good morning. breaking news. more unrest in libya as the son of moammar gadhafi warns that country could fall into civil war. more than 200 people have reported by been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces. and this morning, that violence is reportedly escalating. > whiteout. a powerful blizzard blows through parts of the midwest, dumping more than a foot of snow on minnesota and wisconsin. it's now taking aim at the east with a treacherous mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. crisis on capitol hill. can republicans and democrats agree on a new federal spending plan before the government runs out of money? senator scott brown talks about

that and opens up about his new memoir detailing the physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child. "today," monday, february 21, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on this snowy monday morning. i'm willie geist. >> good morning, everyone, i'm savannah guthrie. matt and meredith have this presidents' day off. the obama administration is expressing concern over reports that hundreds of demonstrators have been killed during the ongoing uprising against moammar gadhafi's 40-year rule in libya. >> that violence raged overnight. gunshots could be heard as anti-government protesters and

supporters of gadhafi battled in tripoli. also ahead, at man da knox case has captured headlines and now a made for tv movie is set to air tonight about the former college student's case. knox was so upset by a clip she saw online that she became sick. details on that coming up. plus, the invitations for the wedding of the century are now in the mail. you may be surprised at who is getting an invite and who's not. for instance, kanye west is on the list, but not president obama. we are live at buckingham palace with the latest details. it goes without saying we were not on the list. >> i still have faith. the u.s. mail can be slow. i'm sure it's coming. >> keep dreaming. let's begin with news in libya with fourth journalists barred from entering the country, nbc's stephanie gosk is in cairo, egypt, with the latest. stephanie, good morning.

>> reporter: good morning, savannah. at 1:00 a.m. gadhafi's son gave an unscripted and at times rambling speech to the nation saying if the protests continue there will be civil war and rivers of blood over r all over libya. overnight protesters in tripoli took to the streets. gunfire rang out and state buildings burned. the government has banned journalists from covering the growing violence. these grainy youtube pictures some of the only video of the revolution that threatens to topple the region's longest ruling autocrat, colonel moammar gadhafi. his son and heir blames exiles, the meetia and hooligans for the violence. the violence began five days and in bengazi.

demonstrators surrounded a local courthouse chanting a familiar cry, the people want to bring down the regime. the regime answered with gunfire. late on sunned there were reports that the protesters had taken control of the city, witnesses described scenes of anarchy. >> i think the civilians have armed themselves. >> reporter: this video appears to show heavily armed civilians. the government says the military was overwhelmed, weapons including tanks were stolen. human rights groups and the u.s. state department claims hundreds of people had been killed and wounded. the government has put that death toll at only 84. >> they're afraid that human rights catastrophe was actually unfolding as i speak. >> colonel moammar gadhafi has ruled this country for 41 years. for decades, the united states considered libya a rogue state.

relations thawed when he denounced terrorism and promised to pay victim families in the lockerbie bombing. in the last few days state tv aired pictures of a smiling leader, surrounded by supporters. there are reports today that the colonel is rapidly losing control of his country. our access to confirmed information here is limited, but we are hearing that both state tv and parliament building are on fire. there are rumors that gadhafi has fled the country, though no proof of that. protesters in tripoli say they will organize after prayers and march to gadhafi's home and bring their message of democracy straight to his door step. savannah? >> thanks. it's 7:05. here's willie. here at home, powerful winter storms are making a mess of the presidents' day holiday for a;h&arge section of the country. the weather channel's eric fisher is in washington square park here in new york. good morning. >> good morning, willie. it's been a wild week for the area around new york city.

we had highs in the 60s and this morning, you can see exactly what we're dealing with. it is quite beautiful, a heavy, wet snow falling here. if you take a look across the park, we look at the trees coated with that snow. if you're walking around, there is some beauty in it. i don't know if that beauty is perhaps lost on the new yorkers who have endured an incredible winter and after last week were certainly looking forward to spring. we are getting ever so closer to a record pace of snowfall here in new york city. it was set in 1995 and 1996. if we get 4 inches of snow, which is possible, we'll be in a dead heat. we'll need about 15 more before the season aall said and done, something i'm sure folks are not looking forward to in around new york. they saw nearly a foot of snow in the twin cities, that snow has been moving off towards the east. they, too, are on a record pace. we'll see how their march brings in more snowfall. this is expected to end toward midday tonight. another system is supposed to

come tonight. the silver lining here, at least as it's presidents' day, the commute not so bad. >> i think beauty is in the eye of the beholder on that one. for now, it's 7:06. here's savannah. budget battles are raging in states across the country and on capitol hill where the government is facing a looming deadline that could lead to the first shutdown in 15 years. nbc's kelly o'donnell is on capitol hill with the latest. kelly, good morning. >> reporter: hi there, savannah. after so many days of protests in wisconsin and so few days left here in d.c., to try to avoid a federal budget crisis, the real political question this morning is which side will blink first? the pressure ratcheted up in madison, wisconsin, over the week en. protesters backing union workers vented anger aimed at the state's new republican governor. governor scott walker went on national television to defend

