as we learned here today on tuesday, for the governor of new jersey, it's the latter. >> there's enough problems here, $11 billion deficit, and now snooki and the situation? come on, matt, only so much a man can take. >> so how does the "jersey shore" cast feel about him? we're going to ask snooki and the gang coming up. i'm sure they'll have an opinion. let's begin with serious news. a federal judge's decision to strike down the highly controversial parts of arizona's immigration law. nbc's justice correspondent pete williams has the very latest. good morning to you, pete. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. the judge did leave some parts of that law intact, but she said arizona could not go ahead with what police statewide were prepared to start doing this morning, stepping up checks for illegal immigrants. immigrant groups cheered the ruling, calling it a victory for civil rights.

it blocks a state law due to go into effect this morning that required police making arrests for traffic stops to check the immigration status of anyone they suspected was here illegally. those arrested were to be held until their legal status was verified. in an exclusive interview with nbc's ann curry, vice president joe biden said the ruling sends the right message. >> we don't think you can have 50 different immigration laws out there. we don't think you can have -- i think it actually is damaging, rather than helps enforcing our immigration laws. >> reporter: judge susan bolden ruled that the arizona law would interfere with federal immigration law, which states are not allowed to do. she said it would require police to do so many more checks on people suspected of being here illegally, that it would overwhelm the federal government, diverting attention from catching criminals or potential terrorists. the judge also said it would lead to detention for people who are here legally, including u.s. citizens, while their immigration status was checked.

arizona's governor, jan brewer, vowed to appeal and said the legal fight is far from over. >> obviously it's a little bump in the road, i believe. >> reporter: but legal scholars say given that the law has yet to be enforced, the state probably will not get quick legal results. >> the fact that the injunction preserves the status quo means that we won't see any immediate change. we won't see arizona at least having a strong argument that this has to be resolved overnight. >> reporter: for now, even though the law requiring checks for illegal immigrants is on hold, some arizona officials say police can still do those checks voluntarily. >> we arrest people every day for all types of violations. and if they're here illegally, we're going to take action. so really nothing has changed. >> reporter: the state's next stop is the federal court of appeals in san francisco, probably later today, and whoever loses there will almost certainly urge the u.s. supreme court to get involved. meredith? >> all right, pete williams, thank you very much. it is 7:04. here's matt. >> all right, meredith, thank you. now ann's exclusive interview with vice president joe biden. she caught up with him on

wednesday. ann joins us now. >> thanks a lot, matt. good morning. the obama administration, as you know, is in the middle of a planned drawdown that will reduce the number of u.s. troops in iraq to just 50,000 by the end of august. we caught up with vice president biden at ft. drum in upstate new york, where he was attending a homecoming for soldiers from the 10th mountain division, and we talked about the war, the economy, and we also asked him about the commitment of our troops. >> you don't really get it until you see these families. >> as relieved as these family are to see their sons and daughters and husbands and wives come home from iraq, can you guarantee in the wake of this withdrawal we're not going to see an explosion of sectarian violence? >> i can't guarantee anything. but i'm willing to bet everything, that there would be no such explosion. look, we'll still have 50,000 battle-tested combat troops in

iraq who are going from leading in combat action to supporting the iraqi combat capability. and so i think neither i nor general odierno or the pentagon or people on the ground think that is likely to happen. >> meantime the house on tuesday night agreed to fund a surge in afghanistan. $33 billion for 30,000 additional troops. but, boy, was there some reluctance. you've got democratic congressmen jim mcgovern saying, quote, we're told we can't extend unemployment or pay to keep cops on the beat or teachers in the classroom, but we're asked to borrow another $33 billion for nation building in afghanistan. i think we need to do more nation building here at home. how long can we keep paying -- >> jim's half right and half wrong. we're in afghanistan for one express purpose, al qaeda, the threat to the united states.

al qaeda exists in those mountains between afghanistan and pakistan. we are not there to nation build. we're not out there deciding we're going to turn this into a jeffersonian democracy and build that country. we made it clear, we're not there for ten years. we are there to defeat al qaeda which is a clear and present danger to the united states. operating out of that area. >> you know and i know that al qaeda is in pakistan. it is not -- >> it is. >> and we're not -- our attention is on afghanistan. if we're really trying to get al qaeda, why are we not in pakistan? >> ann, i don't want to skirt on things i'm not able to talk about publicly, because of the classification. but i assure you, we are doing significant damage to al qaeda in pakistan as well as in afghanistan. so we're making progress. we're making progress. but the truth of the matter is that there's more to go. >> i've got to ask you about

this week, 90,000-plus documents, wikileaks. these documents indicate that your administration knew the names of people, specifically names of specific people in pakistan, in the government of pakistan, who were working with the taliban against u.s. interests who were hurting, risking american lives. yet at the same time, this administration gave pakistan billions of dollars for military and economic purposes. how do you justify -- >> easily. >> how? >> let me -- >> okay, sorry. i'm jumping on you. sorry. >> exactly. look all those links predate our policy. not one leak is consistent with the policy that was announced in december. what isn't happening is, there are not moneys being diverted from the public works and

economic projects that are needed to sustain a democracy in pakistan, to the bad guys that exist within pakistan, and there's not money being diverted from the military purposes that are designed to deal with counterterrorism to those areas. the real shortcoming relates, and i don't want to get -- i'm getting very close to what i shouldn't be talking about, in terms of classification, but what was talked about in those leaks was the intelligence community within the isi, that is sort of the cia of pakistan, that has been a problem in the past, it is a problem we're dealing with, and is changing. >> this administration is being criticized for not doing enough to grow jobs. >> yeah. >> there is, in some pockets of this country, a 20% unemployment rate. >> sure. >> has this administration done enough? >> let me put it this way, there's never enough until we restore the 8 million jobs lost in the bush recession. until that happens, it doesn't matter.

i mean, it matters, but it's not enough. look, i can tell you when you live in a household where dad or mom doesn't have a job, it is bleak. and all the promises in the world don't matter a lot until you get a job. >> so the people who are waiting, who are hungry, who are unemployed, people like the people from how you grew up, what's your message? >> my message is, keep the faith. we are moving in the right direction. we are not going to let you go without food or basic services. that will not happen in this country and our administration. and secondly, we're creating new jobs that are going to be the kind you could raise your family on. >> and we have more from vice president biden later this morning as he speaks about the impact of his mother's death, and the stroke suffered by his son and how that has impacted him. >> look forward to that a little later in the program. ann curry, thanks very much. it's now ten minutes after the hour. here's meredith. >> matt, thank you. now to those vicious bear attacks near yellowstone.

one man is dead, two others injured, after a bear or bears went on a rampage at a camp site. ron alsaum is a montana fish wildlife and parks spokesman is with us on the phone. ron, good morning to you. >> good morning, meredith. >> we know about those bear attacks that one man was killed, two others injured, a man and a woman. what about their conditions this morning? what can you tell us? >> not sure how they're doing. i think they're going to be fine, though, meredith. injuries to the man, i think, to a leg, and from what we heard from the sheriff's dispatch and our crew, injuries to the arm of the woman, but it looks like they're going to recover completely. >> ron, i understand you got a call early wednesday morning that there had been a bear attack at soda butte campground, and then about a half hour later you got another call. what do you believe happened there? >> well, we're not sure, meredith, except in three different locations, within the same campground, very unusual, the first two attacks were about 100 yards apart. the third one was about a quarter of a mile away, where the fatality was.

the interesting thing, no problems with food storage, which is a big deal in bear country. they'd done everything right. so looks like pretty much an unprovoked attack. we're still baffled. we're trying to figure things out. we have a response team on site that's been there since early morning yesterday, interviewing people, evaluating the site and the individuals, the victims for evidence to try to determine what did happen. >> i understand at this point you're treating this like a criminal investigation, with the bear or bears being the criminals. can you talk to me about that? >> well, i wouldn't call them criminals, but certainly we're wanting to do all we can to catch the bear or bears that were involved. we have traps set in the area. we go in with highly trained professional team that we have that's a response team, as i said. they'll scour the site for evidence, dna evidence, everything from bear hair to bear scat. they'll interview the victims, take things like teeth marks from the victims. if we do catch a bear, we use that information to confirm

whether or not the bear that is trapped was involved in the attacks. >> but, ron, how likely is it that you would catch the bear or bears? i mean, this is a huge area we're talking about. >> typically they'll return to the site when they're involved in something like this. that's not always the case. it could take a couple evenings and we may never catch the bear. but typically we have pretty good success. >> and at this point, i assume the campground is closed? >> yeah, this campground is closed, as are other two campgrounds in the area. human safety, obviously, is the concern now. people have been evacuated and the area has been posted. >> there are plenty of campgrounds that remain open, however. what advice would you give to campers out there who may now be very anxious? >> well, the first thing is you just need to be aware, if there have been any alerts, if there have been bears in the area. although in that country, it is bear country. the big thing is the way you handle yourself in a campground as far as food storage. there are bear containers that are bear-proof in some of those areas.

you don't want to cook in the area immediately around your campsite. that's really the big thing. meredith, this is so rare, we kind of -- it's somewhat like a lightning strike that hits a human. we just don't have a bear fatalities very often. >> and as you pointed out, ron, the scary thing is these people apparently had done nothing wrong. they'd done everything right and still these bear attacks. >> yeah, it's a real rare and unusual circumstance. we'll find out more if we catch the bear to see if there was an injury to the bear, or a sickness. just don't know a lot of things yet, obviously. >> all right, ron aasheim, thank you and good luck. >> thank you. >> very scary. >> seems like they're taking all the right steps. let's get a check of the rest of the top stories. ann has now made the long commute from here to there to the other part of the studio. she's got a check of the headlines. >> all right, matt and meredith, good morning. good morning again, everybody. in the news, firefighters are gaining ground in their battle against southern california's wildfires that have chased thousands of people from their homes. the worst of the fires in the hills north of los angeles were

25% contained by last night. it started on tuesday and destroyed at least 25 houses. investigators are on the scene of wednesday's military cargo crash in anchorage, alaska, and military officials are saying it is unlikely the four crew members on a training mission were able to survive. a medical helicopter crashed and burst into flames wednesday in a residential neighborhood of tucson. the pilot, a nurse and a paramedic were killed but nobody on the ground was hurt. toyota announced this morning it is recalling more than 400,000 toyota avalon passenger cars in the u.s. for steering problems. meantime, overseas markets were mixed overnight. we have cnbc's melissa lee at the new york stock exchange with more on this. hey, melissa, good morning. >> good morning to you, ann. jobs and earnings will be in focus this morning with investors poring over weekly jobless claims data and quarterly results from the likes of exxon mobil. meantime the e-reader wars are heating up with amazon set to launch two new versions of the kindle. one version will be just $139,

much smaller, and are run on wifi networks. both versions will hit the market august 27th. apple has been a major competitor to amazon with its ipad which some analysts have called the kindle killer. 3.3 million ipads have been sold in just the first three months of its existence. ann? >> melissa lee this morning. thanks. and finally now, a rare public appearance by former first lady nancy reagan. she joined california governor arnold schwarzenegger wednesday as he signed a bill proclaiming next february 6th ronald reagan day. that date marks the late president's she looks very pleased. it is now 7:16. let's go back to matt, meredith and al. >> talk about a true love affair that those two had. something special. >> ann, thanks very much. mr. roker is here with the first check of the weather. >> that's right. as we take a look out west, the fire is taking place, we are looking at sunny continues atta hatchpy.

91. the winds are going to start gusting up to 22 miles per hour. friday, sunny hot and 93 degrees. then as we take a look, we've got a risk of strong storms back through the dakotas into montana. maybe a tornado or two. showers and thunderstorms firing up. we're looking at anywhere from one three inches of rain throughout parts of southern south dakota. here is eye live look at the golden gate bridge, cloudy skies and mist at times. see a few windshield p wipers going across the bridge. our temperatures around lunchtime, still meyerired in t 60s. places south of san jose and to the east of castro valley will see warmer temperatures over the next few afternoons as we kick off the weekend. then a strongerreol be sea breeze cools things down again early next week. >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> all right, al, thanks very much. as much as 200 million gallons of oil gushed out of that leak

in the gulf before a temporary cap stopped the flow nearly two weeks ago. now, crews are struggling to find the oil on the surface of the water. so, where did it all go? nbc's lisa myers is in new orleans this morning. lisa, good morning to you. >> hey, matt, good morning. we spent ten hours out over the gulf over the last few days and found only isolated patches of oil on the surface. but scientists say there is still plenty of oil out there. and they remain greatly concerned about the continuing damage to the environment, and to wildlife. we went out to track the oil with pilot bonnie shumaker, a committed environmentalist. who has been out over the oil almost daily since mid-may. >> every day there's less and less to see. >> there was thick oil as far as the eye could see. now we find occasional blotches of orange. >> we're having trouble finding patches of oil.

that doesn't mean we're not going to stay prepared until the flow is killed. >> reporter: but as we traveled offed southern coast of louisiana on wednesday, it didn't take us long to find oil. >> we are six miles off louisiana and are beginning to see significant fingers of crude oil, both on and underneath the water. streaks of emulsified crude bleeding into the water. surrounded by oil sheen. the strands of oil are heading toward an island, and there are no response vessels. at another location, there is even more oil. rows and rows of it. here there are skimmers. where has the rest of the oil gone? experts say it's evaporated and been eaten by microbes. but there's hundreds of thousands of barrels still lurking in the water. >> we should continue to worry about the oil that may be in the flow, and the oil that's in the water but below the surface.

