anabsolutely beautiful morning as we watch the sunrise looking from san francisco become over to the east bay. there is the bay bridge. warm in spot this is morning. 73 degrees in san francisco and 70 in san mateo and 66 in oakland. the highs will make it once again into the above 100 degree mark. we tied or broke seven roars yesterday. thankfully it starts to cool down tomorrow and back to normal by the end of the week. >> and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you very much. new york mayor michael bloomberg turned some heads as he addressed the education nation summit being put on here in new

york by nbc news. he says he plans to put teachers to task and make them earn their tenure. i want to get to education in just a second, but first let's talk politics, both the president and the vice president are out there trying to galvanize the youth vote that helped them get elected in 2008. but 25% of young voters are certain they'll go to vote. is his strategy likely to pay off in the long run? >> it's disappointing the number of people that turn out in elections. >> don't the democrats need it? >> i think the democrats need to explain why they should be carrying on and republicans have to explain why they should be given the opportunity to do it. the public is frustrated, no question about that. we have too many people who have lost their jobs, lost their houses, the public doesn't have

confidence in the future, the first time they think maybe their children won't have a better life than they did and that's the president's job to go out there and explain why his policies need time. nothing's done overnight, and i'm sympathetic to him, he can't overnight wave a imagine i believe wand and fix the economy. >> some of the candidates represent a moderate point of view, be they moderate, republican or independents. he has some competition in the tea party that's really trying to energize the conservative base. how do you account for the fact that these candidates seem to have real staying power right now? >> there's always a group of people that are not happy with either of the choices and they want to create a third choice, you saw that when ross perot became fashionable, you saw that, john mccain, eight years before he finally ran, there was a boom for him.

but i think the tea party isn't a conservative or a liberal group, it's a group that says i don't like the way things are going, let's try something else, so both sides of the aisle, incumbents are in trouble here, republicans as well as democrats have a problem that have been in office and haven't produced the change that people want. >> can some of them win? >> anger is not a governing strategy. both sides of the aisle have to come together to compromise to pass legislation that the country needs, whether it's funding our armies or helping education that we're going to talk about here and i think you'll see that happen, during the campaign, people go to the extremes once you get into office, you can't govern from extremes. >> you said there would be no automatic tenure for teachers here in new york city. you said there's no business in

america that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions and that's exactly what happens in our school system across the country, it is wrong, it must stop and in new york city, i promise you it will stop. what makes you so sure -- >> you've got to start out and remember that we have 80,000 teachers in the new york city public school system and i think that's probably the best collection anybody's ever put together, is every one of those 80 perfect? of course not. in the past, less than 1% have been denied tenure, that's not a ratio that you can have, you have to understand some of these teachers need remedial help, and even if you give them the help, some of them aren't going to be able to do the job we need for our children. if our kids don't get a good education, they can't get jobs. we have put together -- but there's still a lot of new york

kids who wen they get out of school don't have the skills to get jobs in a technological global world and one of the things we're doing in cooperation with ibm, we're going to create a school this year, 400 to 600 students, they'll go from ninth grade to grade 14 and then ibm has guaranteed them a job if they pass all the course work. >> just to get to that tenure issue, the head of the teacher's union here in the city has said that the -- bad teachers are allowed to stay in place, it's the city's fault, not the union's fault. >> i'm not blaming the union, i think we have too much blame. the issue is getting something done and whether in the past we could have been more aggressive in not denying tenure, it's water over the dam or under the bridge, however you phrase it. it is going forward, this system has to be run for the kids, not for the people that work in it and that's the same thing in your job, if you don't perform,

i'm sorry, you're going to be out of here. >> don't bring me up. you didn't have to do that. >> the reason you have your job is because you produce results for this network. and we want our teachers to produce results for our children. and in fact, most of them, the vast bulk of them do produce great results, we have attracted an amazing group of teachers from around the country, those who aren't doing the job, we want to help and see if we can make them good, and if they can't, i'm sorry, they have to get a new career. >> randy wine garten is the president of the american federation of teachers, one of the two teacher teachers -- t says no more automatic tenure, if we want to get rid of teachers who are mediocre or poor, we're going to get rid of them. and that's the way it should be across the country, do you gee with that? >> yes.

>> no disputes. >> i'm pleased that my successor in new york city said that he applauded the mayor for what he said yesterday. no one wants teachers to have automatic due process. there's a three-year period of probation for a reason. it's supposed to be because you know there's a big learning curve to be a teacher. i talked to teachers in new york city, it's a tough job. and the mayor is right, the overwhelming number of teachers in new york city do an amazing job, but there needs to be a balance in terms of us doing a better job in terms of evaluating teachers, also management doing a better job in terms of saying let's help train teachers up and if they can't do the job, don't let them have automatic tenure. >> there's a new movie out called "waiting for superman" it wa paints a dismal picture of education in this country. teachers unions are set up to protect their members to the

detriment of learning, why is that an unfair assessment. >> i could go through it factually, i don't want to do that. this is what i was concerned about about that movie. there are thousands of public schools in the united states of america that do a great job. should we all be doing a better job? absolutely, yes. i saw your interview with the president yesterday, matt, i agreed with everything the president said, we all have to do a better job, the mayor is right, the global economy is really different. schooling is different today than when you and i went to school. the thinking skills are things that all kids need right now. the bottom line is, we need to have a better preparation process for teachers like they do in finland and singapore, we also need to be more responsible about evaluation of teachers which is why the aft has come up with new evaluations. >> when you say more responsible with evaluation and then what to do after the evaluation takes

place, if the mayor says 99% of teachers get tenure, it can't work that way. if the city of new york has 8 80,000 public schoolteachers and last year only managed to fire three or four of them, that can't be right either. >> the mayor says this is all of our problems, because management has to manage, but the bottom line is this, the reason we need better evaluation systems is because everybody uses tenure as an excuse. i heard a story this week that was unbelievable to me. some principal got up to me and said i couldn't fire a teacher who taught for only two days a week because of tenure. that's ridiculous. >> it's a system gone mad. >> what i'm saying is let's create, we recommended in january, let's create new evaluation systems that focus on continuous improvement and also teacher performance. if teachers can't be helped, we

have to do something to weed them out of the system. the union just wants people to if teachers can't be helped, we have to do something to weed them out of the system. the union just wants people to be treated fairly and protected against arbitrary measures. 50 districts are doing that together with their unions. the bottom line is we also can't do it all. we need common standards with this new curriculum and need to help kids who have unmet needs. >> i had a long conversation with the reverend jesse jackson after our interview with president obama yesterday. also have to remember you can't only point the issue at teachers. there is issues with poverty and lack of nutrition, families that aren't together, parents that aren't involved. there's a lot of blame to go around. >> we want to trump that. that's why we keep pushing for wrap-around services. we have to help all parents, regardless if they're engaged.

>> if the parents aren't gnld, it makes the teacher even more important. that's why having good teachers in the classrooms so important. >> not of us can tolerate bad teachers, but there's not a bad teacher epidemic in this country. ultimately what's happening is that all those good teachers in this country, teachers who every day work their hearts out for kids, who are in school early and out of school late, they take money from their pockets to help with school supplies. let's root them on, because they need to be rooted on by americans. >> thanks for being here this morning. it's 19 minutes after the hour. here's meredith. >> there is a shift of power taking place in north korea. kim jong-il has appointed his youngest son as a military general. ian williams has more details. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. kim jong-il, north korea's ailing leader, has begun the

process of handing control of that impoverished country to his younger son, appointing to a military position to his son is seen as this first step to power. this is thought to be the only known photograph of kim jong-un taken when he was about 11. he's now about 28, though nobody knows for sure. the appointment of kim jong-il's youngest son was announced ahead of a workers party meeting in pyongyang today, the biggest in more than 30 years. few here, let alone outside the country, know anything about the man slated to take this nuclear armed communist dynasty into the new century. >> we don't know what he looks like, his personality. he does have two older brothers. but it's said he is most like his father, which probably is not very good news for the

world. >> reporter: his father, known in the north as the deer leader, is thought to not have much longer to live. in seoul, the news came as no surprise to defectors, who is one of the few sources of outside on information. like father, like son, said this man, who fled ten years ago. another defector who didn't want his face shown because he still has family in the north expects the repression to get worse as the young kim builds his power. it's always taken a lot of guesswork trying to figure out precisely what's going on in north korea. uncertainty over the health of kim jong-il has already led to rising tensions along this, the world's most fortified border. in march, the north was blamed after the torpedoing of a south korean patrol boat. this continued international anxiety over the north's nuclear weapons and missile programs.

its economy remains in dire straits, made worse by recent flooding. analysts warn that the inexperienced kim made face opposition from factions in the army, especially if his father dies before he can build a power base. for that reason, a takeover by the junior kim may not be a done deal and we see further instability in this region. >> thank you very much. just ahead, lindsay lohan on her way back to rehab? the latest on w ah, focus group. so what are we testing here?

that's our new pastrami grilled sandwich. oh, great. hey, are they happy we got rid of the rye bread? totally. they love our grilled artisan bread. they say it's the perfect compliment to the classic hot pastrami, melting cheese, deli mustard and pickles. awesome. hey, um what are we testing in that room? oh! nothing we were just hazin' the intern. judd just ahead, stink bug invasion across the country. >> collin bauer just reunited with liz boys for the first time in more than a year, he'll tell us about that meeting in an

exclusive live interview after your local news and weather. i drive a 2007 camry. i was expecting the 2005 camry, and my sister got it. i was driving the '94 toyota camry, and my dad surprised me with a 2005 toyota camry. [ julie sighs ] i drove all of them, but i drive the 2009. [ interviewer ] why camry? reliability. yeah. affordability. [ male announcer ] share your toyota story on facebook.com/toyota.

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. good tuesday morning. 7:26 and we will check had with mike with word of a structure fire affecting the commute. >> san leandro and part of the construction as well as activity. 880 right there. you see the slowing approaching the bridge. that is standard. local traffic control there. we don't have details about the structure, but chp is off of 880 near the bart tracks. you may find slowing just now and i will check that as well. the bay bridge with the back up

past west grand avenue. lock at the beautiful shot. it looks warm there. >> that's right. only going to get hotter. hoping for reand it's not going to happen. 66 degrees in oakland and 73 in san francisco. here are the forecast highs. yesterday we tied or broke seven records in the bay area thanks to all the heat. we will see more heat today. the only relief along the area beaches. stick around. in less than a minute we have local news with laura. [ ruiz ] reliable tools started as a brick and mortar store.

we sell lathes, mills, high-tech equipment. i had an idea to go ahead and put up a couple of items on ebay, and they brought more than our expectations. meg whitman gave me the tools to expand globally. we sell to australia, india... that big blue machine over there? it's going to malaysia on wednesday. with ebay, she created jobs for millions of people. with meg's creativity, she'll be able to create jobs here in california. i'm mariano ruiz and i'm a meg whitman success story.

a 6-year-old girl is injured after a drive-by shooting as she was sleeping. they found bullets lodged in her pillow. it happened near seminary avenue around 2:15 this morning. someone who lives in the house said the bullets hit the girl's pillow first. she was hit in the arm and side and luckily she is expected to be okay. police have not made an arrest. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. [ male announcer ] barbara boxer. she fought to get our veterans the first full combat care center in california. her after school law is keeping a million kids off the street and out of gangs. and she's fighting every day to create new jobs. i'm working to make california the leader in clean energy. to jump-start our small businesses with tax credits and loans

to create thousands more california jobs. i'm barbara boxer, and i approve this message... because i want to see the words made in america again. 7:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 28th day of september, 2010. you know we need to give gold stars to all these people out there who have been standing out there for a couple of hours in the rain and drizzle. inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer, alongside meredith viera. we'll have new details on a father's desperate attempts to bring his young sons home after they were take on the egypt by his ex-wife. come listen bauer just returned from egypt where he actually saw his sons for the first time in more than a year, but it was not

the happy reunion he was hoping for. also ahead, a new infestation that will make your skin crawl, bed bugs are not the only critter to worry about. stink bugs are now invading homes and ruining crops. what you should do if you spot one in your home. education nation, al goes back to elementary school to find out what one school is doing to keep kids from falling through the cracks. and we begin this half hour with the latest on lindsay lohan and a possible return to rehab. >> reporter: when you're talking about rehab, most experts say e relapse like lindsay's are just a part of rehab. over the weekend, it was lindsay the do gooder, she was photographed visiting with

homeless teens at a shelter in los angeles and studying up on a script on the roof of her friend's condo. they are the latest images of the troubled starlet who says she's trying to get her act together in the wake of falling off the wagon. she failed a drug test two weeks ago, a violation of her dui related probation. she'll be facing a judge next month who could revoke her bail and send her right back to jail. >> jail's not therapeutic, it's not designed to be therapeutic. >> anything beyond a 12-step program is purely voluntary, a sign that maybe, finally, this time lohan may be scared straight. >> hopefully she understands that she's behaving like an

addict, she's talking like she's recognizing that, that could be a big turning point for her. >> reporter: any attempt to take her condition seriously will go over with the court. but that still won't erase what she's already done. >> going into rehab doesn't change the fact that she's still violated her probation, she won't get any leniency from the judge, but as a pure and strict legal matter, nothing has really changed. >> reporter: except perhaps the public perception that she's trying. she's already been through a handful of rehabs, four in all, the last one was court ordered, she was released after about three weeks but sources say it was never intended to be a long-term care facility, it was only meant to get her on the road to recovery. >> "today's" weather is bra ugt to you by chevy, every model is

backed by a 100,000 mile/five-year power train limited warranty. >> there's showers around, you're 13 years old "today"? >> yeah. >> what is your name? >> alyssa? >> where are you from? >> washington. >> are you cutting school "today." >> yeah. >> oh, no, it's a field trip, yeah, that's what it is, an educational field trip. yeah. let's check your weather, see what's going on. jet stream right now, there's a trough of low pressure here in the east and that's going to pick up that tropical system down in the gulf, bring it along the coast, that's why we have got all that heat out west. big area of high pressure dominating and that's why they have got the heat and it's going to continue right through thursday, the heavy rain is going to be up and down the eastern seaboard, thursday right on into