his effort to drop some collective bargaining rights and get unionized state and local workers to pay more for health care and pensions. >> i think right now, frugality has ended, people expect us to make the tough decisions. >> reporter: here in washington, where buck passing got its name, some democrats are predicting a government shutdown. when current funding runs out march 4th. >> if we end up shutting down the government, and calling into question whether we're going to meet our obligations for social security checks and paying our troops, then that is an absolute utter failure. >> reporter: democrats claim republicans are too stubborn and their budget cuts too severe. >> speaker boehner has said even before negotiations, that he wants it a certain way. that is reckless. that's what newt gingrich did in 1995. >> reporter: the '90s government shutdown with empty offices and closed national parks let the

republican majority then with real political damage, a caution yash tale for today. >> it's good for political rhetoric to talk about a government shutdown. i don't know anybody that wants that to happen. >> reporter: the republicanç houseworking until 5:00 a.m. on saturday. they passed a budget extension with $61 billion in cuts to keep the government operating. because the senate won't agree to such deep cuts, paul ryan expects another round of talks. >> we are not going to accept these extremely high levels of spending. we're not looking for a government shutdown. i think we'll have negotiations with short-term extensions with spending cuts in the interim is my guess. >> reporter: the challenge is members of congress are back in their home districts and states all week. behind the scenes here, senate staffers are pouring over what the house passed over the weekend, looking for areas of compromise they might find. when everybody comes back to town, there will only be five days before that deadline to reach an agreement and we know

in capitol hill terms, that's just not much time at all. savannah? >> no, it isn't. kelly o'donnell on the hill for thus morning. thank you. senator scott brown of massachusetts is with us now, out with a new memoir today in which he reveals that he was molested by a camp counselor when he was just 10 years old. the book is called "against all odds" my life of hardships, fast breaks and second chances. senator brown, good morning. good to be with you. >> same here. >> i'll start with the news of the day before we get into the book. you saw kelly's piece. there's talk in washington of potentially a government shutdown if there's not a deal reached on spending cuts. are you willing to see the government shut down to make this point? >> there's no republican who wants to shut down the government at all. what we look for is an opportunity to actually to bring the sides together, to solve a very real fiscal problem. when i went down there, $11.95 trillion national debt, over $14 trillion in a little over a year. we need to send the message to the world that not only can we

get our budge net order but our entire fiscal picture. >> nobody wants a government shutdown but is that the price of getting the spending cuts that are necessary. >> certainly i don't think anybody wants a government shutdown. certainly i don't. hopefully we can get together and send an important message to the people of the country and the world that we're serious. >> let's talk about the book. it's very personal. one of the revelations in it is that you were molested by a camp counselor when you were just 10 years old. what did you want to people to know about that? >> i felt it was important to let others know that, you know, you can fight back and should fight back and if i can help somebody speak up so it doesn't happen to them, then i've done a good thing. >> one thing a lot of people have remarked to me knowing that we would be talk this morning is, i can't believe his wife didn't know until she read it in the book. >> she knew something had happened, as we had obviously been together 26 years but she

didn't know the extent of it. my mom and dad didn't either. in retrospect it would have been nice to tell somebody. that's the problem when you're in that situation, at buzers say if you tell anybody, you know, i'll kill you or they won't believe you. i'll make sure they won't believe you. i was a perfect candidate back then for that type of control. >> it's so interesting because you bore that secret for almost 40 years and when you revealed it, you did so publicly. >> well, it's a part of who i am but it's not the only part. certainly something i think anybody in that situation wrestles with. and that's what i've done and like i said, i'm not looking backward. i'm looking forward. i'm not out to settle any scores. i'm just -- iútaink it's important not to gloss over the bad things and just focus on the great things. it's who i am. >> well, there is some tough stuff in this book and some of it is hard to read, frankly. you had two stepfathers who you say abused you. the word that came to mind when i read it was vicious.

let me read a portion of something you said happened when you were 6 years old of your stepfather dan sullivan. he began pounding my head until my brain rattled like a jell-o mold turned upside down. how hard is it to relive this? >> that stays with you, something like that stays with you. i remember it like it happened yesterday. >> how does it impact you? >> it made me think i needed to be the protector of the family, be the dad, the person who was going to save my mom and sister. obviously it was tough but northwest natalie, my mom and us got out of that situation. >> you write that you moved 17 times before you were 18 years old. both of your parents married four times. we talked about the abuse and yet you say you wouldn't change anything. a lot of people would read that and say, really? >> if you look at it, when you read the book, my life is like a spider web, if you pull here, this gets changed. if those things didn't happen, i

may not have been as sensitive to victims' rights or i may not have been as hard a worker, a protector, somebody who's always looking out for his own kids and aware, when you go to the store, make sure you're together, don't go here alone, don't do this. i think it's helped me be a better person. >> what is your relationship with your parents now? >> it's always about positive. we're a work in progress and we'll continue to be a work in progress. i love them, they love me and they've made a fantastic effort with our kids which is even more gratifying. >> talking politics, a lot of people think when somebody writes a book in washington, that's the first step. they're interested in higher office. would you consider running for president? >> i'm running for the united states senate and looking forward to my re-election. >> this goes back to the '80s on the "today" show. a lot of people remember this photo of you. you were a cosmo guy. let's play you appearing with

