good morning. hermine's revenge. what's left of the tropical storm delivers a one-two punch to the state of texas. causing tornadoes in and around dallas, as well as severe flooding. and this morning she's heading across the plains. al's tracking the storm. change of heart? despite som defiant words -- >> our burning of the koran is to call the attention that something's wrong. something is wrong. >> the pastor at the center of the controversy says a call from the white house might make him reconsider. but will the white house pick up the phone? and who dat?

the world champion new orleans saints whipped up into a frenzy as we get set to kick off the nfl season live from the beg easy, "today," thursday, nfl season live from the beg easy, "today," thursday, september 9th, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to a special split edition of "today" on this thursday morning, i'm meredith vieira in new york. my buddies matt lauer and al roker are in jackson square in the great city of new orleans. matt, i'm already tapping my feet under the desk because it looks like the stage is set for a big bash. >> yeah, you're not the only one tapping your feet. the people down here are ready to explode. this place is going to rock tonight. you want to look down at jackson square. a beautiful and historic portion of this great city. we've been here before. but today this place has been

turned into a huge tailgating party. that's going to happen later today, as you mention. i'm not here alone. my friend al roker is joining me, as well. al, we've gotten here just in time for the first game of the nfl season. and apparently the humidity festival here. >> absolutely. >> oh, my goodness. but it's air conditioned in the superdome. and good news for the saints fans. last ten years, the super bowl champion has won their home opener. >> like the sound of that, guys? they love that here. they won the super bowl here, meredith, six months ago. they won it six months ago and while they celebrated like crazy, you get the feeling they've been waiting six months to prove it was no fluke. they're going to get that chance tonight against the vikings. if you consider five years ago this city -- and by the way the saints' home the superdome were left in tatters by hurricane katrina. then as everything was being rebuilt, the saints were being rebuilt, as well, until culminating with the super bowl championship. a lot of credit goes to a guy named drew brees who is the quarterback here. he is a hero in this city.

some people call him brisus. you get the idea. we're going to talk to drew brees a little bit later. and we're going to find out why the nfl is becoming very female friendly. we've got a lot coming up. meredith, back to you. >> looks like a lot of fun. we've also this week taken a trip down to memory lane going back to our first jobs. today it is ann's turn, giving her first job a shot as a baby-sitter taking care of five kids, and their friends. that household may never be the same. first matt has more on that rough weather that is sweeping through the south. matt? >> all right, meredith, really is rough weather. what's left of tropical storm hermine is really making her presence felt in the state next to us here in texas. twisters touched down in and around the city of dallas. that's where the weather channel's julie martin is joining us from this morning. julie, good morning to you. what's the latest? >> well, good morning, matt. hermine made for a very wild weather day here in texas, from flash flooding to tornadoes.

it really left its mark, and unfortunately, it is not finished just yet. i want to take you now to some images from the evening rush hour last night here in dallas, as twisters just started dropping out of the sky, as many as six funnels reported throughout the area. one of them slicing right through the heart of the city, hitting many buildings, bringing up water mains, and also knocking out power to thousands of people. one of the most impressive images, an 18-wheeler literally picked up, flipped 180 degrees with the driver inside, and slammed into the very building i am standing in front of. that driver, by the way, is doing all right this morning. but before all of that widespread flash flooding throughout the state of texas, some of the worst of it to my west in the city of arlington, where, an apartment complex was basically under water. over 50 high-water rescues carried out yesterday. fortunately, everyone doing all right. however, farther downstate, at least two fatalities as people

got trapped in their vehicles in the high waters. so, we could see more of the same today, as the system now moves in to oklahoma, missouri and arkansas. what is left of hermine, matt, certainly hanging on. >> all right, julie martin who is in dallas for us this morning. julie marten from the weather channel, of course. thank you very much. al roker back here in new orleans. never got to the point of being a hurricane but boy, hermine did a lot of damage. >> it really did and continues to. let's take a look over the last 24 hours, some areas picking up as much as 16 inches of rain. georgetown, texas, getting almost that lmt. killeen, texas, getting 11. it is now moving through oklahoma into parts of missouri and arkansas and we have flood threats out there. we have flood warnings for parts of eastern oklahoma, western arkansas, and flood watches all the way up into illinois. we look for rainfall amounts anywhere from about 2 to 5 inches of rain in that affected area over the next 24 hours.

so hermine continues to period out but still doing a lot of damage. >> all right, mr. roker, thank you very much. we'll get your local forecast in just a couple of minutes. right now let's throw it back to meredith in new york. >> matt and al, thank you very much. now let's turn to the raging controversy over one florida church's plan to burn the koran on 9/11. the leader of that church is hinting this morning that he could be talked out of it. nbc's kerry sanders spoke to him. he is in gainesville, florida, this morning with more. kerry, good morning to you. >> reporter: well, good morning, meredith. pastor jones told me that if he got a message from god he might reconsider burning the koran. and now, in an interview with "usa today," he's gone one step further and said that if he got a direct call from the white house, from the state department, from the pentagon, he might also consider backing off. pastor terry jones is the man at the center of an international controversy. >> our burning of the koran is to call the attention that something's wrong.

that something is wrong. >> reporter: despite pressure from the state department -- >> make this outrageous, and distressful, disgraceful plan. >> reporter: -- and the u.s. military -- >> concern that the images from the burning of the koran would be used in the same way extremists used images from abu ghraib. >> reporter: even calling this weekend's plan burning of the koran, warning on her facebook page, it will feed the fire of caustic rhetoric and appear as nothing more than mean-spirited religious intolerance. pastor genes says he believes he's been told by god to burn the koran. >> it is possibly time for us in a new way to actually stand up, confront terrorism. >> reporter: worldwide, in the muslim world, protests are growing. all this triggered by a small church in central florida.

the dove world outreach center. the congregation, numbered less than 50. have you read the koran? >> i've only read parts of the koran. >> reporter: tell me a part that you have read that has you and your small congregation out here planning on burning that islamic holy book? >> we are -- we are burning the koran as a demonstration. >> reporter: yeah, i know. but quote something that you read that offends you, that has you concerned. >> well, of course the koran does not recognize jesus christ as god, the son of god, the risen savior, the crucified savior. >> reporter: here in gainesville, christians, muslims and jews have gathered in prayer to try to counteract what they call a message of hate. wednesday on cnn's "larry king live" imam feisel abdul-rauf, the imam leading the effort to build a controversial cultural center near ground zero, called on jones to rethink his plans to burn the koran. >> he could say, what would jesus do? jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. jesus taught us to love your

enemy. we are not your enemies. >> reporter: for now, pastor jones says he's going forward with his plan to burn the koran. unless god tells him not to. >> well, it's actually not about -- not about me. i don't enjoy doing these things. these things are very stressful, they're very difficult. i'm not used to this type of attention, as you said. i'm a pastor of a small church. so actually it's really not about me. it's about the message. >> reporter: well, there is now increased security in place out in this rural area. the police are jotting down the tag numbers of all the cars that come here, as well as taking the driver's license information from everybody who makes their way here. in addition to that, on saturday, when this koran burning event is planned, there's going to be 90,000 people gathering a short distance away at the stadium as the university of south florida takes on the university of

florida in a football game, so there will now be increased security there, as well. meredith? >> absolutely. kerry sanders, thank you very much. let's get more on this now from representative peter king of new york who has been a vocal opponent of the plan to build an islamic community center and mosque near ground zero, and the council on american islamic relations. gentlemen, good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> let's start with pastor jones, who plans to burn the koran on 9/11, on september 11th, on this saturday, that if somebody were to call from the white house or the state department or the pentagon, it is something that would not be ignored. so do you believe that someone from the white house, maybe even the president himself, should call this man and encourage him not to burn the koran? i'll start with you? >> first of all, this is insane, it's dangerous, there's absolutely no place in american debate for what this mad man is talking about. my only concern with the president calling him is he gives him status, gives him stature. we can have real issues debated here this morning. it has nothing to do with the koran, nothing to do with the new testament, nothing to do

with the old testment. we have political, diplomatic issues and it's insanity that a person like this is tying up the country. >> do you think a call should be placed? >> i think if general petraeus said i think american lives will be at stake here, you're going to flip on the switch for radicals and extremists to act, i'd rather save american lives. that would be my perspective. even though he did say a couple of weeks ago that the person he respected was george bush, and they asked him if george bush called would you stop, he said no. i really hope if he had a change of heart we would do something about that. >> what do you think is going to happen if he does go ahead with this? >> well, you know, you never know what triggers psychotics. and i hate to think that people are turned on, you know, just like that flip the switch analogy and someone becomes an extremist and they go from rhetoric to action. and that would concern me. in america, and outside of america. you know, we don't want anybody else threatening american lives. and i think that's what's most important to us. >> since this whole controversy

erupted we have seen the american flag burned by muslims around the world, we've heard people scream "death to america," but no one, i would say most people do not believe that all muslims hate the u.s. or wish it harm. so why is so much weight and legitimacy given to this pastor and his relatively small congregation? we're talking maybe 50 members. >> i think it's a sign of the times. a person speaks loudly enough and crazy enough the media is going to cover it and people respond. we'll all do ourselves a favor if we ignore him. it adds nothing to the debate, it brings the debate down and brings it to a level where no one wants to be at. >> should the media not cover it, which is what the secretary of state has suggested? >> i think so, personally. i think that you're giving him forum and i think that people never listen to him might think this is not something that's worth his while at the end of the day. an organization called right wing extreme said they initially planned to protect him while he does this. and they said that after a lot of praying and thinking they just didn't realize how this would bring people closer to

jesus. so some people are saying -- so they backed down last week and maybe it's a little bit too right wing and too extreme for them. >> let's talk about the controversy surrounding the construction of this islamic cultural center near ground zero. last night on cnn, imam feisel abdul-rauf said that had he realized how much controversy this was going to cause he never would have decided to build it there. but at this point he has a responsibility. listen to what he told cnn. >> if we move from that locat n location, the story will be that the radicals have taken over the discourse. >> i know congressman you're opposed to that mosque being put there. but is he right that he would just be fueling the radicals if he moved that cultural center at this point? >> my problem what he's saying, he seems to be equating the 71% of americans who oppose this as being radical. he's talking about the radicals who are opposed to the mosque. to me 71% of the american people comparing that to al qaeda or

radical elements in the muslim community. that, to me, is a totally wrong equation. and it's, to me, that is -- to me it's like a threat to the united states. he's saying that somehow if this mosque is not approved, that the radical elements of the muslim world are going to be against it. i don't think we have to prove ourselves to anyone. smus limbs in this country as well as catholics and jewish and protestants are treated better than anywhere else in the world. and i would say muslims have more freedom in this country than probably any of their own countries. >> the issue with the public sentiment is when an issue is related to bigotry unfortunately our history has shown that sometimes we're on the wrong side. for example we interred japanese during world war ii, we segregated our military, our schools, and it took on executive order to undo that. we also enslave our fellow americans. when it comes to bigotry we've got to be careful about the public sentiment. what's really important is that our public officials and our congressmen have to come out and tell people, this is not what america represents, these are not the ideals that our nation

was founded on and we have to be better than that. >> i disagree. why do we say -- what am i saying to the congressman that any way violates american ideals? i have real questions about the muslim in this country. i can tell through are mosques in this country where imams tell their congregation not to cooperate with law enforcement. and as you talk to law enforcement people they will tell you that very sill dom do they get cooperation from the muslim leadership. >> but the imam might say to you as he said on cnn last night, this story broke last december. the front page of "the new york times." nobody complained about it then. it wasn't until about two months ago. people said it's politicians who grabbed onto it for political reasons. even the mayor himself said come november 3rd this won't be an issue anymore. >> it is the midterm elections and people like newt gingrich who equated islam to nazism, we need to condemn people like that and say these sentiments are absolutely wrong. if you don't think people are listening to newt gingrich or

sarah palin or rick lazio who hasn't talked about anything else and he's running for the governorship of new york state, except for the mosque. he's basically driving all attention and driving the public sentiment again. the development of religious institution which is protected by our constitution. >> we have about 15 seconds. >> i would say that they have an absolute right to build a mosque there. because you have the right doesn't make it right. i think it's a legitimate issue to talk about this mosque. ground zero, 13 story, $100 million edifice where 3,000 americans were killed that day, it's wrong. and i think it's wrong to say it's un-american to raise that issue. >> i think that -- >> free speech is also condition -- >> the federal building. we don't say you can't build any churches around there. >> you know -- >> this is -- >> quite awhile. >> totally unfair comparison. >> why is it unfair? >> because the muslim leadership in this country did not cause -- >> let me ask you about that. >> you know, what this is --

this is why this -- gentlemen, i'm going to have to cut it off there. i understand. but my point is this is -- this is why this is such a controversy because it is so heated on both sides, and it's not going to end today or tomorrow. i have to stop it there. thank you so much. >> you're a peacenik. >> let's get the rest of the top stories from ann curry at the news desk. >> good morning, everybody. also in the news this morning, the wildfire burning for a fourth day near boulder, colorado, has become one of the worst in state history. by last night at least 130 homes had been destroyed, say officials, and it's still only 10% contained. still, firefighters are making some progress now, because of light rain and cooler temperatures. officials in detroit are now on the defense about how they responded to tuesday's wind-driven fires that destroyed 85 homes. some residents say that they waited 90 minutes for help. but detroit's mayor says there is no way to plan for an event of such magnitude. this morning a large explosion rocked a market in russia's

north caucasus killing as many as 15 though that is a preliminary number. a car bomb is expected and in the area mostly orthodox christians have been targeted with violence from a radical islamic insurgency. another suspected u.s. missile strike in pakistan skilled five militants this morning. it is the fourth such attack in the last 24 hours. in a rare interview cuban's fidel castro was candid about his nation's economy. he reportedly told atlantic magazine that his state economic system no longer works and is in need of change. and researchers at the university of utah may be a step closer to helping severely paralyzed patients communicate. they think that they were able to decode brain signals for simple words such as hot, cold and thirsty to determine what a patient was trying to say. and in england a very different kind of research, scientists there say that they have dispelled the male dance

moves that are most likely to catch a woman's eye. they used a professional dancer to bring the computer model to life, and just for the males in our audience, the finding is women pay more attention to the core body region including the torso and that it's not the speed of the movements, but also the variability of the movement. let's go back to matt. in other words, not to dance like you, matt. >> no, no, exactly. not like our tap dancing prowess of yesterday, ann, thank you for that. let's get a check of the weather now. the local forecast from al roker, who's just across the way from me now at cafe du monde. al? >> that dance move also include the overbite? all right, thanks a lot, matt. hey, you know, we've got another tropical storm to talk about. tropical torm igor, depending on how youic pronounce it or yo watch young frankenstein. 70 miles south of the cape verde islands.

70-mile-per-hour winds, just about stationary. you look at the track of this thing, and we'll be talking about this on into next week. it's right now predicted to become a hurricane sometime early next week. a minimal hurricane, but still a hurricane nonetheless. by tuesday early morning we're talking about a category 2 with 100-mile-per-hour winds out in the atlantic. here's a look at san francisco right now. some low clouds and some misty skies in a few spots around the bay area. temperatures this afternoon a bit warmer than yesterday, but for early september this is mild. 60s and 70s inland. mid 60s san francisco. low 70s today in san jose. tomorrow we warm up for inland valleys with upper 70s to mid 80s inland. topping out saturday and sunday and cooling early into the new week. >> and of course, it's thursday. we're in new orleans. we're kicking off the nfl, ladies and gentlemen.

that's right. it's a big one. we've got the 2010, the 2009 super bowl champion saints versus brett favre and the vikings. it's a domed stadium. who cares about the weather, but if you're standing outside scalping tickets, warm and humid, temperatures in the mid 80s. on nfl kickoff 2010. on nbc. now, back to meredith. >> thank you, al. coming up, reality bites. why one judge calls snooki from "jersey shore" a lindsay lohan wanna-be. first this is "today" on nbc. as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities.

clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again. [ male announcer ] it's luxury with fire in its veins.

bold. daring. capable of moving your soul. ♪ and that's even before you drop your foot on the pedal. ♪ the new 2011 cts coupe from cadillac. the new standard of the world.

ann curry baby-sitter extraordinaire. bad happens? so what happens if someone gets my credit or debit card and buys a ton of stuff? that would be... really, really bad. [ male announcer ] with bank of america's zero liability guarantee, you're not responsible for any fraudulent charges on your card. guaranteed. bank of america says they'll credit any fraudulent charges back to my account as soon as the next day. the next day! that makes me feel better about using these cards. they've got my back. they've got my back. [ male announcer ] the opportunity to worry less about fraud with the zero liability guarantee from bank of america. [ male announcer ] the opportunity to worry less about fraud

refreshing. glamorous. dazzling. a ravishing repertoire, brilliantly orchestrated. only at chico's. i'd get this tightness in my chest. so i went back to my doctor again. we chose symbicort to help control my asthma symptoms. [ man ] symbicort improves my lung function... starting within 15 minutes. [ woman ] symbicort will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. it is a combination of two medicines and should not be taken more often than prescribed. [ man ] symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems, and children and adolescents may have an increased risk of being hospitalized for asthma problems. [ woman ] symbicort is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine like inhaled corticosteroids. once your asthma is well controlled, your doctor will decide if you can stop symbicort without loss of control, and prescribe a long-term asthma control medicine. be sure to see your doctor

if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. symbicort is a good choice to help control my asthma all day and night. [ inhales ] [ exhales ] ask your doctor if symbicort is a good choice for you. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, good morning. the time is 7:26. i'm garvin thomas. mike inouye keeping an eye on your commute. where are we going? >> looking at a car we could probably watch for a while. moving slowly across the screen. moving faster than it was, but we are having slowing on 680 because no one is held up like yesterday on 580. the south bay, the slowdowns have already started. northbound 101, 680, 87 into downtown. typical spots, typical slowing, except 280, getting hit off of

680. >> still watching patchy clouds around the bay area. 73 later on today in san jose. 64 san francisco. upper 60s for oakland. 68 in petaluma. 75 around vacaville. tomorrow and for the weekend, the inland areas should creep on up. time right now n is 7:27. more news after the break. [ male announcer ] how can rice production in india,

affect wheat output in the u.s., the shipping industry in norway, and the rubber industry, in south america? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex global economy. it's just one reason 75% of our mutual funds beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus or summary prospectus with investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and other information to read and consider carefully before investing. but what were the results? fact: brown promised to improve schools. but the drop out rate increased 50%, and the state had to take over the schools. fact: the city controller found employees paid for 22,000 hours... they never worked. fact: brown promised to cut crime. but murders doubled, making oakland the 4th most dangerous city in america. jerry brown. he just can't deliver the results california needs now.

this morning four people are recovering after a chain reaction crash in oakland. a dump truck driving is blaming bad brakes for losing control on an exit ramp from 580 last evening. when it was over, 13 vehicles suffered some sort of damage. oakland police say four people were taken to the hospital but their injuries were not too serious. the truck driver told chp his brakes had failed. more local news in a half hour. the "today" show returns in less than a minute.

