Scott: What is up? It is Friday, February 20th. I am Scott Evans and Channel One News starts right now.
Let's get right to headlines. There's a major new health scare in California where
nearly 200 people may have been exposed to a deadly superbug at one of the world's best hospitals.
It is a bacteria that can't be treated with drugs called CRE. It has been blamed for the death of two patients at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. At least five others have been infected.
CRE is resistant to commonly used antibiotics and according to health officials, once it enters the bloodstream the bacteria can kill up to 50 percent of infected patients.The outbreak, which was discovered last month, is tied to procedures that used a type of medical scope that is difficult to fully disinfect.
In a statement, the UCLA Health System said, "The two scopes involved in the infection were immediately removed and UCLA is now utilizing a decontamination process that goes above and beyond the manufacturer and national standards."
Ok, next up today. It is a labor dispute that has been going on for months, shutting down cargo leaving and entering the U.S. and costing the economy millions of dollars.
Dock workers and their employers at the California ports have been locked in a bitter dispute for nine months over pay and health insurance. And while the dock workers refuse to work, well, the cargo just sits onships and containers instead of being sold.
California orange growers are losing money everyday because they can't ship out oranges to places like China. Instead, the fruit is rotting away on cargo containers.
Other goods like electronics are not able to get into the U.S. market because of the backup at West Coast ports in Oakland and Long Beach.
And economists worry that this could cost the U.S. economy billions in losses and jobs if an agreement doesn't happen soon. And there are some new additions to the list of national monuments in the U.S.
President Obama added three yesterday, and one is in his home state of Illinois.
The president announced the new monuments at the site of the historic Pullman Town in Chicago, known for its contribution to the African-American labor movement. The town was built around the PullmanFactory, one of the first companies to give good jobs to African-Americans, many of whom had once been slaves.
The president also designated the Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado, which will protect diverse wildlife over 21-thousand acres. And the Honouliuli National Monument in Hawaii, the site of a prison camp where Japanese American citizens were held during World War II.
President Obama also announced that all 4th graders and their families will get free admission to national parks this year to encourage more visitors to the parks.
Ok, now it is time to see what you said about the teens who were turned away from their school dance because they didn’t have a date.We asked you, should students be allowed to go solo to school dances?
You guys almost all agreed on this one. Ninety-two percent said yes, while just 8 percent said no.
Miss Grutzmacher's class wrote, “We think that there are lots of kids who would be okay with going alone to a dance. It’s not fair that you don’t get to have fun with friends even if you don’t have someone to go with.”
Ashlyn agreed. “What if you're not allowed to date, but you want to go have a great time with your friends.I think that that rule should definitely change.”
Thanks for all the comments guys. Ok coming up, would you leave everything behind to go on a trip of a lifetime with no return ticket?
Now, it sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but this is real life. A hundred people selected to travel and live on a planet millions of miles away. Tom Hanson has more on the epic space ride.
The mission is literally out of this world, winning a trip of a lifetime to Mars.
Ryan Macdonald: For me, it's so much more than just the science. I want to inspire a new generation. Just like the Apollo moon landings did.
Tom: You might think he is crazy, but he could have a chance. Macdonald is one of 100 finalists selected for a trip to the red planetorganized by Mars One, a non-profit group working to establish the first human habitat on Mars by 2024.
Oh, and one tiny detail. For those who are selected, there's no returning to blue planet. That is Earth, ever.
But that didn't keep more than 200,000 people from applying for a spot on the mission.
Contenders were selected from all over the world and they are already getting to know each other, preparing for an up to eight-month journey through space and potentially the rest of their lives in very close quarters.
Kenya Armbrister: I cried. I was super excited.
Tom: Kenya Armbrister was also chosen.
Kenya: We're basically creating a new society on another world from scratch.
Tom: A self-proclaimed space nerd, Kenya has been preparing for the Martian mission for months. And so has Mars One.