bryant gumbel back in the 1980s. >> you are embarrassed by all this? >> yes, in a good sort of way. >> do you think you're sexy? >> i don't know. i have to re-evaluate things, i think. i don't know if i'm sexy but we'll see. >> you know, you did sound like a politician even then. >> aye-yi-yi. i like so young. bryant and i look so young. look at me now. my hair's gray. it's receding. i wear glasses, i put on about 20 pounds. it was a nice time in my life but like everybody else you have to move on. >> i didn't plan to ask you do you think you're sexy. we'll save those questions for the '80s. >> thank you. >> senator brown, thanks so much for being with us. the book is called "against all odds." let's go to the news desk. we began with the waves of unrest now spreading globally, yemen's embattled president

refused calls for regime change as shots were fired during demonstrations in the capital. bahrain saw its largest protest yet as teachers joined demonstrations. peaceful protestersç filled th streets of morocco sunday by the continues of thousands calling for changes to their constitution. the ivory coast, security forces fired on protesters calling to depose the president and in china, the so-called jasmine revolution was inspired by the events in egypt. local authorities rounded up dozens of dissidents and others were confined to their homes are or now missing. iran's first attempt to send war ships through the suez canal has been postponed until at least wednesday. iran's passage through the strategic waterway is being criticized as an attempt to exploit the current unrest in egypt. a shooting this morning at one of milan's main airports, a tunisian man reportedly drove his car through the glass walls of a terminal and walked out carrying a knife. security forces then opened

fire, shooting and wounding that man who apparently was looking for his wife. gas prices have jumped 5 cents in two weeks to 3ment $18 a gallon for regular. that accord together lundberg survey. gas in san francisco now averages the highest in the nation at $3.50 a gallon. and when trevor bayne became youngest drive are ever to win the daytona 500 last night, his first words were, are you kidding me? he took the checkered flag a day after his 20th birthday. he beat out the great dale enhart jr. as well as others. it's now 7:17. back to willie and savannah. makes you think what you were doing when you were 20. >> i wasn't winning anything. i was more of a loser. >> he's not even old enough to have a celebratory cocktail. >> he'll have a minimum blg party.

we have more snow to talk about. for some of you that means unfortunately we have a number of winter weather advisories, winter storm warnings that stretch from the midwest into the northeast. here's what we're dealing with right now. tokra at hedar picture. the snow in through the northeast, wrapping up in new york after the lunch hour. rain to the south. another wave rolls through. we'll see snow by tomorrow, including philadelphia, a few inches there. and washington, d.c. as we look at additional snow totals. across the rest of the country, cold air diving into the midsection, well below average there and mountain snow across th well, we've got some scattered showers coming down. they are starting to break apart a little bit, but light scattered showers along i-80 near vallejo. this is the case for the first part of the morning. by about 11:00 a.m. most of the shower actsivity pushing offshore. just a little lingering over novato. it will stay offshore the rest of the day. we are looking to clouds for the second half of presidents' day.

55 in gilroy. for tomorrow, a little bit warmer. another cold night with morning frost anticipated. willie, back to you. >> now to a tense situation for four americans on board a yacht hijacked by pirates off the coast of somalia. nbc's george lewis has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. that yacht with the four americans and as many as 15 pirates on board is being closely shadowed by u.s. navy ships with helicopters on board as an fbi hostage negotiation team tries to talk the pirates into releasing the americans. the hostages are scott and jean adam from california who have been sailing around the world on "the quest," their yacht and phyllis mckay who joined them in india.

scott, who has known them a long time, says they are experienced sailors who don't take chances at sea. >> they are thoughtful people. scott is a gentle man. she's a tough gal. my heart goes out to them. i wouldn't want to change places with them. >> reporter: the americans were captured off oman as they made their way to the red sea. they had been sailing with other boats in a rally, but the rally organizers said quest chose to take an independent route, leaving the rally on 15 february. last year, pirates hi jacked 49 vessels over a million square miles of ocean. was it a big mistake for the americans to go it on their own? >> they may have had boat difficulties. it's tough sailing a small boat around the world. lots of things go wrong. >> reporter: sunday night in santa monica, california, the congregation at this church offered prayers for the safe

return. the adams are parishioners at this church. >> we'll have a pray and light a candle which is a sign of hope for their return to us. our hope is that these people return to us. >> reporter: on part of the voyage the adams have been handing out bibles to people in the country they visited. at one point jean wrote on the blog, we expect this trip to hold some unexpected surprises. they never expected to be taken by pirates. experts say if they are taken to somalia they could be in for a long period of captivity. a british couple was held 388 days. >> we'll keep a close eye on the story. thank you. just ahead, controversy over a new movie based on the amanda knox case. why she's so upset with the film and a graphic scene that's now been deleted.