♪ let's get it started >> 7:30 now on a thursday morning. it's the 9th day of september, 2010. from what i understand a little chilly, actually, up in the big apple this morning. but we've got a nice crowd of people gathered on rockefeller plaza, waving to the people back home. it is anything but chilly here in new orleans. it's hot, it's humid. the big easy getting ready for a huge game tonight, the kickoff to the nfl season. that game between the super bowl champion new orleans saints and the minnesota vikings. these two teams got together in the nfc championship game last year, so this is going to be a great match-up. i'm matt lauer here in jackson

square in new orleans. meredith's up in studio 1a in new york city. meredith, good morning again. >> yeah, hey, matt. we have a nice crowd here. but you do, as well. >> yeah, this is cool. i got the sensations. these are the new orleans saints cheerleaders behind me here. they're going to be going crazy at the game tonight. they also, by the way, i want to mention, not just a lot of pretty faces. they do great work in the community here in the new orleans area. if you have any idea how big a party this is going to be, they've got a parade planned. they've also got a huge concert planned before the game, dave m performing. take a look down at this beautiful area. and if you don't think this city is excited, take a look at the front page of the paper this morning, you've got drew brees, the mtv of the super bowl saying he wants to start a new tradition here right after the coin toss on the game. he wants all the people in the superdome to chant three times, what? >> who dat. who dat.

who dat! who ain't gonna beat them saints. >> in case you can't understand. who dat says ain't gonna beat them saints. that's going to be the new tradition here. meredith, i want to show you one other thing. take a look at the sea of black and gold here. right? and then challenge -- excuse me ladies one second. i also want to introduce you to the bravest morning in new orleans in his purple and gold. what's your last name? >> gary. >> give him credit. all right. he's the only guy in a vikings jersey here. your family's from new orleans. >> absolutely. >> but you're here as a minnesota vikings fan. >> i love brett favre. he's a great player for the game. he's a player's player. this beautiful city of new orleans should accept that. he could be a microcosm of the entire country to accept what's going on. >> man. anyway, i admire your moxie, all right? i really do. we've got to get some emergency services for this guy.

anyway, meredith, an awful lot coming up here from new orleans. back to you. >> all right, matt, thanks very much. and from here, well you know why "jersey shore" star spookty found her face-to-face with a judge on wednesday. he warned her she might be turning into someone else. but we're going to begin with a very serious story out of portland, oregon. today is kyron horman's 8th birthday. the little boy is still nowhere to be found more than three months after he disappeared. nbc's miguel almaguer is in portland with the latest on this story. miguel, good morning to you. >> reporter: meredith, good morning. there will be events to mark kyron's birthday today and this weekend. as you mentioned the little boy turns 8 today, but despite the best effort of investigators, there's been no sign of him since the day he disappeared. for kyron horman's parents, this should have been a day of celebration. instead it's an especially painful time in an ongoing nightmare that's already lasted more than three months. >> i can't sleep.

nights are restless. all day, the days i'm thinking about still him coming home, his birthday, obviously, what we're going to do. just can't stop thinking about him. >> reporter: kyron's classmates started third grade this week at skyline element school with new video security systems in place to reassure anxious parents. >> they should come to school and get back into their routine and feel comfortable with that. >> reporter: investigators say the case has not yet gone cold, but so far the most extensive search in state history has yielded few clues. no arrests have been made. >> it's hard for us, but we understand the method. they have to make a solid case before they can, you know, make any arrests or anything like that. >> reporter: kyron's parents believe his stepmother, terri horman, is directly involved in the boy's disappearance and says her friend edie spicher also knows more than she has revealed. >> cooperate. do what you need to do. come forward. >> reporter: terri horman's lawyer has described the

speculation about her as a witch-hunt. through her attorney dede spicher denied any involvement. >> as a woman of two young boys you feel for that family. >> reporter: firefighters and volunteers took down kyron's wall of hope and moved it off campus. but this community hasn't forgotten, and continues to hope for his safe return. >> i have an 8-year-old boy. and it hurts. >> reporter: although the criminal investigation has not led to an arrest, an ongoing grand jury investigation could potentially lead to an indictment say legal experts. but again, meredith, there have been no suspects named in kyron's disappearance. >> miguel almaguer, thank you very much. john walsh whose own son adam was kidnapped and murdered is host of "america's most wanted." his show's 24th season premieres this weekend. good morning to you, john. congratulations on that, as well. >> thank you, meredith. >> we're going to get to that in a minute. first i want to talk about kyron horman. as a parent, my heart breaks for his parents to be spending his

8th birthday, first days of school, not knowing where he is. how do you cope in a situation like that? >> well, i think you never give up hope. you look at the success stories like elizabeth smart, who was gone for eight months, and jaycee dugard, who was gone for 18 years, and you always -- >> hope your child is one of those. >> absolutely. one of the few. but one of the ones who come back alive. and police speculate that possibly kyron may be alive. i hope he is. but the main focus is to stay strong and to try to keep your child's name in the media, just as his father is doing by having these birthday parties, and saying, i'm going to register him at school, i'm going to register him with soccer, and ease going to come home. >> so that's the best thing. i know when kyron first went missing it took about a week before they came public and since then they've been much more public, and speaking to the media about their son, about -- >> that's the thing that bothers me the most. when adam was missing, we begged

the media to cover the case, because he was gone for almost two weeks, and the story started to disappear. i would have stood in times square naked, taken a bullet, traded my life for my son. my parents need the help of the media. most parents know that the media is who helps find missing children. and for the stepmom to decide not to come out and do any interviews, very disturbing. >> well, there have been a lot of suspicions swirling around the stepmom. you've been pretty vocal about that. but she's not even a person of interest, she has not been arrested. so at this point, probably the best thing the police can do is keep the door open to the investigation possible ifblt other people possibly being involved? >> well, absolutely. you have to do a dual investigation. i mean, remember when jessica lunsford was missing in florida. it was a level three violent sex offender in a trailer 150 yards away that grabbed her. so there's always the possibility that it could have

been a predator, and the stepmom had nothing to do with it. but you have to continue those dual investigations, because the not knowing is what kills you. >> your new season, 24th season, premieres on september 11th. an important day, obviously, in this country, 9/11. what's going to be on the agenda that night? >> we're going to pro-mile an american terrorist. i was the only guy in television that was allowed at ground zero. so it's kind of a look back for me, and this adnan shukra zuma is the heir apparent of khalid shaikh mohammed. you know the guy they waterboarded down in guantanamo bay. this guy was raised in the united states, lived in new york, raised in miramar, florida, and he is the guy who tried to plan the subway bombings. he's the number one terrorist, but he's an american. so, we're looking for that guy on september 11th, and hope we get him before he creates another terrible, catastrophic event here in the united states. >> well, you've done an amazing job finding people just like

that. john walsh, thank you for everything you've done. good luck with the new season. >> thank you very much, meredith. >> now let's head back to new orleans for a check of the weather from al. >> today's weather is brought to you by children's advil. relief you can trust. >> hey, thanks so much, meredith. we are here in the kitchen of the iconic cafe du monde, opened in 1862. it is open 24/7, except for christmas. the owner burt, thanks for joining us. >> thank you very much. >> so the beignet. why is it so iconic here? you're getting ready to put some fresh ones in here? >> freddy has been here awhile with us. we love freddy, man. >> and it's basically dough, fried in cottonseed oil, which i guess is a neutral flavor, and then powdered sugar. it's pretty simple, but yet it's so -- it so represents this city. >> that's exactly what attracted my wife's grandfather into buying the cafe du monde back in 1942. he was a wine seller and you

know the different varieties of wine. here it was just coffee, beignets and milk. he said, this is simple. i can deal with this. and he bought the business and the family's been developing it for the last 60-some-odd years. >> you only basically sell one food. and that's the beignet. with powdered sugar on it. >> they're delicious, too. they really are. >> and not at all fattening, meredith. thank you so much. >> oh, thank you for coming by. thank you. >> all righty. here's a look at san jose right now. low clouds starting to break up. sunshine there, and as you head towards lunch time, temperatures approaching 70 around los gatos, san jose, on your way to getting highs close to the low 70s today. mid 70s inland. closer to the weekend, the inland temperatures climbing up. 70s and 80s inland. mid 60s on the coast with morning clouds. temperatures should cool down heading towards tuesday and

wednesday of next week. >> meredith, look, pillows of dough, floating right there. >> hang in, my thighs are expanding. al, thank you very much. coming up, ann goes back to her first job as a baby-sitter. a family with five kids, and theirndfr s. we'll see how she fared. today? [ girls ] good. ♪ ♪ thank you! ♪ phew! [ ernie ] we make our cookies the way only keebler elves can: with a little something extra. so every bite can be uncommonly good. pediatrician recommended pain reliever for children.

plus, children's advil® brings fever down faster than children's tylenol®. choose children's advil®. relief you can trust. ♪

[ mom ] game time is all about the traditions. it's all about the tackles and the touchdowns... and watching my boys do what they do. but for me, it's even more than that. game time is about our time. together. [ female announcer ] get low prices on all your favorites for the game. save money. live better. walmart. [ female announcer ] get low prices on all your favorites for the game. have you tried honey bunches of oats with real strawberries? wow. it's seriously strawberry. they're everywhere. it's in the bunches, on the flakes, even real strawberries in the mix. can i have some more? honey bunches of oats with real strawberries. it's delicious. nobody does it quite like us.

and we're back with more of "today kicks off" from new orleans. it was back in august of 2005 that drew brees, then a quarterback for the san diego chargers, watched the destruction of hurricane katrina brought to the city of new orleans. he visited here, he fell in love, and he made a decision that he wanted to be the quarterback of the saints. he probably couldn't imagine that a few short years later the saints would win the super bowl, he'd be the mvp, and he and his son could steal the show. >> the saints are going to do it! >> so many iconic images from the super bowl but i think the image that a lot of people remember, and you know what i'm talking about, after the game when you head balin up to the crowd. he was 1 at the time? >> yeah. >> are you looking forward to the day where you can sit down with him and have a meaningful discussion as to what the moment meant to you? >> i can't wait. i can't wait. >> what will you say to him?

>> without getting too emotional, it was such a special moment. and i'll just tell him how much that moment meant to me, having him in my arms, and just what a difference he made in my life. you know, all of it, we had been through. you know, in order to get to that point. >> reaching that point started in march of 2006. seven months after hurricane katrina devastated the gulf coast. the people of new orleans were looking to rebuild. and coming off a disappointing season, and major shoulder surgery, so was drew brees. take me back to that time. you've got a decision to make. you've got a contract you can sign and new orleans comes and offers you a deal. but it is the worst time for the city. it would have been fine, a lot of other guys, nobody would have blamed them for turning away and saying, i don't want anything to do with that. that's a city in decline. why you didn't think it was a hopeless situation, not to play here, but to live here. >> i really felt like it was a calling. i saw it as an opportunity. to be a part of something that most people don't get a chance to do in their entire lifetime.

and that is to be a part of a resurgence of a city, even more so than that, a mind-set. that is no matter what knocks us down, we're going to find a way to come back stronger. >> going back to the super bowl last year, it was one of those few times where i think a sporting event and a sports team rose above the status of sports team and sporting events. and you had to feel as if you were america's home team in that game. because so many people, wanted the people of new orleans, to have a reason to celebrate. in the midst of all the pain. did you feel that? could you sense it? >> we did feel it. we felt like there was a piece of everybody that could idea with what new orleans went through and could see the fact that this went well beyond just the game of football. that this meant so much more to so many people. you know, that just makes you feel like we can accomplish anything. >> and drew lived his life according to that philosophy. believing that adversity breeds opportunity. something he writes about in his

book, "coming back stronger." you've taken this philosophy of yours and you've put it down on paper in this book and the title itself has a great double meaning. what was your idea in choosing it? >> it's really a mantra. every piece of adversity that i will ever face in my life, and i know that there will be plenty more, that no matter what happens, i'm always going to look at it as what is the positive. i'm going to take that negative, i'm going to turn it into a positive. i'm going to find a way to come back stronger. >> and drew is hoping to do just that as he heads into the new season. good news is you guys are world champions and you were the mvp of the super bowl. the bad news is you guys were world champions and you were the mvp of the super bowl. i mean, it -- how do you repeat that? how do you top that? >> certainly expectations are at an all-time high. and not to take anything away from what we accomplished last year, it was very special. it will link us together forever, as a team, city, organization. but, there's always another challenge around the corner.