>> and don't forget, you can check your weather any time of the day or night, go to weather channel on cable or weather.com online. there's new developments in a child custody case, a massachusetts man is fighting to bring his sons home after they were allegedly kidnapped and taken to egypt by his ex-wife. in a moment we'll talk to that dad. but first jeff rossen has all the latest details. >> collin bauer is just back

from ejicht, he was finally able to see his two little boys for the first time in over a year. they were abducted by their own mother and smuggled overseas according to officials with fake passports, egypt won't give them back, so u.s. officials got involved at the highest levels and set up this emotional visit. >> obviously i'm very anxious because i don't know what to expect. >> reporter: it's reunion stay for collin bauer and he's invited us along in cairo. collin is about to see his two boys, 7-year-old ramsey and 9-year-old nur. it's been 13 months since he last saw them and hugged them and kissed them. >> the thought of actually seeing my children, it's almost an incredible thing to me at this point because i've been promised it and i have looked forward to it for so long, it seems almost unreal. >> reporter: this american dad has -- desperate to reach them,

he makes facebook videos. >> dadly loves you and daddy will always love you. >> collin and his wife got divorced? boston in 2008, collin won sole custody, but last summer, he says, his ex-wife took the kids, forged their passports and snuck them into their native egypt. an international arrest warrant has been issued, her face plastered on the interpol website. but egypt hasn't cooperated allowing her to live in hiding with the boys. earlier this month, collin pled for help here on "today." >> i have no idea where they are, nobody has told me where they are and i have been told that the egyptian government knowing where they are. >> reporter: but the egyptian government hasn't told you? >> no. >> hillary clinton got personally involved is, and spoke to mubarak at a meeting in

cairo. finally collin could see his boys. our cameras weren't allowed in, but hours later when collin walked out, he was in tears. >> the boys came in and they sat next to their two uncles and hung their head and stayed pretty much away from me. it was very, very sad. very, very sad. >> collin believes the kids have been brainwashed to hate him and life in america. it hurt, badly. >> i tried to explain to them, both their parents love them. a it was a start. it was a first meeting.

and they're my two beautiful boys. so that's what happened. >> reporter: so much pain, yet collin never gives up so the question becomes where does he go from here? collin just sent this letter to egyptian officials calling for the immediate release of his sons calling it a humanitarian matter. >> all right, jeff rosin, thanks very much. collin bauer is with us exclusively this morning along with his attorney. let me go back to this meeting, collin, it's heart breaking to watch your reaction to it. when the boys first walkeded into the room and saw you, was there any glimpse of that kind of warm feeling that you had

been hoping for 13 months? >> they completely circumvented me, i was down on one knee, i was looking for an embrace, i was looking for any sort of connection that i could make with them after 13 months and they completely avoided me. >> you can only assume they have been talked to for an awfully long time and i don't know what's been going on in egypt with their mother and them, but you can only assume they wouldn't react this way unless they have been told certain things for a long period of time, is it akin to brainwashing in your opinion? >> it's clearly child abuse is what it is, they have been kidnapped, they were clearly told what to say. they were told they were going to be watched and they were going to be held accountable for what they did in the meeting after the meeting. >> you talked to them about friends back home, you talked to them about everything they're doing in their daily lives and at any point did the veneer crack at all? >> no, it didn't. >> you said it's the first

meeting, how are you going to emotionally go through more meetings like that if things don't change? >> i won't go through another meeting like that, it is emotional abuse against my children, my boys to sit in a meeting like that, where there's an entourage on one side and they're willing threatened. >> if you say to people i'm not going to go through meetings like that, they're going to go to the boys and say we're nyour doesn't want anymore meetings. >> i have the right to see these boys without supervision. >> have you egyptians led you to believe that you're closer to that day that you can have a meeting with your boys and not have the egyptian uncles there? >> i know you're trying a different tact here, you're trying to charge his ex-wife

with passport fraud. so bring her back here to the united states, what's likelihood that that could be successful? >> if government officials do their job, the kids could be back here within weeks. passport fraud is a crime and extortion is a crime. when she asks for money for collin to see his kids. >> you actually saw her in that room? >> yes, i did. >> what was that like? >> it was a very serious mood in the room. they made several demands. >> demands such as? >> demands for money, they made demands for no more media, they wanted to basically tie visitation to media and media was the only way i was able to see my children after 13 months and they gave me visitation that i have already been granted by the egyptian courts so they

offered me something for nothing. >> if the egyptian courts side with you and you are in fact given custody of your sons back, have you thought about the possibility that they come back to you with that same emotion that you saw in that meeting room? >> i think that would be something that would be -- that could be dealt with quite quickly. i have spoken with a number of child therapists, those boys are coping, they're doing their best to survive within the environment that they're currently inhabiting and i think they need to continue to cope. >> we'll follow this story right through to its conclusion and we appreciate you coming in and sharing your experiences. it is now 7:43, we're going to be back with much more on this tuesday morning right after this. [ female announcer ] your hands are only as clean

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can help you take the first step. vote, volunteer, or donate for the causes you believe in at membersproject.com. take charge of making a difference. get up, get moving. subway has breakfast. and it's a slam dunk. i like my breakfast sandwich with green peppers, onion, banana peppers and mustard. i like eggs with black forest ham on wheat. with everything. i like a little kick. that's a good call. i like mine with egg whites. and... a napkin. [ male announcer ] have you built your better breakfast? now's the time! try our better-for-you western egg white muffin melt or the dee-licious double bacon egg and cheese on toasty flatbread. subway. build your better breakfast. mplgs. we are back at 7:46, if you have had your fill of bed bugs, there's another bug causing quite a stink across the country as well.

good morning to you. >> this is kind of one of those nobody likes to talk about. the subject because we're talking about stink bugs. and these critters are popping up faster than anybody can stop them. >> reporter: if bed bugs were the skin crawling talk of the summer, the new critter to crawl in this fall is the stink bug. they don't call them stink bugs for nothing. >> the odor of a stink bug is not a pleasant one and thus the name. most people equate it with the smell of stinky socks. >> stink bugs reproduce quigley. they showed up in the u.s. more than 10 years ago and without an effective natural predator, they keep coming back, this year at alarming levels. >> it really is becoming a national problem. >> reporter: mid-atlantic states

from new jersey to virginia are seeing the biggest problems with stink bugs, but the bugs have been spotted as far west as california and as far south as florida. why are they pestering us now? it's all about the change in season and the dropping of temperature. >> what they want to do is find a place to chill out for the winter, they're coming in for refuge, they'll invade your attic, they'll get under the siding. >> they stink a lot. >> it's terrifying, the noise is tremendous, the smell is atrocious. >> even the ceo of a pest control company can't shake them from his home in lowell, maryland. >> in the last 15 days i have been seeing 15, 20, at least stink bugs on the outside of the house and four or five on the inside just about every day. >> and farmers can't protect their crops either. >> our poor fruit growers here in the mid-atlantic region are

getting crushed by stink bugs on apples, on peaches, on nectar reigns. >> stink bugs don't bite. >> people are little grossed out by seeing them but they do not transmit any disease, they are not harmful to any of us in our homes. >> experts say caulking and sealing your house will help. some homeowners have gotten creative. >> my cat actually eats them. >> if a homeowner is having a true infestation of stink bugs in their home, b experts say yes, you can contact your local exterminator but members of congress are actually talking about whether they should be going to the epa to get some sort of pesticide to fight back.

you don't have them? >> i don't have them, but i have boys so i don't know if it's their stench or the bugs. >> do you have them? >> yes, my wife walks around with a vacuum cleaner trying to get these little stinkers. >> to learn more about stink bugs and how to deal with them, head to our website todayshow.com. just ahead, al heads utenchem sryl,oo b elementa frychooirl,ut first these messages. hey guys. jennifer hudson here. when it came to losing weight before weight watchers,

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just ahead, the owner of segway dies after accidentally driving one of his company's vehicles off a cliff. plus what it truly means to vehicles off a cliff. i was driving in northernto california. my son was asleep. i really didn't see it coming. i didn't realize i was drifting into the other lane. [ kim ] i was literally falling asleep at the wheel. it got my attention, telling me that i wasn't paying attention. i had no idea the guy in front of me had stopped short. but my car did. my car did. thankfully, my mercedes did. [ male announcer ] a world you can't predict... demands a car you can trust. the e-class. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for excertional offers through mercedes-benz financial. ♪ . .

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>> per good morning. it is 7:56 and i'm laura garcia cannon. let's check the commute with mike. >> the express lane where there is an accident with further slowing. an accident it is to south with the express lane and the clearing was happening. let's look at the slow down from the scene of the accident. highway 84 ought will way back towards the interchange. 580 not great, but it's moving coming through livermore and a live look as well. that's our last shot. warmer areas for the bay area. >> yes. what you get this morning, we are starting off fairly warm. 70 in san mateo. 65 in livermore.

these are the forecast highs. a lost records and tied a lot of records and seven across it is area. santa rosa reached 101. concord 102 and los gettos 102. a bit of a sea breeze will creep in, but otherwise very hot weather expected again today with low air quality. in less than one minute, laura has more local news and i'll give you a free quote. come on in, quote and compare in about 8 minutes. now, that's progressive. call or click today.

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>> per congresswoman will propose to strengthen pipeline regulations. homeowners will be notified if they live within 2,000 feet of a gas line. they are all equipped with shut off valves. after the september 9th disaster, it took pg&e two hours to manually turn off the gas. if the process was quicker, there would have been less damage. i will have another local news update in about 30 minutes. wonderful crowd.

i'm meredith vieira along side matt lauer and al roker. matt has more on our education nation series. >> that's right. i visited an elementary school, actually, out on the west coast where the emphasis is actually on teamwork to give kids a brighter future. we say teamwork. parents, teachers, school add mores, everybody. >> community approach. >> yes. also ahead, a tragic story.

segways, what are they? >> human transport. >> the guy who owned the company actually died when he accidentally drove one of those things off a cliff. we'll have more on that story coming up. >> okay. and there's a new book in which she writes about life with her father and what makes certain people funny. it's always a delight to have her here. >> we look forward to that. let's go inside, though. we have ann curry standing by. she has a check of all the headlines. >> good morning, once again, everybody, in the news. an emergency official in wisconsin says a damaged levy is in bad shape. he is cautiously optimistic. it will continue to hold back the floodwaters. this after some heavy rain caused the wisconsin river to crest at a record level on monday, more than 20.5 feet. it's still spilling over its banks and some 300 people in and around portage have been evacuated. in northwestern columbia a

devastating mudslide has rescuers looking for some 20 victims this morning. the mudslide buried people, homes, and cars on a mountain road. the white house could soon be looking for a new chief of staff. sources closes to rahm emanuel say that he is nearing a decision on leaving washington, and it's widely expected he will run for mayor of chicago. an announcement could come by friday. amid the growing insurgency in afghanistan, this morning an emotional speech from president hamid karzai, fighting back tears. he called on people in afghanistan to denounce violence and come to their senses or risk a generation that loses its afghan identity. the cia is stepping up drone attacks in pakistan in an effort to cripple the taliban. according to the "new york times", the cia has launched 20 attacks in september, the most ever during a single month. the obama administration has launched four times more attacks in 2009 and 2010 than incurred

during the final year of the bush administration. and, finally, now a sign of the times. the irs says it will stop mailing tax forms out next year because so many people file electronically. the irs hopes the move will save about $10 million a year. it is now 8:02. let's get another check of the weather from al, who is outside. hey, al. >> all right. thank you very much, ann. we have a birthday lady here. what's your name. >> jen. >> where are you from? >> from new jersey outside atlantic city. >> all right. >> work at stockton college. hi, stockton. >> got a little plug in there for the college. very nicely done. a little extra something in your paycheck this week. let's check your weather and see what's going on. big city today, denver, colorado, 9 news, sunny and hot. 91 degrees. toasut owest. ut we look at the rest of the country, you can see most of the action is in the east. we've got a lot of moisture streaming up. we've got a tropical disturbance around the western caribbean. that's going to make its way up the coast bringing even more rain. record highs will continue out west as the rockies, the plains,

into the southwest, southern california, some clouds in the pacific northwest. risk of some strong storms from the mid-atlantic states up into the northeast with a lot of heavy rain and there's more coming tomorrow on into friday. that's what's going looking ahead, we will see a cooldown coming our way. a slow cooldown, but at least it's on the way. zeerchlg and that's your latest weather. matt. >> all right, al. thank you very much. this nice young lady behind said you're right in front of me here. when we come back, al's trip back to elementary school right after these messages. to elementary school right after