[ female announcer ] most women in america aren't getting the calcium they need. but yoplait wants to change that. only yoplait original has twice the calcium of the leading yogurt. that's 50% of the daily value ♪ so pass on the new and we can help close this calcium gap together. to get you started, we're giving away a million free cups at yoplait dot com. the yoplait you love, now in a 4-pack. try it today.

still ahead on "today," new details on the invitations in the mail for the royal wedding. >> plus, the designer of princess diana's wedding dress reveals secrets aboutam f hsou s gown after your local news. but dove isn't soap. it contains pure 1/4 moisturizing cream because, everyday moisture is the key to beautiful skin. and who knows moisture better than dove.

but my allergies put me in a fog. so now, i'm claritin clear! claritin works great on all my allergies like dust, mold, pollen, or pets without making me drowsy, cause i want to be alert around this big guy. live claritin clear. indoors and out. what was i thinking? but i was still skating on thin ice with my cholesterol. anyone with high cholesterol may be at increased risk of heart attack. diet and exercise weren't enough for me. i stopped kidding myself. i've been eating healthier, exercising more and now i'm also taking lipitor. if you've been kidding yourself about high cholesterol, stop. lipitor is a cholesterol-lowering medication, fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. lipitor is backed by over 18 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect.

let's go! [ laughs ] if you have high cholesterol you may be at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. don't kid yourself. talk to your doctor about your risk and about lipitor. good morning to you. it is 7:26. plans to build a new 49ers stadium is up in arms by the city council this morning. here's marla tellez live with more. >> reporter: good morning. behind me here near great america's parking lot could some day become the new 49ers stadium, but not if governor brown wipes owl all redevelopment agencies statewide which he has proposed doing. if he does so that would take away up to $40 million in we redevelopment fund that santa

clara county voters approved in june. without the money the stadium's future is all but certain. so at tomorrow night's city council meeting the council plans to accepted the governor a message in a nutshell saying do not take away our stadium meeting. that meeting is tomorrow night at 7:00. laura? thank you, marla. now we'll get a check on the forecast. a cold start to the day with christina. >> yeah, everywhere you are waking up it is really cold out there this morning. and we've got some showers coming down as well. right now some pretty heavy showers coming down in the north bay. and all this activity is becoming a little more spotty. on and off scattered showers north of san francisco for the first part of the day and then clearing by 11:00 a.m. most of the activity is pushing offshore staying offshore throughout the evening. the next round of rain arrives heading into the latter part of this week thursday into friday. 52 degrees in free month by 3:00 p.m. with sun and clouds. now we'll check on your drive with mike inouye. a live volume of traffic because of the holiday today for

a lot of businesses and schools. but also coming into the drive it is light off the antioch bridge because the weather is a lot better as well. a smooth drive for highway 4 with no major delays near the cartinas or venetian brims. approaching the bay bridge toll plaza, no metering lights there. that's a live look at actual footage from the freeway, hardly anyone there. of course, there's a concert tonight, so prince will be in town and there will be slowing. a nice easy commute this morning. hope you are enjoying your presidents' day. the "today" show is back in less than two minutes.

7:30 now on this presidents' day, monday morning, february 21, 2011. just three days after we hit 67 degrees in manhattan, wouldn't you know it, it snowed. our holiday crowd doesn't seem to mind. inside studio 1a i'm savannah guthrie with willie geist. i guess we're too wimpy to be out there. >> we'll go out. >> matt and meredith have the morning off. just ahead the controversial maid for made for tv movie about amanda knox. her friends and relatives call it horrific. details coming up. and the power president

clinton still wields. just ahead a behind the scenes look at what life is like for him these days. >> and invitations to the royal wedding of prince william and kate middleton are out to about 1900 guests. wait until you hear who was reportedly not on the list. we'll get the latest live from buckingham palace. and we do accept e-vites. >> we're in good company not having been invited. let's begin with the new murder based on amanda knox's murder conviction in italy. michelle kosinski has the details. >> reporter: the movie is set to air tonight on lifetime. amanda knox's family said when she was able to look at clips online, she nearly vomited. it has made all sides, including prosecutors now sick, is a scene that lifetime has deleted at

that time last minute. a graphic murder scene showing amanda stabbing her screaming roommate, something she insists never happened. they look strikingly alike. actress hayden panettiere as amanda knox. the real amanda lately has been feeling and showing the strain of three years in a cold italian prison in this medieval italian town. but this, a lifetime movie purporting to show what happened that night in the apartment. >> we want them to formulate an opinion and in many cases still saying, i don't know. >> reporter: the sex scene, graphic violence. >> i sat down with her. she mentioned that she had seen a little bit of it and she was

absolutely horrified by the clip. >> reporter: too much for her family and prosecutors and her then boyfriend, convicted along with amanda and another man. even the family of the victim meredith kercher calls the film absolutely horrific. lifetime had a clip on the website that showed amanda attacking meredith with a knivle while the two young men convicted are seen holding her down. that's some of what prosecutors say happened but the defense vehemently denies. they say amanda and boyfriend weren't even there. hence dna that prosecutors claims they were is fiercely disputed, now being re-examined. exile amanda's appeal moves along her attorneys threatened to take lifetime to court to block the production from airing at all.

now according to to gbritain's sunday telegraph newspaper they have removed the murder scene. there are arguments over the case and the movie, a film that adds controversy to the lingering mystery of what did happen and the real people still living it. lifetime hasn't made comments about the movie or that scene in particular. it remains to be scene tonight once it finally airs how that question is handled of whatle exactly happened that night. willie? >> michelle kosinski, lots of people will be watching tonight. douglas preston is author of the new york city bestseller the monster of florence. good morning. >> good morning. >> you're close to the knox family. you spoke to amanda's mother yesterday. what is their big concern about the film? >> the film is full of all the erroneous, manipulated facts presented at the first trial which have now been thrown out by the appeals court.