>> reporter: and experts say worry about how all that oil, mixed with an unprecedented 1.8 million gallons of dispersants, sim pacting birds and marine animals. what have you observed about what's happening to wildlife? >> well, i'm seeing much less of it. and i'm seeing none of it where i would like to see it. >> reporter: more than 3,500 pelicans, sea turtles and other wildlife have been found dead. on our journey we saw some flocks of birds, but not as many as usual. even in their favorite nesting grounds. even though the oil is now largely out of sight, government officials say it could keep washing up on the beaches for weeks. and scientists warn, matt, that it could be years before we know the full environmental impact. >> all right, lisa, thank you very much. that's lisa myers in new orleans for us this morning. just ahead, for nearly a week she believed her daughter had been killed in a tragic accident. turns out she actually survived. there had been a mix-up at the hospital.

that mom speaks out in a live interview. but first, these messages.

coming up, he exclusive new details about chelsea clinton's wedding, which is now just two, count them, two days away. natalie is live at the site of the big affair. we're going to catch up with snooki and the rest of the "jersey shore" gang after your local news.

good morning. it it's 7:26. i'm laura garcigarcia-cannon. >> let's go to oakland. last couple of days has been bad news. this morning, i wanted a nice drive. 880 northbound, this is great. reports of an accident may have some activity in the lanes, slow around the san mateo bridge on the northbound side. golden gate bridge, nice view from the north bay. from time to time we're seeing cars come southbound with headlights and also with windshield wipers. may be mist there. rob, you knew about that. yeah of t. and the low clouds, 60s and 70s around the bay area today, a bit

warmer out towards the tri-valley and around morgan hill, especially for tomorrow. and saturday, probably the next couple of days will be some of the warmer days we'll see. cooling off approaching monday, then warm up again midway through next week. more news after the brea

a last-minute decision from a federal judge will keep the toughest parts of arizona's immigration law from going into effect. the ruling is reigniting the immigration debate p in the bay

area. rallies are planned across the area. yesterday hundreds of protesters rallied outside the federal building in san francisco. 19 people were arrested for disobeying a police order and blocking the street. police cited and released those protesters. i'll have another local news update for you in about a half hour or so. "today" show returns in less than a minute. have a great thursday morning.

the umbrellas are out. 7:30 now on a thursday morning. 29th day of july, 2010. raining here in new york city. 29th of july, 2010, raining in the city. plenty of summer left even if there are showers in the forecast. if these folks stick around until tomorrow, they will be soaking wet. and they'll be treated to a live concert on the plaza by reining entertainer of the year, kerry underwood. that will be tomorrow. 29 years ago today, the world

watched as prince charles and lady diana had a lavish royal wedding. now preparation are under way to the closest thing we have here for a royal wedding in the u.s., chelsea clinton and her husband-to-be. >> as the cast of mtv's jersey shore gets back to their clubbing and hot tubbing ways, they're facing some criticism from the new jersey governor. we'll talk to the "jersey shore" cast from their beach house. morning, guys. let's begin this half hour with the latest on the arizona teen who was mistakenly identified as the victim of a deadly crash. for nearly a week, her family thought she was dead. we'll talk to her mother and aunt in a moment, but first,

nbc's lee cowen has the latest. >> there is anger, there is disappointment, but mostly for the gera family, there is grief. >> i want her back. >> their 19-year-old daughter abby is struggling to survive. and while sitting by her hospital bed is better than attending a funeral, they know the family of her friend is in an even darker place. >> i know how they feel because probably they're feeling the same way we felt before. >> abby guerera and marlena can both were rushed to the hospital after their suv flipped over in a crash. abby survived, marlena did not. but for six days, their families thought it was the other way around, the victims of a deadly

mix-up. the guerras were planning a funeral for a daughter that was very much alive. >> nobody should have to go through this. >> including abby's friends. she was a star on the soccer team in evansville, indiana. and some of her friends had already made the grim trip to arizona for her f-- to indiana for her funeral. >> the hospital apologized, saying it was difficult to identify the woman that was alive because she was struggling with her injuries. but they said they should have

seen it. the father who thought his daughter was alive but was otherwise says the grieving is very hard. >> abby is at rest. the family is devastated. they grieved all week and abby is in very grave condition. >> this is abby guerra's mother and marlena's aunt. good morning. >> good morning. >> obviously, our prayers are there for a speedy recovery, and i know as i say that, your thoughts and prayers also go out to the cantu family.

mrs. guerra, have you had a chance to speak to the cantu family at all? >> yes, i've talked to -- after my daughter was in surgery and he came and he apologized in the end. he let me know he was in abby's bed day by day, which i know it was true. and he felt sorry, and i just told him everything would be okay, that abby will be fine. and i'm just really thankful that he did that for my daughter. >> i know, mrs. guerra, that you don't want to talk much about abby's condition, so i guess i want to ask you, are you more optimistic this morning than you have been in recent days about her chances for survival? >> well, the doctor just kept

saying to me that she's still in critical condition and it's day by day. >> have you been able to communicate with her in any way? i know you spent an awful lot of time standing by her bedside and holding her hands. do you have any indication that she realizes you're there with her? >> i think so, because i don't know if she can hear me or anything, but because of the damage she has, i don't really know if she can hear me. but i know in my heart she knows that i'm with her now. >> and you've described her as a real fighter, and if anyone can get through this, she can. can you take me back, mrs. guerra. you've been through an

incredible roller coaster of emotions, first being told your daughter did not survive and then six days later being told she is alive. can you just describe that moment for us? >> it was really painful because they didn't give me the opportunity to see my daughter for six days, and they assured me my daughter had passed away. then after that, they told me she was alive, it was really painful as well because i felt that i should be in my daughter's bed, you know, at the moment she arrived to the hospital. >> any mother would have wanted to be with her daughter for those six days. ms. cisneros, you talked about this mix-up at a press conference and you said you weren't really sure how this could happen. i think you said there were many significant differences between abby and her friend marlena and that, quote, taking steps to get the information right is more

important than getting the wrong information quickly. is your family angry about this? what are your emotions about it? >> we're disappointed. we're not angry. we just want to try to make -- take the necessary steps so this doesn't happen to someone else. we don't want to point fingers. >> what would the steps be? >> to take the time. for example, they were aware of different physical things that were different between marlena and abby. if they had taken the time to look into it further or asked questions of the family, let us view the body and so forth, a locali lot of this would have been eliminated. we wouldn't have found out six

days later that she was still alive. >> i thank you both for joining us once again. i just want to say our thoughts and prayers are with you and abby, and of course, our condolences go out to the guerra and cantu families. mr. roker, let's get a check of the weather from you. >> we've got a change in the weather in the northeast. it's been hot and humid. cold front moving through today. showers and thunderstorms in new york city, providence and boston, and that front moves through and by tomorrow, temperatures drop five or ten degrees, lower humidity, plenty of sunshine. in the rest of the country, we are looking at showers up and down the

and keep track of your weather all day long go to the weather channel on cable or the new and improved weather.com and keep track of your weather all day long. go to your local cable to weather.com. what does the cast of "jersey shore" think of what the garden states governor has been saying about them? chelsea clinton's wedding, including why president obama is not invited. we're live right after this.

we are back at 7:43 with the latest buzz on the so-called wedding of the decade. chelsea clinton is just two days from her big day, about 90 miles north of here in rhinebeck, new york. today national correspondent natalie morales is there with more. natalie, good morning to you. >> good morning to you, meredith. yes, this is where many of the guests will be staying when they start arriving for that wedding between chelsea clinton and investment banker mark mezvinsky. as you can imagine a lot of talk here in rhinebeck. it's a wedding that's getting top billing that here it is

really a very hard to keep things top secret. it's being called the wedding of the decade. an exclusive affair for chelsea clinton and mark mezvinsky in rhinebeck, new york. >> i think it's going to be a very understated, elegant, but befitting a royal wedding for the u.s. >> reporter: bill and hillary clinton have tried to keep a tight lid on details but final preparations are being made at astor court, an elegant 50 acre estate on the hudson. >> we've heard that it's going to be one kind of main office where when people get to rhinebeck they'll check in and they'll be told from there where the hotel will be and where they'll stay. >> reporter: with a price tag rumored to be between $3 million to $5 million, no expense will be spared. security alone is expected to cost more than $200,000. and it will be paid for by the clintons. plus they'll pick up the tab for transportation to and from astor

court. once inside, guests can expect flowers by designer jeff latham. >> he's known for everything from madonna to lots of other celebs. he tends to do all single flower arrangements. >> reporter: tmz is reporting the clintons will even bring in swanky $15,000 port-a-potties. and as for party favors? >> they're going to receive clinton vineyard wine, and that is a coincidence that it is their name, but it's not their own vineyard. i think she's tried to incorporate other local businesses. >> reporter: the bride-to-be trying to hide her identity stopped in for a reported final dress fitting at vera wang earlier this week. and where will the bride be spending her final night as a single woman? >> chelsea is going to stay in a private home. which is the smart thing to do, because that's somewhere where she'll have the most privacy. >> reporter: wedding planners have gone to great lengths to try to make sure all eyes are on chelsea and mark this weekend.

>> bill clinton has always been a huge personality every time he walks into a room, crowds swarm around him. but i think everybody involved in the wedding is making a deliberate effort to make sure that it is not a bill clinton circus. >> meanwhile, to keep the paparazzi from taking pictures from above, the faa is actually enforcing a no-fly zone over rhinebeck, new york, on saturday from 3:00 p.m. until sunday 3:30 a.m. and also as for president obama, we are told this morning, late confirmation, that he is not coming because he, quote, was not invited to the wedding. hillary and bill properly want to keep this thing for chelsea and her soon-to-be husband. so such an exclusive affair, meredith, even the president and first lady are not coming. >> me either, natalie. thank you very much. >> yeah. i'm going to go check in. >> good luck. bonnie fuller is the editor in chief of hollywood life dotcom and colin cowie is a wedding planner who is no stranger to

multimillion dollar affairs. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> so much speculation over this wedding from everything from the wedding gown to the port-a-potties. as of this morning what do we know for sure? >> well we know for sure that chelsea is going to be a beautiful bride. i would say it's almost certain that she is wearing vera wang. her bridesmaid, flower girls will be wearing vera wang, as well. and her mother will be wearing oscar de la renta. >> that we're sure? >> we're absolutely certain. and we know where it's located. it is definitely in rhinebeck, new york. the tents are going up. $600,000 worth of tents. apparently they've got glass walls and every last detail has been attended to. >> we know that this is being called the wedding of the decade, but chelsea is not the first first daughter to get married. in fact the last first daughter to get married, jenna bush, her dad was in office at the time. but all the buzz is about this wedding. why do you think that is? >> i think jenna chose to do it at home, in texas, and was done very quiet and purely a family

wedding. and i think the clintons are doing something on a much grander scale, and clearly they've gone to a lot of trouble and preparation. you can see these tents are magnificent. i think they're really going to have an incredible wedding. this is also because of the guest list. it's going to be a really major guest list of all a-list celebrities. and i think there's been a tremendous amount of spotlight on rhinebeck. >> well, oprah, steven spielberg, barbra streisand, you have huge names. >> but not president obama. he was joking with the ladies of "the view" about that. he said you don't want two presidents at one wedding, all the secret service, guests going through metal detectors, all the gifts being torn apart. is it a faux pas not to invite? >> i don't think so. because it's not a state wedding. it's a personal, private wedding. and still the president and secretary of state clinton are friends but the majority of guests we have to believe are chelsea's friends and people she grew up with. she grew up around the spielbergs and the streisands of the world. >> i disagree. i think it's always the right thing to invite your boss.

especially when you know each other very well. these people have known each other for years. so i'm kind of shocked -- >> shaking your head a little bit? >> i'm totally shaking my head. >> don't you think it would really change the whole idea of the wedding. imagine if the president was there. every gift would be ripped apart. it really would become -- he would become the focus of the wedding, and it's supposed to be about chelsea. >> i think it's one thing to have invited him, which i think would have been the right thing to do. perhaps he would decline in order to avoid that. >> imagine if he said yes. >> okay, listen we know he's not going. that we know. what about the price tag colin. you've done so many weddings. people are saying this is going to cost between $3348 and $5 million. people are raising their eyebrows. does that seem out of proportion to you? >> not at all. when we see the aerial pictures, the tents, air conditioning, port-a-potties and toilets and things, this is exactly what it takes to create a wedding of this sale. >> and from today on,

last-minute preparations, what's happening? >> the countdown, the roses are being stripped, flowers are being put together. this is like a military procedure. all these elements to come together. you plan a wedding like this, it's like live television. there's no take two. >> think about what a fantastic stimulus this is for so many ways. for the fashion industry, you've got 500 guests dressing in fab lups clothes. the local town is going to have the influx of all of these gowns. >> you know the feelings of people in town. >> i think there's going to be so many people going to rhinebeck to check out the place to have events. and also people are going to want to do tours. let's see where chelsea got married. >> so it's part of economic stimulus? >> absolutely. >> and it's all for success. >> bonnie, colin, thank you very much. coming up, jennifer hager takes us to a special place where dreams come true. first these messages.

just ahead, brace yourselves. the jersey shore gang is back and taking some heat, actually, from new jersey's governor. we'll talk to them in a minute. >> friends from the thank you famous beach house. that's coming up aftendereath.lh

good thursday morning to you. it's 7:56 this morning. i want to check the commute today. delays to tell us about. >> for the southbound train, reports of an earlier problem with train 206. that's caused some delays heading in that southbound direction. no specific number but we're thinking about 20-minute delays right now for many of those trains. keep that in mind. the freeways with are a good option, light volume of traffic southbound. the bay bridge has a light volume of traffic of the metering lights were turned on oof 6:38 this morning. a slow buildup at the toll plaza. it looks like the lanes between the metering lights and toll plaza filled in, why we're finally seeing the backup. rob, i don't want that backup to

form. >> not a good thing to see on the morning commute. as you saw from the bay bridge, not much in the way of sunshine right now, but eventually today for the coast we'll stay with the low clouds. not much change in the temperatures there. when we're saying a bit warmer today, we're talking about places like pleasanton and livermore, inland spots. warmer tomorrow and to start the weekend. then we cool down thanks to a return of the sea breeze late in the weekend, heading into mond. time now is 7:57. more news right after the break. those people are happy

'cause they're gonna have a good time, and they've got extra money in their pocket. those are happy passengers. how much does it cost for those snacks again? nothing. at southwest airlines, when we have a sale, it's a sale. [ male announcer ] southwest airlines has flights starting at $49 one-way. book now only at southwest.com. [ rand ] how can you not want to get on the plane? come on and get on the plane. we're saving you money. now that's a plane full of happy. [ employees ] grab your bag. it's on. [ ding ]

six people injured in a deadly bus crash last week are now suie ining greyhound. the bus slammed into an overturned suv on fresno highway 99. some of the victims will tell their story for the first time later today in sacramento. the lawsuit alleges the bus driver did not fulfill his duty to transport the passengers safely. it also says the company should pay damages to those injured or killed in the crash. the incident remains under investigation. police say the suv driver was legally drunk at the time of the crash. i'll have another local news update for you in about a half hour. "today" show returns in less than a minute.