Before anyone steps on Mars, the project has to clear some out-of-this-world hurdles
including, physical and technical training for the final group of amateur astronauts. And raising an estimated six billion dollars to fund the first four travelers to a planet over 200 million miles away.
And get this, to pay for the project, Mars One plans on broadcasting the entire process on a reality TV show, starting as early as next fall.
Ryan:The best way to kind of describe what Mars One will be because it’s something that never been tried before, is something about half way between Big Brother and NASA TV.
Tom: Now you may be wondering whether or not this project will even get off the ground. Yeah, so are researchers at the highly prestigiousMIT.
In review, they found that much of the technology required for the Mars trip doesn't even exist yet. And that it would take only 68 days, a little more than two months, for the first person to die from running out of oxygen.
But death isn't contestant Leila Zucker's fear. Hers’ is that the trip won't happen.
Leila Zucker: If I don't go, and someone else goes, fantastic. But I’m petrified that we won't go.
Day-to-day you're going to be trying to stay alive. I mean, there's going to be a lot of tasks of, do you have enough oxygen? Do you have enough water? Is/are all the seals airtight? There's going to be a lot of drudgery.
Tom: Even so, the contestants say the day-to-day challenges of living on Mars would be worth it.
Kenya: To leave that all behind to go to another planet to open more doors for human beings, that's a lot to sacrifice. But I'm willing to do that because I truly believe in this project.
Leila: This is about humanity. This is about the human race. I couldn't think of a single thing that would make me change my mind. I'm going and I’m not coming back.
Tom: Tom Hanson, Channel One News.
Scott:So what would life even be like on Mars? To find out, check out some cool videos at Channelone.com.
And coming up, it is a Next Big Thing that’s a blast from the past.
Yes, it requires a little more effort than a smartphone. For starters, you have to open it and there’s no large keyboard. But before we dial this week's Next Big Thing, let's see what you thought about last week's idea.
We told you about crowdfunding for bands, where musicians skip out on record contracts and instead ask you, the fan, for money through online websites.
So is it the Next Big Thing? Forty percent of you said yes, turn up the volume on this idea.But 60 percent of you said no, mute that.
Move overiPhone 6,there’s a new competitor in town. And this one isbasic, and over ten years old. But the retro phone is making a major comeback.
This was the hottest cell phone in 2004, the Motorola Razor. And then came Apple, and the introduction of the smartphone. But a retro wave seems to be sweeping over some cell phone users, especially celebrities.
Singer Rihanna has been caught using one. And Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief, has been seen on a flip phone.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer loves his flip phone so much, he's stockpiling it.
Sen. Chuck Schumer: Since I like these so much, I bought a whole bunch because I figure they'll stop making them sooner or later.
Scott: But what's behind the old school phones among celebrities?
Bridget Carey: If you're not using the apps that get hacked, then your photos aren't going to be leaked online.
Scott: And while some can't stop checking their smartphones…
Male: It’s addictive.
Scott: Others are proud to sport the classic.
Carla Crosby: I am not addicted to my telephone. Honey, I still use a flip phone.
Scott: And it is a trend even in the technology crazed country of Japan. Shipments of flip phones went up last year, while smartphone shipments fell.
So what do you think? Doesthe flip phone belong to the Stone Ages, or is it the Next Big Thing? Well, head to Channelone.com to weigh in.
Now, before we get out of here, to help us continue the celebration of 25 years of Channel One News, here is another former Channel One News anchor, Anderson Cooper.
Anderson Cooper: Hey, it's Anderson Cooper with CNN. I want to wish Channel One a very happy 25th birthday.I can't believe it's been 25 years.
I started at Channel One back I think in 1991. I was a fact-checker there. Channel One gave me my first big break, allowing me to start reporting overseas. And I ended up working overseas for Channel One for about 3 years, going to a lot of war zones, covering a lot of fascinating places. And there's no place that that would have happened other than Channel One.
And I owe everybody there a huge debt of gratitude. Continue doing what you're doing and thank you so much for everything.Happy birthday.
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