so it's based on erroneous facts. >> that's the defense of lifetime saying it is based on trial testimony, evidence recovered in amanda knox's criminal trial. does the movie have any impact on the appeal? >> i don't think it will have a legal impact but it has an impact on public opinion. all i would say is people who get their opinions and facts from a cable television movie are idiots. >> fair enough. you have an interesting perspective on the story. you were brought in for questioning by the same prosecutor trying amanda knox. what can you tell us about this? >> he's abusive, crazy. in the interrogation with five cops they accused me of being an accessory to murder, demanded that i confess or i will be indicted for perjury for not confessing. >> why did they bring you in. >> i was working with an italian

journalist on the case of "the monster of florence" who was a serial killer who murdered people in florence for 11 years and was never caught. the prosecutor didn't like our conclusions which differed with his. he was in charge of the case. so he hauled me in for the interrogation. it was sheer intimidation. it was to get rid of me. demanded when i confess and when i didn't confess to planting false evidence, being an accessory to murder. he did indict me for purgery and suggested i leave the country. i certainly did that the next day. >> let's take your argument and say the prosecutor trumped up the evidence and got it completely wrong in the case. why do that? what's in it for him? there have been charges of apt anti-americanism. >> after the abusive 14-hour interrogation of amanda knox where she made statements they

took to be a confession they had a huge press conference and announced they had found the killers. amanda knox and rafaeli. that was news around the world. then they found an unknown person's dna all other the victim, inside the victim, on the walls, bloody handprints and realized they had made a mistake. but the prosecutor at the time was under indictment himself for abuse of office. to admit he'd made a mistake would be the end of his career. in order to pull his career out of the fire -- and there were other powerful people who were a part of the press conference. they had to connect amanda and rafaeli with this third person, rudy to concoct a story that they were all involved. >> last week amanda's parents found themselves in legal trouble in italy themselves. now with charges of libel against them for an interview they gave where they accused the

police of harassing their daughter during the investigation what can you tells about this case. it carries a serious penalty in italy, does libel. >> in italy it is a criminal charge. we don't have it in the united states. that violates our first amendment and freedom. but in italy you can be charged with libel and go to prison for three years. in this case, amanda says she was struck during her interrogation, threatened, told if she asked for a lawyer things would go bad for her and she'd never see her parents again. this went on 14 hours. by law, the italians are required to record all interrogations. they claim they forgot to record this interrogation. there were a dozen cops involved, a judge, the chief of police and they forgot to record it? really? they definitely did record it. i'm certain of it. but that recording has been destroyed because it would show that amanda is correct that she

was abused and that her poor parents who were only trying to defend their daughter, doing what any parents would do now face criminal charge ans and a possible prison sentence in italy. i spoke to amanda's mother and said, aren't you worried about being in italy? she said, we're much more concerned about our daughter. if they arrest it, so be it. >> douglas preston, thank you very much. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> now a check of the weather from maria in this morning for al. >> good morning. what a crowd we have for presidents' day. we have birthdays and a first time new yorker. what do you think of new york? >> it's awesome. >> where are you from? >> boston. >> welcome. we have chilly weather in new york and the northeast, but the midatlantic, we are talking about a high that could be

breaking records from raleigh to columbia to orlando. the mid-section feeling the chill. 20, 30 degrees below average. temperatures in the 50s on the west coast. for today we have snow moving in. in new york, moving back in as an area of low pressure moves through the ho h valley. sunny in the southwest and florida. good morning to you. well, we had a pretty good line of showers earlier this morning. it kind of fell apart. right now we have just spotty activity with light showers from santa rosa to oakland. most of the activity is north of san francisco. and it is really going to start to deteriorate heading through the next few hours. by 11:00 a.m. a little pocket is coming down near novato. after that the entire thing moves offshore with partly cloudy skies. 53 in san diego. have a great day. you can get your local forecast at weather.com 24/7. >> up next, the president of the world. a behind the scenes look at

former presidentle bill clinton's life now, right after this. rate boxes working out? ose flat fabulous! they gave me this great idea. yea? we mail documents all over the country, so, what if there were priority mail flat rate... envelopes? yes! you could ship to any state... for a low flat rate? yes! a really low flat rate. like $4.95? yes! and it could look like a flat rate box... only flatter? like this? you...me...genius. genius. priority mail flat rate envelopes. just $4.95. only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship.

