum last night, and actually they posed in fro of the lunar moud uhl here at this exhibit and had their picture taken. this is not a replica. this is a real backup to the a bol low 11 mission. had something gone wrong with eagle this would have gone in its place. there's been a lot of interest here. they're expecting a busy day today as people mark the anniversary. now, last night all three astronauts spoke as well, and strangely, though, they didn't talk so much about the moon mission itself. they had auch more forward-looking kind of attitude. they actually are encouraging nasa not to return to the moon, but, rather, to go to mars instea

last night they and fellow apollo 11 crew member had a rare joint appearance at the smithsonian's national air and space museum. they say that the next giant leap for mankind should be mars. >>> a small dog interrupted a horse jumping competition recently in morrowco trying its best to keep up with one of the horses. track officials unsuccessfully tried to bring an end to what you might call a real dog-and-pony show. sorry, that was funny. >>> it is now three minutes past the hour. back outside to lester and amy. >> al is standing by with another check of the weather. >> it is an international "today" show. you guys came here from france? are we big -- is "today show" big in france? >> yes, it is. >> it is. you're lying through your teeth. everywhere! it's big on the moon! it's everywhere! let's get to your weather, see what's going on. for today, wet weather is moving its way through florida. strong storms firing up along the mid-atlantic coast. carolinas especially. looking at wet weather through the central plains. look for beautiful weather out west. lots of sunshine. we do have a risk

megan mcgrath has more on today's anniversary from the smithsonian in d.c. >> that's one small step for ma gn,ne l ontiaeap for mankindt >> reporter: it was 40 years ago that neil armstrong took that historic first step, but for those who watched as it happened, it's a moment they'll always remember. >> we were gathered around the tv set. we were so excited we didn't know what to do with ourselves. it was wonderful. when he stepped on the moon, it was like, wash, wegosh, we all as well. >> i stayed up and i watched the whole thg. it was quite amazing. this man on the moon was pretty amazing at that time. >> reporter: millions of people around the world watched in awe as armstrong walked across the surface of the moon. it represented so much, the promise of science and technology, a cold war victory over the ussr, the fulfillment of the dreams of so many that had gazed at the moon and imagined being there. >> it was just quite amazing to think that somebody was up there, you know. you look up at the moon when you're a kid or when you're an adult and you see on a clear night the craters a

. >> well, it's in the freaking smithsonian, if i can pronounce it correctly.t to hollywood producers, who all just looked at us blankly, they said "rock 'n' roll movies never make money," and they were right, we didn't. but we were convinced this was a story. we weren't making anything up. almost everything in this is drawn from our experience with bands or being around people in bands. everybody knows what rock 'n' roll bands are like and maybe what their girlfriends are like if they're let loose and we, i know i felt that if we just got a chance at an audience it could have some impact. >> wait. aliens invade mars? >> good, isn't it? >> we'd be the aliens. >> no, they'd be uranus. he got hung up on that. >> but kids third generation on are coming and digging the movie. >> what was the question? i lost track. [laughter] tavis: i have another one for you. i guess the sense, i met you the first time as a group, but i get the sense that as funny as this was, that you guys took the music part of it seriously. am i right about that? >> i think you're right. we tak

. >> well,t's in the freang smithsonian, if ican pronoun it correctly. to hollywood proucers, whoall just ooked at us blankly, they said "rok 'n' roll movs never ma money,"and they were rightwe didnt. but we were onvinced this was story. we weren't makng anthing up almost everything i this is drawn from r experien with bands or being aound peoplen bands. everybody knowswhat rock 'n' roll bds are lke and maybe what their glfriends are like if they're let loose and we,i know i feltthat if we just got a cnce at an audience i could ha some impact. >> wait. liens invade mas? >> good, isn it? >> we'd be the alins. >> no, they'd be uranus. he got hung u on that. >> butids third genration o are coming anddigging the movie. >> what was the question? i lo track. [laughte tavis: i have another one fo you. i guess the sense, met yu the fit time as a group, but i get the sensethat as funy as this as, thatyou guys took the music part of it seriously. am i right about that? >> think you're right. take the musicseriously because f the music sn't good and the song aren't

involved. >> the smithsonian institution, harvard university, field museum, ourselves here at the marinebiological laboratory and aiuonportsom of libraries. >> today, the site has basic web gepart for 1.4 millio species, the goal is to flesh them out. ian wilson will contribute his own research on ants, all 14,000 species. >> the ants are mounted on little slivers of paper. >> little ant shish kabobs. >> that's right. >> the larger group will come from you, the public. >> a lot of out there have a lot of enthusiasm and using their cameras and they have great eyes and they have lots of knowledge. >> but according to garrett boresy director of the marine biological laboratory it won't be a total free-for-all, we do expect it will have a wikipedia type dimension, where people can contribute information that is not scientifically validated and so we intend to recruit curators who look at the information and pass it over to the authenticated site. >> the architects of this encyclopedia hope that in time, it can play a bigger role in the story of our planet. >> the encyclopedia of life is abso

at the smithsonian's air and space museum, they are commemorating the event. brian wilson, how is the crown d? >> there are tremendous. behind me is an actual lunar excursion module. it has been laid out here to look like how it would have looked on the moon. there is neil armstrong. this would be bought aldrin. where were you in 1969? -- buzz aldrin. i just spoke to this young man, and she was 12 when it happens. >> i remember it like yesterday. we were on vacation. it was a small black-and-white television. we were watching in land, and of course, walter cronkite was doing his thing. i just remember "manned landing on moon" splashing on the screen. >> and we all have those little models and and i were rooms on our desks, the apollo module. the question is where do we go next? some people say we are going back to the moon, others say that we should be going to mars. when apollo astronaut was asked the question and said that it is time to take risks in space once again. >> we need to get back to the point where we are no longer a risk-averse society and recogn