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education nation "today" is education nation today is brought to you by university of phoenix. an educated world is a better world. we're back at 8:08 with more of our special series "education nation." today where each of us will take you back to a school, and this morning al takes us back to elementary school. >> that's right, matt. i visited an elementary school in california where teachers, administrators and parents work together as a team making sure each child is getting the best education possible. >> basically we're looking at pr pre-columbian native american tribes. >> 10-year-old adam is eager to participate. >> who can tell me in group one or six what type of food we're looking at? >> corn. >> reporter: it hasn't always been this easy for adam. he struggled in kindergarten and

first grade and scored poorly in mandatory testing in second grade. that's when adam's parents started working with his teacher to get him back onç the right track. >> she asked do you mind if i pull him after school and i'll work with him? i said, of course. >> the teachers collaborate with parents. they collaborate with me. they collaborate with each other. >> reporter: melissa kister is the principal. like many schools across the nation, jefferson's average class size has expanded dramatically in the last sen years, from 20 students per teacher to 32 in the fourth and fifth grade classes. that's why kistler emphasizes teamwork among her parents and teachers to make sure no child is left behind academically, socially, or mentally. >> we have a strong academic standard here, but we know that without the relationship piece

and the caring piece that we have that that doesn't necessarily go together all the time. we have those two coming together, you have something really wonderful. >> what thomas jefferson school like? is it a good school? >> it's a really good school. >> why do you think? >> because i got to meet a lot of kids, and i got to hang out with them, and they became my friends. >> reporter: my fourth grade adam was making friends and raising his test scores, but a piece of the puzzle was still missing. >> what makes a great day for you? >> reporter: when anna first met adam in fourth grade, she recognized his potential, but also suggested psychological testing to look for any other issues that might be holding him back. >> we figured out that adam had adhd. >> after doing a lot of research, adam's parents put adam on medication to help him stay focused. mrs. mowen made it clear to adam that the medication was only a tool, but not the answer to his problems. >> the motivation has to come

from within. adam has that motivation from within. >> reporter: today adam breezes through his homework assignments. >> we got the test scores. >> reporter: and his hard work is paying off. >> basic to advanced and from low proficient in english. he is doing really good. >> phenomenal. are you kidding me? >> for fourth grade. >> it was a huge validation that is he doing so well, and we're so proud of him. you have no idea. >> reporter: now when julie drops adam off at school, it's a lot easier to let go. >> have a good day, okay? >> good-bye, mom. >> adam is walking tall on his own. >> what's his potential? >> he can go anywhere he wants, and he can be anything that he wants to be. being he is that kind of kid. >> we have a great school year, bud. >> all right, adam. >> and there are a lot of bright kids like adam with a lot of potential who fall through the

cracks of the educational system every day, and then they never get a chance to recover from a slow start. well, aem's parents and his teachers say the communication and teamwork are really the keys to the early success in elementary school. >> that's the thing that so many kids don't get the opportunity that adam did have. >> not enough people pay close attention to figure out what is going on with his education and figure out a remedy. >> that's right. >> i like what they said. medication is just a tool and not being a -- >> they recognize it. >> other teachers and other families and realize the potential of children that they may not have realized had greatness within them. >> i think that's the goal all this week really. to awaken all of us to that. >> thank you for that. up next we'll share some laugh with that girl, marlo thomas, and that is after this. >> that girl. ♪

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equals chili's $20 dinner for two. share one of five appetizers, like our famous texas cheese fries. then choose two freshly prepared entrees from 14 chili's favorites, like our chicken crispers with new sweet & smoky sauce, our new slow-smoked honey chipotle baby back ribs, or grilled all-white meat chicken fajitas served over a bed of sizzling peppers and onions. grab a friend and get one appetizer plus two entrees with chili's $20 dinner for two. back now at 8:17. marlow thomas has done many things in her life, a television

star, best selling author and activist, and one thing that's always been there, laughter. marlow thomas literally grew up laughing, her father danny thomas was one of the most celebrated comedians of his time. the thomas's hosted the biggest names in comedy at their dinner table in beverly hills. marlow's first tv acting break through was a sitcom "that girl." marlow later became an award winning actress on film, stage and screen. she also starred in "free to be you and me." a women's rights activist and wife of talk show legend phil donahue, marlow's passion is st. jude's children's research hospital. she shares her laughter with others on her website. >> marlow's new book is "growing

up laughing," the story of marlow thomas. you share this auto biography with about 20 or so comedians that we have all learned to love. why did you interview them for your book? >> i hadn't planned to i was writing about my own story and i was writing about my father who had an impoverished childhood. i realized that my childhood growing up with my dad and george burns and milton burl, and all those wonderful comedians, that was really my opening into comedy. i thought as i was writing this book, why did jerry seinfeld become funny, it turns out he had a very funny father who had a joke file. and it turned out that kathy griffin's father was funny. there's two common threads, one was they all had a funny person

in their family and none of them were the class clown. the class clown didn't end up well, he usually ended up in a motel shooting, which i thought was hilarious. but most of them were kind of observing everything and muttering under their breath as tina fey says. >> tell me about growing up in that household in beverly hills, you had people like bob hope, milton burl, george burns. >> they were wonderfulfully funny, terrifically generous to each other. i used to go out on blind dates, at around 11:30, i wanted to be home because i knew the guys would be in the living room, smoking cigars and telling jokes and it was completely irresistible to be with them and hang out with them. >> george burns, your dad didn't like the idea of you becoming an actress, george said something to your father that made a difference. what did he say to your dad. >> he said what do you want her

to be a millener? he also said to my dad, i feel sorry for anybody that isn't in showbiz and that was very revealing and very sweet, and all of them loved their craft. all of them talked about the craft of comedy. all of them talked about what it's like to hone that act and make it perfect. >> "this girl" was really your story about a single struggling actress trying to make it in new york city. it almost didn't make it on the air because research said it looked unfavorable. why do you think that is? >> i think the guys in suits that did the research didn't realize that "that girl" wasn't the fate of america. that every home in the world had "that girl" in it.

>> you met glorious stein ham who got you interested -- >> you know what i think it's all about? it's something that's happening in the country and not everybody gets it that's too far off the top. but the people below, the people really in the world on the screen, something happens underneath the earth almost and there was a movement going on in this country. gloria steinham was writing, i was doing a television show, none of us knew each other, but we all crossed this wave. and that's what i'm excited about now, with my website, marlowthomas.com. on aol. first of all, they have this huge audience of women and we really line up because we both want to inform and connect and entertain. but to connect, which is very exciting so i'm doing all these series, girls night out, interviewing people in the park and asking what their favorite joke is and who was funny in their life. so the book is helping me really

informing what i'm doing on my website and every day there's going to be a laugh of the day. there's so much craziness going on, you open the paper, we're in a depression or a recession, and all this stuff going on, it's lovely to have a laugh every day. >> the story of funny, growing up laughing. on a more serious note, the owner of that company who makes the segway vehicles was killed in an accident over the weekend that involved one of his company's motorized vehicles. >> reporter: the segue personal transporter called magic sneakers by its inventor and a pogo stick on wheels by its critics has made headlines again but for all the wrong reasons.

62-year-old jim hezleton plunged into the river. a tragic accident that was not supposed to happen on a segway, promoted as clean, quiet and safe. least of all to someone like hezzleton a self-made millionaire and a freakic ironic twist, he bought the new hampshire based company only months ago. friends remembered him as a kind, giving man. >> he did good things with his money. >> this latest incident raises yet more questions about the high-tech scooter that first appeared in the parks and bike lanes of america, a decade ago. with their electric batteries, speeds up to four times faster than walking, and gyroscopes to keep it in balance, but the ride has been anything but smooth.

president george w. bush to celebrity interview. even the next door neighbors have gone viral on youtube. and a four-year study of segway's safety just released this week, confirmed that injuries and broken bones and concussions are on the rise. >> one thing about this study is that these things aren't toys. >>. >> reporter: true, segways have helped the disabled to gain their -- the invention that some predicted would someday replace the automobile. and on a serious note, a statement by segway inc. says it stands by its product and mr. hezzleton would have wanted them to get back to work serving the tens of thousands of segway

owners who safely use the product every day. coming up, one of our favorite guests,here ad hereun good morning. it's 8:2 6. we have a look at traffic. >> 230 up towards downtown. what things are shaping up like. 880, heading up through the area. speeds 35 miles per hour on average. 580 off the warren thruway, highway 13, in the 30s as well and the call i cut tunnel, and the toll plaza, back of there, and we're seeing sunshine and very warm. >> at least we put a sunny ring on that big, huge backup. very warm this morning.

another hot afternoon expected inland and some of husband see the triple digits. same atlantic in northern marin county. cooling comes our way, starts tomorrow and goes through friday. forecast highs for today. 101 in santa roegssa. stick around. laura is back with your local news. greed. the wealthiest corporations. billions in profits and bonuses. and the sacramento politicians just gave these same corporations a new billion dollar handout...

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with four flashing incidents just this week. police arrested racindo sandoval on saturday night after he allegedly exposed himself on laguna avenue. a second slasher, described as a clean-shaven hispanic male 20 to 30 years old, 5'7". he was last season near truman school. another local news update in half an hour. "today" returns in less than a minute. have a great tuesday morning.

this is not a prison, it's a school and these kids aren't goc .o take itreny le e anyre. leret e revolution begin. the new series school pride. 8:30 8:30 now on a tuesday morning. it's the 28th day of september, 2010. it happens to be kind of a dreary one here in the northeast. we've had rain over the last 24 hours or so. it's stopped right now, but al says don't get your hopes up. we could be seeing more of it in the near future. >> that's right. >> that's right. that's all you have to say? that's right? >> that's what i want to leave it on.

>> save it for your big weathercast coming up. >> the eastern seaboard between now and friday. >> out on the plaza -- >> i love this. i love you. >> ought on the plaza here during wood stock week, i'm matt lauer, along with meredith vieira, ann curry, and, that's right, al roker. coming up, you have one of our favorite teachers. >> tony danza spent the last year teaching tenth grade english. he said it's the most challenging role of his career. there were times when he wanted to cry. one night after another he just didn't feel he could handle it. look at him. >> did you see how good he looks? i said, man, you look in great shape. he said i could go ten rounds right now. i would lose, but i could go ten rounds. >> also this morning inside our studio we have the lovely and incredibly talented star of "sbu" and she's talking about something very close to her heart, and i think it's important for all women to hear. >> absolutely. >> later on we're going to head

up to the kitchen. even though it's warm and muggy, we're getting ready for fall, of course, and we want to do a stick to your ribs kind of comfort food dish today. >> okay. believe it or not, 48 hours from now our wedding couple will be tying the knot live on the plaza. >> under a tent. >> yeah, i know. >> wow. that's not -- >> rain is supposed to be good luck. >> we get to pick their wedding cake. you can vote on-line or on our facebook page. you can also text your vote to 622639. pick the cake you like the best. i know which one i want. >> it will be wonderful. >> we've had rain before. >> by the way, can we take a second to say congratulations to one of our own. bob dodson and our producer won the emmy last night for the best -- for the outstanding feature story in a regularly scheduled newscast. you probably know this story. it was a moving profile of a 90-year-old greeter at wal-mart who fought in world war ii along

with his seven brothers. it's a great story. he is a great journalist. congratulations to bob, amanda, and david. job well done. >> congratulations. >> all right, mr. roker. another check on the weather. >> we're going to show you that we have a lot of wet weather to talk about over the next few days. a slight risk of strong storms o working up the coast. later today. then more rain comes up the coast tomorrow. record highs back to the plains into the southwest and back tomorrow. we've got more shower activity from the great lakes. i should say from florida all the way to the mid-atlantic states. warm weather out west. similar conditions in the southwest, and you just heard the crowd go, oh, and that's because matt is smacking each one of us on our bums. >> that's not true. >> did matt just smack me? >> yeah. >> turn around. >> he is going to smack you in the bum. that's what's going on around this morning, we are looking at sunshine, and a bit hazy out there. air quality not good again, and the heat is on.

forecasting highs to be in the triple digits in places like santa rosa, concord, liverore, fairfield and morgan hill, even los gatos. when will relegal come? tomorrow. thankfully, forecast highs into the upper 80s. until then, take it very easy today. because it's going to be hot with very low air quality. and that's your latest weather. you know, as part of education nation, r.i.m., the makeers of ç blackberry are helping us go green. they donated hundreds of blackberry torches to eliminate the need for paper schedules. they can communicate with each other from a special education nation app. david is one of r.i.m.'s makers. why did you do this? >> we're interested in the education program. it's very important to us, anyway, as a company, but the opportunity to actually show how you can go paperless and use this device to actually have all of the communications do the conference, everything.

like when the weather went bad yesterday, we could let everybody know. >> had to change the schedule. >> change the schedule. everybody saw it there and then. >> and what are some of the projects r.i.m. has going on to deal with the problems of education? >> well, we're working in a number of places. for instance, wilson lauriette university the business program, both staff and students are using blackberries. they use it for managing all of the work collaboration, generally helping new students into the environment, setting up the whole work program, et cetera, et cetera. you know? it's the focus of keeping everything working. >> thank you so much. >> thank you so much. take care. >> all right, al. thank you very much. when we come back, actor turned high school english teacher, tony danza. meredith will talk to him. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:37 with actor

and now teacher tony danza. you may know him best for his roles on "taxi" and back now at 8:37 with actor and teacher, tony danza has spent the last year teaching high school english at a school in philadelphia. >> would i want my daughter in my class? that's what i'm thinking. i know the parents have the same expectations i have for my kids. >> tony danza, good morning to you. that was very emotional scene right there and i know for a lot of this, it was an emotional experience for you. us it was an emotional experience for you. you did worry about whether you were doing a disservice to these kids,ç didn't you? >> incident >> and you studied to be a teacher originally? >> i wanted to be a teacher and i think a lot of us have the regrets that maybe we didn't do as well as we should have. i'm writing a book about it,

it's called i apologize to every teacher i ever had. my year at northeast high. when i got there and i was actually in it, i thought uh-oh, maybe i made a big mistake, not only let down the kids, made a fool out of myself, but the guts it takes to stroll in there and say you're going to be a teacher. >> how so? >> english, let's start there. i didn't know the curriculum, i had to learn the curriculum and you have to get out of your comfort zone. i mean we're performers. one of the great models meredith, and we should use this when we're talking about education and it's great that nbc is doing this. but one of the great models i had was a teacher watching me. i had a guy teaching me. when you're dying, when you're just dying.

and at first it bothered me-- >> in the beginning, you were having a really tough time as a teacher. >> all through, i just didn't -- >> we have a scene of you where you're speaking with the assistant principal. let's talk on the other side of it. >> i can't -- i really can't explain. >> just take a breath. i know how you feel, we have both been there. >> i'm sorry. i'm so embarrassed. >> don't be embarrassed. >> but i'm sort of -- i just wonder if i can even do this. >> you can do it, you can do it. you're not the first to feel this way and you won't be the last. >> i hope you don't think i cried through the whole thing. i cry more than most men, but not through the whole thing. >> what surprised you most about teaching?