[ male announcer ] our 16 fresh-picked oranges have a new home. tropicana pure premium now comes in a clear bottle so you can see how much goodness is squeezed inside. ♪ good morning tropicana. the world's best juice never looked better. um, i thought t well for a first date. it is. look at your suckometer. oh, i just quit smoking, and the craving's really suck after a meal. okay. ding! [ male announcer ] quitting sucks. nicorette makes it suck less, doubling your chances of success. [ female announcer ] what makes a moment last? what makes even the lightest touch linger? new smooth sensation from nivea. the light lotion with the breakthrough skin care technology. 24-hour-plus hydra iq. it works with your skin's hydration system to keep skin smooth. all day, all night. ♪ smooth sensation and the essentials collection.

now with hydra iq. only from nivea. touch and be touched. ♪ you know how i feel i feel awesome. i'm a new mom and i lost 22 pounds. ♪ freedom is mine and i know how i feel ♪ weight watchers new pointsplus program gave me the edge to finally get out of my rut. ♪ it's a new dawn, a new day it's a new day for me because i have my body back. i feel sexy again. [ jennifer ] go on, join for free. weight watchers new pointsplus. because it works.

back at 7:44. bill clinton someone of the most influential presidents of the modern era, not only for what he accomplished in the white house but what he's done since. a new documentary "president of the world" highlights the past 10 years of clinton's life. >> what's been the key to keeping your leverage? you seem to have more now than ten years ago. >> i think the secret is two things. tough make it interesting. you have to not only make it possible for them to meet people who may help them but learn things. secondly, i think you've got to do something. you don't have to change the world if you change one life or a hundred or a thousand or 10,000, you've done something. >> chris matthews, host of "hard

ball with chris matthews" is responsible for the documentary. >> thanks for having me. >> let's talk about the title. president of the world. >> he is. we documented this. nobody knows it in america. you leave the country, go to northern ireland, africa, south asia, he's bigger than the host country president. he is president of the world. it's something we show with the film and the tape. it's astounding when he walks into a marketplace in africa. they start yelling "peacemaker." >> i have to ask you over the years you were tough on president clinton. you didn't spare him harsh words from time to time. >> this is a different -- >> people ask if you have gone soft on him. >> that's nice of you to bring that up. i love criticism from a colleague. you have a right to. it's been ten years. another perspective people have lost. ten years outside the white house. a big story.

i have to tell you how i got a look at it. four years ago my son got out of brown and went to work in africa making sure aids drugs got to people from the donors. somebody has to make sure that happens. that's the clinton global initiative. it helps people in real trouble without the intermediary stealing. that was my first sense that this is real and big. >> you had a lot of access inside with president clinton. what do you think is motivating him? >> part of it may be to make up for things that went wrong. obviously monica and all that stuff. but he wants to be there, active. the guy is just an energizer bunny. you travelle with him and he doesn't stop. all day long in northern ireland with the business guys. all night with the big black tie dinner. it's midnight and he's holding court in a sweater and jeans. this guy won't quit.

it's a big story tonight and a positive story. if there is something wrong with what he's done with the clinton global initiative, i couldn't find it. i think it is a big ten-year story everyone else missed. we're proud of it and, yes, it's right to do a good story about a good guy, to answer your question. >> chris matthews, good to have you here. catch the documentary tonight at 10:00/9:00 central on msnbc. up next, details on the royal wedding invitation, right after this. for three hours a week, i'm a coach. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some of these kids. but my coach had hit that pitch before. turning data into useful answers. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans.

that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. we get double miles on every purchase. so we earned a trip to vegas twice as fast! [ brays ] and since double miles add up fast, we can bring the whole gang. is caesar home? we get double miles every time we use our card, no matter what we're buying. thank you! thank you very much! [ garth ] it's hard to beat double miles! if anyone objects, let them speak now or forever hold their... [ bleats ] [ male announcer ] get the venture card from capital one. money magazine's best rewards card

if you aim to rack up airline miles. what's in your wallet? cannonball!! [ clang ] cannonball!! so one day, before work, i decided to pack, um, a chobani for a snack. i went to get my chobani and someone stole it! i had my suspicions. and i never get chicken, i always get fish. you know, it's the quiet ones you have to look out for. you look like you eat a lot of protein. so i found a super secret hiding place. and i outsmarted them all. chobani. rich and creamy yogurt, with only natural ingredients. share your story at chobani.com

back now at 7:49 with the countdown to the royal wedding. just 67 days from now. if you're lucky enough to be invited your invitation is now in the mail. keith miller is at buckingham the royal mailbox has rarely received so much attention on the monday morning. about 1,900 invitations were posted last week in the name of

the queen. a treasure to those who received them. the elegant wedding invitations are beveled with guilded edges. >> i live in hope one day we might get one. who knows? >> my mum would love one. >> reporter: among those invited, 50 members of the british royal family, 40 kings, queens and princes from royal families from around the world and an estimated 1,000 family and friends of prince william and bride-to-be kate. not on the list, the duchess of york. no explanation from the palace, but commentators say sarah ferguson is seen as a distraction. >> it would seem insensitive for her to turn up and possibly diverge all the media attention from their big day to her. that's what the press would do. she's done the right thing. >> reporter: also not on the list, president obama and first lady michelle. this is not a state wedding, so no presidents.