>> and they're going to try to repeat that or even top that starting tonight. you can watch the kickoff event starting at 7:30, and then the game between the saints and the vikings following that right here on nbc. we're going to have much more ahead from new orleans, and new york, on a thursday morning right after these messages. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] ever have morning pain slow you down? ♪ introducing bayer am, an extra strength pain reliever with alertness aid, specially formulated to fight morning pain and fatigue. ♪ so get up and get goin'! with new bayer am. the morning pain reliever. ♪ [ sniffs ] morning. you got in pretty late last night. dad, i'm not sixteen anymore. still, it was late. well... you're not gonna have to worry about that anymore.

yeah, why's that? ♪ todd's a lucky man. ♪ the best part of wakin' up... ♪ that's what i told him when we talked last week. ♪ ...is folgers in your cup [ male announcer ] we don't know what the astronauts ate for breakfast before walking on the moon... [ horn honks ] ...but we're pretty sure it wasn't leftover pizza. quaker instant oatmeal. now some of your favorites have 25% less sugar than before and delicious all natural flavors. so you can be amazing. does your breakfast make you amazing?

we are back at 7:50. bad behavior has meant big ratings for mtv's hit show "jersey shore" but the antics of one of the most popular cast members, snooki, landed her in court on wednesday. nbc's jeff rossen has the details. >> hey, meredith. you just like saying snooki. she was arrested back in july, she was drinking, where else, on the jersey shore, and then she stumbled into people. wednesday, just before the judge sentenced her, he gave her a verbal smackdown, calling snooki a lindsay lohan wanna-be. on "jersey shore" nicole

"snooki" polizzi, lets it all hang out. but on court wednesday she buttoned up, armed with her designer hand bag and her lawyer, snooki was facing 90 days in jail. police in seaside heights arrested snooki in late july. while taping the show "jersey shore" she was drunk on the beach, yelling and stumbling onto people. >> i would definitely like to apologize. when i saw what happened, and everyone told me what happened, very embarrassed. this is not like me. i've never been in this situation before. so i definitely would like to apologize to anybody that i hurt. >> i have concerns about how much of this episode was scripted by your show. i mean, if this was scripted, only you can determine if it's worth trading your dignity for a paycheck. >> it was not scripted. >> reporter: and judge damion murray was just getting started, getting even more harsh. >> you seem to be acting like a lindsay lohan wanna-be in this

matter. going through life rude, profane, obnoxious, and self-indulgent is not the way you want to live your life. >> reporter: snooki stood there and took it. her lawyer jumped to her defense, saying she's lived a good life, with a love of animals, and charity work. >> this was a bad day. i think we all have those days from time to time, judge. >> reporter: in a plea deal with prosecutors, snooki slipped away without jail time. she pled guilty to a local ordinance called interfering with the enjoyment of the quiet use of the beach by others. her punishment, a $500 fine, and two days of community service. with one day already served at a nearby zoo. >> it's the jersey shore. >> reporter: snooki, forced to give back to the town that made her famous. as part of that plea deal the other charges were dropped. by the way, meredith, late last night, lindsay lohan's mother dina weighed in telling us she's disappointed in what the judge said about her daughter. >> all right, jeff rossen. ryank you ve rymuch.

coming up, ann's turn as a baby-sitter. while sunbathing? why not? have you ever climbed a rock wall in the middle of the ocean? or tried something really wild? why not? it's all possible in the nation of why not. royal caribbean's floating nation where you're free to do anything you want. which may be nothing at all. royal caribbean international. visit royalcaribbean.com today. for constipation relief... nothing works better than miralax. it's the one. the one recommended by more doctors. only miralax is clinically proven to relieve constipation with no harsh side effects. miralax is the only one. restore your body's natural rhythm with miralax.

it's pretty cool. [ woman ] you just feed your check in. feed the money right in. no deposit slips. no looking for an envelope. i have an image of my check right here. i can get a picture of the check, on the receipt. it even tells what kind of bills i put in. [ man ] you just put the bills right in.

it even did the math for me. -four twentys. -a ten. -two fives. -a hundred bucks. -it's all right here. ♪ i'm done, i'm outta here. [ male announcer ] quick and easy deposits. with atms from bank of america. ♪ with atms from bank of america. [ announcer ] you make healthy choices every day-- oh, max! and you want to do the same for your laughable, lovable dog. [ barks ] that's why purina fit & trim is specially formulated... with high-quality protein, including delicious real chicken, to help him maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight, so he can make the most of every day. long live your buddy. long live your dog. purina fit & trim. i built with my dad. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. you made that for me? well you're making this for me. (announcer) choosey moms, and dads, choose jif.

good morning, everyone. thanks for being with us this thursday morning. time is 7:56. i'm garvin thomas. mike hill is here with a life lesson, bad news for some people, good news for others. >> the coliseum, 880, was showing a good slowdown a few minutes ago. ten minutes ago things got lighter on the northbound side. an accident further south had lanes blocked for about ten minutes. map, northbound 880 at marina boulevard. back-up continues in through san leandro. that will continue at least through another 20, 30 minutes. slow southbound 680 through walnut creek. slow through antioch and that's a bit more than usual.

rob, this whole area will see a nice cool down as well. hotter temperatures last week, today what will we have? >> this past weekend, we started off in the 90s, 60s and 70s yesterday. today, mid 70s. 73 san jose. 60s san francisco and oakland. tomorrow, 80s finally coming back, especially out towards the tri lley timetis 7:57. more news after this short break. as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and

no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again.

it's a big day for thousands of parents and their kids. they will be lining up to get free school supplies. in oakland, totes will be handed out at 10:30 this morning filled with supplies. 850 of those totes will be given to underprivileged school children. in san francisco, at brett hart elementary, free totes will be handed out at 9:00, at vede elementary, the giveaway starts at 2:00 this afternoon. more news in a half hour. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. s

♪ 8:00 now on this thursday morning, september 9th, 2010, and the sun is shining on new orleans this morning. big day in the big easy, as the super bowl champs, new orleans saints, get the honor of kicking off the nfl season tonight. and my buddies matt lauer and al roker are there. matt, it looks like it's so much fun already. >> got a little noisy here, meredith. i missed that last line. but yeah, we are here in new orleans. in fact, a beautiful morning. a lot of people think football, men. men are the only ones who care about football.

did you know 41 million american women watched the super bowl last year? and when you go to a football game, about half the people in the stands are women. they're also taking on powerful positions within the nfl, and coming up, we're going to meet a 33-year-old woman who is one of the driving forces behind the new orleans saints, and she is blazing a path for women in the national football league. >> and we also got a chance to get really up close and personal with another new orleans icon, the saint charles street line. i got to learn how to drive one of these babies. i had the time of my life. i don't know how much fun matt had because he was one of the passengers. my dream job coming up a little bit later. >> meredith? >> and i notice you're throwing your support for women by surrounding yourself by cheerleaders. i think that's very special. >> that's what we do. >> exactly. all right, guys, we look forward to it. also, you know, ann curry has traveled all around the world to some of the most dangerous

places there are. but can she handle five kids and their friends? she tried her hand as a job she used to do as a teenager, baby-sitting. we're going to see how she did, it's all for our first jobs series. but first she has a check of the top stories, so we know she survived it. >> all right, meredith. thank you so much and good morning once again, everybody. in the news, tropical storm hermine is now heading across the plains today after bringing flash floods to texas. the heavy rain on wednesday in central texas forced more than 100 high water rescues. two women who had been trapped in their cars were not reached in time and they died. the storm also spawned several tornadoes, one of which touched down near dallas damaging several buildings. the devastating wildfire in the foothills near boulder, colorado, is now one of the worst in the state's history. more than 135 homes have been destroyed, and four people who

refused to leave their homes are now found to have been missing. the fire is only 10% contained. the imam behind a proposed islamic community center and mosque near ground zero in new york city is now warning of a possible violent backlash from muslim extremists if the site is changed. imam feisel abdul-rauf told cnn last night that the issue has become so politicized that the headlines in the muslim world will be that islam is under attack. fewer people are dying on the nation's roads. the government says that traffic deaths fell last year to just under 34,000. that's the lowest since 1950. safety experts credit greater use of seat belts, safer cars, and tough enforcement of drunk driving laws. it is now three minutes past the hour. now let's go back to al in new orleans. hey, al. >> hey, thanks a lot, ann. i want to introduce you to a real legend here in new orleans. mr. jerry roenick, 42 years the voice of the saints here in new orleans. jerry, thank you for joining us. >> thank you. >> you know, you have seen the ups and downs, the highs, the lows. tell me what it was like back on september 25th, 2006, when the saints came back? >> oh, gosh, we beat atlanta. >> is it -- >> it was wonderful. but anyhow.

it was great. to be there. and to come back from katrina. >> yeah. >> just wonderful. >> now here you are world champions defending your title starting tonight. >> and embarrassed. >> well, it's a lot of emotion. are you going to have -- how are you going to control this emotion when you take the mike tonight? >> oh, i'll do that. i have something for you. >> uh-huh. >> this is a relic, really, of the last -- of the super bowl. what we've done, the committee that's preparing for the super bowl -- next super bowl in new orleans in three years, we've gathered together all kinds of scavenger hunts from the super bowl in miami. diners, tablecloths, whatever, and we're turning it into things like -- >> aprons. i'll wear this proudly. thank you very much.

jerry roenick, the announcer of the new orleans saints for 42 years. you'll tie that on me? thank you very much. while jerry ties that on -- in fact, jerry and i tied one on last night. you can see the sun breaking new. your temperatures dropping to the afternoon around the inner bay, should be in the mid-60s for san francisco. through the south, san jose, close to 73. 75 around gilroy. 70s to 80s inland this weekend. mid-60s on the coast. cooler by next tuesday. >> and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you very much. coming up next, and ventures in baby-sitting, ann curry style when we goes back to try her old job, right after this. [ female announcer ] fact.

when pain keeps you up, nothing is proven to help you fall asleep faster than advil pm liqui-gels. rushing real liquid relief to ease you to sleep fast. for nighttime pain, make advil pm your #1 choice. ♪ ♪ oh, do it ♪ oh, do it [ female announcer ] coffee is like life. it's better when you add your flavor. coffee-mate. from nestle. it's better when you add your flavor. no oil has flowed into the gulf for weeks,

but it's just the beginning of our work. i'm iris cross. bp has taken full responsibility for the clean up in the gulf and that includes keeping you informed. my job is to listen to the shrimpers and fishermen, hotel and restaurant workers and find ways to help. that means working with communities. we have 19 centers in 4 states. we've made over 120,000 claims payments, more than $375 million. we'vto an independent clunai fms d to cover lost income until people impacted can get back to work. we'll keep looking for oil, cleaning it up if we find it and restoring the gulf coast. i was born in new orleans. my family still lives here. bp is gonna be here until the oil is gone and the people and businesses are back to normal... until we make this right.

equals chili's $20 dinner for two. share an app, like our texas cheese fries. then choose two entrees from 14 chili's favorites, like our chicken fajitas with sizzling peppers and onions. the $20 dinner for two, only at chili's. morning! mor-ning? i'm your genie. you're wishing for a deliciously, nutritious fiber cereal. i am. well, you don't want that one. new kellogg's fiber plus cereal®. the delicious taste of berries, plus yogurty clusters, plus 40% of your daily fiber... plus wait for it... antioxidants! so, two more wishes. mmmm. maybe later, then. [ female announcer ] new kellogg's fiber plus cereal®. positively delicious. for constipation relief... kellogg's fiber plus cereal®. nothing works better than miralax.

it's the one. the one recommended by more doctors. only miralax is clinically proven to relieve constipation with no harsh side effects. miralax is the only one. restore your body's natural rhythm with miralax. the smell of freshly juiced wheat grass and hand pressed shirts. whatever scents fill your household, purina tidy cats scoop helps neutralize odors in multiple cat homes. purina tidy cats scoop. keep your home smelling like home.

back now at 8:10 with more of our special series "today's first job." tuesday matt went back to his paper route, yesterday i went back to the dance studio where i tapped. today it's ann's turn. >> i was 13 years old, taking care of my children. since then i've had two kids of my own, i haven't been a baby-sitter for quite awhile. i decided to see if i still have what it takes. >> the baby-sitter is here. >> hi, mrs. burke. >> hi. >> i'm ann. >> my first job was as a baby-sitter. how many kids do you have? >> we have five altogether. >> five? five. >> i'm the oldest of five kids. me, gene, allen, gordon and lola. and i baby-sat them since before i can remember. i have a lot of experience, i know what i'm doing.

hi, you guys. so i'm really used to lots of kids. it's the best. >> i they might have a couple friends. >> the greatest number of children i ever watched at one time is four. and that is a handful. but doable. are your friends coming over, aidan? >> five. >> five? >> i feel pretty confident about baby-sitting. i think that it's a good fallback position for me. >> okay. they're allowed to jump like that, aren't they? >> yeah, just be careful. >> you can pretty much throw anything at me. so there are going to be ten children here? >> yes. >> i can handle anything. ten children. no problem. that was close. oh, do you guys try to climb out a lot? oh -- >> bring it on. >> all right. see you guys later. go have some fun together! see how it works like that? that's it. well where are they going? i like to give the house back to the parents in the same state

that i receive it. hey, you guys, what are you doing? you're not supposed to toilet paper every place in the how. come on, there we go. that's good, aidan. how about that? good job. oh! wrap you up. there you go. somebody's at the door. >> hi. hi. hi. hi. how are you? nothing ever broke. >> oh, no. >> i don't remember any lamps or dishes breaking. i hope that wasn't a favorite plate. if there are a lot of kids be careful because they can gang up on you. hey, wait a minute. i don't want to go swimming. you think you're smart. they know how to push your buttons. stop, stop, stop.

no. don't do that. okay? believe me, they were exhausting. that's not nice! candy? want a brownie? come on, let's make some brownies. i think that in terms of tricks, maybe they need a little sugar. >> everybody who wants brownies, go to the kitchen. when it doubt, something with sugar. not too much but just a little bit of sugar. everybody's going to get candy. that makes everybody happy. ♪ i want candy i want candy ♪ i feel a conspiracy. did someone actually say to you, throw toilet paper and make it really hard for me f >> we threw paper at her and squirted her with the water gun. >> who is that person? who is that person? who did that?

why i ought to -- it's not a good idea with more than one child to let one disappear. you always have to sort of keep an eye on everybody. where did the boys go? are they in their rooms? come on let's check it out. i never lost a child. wait a minute, i'm missing somebody, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine -- who's missing? >> quincy. >> quincy is missing. oh, boy! i think i lost a kid. lila! where are you? where's kaelin? have we hidden lila? did somebody hide here? you guys scared me. you scared me. oh, sweetheart. you're great. you're great, great, great. the thing about your first job, is that for the first time you actually realize there was something that you could do that was of value to someone else. i would say that in general kids kind of like me. >> you're not a good baby-sitter. >> i'm not? why not? what did i do?

what did i mess up? >> you let us have chocolate cake. >> when i'm cooking, they like to eat my food. you want some? you want some? my number one goal is to keep them safe. i think you shouldn't do it often. you don't want to do that. whenever you choke put both hands up like that. and number two i want to make sure they're having fun. come on, show me. good job. turn on the tv. that's a good trick. but just for a little bit. and make sure nothing horrible or inappropriate is on television. >> hey! >> that is inappropriate. i could get more for baby-sitting. you kids are doing a great job. reading, bedtime is the magic. read a book, and then boom. they're asleep.

clip clop, clip clop. turn off the light, honey. hi, hi. hi. you have wonderful children. baby-sitting taught me to love. love. and i think that that's the solution for everything. i think that's my lesson. anyway, it was a lot of fun, and we had many thanks for mr. and mrs. burke for letting us baby-sit their lovely children. and pretty much destroy their home. >> you baby-sat from 13 to 18. then why did you stop? >> i stopped because i was caught on the couch necking with my boyfriend. >> whoa! >> in my own defense, i w was -- -- >> bring a friend over. the kids didn't see a thing, and i didn't expect -- >> yeah. >> you had a boyfriend. >> i was so embarrassed. >> i never went back.

>> shocked! >> what was that about inappropriate behavior? >> oh, my gosh. >> so there you go. >> what are you doing friday night around 8:00? >> necking with my mups >> okay. >> i need a baby-sitter. >> that was great. >> natalie later on, we're going to see your first job. and tomorrow's al's turn. he's going to return to his roots. pricing at a grocery store. and dance man. so typical of al. that's going to be a lot of fun. up next, guys, step aside. why women are getting into the game of football and the fans d thceht after this look in the glove box. [ children laughing ] suitcase? huh? ♪ where do gummy bears hide? under the seat. look! yeah! ♪ [ telephone rings ] [ male announcer ] the all new chevy equinox. [ man ] guess who? dad!

[ man ] enjoy the trip! okay, daddy! [ laughter ] [ male announcer ] a consumers digest best buy. with a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. it takes you farther... and brings you closer. let's raise a glass to cookies just out of the oven. to the morning bowl of cereal. and to lactaid® milk. easy to digest and with all the calcium and vitamin d of regular milk. [ female announcer ] lactaid®. the original lactose-free milk. look at all this stuff for coffee. oh there's tons. french presses, expresso tampers, filters. it can get really complicated. not nearly as complicated as shipping it, though. i mean shipping is a hassle. not with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. that is easy. best news i've heard all day! i'm soooo amped! i mean not amped. excited. well, sort of amped. really kind of in between. have you ever thought about decaf? do you think that would help? yeah. priority mail flat rate box shipping starts at $4.95, only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. i couldn't sleep right.

next day it took forever to get going. night after night, i sat up. sprayed up. took a shower... or took a pill. then i tried drug-free breathe right. and instantly, i breathed better! i slept better. i felt...better. thank you, breathe right! [ male announcer ] breathe better, sleep better, feel better. now try breathe right for free... at breatheright.com. [ woman ] it's my right to breathe right. isn't it your right, too? [ woman ] it's my right to breathe right. refreshing. glamorous. dazzling. a ravishing repertoire, brilliantly orchestrated. only at chico's.