>> the reward, the feeling you get. there's a great story about teaching, there's a big storm, and it blows all the star fish out on to the beach and then the clouds break, the sun comes out to bake the star fish and a guy comes along and sees all these star fish and starts picking them up and throwing them in the water. a guy comes along and said you're not going to be able to make a difference, he said i made a difference to that one. here's the other thing, i do have a bit of a regret about my own, you know, they didn't take it as seriously and i wanted to make sure the kids understand, especially now, because i'm worried about this. we have a million kids dropping out of school every year and they're our kids, they're not our kids, but they are our kids. i was trying to convince kids of that. i gave one detention the whole year.

i had a detention and i told the kid, how long do you think you're going to be in school? and she said, oh, forever. i said here's my life. you don't want to be out there and say i wish i had done something better. >> do you miss the kids? >> i feel like i betrayed them in a way. i got them to listen to me, i got them to listen to me and then i disappeared. all year i said i can do a whole year. it's no small feat. and you got "waiting for superman." we focus on the teachers a lot. there are bad teachers, but there's so many discouraged teachers, most of them leave between three to five years. the culture is crazy, but parents have to be involved. there's a lot of factors involved. and it's really hard to be there every day. >> thank you so much, appreciate

it. tony danza, again, teach premieres 9:00 eastern time on a & e. comfort foods for fall. but first this is "today" on nbc. comfort foods for fall. but first this is "today" on nbc.

back at 8:45, on today's kitchen, back to basics. comfort food with fall settling in, there is no better way to warm up. big daddy's house on the food network. aaron, nice to see you, good morning. >> we talked about comfort food as i walked into this kitchen, i could just start to salvate.

is it as much fun to cook comfort food as it is to sit down and eat it. >> people when they eat it, they're going to be relaxed eating. this is a rush job, we're going to take our time, get into the moment, think about some barry white playing in the back of our mind. >> what's your favorite barry white song? >> the whole album. >> bake me crazy, when you sit down and relax and eat this. >> you have a boneless chicken breast. you keep the skin on, why? >> i want it to have a nice little crispy texture to it. this is not fried chicken, it's baked in the oven, but it still has the skin on. >> skin side down? >> skin side down. i have got some salt, paprika, a little bit of salt, give it that crunchy skin, we don't want to overdo it.

>> you're almost making a rub here. >> it's just like a rub. it's one of those rubs you're going to make a lot of, you can use it for steak, chicken, fish. just lay it inside down, i have got some olive oil in the pan. >> you're going to cook this chicken twice, once in the pan, and once in the oven. >> i like to do it in the pan just to get that crispiness on the inside and make su-- outsid sure it's done on the inside. you just let it go on low, let it get nice and crispy and then we're going to flip it over. i have got some butter here, a little bit of shallots, chopped up. this is going to be like teragon gra gravy. >> when someone says what is that? it's got that unique aroma to

it. you got the house singing. a little bit of flower, a little bit of butter or oil. >> that's the texture you're looking for right there? >> a little bit of a pace. a little bit of that chicken stock there, comfort food means gravy sometimes to me. >> how long would you let this cook down? >> this is going to go four five minutes. i got it on a low heat, let it cook slow and low. while the chicken is in the oven. >> once you put this chicken in the oven, how long would you cook it in the oven, how do you know it's done? >> it should be very firm. let it rest so all the juices can settle and you don't have

like dry chicken or too much juice running out on your board. i want you to taste this, matt, this is the gravy. now try that. now try that after i add a little bit of sherry vinegar to it. >> what's the sherry vinegar going to do to it? >> it's going to make it pop. >> i like that, it's very different. so you're going to slice this? >> sliced chicken. get you a scoop of mashed potatoes. i got me some spicy broccoli there. and if this doesn't say comforted need on the plate, matt. >> you're cooking this, you're serving this, okay, barry white's gone, you're on to marvin gaye. >> you feel me, baby. >> aaron mccargo jr., thanks

very much. next we're going to catch up with s.v.u. ah, focus group. so what are we testing here? that's our new pastrami grilled sandwich. oh, great. hey, are they happy we got rid of the rye bread? totally. they love our grilled artisan bread. they say it's the perfect compliment to the classic hot pastrami, melting cheese, deli mustard and pickles. awesome. hey, um what are we testing in that room? oh! nothing we were just hazin' the intern.

[ female announcer ] there's only one you. that's why sutter health created thedoctorforyou.com, where you can find a doctor based on criteria important to you. and because it's sutter health, you can choose a doctor from some of the most respected medical groups and hospitals in northern california. find your doctor today at thedoctorforyou.com. sutter health. with you. for life. law and order special victims unit just kicked off it's 12th season here on nbc. jennifer love hewitt co-stars as

a rape victim so terrorized. she's afraid to be in her own home. >> addresses in midtown. >> there's no phone, there's no record of a vickie sayers in the tri-state. >> she's brought los angeles a special guest who we're going to talk to in just a moment. just a reaction, 12 years. that's something? >> that's something, it's definitely something. and i have to say this year has obviously been a marker in my life. but i'm very, very happy to be back and i think especially because we had such a strong year, it seems after 12 years, where do you go? and yet this year, i thought hands down, we had the strongest season opener and the show that i'm here to talk about -- >> this is an issue that you care greatly about. >> i care greatly, but it's one of the best performances we have

had on s.v.u. >> it's one of the best performances, but it's staggering the backup of rape kits in the u.s. >> one would assume that if a woman is violated and raped and actually goes through a four to six hour often times retraumatizing experience to get dna evidence collected, that obviously the police would test it. obviously how are we going to find the perpetrator. and then to find out that the there's hundreds of thousands of them sitting in crime labs across the country. >> the joyful heart foundation respondsed to some letters that you personally received. what did they say? >> being an actor on a show and coming off e.r., the normal fan mail is hey i love your show, send me an autographed picture. but now i have mail from women

who have been through rape and trauma and there was a common thread between the e-mails, you heard the words pain and isolate, but courage obviously, that somebody had the courage to come forward. so the fact that these women were disclosing these stories to someone who's an actor on television inspired me to do something about it. >> how is the foundation helping to end the rape kit backlog? >> the good news about the rape kit backlog is that it's a problem that can be fixed, places like los angeles, new york city, they have had backlogs and they worked to eliminate them or they're close to eliminating them, you've got great law enforcement, sort of a justice group, survivors all coming together to try to end this backlog, i think because you know what this backlog means to victims, the fact is that the message that we're sending to victims by not testing kits is their cases don't matter. >> also when these kits are tested, people are -- they find

the perpetrators. >> the number one way. >> these kits have huge investigative potential, there's so many things you can learn from testing these kits and i think it's a way to bring some justice to victims and a way to bring some healing to them to say what you went through was not in vain, we care about your case and your case matters and it also sends a message to perpetrators that they can't get away with this crime. >> and police send the message to perpetrators that it's okay, what are we saying by not testing them. >> absolutely that you can get away with it. thank you for bringing attention to it. thank you for joining us. you can catch law and order ors central time here on nbc. we're back of your local news. "today's" wedding, a sweet surprise for melissa and jeremy. vote by 1:00 p.m. "today."

dreams come true on "today's" ♪ [ 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. good morning to you. 8:56 right now. and we have a look at our morning commute. >> easy start to the commute and bam, things got slow down here. northbound 101 and city la cruz. things getting worse there. northbound 280. an accident there. good backup, all the way over to

680 southbound. and camden at camden avenue, and despite that, 851 actually looking a lot better than it has the last six work days. southbound 101 out of san mateo, really jamming up. usually spot around marsh, and 880 slow around the bridges and past the coliseum, slow around high street and a little better toward downtown oakland. more news after this. promise me low prices.

and stick to it. like seriously low prices. [ male announcer ] at safeway, we made a promise of low prices. and we're keeping it. [ female announcer ] with club card specials like beef cross rib roast, just $1.99 a pound and crystal geyser water only $3.99. i need to know that when i'm here, the low prices will be too. monday, tuesday, everyday. i'm a big fan of everyday. [ male announcer ] and with thousands of everyday low prices, you'll save all over the store. [ female announcer ] low prices you can count on. at safeway, that's our promise. that's ingredients for life. state lawmakers and the governor will pick up budget negotiations today. governor schwarzenegger and democratic lawmakers are still struggling to end that stalemate and make long-term reforms. they reported progress after negotiations last night, last

thursday, lawmakers announced they have a framework fto e eliminate the budget deficit. more in a half hour. this week, nbc is launching a special initiative calling education nation. an effort to help americans build the finest education system in the world. i'm suzanne shaw, editorial director. as critics challenge our schools and teachers to do better, we encourage parents to do better. we parents are the primary role models for children. their first teachers. nbc bay area believes what happens in the home sets the tone. guidelines from california's top teacher and parent organizations encourage families to show a genuine interest in what's being taught. discuss ideas, problems, and consequences. agree on a schedule for homework and quiet time.

show enthusiasm for our children's efforts, and meet with their teachers. that's a start to learn more about education nation and connect with schools in your area, visit our editorial page at nbc edia we're back now on a tuesday morning, the 28th of september, 2010. rains have stopped temporarily out on the plaza. good news for all these nice people who have joined us on this tuesday morning. we thank them. inside the studio, i'm matt lauer along with al roker. she'll share the secrets of a healthy diet plan that may actually reduce your risk of colon cancer, that's coming up. now stress can mess with your head, sometimes can it

cloud your thinking, but other times it can actually give you the sharpness you need. and would you believe gender makes a difference. we're going to check out the latest research and give you some tips on improving your memory. and as part of our education initiative, we're going to be teaming parents with our experts about handling your children's problems in school. what you can do differently from advocating for your child to understanding what guidance counselors can and can't do for your children. you also have the headlines of the morning. >> i do, and in the news this morning, today emergency workers are keeping a close watch on a l levee in wisconsin. officials say it will be at least one more day until the record water level drops. in los angeles, the problem is record heat. 113 degrees on monday. the hottest temperatures since

recordkeeping began in 1877. the demand for electricity also hit a new high there. triple digits are expected in some parts of the city again "today." iran for the first time is suggesting that oman is playing a role in trying to secure the release of american hikers shane bauer and josh fattal held prisoner for more than a year now. one report says the delegation plans to visit iran and hopes to win their freedom. oman helped to secure the release of american sarah shourd two weeks ago. the government is now calling -- george lewis has more now. >> reporter: the ads make pomegranate juice sound almost miraculous, that it can prevent or reverse anything from erectile dysfunction to heart problems. linda resnik who owns the company with her husband on martha stewart's tv show a

couple of years ago. >> it was the magic elixir of our age and of all ages and we know that it helps circulation, it helps alzheimer's and if you know a man that you care about or you are a man, make him drink eight ounces of pomegranate juice a day because what it does for men is amazing. >> reporter: the claims are false and unsubstantiated. palm wonderful headquartersed here in hoonks declined our request for an on camera interview to talk about the fcc complaint. it says pom wonderful fundamentally disagrees with the ftc and blaebs that the allegations against pom are completely unwarranted.