8:00 now on this thursday morning, july 29th, 2010. now that music is our way of letting you know that carrie underwood will be here live in concert tomorrow on "today." i'm meredith vieira along with matt lauer, al roker, and just ahead -- >> we know it's too hot -- >> just ahead, "jersey shore." >> get ready for this. snooki, the situation, the whole gang. they're getting ready for season number two in miami. and more of that. this morning we're going to

catch up with the gang. we're going to ask them about season two. season three. and some of the comments made by new jersey's governor on this program yesterday. >> they don't get them confused. >> not going to end badly. >> also ahead, a magical place to get away for kids who are facing a serious illness, it's actually an amazing program. and today jenna bush is going to tell us all about that coming up. >> and then -- the idea if you take your s.a.t.s there are certain tricks. do you think chewing gum, and using tv theme songs is a good idea? >> yes. >> i know the answer. >> well, we've got a guy who aced the s.a.t.s. he's going to share some of his tricks of the trade. >> okay. >> you want to go inside? starting with ann curry at the news desk. >> all right, you guys come on inside where it's not raining. calmer winds in the news today. calmer winds and cooler temperatures today should help in the massive effort against those wildfires that have destroyed now two dozen homes in

california since tuesday. nbc's kristen welker is in tehachapi, california, where the worst of the fires is burning. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. firefighters are feeling somewhat optimistic this morning, because as you mentioned, those winds died down overnight, which allowed them to make some real progress in battling two wildfires here. but both of those wildfires are still only partially contained. so they are gearing up for another very busy day. overnight, firefighters continued to battle the fast-moving blaze in tehachapi, 70 miles north of los angeles. the fire started tuesday and moved so quickly, some residents like george barely made it out alive. >> i watched two of my neighbor's houses burn before i got back to my place. and my place was fully engulfed so i just left. it's all i could do. >> reporter: he came back to total devastation. his house burned down, a lifetime lost. hundreds of firefighters are

working around the clock to try to prevent more pain. they attacked the blaze by air, and from the ground. but they were met with tough conditions. firefighters have had three big challenges, erratic winds, steep terrain, and very dry conditions. and the second blaze is burning fiercely to the north in the sequoia national forest, also destroying several homes. the dual fire is leading governor schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency. for george there was one bright spot amidst this tragedy. one of his cats survived. and right now, he and his neighbors are holding onto these moments for hope. now there are still a number of structures that are in the fire's path here in kern county. so it's still a touch zband situation. at this point both fires are still under investigation. >> kristen welker, thank you so much. this morning a senior u.s. military official said the body of a second u.s. sailor missing

in afghanistan since last friday has now been recovered. afghanistan's president hamid karzai is critical of the recent release of thousands of u.s. military documents on the war. karzai said today the release of those 90,000-plus documents, which names afghans that cooperated has put their lives in danger. and he said stronger action against terror sanctuaries outside of afghanistan, especially in pakistan. a group linked to al qaeda claimed responsibility today for a bombing that killed six people monday at a tv station in baghdad. in an interview that aired earlier on this broadcast, vice president joe biden told nbc news that u.s. commanders do not think the drawdown of american forces from iraq will lead to an explosion of sectarian violence because the u.s. will still have 50,000 battle-tested troops in iraq. and now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight on "nbc nightly news." hey, brian. >> hey, ann, good morning.

coming up tonight, we look at the girl with the dragon tattoo. as you may know, it has two sequels, the late author steve larsen's millennium trilogy has captured reader's imaginations around the world. it's everywhere you look. safe to say it's a hot series of books. we'll show you all the real-life places that inspired the author and the books. that's tonight on "nightly news." ann, back to you. >> okay, brian, thanks. now let's go back outside to al with a check of the weather. >> all right, thanks a lot, ann. we've got a birthday girl here. nice, nice birthday beret, i guess that would be. what's your name? >> megan. >> megan. all right well happy birthday. what year is this? >> 14th. >> okay, happy birthday. let's check your weather in the middle of a downpour. our pick city today, seattle, 76 degrees. and you can see there's a frontal system pushing through thasnohertt. that's going to bring cooler air, and sunshine tomorrow. but right now bringing rain. we've got scattered showers and the gulf coast, risk of some

strong storms into eastern montana. wet weather in the four corners of the country. look for showers in new england, as well. sunny skies, showers and thunderstorms through the gulf . ast. >> and here's a view of san francisco. don't know if you need an umbrella but we have mist flying around at the low clouds this morning our temperatures thanks to the blanket of low clouds, everyone in the same range, mid 50s. we will see slightly warmer temperatures inland today, sea breeze not quite as strong the next few afternoons. inland toward the trivalley and towards san jose will see temperatures climbing as we kick off the weekend and trending cooler approaching monday. >> yes, you know meredith vieira is a big star. she has an umbrella over there. >> don't be jealous now. >> don't be hating. >> thank you, al. up next, a new season, new controversy for snooki and the

"jersey shore" gang. we'll talk to them right after this. people are shocked to find out i'm a mom. i hear hot babysitter a lot. hi. my sienna is great. it matches my style, it has great stuff for my kids, it has an available dual-view entertainment center. driving my sienna says, "sure, i'm a mom. but i'm not running around rocking mom jeans." miss, there's a diaper bag on your roof. please. ♪ [ male announcer ] meet the family and the toyota sienna on youtube. ♪ and this one i'm taking to the house. the ice cream man is here! breyers all natural grasshopper pie. walmart's the only place you can get it. they love it when i take my work home with me. [ shaniya ] daddy i want more ice cream. [ laughs ] this is it! [ all ] 10...9...8... a new school year has so much potential! any resolutions? my resolution is the same as always; keep her full and focused with my fiber.

[ all ] 3...2...1... happy school year! [ female announcer ] this school year, make a resolution to give your kid kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. an excellent source of fiber from 100% whole grain. that helps keep them full so they can focus on the day ahead. keeps 'em full... keeps 'em focused.

keeps 'em full... being a computer programmer, i like control. i had a bed that hurt my back. i needed a new bed, but it'd cost more money than i had saved up at that time. that's when i discovered blueprint.

blueprint helped me make a plan. in the past, i would just spend money and hope to be able to pay it off later, but with blueprint, i was able to spend money and know that i could pay it off later. it's just amazing. with blueprint, on his chase freedom card, stephen designed a plan to save money on interest. does your credit card have blueprint? we are back now at 8:10 with the guys and gals of mtv's "jersey shore." the virtual unknowns became overnight sensations last year, and tonight season two gets under way. in a moment we'll talk to snooki and friends, and the gang, about the show, and some criticism they've taken from new jersey's own governor. but first, nbc's jeff rossen has also made it to the shore. jeff, good morning to you. >> yeah, long trip down here, matt, to thank out with the cast. right now we're coming to you from the roof of that famous "jersey shore" house where all the filming is done, where it all happens. this is the famous hot tub. if you watch the show, you see some of the more interesting scenes here. you don't get to see this too much on the show but the house

is literally right on the water. right on the atlantic. a beautiful place. i'm actually jealous i don't live here myself. with the beautiful roof deck, i might add. this is the hammock where snooki always tries to get in 20 times, falls down and tries to get in. here's the bed where some of the other more interesting scenes happen. in fact i probably shouldn't be on that, should i? god knows what happens there. here's the cast with us. we'll talk to them in just a minute. no questions they're ratings gold. their show is doing incredibly well on mtv. president obama talked about you guys. the governor of new jersey talked to you guys. talked to matt a couple of days ago. the new season, by the way, starts tonight. on mtv's "jersey shore," there is no shame. >> this is pauly d. >> reporter: the self-proclaimed guidos and guidettes are at it again, almost overnight they went from nobodies to pop culture icons. with their fashion.

>> i'm not wearing the shirt when we go out. >> reporter: colorful language. >> [ bleep ]. >> reporter: and sometimes controversial stereotypes. >> i found an amazing -- >> reporter: it's like "the real world" on steroids. >> stop, stop! >> reporter: now, with jwoww, the situation, and the rest of the cast are invading south beach, miami, for season two. >> we're going to need to come out and enjoy this. >> reporter: but getting here wasn't easy. after the first season, snooki and the gang reportedly asked mtv to double their salaries. from $5,000 per episode, to $10,000 per episode. then they asked for even more. >> the "jersey shore" cast is actually asking for almost $45,000 an episode. snooki and the situation, i'm told, actually got near that. some of the other ones a little lower. but that's a lot of money. >> reporter: not to mention private appearances. the stars reportedly rake

inasmuch as $50,000 each simply to show up for drinks at las vegas hot spots, and then leave. on tuesday they rang the opening bell at the new york stock exchange. even president obama is showing the love. >> the following individuals shall be excluded from the indoor tanning tax within this bill. snooki, jwoww, the situation, and house minority leader john boehner. >> he wants to be tan. >> taxes were raised on tanning. >> obama doesn't have a problem, obviously. >> reporter: not everyone is a fan. wednesday here on "today," the governor of new jersey told matt the show creates a negative image. >> and then they say this is new jersey. it's not new jersey. >> reporter: but even he had to laugh. >> i have enough problems here. $11 billion deficit, i've got to take snooki and the situation also? come on.

>> better buckle yourself in. >> yeah! >> the new season kicks off tonight in miami. so you're wondering, what are they all doing here in seaside heights? they're already taping season three, back here, on the jersey shore. in fact they're now a week into taping. by the way, matt, if you question about how far they've come, and their icon status, this is "newsweek" magazine, with al sharpton on the cover, and inside, a picture of the "jersey shore" gang, america's new icons. back to you. >> yeah, jeff, right where they belong. jeff rossen thank you very much. with us from their purchase at the shore, nicole snooki polizzi, vinnie, pauly d, and jenni jwoww. good morning to all of you. nice to see you. >> good morning. >> pauly d, what time did you have to get up to start your hair this morning? >> they had to wake me up a little earlier than the rest of the guys. takes me 25 minutes to do my hair. >> looks good, though. can we talk money for a second?

i know it's not polite but some of the reporting you just heard in jeff's piece about going from $5,000 to $10,000 per episode between season one and season two, and some maybe even getting as much as $45,000 an episode. are those numbers accurate? >> no. i mean, a lot of that is just rumors. i just -- i mean, i'm just happy to be back. you guys happy? >> we were going to come back regardless so it's kind of like the icing on the cake. >> so raise your hands if you're happy with your salaries right now. okay. because i wonder -- snooki, here's what i'm wondering. if there's a little -- if they've taken the parity away, if some of you are getting paid more than others, might not that create some anger, hostility, frustration, and confrontation? you know the kind of things that make a reality show great? >> you know, we don't come here and think about money. we come here to party. we don't discuss those things

and we shouldn't. you know, we just come here and have a good time. so that's pretty much -- >> can you tell me, has anyone gone out and splurged on anything you'd like to share with me? anything fun you kind of treated yourself with? >> i bought a new car. >> did you really? what kind did you get? >> i got 2010 bmw. >> good for you. >> but i can't drive because it's stick. so -- >> but it looks good in the driveway? that's great. >> exactly, yes. >> i've always wondered if season two of a show like this isn't the hardest season, because you guys know the game now. you shot all season one and then you saw what the producers chose to highlight in each episode and what ended up on the edit room floor. so doesn't that necessarily affect the way you behave in front of the cameras for season two and three? >> no, not at all. we -- when we come back, we're ourselves at the end of the day. >> usually when we're here we don't think about what's going to be cut. we just come out here and have a good time, like i said.

we don't think about that stuff. because if you do you'll drive yourself crazy and you won't be yourself. >> the best thing about our show is we're all ourselves. it's not scripted. >> there's like no cameras here. >> because conflict seems to be such a big part of shows like this, you don't go out of your way looking for confrontation? >> no, not at all. >> not at all. >> it just happens. >> it happens. >> we're young kids. we go out to clubs, and sometimes things happen like that. >> yeah. >> let me ask you about the comments made by chris christie here on this show. he's a nice guy, by the way. but he had a little fun with you guys yesterday saying you're not from new jersey and why should he have to handle you? you want to respond to that, anybody? >> our show is about coming to the shore and having a good time. you don't have to be from jersey. >> mm-hmm. >> the shore is about getting a shore house. you can be from new york, connecticut, whatever. you come down here and you have a good time. that's -- >> i love new jersey. i love coming here.

it's a blast. and everybody likes to have us here. we have a lot of fun here. >> exactly. >> and if we can help out the pockets of new jersey, then that's a bonus. >> oh, absolutely. >> so season two, miami, what's the biggest difference between miami and the jersey shore, in your opinion? >> oh, a whole different scene. whole different scene. >> the party scene. >> it's more exotic in miami. >> yeah. >> i mean the clubs are nice. they can close at like 6:00 a.m. they're partying all night long. >> well, guys, a lot of people, as you know, your show is a hit. a lot of people looking forward to season two, and as jeff mentioned earlier, you're already under way shooting season number three. good luck and thanks for waking up early, guys. i appreciate it. >> of course. >> no problem. >> thank you so much. >> "jersey shore" premieres tonight on mtv. up next, big fan of the show jenna bush hager takes us to a magical place making his dreams come true. right after this.

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florida is filled with resorts, theme parks, seniors communities, even the development just for pilots. but "today" correspondent jenna bush hager found one contributing to a different audience. >> good morning, meredith. that's right i spent the day among princesses, pirates and gingerbread houses. it sounds like a fairy tale. and for many kids, give kids the world in orlando, florida, is just that. what you see here are endless smiles. >> whoo! >> reporter: what you hear is joyous laughter. >> there's absolutely no sadness here whatsoever. they're skipping, their jumping. >> reporter: you would hardly know so many of these kids are

fighting a battle. >> having a family member with a life-threatening illness is like our worst nightmare and being here is like our best dream coming true. >> reporter: a dream come true for kids and families. who fight every day to feel normal. this is a week of no doctors. no worries. because they can't spend any money at "give kids the world." the food, housing, entertainment, tickets to nearby orlando theme parks, all free. all to fulfill the dreams of princesses and pirates. at 7:30 in the morning, they serve ice cream for breakfast. and there's freedom like this everywhere here. for kids who hear a lot of nos, this is truly a place of yeses. dessert for dinner? >> yes. >> reporter: soda all day long? >> yes. >> reporter: christmas once a week? >> yes. >> reporter:'s oasis of yes was created 24 years ago by henry

landworth, a holocaust survivor, who spent five years as a child in concentration camps. he spent the rest of his life trying to give sick children some control over their lives. so the park is designed through the eyes of a child. >> you feel like you're walking into a candyland game. you feel like you're walking into a wonderland. it's all for children. it's like, wow. it's all about me. people really care about me. >> reporter: and for the parents? you guys get a relief here, as parents. >> they take care of everything for you. they take all the stress away from you. >> reporter: they even carry your tray and tuck you in at night. for faith and briley, dancing with sister ella is the best part of their stay. >> one, two, three -- >> there's not really any restrictions. she can get into everything. you know, at home -- not at home, but when we're somewhere like we always have to think,

okay, can we get her in to that restaurant? >> reporter: for brothers and sisters who also worry, they, too, are treated like royalty. probably hard being the oldest of the family, and watching your brother sometimes suffer, right? >> yeah. it was hard. but you know, this kind of makes up for it. >> reporter: a haven which has seen 100,000 kids. never turning anyone away. >> nobody stares at them here. nobody. it just feels so normal. >> reporter: not just normal. majestic. a week of fantasy, family, and memories. more than 1,500 volunteers work at "give kids the word" each week. many whom are retirees in orlando and say it makes them feel young again. so if you're heading down to orlando theme parks this summer, think about spending a day making a difference for some amazing kids. >> the man who started this, henry handworth? >> landworth. >> you told me the reason he started it. >> he said he lost his childhood

in a concentration camp and he said he didn't want another child to ever suffer through that. >> that's a wonderful resort. nine seconds to go. advice for chelsea, you've been thereth >> i just want her to enjoy .nuvtemier good thursday morning. 8:26. i'm laura garcia cannon. want to check the commute with mike. last time we were talking cal train. >> reporting of 40 minutes because of earlier mechanical nurse at both directions, delayed. possibly through the morning commute. trains are single tracking through burrelling game and san mateo. only one set of tracks are allowed. one way traffic control due to an earlier problem, 314 which is broken down and still on track there. we expect train delays through the morning commute. hit the roads, 101 and 280 moving through the area, be southbound side, slow there through san mateo and palo alto.

not as bad as we typically see but a few accident in the 101, through mountainview. >> talking about delays, we have sun delays right now until the afternoon for inland spots today, we're staying a bit warmer, maybe low to mid 80s inland today but that's an improvement from the mild week. otherwise, 60s and 70s for most of the bay area today. we're talking our inland vallyso will see a warm up. cooler approaching monday. 8:27. more news after the break.

in just more than three months, the [ inaudible ] will be sentenced for killing oscar grant. an oakland police are preparing their response. in the tribune reports oakland pd is working with other law enforcement agencies to strategize about patrols on sentencing day. the goal is to prevent the violence and looting that broke out when he was convicted july 8th. that night looters caused more than $800,000 to about 38 downtown businesses. more local news in about a half hour. today show returns in less than a minute.