♪ [ female announcer ] we've got stains, down to a science. new wisk, with our breakthrough stain spectrum technology targets all the major stain groups like proteins, carbohydrates and oils. its enzymes and cleaning agents tackle a full range of stains. you'll never look at stains the same way again. for a more powerful clean, try new wisk. fight stains with science.

new aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizers, with scientifically proven soy complex and natural minerals give you sheer coverage instantly, then go on, to even skin tone in four weeks. new aveeno tinted moisturizers. "today kicks off" is brought to you by verizon. official wirelessselves provider of the nfl. >> welcome back to new orleans for the start of the football season. and the start of what some are calling a new era for women in pro football. janet shamlian is here with more on that. >> good morning. any football stadium at any nfl game and you're going to see the rising presence of the female

fan. now almost 50% of the nfl fan base. but women are also taking a greater role in nfl operations. nowhere is that more on display than right here in the city of new orleans. when you think of women in the nfl, this may be what comes to mind. but in new orleans, this young woman is the face of the franchise. >> he can sit here. >> reporter: on the sidelines rita benson leblanc could easily be mistaken for a cheerleader. but the 33-year-old is part owner. and executive vice president of the new orleans saints. >> the saints football, to me it's the american dream. it's what you accomplish together with people that you really care about and that you love playing with. and that's worth watching. >> reporter: with a blackberry in hand and a piece of jewelry from last season's super bowl many men would covet, this girl next door is comfortable in her own skin and not angling to join the boy's club.

the granddaughter of saints principal owner tom benson, she's next in line to take over the team. and she'll do just about anything to promote it. >> see you later! >> reporter: rappelling down a 26-story building for a special olympics charity event last month. if you're talking women in the nfl, you've got to check out the saints. >> whoo! >> reporter: women are reshaping the face of football. 6 million attended games last year. and the league's fastest growing business? women's apparel. >> used to be just big, bulky stuff, and women are curvier, so we need something more geared towards us. >> reporter: in new orleans, the nfl has opened the first of its kind women's boutique. from bikinis to bling, the concept could expand to other cities. >> women definitely are the gatekeepers in most households. so when you look at it from a business perspective, it just makes sense to engage these women. but at the same time, we're better serving them as fans. >> reporter: who said football isn't pretty?

as the league embraces fashion, and the changing face of an american pastime. and this is what the merchandise looks like. today it's a little more tailored. a little bit of bling. and matt, if you're watching from the pool -- >> come on. how much -- >> reporter: i asked about it, they didn't have the speedo, i'm sorry. >> thank you, i appreciate that. janet shamlian, thank you very much. rita benson leblanc is the part owner and executive vice president of the saints. nice to see you, rita. >> nice to be here. thank you for being here. >> we're thrilled to be here. let me read you some descriptions i read about you. batten down the hatches, one of the most powerful women in professional sports and the youngest, sassiest and sexiest owner of an nfl franchise. how do you plead? >> i guess guilty. i learned from my grandfather. so he's an older version, but from new orleans, we dance, we laugh, everything we live through here, but especially winning the super bowl. there was nothing that brought my family greater pleasure than

to bring that super bowl victory back to the city of new orleans. >> you get a lot of attention for a lot of reasons. is it a good thing for women and football? >> i think so. i think any attention is channeled in a positive way. so obviously, we use this incredible kickoff to showcase new orleans' economic development, everything that's happening in louisiana and the greater gulf south region. obviously we've had the issues with the storm, and the oil spill, but we have strong, resilient people that work together as a team just like the football. >> you learned this business from the ground up. you took on a lot of different roles in this family organization and franchise. if you were talking to a group of young ladies today, would you say pro football offers good career opportunities for them? >> i would say that -- >> or is it tough? >> it's a lifestyle. it's not a 9:00 to 5:00 job. so anyone who is involved in sports, obviously i'm biased, the nfl is the greatest sport in america and the world, but it takes an incredible commitment. you have to be self-aware. i think that's important for any role that you choose. but know that it is a massive

commitment. >> rita, who is going to win tonight? >> we are. >> good to see you. no doubt about it. nice to have you. >> thank you. very good to see you. >> we appreciate it. we're going to have much more ahead from the big easy and new york cities on a thursday good morning, everyone. mike is going to get your traffic in saekd, but i wanted to update you on a story. reports are that iran will release one of the three detained american hikers. of course, you know these are berkeley grads. we don't know which one. more details as the morning progresses. now to the traffic. >> follow that, meanwhile, following a commute through oakland. northbound continues to show a slow flow after the accident this morning. the general overview, things are

slow on all approaches to the bay bridge, highway 24 coming town the east shore. travel times are pretty slow. 580 is the only real benefit for the area. moves at about 16 minutes out of the alta monte pass. more news after this. [ female announcer ] we know jerry brown was mayor of oakland,

but what were the results? fact: brown promised to improve schools. but the drop out rate increased 50%, and the state had to take over the schools. fact: the city controller found employees paid for 22,000 hours. they never worked. fact: brown promised to cut crime. but murders doubled, making oakland the 4th most dangerous city in america. jerry brown. he just can't deliver the results california needs now. we'll see 70s to mid-70s

towards the tri valley. 60, san francisco towards oakland. tomorrow and into the weekend, we'll see a warm-up with 80s coming back. mid-60s on the coast, so things trending a bit warmer. >> thank you very much. again, news just into the news room, ap reports that iran will release one of the american hikers that have been detained for more than the past year. they're not saying which of the three, only that it will take place on saturday. we'll stay on top of this story all morning. we'll be back in half an hour with more.

♪ 8:30 now on a thursday morning. the 9th day of september, 2010. a little music from the streets of new orleans, the big easy, on this day that the saints set out to defend their super bowl

championship. and to say this team and this city is excited would be a major understatement. here in new orleans, i'm matt lauer, along with al roker, on a hot, humid morning here in the crescent city. meredith and ann are back up in new york. i think along with natalie, as well. they're outside -- or meredith and ann. it's a little cooler up there. >> it's absolutely beautiful here. thinking of cool -- you and al did something cool while you were in new orleans. >> we got to do -- actually i didn't get to do it. al got to live what is really a lifelong dream. he had always wanted to drive the street car, and he got to do it yesterday. >> i got to, one of the historic street cars here in new orleans. so exciting. had a great time. we're going to show that. and another part of new orleans, everybody talks about, that really is part of the fabric here, jazz. we're going to take you to a neighborhood in new orleans where they say jazz was born. it's also the basis for a new hbo series.

we're going to tell you about how music is the life blood of this community. >> meredith and ann? >> thanks so much, guys. by the way, we've got a very special guest here. we've got josh brolin. he's one of the stars of "wall street." great to have you here. josh, you were, of course you talked to matt back in may when the movie opened. i >> compadid. >> and i want to mention people squealed. >> they what? >> they squealed. they were excited. >> that's good. >> you play a snake in the movie, is that right? >> yeah, i do. i guess i do play kind of a snake. for what happened in september of '08 and the big implosion of the economy and all that and i represent everything bad that's happened. >> and you worked with oliver stone again? >> yes. i did. >> is that wonderful? >> it is, actually. oliver has this reputation that's kind of chaotic. i think he's an amazing guy.

we had a great guy. really proud of that movie and i think this movie is going to be great. >> i want to ask you about michael douglas. because you know -- >> when you heard the news what was your reaction? >> i've known michael since i was kid. you know, there was a long history there. i talk to him. i saw him yesterday. he looks great. >> that's wonderful. >> he's a great character. you know. if anybody can survive it. >> he's a fighter, that's for sure. >> for sure. >> so are you. great pleasure. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> money never sleeps. >> thank you. >> let's head back to matt and al. >> all right. thank you very much. you know, not only is tonight the start of the season for the saints and the vikings, also the start for football night in america here on nbc. tony dungy and rodney harrison are two of the hosts. good morning, nice to see you both. >> good morning. >> thanks for waking up early. this was the championship game in the nfc last year, the saints and the vikings. do we have the two best teams in

that conference playing tonight? >> not necessarily. it remains to be seen. everybody can jump on the saints bandwagon. they've got a great team. but it's tough to repeat. >> you've been in this position where you come back as the super bowl defending champ. what's going through the players heads tonight as they get ready for this game? >> i don't think for the saints this is a sense of complacency. i think this team is very excited to get back to norm. i've been walking the streets of new orleans and they've been very excited all the fans. i live in atlanta but i'm from chicago. everybody across the country, they're very excited about the saints and the start of the nfl season. >> tony, between now and kickoff, brett favre can retire and come back two or three more times probably. how big a story line is he in the nfl this year? >> brett favre i think is the key to the vikings season. they did a lot to talk him into coming back. they feel like he's the key to their success. and minnesota's one of the favorites. they've got to deal with green bay in their nifgs. but favre has to play well for them to get where they want to be, and that's the super bowl. >> you've got a lot of really

premiere match-ups coming up this season on football night. >> we do. and i'm very excited about the manning match-ups. you look at the two brothers. they both won a super bowl. now it's time to see which manning brother, is it peyton or is it eli. >> good luck. good season to you. the kickoff special on nbc. tony dungy, rodney harrison. thank you. mr. roker, how about a check of the weather? >> let's show you what's happening as far as your weekend is concerned. for tomorrow, on saturday we're looking at sunshine up and down the eastern seaboard. showers, ohio river valley down to the gulf coast. western two thirds of the country going to be fabulous. then sunday, sunday! we're looking at lots of showers in the northeast, all up and down the eastern seaboard. sunny and hot conditions in texas all the way into the southwest. showers along the gulf coast. more via san francisco where we've got patchy low clouds and

occasional sun breaks. notice for the afternoon, mid-60s, 68 in oakland. more sunshine in inland valleys. south of san jose today, tomorrow and the start of the weekend, 70s to mid-80s inland. 60s and 70s along the coast. >> and don't forget you can check your weather any time of the day or night. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. meredith? >> all right, al. find out what it was like when you learned how to drive a new orleans street car with matt along for the ride. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ welcome to ultimate rewards from chase. no blackouts, no restrictions on airfare and hotels, no limits to what you can get with ultimate rewards. no wonder it's called ultimate. available on chase credit, debit, and business cards. chase what matters.

as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again. sweet n' sour filled twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. one of the real iconic images of new orleans, of course, is the street car. and as the son of a bus driver i

have always wanted to drive one of these things. >> you're not kidding. this has been a lifelong dream. >> absolutely. >> on this show we like to make dreams come true. take a look at what happened when my buddy al jumped behind the wheel. the big easy inspires supersize passion. from its hot sounds. to its excontractic tastes. it's no place for holding back. >> stella! >> reporter: in "a streetcar named desire" tennessee williams introduced america to the heart-pounding potential of new orleans. today, the streetcar that served as williams' mousse still carries 5 million city passengers a year. it is the oldest, continuous streetcar service in the world. >> the iconic, matter of fact, if you look at it, any of the items in the city, very

recognizable, i guarantee you streetcars are in the top three. >> reporter: the saint charles line is on the national register of historic places. committed to preserving the car's essential role in the history of the city, they cannot be replaced. instead, they are maintained with painstaking care at the carrollton transit station. and as the streetcars course their way through new orleans, the desire to drive one has always run through my friend al roker. >> this is going to be a dream come true. >> reporter: train instructor clarence tried to pass on some of his 29 years of experience in just a couple of minutes. >> this is your controller. the controller has eight points. the most important part is right here. push it to your right. >> that's going to stop it? >> that's going to stop it. >> it seeps complicated but it's really not. it's just like taking candy from a baby.

>> if the baby was a giant car that's carrying 80 people. >> reporter: well short of the eight-week instruction most conductors get, we got under way. if he's driving i need air bags or seat belts, one of the two. >> we're going to stop at the corner, all right? >> if there's problems, concerns or questions, call. my concern is that my driver's had four minutes of training. >> oh. oh. >> that's okay. you're learning. >> al was a quick study at the controls. >> i love you, street car. >> and so we boldly took on some unsuspecting passengers >> i'm matt, i'll be your host today. this is clarence, your driver is al. how are you? nice to see you. all right, al. >> there you go. >> we've run some red lights. >> feel the stop. >> ooh.

>> smooth as a what? baby's behind. yeah. thank you. >> with his soft touch on the brakes, al was a solid hit with the ridership. but my run as a back seat driver finally jumped the tracks. >> -- by the compressor or something. can you check that out? >> by the what? >> by the compressor in the middle of the car. >> hey, hey! al! roker! >> just wasn't nice. >> i think brando, i think of you. >> stella! >> we've got a lot more coming up for new orleans. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ i thought it was over here... ♪

[car horn honks] our outback always gets us there... ... sometimes it just takes us a little longer to get back. ♪ you can't really love me. i know about gayle. i don't know what you're talking about. if you just tell me what happened... [ ding ] [ man ] 35th and archer. next stop hamilton. [ brakes hiss ] ♪ [ male announcer ] now you can watch hit tv shows on your iphone when you get at&t u-verse tv. at&t. rethink possible. this morning on "today's

pets," our resident animal jill rappaport is here with the bond between a young man and his dog even through the worst tragedy. good morning to you, jill. >> hi, meredith. this is really a bittersweet because john everhart was on his way home after spending a wonderful summer as a camp counselor. sadly, he never made it, but against all odds his beloved dog did. >> he was always laughing, and very outgoing kid. >> reporter: john chauncey everhart was known for his outgoing personality. his infectious sense of humor. and as his cousin put it, he was cool without trying. he was an honor student at university of virginia, working towards a double major in economics and history. >> liked to do well in the classroom. liked to do well, whatever he's doing. >> reporter: john loved fishing. he was a movie buff, and a music fanatic. bob dylan was a favorite.

♪ but most of all, john loved cody. >> he was just so enamored with his dog. they were really companions for life. >> reporter: what did cody do for your son? >> got him up in the morning. early in the morning, around the campus, and he's a chick magnet. >> reporter: john adopted bode a year ago from almost home pet adoption center in virginia. and there was no mistaking their irreplaceable bond. >> they were very close. the dog slept on the bed with john. >> reporter: but tragically, on august 15th, they became separated forever. john was on his way home to bethesda, maryland, from vermont, where he was working at a senior counselor at camp. he was traveling with a camp friend, and of course, his best friend bode, but on a curve john

lost control of his car, and was killed instantly. >> that ending, never can move forward. and it's very difficult. and that's when i, you know, start crying. >> reporter: miraculously, 18-year-old elliot day, john's passenger, survived the crash. but bode had disappeared. >> everybody was looking for bode. i gave my word that we would do everything in our power to try to find the dog. >> reporter: now this is where the accident occurred on that rainy afternoon in august on route 80 in paterson, new jersey. an eyewitness saw bodhi literally ejected from the all. he darted across this busy highway during rush hour and miraculously he was found five days later in the woods with only a slight abrasion above his right eye. >> it's a miracle. the dog is lucky to be alive. >> reporter: and lucky to be back home with john's family in maryland.

>> he went straight down the hall, and dropped on the floor in john's room. >> reporter: the bittersweet return of john's beloved dog is only intensified by this special water color of bodhi that jay had planned to give to his son for his first birthday. it was finished the day john was killed. >> john would have loved it. >> oh, yeah, really. >> reporter: and is he giving you any comfort on some sort of level? >> gets me out of bed in the morning. that's always a good thing. >> well, look at you. >> it was a little light, sort at the end of a very dark tunnel. incredibly sad. but -- >> something worked out in this tragedy, gives us a bit of solace. but it's very bittersweet, because it's impossible to be with bodhi and not think about john. >> now, john was an only child. and he would have turned 21 next

month. >> thank you so much, jill. and much more from new york and new orleans but first this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] we know jerry brown was mayor of oakland, but what were the results? fact: brown promised to improve schools.

but the drop out rate increased 50%, and the state had to take over the schools. fact: the city controller found employees paid for 22,000 hours... they never worked. fact: brown promised to cut crime. but murders doubled, making oakland the 4th most dangerous city in america. jerry brown. he just can't deliver the results california needs now. but deadly on fleas. so ask your vetean fo ade,nt the flea specialist, for effective, but gentle flea control. welcome back to new orleans. we have spent so much time here in the past couple of weeks, soon we're going to have to pay local taxes. but al got to know one very

special place. >> that's right, matt. there is a place just a few minutes from here that a lot of people say is the heart of new orleans. it's a neighborhood called treme and they say that jazz is deeply rooted and got its start right in this neighborhood. beyond the bustle of bourbon street, nestled among these quiet roads lies a small neighborhood that embodies the spirit of new orleans. treme. >> this is treme. >> treme. >> this is treme. >> a community both rich in history and tradition, it's one of the oldest african-american neighborhoods in the country. >> new orleans history is here. >> reporter: settled by free people of color in the 18th century, treme became a haven for artists and musicians. >> the roots of music in new orleans go back to the square in

treme. that's where africans on sundays would play traditional music and dance traditional dances. >> reporter: some say treme is where jazz was born. people here take pride in that history and on any given night, that brass band tradition is in full swing. it's standing room only at the candlelight lounge, and the music is infectious. ♪ >> it's kind of like being in the church and the country all at the same time. the music moves you so. ♪ when the saints won the super bowl ♪ ♪ oh, yes the saints won that super bowl ♪ >> reporter: music is the lifeblood of this community. trombonist glen david andrews grew up in treme. he comes from a family of musicians, and like most kids here, he dreamed of being one himself. ♪

>> reporter: residents of treme regularly take to the streets in celebration as part of a musical tradition known as second lining. >> here the dance and the music go hand in hand. >> reporter: this colorful neighborhood is now the backdrop for an hbo show called "treme." longtime resident and trumpeteer kermit is part of the cast. >> it's really been delightful, because people finally realizing how sweet and great this culture is. >> reporter: along with great music, treme is known for its great food. several family-run restaurants serve up the best grub in new orleans, creole style. >> today we have pot roast, fried chicken, gumbo, white beans, rice, barbecue chicken. >> it's soul food. the best that i've ever tasted. >> reporter: dizzy's is a corner restaurant that's been serving up comfort food for decades. >> who is a first timer?

