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Waiter Greg Rubar talks about getting $5,000 tip, says 'It's crazy'
Waiter Greg Rubar talks about receiving a $5,000 tip from two generous restaurant customers.
Cross-country trip and no human contact? Journalist David Brancaccio on his tech-filled journey
David Brancaccio on his "Automobile" magazine piece about his cross-country road trip relying only on technology.
A sugary drink ban in NYC? Alina Cho reports on Mayor Bloomberg's controversial plan
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is ready to enact a city-wide plan that would be a big first in the fight against obesity. But, it comes with a lot of controversy.
Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of sugary drinks over 16 ounces at all city restaurants, movie theaters, and even the ballpark. Bloomberg has been out front on this issue of health and fighting obesity in New York City, including championing the ban on smoking in restaurants and a city-wide ban on trans fats.
Here's why: The city's Health Department released a public service announcement where you see a man drinking a tall glass of fat, with copy saying 'Drinking one can of soda a day can make you 10 pounds fatter a year. Don't drink yourself fat.'
The ban would "not" affect diet sods, fruit juices, dairy-based drinks or alcoholic drinks. And it would not extend to grocery or convenience stores.
The mayor is taking this action because obesity is such a big problem in this country. More than a third of all Americans are considered obese. You may think with all the walking people do in New York City that the rate would be lower. Not so. More than half of New York adults are considered obese or overweight and the health commissioner blames sweetened drinks for "half" the increase in obesity rates over the past 30 years.
The city has also done research into the obesity rate, and found that higher obesity rates are more common in neighborhoods where soda consumption is high.
The New York Board of Health has to approve the measure, and if all goes as planned the ban could take affect as early as next March.
SOUND OFF: Do you think Mayor Bloomberg's plan is a smart way to attack the obesity problem in the country, or will people find ways around it?
Space X capsule bringing items to Earth – PBS's Miles O'Brien on what it will mean for future space flight
(CNN) - The first private capsule to dock at the International Space Station will return to Earth Thursday, nine days after it took off on its historic mission.
The capsule, known as Dragon, was released by the space station's robotic arm at 5:35 a.m. ET. A thruster burn a minute later pushed the spacecraft away from its host, according to SpaceX, the private company that built and operates the Dragon.
On Sunday, Dragon delivered to the space station more than 1,000 pounds of cargo, including food, clothing, computer equipment and supplies for science experiments and has been reloaded with everything from trash to scientific research and experimental samples.
The capsule is scheduled to splash into the Pacific Ocean around 11:44 a.m. ET, several hundred miles west of California, according to NASA.
PBS NewsHour Science Correspondent Miles O'Brien details the importance of Space X Dragon capsule's trip back to Earth.
MYB: U.S. treasuries at record lows
Christine Romans says investors are buying up U.S. treasuries due to record lows and uncertainty around the world.
Report: Gunmen kidnap 2 U.S. tourists in Egypt's Sinai region – CNN's Ben Wedeman reports
(CNN) - Gunmen kidnapped two American tourists Thursday in Egypt's Sinai region and demanded the release of a man arrested a day earlier for drug possession, authorities said.
The tourists, both 31, were in a car headed to a hotel from the town of Dahab when they were stopped, state-run Ahram newspaper said.
The U.S. Embassy in Cairo said it is aware of the kidnapping.
"We are working closely with Egyptian authorities to resolve this situation," said Katherine Sweet, an embassy spokeswoman.
CNN's Ben Wedeman reports on the latest in the story this morning on "Early Start."
Early Reads for Thursday, May 31st, 2012
We know you have to run this morning, so here's a quick look at the big stories of the day:
Top News stories:
* Report: Gunmen kidnap 2 U.S. tourists in Egypt's Sinai region
* Search on for porn actor suspected of dismembering, mailing body parts
* First private capsule to dock at space station begins return flight to Earth
Early Reads:
* From IBTimes.com: U.S. 2nd highest in child poverty
* From Philly.com: Study: people over age 75 smell most pleasant
* From WashingtonPost.com "Politiwoops" archives deleted politicians' tweets
Don't forget to tune in to "Early Start" weekdays at 5am Eastern for more on the day's news.
Wolf Blitzer responds to his Donald Trump interview, says if Trump is going to back up 'birther' claims, he has to have evidence
It's no secret that Donald Trump tends to get embroiled in drama. Last night on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," Trump was at it again, sparring with Blitzer over President Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate. This morning, Wolf talks to Ashleigh on "Early Start" about why the Donald cannot let go of the birther movement.
"I've known Donald Trump for a long time and interviewed him on many many occasions," Blitzer says. "He's an intelligent guy, not a stupid guy or anything like that. I assume maybe it’s an obvious reason, he believes it."
Last night, Trump called in from Las Vegas where he was holding a fundraiser for the Republican presidential nominee. When Blitzer told him he was being ridiculous for continuing the birther movement after the state of Hawaii affirmed Obama's birth certificate, Trump went on a rant attacking CNN's ratings and the confirmation itself.
"Let me tell you something," Trump starts. "I think you sound ridiculous. And if you would ask me a question and let me answer it, instead of making [...] And many people put those announcements in because they wanted to get the benefit of being so-called born in this country. Many people did it. It was something that was done by many people, even if they weren't born in the country. You know it, and so do I. And so do a lot of your viewers."
Blitzer tried to get an explanation out of Trump as to why he is fighting this fight even though so many other Republicans have dropped the issue. He tells Ashleigh that "Mitt Romney disagrees with him, Newt Gingrich disagrees with him, all the other Republican presidential candidates basically disagree with him. They accept the fact that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii back in 1961. Even Karl Rove, the head of the largest pro-Republican superpac out there disagrees. So, it's not controversial."
Plane crash survivors say it was 'nothing short of miracle' – the Brown family shares their story
A miraculous survival story this morning, with a family of three recovering from only minor injuries after their small plane went down in the mountains of southern Idaho.
Pilot Brian Brown, who was flying from Sacramento with his wife and daughter, was forced to crash-land into a snowy mountainside after a sudden cold front caused the plane's wings to ice over. After several hours, the family was able to locate their cell phone in the wreckage to dial 9-1-1.
The family was stranded for over 12 hours before being air-lifted from the crash site. All three have been released from the hospital, and there were no life-threatening injuries.
Brian and Jayann Brown talk with Zoraida this morning and explain how they were able to survive.
Mexican cartel attacks Pepsico – CNN's Rafael Romo explains
Mexico City (CNN) - Products like Ruffles, Doritos and Cheetos may be among the latest targets of cartel violence in Mexico.
Authorities said armed attackers over the weekend set ablaze warehouses and delivery trucks for Sabritas, a subsidiary of PepsiCo that distributes many of the company's snack foods in Mexico.
Five of the company's distribution centers were attacked in the states of Guanajuato and Michoacan, officials said. Sabritas has not provided details about the damage, but Mexico's state-run Notimex agency said the attacks caused "serious material losses." No one was injured or killed, authorities said.
CNN's Rafael Romo explains why a Mexican drug cartel firebombed a subsidiary of Pepsi.
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