8:30 on a thursday morning, the 29th day of july, 2010. we have blue sky above us and extremely loud people on the plaza. expecting a bigger crowd

tomorrow when the reigning queen of country music takes to our summer concert stage. next friday, their music's labeled as family friendly alternative rock, who will pull into the plaza. also still ahead in august -- keith urban and katy perry rounding out the summer concert series. that should be a lot of fun. >> nice tomorrow for the concert? >> spectacular. >> on the plaza -- >> something we know about in our family, the dreaded s.a.t., my daughter going through that now. it is so scary for kids. everybody wants a great score. today we'll give you tips how to get your score up if it's not too good now because you can take it over and over if you'd like to and getting tips from a guy who scored a perfect 2400. one of his tips get a theme

song. >> i got 2300. >> you did not. >> he's here until thursday. >> also this morning, want inspiration. >> sure. >> we have a couple of people who would not let their physical limitations get in the way of their ultimate dream. they have actually climbed the world's seven highest peaks. we'll find out. >> a great story. >> they'll share they stories coming up. >> and a bit later on, some of the creatures of the outback, some animals from australia invade our studios. >> oh, little joey. >> what are females called? >> no. >> sheila. >> wow. >> i think it is, right? >> you said it with authority. >> it is, exactly. a check of the weather mr. roker. >> that's right. you'll see today basically looking at sunshine in the great lakes, cold front's moved through beautiful there, cleveland, 79 today, sunny in

los angeles with 9, as well. showers and thunderstorms along the gulf. tomorrow, slight risk of strong storms mid-mississippi river valley, sunny and hot weather up and down the west coast. mild conditions in new england and sunny and hot mid-atlantic states. humidity level a bit lower. . at's >> and there's a live look at the san mateo bridge. we have some hazy skies heading across the bridge. mid span of the san mateo and bay bridge is running into fog this morning. 65 san francisco, 78 around san jose. places like morgan hill out to the trivalley, messenton and livermore warming up a notch or two today. tomorrow i think the warming will be a bit more noticeable inland with 80s popping up and as we head through the weekend the sea breeze turns stronger, we start to cool down next week, first few days of august look pretty mild. >> and that's your latest weather. don't forget to get your weather any time of the day or night the weather channel on cable weather.com online.

now back to the gang. >> thanks very much. now more of ann's conversation with vice president joe biden. >> that's right, matt. after talking to him about policy and politics we wrapped up talking about the personal challenges he's faced this year. >> reporter: so, i wonder, having seen your mother leave you, having had your son suffer a stroke, how has that informed you and how you do your job? at this time in our nation's history when so many are facing the suffering, the challenges of this time. >> look, i'm sometimes often legitimately criticized because i am too e mot tiff or whatever y'all say, not you. look, all -- all i know is that there's millions of people out there, like my dad and my mom, who, as my dad would say, the measure of success is not whether you get knocked down,

it's how quickly you get up. this is an incredibly resilient nation. i look at my circumstance and what my mother used to always say, you'd break your arm and she'd say joey, you could have broken both arms, you know, butt for the grace of god. the truth si have it so much better off than the vast of majority of people going through tough times now. but one thing i have absolute faith in and i really do, ann, i know it's middle-class and all that but i have absolute faith in the grit and determination of the american people. i really do. >> no doubt that he does. >> yeah, he does. and that really sort of informs, i think, his work, such a blue-collar roots he's never let go and actually fueled him moving ahead in his career. >> a tough, tough year for him, no question about it. >> tough, tough. >> you can see he quickly gets emotional about it. >> we appreciate it. up next on a much lighter note how gum, excuse me -- i almost

said gin. >> gin. >> that was last night. >> how gum and music -- >> oh, gum. >> -- can improve a teen's s.a.t. score. >> is gin really bad? >> first, this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] jobs leaving.

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in today's classroom prepping for the s.a.t. it is one of the most important tests a teen will ever take. this morning insider tips on how good morning to you both. let me start with you. you aced the test. you got into princeton. congratulations on that. >> thank you so much. >> you also said you didn't even study so much for the s.a.t. so how did you ace it?

>> you know, i don't know. i think it's more about the mentality you have. i think it's how you approach the test. there are a few things i did that really helped me in the limited studying i did. one was that i got myself motivated. i actually chose a theme song and i kind of found my anthem -- >> we actually have your theme song. it's rebellion, right? >> yes. >> what's the idea behind a theme song? >> you need something that gets you motivated. and when you're studying for the s.a.t.s, it's about concentration. so that song really helped me put in the work and put in the hours and get really in the right frame of mind for tackling the test. >> cat, one of the things you say is good for tackling this task of trying to get really good scores on the s.a.t., chewing gum. >> right. well we suggest that students chew their favorite flavor of gum. because first of all, it's going to keep you alert and awake and pace yourself and also you're going to have that positive association. almost like having a little treat. do that while you're taking practice tests and the real test. >> you also advise kids to study in a noisy room. why would that be?

is it noisy when you're taking the test? >> when you're taking the real s.a.t. you're in a room crowded with students, shuffling their papers, coughing, they're sneezing, moving around, so it's a great idea to practice in a noisy or crowded space. and also just to get yourself to sit still for four hours, 3 hours, 45 minutes, and practice like that. so you might want to do it at a library or even in your living room with your siblings running around. >> my daughter is going through this now and she takes a lot of practice tests. you suggest at least eight tests, right? >> yes. you know, it's a great idea to take one test each week about two months before the real test. because that's going to give you enough exposure to the test, you'll know what problems that you're having. how to work them out. how to pace yourself. and you'll become familiar with the test. and we found that the best way to get a good score is practice. and the more familiar you are, the better -- >> how many did you take? >> you know, i probably took a little bit more than eight. one thing i like to do, when you take practice tests you have to treat them like the real thing. i think that's the main point.

you have to time yourself just like you're in a real testing situation. so you get used to the kind of questions that they ask, and you can narrow down exactly what they're asking. much more easily. >> now, you two totally disagree on when you should answer a question if you don't know the answer at all. you say always guess. >> studies actually show that kids who guess score a lot higher or score higher than kids who leave their answers blank. >> but you don't totally agree with that? >> we tell students not to guess unless they can use some process of elimination to narrow the answer choices down. and there are great tools, many courses out there that can give you tools for process of elimination. so you don't necessarily need to know the answers and you can still figure out the right answer. >> you also say if you don't do well on the test, take it again. >> yes. >> how many times can you take it? >> in theory you can take it as many times as you want. but selective college is probably not going to want to see you taking it more than three times. we found that students plateau after about three times. so you know, if you don't like your first score, definitely

take it again. but don't go overboard. >> how many times did you take yours? >> i took my s.a.t. twice. >> what did you get the first time? >> i got a 2240. >> oh, man how annoying you are. >> i know. >> you just thought i want to try for something better? because you know they only take the highest score. >> the score i wanted to get was 2300, 2350. i wasn't honestly expecting 2400. but that's what i was shooting for. >> i'm hearing more and more colleges are putting less emphasis on the s.a.t., am i true or is it just wishful thinking? >> it is and a perfect 2400 is not going to guarantee you a spot at one of the nation's most selective schools. college tuitions offices are looking for students who can make a positive impact in their community. so they're looking at everything from courses, grades, extracurricular activities, your personality, how it comes through in your essays. so they're really looking at a lot of things, not just s.a.t. scores. >> but they do count. so the more you can get those scores up the better. allen, congratulations. princeton is very lucky to have

you. >> i appreciate it. >> thank you so much. up next, the call of the wild. meet some creatures from down under.

back now at 8:45. this morning on "today's call of the wild" creatures from down under. from 150 pound hopping mammals to -- >> right. >> get that kangaroo -- >> lizards species of any continent. lots to look at in australia. julie scardina is sea world and busch gardens animal ambassador. who is your friend here? >> this is our little baby

kangaroo. she was an adult female, they can reach 150 pounds when they're full grown. this is gira. >> is this her baby? >> no this is a different female's baby. but when they're born, i don't know if you guys realize how tiny they are. like the size of a grape. >> a grape? >> yeah. >> that's a lot of growing. >> nine months old, she's done a lot of growing. but she won't be out of the pouch for about three months now. >> i have heard that kangaroos can be a little nasty. >> well, you know, in the wild, any animal is out there to survive. but when we spend hours with them and they know and trust us, when we develop that bond, we also know what to look for. you know, they have needs just the same as people do. we know what they've like and what they don't. she's obviously loving this. but australia is such an amazing continent. i mean, you know that intro when

you say hopping mammals about 150 pounds. anything else can you think of that happens. >> no. >> can there be one joey in the pouch and another one on the way? >> yeah. they actually have something called embryonic diapod. which means they can have a fertilized egg which descends inside the body until it's ready and the other one kind of comes out of the pouch. >> wow. >> so then what's really cool is each of the teats inside of the mom's pouch has different compositions of milk. >> oh. >> this one hops around a little bit. >> we've got a kookaburra. >> we've got a bird coming out here. this is, movies make mistakes. >> well you know what? i mean if you guys ever remember any of the old tarzan movies, where they had the jungle sounds. >> right. >> and of course, we're talking about australia here, and where was tarzan, africa. but listen to the sound of it. everybody help me.

go -- >> yeah, baby. that's what we're talking about. >> yay! >> good job. good job. >> that was al, who is a ventriloquist. that was good. >> pretty impressive. >> now you know. the largest member of the kingfisher family. they can swallow snakes up to three feet long. >> some lizards. we've only got a minute left. >> right here to my left. we were talking about unusual animals. have you ever heard of a monkey tailed stink before? this is a lizard built for living up in the trees, actually takes his tail around, wraps it around the tree much like a

monkey does and that's how, you know, they stay on the limbs. different species -- we've got two blue tongued snakes. these guys are incredible. you see that? like cobalt blue tongue. and what will happen is if they have a predator or something approaching, they'll open up their mouths -- >> like this? >> yes, talk about a bigger lizard, there's another one. >> wow, that's amazing. >> that is a bearded dragon. >> okay. >> what will happen? >> nothing, nothing. we're fine. we're fine. just for a second he kind of went after my finger. >> this guy is the most docile of all of them. >> thank you so much. we've got to go. we do have -- >> he will eat anything that's out there. >> did anybody see the kangaroo? >> oh! >> come here, sweetheart.

come on. >> oh.

climbing a mountain is a great feat but to climb all of the world's seven highest summits is extraordinary. >> special may be an understatement. despite what some considers a debilitating condition, this man wanted to climb, and he refused to take no for an answer.

at 29,000 feet, mt. everest is the highest mountain on earth. but it is just one of the word's highest summits. there are seven. one dotting each of the seven continents. few people have climbed just one. each fewer have done all seven. paul and his wife denise would like to join that elite group. this your biggest challenge? >> biggest challenge. we've done a lot of things. we're not exactly couch potatoes. but still, all the other six summits, would definitely be the biggest challenge of our lifetime. >> reporter: so what makes paul different from the others who've accomplished the feat before him? nothing, according to paul. except that he is basically doing it with one hand. >> i've got the claw on. >> reporter: paul has a condition that has rendered his right hand almost useless. >> i was a large baby, over 11 pounds, and during birth the nerves that connect my right arm

to my spine were partially severed. it was a birth injury. >> reporter: but paul's mom never let his condition affect his passion. >> my mom was really the greatest motivating factor that gave me the attitude that i have towards really everything in my life. she put me on the swim team. she signed me up for drum lessons, judo practice, taught me how to water ski. as a kid i'm like, didn't anybody tell this lady my arm doesn't work like all the other kids? >> reporter: where he lacks in hand strength he makes up for in creativity. >> this is the claw. i just don't have the gripping strength in my right hand and my fingers just really can't hold onto the hand holds as well. >> reporter: paul came up with the idea on his own. >> just walked into home depot and i had an idea in my mind what i needed to do. and i found a coat hook and the coat hook section, and attached it to this brace -- >> and that was it? >> does the trick. >> reporter: you couldn't climb at all? >> not something like this, no.