>> reporter: locals flock here for breakfast, lunch, and to catch up with other folks in this tightly knit community. a community now reaching out to the next generation, teaching kids to play the music that's been pouring from these streets for countless years. >> really a sense of tradition. >> reporter: helping to ensure the music never stops. and we want to let you know the new orleans jazz and heritage foundation, along with a preservation hall jazz band they're behind those music classes. each week they teach young kids all about the history of jazz and the importance of traditional new orleans music. >> what do you say, mr. roker, we do a little fly-by on the way to the airport? >> i think we're going to send jim bell, our executive producer to establish a beachhead. he's going to get the table for us. >> very good.

all right. when we come back, speaking of food, we're going to do a little tailgating big easy style. meredith and natalie? >> all right. natalie's going to show us t firsjob workiner first job working at a pet store. [ bell rings ]

what are you doing, friending somebody? yeah. you got time for that? you got time to earn more on your savings, online at capitalone.com. that's new school banking, baby! instead of earning squatootski... your savings will be earning three times the national average. now, let's review. capital one interestplus savings... at three times more. go to capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? are you a pisces? good morning. 8:56 is the time. we are fom lowing breaking news. iran's culture ministry says one of three berkeley grad yats will be released saturday.

they were told to come to the same hotel where the american's parents were told to meet them recently. this is video from their reunion back in may. the message did not say which would be released. it marks the end of the islamic holy month. the three grads and their friend have been held in iraq since july 2009, when they were arrested along the iran-iraq border. iran accuses them of spying hihey kiweng.hing. mike is back after the break with your traffic. budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval.

jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again. the south bay, big slowing because an accident.

a car off the road, a tow truck is blocking one lane. both directions approaching the interchange. >> thanks, mike. laura's back in half an hour with more local news. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's luxury with fire in its veins. bold. daring. capable of moving your soul. ♪ and that's even before you drop your foot on the pedal. ♪ the new 2011 cts coupe from cadillac. the new standard of the world.

we're back now with more of "today" on a thursday morning, the 9th of september, 2010. what a pretty day here in new orleans. we're listening to the sounds of, we like to call them our house band, the glen david andrews band. they've been with us in jackson square this morng. we appreciate them sticking around. a lot of people are going to be pouring into this square throughout the day, the evening. >> there's going to be a lot of stuff going on. >> no question about it. all part of a kickoff for the pro football season. you can watch the game, right here on nbc. i'm matt lauer along with al roker here in a steamy new orleans. we've got ann and natalie back in new york city.

ladies, good morning. >> good morning. i think we're both a little jealous, between the beignets, and the -- i won't say the cheerleaders -- but certainly all the great music. you look like you're having a lot of fun. >> it is a blast. as you can see, they've broken into the chant of who dat, who dat. we're going to have much more ahead coming up in this half hour. >> plus we're in a party mood, and you want to talk about tailgating. this is the tailgate city. we're going to do a little tailgating with our good buddy john. he's going to show us how to tailgate new orleans style with a little jambalaya, a little shrimp. and pickled okra. >> also we're going to take a look at the superdome. you remember what happened five years ago, about 30,000 people flocked there to take refuge during hurricane katrina. doesn't last long. the storm tore big sections of the roof apart. conditions there got terrible. but that building is now one of the symbols of triumph over tragedy in this city. we're going to take a look at

its recent history coming up. >> all right. sounds good, guys. meantime coming up in a little bit, i shared my baby-sitting experiences this morning. meredith talked about her -- her memory -- going down memory lane talked about tapping and matt talked about delivering the newspaper when he -- when he was a young person. now, it's your turn to show us about your first job. >> that's right. i worked at a pet store, as you can see, where i got to brush up on my skills doing everything from playing with the guinea pigs, loading a lot of the shelves. all i can say, i'm still standing. i was exhausted. >> looks like really back-breaking work. g

wildfire in the foothills near boulder, colorado. at least 135 homes have now been destroyed, and the fire is only about 10% contained. what's left of tropical storm hermine is now moving into the plains, after dumpg heavy rain in central texas on wednesday. flash floods killed two women who were trapped in their cars, and forced more than 100 high-water rescues. the storm also triggered several tornadoes. >> this morning a large explosion rocked a market in russia's north caucasus killing as many as 15 people and wounding more than 100. a car bomb is suspected in the area. mostly orthodox christians have been targeted with violence from radical islamic insurgencies. the imam behind a proposed islamic community center and mosque near ground zero in new york city told cnn last night that if he had known in advance the facility would create such

tensions he would have gone elsewhere. despite appeals from washington, the vatican, the pastor of a small church in florida is still planning to burn copies of the koran on the ninth anniversary of 9/11. u.s. embassies around the world have been ordered to assess their security ahead of saturday's planned weekend burning. and another side of olympic hockey champ and nhl star sidney crosby. he took batting practice before a pittsburgh pirates baseball game on wednesday and slammed one into the right field seats. good for him. maybe it's another home. it is now four minutes past. back to you, matt, and al in new orleans. not so good news about tom brady but looks like he's okay. >> no, that's right. we'll keep our fingers crossed, ann. thanks very much. >> let's show you a little bit of what's going on out there. remnants of hermine continue to cause problems for the midwest. yesterday, over the last 24 hours, some areas picking up almost 16 inches of rain. and as you look right now on the radar, you can see that rain is

moving from oklahoma into parts of arkansas, and missouri. we have flash flood watches and flash flood warnings from little rock, from arkansas, into kansas, missouri, and illinois. the reason being we're looking at another three to five inches of rain. locally some areas in southern illinois, into missouri, could pick up seven inches of rain before it's all over. here's a look at your drive across the golden gate bridge. we have broken clouds, sun at times and still a mist outside. the temperatures for the afternoon, 60s and 70s inland. 73, san jose. inland temperatures climbing this weekend. 70s and 80s and mid-60s along the coast.

>> and that's your latest weather. ann? this morning on "today's first jobs" pet store cleanup. natalie's always the first to jump at every animal segment and it turns out her passion actually started in childhood. >> that is true from puppies to parrots i've always had a special band bond, i think, with animals and it goes back to a summer job i had working at a pet store. i recently took a trip down memory lane and visited a local petco which proved a little more challenging than i remembered. >> this is your tool of the trade. >> oh, great. no gloves? >> no gloves. lovely. >> one of my first jobs prior to leaving for college was working at a pet store because i wanted to be a veterinarian and i really kind of wanted to make sure that it was my passion going off to school. give me goosebumps. i had this grandiose idea of, you know, all creatures great and small. that was the life that i wanted. i pictured myself on a ranch or

a farm with lots of animals all around me. my love for animals really started with my own family pet. as a military child who grew up everywhere, my dog was my constant friend that was always with me. and translated to loving all animals, and having sort of a natural bond with them. i almost feltic lie could understand them. wrangling the guinea pigs. there's a trick to this trade. >> got him. victory! i loved my job at the pet store. it was great. a very small pet store in dover, delaware, at a little mall. and it was lots of puppies and kittens. call me the pet charmer. you want to come play? you want to come play? and it was wonderful. but there were also lots of snakes. lots of reptiles. and lots of other things that needed to be fed. this is like an episode of fear factor right here. i hope you guys have an

appetite, because i sure don't. oh, it's disgusting. oh, we have nature segments all the time, but, you know, you notice you never catch me with a snake. i think once for the fourth hour they were doing something like put the snake on hoda, not on me. i couldn't handle that. >> i'm afraid of this thing. >> oh. >> the first stop, i think the most important thing is learning great work ethic. it's not about saving money or getting paid and all of that. now doing my first job i think i was making $4 an hour clean being up dog poo. this is not very -- >> it's adoption day. you interested in a great dane? no. >> what a really took away from that, it was really hard work and it was emotional work. you get involved with these pets and you know, i loved the job, because i felt like i was in some way improving their lives a little bit. now to the real test.

everybody has to start doing the job where you're cleaning out the cages, or where you're distributing papers or walking dogs. i mean whatever your first job is, i think there are some great lessons to be learned, and that is humility. so what do you think? how did i do? huh? i think i deserve a treat. if it's good enough for you. whoa. wait! >> if you look at the ingredients. they're fantastic. >> they actually taste -- >> when we were kids, because they were colored and we thought it was fun. >> really? >> you wanted to be a veterinarian. that was the whole reason -- >> you were having such a fun time. >> we had a great time doing that. it was fun. >> great. >> absolutely. >> al, what do we have coming up with you tomorrow? >> i've got my first job was as

a -- a grocery store worker. i kind of did all kinds of odd jobs around a grocery store in my neighborhood. >> you can tell. >> like dancing. >> that's not the same store. they tore it down. >> i'm sure you were great behind the counter, al. >> look at you. you've got moves there. >> a different kind of dog, right? hot dogs. instead of -- >> okay. >> all right. >> all right. well listen, you know what? we look forward to that, al. thank you so much. that was fun, natalie. that was great. >> coming up, the rebirth of the superdome five years after hurricane katrina, and matt and al do a little tailgating new orleans style. [ male announcer ] where are people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis going? they're discovering the first self-injectable ra medicine you take just once a month. it's simponi™, and taken with methotrexate, it helps relieve the pain, stiffness, and swelling of ra with one dose a month. visit 4simponi.com

to see if you qualify for a full year of cost support. simponi™ can lower your ability to fight infections, 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. [ female announcer ] ask your rheumatologist about simponi™. delicious news for dessert lovers. introducing new activia dessert. rich yogurt with desserty flavors like strawberry cheesecake and peach cobbler. mmm. you've got to try this. new activia dessert. ♪ activia

a touch of that... yup, there's a new head chef in the kitchen. introducing new quaker mix up creations. does your breakfast make you amazing? like 100% whole grain, the way triscuit does, you always end up with something delicious. ♪ triscuit. weave some goodness. [ female announcer ] for when you want your favorite café to be your own kitchen. new stouffer's stuffed melts and soups like creamy tomato bisque served with a three cheese and ham stuffed melt. 2 café favorites now in one package. in three varieties.

the tree house i built with my dad. (girl) really? yeah. there you go. okay, i'm gonna work on the roof. dad, i'll be right back! (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. you made that for me? well you're making this for me. (announcer) choosey moms, and dads, choose jif. go-gurt is specially made to freeze and thaw by lunch time? so kids can have their favorite yourt in their lunch box go-gurt. freeze it. thaw it. eat it up.

when hurricane katrina struck this city five years ago, about 30,000 people were told they needed to get out and they went to the superdome. that iconic structure here. little did they know when they entered that building they would be heading into the center of the storm. for more than three decades, the louisiana superdome has been the place for fans of the new orleans saints have come to support their beloved team. >> who dat! who dat! >> reporter: when hurricane katrina struck in august of 2005, many of those same residents flocked to the superdome. but for a very different reason. >> they told us go to the superdome, if you want to be rescued, go to the superdome. >> reporter: thousands rode out the storm and its aftermath there. a last-resort shelter for those who were unable to evacuate the flooding city. but just days after the storm,

the superdome went from a refuge to a place of despair. >> it just was horrific. it degraded into something that most human beings shouldn't have to experience. we had supplies for two to three days. once we got past that period, that's when all hell broke loose. >> reporter: with unsufficient food, water and medical supplies, the unsanitary conditions went from bad to worse. there was no air conditioning. and rain began to pour in through the damaged roof. the people of new orleans who sought shelter from katrina's wrath outside, were now facing a major crisis inside. >> we want to get out of here! >> it is hot, it's damp, there's no moving air, it's getting very dirty, and shall we say very aromatic. >> reporter: it was six days before everyone from the dome was bused to safer accommodations. and what was left behind was no longer just a football stadium. it was a symbol of the worst

disaster in new orleans history. in march of 2006, efforts got under way to bring the superdome back to life. thanks in large part to funding from the nfl and fema, totalling $219 million. with their home under construction, the saints hit the road. and less than six months later, the superdome went from this, to this. >> it was brought back to life and resurrected. it was quite simply the largest restoration of a stadium that we know of in the history of the united states. >> reporter: just 13 months after hurricane katrina, the saints came marching home. a turning point for a city, and a team, which went on to bring home a super bowl championship earlier this year. as you can see, this area is still under renovation. but it's called champion square and it's new this year. coming soon, on any given sunday, thousands of saints fans will come here to party it up

before heading in for a game in the superdome. and the revitalization does not end there. plans are in place to continue rebuilding the superdome through 2013, when it will lost super bowl xlvii. >> we will never be able to erase the history of katrina here. rebuilding the superdome was a powerful first step. but i think it was a stake in the ground, saying this city's going to be here for a long, long time. >> a little later on today, thousands will pack the superdome for that big football game. before that, thousands will tailgate outside the superdome. >> one guy who knows all about tailgating, mr. john besh. he has six restaurants here in the new orleans area. >> hey, john. >> new orleans style, right? >> who dat! >> john -- >> what are we making?

>> great tailgating new orleans style. saltia foods. you've got to have it. we've got some pickled shrimp. >> what does in that? >> shrimp. >> you've got shrimp. >> and then you have all sorts of green beans, okra, you name it, it goes in there from crab oil, go ahead and pour that -- >> what is this? >> that's just a mixture of a little bit of sugar, some water and some rice vinegar. >> how long does it take -- >> we're going to pickle this for about four to six hours so it's perfect because you can like pack it up, throw it into the ice chest and then make your way to the game with it. or you can leave it in there for like a week in the fridge, and it's so incredible. >> jambalaya. >> i've been eating off camera. >> good protein. >> and all right. and then you can't have a tailgate, anything, without some jambalaya. to do that just a little bit of bacon, some onion, celery. >> the trinity. >> the trinity.

>> and then some bell pepper. there you go. what we want to do is really just want to cook that over like high heat until it's nice and brown, and voila. >> there's the color. andouille, all of that? >> all the sausage. all the onions and everything, really just cook down. they're nice and brown. that's going to give a great depth of flavor. >> so if you could do the honors. >> pour the rice in. that's louisiana jasmine rice. you can add some chicken stock. >> okay. >> oh, yeah, baby. >> a little bit of your tomato. >> lord have mercy! >> hmm. >> how long does that cook down? >> we want to let that come to a boil and in about 30 minutes. >> whoa! >> here it is. >> thank you. >> brother. beautiful. >> so no hot dogs, no hamburgers here you've got to do something a little more louisiana. >> you definitely have to. and what's more louisiana than a little creole tomato, bloody mary.

this is what i'm talking about. as you can tell, the saints fans are out in force. you feel the energy of the saints. the whole place is jumping. >> this is the difference between a good morning and a great morning. >> and we have to -- >> oh. >> taste this. >> did you see how fast he pulled that away from you? >> we have chili glazed chicken wings, unbelievable. and then we have some braised short ribs. >> i just took a piece of this. >> this is unbelievable. >> stacked up with some onion rings. so incredibly good. >> our executive producer jim bell, it's unbelievable. >> send all this back to new york with you. >> believe me delta airlines is going to smell some of this in a few hours. >> thanks so much. >> thank you so much. >> more from new orleans. but first these messages.

have you tried honey bunches of oats with real strawberries? wow. it's seriously strawberry. they're everywhere. it's in the bunches, on the flakes, even real strawberries in the mix. can i have some more? honey bunches of oats with real strawberries. it's delicious. nobody does it quite like us.

they're oven-baked flatbread crisps. ♪ with the tastes of sea salt and olive oil. ♪ or sprinkled with italian herbs. ♪ townhouse flatbread crisps. they're perfect for snack time, party time, any time. ♪ new townhouse flatbread crisps. the everyday cracker with the specially-crafted taste. john. loo. latrine. head. bog. the oval office. the porcelain throne. the toilet. no matter what you call it, clorox has been trusted to keep it clean for nearly 100 years.