there will be plenty of celebrities. elton john is rumored to be on the list since he was a close friend of prince william's late mother princess diana. the soccer player david beckham and wife victoria will be there. and the singer kanye west. ♪ >> reporter: buckingham palace won't confirm who's on the guest list, but sources say members of the military and people representing william's charities are invited to the social event of the year. the wedding ceremony will be followed by lunch at buckingham palace for a select 600. that number will be reduced to 300 crown heads and close family and friends for a wedding reception dinner fit for a future king. and there is a very strict dress code for men, according to the invitation. either a uniform, a mourning coat or perhaps in your case, a

leisure suit. >> keith, i still have some in the closet. thank you very much. savannah, do you think the obamas were surprised they weren't invited? >> i don't know. but they did schedule a state visit to the uk in may. i wondered if that was a consolation prize. >> could be. >> just ahead, the designer of princess diana's wedding dress reveals secrets about her famous gown. willie is very excited. it's not just leisure suits for him but also gowns. coming up after your local news. [ female announcer ] dove invited real women

to have their close-ups taken by a fashion photographer. then we asked them to try new dove visible care. a revolutionary new line of body wash with the highest concentration of nutrium moisture. visible care makes skin visibly more beautiful in just 1 week. ♪ when they saw how much more beautiful and radiant their skin looked with new dove visible care... there was only one question. ♪ new dove visible care creme body wash. ♪ we went around the country asking women to speak frankly about something no one wants to talk about. toilet paper has to get you clean. period. it's not just about, you know... but it also has to keep your hands clean. toilet paper has to help keep me clean... while getting me clean. quilted northern soft & strong is now 50% stronger to help protect against breakthrough. it has the strength that i can count on. and it's still soft. quilted northern soft & strong. protection for a confident clean or your money back.

tough being the only girl. aw, there's the man of the house. who's this ? this is rufus. hey, rufus. he's actually pretty talented. you wanna see him do a trick ? ok. hey rufus. who do we love ? we love our bank. we love our bank. we love our bank. we love our bank. yes, yes. you really love your bank don't you. ally bank customers love our 24/7 customer care that allows you to talk to a real person anytime. ally. do you love your bank ? with chili's new $6 lunch break combos. choose from a house salad or hot, tasty soup. then pair it with a massive texas toast half sandwich, like our delicious classic turkey or our gigantic new southwestern blt, smothered in cilantro lime mayo and jam-packed with three glorious slices of applewood smoked bacon. served with fries, that's big flavor for just 6 bucks! the $6 break for bold, weekdays at chili's.

good morning. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning a mother? san francisco is praying her daughter is freed or rescued from somali pirates. she was captured last week on an around the world voyage with roots in the bay area. bob redell is live with the very latest. good morning to you, laura. >> reporter: just before valentine's her mom who lives here in san francisco, phyllis mckay, indicates she was aware of the pirates off the somali coast, but the skipper on the boat was sure they would be sailing far enough offshore. unfortunately, that was not the case. pirates captured mckay and another couple that were from california and are holding them hostage onboard "the quest." that's the yacht that belongs to

the california couple. the u.s. navy warship is shadowing "the quest" in an attempt to rescue the four americans, but "the quest is also heading to the somali shore. if it does, the attempt becomes much more unlikely if not impossible. bob redell for "today in the bay." >> we are hoping for the best outcome there. thank you, bob. we'll check the forecast right now with christina. a cold start to the day. >> yes, it is so cold out there. you will probably find a layer of frost on your windshield if you are parking outside in an unprotected area. we have light scattered showers coming down, but the showers are thinning out and are also moving to the north. so right now we are relatively dry north of san francisco. and that will continue to be the case as we head through the next few hours. by 11:00 a.m. we are looking to no showers except for the little pocket by novato. showers stay onshore throughout the rest of the day. 53 degrees in san jose. we'll find out how we are doing in the traffic department with mike inouye. hey, christina. the north bay is talking about the rain drifting through, no

major slowing through the area. very light volume of traffic. we'll take a look at the golden gate bridge where we see the 48 on the map. a live look shows the cones moving. if we can get the live shot of san jose, that would be the southbound side with one left lane closed there. the bay bridge an easy flow there. no metering lights all morning long. we'll take you to the south bay with the slowing. remember, you cannot get to the top of mount hamilton because the south bay is closed. we'll have another local news update in a half hour. the "today" show is back in less than a minute. have a great monday morning. ui

8:00 now on this monday morning, the 21st of february, 2011. the snow is letting up just a little bit here on the plaza. but there is another batch of winter weather headed our way tonight. as promised, we are out here on the plaza. we made it out. >> i really can't hear you. >> i'm willie geist. meredith and matt are off today. >> why do you think they took the day off? >> the crowd didn't take the day off. we have a lot here to honor presidents' day. we'll look back at the last 60 years of commander-in-chiefs who

appeared on "today." from truman to obama we haven't missed a single one. >> as the world waits to find out who will design kate middleton's wedding dress. breaking news to report. we have diana's wedding dress, the train, the whole thing, will be here in studio tomorrow on "today." we'll give you the story behind the dress including why it was placed in a safe every night. >> no small feat getting that here. and a story that comes from the heart. a 13-year-old boy who underwent two heart surgeries at just 8 years old who created a special wine to raise money for heart research. >> first a check of the news stories. tamron hall is at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning. libyan protesters are claiming control of the second largest city after days of bloody fights and more than 200 fights t. prodemocracy demonstration spread to tripoli overnight where gunfire is ringing out and