>> bomb pomegranate juice is good for you, but it's not medicine. >> i feel like once again i was duped by some marketing campaign. >> i'm glad to see that the ftc is indeed pursuing something like that. they should check all that kind of stuff. >> reporter: so pom wonderful, not so wonderful, in the eyes of the federal agency that serves as a watch dog over advertising. for "today," george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. and it's not often that you see firefighters dressed in pink. on monday, pink fire trucks rolled through saratoga, florida in honor of breast cancer -- sarasota, florida in honor of breast cancer awareness. it is now four minutes past the

hour. now let's take a look atur show you what's happening weatherwise, we have got this area in the tropics, could become tropical depression or nicole. it's going to be bringing a lot of moisture up the atlantic coastline. we have got a lot of strong storms "today," but then with this system, you can see all this moisture coming up the coast. that's just the beginning, here's what we're looking for, from today into tomorrow, from california, make that florida all the way up into the mid-atlantic states, we're talking about one to six inches of rain. by thursday into early friday, interior sections of the northeast could be looking at anywhere from three to six inches of rain before this is all over. so we are talking about a flooding event up and down the eastern seaboard that's already seen quite a bit of rain and out west, they have had record setting heat with temperatures yesterday 113 in downtown l.a., hottest reported since 1877. "today," not quite as hot, but

still temperatures well over 100 and heat in northern california too. this morning, looking at a very sunny sky across san francisco. you can see the golden gate bridge and a little haze. air quality still not that good today. thanks to the really stagnant air. forecast highs today, 101 in santa rosa. 101 in los gatos. 105 in liverore. broke or tied seven records thanks to the heat yesterday. more heat, but thankfully starting to cool down tomorrow. now to joy's diet s.o.s. our registered diet trigs and nutritionist is giving us the scoop on how to stay fit with bagels, sweet potato fries and

more. joining us live via skype, what's your question? >> hi, joe, i heard that bagels are loaded with calories, like over 500, but i love bagels and i can't give them up plus my friend owns a bagel store and she gives me free bagels. so how can i cut calories and still enjoy bagels. >> bagels, delicious but dangerous, and absolutely doable. first see if there's a whole grain variety and typically it will go under the name of either whole wheat or oat brand and that's going to be much better than the refined white varieties. and if you're eating it at the shop, ask your friend if they'll scoop the bagel for you, that means they scoop out the inside, you're going to save yourself about 100 calories of unnecessary dough and when it comes to the topping, you want to request a thin smear, so whatever you want, whether it's

butter or jam or cream cheese or peanut butter. nutritionally speaking, peanut butter is your best topping, but if they have low calorie cream cheese, that's a good option. and that's a got option for home. >> now our next question comes from anita who's on the phone from dpe de-. >> caller: i just finished treatment for stage three colorectal cancer. i have read about cancer deterrents, but i'm not sure what to believe. >> it's a great question, the two best thing you can do in terms of reducing the recurrence risk, is to maintain a healthy weight and exercise. those two things are linked with reducing the risk of many cancers, colon cancer included.

also limit those saturated fats. the marbled read meat, full fat dare. salami, bologna, hot dogs. have some sardines or salmon twice a week and talk about supplementing with a fish oil supplement. there's mixed studies on fiber, but it's always worth your why would to include a fiber rich food with each and every meal. when it comes to capsasin. work them into recipes only if you enjoy them. but really get out there and exercise, and practice healthy eating habits and you'll really be taking charge of your health in this situation and good luck with everything. >> okay, good luck, anita. >> caller: thanks so much for

your help, joy. >> finally a viewer e-mail. this one is from duncan in tampa, florida. your recipe for sweet potato fries came out soggy not crispy. >> you want to make sure that you slice those potatoes thin. don't crowd that pan, spread them out. they have to be single layer, be generous with that oil spray, pop them into the oven for about 20 minutes, flip them halfway through and then finish them often in the boiler. they will be crispy. in fact check them when they're under that boiler. whip some up, nice and crispy. >> our food for the stars, bianca. >> and up next, do you know where your car keys from in the relationship between stress and memory and buy it affects women and men differently. . from 3w4r

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i love light & fit. this morning on "today's" health, how stress can impact your memory. it's a good news, bad news sometimes when it comes to giving that presentation you have been losing sleep over for a few weeks, you might just hit it out of the park. she's here to help us figure out why. so first of all, show us exactly how the brain remembers things. >> think of the brain like a switch board, so you have your telephone, which is like the cells of the brain, the neurons, connecting all these wires to a telephone. and when we try to remember something, these wires communicate with each other and if we want to try to retain it, they get thicker and stronger.

>> so we're looking at the graphic now and you're seeing those little explosions and the little pieces then are becoming bigger and stronger. >> those little stars are the cells of the brains and the little things that look like strings are the dendrites of the brain. where it's stored in the brain, it sort of lights up and then we remember it. >> with a little bit of stress, we're trying to recall a memory, it's amazing how much we can suddenly remember because of a little stress, there's actually a sweet spot? >> there is, which is kind of neat. >> but moving beyond the sweet spot, things start to fall apart. >> as the stress increases, and our adrenaline is released, our memory gets more contribute p, we continue to get sharp. then we have all experienced this, you get to this point where you get frazzled, overwhelmed and your memory takes a nose dive. so for each person there's this sort of sweet spot where your alertness goes up to a point and

then it goes down. >> you have three kinds of stress you want to talk about. one is acute stress and that's when someone give you some bad news suddenly. >> it's sudden in on set. for example if your boss calls you into the office and you get fired. >> how does it affect the brain? >> it enhances your memory initially, but this is only for men. with women, it's a little different. it depends where you are in your mention central cycle. during that period of time, stress does not give you the memory boost that it does for men, then once you. >> you can't remember anything, now we suddenly understand why we couldn't remember anything when we got pregnant. >> now moving on to the second

category, that's chronic stress, that's the kind of stress that you're having to endure for several weeks at a time. >> exactly. >> what would be the impact on the brain? >> men do not do as well as women. so with men when they are under conditions of continual stress, continual bathing of the brain with stress hormones, their neurons -- they can't recall memories, whereas for women, when we are faced with chronic stress, we do very well on memory tests. and it actually kind of makes sense. because as men and women adapted in ancient times, men were the hunters, they had to go out there and kill the animals, worry about getting killed. so that's the acute stress they learned to adopt to. and with women, we stayed home and took care of the children. >> traumatic stress is a third category, that's just not good, you actually see shrinkage in

parts of the brain. so the question then is, the last question is, what's your best advise on relieving stress so that we don't have these negative impacts? >> the best thing that you can do really is to exercise regularly. exercise reduces the stress hormones and increasing endoor endorphins. >> all of them help you breathe deeper. coming up, can you feel it coming in the air? we have got phil collins, the eight-time grammy winner is out with a new today, he's going to tell us all about it. [ quinn ] my name is quinn,

and this is my eggo. on fridays i have hockey before school, so i take two eggo homestyle waffles and put peanut butter inside. [ whispering ] i add a couple chocolate chips when dad's starting the car. [ male announcer ] there's only one way to eat an eggo...your way. [ quinn ] l'eggo my eggo.

[ louise ] my name is louise and this is my eggo. on tuesday i go in even earlier than usual. thank goodness for eggo, a nutri-grain waffle with a quick smoodge of cream cheese... at least that part's easy. [ male announcer ] there's only one way to eat an eggo...your way. [ louise ] l'eggo my eggo. [ speaking spanish ] ♪ [ male announcer ] old el paso stand 'n stuff taco shells. old el paso. feed your fiesta. no menu needed. have you heard about our never ending pasta bowl? wait a minute... announcer: the never ending pasta bowl! with new sauces like our creamy parmesan portobello. choose all the sauce and pasta combinations you want for just $8.95. at olive garden.

mmmmmm. mmmmmm. wow! you have got to be kidding me. 80 calories? light & fit has 80 calories versus 100 in the other leading brand. light & fit. irresistible taste. fewer calories. i love light & fit. ma[ female announr ] ever worn your clothes in the shower? if you're using other moisturizing body washes, you might as well be. you see, their moisturizer sits on top of skin, almost as if you're wearing it. a breakthrough formula with natural moisturizers that can nourish deep down. it's the most effective natural nourishment ever. dove deep moisture with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. this morning on education nation, in child left behind.

>> now the obama administration's proposing an overhaul. california senator george miller is -- >> you're going to be able to give us an idea of what this new take on the no child left behind act will look like. because the obama administration is now making some changes. how will it change? >> it will change -- no child left behind really was bringing visibility to what was happening to the bottom half of our students in the nation and establishing some accountability in the school districts and that was fine. but it doesn't take us to the future. and what we really want to do now is we want to work as we have been with the governors, the state superintendents of schools to develop this system of national goals and then to develop a system -- >> goals like? >> goals like college and career ready curriculum, so that students when they leave high school, they're ready to take whatever path they want and they'll probably take both paths

sometime during their lives, that's not true for a good number of students right now. and we think that to do that, we have got to get the federal government out of the way a little bit, but we also then have to have that space filled by teachers who are buying into the system, parents who are buying into the system. what you really see, where successful schools are, those communities realize that this school is the most important economic and cultural aspect that they have. >> what's the accountability in something like this? >> the accountability is in the standards, and president obama and secretary duncan said to the states if you come up with core standards, we'll help you develop the assessment for those standards. the multiple choice fill in the bubble doesn't help us know the depth of the learning of the students. and in this new worldwide competitive economy, competitive society, if students aren't learning more than they're

learnilearn ing today, america is not going to thrive in that world. >> we have got much more coming up. >> after your local news and weather. ♪ hi, a number two please? would you like that to hurt now, or later? uh, what? sir, it's a simple question, do you want heartburn pain now or later? [ male announcer ] these heartburn medicines make you choose between hurting now, or later. pepcid® complete doesn't. it starts to neutralize acid in seconds and keeps it under control all day or all night. sometimes you gotta make compromises, man. [ male announcer ] no you don't, man. pepcid® complete works now and works later. 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.

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from walgreens.com, chris has everything he needs. except milk. expertise -- find it everywhere there's a walgreens and at walgreens.com. good morning. 9:26. i'm laura garcia canon. a situation with a motorcycle. >> a motorcycle hit a big rig. not a good pairing. in the posey tube. the posey tube has been closed as a result of this accident. it sounds like quite a significant impact. right now, the impact on the commute, use the high street bridge. that may be a reroute. 880, and slowing onto itself. and the walnut creek interchange. southbound 2 of of 684.

89 degrees in san francisco. cooler air is on the way and thankfully more of a sea breeze coming through. also coming through in lesshan a minute. laura has more local news.

four people have charged withholding and torturing a teenage boy in a tracy home. defense lawyers wanted jury slkz to be pushed back, but it will begin as planned on october 12th. aggravated mayhem, torture, and false imprisonment are faced. the teenage boy escaped from the couple's home in december 2008. a couple's neighbor and one-time guardian are also charged in that case. and drunk drivers will soon see a hefty fine for their crime. a person's license would be revoked for ten years if

convicted for three convictions in a ten-year period. the new law will take affect in 2012. a bay area city will not join a lawsuit against high city rail. city council members say they are concerned about the $43 billion project that will by secretary bisect the city, but they want to work with the city. they would prefer to have a trefrp dug for the train. several cities have voted to join the lawsuit. it challenges the environmental assessment for that project. i'll have another local news update in a half an hour. "today" returns in less than a minute. have a good morning. eriously lo. [ male announcer ] at safeway, we made a promise of low prices. and we're keeping it. [ female announcer ] with club card specials like beef cross rib roast, just $1.99 a pound and crystal geyser water only $3.99. i need to know that when i'm here, the low prices will be too.

monday, tuesday, everyday. i'm a big fan of everyday. [ male announcer ] and with thousands of everyday low prices, you'll save all over the store. [ female announcer ] low prices you can count on. at safeway, that's our promise. that's ingredients for life. i'm really glad to say hi and to hear i'm really glad to say hi and hear this newscast which i thought was very finely done. i'm really excited about the story we're going to do about your school. >> that's ann, heading back to middle school. not always the easiest time for kids. ann found one innovative school in maryland making it work for the kids and the parents in the community. this has been an eye-opening series. matt went to a pre-k. i checked out an elementary school earlier this morning. i can't wait to hear -- back in our day they called it junior high. >> now they call it a middle

school. that despite so many more kids are falling into poverty in the recession, they have in the last seven years caused math and reading skills to go up 30%. and the reason why will just melt your heart. we'll tell you all about that. meantime, coming up this morning here on education nation, which we're continuing, we'll be having an interview with a panel of experts. they include a teacher, principal and psychologist. they will be answering parents' questions, what to do when something goes wrong for their kids at school. >> an innovative new tool, that gives you specific information about schools, which is handy to have. if you're in the market for a t-shirt that also opens your beer, talk about a turn, and other fun gifts for the hard-to-please person -- >> okay, okay. >> check out great new products.

jerry does not come with the shirt. >> that's right. maybe that's a good thing. 50, let's get a check of the weather. >> let's see what's happening as far as today is concerned. a risk of strong storms along the mid-atlantic coast. heat continues in southern california into the central plains. then for tomorrow, a lot of atlantic moisture from florida all the way to the lower southeastern atlantic coast. but the western two-thirds of the country, more hot weather today. take a look at the golden gate bridge. commute looks good and a lot of blue sky out there air quality out there not so good. air is basically stagnant. high pressure sitting right over its. as it does, it's basically cooking us. things start to cool down tomorrow. we'll still be running above arrive average. forecast highs above 100 degrees in fairfield, liverore, and lo s

gatos. latest weather. now one of the things we always love having, kids we love having and that's your latest weather. now, one of the things we always love having, kids we love having, the scholastic kids press corps. a team of 50 hard-working kids ranging from 10 to 15. they cover news and sports from their home towns. they've interviewed everyone from president obama to the jonas brothers and most recent, nbc's brian williams. >> and andrew and miriam are two of the young reporters. they're part of education nation. i noticed, miriam, you were interviewing brian williams. what did you learn about education from brian? >> brian is so nice. he moderated the teachers town hall. a lot about teachers when i was there. that was nice. some of the hot topics were teachers getting laid off and

teacher tenure. so i learned a lot about that and how students in america were doing less than other countries and that kind of worried me. >> andrew, you got to talk to the principal and some teachers and students at a middle school in georgia. >> in atlanta, georgia. >> what did you find out from them? >> i found out that even though a lot of america has been affected by budget cuts affecting schools, and the recent economic downturn, the school i went to, we had a great p it ta. this school was not affected very much. and the teachers were always passionate about their job and letting the students be lifelong learners. >> this is an idea, some really key points. the teachers being very involved, and the parents. is this also true from your own experience? >> yes. >> you guys are very passionate

and great at what you do. >> thank you so much for joining us. keep reporting. >> we will. >> take our jobs. coming up next -- >> a workshop for parents on how to cope when problems arise at school right after these messages. [ commentator ] lindsey vonn! she stays tough! earlier, she had an all-over achy cold... what's her advantage? it's speedy alka-seltzer!