♪ yes! ♪ look, they fit! oh my gosh, are those the jeans from last year? how'd you do it? eating right...whole grain. [ female announcer ] people who eat more whole grain tend to have healthier body weights. multigrain cheerios has five whole grains and 110 lightly sweetened calories. more grains. less you!

multigrain cheerios. natalie and ann, we have a little thought. john's been handing out bloody marys to the crowd. this lady says she can't feel her lips anymore. >> our 3-d chicken wing cam. >> oh! >> we are so jealous! more from new orleans. during cold and flu season. that's why we started a mission for health. by going beyond clean surfaces to healthy surfaces. by making a healthy way to wash hands. and even by working with a pediatrician to develop lysol healthy habits initiatives in schools.

when you use lysol, you're a part of something bigger. for healthy tips and more, visit lysol.com/missionforhealth. all-natural benefiber. the fiber supplement that's tasteless and dissolves completely. to make getting fiber easier. that's the beauty of benefiber. [ female announcer ] introducing granola thins. new from nature valley. delicious granola squares lightly toasted for a delicate crispy crunch. layered with creamy peanut butter or rich dark chocolate flavor. an irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth taste... ♪ and nature approves. new nature valley granola thins. nature at its most delicious. new nature valley granola thins. delicious news for dessert lovers. introducing new activia dessert.

rich yogurt with desserty flavors like strawberry cheesecake and peach cobbler. mmm. you've got to try this. new activia dessert. ♪ activia time to check that morning commute with mike. >> the south bay still a big problem. 880 at 101. that's the focus of the majority of the traffic. southbound at 101 where a car went off the roadway. there's a tow truck still trying to pull the car on to the road. 10 at the interchange, very slow. additional slowdown because of the spectators slowing. through the north coming through oakland rk traffic backing up

around the coliseum. about 45 to 50 miles per hour on the approach. at least there's a little sun through there. >> occasional. partly cloudy skies this afternoon, still cool by september standards. low 70s, san jose. 60s for san francisco and oakland. tomorrow and the weekend, we'll see 80s popping up inland, so a slight warmup with 60s and still low clouds near the coastline. tis 9:27. more news after this short break.

as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again. the price on the new bay bridge expansion has taken another leap. the commission is adding an additional $293 million to the $1.7 billion project. it will pay for extra construction work and covers unexpected problems that could arise. estimated costs remains at $6.2 billion.

the bay area toll authority says the project will be finished on time in late 2013. if you're looking for a job or know someone who is, palo alto may be the place to be. the formsy will hold a job fair for its new store opening next month. they're looking to hire licensed pharmacists, store managers and cashiers. it is happening from now until 6:00 tonight at the crowne plaza hotel and tomorrow. another update in about half an hour. "today" show returns in less than a minute.

can i get a quarter pound of chief? >> would you like american yellow, american white, would you like alpine lace, would you like alpine lace american, alpine lace provolone. >> al is going back to his neighborhood grocery store. he shows us that he's still got the stuff as our "today" first job series rolls along tomorrow here on "today." al, we're really glad you didn't make it a career after all. but my goodness you are fun to watch there. >> well, you know, we had a good time. it was one of those things, it

was a job i had. it was a short-lived job. i'll explain why tomorrow. but it got me started in my interest in food. >> ah-ha, there you go. >> and you always had that spring in your step and it's always about the dance party with al, right? so you going to see a lot of that tomorrow, too, i'm sure. all right. >> well, you'd have to wait and see. >> okay. >> meanwhile, coming up from here we're going to meet a young man armed with a camera, truly an inspiration, and he actually bunks with young americans across the country from an nfl cheerleader to a teenager with autism, and he's able to get a realistic snap shot of their lives like you've never seen it before. and it's a new show on mtv. so, it's really interesting. >> okay. plus, did you know that the latest trends in jewelry and accessories are at your local hardware store? that's right. bolts and washers. if you've got them, you don't have to spend a lot of money to stay stylish. this morning bobbie thomas is going to show us how to make some of this julie yourself. she calls it hope hardware.

we're going to get to the lowdown on that. we also want to tell you that tomorrow on "today" the grammy winning country music duo sugarland is going to be here live on the plaza for a concert. so come out. just when we thought the concert series was over -- >> it's never over. >> our producers come up with something else. and so we're so excited. >> it's not the summer concert series anymore. first, al, you got another check of the weather for us. >> i do, guys. but first i want to tell you about something special. last week, students here at the fancy c. williams elementary school in new orleans had some very exciting visitors, saints coach sean payton, saints cornerback, along with cheerleaders, mascot, special visit to the school district, part of louisiana recovery school district. they surprised the kids with a $10,000 check from the nfl to improve the phys ed facility. all this looking pretty good. a lot of the students all decked out in black and gold to show their team spirit. let's check your weather, she what's going on as far as your weekend ahead is concerned. and for saturday, we've got a

beautiful day in the southwest, with a lot of heat, mild conditions in new england. we do have wet weather, remnants of hermine in the great lakes all the way down to the gulf coast. then sunday, more rain along the eastern seaboard. the western two thirds of the country looking pretty good. showers through the gulf coast and some rain in the pacific northwest. and here's a look at the bridge right now. sunshine, also patches of low clouds. temperatures this morning mainly in the 50s will climb to the 70s this afternoon with 73, san jose, 68, oakland. 64, san francisco. north bay, combination of 60s and 70s. tomorrow and the weekend, we should see 80s coming back. not much change on the coast where the low clouds will be on the coast, warming up just in time for the weekend. of course we're here in new orleans because we've got the nfl kickoff tonight.

right here on nbc. that's right. it's the saints taking on the vikings. brett favre will have retired three times before the game. he'll come out in his wheelchair. we'll see it all. outdoor weather warm and humid, middle 80s, because, of course, it's an indoor stadium. good times tonight on nbc. back to you guys. >> all right, al, thank you so much. it's going to be a lot of fun there. and coming up next, speaking of football, how the quarterback gets it done. we're going to show you the science behind the perfect pass. right after this. activia is better than ever! hey, you guys. want to try activia's great new taste? today is your tasty lucky day! sure, why not? isn't this the yogurt that, you know... helps regulate your digestive system. ooh, i think i'll pass. no, no, no! trust me. it is beyond tasty. okay! mmm! wow! i can't believe it, i love it!

mmm, this is really good! new best tasting activia ever! taste it, love it, or it's free! ♪ activia equals chili's $20 dinner for two. share an app, like our texas cheese fries. then choose two entrees from 14 chili's favorites, like our new sweet & smoky chicken crispers. the $20 dinner for two, only at chili's. i can take one airline out... and another home. so with more flight options, i can find the combination that gets me there and back quickest. where you book matters. expedia. what if something bad happens? so what happens if someone gets my credit or debit card and buys a ton of stuff?

that would be... really, really bad. [ male announcer ] with bank of america's zero liability guarantee, you're not responsible for any fraudulent charges on your card. guaranteed. bank of america says they'll credit any fraudulent charges back to my account as soon as the next day. the next day! that makes me feel better about using these cards. they've got my back. they've got my back. [ male announcer ] the opportunity to worry less about fraud with the zero liability guarantee from bank of america. [ air whooshing ] [ crunch! ] [ male announcer ] 11 grams of delicious whole grain. one mighty toasted crunch. new wheat thins crunch stix. the crunch is calling. when allergies make them itch, don't wait for your pills to kick in. choose alaway, from the eye health experts at bausch & lomb. it works in minutes and up to 12 hours. bausch & lomb alaway. because it's not just your allergies, it's your eyes. should we order panda blossom, panda moon... how about chinese at home with wanchai ferry? you can make it in just 14 minutes.

mmmh, orange chicken. great. i didn't feel like going out anyway. [ male announcer ] wanchai ferry. restaurant quality chinese in your grocer's freezer. ♪ ♪ da da-da, da, da, da-da ♪ da-da, da, da, da ♪ da, da, da-da-da, da, da-da-da, da, da-da ♪ [ female announcer ] there's a place called hidden valley where kids not only eat their vegetables, they can't get enough. ♪ hidden valley ranch. makes vegetables delectable. discover four more ways to make vegetables delectable with farmhouse originals from hidden valley. "today kicks off" is brought to you by verizon. official wireless service provider of the nfl. welcome back to jackson square here in the heart of new orleans, as we continue "today

kicks off" in a unique collaboration with the nfl, and the national science foundation, nbc learned the educational arm of nbc news has produced a special video to both students and teachers calling it the science of nfl football. here's nbc's lester holt to give you a look at the physics behind the perfect pass. >> reporter: one of the most spectacular plays in nfl football is when a quarterback throws a pass so fast and accurate it's called threading the needle. it means, putting a ball in a window that's so tight that only that football can fit through there. >> reporter: the speed and direction a football needs to reach a receiver is a great example of a velocity vector. because it has both a length and a direction. >> the quarterback has it under his control. how hard he throws the ball or with what speed and in what direction. >> reporter: to understand velocity vectors, we filmed former nfl players joey harrington, and antonio freeman

with a special high-speed phantom camera. when harrington throws the football, its velocity vector can be represented by an arrow. but if harrington rolls out, his own velocity must be factored into the pass. using the so-called parallelogram method, it's possible to add these vectors together to find the velocity vector the ball needs to reach its target. >> so we take our parallelogram and the sum of these two sectors is simply the diagonal of the parallelogram. >> reporter: in a real game, an nfl quarterback must calculate all of these vectors in a split second. >> it's a really good feeling when you put that ball exactly where it needs to be. >> reporter: and for a quarterback, that means safely in the hands of his receiver. >> deuce mcallister is a former running back for the new orleans saints and one of the athletes who participated in the science of nfl football series. nice to see you. >> nice to see you, as well. >> the producers used this thing

called the phantom camera. what did you have to do to be part of this? >> well, basically different exercises. you know, running back exercises. we were testing at 40 different speeds, obviously. you know, you want to see how fast you're going at 10 yards, 20 yards. then we were going different acceleration and just different drills that we did. so it was pretty interesting. >> what do you think students and teachers are going to come away from watching this? >> well, a lot of times what they study in the classroom, you don't really kind of translate over to the football field. you know, one thing that we think about is just playing the game. but once you look at it from a physics standpoint, that's what the most important thing is. >> what do you think about athletes, will they be able to use this series, once they understand the science behind what goes on on the field, this could make them a better athlete? >> it's pretty interesting. like i said, to us guys that are playing the game, it's about technical and playing the game. but the physics parts of it definitely help. i mean, because angles play a

part of it. and that's in every play. >> you played with the saints. you live here in new orleans. what does tonight mean to you? >> it's special. it's kind of a mini super bowl for our city. the dropping of the banner from last year. but i mean it's a new season as far as we're concerned. it will be special. obviously with the buildup that has been had up to this week, you know, the only thing that we have to do is go win the game now. >> just a little thing like that. >> correct. >> deuce mcallister, thank you so much. and for more on the science of nfl football series, you can check out our website at todayshow.com. coming up next, get ready to enter the world of jinxed. it's our honeymoon. but we've parted ways with our old airline credit card that promised flights for 25,000 miles. it was always... [ laughing ] that seat's not happening without a big miles upcharge. a miles upcharge wasn't part of the deal. was i supposed to go without my wife? [ elevator bell dings ] [ grunting ] haha, that was awkward.

so we upgraded to the venture card from capital one. we've had it with the games. [ male announcer ] don't pay miles upcharges. don't play games. get the flight you want with the venture card at capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? ♪ [ inhales deeply ] ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] lighting a glade scented candle can change your whole day. [ clapping ] oh! [ both chuckle ] thank you. [ female announcer ] release the magic with limited-edition cashmere woods from glade. s.c. johnson. a family company. their brains are 75% water. want to grow a healthier family? water daily. embrace the pure life. nestlé pure life. is "the farmer's vegetable patch," right?

there's a full serving of vegetables in every manwich. so you're made of vegetables, yet you're eating vegetables? exactly. [ male announcer ] every manwich has a full serving of wholesome vegetables. manwich. meat your vegetables. activia is better than ever! of wholesome vegetables. hey, you guys. want to try activia's great new taste? today is your tasty lucky day! sure, why not? isn't this the yogurt that, you know... helps regulate your digestive system. ooh, i think i'll pass. no, no, no! trust me. it is beyond tasty. okay! mmm! wow! i can't believe it, i love it! mmm, this is really good! new best tasting activia ever! taste it, love it, or it's free! ♪ activia

a touch of that... yup, there's a new head chef in the kitchen. introducing new quaker mix up creations. does your breakfast make you amazing? have you ever wanted to walk in someone else's shoes? world of jenks is a new documentary series on mtv that showcases the lives of inspirational young people from all corners of the country. each week filmmaker andrew jenks

literally moved in with a different stranger to experience a week in their life from a young homeless woman to a teenager with autism. >> in a lot of ways, chad's school was like any other school. they have lockers, recess, and gym class. and even flirting with the popular girls. >> yeah, you are. >> oh. >> reporter: but then there's stuff that makes you stop and think. this is not your average school. in one class, chad practices house chores. then chad practices calling 911. >> 911, what's your emergency? >> my mother's having chest pains. >> do you know your address? >> no. >> reporter: seeing chad work on these everyday tasks really put things in perspective for me. >> andrew jenks, good morning. >> good morning. how you doing? >> i'm doing great. just a little clip of the time you got to spend with chad. he has autism. what did you learn from that experience. >> you know, i learned how much -- how smart he was and how funny he was. i think, you know, i went into

the project thinking that i'd be living with an autistic kid. and i left thinking i just moved in with chad, who was really fun, he had a great personality. and i learned that i had to adapt to his world and not necessarily just make him do what i did. so like we went to new york city, and he was extremely sensitive to the sounds, and he said you know, jenks, you just have to let me be. you just have to let me be who i am. >> what a great takeaway. what a great lesson and an opportunity that you've been given as a young filmmaker, only 24 years old. what do you hope to translate to the viewer with this? >> i think you can see really young people from all walks of life who are doing just extraordinary things, like we followed an animal rescuer who was saving horses. we followed a homeless girl who was living on the streets of san francisco. there's just so many young people out there who are doing incredible things with their lives. and we have the chance to really capture that and showcase it on mtv. >> talking about that experience, living with a

homeless girl, heavy d., or danielle. she's, as you mentioned, homeless in san francisco. you say that was one of the most challenging experiences. because, i mean, you really get to step away from the situation when you're done after a week with them, right? >> yeah, you know, that one was hard because i was on the streets with her for eight days there, and you know when i was walking away and i was dirty and smelly and, you know, i couldn't help but think, gosh, you know, i'm going to go get on a plane and be back in my apartment and she's still going to be homeless, and you know, she really lives that life. i'm only there for eight days. so you know, it's important for me to stay in touch with these people. i'm not trying to change their lives but i want to make sure they understand i care for them. there's a connection there. i gave her a cell phone. >> you talk to her? >> i talked to her last night actually at midnight. she was still awake. so she staid good luck to me. she texted me and we stay in touch. >> great. and i know that all of this started with a film project that you did at the time with featuring your grandfather. >> when i was 19, my grandfather was going through a rough period

where he was in a nursing home, and you know, i love my grandfather so much, and i decided to move in to a nursing home myself for five weeks. and see what it was really like to experience life with 300 senior citizens and see what they're really thinking about, and that was just another opportunity to really destigmatize and humanize that generation that i think a lot of people have stereotypes about but don't necessarily know what's going on within the confines of assisted living. >> i know you've got some other really interesting people. you followed nfl football player, cheerleader -- or nfl cheerleader and a football player. you also had a poker player, with, as i understand, kind of a very interesting perspective. good takeaway there, too. >> you know, i think when you think about a poker player you think about, you know, playboy lifestyle, you're in vegas, you're in new york. he texts me one day and he's like we're going to london tomorrow, and then as he opened up he got to really understand him better and he was prone to anxiety. he was prone to depression. he had a lot of issues that he was really dealing with.

you know. and so i think that's the kind of case in point with every subject we move in with is that we go in with a certain idea or a certain perspective and after eight days it's like, holy cow, i had no idea that this was really what was going on. yeah. >> wow. well it's really remarkable. and you know, good luck with it. >> thank you. >> because you have a real opportunity to hopefully educate a lot of young people and open a lot of people's eyes. >> that's the thing, you know, we think that it's entertaining and it's also substantive. we feel like we have both and we really can showcase that to a lot of young people. >> well, you are a young man to be doing it. glat la congratulations to you. >> thank you very much. >> the world of jenks premieres monday night on mtv. coming up next, making your own trendy jewelry for under $10, with stuff that you may have laying around the house. [ female announcer ] we know jerry brown was mayor of oakland,

but what were the results? fact: brown promised to improve schools. but the drop out rate increased 50%, and the state had to take over the schools. fact: the city controller found employees paid for 22,000 hours... they never worked. fact: brown promised to cut crime. but murders doubled, making oakland the 4th most dangerous city in america.

