CNN Student News - November 10, 2017

cnn 10

How Americans Feel About the Economy; Scientists Concerned About This Year`s Flu Virus; What Some U.S. Veterans Say About Service

Aired November 10, 2017 - 04:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CARL AZUZ, cnn 10 ANCHOR: We`re talking about feelings today on cnn 10, and I`m feeling like Fridays are awesome. I think most folks would agree with that, but how they`re feeling about the U.S. economy is a little more nuanced.

The unemployment rate, the share of the American labor force that doesn`t have a job is low. It`s at 4.1 percent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics records that as the lowest unemployment rate since the year 2000.

Now, a new national survey by the Pew Research Center is giving us a sense of how the American public feels about the job situation. Fifty percent of those surveyed say there are plenty of jobs to be found in their communities. That`s the highest percentage of people who`ve said since 2001, and it`s increased seven points since the summer of last year.

But wage growth has been a consistent challenge for the economy and 49 percent of the Americans surveyed said the cost of living is rising faster than their families incomes. Forty percent say they`re breaking even, 9 percent say they`re getting ahead. That`s all a slight improvement from last year, but it`s about even with the survey results from two years ago.

So, how do Americans feel about the economy overall? Forty-one said conditions are good or excellent. That`s an increase of 10 points since last December. Fifty-nine percent said they`re poor or fair.

And while those positive economic views have increased by 41 percentage points among Republicans, they`ve decreased by 16 percentage points among Democrats.

So, there appears to be a political divide on how American adults feel about the state of the national economy.

The survey was taken in late October. Pew Research interviewed more than 1,500 adults to get the info.

Some scientists are warning that this year`s flu season could be doozy. One reason is that Australia already had a bad one and that can indicate that the northern hemisphere is next.

Every year before the U.S. flu season starts in the fall, scientists develop a vaccine based on whatever strains of the flu they expect will circulate. It`s not an exact science. Sometimes other strains of the virus spread more than expected. Sometimes, the virus mutates.

Last season`s vaccine was 42 percent effective, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. That`s not considered to be good enough.

Three years ago, the flu vaccine was only 19 percent effective. Doctors still say the flu shot is our best protection against the virus and it can keep some people symptoms from being severe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUBTITLE: Seasonal influenza is airborne viral infection that spreads easily from person to person.

This is different from pandemic flu, such as the 2009 swine flu, which comes from a completely new virus.

Seasonal flu can be deadly for high risk groups, such as the very young and old, causing up to half a million deaths worldwide each year.

Symptoms include a fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain.

Most people recover within a week without the need for medical attention .

This is because their body has experienced a similar virus and knows how to fight it.

Antiviral drugs are also available for severe cases of flu and high risk groups.

Viruses circulate worldwide every year, mutating slightly over time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:

Veterans Day originated with an observance that marked the end of what war?

U.S. Civil War, World War I, World War II, or Vietnam War?

The holiday observed on November 11 recalls Armistice Day which marked the end of World War I.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: That Armistice went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. But first, Armistice Day observance was held a year later. In 1938, it became a national holiday in the U.S. But even though World War I was known as the war to end all wars, that wasn`t how things turned out.

So, in 1954, after World War II ended and fighting had stopped in the Korean War, the holiday known as Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day.

It`s now a time to honor anyone who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. This year, 99 years after the World War I armistice, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has broadened the event to show appreciation for military families, as well as service men and women themselves.

Ceremonies and events will take place across the U.S. on Saturday, a ceremonial wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at 11:00 a.m. Australia, Britain, Canada and France, some other countries whose troops fought on World War II, also hold veterans events at this time of year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRANDON RUMBAUGH, CORPORAL RETIRED, U.S. MARINES CORPS: When I was laying there, I really did think that I was going to make it. The marines around me, I`m sure that they didn`t think that I was going to make it either. So, you know, it really shows me that I`m here for a reason.

SUBTITLE: The First Time I Knew I Wanted to Serve.

RUMBAUGH: What really made things clear for me was, you know, looking back at my life up to, you know, this point. I always did everything for myself and I never really took a step back and said, you know what? I just need to start doing things for other people. And I knew that I could do that in the marines.

JAMES BROWN, FORMER SERGEANT, U.S. AIR FORCE: My dad was furious. My dad didn`t talk to me for like a solid month. He really hated it when I said I was going to leave to go in the military.

You know, I`m from Chicago, originally from the South Side. He thought that, you know, scholarship and education and stuff I had would, you know, give me out of the hood, you know? Which it did, but I wanted to get further out than that. I had higher aspirations than that.

I wanted to get out of the country. And the Air Force was supposed to be the most intelligent branch of the service.

I went all over. I mean, I went to Scotland. I went to Wales. I went to every time I had a chance to get off, I went somewhere. I travelled somewhere.

ELEANOR RIZZUTO, LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY: At 21, I was just finishing my nurses training when World War II broke out. In fact, we were on the shuttle (ph) line when the loud speaker was announced that the war had started.

Being in the service made me grow up. I was a young girl just leave home, and all of a sudden, you`re thrown out with all kinds of people and places that you read about but never saw. It was quite an experience. It`s something I`m very happy I did, but I would never want to do it again.

FLORENT GROBERG, CAPTAIN RETIRED, U.S. ARMY, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT : My uncle was killed by a terrorist organization and I knew at that point that I wanted to fight against those type of individuals. And so, I graduated from Ranger School in October 23rd of 2009 and just about six weeks later, I was in Afghanistan.

ARNIE ALBORNOZ, FORMER MAJOR, U.S. ARMY: Growing up in South Shore of Long Island, you hear about West Point, which is where I was fortunate enough to go to college. I was a junior when 9/11 happens, but I distinctively remember being in class. No one was teaching. We were just sitting there watching. Everyone was in shock.

Most of the professors there are active duty military. Each one had made a comment to the effect of, you know, cadets, we don`t know what`s going to happen, we don`t know what this means, but your nation is going to call on you to go serve.

I never thought I`d stayed in for 10 years, but I enjoyed it very much so and it was the best job I`ve ever had in my life and likely will ever have.

So, I look back on it with just the fondest memories.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Real life Iron Man suit, a good start. Six kerosene fueled jets at your finger tips, getting better. Guinness World Record for the fastest speed ever set in a body controlled jet engine powered suit, "10 Out of 10".

This is Richard Browning and his amazing gravity-defying invention. And because he was able to jettison himself across the lake at 32 miles per hour, he achieved a new world record, even if he got soaked right afterward.

A challenge like that would test your mettle. It`d take nerves of steel, a stomach of iron, a budget of gold and a silver of courage to go for a record that could be called platinum even if it eventually tarnishes when someone sinks or foils it by getting the lead out with the quicker silver speed (ph).

I`m Carl Azuz for cnn 10 and we hope your weekend is amazing.

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