>> reporter: paul is driven. and focused. but he's also grateful, especially to his wife. >> denise is everything to me. and it just makes this type of an endeavor so much more rewarding to be able to do that with her, side by side. incredibly fortunate to have her with me. >> the most focused, loving, supportive husband ever. ever, ever, ever. he's such a gift to me. >> you know how many people have died trying to climb mt. everest? >> one out of every ten people that have reached the summit of everest have perished. >> so we just rely on our experience and our training, our decisions that we've made prior to getting ourselves into a dangerous situation. >> reporter: this was two months ago. just as they were getting ready to summit mt. everest. the last and most difficult challenge of the seven. >> there are some pretty spectacular views. absolutely breathtaking. >> reporter: facing high winds and the expected treacherous

conditions, paul and denise slowly pushed on and up the mountain. just as they were going to reach the top, a few hundred vertical feet from the summit, paul's hand became bitterly cold and risked frostbite. he thought he may have to turn back. but he didn't. and after eight years of climbing mountain after mountain, after seven weeks on this one alone, depleted an exhausted they finally reached the top of mt. everest. >> we made it! whoo! >> i hope some people look at their challenges and say, hey, if that guy can do it, i've got two good arms, two good legs, why can't i take up that challenge? >> paul and denise are now raising money for an important cause. everybody to everest for the challenge to athletes foundation. for more on that you can head to our website.

wonderful people, good story, big, big good morning to you. 8:56. i'm laura garcia cannon. mike continues our look at the morning commute. continued problems. >> continued problems for cal trains. our first set of tracks one hours reports the delay for the entire system. three different trains broken down at three different stations.

not related but one had a problem with the oil, two others problems with the brakes they have all stopped and that's the reason for the delays. the barts system has a 10 to 15 minute delay out of the air dationue due to a equipment problem on the tracks. more news after this.

cash for clunkers may be over but today cash for appliances is getting a new lifeline. the california energy commission approved a major expansion of the energy-saving rebate program. starting today, replacing your old dishwasher, freezer, water heater and air conditioner will come with some cash incentives. rebates frang $50 for freezers to 1,000 for a central air system. visit our website nbcbayarea.com

search class for appliances. another update in 30 minutes. have a great morning.

we are back with more of "today" on a thursday morning. 29th day of july, 2010. nice group of troopers out there. say troopers because they've been putting up with on-again, off-again showers all morning long. appear toe off again right now. which is good news for them. inside the studio, i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. coming up in this half hour we're going to hear from the mother of that young girl who survived the car crash in arizona that killed her best friend. police and hospital officials had initially confused the identities of the two teens, of course, causing heartache and devastation for both families involved.

we'll hear what she has to say in just a little while. >> also ahead this morning, on a less serious note, but however it is important, i think people don't realize the pervasiveness of gum disease. and this morning we're going to be talking about oral hygiene. not just because it's a good idea and because it's a problem for bad breath, because it's associated with some serious issues like cardiovascular disease and premature birth if you're pregnant. you're going to get a mouthful of advice from dr. nancy synderman who knows all the answers to the questions. >> and it's the social invitation of the summer. maybe even the year. chelsea clinton tying the knot this weekend. guests will begin arriving tomorrow. so who's going to be there? well we at least know one person who is already there, natalie morales is in rhinebeck, new york, getting all the exclusive details. see anybody famous yet? >> no, this is probably as far as i'm going because they're not going to let me in anywhere near the wedding. the wedding of the decade, some are even calling it here in rhinebeck, about 90 miles north of new york city and the town is all abuzz here as their final

preparations are under way. so it is scheduled to be quite the affair here. quite the to-do in town. people really excited about this. i'll tell you a lot more. i've got some exclusive details copping up. and i was just told by the state police that it appears not a lot of a-listers are going to be here. that, it is going to be as secretary of state hillary clinton has said, chillsy and marc mezvinsky's affair. it is going to be their wedding. state police, no oprah, perhaps none of the other big names that we might be expecting. i'll tell you more coming up in a little bit. by the way, quick question for you guys do you know what the connection is between snooki and chelsea clinton? >> no idea. >> i hope it wasn't the situation. >> no idea. >> that would be a situation. >> i don't think that's what we want to hear on the eve of their wedding. >> no, let's not start those rumors. actually, snooki is from nearby here in poe kipsy, not from the jersey shore as you might think. but these days a lot of people

here are a lot more excited about the chelsea clinton connection. >> all right, got it, natalie. had me nervous there. we will check back in with natalie. first let's get a check of the top stories from ann. >> thanks a lot, matt. finally some good news in the massive battle against those wildfires in southern california that have forced the evacuation of some 2,000 people since tuesday. the worst of the fires north of los angeles was 25% contained by this morning. however, it has already destroyed at least two dozen houses. a new immigration law takes effect today in arizona, but without it's most controversial provisions. on wednesday a federal judge put most of the law on hold, which means that police can't arrest people for not carrying their legal immigration papers. opponents of the law still plan to continue their protests, and supporters say the setback is just one step in a long process. arizona plans to appeal the ruling, which said immigration enforcement is the role of the federal government. this morning, afghanistan's president hamid karzai pushed the u.s. and other nato allies to take stronger action against

terror sanctuaries beyond afghanistan, especially in pakistan. meantime, vice president joe biden in interview that aired earlier on this broadcast answered critics who say that u.s. tax dollars used to build up afghanistan would be better spent at home. >> we're in afghanistan for one express purpose, al qaeda. the threat to the united states. al qaeda that exists in those mountains between afghanistan and pakistan. we are not there to nation build. also on this broadcast earlier this morning, the mother of a young arizona woman whose family was involved in a painful case of mistaken identity. maria guerra was initially told that her daughter abby had been killed in a car crash. and that the daughter's friend, marlena cantu was in critical condition. it turned out her daughter abby was the one that survived. matt asked mrs. guerra if she had been in touch with the family -- with the cantu family since the mix-up. >> i spoke to mr. cantu, after

my daughter was in surgery, and he came and he apologized to me. and he was at abby's bed day by day. i know it was true. and he felt so sorry. and i said to him that everything would be okay. >> such a tough situation for the families there. and changing gears now, finally now, a georgia fisherman recorded a pretty frightening and unusual sight. hundreds of alligators on a feeding frenzy in southeast georgia. the fisherman stumbled on the extraordinary event earlier this month. seemed the gators had chased some fish into a narrow part of the swamp. then, as you can see, feeding. >> that is wild. >> isn't it? wow. >> although, florida, and

georgia are big rivals in college football, so gators -- >> what? okay. you know, you've been there and you know. >> the worst part about it is that the video came up, i could almost smell the smoke. he's going to put the fire out. you know, you were working on that. >> i better check on the weather. all righty then, let's show you what's happening. the gators -- >> i got it. >> we've got the forest fire forecast for you in california. the tehachapi are looking at sunny, hot conditions. 91 degrees. winds getting a little gusty. not good news for the firefighters there. we've got a risk of strong storms over the dakotas into eastern montana. maybe a tornado or two developing out of that. you can see the showers and thunderstorms firing up. parts of southern south dakota will see overnight we'll see rainfall amounts of about one to three inches. we won't be seeing rain like be that around the bay area but we have mist with the fog that is going through san francisco right now. you can see the sea breeze pushing the flag off to the

right side of the screen. i can show you the clouds looking down from above from the satellite view. and you'll see on the satellite view, san francisco down to san jose, still socked in. probably around 10:30 or so wel start to break out of the low clouds and around the santa clara valley, but on the coast you're going to be stuck with clouds all day long. 60s from san francisco to the coast, 70s and 80s inland, tomorrow and saturday a bit warmer inland. >> that's your latest weather. ann? >> today's daily dose is brought to you by yoplait. it's so good. >> al, thanks. this morning on "today's daily dose" oral health and hygiene. according to the cdc nearly one-third of all adults in the u.s. have untreated tooth decay, which can lead to serious health risks down the road. here to answer your questions, nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy synderman. good morning. >> hi, ann. >> the numbers are shocking. one in seven adults ages 35 to

44 has gum disease. one in four adults over the age of 64 has gum disease. about 25% of adults 60 and older no longer have any natural teeth. >> yes. >> so this is a -- and this has even more repercussions than just these numbers. >> huge and in a recession one of the first things people stop doing is paying their dentist. so the health concerns, the health of your teeth leads to the health of your heart. osteoprocess, diabetes and early cancers can be found. and there are huge problems with tooth decay now in children who don't have health care access. interestingly, your mouth is the window to the overall health of your body. >> for people who don't have health insurance, people not seeing their dentist, what should people be doing? >> start with the basics. make sure you have fluoride in your water. you have to brush and floss twice a day. stay away from sugary drinks and all the things you know can hurt your teeth. this is a laundry list of the absolute basics for everybody. >> we've got some questions that we'll need to get to. an anonymous e-mail that might be helpful to a lot of mothers,

reads when should i take my toddler to the dentist for his first visit. the recommended age always seems to vary? when does he really need to go? >> i think as soon as you see that first tooth. because it allows your child to get accustomed to seeing the dentist. takes away moms being anxious and teaches a baby how to do basic brushing. >> you should go to the dentist every year? >> yeah. >> we've got to go outside to the crowd where we've got a question, i understand. good morning. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> good morning, ann and dr. nancy. >> what's your question, dear? >> my question is, i drink an awful lot of coffee every day. and i was wondering if there's some over-the-counter product that i could use -- >> over-the-counter products for teeth whitening do work and if you're a coffee and tea drinker, tea is san even bigger culprit, you can get gradual staining of your teeth. cigarettes are also a huge problem. so if you're going to, you know, drink tea, or coffee, and i hope nobody is still smoking

cigarettes, the over-the-counter whiteners do work. make sure that the ones are not going to hurt your enamel. basically they're mild bleaches. >> also a question from susan in birmingham, alabama. susan, determine. >> good morning. hi, dr. nancy. >> hi, susan. >> when brushing your teeth, is it more important to concentrate on the teeth itself, or the gums? >> both. and i think it's important to sort of break your mouth down into little neighborhoods. start on one side and then the other and down and sort of count. some of the electric toothbrushes are good because they're timed. a lot of times when you use regular handheld toothbrushes we underbrush. your teeth and your gums both need good brushing. make sure you have a soft toothbrush. one of the biggest problems is that people buy hard bristled toothbrushes and they hurt your gums. get soft or extra soft. they massage your gums. >> also your tongue. >> yes, tongue. >> we've got an e-mail from misty from kentucky, she writes i'm -- she writes i grind my

teeth at night. my jaw muscles are so tight and my jaw never seems to be in a relaxed position. what can be done to keep my jaw from hurting? >> go back before you go to bed. you have to really try to not take some of your problems to bed with you. this is actual daytime stress taken into the nighttime. whether it's medication or exercise or a cup of warm milk, figure out what you can do to minimize that stress. 23 you're still grinding your teeth, then talk to your doctor about getting a little splint that can at least take the pressure off your jaw. >> i used to grind my teeth -- >> you can stop grinding. >> same for me. absolutely. >> we also have another question from the crowd. good morning out there. what's your name and what's your question? >> good morning. >> good morning. >> i have a question. if you chew gum or should you chew gum, which is better for you, sugar or sugar free? >> i'm not a big gum lover only because people have such lousy personal habits. i hate hearing people chomp. i hate snapping and chomping. that aside, with that set aside it doesn't really matter to me.

interestingly the sugar in gum gets diluted with your saliva so quickly that it doesn't stick. it's the sugar in things like raisins that stick to your teeth that cause a bigger problem. so, whether it's sugar free or sugared gum, it really doesn't cause much of a problem. >> but some gum actually says it's good for your teeth. >> that's because the beth thing for your teeth is a lot of saliva. if you've seen people who have radiation treatments they have a naturally dry mouth and they don't have a lot of saliva. they said they have more problems with dental care. anything that makes saliva, fine with me. >> you just convinced me to chew gum. kimberly from oklahoma -- she says via e-mail, i sometimes have a horrible taste in the back of my throat and after a few days this white round thing appears in my mouth and my throat. what can be the cause of this? >> unless you have this you think what in the world is she talking about. this is classic chronic adult tonsillitis. there are little deep crypts in the tonsil and over the years,

they collect viruses and bacteria and food particles. and what happens, stuff comes out, causes bad breath, tastes lousy. chronic sore throat. this may be the number one indication in a tonsillectomy in a young adult. >> you need to see your doctor. >> you might need a simple tonsil ekt hi. >> dr. nancy synderman. always here to help people. we love it when you're here. >> you bet. >> coming up next, whether you're looking for a cheap getaway or the best shopping in the travel. budget table is out -- out with its reader's choice awards. and a little bit later exclusive details about chelsea clinton's wrup coming wedding. to try our delicious chef boyardee big beef ravioli? sure. and, mom, did you know that in every bowl of chef, there is a full serving of -- [ gasps ] but there's a full -- no, but in every bowl of -- don't -- with the -- but it's -- there's -- stop...talking. but there's a -- nope. [ female announcer ] there's a full serving of vegetables in every bowl of chef boyardee big beef ravioli.

that's the third time that's happened today. [ female announcer ] just don't tell them. shh. or 100 calories? with yoplait delights, now you can finally have both. two indulgently rich layers of chocolate and raspberry yogurt... and only 100 calories. [ female announcer ] sometimes, you can get so much out of so little. woohoo! especially when it comes to charmin ultra soft. it's so soft and absorbent, you can use 7 sheets versus 28. charmin ultra soft. enjoy the go.

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including tuberculosis. serious and sometimes fatal events can occur, such as infections, cancer in children and adults, heart failure, nervous system disorders, liver or blood problems, and allergic reactions. before starting simponi™, your doctor should test you for tb and assess your risk of infections, including fungal infections and hepatitis b. ask your doctor if you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, or develop symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start simponi™ if you have an infection. [ female announcer ] ask your rheumatologist about simponi™. just one dose, once a month. this morning on "today's travel," the best bets. whether you're looking for cheap family vacation spots or the best national parks. budget travel magazine polled its own intrepid travelers for their top picks and here with the 2010 reader's choice awards is the magazine's editor in chief. >> thanks for having me.

>> you guys got a huge response. were you surprised? >> we were blown away. we now we had an engaged readership but 164,000 folks is incredible. and we're giving this over to them, our october issue is going to be built entirely around their favorite things. including the cover, which you can go on to today at budgettravel.com. >> talk about surprises. most beautiful city in the world, and it went to -- >> san francisco. this is actually a bit of a surprise for us. we were all sort of expecting paris to win. but what we found out was something across this poll, people are very into america right now. and san francisco obviously has so many things to celebrate. the hills, the cable cars, the water. it's just undeniably beautiful. >> it certainly is. now best family vacation spot, kind of combines a little history with the ability to go to some theme parks. >> absolutely, williamsburg, virginia. you know, again, we were sort of expecting disney world to win. williamsburg won. you've got the colonial

williamsburg, it's an affordable place to go. you can see recreations, et cetera. $36 a ticket for an adult. which is about half the price of a normal theme park. and then you've got busch gardens, so some great roller coasters, bavarian beer halls. really fun destination for families. >> now when we go to national parks, i don't know if this is a surprise, yellowstone. >> this was not a surprise. i mean, it's the holdest national park. it's the most popular. last year it broke attendance records of 3.3 million. this is sort of a classic. you've got old faithful. what more is there to say? >> a lot of cruise lines but royal caribbean came out on top. >> royal caribbean is having a banner year. bigger is better in their world. they came out with "oasis of the seas" in 2009. 6,000 people on that ship. this year another big one in december. so anything you want to do on one of their lines, you can do it. >> all right. donkey get away.

island getaways always a big vacation favorite. >> yes. >> usually when you think island, i think the caribbean. not so for your readers. >> this was a bit of a surprise, we got maui. i think win of the reasons is that, you know, hawaii has been especially affordable over the past year, and hawaiian airlines is running a promotion now called endless summer that they're extending to the fall. round trip airfare from the west coast to maui, $308. so you know, the value is really there for travelers. you get the beach, you get the volcano. it's great. >> economy is kind of tough but people still looking for the affordable, exotic vacation. >> the dominican republic won. it's sort of set to overtake jamaica in terms of popularity in the caribbean. one of the reasons, airfares are really kind right now. they're down about 8% to the dominican republic, which is great. and the peso-to-dollar ratio is remaining low. you've got all-inclusive resorts. it's that easy, island escape.