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we've assembled a panel of experts. we have an education psychologist and the principal of westport academy in baltimore, and also joining us david woo, a chemistry teacher in los angeles. good morning to all three of you. we'll start with a viewer e-mail from kathleen in illinois. she writes, i wish i had known that one bad teacher can turn your child off from learning. i would have home-schooled my kids. if i'd known our education system can make children feel bad about themselves and equal the quell their natural curiosity and drive to learn. maybe, david, you're the first person to ask since you're a teacher. >> if this parent is having this concern, i think the first thing is to contact the school and the teacher to set up a time where they can come in and meet with the teacher. a lot of times, teachers don't get any feedback from other teachers or support staff at school. i feel if the parent is involved

and makes an appointment to see the classroom, give their suggestions to help. >> i've got to be honest. some parents, a lot of parents, are afraid to take on a bad teacher. they're afraid if they do, their child will be punished. michelle? >> exactly. what you're really looking for is legitimate concern that's lasting. if it could jeopardize your child's education, that's the first step. when you walk into the teacher, you're going to use the word, "we." what can we do? it's a little bit softer. along the way, if you listen to the teacher and wait about a week and don't get help on that one, go the next step up, which is the principal. then to the superintendent and the trustees. you cannot waste a year of your child's learning. >> let's move on to a question on skype from wendy in new york. good morning. what's your question? >> good morning. i had sent a comment in about what i wish i had known. i wish i had known how to better

advocate for my child. prior to being diagnosed with adhd my son struggled with issues and spent a lot of time out of the classroom, in the principal's office and in the time-out room. it was hard on him. however, since then his teachers have learned to address those social and emotional delays with empathy and patience, as they would any other developmental delay. i am so grateful for that. he's doing great now. i wish we had figured this out sooner. >> wendy, thank you so much. hang tight. we've got felicia, who is a principal. what is your best advice? there are a lot of spectacular children who've got learning issues and are not caught early and are disregarded by the system and not taken care of by the system. what can a parent do? >> the first step is to communicate with the school. as a principal, i am happy to be the liaison between the teacher and the parent. it is our responsibility to

build that partnership. when we find that we have a relationship with parents and with the teacher, and the principal is involved in that process, and it is an organic process, we figure out how we can best teekt teducate the chi. we want to do our jobs. that means we have to build our capacity. >> you're saying being a strong advocate is kney. it's also the school's responsibility to advocate as well. you're suggesting people speak up as much as possible. >> we need that feedback. >> we've got lynn on the telephone from raleigh, north carolina. she's got a question. lynn, what's your question? >> well, it's a statement also in response to what i wish i had done. i wish that i had listened to my son. i thought he was capable of doing very well in a very difficult high school in our air. it was really a bad experience. he wasn't happy. he didn't enjoy the work. now he's in the high school he

wanted to go to all along. he's happy and loves school. he's a different kid. i really wish i had listened to him. >> listening to your child. sometimes you don't know when to do it and when not to. michelle? >> you gauge the trust worthy factor of the child. if he's got a legitimate concern, key in and believe him. number two, look at and you really think about the former teacher, where's the recommendation there. can he handle this or can't? finally, you're looking at the ability factor. what's the grade? what's the achievement score? put all those together and look at your own expectations and say, are you pushing too much, not pushing too much? weigh them all together and that's where you can gauge your expectations are. >> your child is a really good gauge about how things are going. we want to thank lynn for that question. we've got angela on the telephone from virginia. hello, angela. what's your question? >> hi. i had a comment also.

i have a daughter in college, and my son is a senior at a public high school. i was told along with the other parents that guidance counselors would guide our children through high school to reach their goals. i wish i had known that you need to do that as a parent. you know, not worry about being overinvolved. you are your child's od vacaadv. >> yes, just to know that some high schools are very overburdened with children. a guidance counselor can have 250 to 350 students in their load. both parties should both be an active participant in your child's graduation, scholarships and college. >> you keep teaching that chemistry. you keep making these young people understand the importance of science and keeping taking care of those kids. michelle, you as well. hopefully people will find a better education system. and we want to say coming up next, we've gotas

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ancr: on september 2nd we took over a restaurant just for a day. then we made lunch for the neighbors. thousands of turkey burgers on us. to show people there's a burger that's as lean as it is delicious. it's really good. he loves the turkey burgers. if i can give her something that's good for her and lean, i'd totally make this for her. ancr: make the switch. look for jennie-o at a store near you. is the exposed dentin, the tissue beneath the enamel. the dentin contains these channels that lead directly to the nerve center. cold and heat travel through these channels and stimulate the nerve. that's when you get this ouch.

dentists recommend sensodyne because the product works. the active ingredient within sensodyne travels into the nerve center. when it reaches the nerve, it forms a barrier blocking the sensation of pain and providing a soothing relief. sensodyne is a product most dentists rely on for sensitivity. sensodyne is a product so sure i already knew the salad and breadsticks were endless. but the other night even the pasta was endless. announcer: the never ending pasta bowl with new sauces like our hearty chianti three meat. choose all the sauce and pasta combinations you want for just $8.95. at olive garden. this morning, a little something for everyone, whether you're looking for the this morning on "jill's fun finds" whether you're looking for the latest trends in technology or a sweet tooth, today united states weekly contributor jill martin has the finds for you.

we're going to go with a t-shirt you can open up a bottle of beer with. >> last week -- >> we have tape of last week's extravaganza. >> we did the remote with the built-in bottle opener. >> that was nice! >> i couldn't pull it off. >> no. >> so this time that guitar t-shirt was such a hit. this is thinkgeek.com. a built-in bottle opener. >> how does that work, ger? >> let's give it a shot. >> no fuss, no muss. >> cheers! >> he'll also have the biggest belch going. you're on a plane and runs out of power. i hate when that happens. >> it's a watch and you wear it. then it has all the different adapters. it's two times your battery. it'll save up to two times. $99 from brookstone. if you're on a plane or going camping, this is great. >> nice.

sometimes you see something you want to scan but don't have a scanner with you. >> people want to scan your book all the time because they want to see it digitally into their computer. this is a portable wand. you don't need to plug it in. scan the page, plug it into your computer and two to three seconds it will show up. this is great. >> next. >> this is random. this is the updated version of the lava lamp. you see these are for kids. you play music or talk to them right here. their faces change. it's just sort of like -- see there. they come with stickers. this is just the updated version of it for your kids. 21.50, delight.com. this is your time to say a star wars line. >> this is not the droid you're looking for. >> these are are just for your kid' star wars for your computer. game-used baseballs from all the different teams, made into

cuff links. it has a certificate. you know what team it's from. 1 $139.50. this is a great situation, your kind of situation. you go to an affair, hire this company. they put something like that on you, like a costume. they take six seconds of video and then they put it into a 60-page book. i believe we have video of me doing this. this 60-page book is from the affair. >> what the heck's going on there? >> they're having a very good time. six seconds of video. they dress it up. it's just a way to remember the affair. >> or whatever went on. >> whatever went on. nowflipthis.com. >> this is the world's biggest marshmallow? >> two pounds, abesmarket.com. i would tell you to take a bite, but i want to show you how big

it is. it's an alternative to a cake for your kid's party. >> i had a dream last night i ate the world's largest marshmall marshmallow, and when i woke up my pillow was gone. coming up next, an exciting new tool to get more information about your kid's school. first, this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] jerry brown and oakland's schools. what were the facts? fact: march 7, 2000.

brown asks voters for new mayoral power to appoint school board members. he gets it, and promises better schools. but the drop out rate increases...50%. the school budget goes into a 100 million dollar deficit. the schools become so bad...the state has to take them over. it was "largely a bust," he admitted. jerry brown. failure as governor. failure as mayor. failure we can't afford now.

more now on nbc's special week long education nation. there's a revolutionary tool that can tell you whether your child's school makes the grade or falls short. this tool helps parents at home listening right now free find out how well their school is doing. it's a ranking system, how does it work? >> essentially you and obviously

family engagement is critically important, so getting parents to understand the data. so as you go into the score card, you type in the school and the area that you live in. what we need parents to understand is how can they have a qualified conversation with their educator and their school administrators to know how their child is doing. >> you type in the name of your own child's school or any other school that you're interested in. which we have done here and it will then pull-up the school and it will give us information on how well the school's doing on standardized tests, well how the school is doing compared to other schools and districts in the area. and as we scroll down, give a range of other information, how does that district compare to others in the state. how does it compare in the country? and what can parents actually do to help their child? what questions should they be asking in the school? one of the things we know is parents have high expectations

for their kids, but they don't always get the information they need to help their students be successful, this begins to give them that in one easily click. >> so you don't have to get information about how good the school district is from your realtor, you can actually go to a site for free and get that information right at your fingertips and if you discover that a school is not doing well, you can actually use that as evidence, as an argument with the school -- >> and one of the great features of the tool is that you can find a list of guiding questions, if you're not sure what that means, you can go to your educator and say i see where my child is ranking, i see where the school is. what can we do to advance the curriculum to help our school go up. >> thank you so much. >> we want to tell you people shldou g to education nation.com and look for

scorecards.

our state has a huge deficit. meg whitman's plan will make it billions worse by eliminating the capital gains tax for wealthy investors, including herself. economists say her plan will "rip a hole in the budget" and is "deeply flawed". analysts for the l.a. times say whitman's plan is a "pure handout" to the rich creating a "huge risk" to schools and public safety. jerry brown's against this unfair giveaway because it will take billions from our children when we can least afford it. get california working again-for all of us. good morning, everyone. it is 9:56 write now. i want to check that morning commute with mike. >> good news for people from

alameda. the posey tube has reopened. west bay 780 closed at glen cove road. an accident has caused problems across all lanes. that is the corrector from 680 to interstate 80. and the bridges moving smoothly to bay bridge. close through hercules and moving clear over the upper deck. some heat today. warm this morning. hot this afternoon. again, we're looking at temperatures above 100 degrees. thankfully, cooling comes tomorrow. strong onshore flow. not much happening today. 105 in liverore. 89 in san francisco. 101 in santa rosa. cooler air our way tomorrow cooling down to almost what's normal for this time year, laura. we're getting reports from the associated press that former president jimmy carter has been hospitalized.

taken off of a plane by rescue crews after reporting he was not feeling. now on to education in san francisco. it is getting a boost from the bill gates foundation. $34 million from the bill and melinda gates foundation will help to reduce the city's dropout rate. >> we'll have three institutions and the city working together as a team to get rid of the high dropout. rate. >> the money comes when schools are increasingly reaching out to private foundations and donors to make up for cuts in state funding. last year, city colleges even held garage sales to try and save 300 classes on the chopping block. san francisco is one four u.s. cities receiving the grant. other cities were new york, mesa, arizona and riverside. another local news update in a half an hour. "today" returns in about a minute. promise me low prices.

and stick to it. like seriously low prices. [ male announcer ] at safeway, we made a promise of low prices. and we're keeping it. [ female announcer ] with club card specials like beef cross rib roast, just $1.99 a pound and crystal geyser water only $3.99. i need to know that when i'm here, the low prices will be too. monday, tuesday, everyday. i'm a big fan of everyday. [ male announcer ] and with thousands of everyday low prices, you'll save all over the store. [ female announcer ] low prices you can count on. at safeway, that's our promise. that's ingredients for life.

from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hey, everybody. it is booze day. it is september 28th. we're so glad you're with us here today. >> yes. >> hi, hoda. you were rocking in here a few minutes ago. >> i wish you could see what happens here before the show starts. it is a party. kathie lee sings. >> we have a little sheryl crow and then my music breaks through. ♪ everyone has a moment >> that's it. and, by the way, next week, we

are having "everyone has a story." please remember to keep sending in your stories that are just incredibly inspirational. and give dave and i the inspiration to write the songs we write. i would like to do a piece on the genesis of how it happens, once we get a letter, just like a one-minute piece on the -- >> the 101. >> on how it happens. a lot of people think we're farming that stuff out. >> you write it yourself. >> with david friedman. enough. >> yesterday after we left you on our show, we had more work to do. >> yes, we did. >> this is education week, education nation. and we were hosting a lunch. kathie lee and i. brian williams introed us. >> which is usually, you know, a nice thing. >> yes. it is an honor usually. >> usually. >> okay. let's listen. >> if your work allowed you to see the final hour of the "today" show each morning, you know that my friends hoda kotb and kathie lee gifford are

normally hammered by this part of the day. >> welcome. hoda and have had not had anything to drink yet today. notice the word yet. >> anyway, i know, we do love him. >> he's the best. >> you know what i'm tired of? i'm tired of him saying where's my invitation to come on. i'm waiting, i want to come on. >> here's your invitation, baby. all right. this is it. he's one of the funniest people naturally in the world. >> hats off to brian and the "nightly news" team. >> and to you, my hoda. >> brian and "nightly" won an emmy last night, great news. >> news emmys. >> i figured out how to break a losing streak. me or a group and myself have been nominated five times. every time i go, i'm excited, it is the category, is it us? never. yesterday, i cracked a second tooth. i don't know what's going on. so i was at the dentist and i couldn't go to the emmys. and guess what happened? >> you won, hoda. >> we won, our --

>> very proud of you. >> good for everybody. >> this was not a first for you. >> no, this is first. first emmy ever. but it was, again, it is a big group. >> do i get to make fun of you? >> ann curry, chris hansen, dennis murphy, a big group of people but for "miracle on the hudson". >> congratulations. in your book you write very lovingly and glowingly about all, because i've read it, all the people you work with at "dateline" and what the process is like and how -- these stories can take a year at times. >> people were asking me yesterday, kathie lee doesn't like your book. what's the story? >> i'm trying to help you sell it. i'm creating a little buzz for you. >> okay. so -- >> a little upset about it. coming soon. >> oh, my gosh. october 12th. so, yesterday, if you watched "dancing with the stars," there was a moment that some say was controversial, some say wasn't -- we'll ask you to decide. here's the deal. jennifer gray had just had -- she had just danced with her partner. she received three 8s after dancing with her partner. >> after brilliantly dancing, i

understand. >> supposed to be a home run. so after they gave the scores and they were still on the two of them, we'll show you this clip, you hear booing. the question is was the booing about jennifer gray's numbers or was the booing about sarah palin who was just about to be introed and working into the room. you watch and tell us what you think. >> all right, that's 24 out of 30. how does that feel? >> great, fantastic. we're exhausted but that was a lot of fun. >> if you don't want to see them meet the same shock that ended david hasselhoff's ballroom dreams, support them now, call, text, there is booing in the ballroom. we don't know why. >> why is there booing? >> i don't know. support them now with your votes. tom? >> thank you, brooke. i'm here with guest ballroom commentator sarah palin who joins us from alaska. >> interesting. they're applauding now. so the question is was the booing about the scores or was the booing about --