jerry brown. he just can't deliver the results california needs now. this morning on "bobbie's

style buzz" do it yourself accessories, apparently the latest jewelry trends to be found at your local hardware store. today's crafty style editor bobbie thomas is here to show us how it's done. hey, bobbie, good morning. >> hello. >> we're talking about heavy metal here and nuts and bolts first. before we get to that, why do you think this is a trend? >> i think for years we used jewelry to dress up our outfits. now jewelry is helping to dress the modern woman down. i definitely think it's an affordable, accessible way to reinvent your look. i will prove it to you because it costs pennies. >> you've got these necklaces and earrings and our cameron said if he gave this wife one of these she would think he was nuts. >> i know, you know, charging bigbucks. guys and brothers, a beautiful design team that make amazing jewelry all inspired by hardware. you can do it yourself. i made the necklaces with about $2 and two minutes of my time and about $4, for the big

necklaces and two minutes of my time. just slide them on. you can even sleep them onto earrings. it takes seconds and it's pennies again. you can find this in probably the junk drawer of your house. >> very edgy. >> champs and connectors. this is sort of that bold color necklace you've seen on the runway. this is a flexible faucet connector. i'm going to earn points with the guys. this actually can help with this ribbon tied around the edges, it's instantly a collar necklace. believe it or not you don't have to do anything. these are hose clamps. you can tie these on to be bangles. but these can also be rings. a lot of the guys here said they went and got some of these last week. if the sink was leaking i could come in handy. >> i know. but they have a coolness to them. i could see teenagers especially liking these. >> again, very inexpensive. >> now we have wires and chains. >> last week you saw this necklace i wore. i was in love with it. and i was inspired to really see

what i could do with chains. literally, again, about probably $4 to make some of these, you know, i guess avant-garde jewelry. >> i would like to wear this as a bracelet itself. it's so sweet. >> this is one of my favorite ideas. you can buy it on a roll or a pack. it's about $10 for ten feet. you can make a lot of this. you slip a ribbon through the chain and you can get a double wrap bracelet. and this can actually be worn as a headband, as a belt. and this costs a dollar and took about five minutes. >> so this is a great way to make it, especially as people are trying to save money. i know you're doing the diy for that part. >> i also love diy. i think you should be proud of something you made. i saw a pair of shoes, and i got inspired to make this for just 50 cents. >> lastly we've got hooks and clips. >> yes, you can use what they

call a snap clip. a double-ended snap clip. i really sound like i know my hardware stuff and make any kind of belt. you slip your fabric through and you can create a color belt you need in seconds. how many times have you said, i need that? melanie is wearing one made out of a pulley and rope. >> always trying to save us money and inspire us. thank you so much. >> thank you. >> and coming up we've got hoda and kathie lee. they're going to catch up with rock 'n' roll legend jerry lee

as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again. it is 9:56. time to check the commute with mike again. >> the south bay, earlier, an

accident, a car went off the road. that reportedly cleared. in its place in the middle of the roadway rk we have reports of an air-conditioning condenser causing further slowing. starting to improve, but 880, the problems they've had, continue to push back. still slow out of newark, fremont, that's the slowing heading into the south bay fwr the east bay and from the peninsula, we have a gem from palo alta. northbound should be the problem. that's further north and a little late. >> and forecast today looks a little sunnier than yesterday. 70s popping up around san jose, morgan hill. 68 for petaluma. seven-day forecast starting tomorrow, inland areas starting to warm up. 70s and 80s toward saturday, trending cooler towards tuesday and wednesday of next week.

this morning, a heavy metal front man offering cold, hard cash. for information about guitars stolen from his home. he says someone broke in on tuesday, stealing four guitars, including one given to him by a a metal pioneer. he said he believes whoever did this knew what was inside his home. >> we have one tip, a green, teal, american-made truck that drove slowly around the corner. >> he earned a grammy nomination for his band, machine head. i'll have another update in about half an hour. have a great thursday morning. [ female announcer ] we know jerry brown was mayor of oakland,

but what were the results? fact: brown promised to improve schools. but the drop out rate increased 50%, and the state had to take over the schools. fact: the city controller found employees paid for 22,000 hours... they never worked. fact: brown promised to cut crime. but murders doubled, making oakland the 4th most dangerous city in america. jerry brown. he just can't deliver the results california needs now.

from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hi, everybody. i don't know if you're wear of it, but this is thirst day. it's september 9th, and we're happy you're here with us. if we look different today, it's not our problem achlgts technical problem with the table. >> this table typically moves back and out of the way and we bring up the high table which we like because it covers us up. >> it's plexiglass so you can see through it. >> still, you feel safer behind the high one.

>> it's a little higher up. anyway, we're happy you're with us. sometimes we move to a different studio, and it's upstairs. we don't like it up there, not as good lighting. >> we like it down here. yesterday instead of going to broadway we stall a movie, it was "wall street: money never sleeps." >> the first one was a long time ago. >> you weren't even born. it was a really great movie. >> i love the opening scene where michael douglas gets out of prison and they hand him back his tough and ring, money clip and mobile phone from the '80s as big as a shoe. what did you think of the movie? >> he never know what to expect. oliver stone is a terrific director. he's going to be with us next week. i didn't know if i'd care about the characters. that's always for me the main thing. if i don't care about these

characters and don't care about what happens to them, i lose interest. michael douglas is so good in this. josh brolin was good in it. who plays lou? >> come on. frank mangella. he's terrific in it. susan sarandon. it's like a modern day morality tale. the problem is so many money problems we had a couple years ago, financial problems, we still have many of them, and many of the people responsible for them are still in power and not a whole lot has been fixed. >> it will hit close to home, and it's got a great story. michael douglas is great. he's so -- >> he's so great in the movie. when you watch him, you fall in love with him all over again. >> you can't help but think about the troubles he's going through with his ill sxns stuff. >> and his son. >> a lot of things come out in

the movie. >> whether he starts to say things that resonate with his own personal life, it's very moving. it opening on september 24th. we get to see things a little earli earlier. i think it will do really well. >> i'm a little bummed about the new season of saturday night live. >> there is a hoda curse. for the last two years the young woman who has been chosen to impersonate hoda, they all leave after one season. we don't say anything. i find it interesting. >> nice talking to you. she was the first one. and then jenny, nice talking to you. >> kristen wiig is in no trouble at all. >> my money on the next one, keenan thompson. you know it will be in drag. you know that's happening. i want to apologize.

do the split screen. >> do the other split screen, if you know what i mean. >> no, no, forget it. >> oh, my god. >> you know what -- >> he had a nice keratin treatment. it looks good. hilarious. you know what would be a great idea? >> what? >> you're a good actress until we played ourselves in different things. we were on lipstick jungle and that was canceled and another show -- maybe it really is a hoda curse. they should let you play yourself. >> why did you say it was nothing? >> they found out the day we shot "lipstick jungle." the show canceled. >> it was while we were taping. remember? it was so depressed. it was just sad. that was just sad. anyway. >> i think hoda should play herself opposite kristen wiig. that would be fun.

you'd be great. >> if you are into snooki and the jersey shore, there was breaking news. she was in court on wednesday, she faced charged from that drunken stumbling event. she decided to plead guilty to disturbing the police and apologized to the police department out there. the judge dropped the annoyance charges. annoyance and disorderly. he gave snooki a couple words of wisdom. listen to what the judge had to say. >> i have concerns about how much of this episode was scripted by your show. if this was scripted, only you can determine if it's worth trading your dignity for a paycheck. >> it was not scripted, sir. >> ask like a lindsay lohan wanna-be in this manner. going through life rude, proceed faine, obnoxious and self-indull gent is not how you want top live your life. >> that's exactly what i said to

cassidy this morning. more parents should talk to their kids that way when they act up like this. >> dena lohan was upset hearing what the judge said. she didn't like her daughter being used as an example like that. >> no parent likes to see their child used in a negative context, but one has to ask the question about how did the xhild become the person who behaves so badly? you have to take responsibility. >> what is the snooki apepeaapp? i get it a little. i can't put my finger on what the appeal s. >> i don't watch the show, but cassidy likes it. how can you like it? she said it's incredibly entertaining. you can't believe people ablgt like that, and that's why the judge's question was so great. how muchas not scripted in that sense, but it's a setup opportunity for these kinds of things to happen. it's not going to be an entertaining show unless people are drunk and make out in hot

tubs. >> they're crazy about her. >> of all of them, she's the only one that cares about anybody other than herself. >> i said, oh, all right. i don't know if that's true or not, because i don't watch it. you know what bothers me about snooki? every time she's arrested or something, she's carrying my bag. she has that gucci bag which i kind of like a localit. >> now she's got it. >> i know. >> on thursdays -- i like doing this. >> i know you do. >> hoda's play date. >> i get to pick a song. this song before we get to it, this song is about before you had a mortgage, before you had kids, before you had worries, you were free. >> the good old days. >> you were totally free, okay? the zac brown band is awesome. they have a song called "free," and it's from the debut album. let's listen to it because it's really good. ♪ traveling along across this

land ♪ me and you ♪ >> i've heard this. okay. >> you're going to be free in a minute. ♪ we'll end up hand in hand ♪ somewhere down on the sand ♪ just me and you. >> here come the chorus. when you're free. remember. ♪ just as free ♪ free as we'll ever be ♪ just as free >> if you don't know if you're free -- you don't realize you are. >> this is a good song. >> you didn't like the other four? >> no, huh-uh. completely forgettable. this one touches your soul. you remember this one. >> one more little verse. here we go.

♪ travel to the city lights ♪ in the country skies ♪ just me and you >> here's the thing about it. frank and i take a little walk, and when we were first waiting he would kick a stone down -- kick a stone down the road, and we'd finds joy in kicking a stupid stone down the road. now it bothers me when he does it. >> all right. let's get to this. what's going on here? >> this is an app, which -- >> look at you holding it. >> application on your -- how do you turn the dang thing on. we were talking about mindless calories that people ingest, and if there's a way to sort of remind yourself of what you are actually putting in your mouth and into your system, it's this. it's a little -- >> it's a little app, and this is what you do. hoda, i'm going to eat an apple, and every time you take a bite, you push bite. you remind yourself you're

chewing. >> a bite. how is that apple going down? >> it feels like it's being radiated or something. >> they just sprayed it with something to make it shiny. >> jerry lee lewis, he has a great new cd coming out. he's not feeling well. he's in the dressing room with four attractive women around him. i say, i'm so sorry you're not feeling so well. we won't ask you to play the piano with your feet or anything like that. >> uh-huh. >> i'm thinking huh-uh. this is bha jerry lee lewis does while i'm he there r, he just went -- i was like you just check med out. all the four women said, yeah, he did. he's not feeling that bad, you know what i mean? >> i'm so excited he's here with us, too. >> i'm not sure.

is it okay or not okay to insure a body part? >> jerry lee lewis should have insured his fingers millions of years ago when he started. he's the most incredible -- he's unbelievable. i said what? >> what did you say? you say -- >> is it okay to insure your body parts? >> well, it's too late for my boobs but if you're young and your assets are that valuable, then why not? >> hoda says, yes, if you have a personal part that's hot, why not get fire insurance. >> i wasn't reading yours like that, okay? then we'll all be happy. hi, sarah. >> we were talking about the "sn will the" who should play hoda. jen said i can drink coffee and wine like nobody's business. i'd be great. a surprise cameo by hoda. that was the general consensus. >> they never listen to us tloefr. >> coming up, great balls of

fire. have you heard he's here? he's here. it's jerry lee lewis and he'll tell us why he calls himself a mean old man. i want to ask him some tough questions about his cd co i hnkhi i think he has some explaining to do right after this. ♪ [ mom ] game time is all about the traditions. it's all about the tackles and the touchdowns... and watching my boys do what they do. but for me, it's even more than that. game time is about our time. together. [ female announcer ] get low prices on all your favorites for the game. save money. live better. walmart. [ baby crying, teapot whistling ] everything's fine. [ male announcer ] of all the things that happen on your wooden surfaces, disinfecting has to be one of them. clorox disinfecting wipes. safe on wood. hard on germs.

.... et out of jail free card. no way. you're busted. [ chuckles ] [ male announcer ] tide stain release. an in-wash booster that works with any detergent, to target and remove tough stains the first time. [ dad ] see? hey, look who's home. huh. what's that? ♪ [ male announcer ] tide stain release. stains out. no doubt.

pancakes! ♪ from dawn 'til sunset, i'll never walk away ♪ ♪ blueberry pancakes are so good ♪ [ male announcer ] bisquick. pancake lovers unite. what do you call a cheese that isn't yours? i don't know. nacho cheese! [ laughs ] see, cuz' it's not your cheese but i said "nacho". [ clears throat ] la, la, la, la, la, can't hear you... la, la, la, la, can't hear you... okay... la, la, la, la, can't hear you!! ...that's when i decided to fully invest in my 401k. [ male announcer ] we take the time for our cheese to mature before we bake it into every delicious cracker. because at cheez-it, real cheese matters. ♪ >> look at his hair. whenever he's around you can bet there's going to be a whole lot

of shaking going on. >> jerry lee lewis, along with elvis, johnny cash, behind the movie and he's receiving fantastic reviews. he's got a new cd called "mean old man." >> but you're a pussy cat in real life, right? >> that's about it. >> i want to show this cover again. i looked at it and thought, look at that. all of these women are trying to get at him. when you open it up, they are all inside the limo with him and i thought, isn't that sweet. he's got his granddaughters with them. because they are like 14 years

old, jerry lee. >> you were checking me out down stairs, to be honest. >> from you checking her out? >> i was checking. >> you've got great songs, terrific duets. in one of the songs you're paired with kid rock. why did you choose these people, jerry lee. well, they are just good friends with me. >> you have kid rock, eric clapton, sheryl crow. a lot of good ones, legendary in their own way. >> have you seen million dollar quartet yet? >> yes. >> what did you think about how you were portrayed? >> i think it was really awesome. i think he did a splendid job. >> the first time we've seen the

show, we've seen it a couple times, we loved it so much, he had band-aids on his fingers because his fingers bled. >> you used to play with your toes? >> yeah. >> did you play with any other part of your body? >> well, that's about all. >> well, we want to wish you great, great luck with this cd. >> do you remember that particular day? because you're the only surviving member of the million dollar quartet. >> i remember it very well. meeting elvis and johnny was there. >> you were rising and they were already stars. >> right.

i was just starting to make my -- >> you weren't the killer yet? >> no. >> and you're not a mean old men. >> but you have to watch out about underage girls. all right, jerry lee? >> all right. up next, we'll talk to betty bt is. beautiful beautiful son james blake right after this. in my chest. so i went back to my doctor again. we chose symbicort to help control my asthma symptoms. [ man ] symbicort improves my lung function... starting within 15 minutes. [ woman ] symbicort will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. it is a combination of two medicines and should not be taken more often than prescribed. [ man ] symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems, and children and adolescents may have an increased risk of being hospitalized for asthma problems. [ woman ] symbicort is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine like inhaled corticosteroids. once your asthma is well controlled,

your doctor will decide if you can stop symbicort without loss of control, and prescribe a long-term asthma control medicine. be sure to see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. symbicort is a good choice to help control my asthma all day and night. [ inhales ] [ exhales ] ask your doctor if symbicort is a good choice for you. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. ¿qué si usamos tacos s grandes? [ ma announcer ] old el paso super stuffers. 33 larger shells. feed your fiesta. to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. that say, "look at that wrinkle." [ female announcer ] introducing the eraser foundation from maybelline. our patented applicator and formula with collagen

goes beyond covering. micro-corrects, micro-erases signs of aging. the eraser. only from maybelline new york. why does it say box tops for education on your soup? oh, it's a program that raises money for schools. that's great, but this is a can. yes it is. you can't have a box top on a can. yes we can. but a can isn't a box. we know. i don't think you do. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup.

in his ten-year career james blake has faced the biggest names after a serious illness and life-threatening injuries. he rose to number four making him the highest ranking player this year. >> betty blake's memoir is called "mix it up, make it nice, secrets of a tennis mom." >> when you found out your mom was writing a book about this, were you pleased or not? >> i don't think there's too many things she could embarrass me about, so i wasn't too nervous. i was excited because i know she's a much better writer than i am. i used to give her my papers in high school and she would make them better. i knew she would tell a story and do it in a very eloquent

way. >> this was in response to so many people that mentioned to you throughout the years how lovely your young men were. how did you raise such two fine people, and you're often asked that if you're a well-known person and everybody assumes your kids are going to be spoiled and obnoxious and all that. did you to to honor the memory of your husband, your deceased husband, their dad. >> when people say that to me, and they say it often, i say i give 90% of the credit to their father, who knew exactly how to bring up children. he was a disciplinarian but he made sure he knew there was love involved, too. that's the way to do it. >> both of your sons, big tennis players, did you immediately put a racquet in their hand when they were young kids? is that how it start snd. >> no. we wanted them to enjoy it the way we enjoyed it socially. we never thought it would be a career. >> last week we had andre

agonzalez agassi, it was painful for him and hating tennis and feeling like that was all he could to do for his father. tell us what it was like for you? >> one of the greatest gifts you can give is a happy childhood, and i had that. andre has had so much success and proud to be aid friend of his, but i'm not sure he would ever consider his childhood happy because he grew up hating tennis. i loved it and i was thankful they didn't push me towards it. there are ways to succeed and different levels of success. andre had so much success, but he didn't like the game until he took it on himself to enjoy it. >> he paid the price for it. >> that was agatha christie that said that. >> a lot of kids go to tennis academies, and that's normal now. you wanted him to have that normal childhood, normal

education. look at this well-adjusted guy you have sitting next to you. >> he was equally as nice back in the day. i remember. what do you hope people take away from this book, betty? >> first, i hope they take away the way, as i said, tom brought up our children. second, i hope they take away the idea of don't pressure your children into something they may not want to do and they may grow up to hate if they -- if -- >> you and, too, in the process. >> it's better to be a successful human being than a successful tennis player, right. >> absolutely, absolutely. >> james, good luck with everything. say hi to your brother, to their bodies are 60% water. their brains are 75% water. their muscles are 73% water. their lungs are 80% water.