>> people like to shop when they go on vacation. big apple number one. >> here we are. so you know, i always say, you know, you can either get something for the most expensive or the least expensive in new york. and whether you're walking down fifth avenue or going to the garment district, the flower district, it's a bounty in new york city and everybody just loves its. >> airlines are always getting a bum rap. southwest airlines did pretty well for you. number one. rental cars, enterprise. enterprise won. and then for folks who like those apps. you say the number one app for your readers, flighttracker. >> flight tracker. $4.99 for this app. you're holding in your hand all the information you're going to need if your flight gets canceled. it has information on 1400 airlines. so don't weight in line. just pull out this app. >> nina, thanks so much. >> thanks so much for having me. >> up next we're going to head to rhinebeck, new york, where preparations are under way for chelsea clinton eps big wedding. and later a live performance from flo rida.

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nutri-grain can help you eat better all day. rhinebeck, new york, about 90 miles from here is puzing with media and paparazzi. chelsea clinton is getting ready to walk down the aisle. >> that's right, we've got natalie morales to tell us what's happening. what can you show us, natalie? >> hey, ann, a lot of people are excited about this. i mean it really is, as one of the locals told me just a little while ago, it's putting rhinebeck, new york, on the happen. this is a town population 8,000 usually and they're expecting some 400 visitors potentially, guests to chelsea and marc mezvinsky's wedding. of course, on saturday. so this here right here is the thoroughfare that's going to take the guests down to astor court. that is where the wedding is going to be held in this exclusive, private estate. this is one of the main streeps. right here the beekman arms hotel where some of the guests will be staying. so pane people in town getting excited about it.

across the street one of the retail shops put up a sign in their window saying love is in the air and it has a big heart that says c plus m. i think a lot of people wanted to experience a little b, ohe . that, here. ann and al? >> we'll be back. i know, dad. of my life. your comforter. okay. mr. cuddles... toilet paper? oh, hey, scott. here, scott extra soft tissue. it's their softest roll ever. check out the pattern. it's softness done right. same soft rolls we use at home honey! one more thing, guys. oh nice a shoe rack! actually, it's a toilet paper rack. sweet. huh. huh. [ female announcer ] do you know scott? scott extra soft is softness, done right. [ female announcer ] do you know scott? why do women like you love activia light? sometimes i have no choice but to eat on the run and to eat whatever happens to be around. heavy greasy food that's hard on my diet and my digestive system. so i eat activia light every day. activia light, with bifidus regularis, helps regulate your digestive system in two weeks. mmmm.

activia light is not light on taste! and with only 70 calories activia light helps make it easier to watch my weight. it helps me feel good and look good too! ♪ activia good morning, everybody. time now is 9:26. i'm brent cannon. checking the commute with mike, if you ride cal trains you're not riding cal trains. >> or still riding cal trains. this is a horrible situation for the folks, about an hour delay. system wide, we had three southbound trains all breaking down at separate locations causing single track through much of the area. still single tracking through burrelling game. single tracking for folks unaware is one way traffic control and they have to stop the other trains while one gets through. the other side of the bay, east bay, showing slow down 880, jamming past the cole see assume. >> you can see cloudy skies in

oakland and san francisco, but now breaking out into sunshine. san jose to morgan hill. earlier appearance of the sun for inland spots today. marine layer getting squished down our inland valleys going to warm up a couple degrees. treading a bit warmer tomorrow into saturday and cooler by monday. 9:27. more news after the break.

a water fight is boiling in the east bay. the issue similar to what's happening between pg&e and its customers. a woman says her water bill tripled after east bay installed a new meter. 93-year-old marie man says she has not done anything differently and the meter says her water use has skyrocketed from 300 gallons to 900. her granddaughter e-mailed us from washington saying the family has done multiple tests and they say they can see the new meter moving even when no water is being used. >> she tells me it can't possibly be the meter because

it's a new meter and they don't have trouble with their meters. >> east bay mud has not received many calls regarding new viruss or any broken parts with the new meters. they say another technician will conduct more tests and if the issue is there they will refund the grandmother any money they might owe her. mother nature is helping fire fighters in a battle against a wildfire in kern county. hundreds forced from their homes. the fire is about 25% contained. it has burned about 1400 acres between 25 and 40 dlgs have been destroyed in that -- buildings have been destroyed in that fire. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. see you back here in a bit.

♪ it's like i'm looking from a distance ♪ ♪ in the background ♪ everybody's saying he's not coming home now ♪ ♪ this can't be happening to me ♪ ♪ this is such a dream >> i'm just so nervous about tomorrow. >> it's just another day. >> the first country singer to win "american idol" now 27-year-old newlywed carrie underwood is on top of the world, with five grammys and a host of other awards. and so she's going to be here in our summer concert series tomorrow here on "today."

meanwhile, other soon-to-be newlywed. we've got chelsea clinton who's going to be getting married on saturday. have we mentioned that on the broadcast before today? >> once or twice. she's going to be tying the knot with longtime beau marc mezvinsky in front of a rumored up to 500 guests. going to happen about 90 miles north of here in rhinebeck, new york. that's where we find natalie morales. natalie, what's going on there? >> reporter: hello again, guys. yes, that's right. i mean, i guess it's the closest thing we have to an american royal wedding. so, a lot of people excited about chelsea clinton's wedding. it's been -- >> especially those people behind you. >> -- it's a very carefully guarded -- exactly, who now left. it is a very carefully guarded secret for the longest time, up until this week, where lots of little leaks started happening. and of course we then found out it was going to be here in rhinebeck, new york. population of about 8,000 people. but preparing for an influx of about 400 to 500 guests. as you mentioned. not to mention the paparazzi and the media that are going to be here.

right now i'm pretty much by myself early this morning, but across the street that parking lot is going to be filled with satellite trucks and media trucks and all the media is going to be posted down this main road. down that way is where astor court, and that is the private estate where chelsea clinton and marc mezvinsky are reportedly going to be tying the knot in a beautiful but very private ceremony. as we talked about, privacy and secrecy of the utmost importance here. i have a lot more exclusive details coming up. >> all right, natalie. thank you so much. and also coming up this morning, curing what ails you with natural remedies from insomnia to depression and hypertension. there are some natural remedies that might actually help you a little bit, and some of them are actually covered by insurance. i want to know if massages are covered by insurance. >> i think in certain instances. >> that's actually one of the potential remedies that might be able to help you. we've got six kinds of treatments. >> and here's something else that might help you, too, in "today's kitchen" more pork. that's right. >> i don't know about that. >> we're making bacon sandwiches

with pork meatloaf. gentlemen, start your defibrillators. all right. >> oh, one bite is not going to kill us, right? >> no. >> we'll just have one little bite. >> nobody stops at one. >> anyway, we look forward to that. first let's talk about some rain outside. >> the good news is that rain is going to mean we're going to see cooler conditions, and lower humidity here in the northeast today. we do have a risk of strong storms throughout much of the dakotas. look for showers in the southwest. sunshine, but hit or miss thunderstorms through the gulf. front moves through tomorrow and we've got some nice weather. mild conditions, new england into the great lakes. risk of some strong storms in the mid-mississippi river valley. heat continues out west. portland, and on into seattle, we're talking temperatures in the 80s. hot weather down into southern california and southern nevada, as well. >> and we're still seeing a lot of low clouds and misty skies in san francisco. see the fog all around the peninsula and east bay. san jose breaking out into sunshine now, 60 degrees.

hazy skies. on our way to upper 70s around san jose today. some 80s further south towards gilroy and morgan hill. only in the 60s again around san francisco. so the warming we'll see over the next few days for the inland vallejo valleys to the trivalleys and looks like things will cool down as we start the first week of august heading towards monday. and that's your latest weather. >> all ri >> and that's your latest gh weather. >> all right, al, thank you. coming up next, the who, the what and the how much. natalie's got new details on chelsea clinton's wedding. >> and that hat. superstar and mom, martina mcbride and sunny d

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for skin that shimmers. well, are you going to pick it or not? it's not ready yet. (announcer) tim and richard smucker grew up learning that you have to pick fruit at the peak of perfection if you want jam to taste extra delicious. it's getting close. (announcer) for five generations, with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. okay, so now it's day four of chelsea watch, as the former first daughter prepares to tie the knot on saturday. >> that's right. you know it's happening just 90 miles north of here? >> no. >> in rhinebeck, new york. "today" national correspondent natalie morales is there. you can feel the excitement there, can't you? >> i can feel the excitement but i haven't spotted chelsea just

yet. i can tell you on day four of coverage. this is one of the hotels, the beekman arms inn where a lot of the guests will be arriving for the wedding of chelsea clinton to marc mezvinsky tomorrow. this morning we have new details. of course it's a bedding that's being billed as fit for american royalty and it doesn't appear to disappoint. it's being called the wedding of the decade, an exclusive affair for chelsea clinton and marc mezvinsky in rhinebeck, new york. >> i think it's going to be a very understated, elegant, but befitting a royal wedding for the u.s. >> reporter: bill and hillary clinton have tried to keep a tight lid on details but final preparations are being made at astor court, an elegant 50 acre estate on the hudson. >> we've heard that it's going to be one kind of main office where when people get to rhinebeck they'll check in and they'll be told from there where the hotel will be and where they'll stay. >> reporter: with a price tag rumored to be between $3 million

to $5 million, no expense will be spared. security alone is expected to cost more than $200,000. and it will be paid for by the clintons. plus they'll pick up the tab for transportation to and from astor court. once inside, guests can expect flowers by designer jeff latham. >> he's known for everything from madonna to lots of other celebs. he tends to do all single flower arrangements. >> reporter: tmz is reporting the clintons will even bring in swanky $15,000 port-a-potties. and as for party favors? >> they're going to receive clinton vineyard wine, and that is a coincidence that it is their name, but it's not their own vineyard. i think she's tried to incorporate other local businesses. >> reporter: the bride-to-be trying to hide her identity stopped in for a reported final dress fitting at vera wang earlier this week. and where will the bride be spending her final night as a single woman? >> chelsea is going to stay in a

private home. which is the smart thing to do, because that's somewhere where she'll have the most privacy. >> reporter: wedding planners have gone to great lengths to try to make sure all eyes are on chelsea and marc this weekend. >> bill clinton has always been a huge personality every time he walks into a room, crowds swarm around him. but i think everybody involved in the wedding is making a deliberate effort to make sure that it is not a bill clinton circus. >> meanwhile, to keep the paparazzi from taking pictures from above, the faa is actually enforcing a no-fly zone over rhinebeck, new york, on saturday at 3:00 p.m. extending into sunday, about 3:30 a.m. and also in terms of president obama, we heard from him yesterday that he says he is not coming because he was not invited to chelsea's wedding. quote, hillary and bill properly want to keep this thing for chelsea and her soon-to-be husband. so it is expected to be a wedding just for them. ann and al? >> all right, natalie, thank you so much.

i just really hope that she gets, that chelsea really gets the wedding of her dreams. and just let that -- let that girl have that time. >> i think it's great that they closed the air space. >> i'm with it. i'm even a member of the media. >> however there might be subs. anyway. up next, natural remedies that really work. right after these messages. iends we'll do almost anything. out for drinks, eats. i have very well fitting dentures. i like to eat a lot of fruits. love them all. the seal i get with the super poligrip free keeps the seeds from getting up underneath. even well fitting dentures let in food particles. just a few dabs of super poligrip free is clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. a lot of things going on in my life and the last thing i want to be thinking about is my dentures. [ charlie ] try super poligrip free. ¿qué si usamos tacos s grandes?

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therapies are no longer fringe science and are increasingly becoming covered by insurance. from hot flashes to hypertension, new studies are showing that some natural remedies actually do ease symptoms. we've got prevention magazine looking into those remedies and courtney smith is the executive editor. courtney, always great to have you. >> thank you. >> so what does the latest data tell us about how using natural remedies compare to prescription drugs? >> well, we don't want to knock traditional medicine. but what's great is these natural remedies are gentle on the body, they have numerous studies behind them at this point, and you can use them as an adjunct to traditional care to improve your results. and that may mean you can avoid going on a prescription drug, or if you already take one you may be able to reduce the dose. and because they are becoming more affordable, and covered by insurance, they are easier to take advantage of. >> and one of the things that, i think we all know that there are some major benefits to having a massage. but specifically massage for depression.

there has been a link that there's a major benefit. >> yes, we think of massage as something we get because we have a stiff neck. but it actually has a major impact on our emotions and numerous studies at this point show that massage therapy can reduce depression and also some studies show that it can relieve anxiety as well as prescription antidepressants. and that's because it stimulates the release of mood-boosting endorphins. so it's worth looking into. >> and people can give each other massages, so there's a little something if you can't afford them. but if you can afford them, even then, they can be covered by insurance, depending on why you apply? >> yes. you should ask your doctor about that. because again, some of the evidence that's accumulating. i would recommend a trained practitioner rather than an at-home massage. >> all right. tai chi for insomnia. >> if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, it's worth looking into tai chi. adults who have moderate insomnia who did a 16-week tai chi routine improved their sleep

quality. and it's because it's a proven stress reliever. and it's also slow, meditative movement. it's tap nothing a mind/body connection that improves our healing. >> my father used to teach tai chi. he also said it was terrific for balance and for strength. >> it does. >> without pushing yourself too hard. >> and it can help you reduce your risk of falls because of that. >> that's great especially as you age. acupuncture for chronic pain. there's a lot of debate about whether acupuncture actually works. what are we saying here? >> no, it's a powerful pain reliever. at this point numerous studies confirm it relieves a wide range of conditions. people with chronic tension head eks after six sessions saw their symptoms disappear. people with lower back pain who receive acupuncture only did better than patients who only got traditional back pain treatment. and even osteoarthritis of the knee, acupuncture relieves pain and improves mobility. and that's incredible, because that's an irreversible condition. >> so i'm going to give that a

try. my favorite of your remedies is basically chocolate. chocolate for severe hypertension. people take drugs for hypertension. they should probably talk to the doctor to make sure they're not changing that, you can actually get help? >> you can use hot chocolate as an adjunct to your blood pressure medication, studies show that when you drink it daily for twoo weeks, if you have severe hypertension, it moderately reduces your blood emperor ush. and every little bit helps. so what you want to do is drink one cup twice a day. that gives you 450 milligrams of flavenol. that is the ingredient in the cocoa that helps keep our artery walls flexible. >> do we have to drink it? can we eat it? is there any reason drinking it is better? >> the study was on hot cocoa. we prefer to go with what the study did. but dark chocolate will have flavonols, as well. two cups of dark hot chocolate give you 450 milligrams.