>> let's see what you think on facebook. >> if you're in the audience, i don't know what you're seeing. it sounds like the scores were already given, it is over, they're congratulating them. >> it certainly wasn't about the scores from that. didn't seem like it was. >> no, something happened. >> i just said facebook, felt so weird, because yesterday i watched social network, the new movie that david fincher directed that is coming out friday, one of my dear friends is -- stars two times in it. a army hammer is with us today. he plays both twins brilliantly, and i'm so incredibly proud for him. this is major, major first, you know, starring role in a major motion picture. but to see how the evolution of how facebook came to be, it then felt weird to say, well, let's check -- it felt weird. >> how about trying to see the film? that's not an easy task. >> you know what, you guys, we drink a little around here, but

we would never pirate anything. that's where we draw the line, right? i have to go into my dressing room here, about 40 degrees, and watch on a computer with -- you know how the computer doesn't go up real high on the volume, i mean, if i -- it almost put me back in traction after watching it. but i had to watch it for my army and it is a brilliant movie. >> the point is, you have to watch it there because there is somebody standing outside the dressing room to collect the dvd. >> it took me an hour and a half. >> you don't bootleg it and make copies in your room. >> there are people in the world who do that, but it says property of sony, property of columbia, property of everything. nobody could -- >> nobody could get it. >> yeah. i mean, come on. >> it is going to be a huge movie. >> there are going to be major, i think, oscar nominations for this. >> really? >> the screenplay by aaron sorkin is so brilliant. you know, the performances are amazing and not just army, everybody. justin timberlake is so good,

you don't even think you're watching justin timberlake. >> you're kidding? >> no, everybody is excellent. >> you know what i wish people wouldn't look at, though, you know, sometimes companies that are supposed to be, you know, basically controlling themselves in the marketplace in terms of what's too far, sometimes they go too far. this is the latest -- have you seen this ad for sky vodka? i don't know if we can show it here. it is in the paper. i don't know if you can see that. it is beyond suggestive. i don't know where they got that picture of my legs, but, you know, upsets me when they see those people, but it is causing quite the stir. >> you know what's funny. nowadays you have to have an ad that pushes the envelope so people track it on youtube or talk about it. >> make noise. >> you have to make noise. there have been a couple of calvin klein ads and they get racy, you've seen the billboards in new york city. this is just a regular ad. i'm not sure if they're selling

jeans or underwear. >> we're contributing to it by showing it. >> i think the point is this stuff is on television and i know they're trying to attract that group of people 18 to whatever it is, whatever that group is -- >> same group as the skyy vodka. >> i went to a movie and there was a calvin ad we can't show, it was so risque, i was watching it and thinking i can't believe they're showing it on the big screen here. >> and there are children -- sometimes they come, 7:017, accompanied by -- but the parents take them in. no wonder they're doing so badly in schools. they're bombarded every time they turn around. and even the ones that are trying to live like a good life, integrity-filled life, they go to see a movie like the one we talked about the other day, "easy a" and the good kids trying to live a good moral life are depicted as the biggest losers, biggest hypocrites, it

is not right. let's give our good kids a fair shot. >> i'm with you. >> i'm tired of it, hoda. makes me want to eat. >> there is booze ins they cupcakes. >> that's why i want to eat. >> these are sangria cupcakes and what is the other one? >> merlot. >> merlot. they smell phenomenally good. >> stuffed cupcakes.com. >> oh, my gosh. >> they are good. >> oh, my gosh. i wish i could have some. just reminds me of once when a friend of ours eva gave my son cody a big lollipop when he was little, wasn't allowed to have it. what did i say? somebody is saying -- i can't say that? >> what? no. >> i told him you could not have sweets. i got mad at them, don't give him anymore sweets. he said, mommy, can i smell it, yes, you can smell it. so he smelled it. he smelled it so much that he got something on the end of his nose, you know, and so he had to lick it and his tongue, he can lick his own nose, so he came to me and confessed. >> someone get a napkin. i can't even look at her.

seriously. >> i'm a brown noser. >> yes. >> he came to me and he said -- >> jerry! >> i have to confess, i licked it. i'm sorry, i think that's sweet. >> that is sweet. i can't even look at you. let's go to sara. >> wait a minute. we have to talk about these. >> phil collins is knocking on the door. >> my gosh, i'm sitting there with stuff on my nose. hi, phil. >> i'll keep it quick. you asked about the dancing with the stars booing moment. trisha wrote booing is tasteless no matter what the reason. >> it is. >> you're right. >> thank >> phil collins, bran it is genius, so much fun. we love him. with my boys, and i'm like, "oh, promise mommy you'll never ever pick up a cigarette." and brian looked at me at eight years old and said, "promise me you'll quit." i had to quit. ♪ my doctor gave me a prescription for chantix, a medication i could take and still smoke, while it built up in my system.

[ male announcer ] chantix is a non-nicotine pill. that stays with you all day to help you quit. in studies, 44% of chantix users were quit during weeks 9 to 12 of treatment, compared to 18% on sugar pill. it's proven to reduce the urge to smoke. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. and find out how you can save money on your prescription at chantix.com. some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice agitation, hostility, depression or changes in behavior, thinking or mood that are not typical for you, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. talk to your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which can get worse while taking chantix. some people can have allergic or serious skin reactions to chantix, some of which can be life threatening. if you notice swelling of face, mouth, throat or a rash stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away. do not take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to chantix. tell your doctor which medicines you're taking as they may work differently when you quit smoking.

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he's an eight-time grammy winner who needs no introduction at all. >> but since we're a lotted 21 seconds to set him up, we'll tell you phil collins' career has seen it all, singer, composure, musician, actor, to pop music, big band and broadway. >> everything. today he's sharing his soul with "going back" a new cd covering

very famous motown tunes. but he makes them his own. >> listen to this one. ♪ the thing i learned so well ♪ ♪ in my youth >> it is phil collins and you said that's a carole king tune. what did she say when she heard it? >> she was monitoring it on youtube. i got an e-mail, she was in tears. it's, you know, her and jerry guthrie from the 1960s. >> they were married at the time, weren't they? >> yeah. it is a beautiful song. and it certainly puts this whole album in somewhat -- >> i love the album for so many reasons. i was playing it in my dressing room. you leave the old classics the way they are. why did you decide to keep them that way? >> i guess it is two ways of doing it. there is the way you go in there and stamp something new on it, and i didn't think these songs could be really improved upon.

i also bigger for me was the fact i never got a chance to sing them. it is a selfish album. i just wanted to sing them. i got some of the funk brothers that played on the original tracks. they came over and played. and it was just everyday it was just like we were comparing the old stuff with the new version, just to try and get the right balance, the right echoes. for me it was a joy of -- a labor of love. >> you play drums on it as well. >> yeah, i do. >> that's been problematic. >> we were reading about that. tell us what is going on with your hands. >> no, this is -- >> you have a boo boo. >> yeah. i don't know what it is. it happened i think on the genesis reunion tour when something happened on my -- in my neck but it never really hurt. so i didn't address it too quickly. i just figured it would pass after the tour. anyway, i had an operation on my neck and i've since had an operation on my elbow and my palm. there is something wrong, i

don't have the strength in my fingers to hold the drum sticks. >> carpal tunnel, something like that? >> worse? >> nerve damage. >> i taped for the album, i taped this -- >> the stick to your hand? >> wow. >> really felt unnatural. 55 years of playing the drums. >> you can't tell on the record, i got to tell you. >> they're all jazz drums. so it was -- it actually wasn't -- it was frustrating for me because i normally get the stuff out of the way quickly but it took a long time to get it to feel the way i wanted it to. >> the great part of your album is your songs, but i looked at this cover. how old were you in this picture? >> 13. >> you didn't know this picture existed, right? >> no. there are very few pictures of me playing the drums at all. and i opened the swiss magazine where i live, you know, and there was a four-page picture of this and part of an interview. and i started investigating where they got it from and i think i know where it came from. it was a guy that used to take

pictures for a book called "spotlight," tv directors would take photographs. and he obviously did a special session with my drum kit. he must have died and left it to gaetti images because i had to pay for it. >> oh, no. >> you know, that is awful. >> can you even believe it? >> in this day and age, nothing is sacred. >> i'm surprised we haven't seen you do more. you're a really fine, instinctive actor. and you seem to enjoy it when you were doing it. >> yeah, i did. i did it when i was a kid, you know, and i hated every minute of it. >> i didn't know that. >> i did oliver, alfred in oliver, that was great. but i did "miami vice," a big episode. >> i thought that would have led to a lot more. >> but it did lead to two films, one was "buster" in england it did very well, but i speak very fast. you know, almost wanted to get it over and done with. and then i did an australian film called "frauds" which was much better. and then i kind of moved back

into the music. >> well, we're -- you certainly belong and we love you. people are going to enjoy this so, so much. thank you, phil, thank you for being with us. up next, what do you get when you combine stargate universe with the social network. yes, we have them both. >> what? >> robert carlisle on the left and armie hammer on the right. we get them both after these messages. who's your somebody? eating campbell's healthy request can help. 25 delicious soups with low cholesterol, zero grams trans fat, and a healthy level of sodium. because heart healthy is good for your life... and the people in it. healthy request from campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.

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known for playing diverse roles, you may remember him as menard, the supervillain who could not fi feel pain in the james bond movie or in "the full monte". >> now he's keeping his clothes on playing a scientist, dr. nicholas rush in a second action packed season of sky phi's "stargate universe." welcome back to you. just flown in from vancouver, a little sleep deprived. >> oh, baby. >> everybody has a boo boo today. >> so how is this second season

going so far? >> very good. about 15 episodes done now out of 20 and it continues on from the first season left off, a cliffhanger at the end of the first. so we take that on into the first episode of the second and then the characters get more flushed out, more developed. >> do you have this accent in the -- did you change it? >> no, no. this is it. >> okay. >> you could do -- a straight american if you wanted to. >> let's hear american. >> no chance. >> come on. >> not a forperforming monkey. >> it does say here you do it. >> you're obviously from scotland. >> i am. >> did you grow up doing the classics in theater? >> yes, i did, i went to the royal scottish academy of music and drama, classically trained. that was in 1983 in france and a long time since. >> why are you in no hurry to get back to earth on this show?. that's one of the main reasons i was interest in the job and the character. didn't want to go back.

that's drama right there. that's the man that -- get it on the head. so i'll be able to flesh the bones of it out for sure. >> you do the directing in addition to acting. how is that? >> that's how it's going for sure. spoke for me last year and asked me if i was interested in directing. i direct in the theater for many, many years beforehand. >> is it the same? do you approach it the same? >> it's the act of -- that was great. i was comfortable with that. but the technicalities of it, it's entirely different. it's something i have to get used to. having said that, it's a wonderful crew we have in vancouver. we've done it for 15 years. >> beautiful state to be -- city to be living in nine month out of the year. >> the actors do listen to a first-time director. >> they listen to me. >> yeah. >> the sound of your voice is a beautiful thing. >> authority. >> it something else quite

beautiful about him? >> his jacket. >> look at the man's hands. we're into hands. you have great hands. they're not buff too much. >> they're not buff at all. >> they're very -- >> i don't like the buffing and the filing. >> more men should know about the hand thing. >> it matters. >> it's important. >> see. good luck on the new season. >> thank you very much. >> you too. >> the season premiere of "star gate universe" tonight. still to come, this is a great one. the story of facebook comes to the big screen. you know who's going to tell us about it? this great guy. that's what he does when he comes to the -- >> youeed a long couch. 6'5". adorable. or later?urt now, uh, what? sir, it's a simple question, do you want heartburn pain now or later? [ male announcer ] these heartburn medicines make you choose between hurting now, or later. pepcid® complete doesn't. it starts to neutralize acid in seconds

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wow! you have got to be kidding me. 80 calories? light & fit has 80 calories versus 100 in the other leading brand. light & fit. irresistible taste. fewer calories. i love light & fit. good morning to you. it is 10:26. normally, this time of day things start to slow down, but in a good way. >> the reason she is crawling past the carlson, there is a significant alert. higher on the map, there is the semi truck that has got its brakes blocked, blocking two lanes, and bay bridge approach starting to clear up. but there is a lot of sun and a lot of cars as well. >> that's right. and it's heating up quickly. a look at your noon forecast. forecasting 95 degrees for

concord. 96 for fairfield and liverore. even to the mid 80s in the city. that's right. another very hot day is forecast. but thankfully, cooler air is many coing away tomorrow. might break a few bak a few rec. more in a few minutes with your local news.