i did a piece on longfellow last year for the smithsonian magazine. quoted some abraham letters and a little piece i wrote on abraham lincoln's reading. they are marvelous books. the other books in this bookcase are largely, not entirely, but i would say most elite literary biography books about authors, about primarily books about their writing. their work, and i would say, however many there are here and i would say there are a couple of hundred, there are at least three times as many additional volumes about the other writers in various sections of the house. so, here we are in the library, i guess for lack of another name. i do some of my riding out here. obviously there is a computer here and e-mail. i would say i write a book reviews here. hears the new pd james which i am reviewing for the "los angeles times." ida mae great t.d. jakes fan away and not reading i read for pleasure. this is just-- as he can see, i kind of devoured these things when i have them, but i just finished it, just turning to write that review but this little shelf right he

the astronauts had a rare joint appearance at the smithsonian's national air and space museum. they say the next giant leap for mankind should be mars. >>> there is a deal this morning that could keep a big lending firm out of bankruptcy. cnbc's melissa lee's at the new york stock exchange with more on this. hey, melissa, good morning. >> good morning. cit has reached a deal with its major bond holders for a $3 million rescue loan which will allow cit to restructure debt and avoid bankruptcy. this is good news for small to mid-size businesses who would have had to scramble to find financing. >> melissa lee this morning, thanks. >>> famed author frank mccourt died sunday after battling meningitis and melanoma. he's most remembered for writing "angela's ashes," a best-selling memoir about his impoverished childhood, a book that won him a pulitzer prize. frank mccourt was 78 years old. >>> a private funeral service is being planned for thursday in new york for former cbs anchorman walter cronkite who died friday at the age of 92. a public memorial for the broadcasting giant is expe

the project is called relive apollo 11 and it's been put together by the smithsonian's national air and museum. the profile name is relive apollo 11 on twitter.com. while people were glued to their tv sets to watch apollo land, a documentary film maker was capturing the intensity of the operation to get there. we take a peek at the restored director's cut. >> i chose myself during the launch to be in launch control, in the firing room, and they even printed up a badge for me, which is apollo 11 firing room badge number one, which looks hand-printed because they didn't print any other badges. >> reporter: you were the only civilian there? >> yeah. you know how they say tigers can smell your fear, animals can smell your fear? well, i smelled fear from all these people. there were hundreds of people in this huge launch control center. each one of them was scared that it might be his little thing that would go wrong and blow the whole launch. and i've never smelled anything like that since. >> reporter: did you get the sense that they all felt they were making history? was there that feelin

want to see how they looked last night at the the smithsonian air and space museum. nasa released newly restored footage of that same moment some of us remember, the giant leap for mankind. >>rom them a reassuring wave, a thumbs up from america, a heart-pounding. >> 40 seconds away from the apollo 11 liftoff. >> the world watched breathless waiting. >> ignition sequence starts. >> reporter: final moments before liftoff. the spectators craned their necks. no one could believe it was going to happen. four days, 240,000 miles later -- >> controllers, going to go for landing. >> reporter: astronauts buzz aldrin, neil armstrong descending in a lunar module named the eagle. >> eagle has landed. >> reporter: and the words next have been taught in every american history class ever since. >> it's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. >> it looks beautiful from here. >> reporter: the moment, a reminder we can do anything. >> apollo 11 is a symbol of what a great nation and a great people can do. that is what apollo 11 means to us today, to me today. >> a great ann

the "apollo 11" astronauts have rarely appeared together and they did so last night at the smithsonianas also there. >> at the time america stood at sort of a critical cross roads. and i think "apollo 11" did a lot to bring this country back together again. people suddenly had a feeling that we were all one again. and that we could go ahead and move ahead like we hadn't felt for a long time. >> we're moved by a young american president who challenged himself and all of us to think boldly and not retreat from our vision of what we could do in space. the path that john f. kennedy inspired us to choose was not easy. in fact, it was very hard. but it served the betterment of america and ultimately the ending of the cold war. >> wow. wasn't that well said. well, today, wolf blitzer brings a special hour of "the situation room" at 4:00 p.m. eastern time. >>> what does health care reform mean for you? elizabeth will be back with real world examples. process is to ed. bank of america is highly committed. we do have a vast array of programs that will enable buyers to purchase a home and feel co

>> the smithsonian. >> and they're free. i mean the sites are. the hotels, not so much. >>> you might feel awkward running into your former fiancee. bob proposed to his girl friend back in the '5. they married other people. they met again two months ago and he describes his rea. >> she was considerably older, but still beautiful when she talked. i knew it. i knew it was her. i could tell by her voice. the spark was still there. >> wait till you hear the end of this love story and what stopped them from getting married all those years ago. ???tys m . >>> hey, that will wake you up, won't it? hey. would you marry someone you got engaged to almost 60 years ago? bob proposed in 1950 and then served in the korean war. she wrote letters to him but they were richardsoned. both married other people. sparks flew when they met up a few months ago. >> i said, what would it take to get you to stay? she thought for a minute. she said, marriage. >> so they got married last month. he said he's lucky to have a second chance with his one true love. people in