>> meantime, now we think that it's good for rheumatoid arthritis? >> this one the evidence is early based on animal studies. but green tea is so healthy and this is so exciting that we wanted to share it. rats that drank green tea for three weeks daily when they were injegted with a human form of rheumatoid arthritis they were less likely to develop the disease. and researchers believe that the antioxidants in the tea are bolstering immunity and helping our body defend us against rheumatoid arthritis. so if you have to manage this condition it's worth looking at green tea as a nutritional therapy. >> i'm so glad people like you are looking at the leading edge of health to keep us healthy. thank you so much. >> thank you, ann. >> now we're going to talk about what's not healthy. that is bacon. but everybody says it's better with bacon. we're making meat loaf. to find out if that's true, first this is "today" on nbc.

i get it. meat loaf! this morning in "today's kitchen," what tastes better than pork on top of pork? chef and owner of shez pascal in providence, rhode island, here to show us how to make a bacon wrapped pork meat loaf. good to see you. >> how are you? >> this recipe isn't from your restaurant but from a truck you own? >> right. we have a mobile food truck that we do four days a week. the idea is we cure our whole meats. we buy whole animals, process them. as a result we use the belly for curing our bacon, smoke it. what we've done is we take the shoulder meat, we grind it and we're going to make meat loaf. in here we have onions, garlic, some herbs. you can throw it right into the bowl. >> did you saute it in bacon? >> bacon fat. >> of course. >> parmesan cheese. we used bread crumbs. >> right.

>> some whole eggs. >> yep. >> all right, everything goes in there. do a little salt, a little pepper. and we turn the machine on carefully. yes. and just give it a quick mixing. okay while that's mixing we take the bacon and wrap our mold. >> okay. >> just like so. we do a little lattice. >> so you're doing a little arts and crafts. >> arts and crafts. once that's mixed. >> okay, beautiful. >> there we go. >> i'll take that out. >> all right. what we do is then we would line these terrine, take the spoon, drop this in. and then we would fold it over like so. >> boom, boom, boom. cook it in a water bath. let it cook for about an hour and a half. >> you put a brick on it? >> when it comes out of the oven, put a book on it overnight to press it. >> overnight? >> nice, compact pork roll. we unmold it, okay. >> uh-huh. >> and we would take slices like so.

and then -- >> it's little a little pinkish. you like that. >> that's from the salt. gives it that nice little pink color. >> so it's still cooked. >> we come back over this way and for the sandwich we take onion rolls. >> right. >> brown them on our griddle. >> yes. >> take our pork meat loaf. brown it on the griddle. then take some coleslaw. so the sandwich is coleslaw. we use a very interesting variety of cabbage. we call it nome cabbage over there. but it'serly jersey riser. >> it's the travelocity cabbage. >> we do coleslaw. we do the meat loaf. then we take a little tomato preserves and put that right on top. and we're going to make another sandwich just like that. and then we take this, and we'll cut it in half. easier to eat. okay? and usually for the truck we serve it with a little potato salad which also has bacon in it. how are you? >> nicely done. this is pretty. >> thank you. >> we'll do the same for two. >> a couple of pickles. >> we could have some pickles. okay?

>> very nice. >> that is the way to run. >> that is the way to do it. >> i love how you toasted also the bun. >> that's very important. we want toasted buns. >> who doesn't. >> they're toasted on the walk over here. >> okay. >> and thank you so much. >> you're welcome. >> recipe is on our website. coming up a live performance from rapper flo rida. >> but first your local news and weather.

sweet n' sour filled twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. good morning once again, everybody. it's 9:56. i'm brent cannon. checking in with mike. the latest update cal train

tries to recover. >> just 20 minute delays. still recovering after a couple trains broke down. a correction, not three trains you two trains broke down. now trains are moving a little delayed. bay bridge things moving nicely there. no backup at the toll plaza. the metering lights still on. the golden gate bridge, still have your headlights on coming through this lower cloud cover and not a big deal but as well as the bay bridge heading into town because the giants are playing at 12:45. midday game. looks like it might be a chilly midday game. >> right now 56 degrees. misty skies in san francisco. around game time we should see 60s. we'll be in the process of the skies starting to clear a little bit around san francisco, but kind of a cool day there. see the low clouds around san francisco. sunshine around san jose, starting to clear out with some 70s and 80s inland, 60s san francisco, close to 70 in oakland. next couple days, inland valleys

warming up. >> arizona's new immigration law is in effect, although some of the more controversial parts have been banned by a judge. the debate will soon be centered in san francisco. rally planned in oakland, san francisco and san jose. hundreds have rallied outside of the federal building in san francisco. 19 people were arrested for disobeying a police order and blocking the street. protesters claim that immigration laws have people living in fear. >> we all know people who are undocumented and so we have these basic human connections. it's a matter of friendship and human heart and a concern to do what's right. >> arizona has promised to appeal yesterday's ruling and that means the issue now heads to the ninth circuit court of appeals in san francisco. more local news coming up in a half hour and the "today" show returns in about a minute. have a great morning. see you back here in a little bit.

from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live from studio 1-a in rockefeller plaza. hey, everybody, it's thursday, july 29th. so happy you decided to join us today. >> yes, we're nearing the end of the week. >> we are. >> big plans. we'll talk about those tomorrow. >> yes. >> in the meantime, apparently we were working last night late. >> if you guys were up late, jay leno decided to i think have a little fun with us. my mom watched it and sent me an e-mail. >> what's your mom doing up so late? >> she's a night owl.

and she said you might want to put this one in the chat. so for my mom. >> yesterday i was watching -- what is it? the 14th hour of the "today" show with kathie lee and hoda. and they showed a fan photo of someone watching their show in progress. >> thanks, everybody for all of your wishes. we heard from an awful lot of people on facebook. >> don't we have a fan photo or someone watching our show? >> there's just something for everybody. >> okay. i wondered how long it would take for him to get back at us. he remembers, he took hombrage we we didn't think he was funny. i'm sorry, that was not your shining hour. the night at -- what was it called? >> i don't remember. but i -- >> thank you very, very much.

killed a lot of brain cells since then. >> anyway. because you guys have been sending in pictures of either -- >> rude things you see. >> yeah. we saw -- there is something that you guys sent us. it's another picture. and this one for some reason struck us as especially rude. if you look at it you might think, oh, it's not such a big deal. but this a picture of someone resting their feet where they shouldn't be. let's just take a look at the feet rest. >> 85 degrees out that day. >> but they're on some kind of -- what is it? tour bus or tour boat? >> boat, i think. >> and the feet are propped up gingerly in the chair in front. >> and apparently it was the only seat left on the whole thing. >> there's a thing about people and where they put their feet. if you've ever been in a movie theater, sometimes people put their feet up against your chair. or in an airplane, next to your hair. that is so -- isn't that terrible? that's one of those things, i

was on a bus the other day, and this -- this isn't about feet. this lady hit recline on her chair, jammed a guy's kneecaps hard. she wasn't like, oh, my god, i'm so sorry. literally trying to -- >> yeah. >> you know the people who recline like this, that's also a pet peeve. i keep mine up because i'm trying to be polite. >> who is nicer than you? if anyone has a right to put their feet anywhere they want, it would be you. because she's got the world's greatest feet. >> what's something that bugs you that happens like that? >> oh, how much time do we have? i'll think about it for a moment. you got a pet peeve? >> i would say the feet thing too. i know whoever it is, unless it's a kid, and i'll go back on the kid because there's little more room. >> you know what i can't stand? >> what? >> when you're waiting for the doors to open to get on an elevator and people are getting off the elevator completely

oblivious to anybody trying to get on. and the people trying to get are oblivious to the people getting off. you wait. >> i know. at the gym i go in the morning, it's 5:00 a.m., i know everyone's bleary eyed, it happens every -- >> it's just two people in the middle of the night and it's that every single time. the elevator doors open and someone comes crashing out. >> i saw something yesterday i've never seen before. over the years you see a decline in the way people dress. you know, especially in the summerti summertime. it's flip-flops and t-shirts and muscle man shirts, but enough about "the jersey shore." we went to see again. we went to see "a little night music" again, this time featuring bernadette peters. usually it says -- i looked at the play bill.

it said no food or beverages allowed in the theater. during intermission, a couple right in the very front row got up, went back, beer this big. bought them down, sat them on the edge of the stage. sat there and had happy hour during intermission. >> they did? >> i couldn't believe it. nobody came and stopped them. it was at the walter current theater. and i kept thinking someone's going to spill it. someone's going to slide on it. sat it down like -- i could not believe it. >> that's not good. they sell raisinettes there. >> you can munch, but you're not supposed to. >> why are they selling food and drinks? >> i don't know, i was very surprised. the beer, hey, have another one. tip your waitress. i couldn't believe it. that was a good show, though. but we loved it for the second time. bernadette just brings her own unique, you know, brilliance and joy to the role.

she makes it much funnier than catherine zeta-jones. >> it's this song -- >> i'll sing it for you. >> play the song. play it. >> any way, "send in the clowns." and elaine, feisty as all get out. how old is elaine? 87? >> 83. >> oh, sorry, elaine. now we have another fan pick -- >> yeah, we do. this is another pic that someone sent us of a woman on a counter somewhere. >> you know what, that just cracks me up. >> and then because we've been talking about the subject on the front page of the new york post today, a judge was deciding whether or not it should be illegal to wear baggy pants. and the judge says, no, you have

a right to dress as badly as you want. >> it's not a criminal act. now, i cannot imagine how he can walk and keep them up. >> right. >> but if they fell, then it's a criminal act because then it's indecent exposure. >> yeah. >> okay. >> and don't forget in the mall the other day, there was also that big sign that said if you wear your pants -- they had like the levels you wear pants. you wear it a certain way, they'll displain you the other way, they'll ask you to leave, and pretty soon you'll never be able to return to the mall if you wear them that low. >> you know what i'm excited about? some very smart people down in -- i believe texas -- well, they got the idea from gordon ramsey. the canadian rancher had an idea to feed wine to cows. >> don't make a joke right there. >> i'm not. the angus -- that's rude.

they moo at one another a little more and they seem a little more relaxed. and they're able to -- >> well, the meat's supposed to be delicious after they drink wine for 60 to 120 days. you have to drink for a long time. apparently it's good. apparently now when the cows see them coming, they -- >> they're into it. in the beginning they didn't love it. and then slowly -- >> it's an acquired taste. >> see? >> but the meat sells for 50% higher. >> that's terrible. >> you don't have to order wine with your meal now. you pay a little more for your meat. >> yeah. okay. now, there is -- if you've ever gone to summer camp -- and a lot of kids -- >> yeah, yeah. >> there's a lost art of letter writing because a lot of kids either e-mail or -- >> -- text message. >> in a lot of cases they can e-mail and ask their parents anything. if they're having a problem, they can e-mail and get a response right away. this idea is you write letters,

put a stamp on it, takes time for them to get it and respond. >> in other words, you have to deal with your situation. >> yeah, solve your own problem. you're a big letter writer. >> well, i'm tech-free, i have to. there's something genteel about it. and i think people are surprised when they get a handwritten note or a thank you card. there's nothing quite like it. >> and i think part of -- >> my kids think it's okay. but they say, what if i call them? it's not add good. take the time to -- >> write something down. >> the kids either want to e-mail or call real quick. >> i'm guilty of that. we got nice flowers from jimmy fallon the other day. >> wasn't that sweet? >> yeah, he sent us flowers for our 600th episode. >> i haven't yet sent him a thank you note, but i'm going to today. >> i did something really stupid on e-mail. >> again? >> here's the thing -- i can't even say what i wrote in the e-mail, can i?

>> no. >> i was writing -- >> there's a town in austria about it. >> i was writing my assistant an e-mail about another group that needed information from me and i put in the e-mail something that was not really kind about the other group. >> it was vulgar. >> a little. and i sent it not to my assistant, but the people -- >> everybody on the list. >> then i thought my assistant did it and i was going to gently say, hey, we have to be careful. i felt terrible. she said let it go, do not respond. so i haven't. >> and you are now hearing from those people with curt little e-mails of their own. >> be very, very careful when sending an e-mail. >> there's an evil side to her and her name is helen. evil twin. >> there are a lot of songs out there written about celebs. and the most famous is probably

carly simon. >> he paid $50,000 at an auction to find out, and carly told him. >> it could be mcjagger or warren baty. and here's justin timberlake's song "cry me a river." >> britney. >> this is an interesting one. "in your eyes" peter gabriel. >> yeah, rosanna arquette. >> so is this one. >> whoa. this is one of my favorite songs of all time. ♪ killing me softly >> it was written by a folk singer laurie liberman after she saw don maclaine sing "empty

chairs" and someone put it to music. i didn't know that one. >> i love this one too. this one's by alanis morisette. she's angry. >> don't be mad at uncle joey. >> i didn't know, but it's a big deal. this is an angry song. >> i read a lot of songs these days. you know that. and i've written a few myself about a lot of people. let's do "okay or not okay." >> sure. >> is it okay to bear for an ad? kathie says leave a little mystery. >> leave a little mystery. don't give the milk away for free. and what did you say, hoda? you said it depends how good the

air brusher is. >> yes, indeedy. that's how you make your choice. >> but you don't know in the beginning how good they're going to be. >> it's a leap of faith. >> we were talking online about the fans about the annoying things. and betsy wrote in that she smelled something funky at the movie and the kid behind had taken his shoes off and put his feet on the seat. sara wrote about people who drive in the passing lane. and janet -- people got hover in the grocery line when you're checking out. people get closer and closer so they're right on top of you. >> or people that are in aisles at the theater. everything's happening in the theaters these days. it's time to leave, and people decide that's where they'll stand for a while and chat about the show. and it's -- how about the people in movie theaters who put their coat over the seat in front of them so no one sits there so they don't get blocked by the head? someone else's head? have you ever done that? >> no, that's a new one.