turns out the best s.w.a.t. team in the west happens to be from the north many sonoma county won the best of the west award this is a video from the

competition a couple of years ago. it's hosted by the santa clara county sheriff's office. they xoeted in obstacle courses and competed in shooting contests them beat 25 teams from across the state. further proof we have some of the smarter people in the world across the bay areas. we have several winners of the mccar thur foundation genius grant. they are worth $500,000 each. they can use that money to pursue their creative work. there are several winners from our area. the san francisco giants are back home and back in action tonight. imagine number is six. that means any combination of wins by the ji antds and losses by the padres, puts the giants

in the playoffs. they lead the national league by one game over the patted rays. tonight is the start of a three-game series against the diamondbacks. thank you for joining us. "today" continues i'll see y i' see you bright and early tomorrow morning, beginning at 5:00 a.m. we're back on this tuesday, booze day, with more of "today." one of the actors in the new and pretty controversial movie "the social network". >> the film tells the story of the creator of facebook, mark zuckerberg. >> co-creator. >> and the lawsuit filled against him by the winklevosses. >> armie hammer play s the winklevoss twins. physically it is almost scary how much you look like the twins. they were here in person last

week. we have been friends for a long time your family and my family. i went through the whole casting thing with you, remember? you said i don't know if i'm going to get it and you've been working on it now for how long? >> over a year. we -- i would say we started shooting over a year ago and we had the rehearsal process before them and had to row and train and all that stuff. a while now, yeah. >> you didn't meet the twins before. you met them after. are you glad you waited until after the film to meet them. >> i am. part of me wanted to meet them before to research the character and all that actory stuff but i'm probably -- i probably would have walked away doing a bad imitation of these guys as opposed to really dedicating myself to the character that aaron sorkin so beautifully wrote. >> aaron's screenplay is truly brilliant. we're not surprised by that. this is a very difficult story to tell. you would think on the surface, you know, computers, how boring, but it is so riveting, you can't take your eyes off of it. >> i had the same reaction. i finished reading the script and go, it is a facebook movie. why are they making a facebook movie. once i read the script, it is not about facebook or computer

programming, it is friendship, betrayal, trust, the need to be accepted and loved, all the things that make a great story or drama it all here. >> and the price of fame. >> exactly. >> when do you think about mark zucker berg wberg this thing an fiction, would not see it. >> i would probably he probably has to be curious. i would say that's a healthy level of cynicism. but we have to be careful because at the end of the day, there are thousands of students and teachers in new jersey now who don't care why he gave a gift. >> your mom and dad would be proud of that answer. >> yeah. will you let them know? >> we have do say, armie, one of the most beautiful weddings i've ever been to, married his gorgeous elizabeth last may. and elizabeth chambers. they are the ken and barbie of the world. it is unbelievable. >> how did you meet, armie? >> through my best friend, tyler ramsey. he introduced us and it was love

at first sight. i remember what she was wearing the first time i saw her. >> what was she wearing? >> jean, wavy hair, gladiator >> that's love. >> and tyler is getting married this weekend. >> tyler is. >> there is nothing but huge stuff ahead for you. what are you working on next? you have a pile of scripts waiting for you. >> this is a lot more doors open to me now. we're trying to keep that open. i think nothing concrete, nothing i want to jinx by talking about it, but things are good. >> you're so tall, by the way. i don't don't knknow if you can. how tall are you? >> 6'5 ". >> i'm convinced that's the only reason i got the part. >> the guy that tried out for the role ended up being your double, right, because -- >> it is a complicated situation. not necessarily a double. there was another actor there, josh pents and we worked together to create these twins. >> and so much of it is done with technology. >> which is so above my pay grade. >> it has to be strange.

one day, am i tyler today or cameron today. >> different nights we would go to 1:00, 2:00 in the morning, shoot all day, you forget what character you are, what your name is, where you are, where you're from. >> how about the publicity? so loveable. >> hard to have him in your house. >> all the best. >> so proud of you. really. okay. it opens in theaters on friday, don't missitou ol absyutel it is absolutely brilliant. coming up next, why career and technical education programs may not be what you think right after this. yeah. where he can put fun on the fast track. ( happy baby ) ( raceway sounds ) thanks to his great motor skills even his littlest touch can set his whole world in motion. ( raceway sounds ) ( giggles ) way to zoom jacob ! ( tire screech ) guess who just reached the finish line ? the lil zoomers speedway. ( cheers ) only from fisher-price. play. laugh. grow. activia is better than ever! hey, you guys. want to try activia's great new taste?

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on this day two of education nation, we turn our focus to high school career and technical education programs. >> in the past, these classes were considered a pathway to a specific trade, but now they are exposing kids to new careers and it is making a big difference in their lives. cooking, auto mechanics, ands could metology, just a few of the few traditional career and technical education programs offered to high school students through the decades. but now career options are broadening to reflect the broadening 21st century and the nation's evolving global economy. nicholas is a high school senior getting a jump start as a

budding artist. >> i want to influence the minds of many with my art. my style is basically involves perspective and three dimensional objects. >> i would like to go to john j. college for four years and eventually become an fbi agent. >> reporter: mark hall is part of the emergency and protective services unit. >> we work with cuffing, fingerprinting and various amount of other tasks. >> reporter: 14 million high school and college students are enrolled in cte programs in the u.s. at the new york harbor school, straight a student adriana benjamin is a certificate fide rescue diver who is excited to be in the maritime program. >> makes me want to read more about the ocean, makes me want to understand it more, how do we need it, why do we need it. >> she's adorable. she's a senior at the urban assembly new york harbor school in new york city. >> and jan brea is the executive director of the association for career and technical education. welcome to you both. >> you were talking about your interest in the maritime field.

but that's not exactly what you want to pursue. >> no. >> as a career. what do you want to be? >> i would like to be an ob-gyn in the near future. i plan on going to college, of course. i was thinking of columbia university, cornell, hamilton, brown. things of that nature. >> tough schools to get into. i'm sure you're aware of that. >> right. >> what is the advantage for her, someone like adriana, to go it a school like her in her preparation for college? >> there is a lot of advantages. she's very indicative of our cte students. first of all, it gives her a skill she can use that will prepare her for college, she's getting leadership skills, critical thinking skills, she's becoming a well rounded individual. which is very important. plus, if she decides along the way, ob-gyn is not what she wants, she has a skill she can use in a lot of different career paths. plus, also if she needs to work her way through college, she now can get a good paying job that will help her. >> it seems to make such common sense, why have we not embraced

this like crazy? >> well, you know, the interesting thing is that as is said in your piece, there are over 14 million students who are in career and technical education. it is there. students are taking advantage of it. but for the two of you and for me, and for other parents, we remember what vocational education was when we were in school. >> it had a bad rap. >> it was thought of that, it is for those who aren't going to college. that's not true today. >> today it gives you a broad base of knowledge and skills for any kind of career, prepares you for college, prepares you to enter into the workplace right away if you need to. it is really indicative of what's happening with the 21st century. and there is a tremendous skill shortage in this country. they can't fill without cte. >> in the school you go to, you studied maritime things, but do they also cover, i don't know, the regulars, math, science, all that stuff? >> of course. the thing about our cte programs that a lot of parents don't understand is in order to be in

the programs, i'm a scuba diver, in order to maintain being a scuba diver, i have to maintain my other classes as well. if i don't have -- if my grades are not up to par, i can't be a scuba diver. >> i see. >> that's what parents don't understand. >> the ingredient you're talking about which seems to be missing in the regular schools because so many people are dropping out out of sheer boredom, bored to death, you're not bored, you love what you're doing and you have don't have time to be bored, do you? >> i don't. i remember in tenth grade, my first and second period i was building boats. here aim, everyone else is going to school, they learn math and english and i'm hammer, hammer, screw, screw, that's what i'm doing my first and second period. after that i'm going diving, leaving class early, but i'm still getting experience on the field. >> it is just great. it is great. >> we wish you great luck with your university, whatever you go. >> they'll be very lucky to have you. >> thank you very much. >> it does engage students and that's what we need to know. >> thank you very much. coming up next, how -- we'll tell you how your wardrobe can be transformed.

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time for "today's style" and how to shop your closet. a new wardrobe doesn't have to mean maxing out your credit cards. >> glamour magazine contributing editor tracy longran ransacked one lucky lady's closet to show her how it is done. >> what can we help you out with today? >> as you can see, i have a lot of clothes. i don't want to spend a lot of money to update my wardrobe. i have a lot of pieces that i think i can get more out. >> we'll show you how to put something together in totally unexpected new ways. how about this shirt? i like it because it is a boy look, but sometimes it looks really boyish. >> i think the secret to this one is pairing it with something really feminine. patterns can be tough. army is a huge trend now.

let's start trying some clothes on and putting together some great outfits from your own closet. >> this is how i usually wear this dress. >> the same dress, but a whole new look. pencil skirt on top of it looks like it is a blouse. the belt with the dress, and the skirt, an office appropriate fall look. this is the little black dress that she already had in in her closet, a button down shirt underneath and a belt around the middle and it is a workable jumper. this has such a summer feel to t we paired with it a pea coat a skirt and brought it from summer to fall. a lot of people are wearing bold colors for fall, but if you pair it with this jacket and an animal print it a big fall trend. when in doubt, add jeans and a white shirt, it will make anything in your closet look totally fresh. >> welcome, tracy. you look in your closet, you don't realize all the stuff that

can go with each other. >> your closet is an amazing place it go shopping. it is a store where everything already fits you. >> neverything fits florence, she's drop dead gorgeous. >> look through your pieces and play stylist with yourself. >> let's look at -- this is florence's before picture. okay. now she has this dress in her closet and it isn't suited for the fall, right? >> it is a simple gray dress, something she thought of as a party frock. has a little sparkle to it. but we have been seeing a little shimmer for daytime, it is a big fall trend and we figured we would take this summery party frock and turn it into a fall appropriate look. >> come on out. >> cute. >> that's cute. >> so what we did is put a great crisp white blouse underneath, a wardrobe staple that every woman should have in her closet, a blazer on top, rolled up the cuffs to give it this preppie kind of feel and added a belt around the middle and a pair of boots. we took it from a look that was really sort of, again, a party

dress and turned it totally work appropriate. >> put a blouse underneath the dress, right? >> yes. this can turn any dress -- the piece we saw earlier, we had her in a little black dress and did the same thing, a blouse underneath. >> couldn't see the definition. >> you can turn any sleeveless dresses into a jumper. >> this is in your closet? >> this is all from florence's closet. >> florence has good taste. >> what kind of shoe do you wear, florence? >> she can go in this exact same look and go from, you know, work what she's wearing now, straight to cocktails. she'll take off the blazer, take off the belt, and add a great little high heel shoe, a clutch and a statement necklace, a great hair accessory, put that on instead and the same dress can go from work to party. >> perfect. all right, well, thank you. thank you, florence. >> thank you very, very much. we'll be back and take you behind closed doors. but one flight up. [ female announcer ] jerry brown and oakland's schools.

what were the facts? fact: march 7, 2000. brown asks voters for new mayoral power to appoint school board members. he gets it, and promises better schools. but the drop out rate increases...50%. the school budget goes into a 100 million dollar deficit. the schools become so bad...the state has to take them over. it was "largely a bust," he admitted. jerry brown. failure as governor. failure as mayor. failure we can't afford now.

what happens behinded the closed doors of manhattan's most desirable zip codes? >> i found out this morning when i was reading one flight up, the novel about four dynamic very sexy female characters who seem to have it all, but do they? susan failhill is an award winning tv writer and the author -- i think it is your first novel, isn't it? >> second book, first novel. >> "one flight up." i'm a little embarrassed to meet you, got to be honest. i feel like i know you very well. >> a little too well perhaps. we were in the classroom, now i'm taking you to the boudoir. >> this book, you guys, when you pick it up, you'll know, it is full of -- it is very stemmy, full of infidelity, all of your characters. why is infidelity your major league theme in this? >> well, i was inspired by the hormonal surge of middle age to write this. the muse of hot flash coming through. >> that will do it. >> i also felt like a lot of chiclet deals with the -- getting to the altar, the real story begins after the i dos when it is i do, all of a sudden

you're no longer wreaking of desperation and people are coming on to you and you have to say, sorry, but i don't, i can't. and i wanted to deal with that struggle that women sometimes face. >> you were writing -- i was -- i didn't get it until yesterday, but at one point you talked about this one character who she's about to have the first kiss, the first -- leading to the first everything, and you talked about the fact that, you know what, you know that it is never going to be that good again. >> exactly. exactly. >> you're coming from the perspective of -- >> being married. marriage is fantastic. but whether you're playing the light bill together, it is not an aphrodisiac. >> we were cleaning up puppy poo at 6:30 this morning. >> it is interesting, sometimes you make a choice between something that is stable and a roller coaster ride, which is how you -- >> yeah, hoda. >> the mario in the maserati and the mortician. mario will get you hot and

bothered, moray the mortician will be there but you could get a little bored. >> that's why some people settle for both at the same time. >> a little something on the side. >> what did you learn about infidelity from your book, what did you take away? >> i took away my main character is dealing with the issue of trying to be a perfectionist and trying to control her life. there is an old saying, man plans and god laughs, well, count that twice for cupid laughs and she learns that you can't control every aspect of your life and sometimes you have to make a mistake to discover who you really are. i'm not saying cheat. read my book instead. >> what does your husband think when he reads your drafts of these? >> i think he's thinking can we bring some of that into the bedroom and not leave it on the page? let's not write it, let's have it happen. >> are the characters based on people you know? >> writing is plagiarism from life. my memoir, my first book was a memoir. i had to be careful and protect everyone. this is fiction so i can tell the truth. everybody is a little bit of a composite of someone i know. >> this is the most like you? >> i hate to say the main

character, hoochie as charged. >> hoochie as charged. >> okay. >> your mother is an interesting person. >> my mother was a fascinating person. >> good luck with the book. >> it is a page turner. >> all the best. tomorrow, rosy perez is here and a performance from miranda lambert will sing for us. >> and we're going back to fourth grade. don't ask. nice talking to you.

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