want to grow a healthier, happier family? water daily. embrace the pure life. nestle pure life. ♪ first timers, old pros, heated rivals, you can't do the wave by yourself. and just like we mix and mingle, so do the delicious tastes and textures in every handful of chex mix. we're made to mix.

should we order panda blossom, panda moon... how about chinese at home with wanchai ferry? you can make it in just 14 minutes. mmmh, orange chicken. great. i didn't feel like going out anyway. [ male announcer ] wanchai ferry. restaurant quality chinese in your grocer's freezer. mike's got a look at the commute. >> south bay finally looking better. 880 still slow in both directions, but that's the aftermath of an accident and then an air conditioner cleared. looking at the rays, we have a nice flow aside from a disabled vehicle. eastbound, that's your typical flow. the toll plaza much clearer now. the metering lights are still

on, but no major issues from oakland. >> and the weather actually catching a break in terms of your morning commute. we don't have the light rain and drizzle like yesterday. mid-70s toward the tri valley. 60s for oakland and san francisco this afternoon. today's temperatures up a couple of delgs from yesterday. it's tomorrow and the weekend when temperatures will climb. 80s in the forecast for inland valley with warmer foe r thenweems reek r thfoweekend. more news after the break. ctly normal periods. every woman's experience is a little different. but every month, millions of other women don't have normal periods. they have unusually heavy periods. the fact is, they might have heavy monthly bleeding, a treatable medical condition also known as menorrhagia. so how much is too much"? if you have heavy menstrual bleeding that's disruptive or gets in the way of your day to day activities. learn more... by calling the number on your screen

or visit lighterperiod.com or talk to your doctor. only your doctor can diagnose heavy menstrual bleeding, so ask about options to treat heavy flow. you can also learn more in this free guide. find out about heavy monthly bleeding or menorrhagia, when to see a doctor, and what treatment options are available. visit lighterperiod.com or call the number on your screen to get the facts on heavy monthly bleeding or menorrhagia. after all, millions of women have normal periods. why couldn't you be one of them? as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again.

you'll be seeing more advertisements pop up into the bart station. those are part of the effort to lower fares for sfo employees. last year, bart raised the fare to help close the budget deficit. it will drop, but bart will get to put ads in the station and will pay monthly installments on its $2.5 million a month rent. the growing north beach festival may have to shrink or move. organizers had to double security at the event in june. next year, they may have to confine the festival to the northbound lanes of columbus avenue instead of using washington square park. that's because they want to restore the italian heritage part of the festival and avoid the $23,000 cost of the project.

thanks so much for joining us this morning. i'll see you tomorrow morning starting at 4:30, or if you want to sleep go7: t00o a. m. m.o to 7:00 have a great one. irchltsz we're back on this thirst day with today's style and the five fashionable pieces that will rock your world and your closet. >> if every morning you finds yourself digging through your clothes and coming up empty-handed it could be you just don't have what you need. lloyd boston is here. it's a new book called "the style checklist." >> we were missing you a little bit. >> i wanted to come back fresh and new. file good. >> the new book has just come out. >> absolutely. revealing my list. >> we're excited. >> we'll start with the classic white shirt. i know you love this. this is one of your favorite

pieces. >> you got to have it. we're talking about women who are over 50, so i'm not revealing their age. this book is for every woman. >> she looks fantastic. >> look at janice. >> what you see here today, this is a hot leather sheik dress by tahari. we have a red platform, and i love it because it gives you comfort along with the sexiness. everything is available at lord & taylor. >> is burgundy a big thing this fall? >> it's a classic thing. if you feel great and look great in burgundy, you can pull it off any season. the white shirt comes to life whether you layer it. you don't have to wear it business-like. this is sexy and sophisticated. >> janice is working it. >> you know you look hot. boots are always big, so what's the trend this year? >> knee boots are great and wearable at every age. you could go over the knee like i did here on linda.

these are over the knee boots. they turn into leggings if you will, but you can fold them down and show more knee. >> can you bend your knee pretty well? >> she's about to pump it. that's a good thing. >> that's great. so often a boot cuts the leg off because it's not high enough. >> it covers all the flaws. >> i didn't mean that. >> you can find boots at any price. you don't have to spend a lot of money. >> they're not too high. >> can any age pull off that longer boot. >> i think so. that boot -- >> it's david meister. >> you got me. one for kathie lee. >> david meister. absolutely. >> this is a great look. >> now, next one we've got is a sequinned tank, lloyd. >> so many ladies are afraid of sequins. you can find sequins to work for your lifestyle. >> you can layer it.

it doesn't have to be high wattage, it could be matte. notice we layered it so we can feel back and go desk to dinner. i love the fact she's doing the military pants. that's a big trends for fall. it's timeless. she's out the door looking ten years younger. >> the military pant are any page? >> big trends. wear it with a chanel-inspired jacket so it's age appropriate, too. >> what are you saying? >> scarves are always big. >> here's the trick. choose the boldest scarf you can finds. be careful of old-fashioned themes. it can add age to your look. >> i like until you put the bag with it. it clashes. >> this is called editorial styling, so we're giving ideas you how to drive it home. >> you don't have to be matchy

matchy anymore. you can mix it up. look at gail here. this is a gorgeous tahari sheath dress. i love the heels. maybe you find a scarf at a bazaar or vintage shop. >> love it. thank you, hon. animal prints is the last little go around. >> do they ever go out? >> never. you got to know the dosage. for certain ladies it's just a wink of it. this woman is knocking on 70's door. can you believe it? it's my mom. she's not knocking on 70s door. i just joke with her. i say older so people say you look great. she's in a gorgeous calvin klein gray pantsuit for the season. you can find animal prints in your attic even. you can save a lot of money if you know the classics.

that's what the book is about. >> bring all the ladies out. >> lloyd, fabulous job. welcome back. >> thank you. good to be back. up next, a lesson for parents so you can help your kids with their homework. i stopped doing that years ago. i couldn't ribafthi ts.it. [ female announcer ] to do well, kids need to eat well. and eating well means getting enough whole grain and calcium. and general mills big g kid cereals can help. did you know it's the only leading line of kid cereals with at least 8 grams of whole grain and a good source of calcium? cereals they already love, like lucky charms and cinnamon toast crunch. give your kids more of what they need to be their best. grow up strong. with big g kid cereals. ♪ [ female announcer ] now get baby-smooth perfection with new dream smooth mousse from maybelline new york. some makeups leave skin rough, dry. ours is cream whipped, so it hydrates. skin looks flawless, baby-smooth.

new dream smooth only from maybelline.

key lime pie, pineapple upside down cake. no, i've actually lost weight... [ female announcer ] over 30 delicious flavors at around 100 calories each. [ wife ] babe... i gotta go. [ female announcer ] yoplait, it is so good. ♪ [ mom ] game time is all about the traditions. it's all about the tackles and the touchdowns...

and watching my boys do what they do. but for me, it's even more than that. game time is about our time. together. [ female announcer ] get low prices on all your favorites for the game. save money. live better. walmart. september means it is school year is in fill swing, and that means needing help with your

homework. are you prepared to assist? >> here to tell you what teachers expect from your xhich in elementary years elizabeth shaw and michelle borba who is an educational psychologist. >> there are new ways teachers are teaching, and there's a lot on a kid's plate. in that backpack, there's a lot to do. >> that's a whole other issue carrying lrnd backpacks that weigh so much and destroying their backs. >> clearly when we went to school, everybody has been burched down at least a year and a half. homework has gone up a notch, to step number one is get to the open house and find out that teacher's expectations. lounge should my xhild be working every night? what is my role in this process so you're on board together. >> as a parent do you have a right to say i don't want my child doing four hours of homework every night? i want family time and want them to just read a book? don't we as parents have some

right to say how we want our children to be taught? >> there are actual cities that are on board and did one and one is outside minneapolis. i commend them for it. it was a group of parents who said enough is enough. >> mostly you can't. >> mostly you can't, because you up against the world and it's a tough one. >> you can get organized as parents. >> yeah. >> in the early years, kindergarten first grade, there can't be that many expectations, are there, for kid science. >> it's become a lot more academic. when i went to kindergarten and first grade we did a lot of coloring and pasting. it's reading group, learning math. by first grade they're reading chapter books. for little kids who are used to running around, it can be a strugg struggle. you should not feel too frustrated if your child has trouble because it's expected. >> a lot of kids have add and things like that. how do you know if there's an issue or if they're rambunctious and can't focus. >> first of all, they're

supposed to not be able to focus. they're movers and shakers at that age, and you want them to be. you don't want to take the fun out of learning either by making them sit so still. get on board with the teacher and find out how he ranks in terms of sitting. in terms of homework, vary the pace. get the sidewalk chalk out there so we can make big letters and play beat the clock games with the ov ven timer. fun is key, and you gradually stretch the attention span. >> whether you get up into the other grades, third and fourth grade, that kind of thing -- >> third grade is a big year because that's when standardized testing begins. there's a lot of drills, reading and spelling. >> and anxiety. >> a lot of kids have great innate intelligence, and they're not test takers. our system is cruel to children like that. >> there is a lot of pressure. in fourth grade there's a big academic switch where instead of learning how to lead, they're

reading to learn. if you're not -- if your reading skills aren't up to par, you're going to fall behind. you really need to be able to support your xhild. >> one quick tip on that one you can do that's a simple idea, and that is each time you read one paragra paragraph, figure out what's the most important idea or what you want to remember. if you train a child to do one most important thing, a child that can't recall it, draw it or an index card. you teach content, memory skills and you have great test taking at an early age. >> good for their self-respect and self-esteem. >> it's all in the magazine. >> you can find it on parenti parenting.com. up next, how to muscle your muscle and get your strength about. it's somet strong. >> i'm n neither of those. >> we'll be right back. -do you have your lunch? -yes. and you know where your classroom is? uh huh. mom, i can walk from here. what about your... mom, i got it.

♪ [ female announcer ] they're never too big for a little something sweet. kellogg's rice krispies treats. hey, little dude. "dinner's" my middle name. how 'bout some hamburger helper? oh, my, but your mouth is gonna love it. and your wallet's gonna be pretty happy, too. now this is the deal of the day. hamburger helper...one pound, one pan, one tasty meal. hey. dinner. [ male announcer ] of all the things that happen on your wooden surfaces, disinfecting has to be one of them. clorox disinfecting wipes. safe on wood. hard on germs. clorox disinfecting wipes. as a mom i believe books brighten a child's future. so join the sunnyd book spree. when your child's class collects 20 labels... they get 20 free books! go to sunnyd.com

and help us make classrooms sunnier. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno. go-gurt is specially made to freeze and thaw by lunch time? so kids can have their favorite yogurt in their lunch box go-gurt. freeze it. thaw it. eat it up.

but what were the results? fact: brown promised to improve schools. but the drop out rate increased 50%, and the state had to take over the schools. fact: the city controller found employees paid for 22,000 hours... they never worked. fact: brown promised to cut crime. but murders doubled, making oakland the 4th most dangerous city in america. jerry brown. he just can't deliver the results california needs now. ask any woman what she wants to be, and chances are she'll

say skinny. what people forget is the importance of being strong. >> tonya is founder of the s factor diet and sarah haines is the volunteer demonstrator. you came up with skinny versus strong. a lot of women would rather be thin. if i've toned, great, but not really that important. >> the great thing is you can be both. i created the skinny strong xhal leng to encourage women to strength train. right now there's kind of a trend in the industry where people encourage women to do high rep low weights to stay skinny. we want them to pick up more weights so they gave muscle. >> fon ya is a big nutritionist. nutrition plays a big factor in this. >> we'll get to the aesthetics why it's important to build muscles. a lot of women admire in this day and age a different kind of body. john fehr aniston has that tone.

there are also health benefits of building muscle mass. the more muscle you have you have a decreased risk for diabetes. it pulls the glucose out of your blood system so you get better insulin control. heart disease is exactly right. in addition to that, it's also decreasing the risk factors for osteoporosis, which one out of every two women over 50 will be diagnosed with. >> have you got your bone density test done yet? you need a baseline to see if you're staying strong or developing it. there's stuff you can do to stop it. >> it's more efficient to workout this way. the more muscle you have the more calories you burn and more weight you lose. >> a lot of women don't want to bulk up. they don't want to look like bodybuilder types? >> the problem is as we get holder we lose a half pound of muscle every year. we don't replace that. >> really? >> so many women come into my practice in their 30s or 40s or

50s and 60s for the first time struggling with weight gain, and they say to me, tonya, i have not changed my eating habits. why am i gaining weight? as we age, the natural progression is to lose muscle mass. if we don't want to gain weight, we have two xhochoices. we can eat less or two is build muscle and the best thing is to do both, eat a little less and build more muscle and you'll have the body you want. there's no reason in your 30s, 40s and 50s you can't be the same weight in your opinion your 20s. >> we'll bring in sarah haines, because we know she's skinning but we wants to know if she's strong. >> she works out. >> she's going to do the plank position. >> it's an incredible core. >> start the clock. >> the goal here is she does not want to sink at all in her back but is engaging all of her core muscles, pulling in her abs nice and tight. >> hold it for a minute. that means she's skinny strong.

>> the clock is not even starting, but we know. >> at least 30 seconds. >> she'll be strong and heavy too, right? >> obviously. i want to encourage people to do their cardio and if they like low reps do that too. take one or two days a week to build more muscle. >> how are you feeling, sarah? you all right? >> you look fabulous. >> i think it's been about 30 seconds. >> no, it's been more. >> i think it's been 12. >> that's where the diet comes into play. many people have muscle but it's hiding under a meat sweater. there's a layer of fat over it. that's the idea of building more muscle and xhanging your dietary hak habits. proteins are the building blocks. >> four, three, two, one. sarah is skinny strong. >> you hold it for a minute and you're skinny strong, and if it's less than, you need to work

on it. >> 30 to 60 seconds you're almost strong, less than 30, might be only skinny. >> keep doing it and get stronger. >> thank you, sarah. good job. up next, the whatever girls are back. >> first, this is "today" on nbc.

each day lynners can hear john fehr koppelman hut and alexis stewart dish about a wide range of topics on their radio program, whatever, with alexis and jennifer. >> they're getting ready to make whatever into a tv show on the hallmark channel. on monday the whole thing finally starts. >> are you excited? >> we are. >> what's different about it? >> it's television versus radio. >> you put the makeup on. >> you have to do hair and makeup. >> twoef look nice sxhoeld our stomachs in. >> you're ready for that?

that's a whole different thing. >> it's exciting. we're ready and going after it. >> are you still going to be on the radio? >> yes. >> is this new hair on the show or old hair. >> i like it. it's new. >> it depends on the day. >> okay. >> let's hear from our people. joy, this is one of the questions a woman has. why do women have to have a motive when dating? can't we date without having an agenda? >> i totally agree with that. >> that's going to get where you you want to go, to not have an agenda. i think men can smell an agenda. >> i think men can smell desperation. there has to be a challenge. >> men are snickering. >> they know. they're dogs. >> all men are dogs, so take that into account, have a good time. if you really like him and he really likes you, then that will work. >> okay. but if you're the kind of girl who -- >> oh. >> what? if you're the kind of girl who knows what she wants, if you know you're not going to be happy in a casual kind of

relationship, then don't put yourself -- >> get out of it. >> don't date a bad boy to begin with. if you're looking for the pickett fence, don't date donald trump. >> i know plenty of girls that go with the bad boy. so i just decided i go out with the nice guy, and then leave her -- she finds him shooting heroin and they meet girls online. there's no answer. >> even if you know what you want and you don't want to be casual and you want to date lots of different people, just don't tell the guys that that's what you're thinking. >> that you want to date lots of people? >> you don't have to tell them. >> whatever. >> well-put. >> they're still talking. >> they talk more than we do. >> you move guard. >> here we go. another question. >> we've been together for four and a half years and we both love and care about each other. we lost our jobs and he lost his

confidence and motivation which leads me to losing my attraction. now i'm thinking is there something better out there? i'm confused. >> there's highs and lows in a long-term relationship. it's not nice to be fickle because he lost his job. that's mean. if him losing his job is a tell about something else in his penalty, that might be another situation. >> if they really love each other, they could separate for a little while, and she could see -- >> that never works. >> it just worked for our friend paul, did he not? >> he didn't really separate ever. >> let's get paul on the phone. >> he pretended to separate. he had like one week. >> three weeks. >> he's a co-worker on the radio show. >> we don't know paul. >> all right, you guys. if you're half as much fun on your new show, you're going to be hit. >> monds, anchne hl.lmark alcha.

i don't know where it is on the dial. ambush fridays. an

as governor, he cut waste got rid of the mansion and the limo budgets were balanced. $4 billion in tax cuts. world class schools and universities. clean energy promoted. 1.9 million new jobs created. california was working. i'm jerry brown. california needs major changes. we have to live within our means; we have to return power and decision making to the local level-closer to the people and no new taxes without voter approval. jerry brown the knowledge and know-how to get california working again.