>> i said i think they're coming back. i don't know where they are. >> in the meantime, you're so tall, you block 20 people. >> and the hair is terrible. up next, how to know when losing your memory is a problem. plus, your wild friends are going to drop by. >> oh, uh-huh. there they are. yep.

it's not unusual it's not unusual to forget where we parked the car or where we left our house keys. but when does memory loss become serious? sally is here along with memory disorder expert and neurologist dr. norman welkin from the normal presbyterian cornell medical center. >> and dr. wellkin is the lead investigator in a on sl ziemer's disease. >> there's a certain time when you start to forget things.

when is that window? when does it again? >> it can be at any point, but from the standpoint of when the brain develops, most commonly after age 50 or 60. the older you get, the greater the reason becomes. >> what is the reason for that? >> well, the memory is getting older. the brain is a delicate process and there's a lot of things that can go on to derail it. >> and there's a lot of simple lifestyle choices we can make that get in the way of our memory. if we're stressed out, that makes -- >> and who isn't. >> and who isn't. >> multi tasking. lack of sleep. >> hi. all three. >> it's also a busy lifestyle, not serious illness that explains memory loss. >> you say not paying attention is another one, too, just not focusing? >> not focusing. sometimes your body is there, but your brain isn't. it's just not being in the moment. if you're not in the moment, then you can't imprint those memories.

>> if you can't find your keys, and that happens to a lot of us, i think some of us that have parents that have serious dementia, alzheimer's, think oh, my, i hope it's not me. >> it is the things that sally mentioned. and i'd add to that depression, substance abuse, in some cases excessive alcohol. or it can be a past history of head drama. whatever it is, though, worrying makes it worse. the time to worry is when the forgetting goes beyond the usual. >> like what? >> getting lost, not being able to handle your day-to-day tasks. that level of forgetfulness, that requires some attention. >> so if you calk into the room and you couldn't remember why you were going to the room -- i couldn't remember what i was going to say just then. is it a xwiegz of those things or when all of toss things happen at once? >> that's just distraction. you walk into a room and you

don't remember, i went to go get my coffee, my kid asked me something, and that's short-term memory. >> your brain is a muscle. how can you work it to make sure it stays intact? puzzles and things like that? >> you can really exercise your brain, not just through cross word puzzles, but things that tax your brain, that make you work hard. for example, i learned a musical instrument after i turned 40. it's hard. it's not easy. >> or another language. >> or a language, that's exactly right. exercise is good for your brain, physical exercise. a heart healthy diet, high in anti-oxidants and omega 3 s. and cut back on the stress. take up some medication, go for a walk. >> is there a test you can go to get that shows you how you are -- you have a gene, some sort of gene ta makes you prone to alzheimer's? >> it's a controversial subject. the testing isn't ready yet.

in a few years, we will be able to predict who is going to get the disease, but until we have something that can actually cure it, we don't remember people have the clinical test. >> you wouldn't want to know. please come back when you're done with this clinical test and give us the results. thank you. still to come, what's up? >> why turkeys pee on their legs and bull frogs bury themselves. >>ie julo >> julie scar did he nia. it figures.

still to come, the summer animals that know how to beat the heat. and the pretty unpleasant ways they do it. and can you say apple bottom jeans? flo rida's here. a great performance after this.

good morning, everybody. time now 10:26. i'm brent cannon. checking the latest on your commute with mike. >> look at the golden gate. the low clouds hovering around there. things are starting to slow down at the toll plaza. a lot of times there's a shift change that goes on but this is heavier volume of traffic as well. might be more folks heading into the cities there's a 12:45 giants game possible. the bay bridge, the cash lanes keep that in mind. fast trak good advantage don't have to wait to pay the toll. look at the san mateo bridge, nice steady flow, easy volume off 880, east bay coming towards us and i can see across the

bridge and there's a clint coming off some of the hoods, maybe some sunshine. >> we're starting to see breaks of sunshine right there. you can see the sun there. still foggy around san francisco and san jose, santa clara valley just fine. we have sunshine, 78 later on today. 80s around loss ga tost and morgan hill towards livermore and pleasonton today and that's going to be the trend. next couple days inland spots warming into the 80s and turning cooler by monday. time right now is 10:27. more news after the short break.

an unusual piece of art about to go up along the embarcadero. a 40 foot rocket being put together and going to be up next week. bits and pieces are scattered around oakland in a warehouse awaiting the finishing touches. the designers say it is a fully functional rocket and will help -- will be up by tuesday night. it's going to be there for the next 14 months. former scientist alan rory says the project is a collision of art and science. >> there aren't many other places on earth where you have the technical knowledge and the general touch of cookiness you need for a bunch of people to get together and build a real rocket ship. >> that same rocket appeared last year at the burning manifest val in nevada. the final segment of the eastern span of the bay bridge is beginning to take shape now. the first piece of the tower that will support the suspension cables is nearly in place.

yesterday crews used a big crane to hoist the 1200 ton section over the concrete foundation. the bridge is expected to open sometime in 2013. thanks for joining us this morning.mip ngco.ne uxt"t" es coming up next. we're back on this thursday with today's call of the wild. and julie scardia. >> she's going to reveal the many ways the animals beat the heat and survive the summer sun. >> you will not believe the stuff i've got to tell you today. >> this is a turkey vulture. >> a turkey vulture. he was rescued, rehabbed, and he's a great educational animal. certainly there's a place for everyone. >> is it a turkey or a vulture? >> it's a vulture, but it's called a turkey vulture because it's got the redhead. but we all complain about the

hot weather, right? all the people go, oh, it's so hot outside. animals have been adapting and have evolved over the years to deal with the hot weather. you know one of the main ways the turkey vulture adapts? >> we said it in the last thing, they urinate on their own leg. >> you're right about that. that cools them off. they actually do -- >> well, let's be honest -- >> how does that keep them cool? >> it's like when you put water on yourself. >> it also makes them stink. no hard feels, but -- >> it also disinfects their feet, as well. >> they say it's supposed to be disinfectant. >> that's what i heard. >> don't look at me. >> and this bird doesn't need much water because they eat dead and decaying things which have moisture in it. so they're very well adapted. >> we're very happy. >> his normal body temperature is 104. >> that's great.

>> look at how he's looking at himself in all of the monitors. >> you may not like the vulture too much, but wait until you hear the story about the frog. >> oh, my. >> you've got to help me hold it. >> what does he urinate on? people and dresses. talk show hosts. >> this guy is from south africa. and they basically -- during the drought, during the dry season will create a not bubble. >> oh! >> and that's exactly -- >> kiss some frogs, baby. >> no! >> he'll actually emit -- hoda, you've got to hold him. and if he does pee on you, he's getting rid of the extra water, which helps get rid of predators, but does take away his water supply. >> it's silly puddy. >> it's truly disgusting.

>> wait until he gets full sized, he'll be the size of a dinner plate. he can sit underground in his not bubble for over a year. >> i've seen some little kids that could do that. that's another one of my pet peeves. mothers who stand there with their kids that have the bubble going and they don't do anything. >> all right. good. so desert tortoise, endangered species because of a variety of other reasons including disturbance of their habitat and the fact there's a lot of crows and ravens that have moved into the desert. >> what do they feed on? the legs and the head? >> and they mostly get the little ones when they're just hatched out of the egg. >> how does this one stay cool? >> this guy certainly isn't endangered because he's involved in a great way. he stays underground most of the year. and he does something called -- >> he's not interested. >> this guy is 60 years old. at 60 years old, he can decide when he wants to go.

>> he's eaten enough. >> these guys will go underground, spend most of his time and they can withstand temperatures of 140 degrees. >> really? >> so they've got really great adaptions for being in the heat. he says no thank you for any of it. >> okay. >> but he's got a great -- >> he wants a beer. >> he's got a great home now. this guy is a rescue guy. people should never take them out of the desert. you can't put them back. >> all right. >> now, they don't pee on themselves, you know what? they're going to want to play. let's take them down to the ground. >> okay. >> they won't want the fruit, i want the meat. we're going to put this down there too because they like going over here. but these guys are active mostly dusk and dawn, right? you want to play up here, don't you? little bobcat kitties here.

so they survive the heat by basically staying out of it. >> okay. >> and they'll hunt the animals, other animals, birds and lizards and small mammals that also come out at dawn and dusk. they've even got special eyes. you've seen the little kitty eyes that reflect. that's actually a very special membrane that takes that light in and reflects it back multiple times so that they get more light. he says, okay, i've caught it. >> now it's like game over. they're adorable. >> if you hold them up higher, they're amazing too. >> bambino. >> so a lot of our native wildlife as well as all around the world, they don't have the same issues as we do. >> we learned a lot today. a lot of disgusting stuff. thank you so much. >> coming up next, sprinkling magic on her famous cupcake recipe, gluten free. it's right after this.

kathie, wow, we're getting saucy with executive pastry chef candice who happens to be the founder of the nationwide sprinkles cupcake shop. >> if you've got someone on a

gluten-free diet in your house and chances are these days you might, you're going to want to grab a bowl and a mixer. >> thank you for having me. >> sure. >> we're making gluten-free red velvet cupcakes today. we already have our butter, sugar, and eggs creamed in there. >> okay. >> i like to pre-mix my wet ingredients. so if you don't mind dumping those in there and pre-mixing the dry ingredients. >> which are? >> which are cocoa, going into our very important gluten-free flour blend. >> okay. >> and then we have baking soda and salt. and here we have red food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. >> vinegar? >> i heard there are hidden glutens in things like cocoa can have some. >> the most important thing is you substitute your traditional flour. on the market. go to your supermarket. but there can be hidden glutens in things like cocoa depending on how it's processed, vanilla,

depending on if there's any fillers, and, of course, food coloring. so you want to look for the gluten-free designation on the back. >> there's gluten-free food coloring, as well? >> there is. >> why are there so many more allergies to gluten now would you say? >> a lot of people have allergies and many are suffering from a serious disease which the body literally can't handle gluten at all. and for those people, the hidden glutens can be just as dangerous as the wheat flour. now i'm going to -- >> so the only thing that makes red velvet cupcakes red is just the food coloring, nothing else? >> it is in this case. you can use beaets, but it creates an after taste, which is not desirable. i love having your help. >> you're welcome. >> thank you so much. >> that's the way i roll. >> she likes to help. >> gluten-free baked goods can

have a reputation as being heavy. gluten helps it rise and makes it fluffy, so when you take away that protein, it can lead to trouble. so you want to make sure sometimes you add back in the protein with an extra egg and some additional. >> what's going on here? >> so what's great is to use one of these ice cream scoopers, get all of the cupcakes the same size and they'll bake in the same amount of time. >> this is what i like to do, stuff like that. >> perfect! >> see. >> just plop it in and you're going to -- >> hoda, i just like to get it done, okay? >> so say that's done. >> let's say that's done. >> those are good. >> i'd like to welcome you to my frosting station over here. >> that we can do. >> and the best thing about baking with gluten-free materials, you don't have to change anything in the frosting. you just want to make sure you're not working with vanilla

that has hidden gluten in it. you have the cream cheese frosting, and just start with a big dollop on top. >> big old dollop. and that's in case you need a little more. and use this spatula, which has the perfect angle to make these beautiful swirls and go around the top of the cupcake, smooth it out. how are you guys doing? >> i'm going to start doing them >> it's still going to taste delicious. and you can pick from one of our fun sugar decorations here depending on your mood. and once you guys have frosted to perfection, we're going to do a taste test. >> we are? >> we better do that now. >> i want to know if you're going to be able to tell the difference. we have regular red velvet cupcakes here and we have gluten-free. so one of each. >> since it's a test -- >> you have to. >> oh, well. >> candice, thank you so much.

i'll take a big bite while i thank her. up next, you can't help but a.ve when you hear flo a.yoead henllplf r ty m hiu' henllplf r o after this.

the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. he's one of the hottest grammy award nominee rappers around. >> first it was "low" back in 2007, who could forget about that? and then came "right round." but today flo rida is here to perform his new single "club can't handle me" off the new film "step up" 3-d. >> you're like a hit machine. "low" was the biggest. how do you think this next song will do? >> i think it's going to do well.

it's a collaboration. and at the same time, disney always supported me from day one. and now we're back with "club can't handle me." the video is like one of my biggest videos ever. i'm looking forward to doing great things. >> you were talking to us earlier about how you have actually even more success internationally. and i was asking you and hoda said what countries do you like to go to the best? >> japan, australia, sweden. >> because you're a big international star. are you going to play for us? >> most definitely. >> all right. flo rida. ♪ ♪ you know i know how to make them stop and stare as i go now ♪ ♪ this club can't even handle me right now ♪

♪ watch you watching me at the wall now ♪ ♪ the club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ this club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ can't handle me right now ♪ i see you together, let's get them ♪ ♪ i don't need no help ♪ one too many ♪ ♪ scream out i'm in the building ♪ ♪ they watching, i know this ♪ i'm rocking, i'm rolling ♪ i'm holding, i know it ♪ you know it ♪ the club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ watching you watching me we go

all out ♪ ♪ the club can't even handle me ♪ ♪ hey, put your hands up ♪ put your hands up ♪ the club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ put your hands up ♪ put your hands up ♪ still feeling myself like outta control ♪ ♪ can't stop now more shots let's go ♪ ♪ ten more rounds ♪ grand finale like super bowl ♪ go hard run the show ♪ that's right wild out got money to blow ♪ ♪ you know i know how ♪ to make em stop and stare as i zone out ♪ ♪ the club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ watching you watching me, i go

all out ♪ ♪ this club can't even handle me ♪ ♪ put your hands up ♪ the club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ put your hands up ♪ put your hands up ♪ you got me watching now ♪ got my attention now ♪ got everybody in the club wanting to know now ♪ ♪ i am a ladies man ♪ come and be my lady and -- ♪ bring ya body here let me switch up the atmosphere ♪ ♪ take you up out of this club and in my new limo ♪ ♪ are you ready to go now ♪ you now i know how ♪ to make them stop and stare as i go now ♪ ♪ this club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ watching you watching me i go

all out ♪ ♪ the club can't even handle me right now ♪ ♪ put your hands up ♪ put your hands up ♪ let's celebrate now ♪ put your hands up ♪ you know who shut them down >> all right, then. that's a hit! >> okay. nothing better than that. >> all right. >> thank you very, very much, sweetheart. >> the single again is called "club can't handle me" go out and get it. we'll be back with more "today" on nbc. ♪

so, what's happening? >> well, a fan sara wrote in, oh, yeah, kathie lee has all the moves, club can't handle her now.

>> he said put your hands up, that's all i did. >> you did something else. >> you're like them. you're like one of the dancers, only a little different. >> and stephanie wrote in suggesting you get a g-mail account, you have a five-second delay to regret an e-mail.