some state buildings are burned. muammar gaddafi says the country is on the brink of civil war and plans to fight until the last bullet bullet. officials in minnesota, michigan, and wisconsin are urging people to stay off the roads after a winter storm dumped up to a foot of snow in places. air travel is affected with hundreds of flights cancelled. union leaders in wisconsin say they will continue protesting governor scott walker's plans to out their bargaining rights for most public employees. this morning a suspected u.s. drone strike killed at least seven people in a tryle ball region along pakistan's western border. a u.s. warship is shadowing a yacht with americans on board that was hijacked pride by somali pirates. a prayer service was held for

one of the couples from california last night. officials believe if the hostages are taken to somalia it could lengthen their captivity. it's been nearly nine months since kyron mormhormon disappea from his school's science fair. here's more. >> reporter: desiree young took the search for her missing son to roseburg, oregon, where kyron's step-mother terri lives. >> terri, where is kyron? >> reporter: the flyers are designed to put public pressure on terri to talk. she's believed to have been the last person to see kyron alive. >> we know terri blames kyron for her failing marriage, that she wanted him out of her life. we know terri is responsible yet she remains silent. >> reporter: terri hormon has

never been charged with a crime. her attorney calls allegations against her a witch hunt. the eight-month search for kyron is the largest in oregon state history. in january, volunteers and cadaver dogs combed the hills near kyron's school, the last place where he was soov seen alive. search teams are looking far body. kyron's mother needs answers. >> every day i get up, plug away and do what i can. i love him very much. i would never, never stop. never. >> reporter: a determined mom focused on finding her son and getting his step-mother to talk. miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> a news crew team under attack sunday in california. a group of angry mourners roughed up a two-person crew for reporting on the fatal shooting

of a 27-year-old man shot in a local ihop restaurant. police broke up the crowd and there have been no arrests. more that be 100 traditional venetian rowing boats took part in the venice carnival featuring ten days of music and dance at st. marks square and areas around venice. quite a sight. now a check of the weather with maria larosa who is in for al. lots of snow coming down. >> we have a sweet 16 birthday sign. we have snow falling here, but our pick city, austin, texas, no snow there. mostly sunny this afternoon. nice and warm. 79 degrees. we have a series of storms impacting the midwest and northeast. rain through the ohio valley, eventually bringing snow through pennsylvania. d.c. and philadelphia through tomorrow morning. additional snow accumulations of one to three. some spots like central pennsylvania

good morning to you. we still have light scattered showers coming down, especially on the north bay from santa rosa to petaluma. showers. a lot of this action i starting to subside and second half of the day left with just partly cloudy skies and we'll dry out. by 11:00 a.m., futurecast, pocket of rain over novato and clearing and 56 is the forecasted high in oakland. 52 in fremont. warmer tomorrow, next round of rain arrives thursday. willie, back to you. >> thank you very much. up next, the special wine inspired by one young heart disease survivor's battle that's giving hope to o pnts, aftethis. hey, you made your own lunch. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something.

(announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. i'm sam chernin, owner of sammy's fish box. i opened the first sammy's back in 1966. my employees are like family, and i want people that work for me to feel that they're sharing in my success. we purchase as much as we can on the american express open gold card so we can accumulate as many points as possible. i pass on these points to my employees to go on trips with their families. when my employees are happy, my customers are happy. how can the gold card help serve your business? booming is taking care of your business by taking care of your employees.

[ water running ] ct talking on television ] hola padre. hola. [ male announcer ] you do everything so they're at their best. so start their big days with the incredible protein. eggs. so, you got a chevy malibu. nice. a consumers digest best buy three years in a row. and an epa - estimated 33 miles per gallon highway. and what does your neighbor have? a bad case of car envy.

and then a 3:15, with my guilt. [ female announcer ] new special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. mmmmmmm...good meeting. same time tomorrow? [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. i see a bag and think... i could have a chip. yeah right. that's why they're called chips? [ female announcer ] new special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. another cracker chip? don't mind if i do! [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. don't mind if i do! your favorites, in pieces.

this morning on "today's health," a toast to one boy's battle with heart disease. it's said often that a little wine is good for you and one california family has created a special red, hoping it will do wonders to keep people heart healthy. >> he was born a little premature, the most beautiful, gorgeous little boy. >> reporter: doctors heard a murmur in colby's heart. >> by the time he was 8 i could tell he was failing to thrive. he was really pale. his valve was prolapsing which means there was a lot of backflow of flood. >> reporter: colby's doctors said surgery would be necessary to repair a valve in his heart. >> i think the hardest part was seeing them wheel him off and just saying good-bye. >> reporter: the recovery was

challenging. >> weeks on the couch, not going to school, missing friends. >> reporter: then an enormous set-back. >> it was ten months later when the valve was failing and they needed him back in surgery. >> reporter: this time an artificial valve was attached to his heart. >> i remember being scared, super worried. >> his recovery from the second surgery was much harder. he was really under a big black cloud for about a year after that surgery. >> reporter: colby is now 13. he volunteered with the american heart association and his artificial valve is doing its job. >> he plays basketball, works out with physical trainers. he's doing fine physically. >> reporter: recently colby convinced his father, a winemaker in sonoma county, to work with him on creating their own blend. then colby raised the stakes. >> i asked if it could go to

heart research. >> i thought it was a wonderful idea. >> reporter: the father and son made 50 cases of red wine calling it colby red. but when darryl shared the story with a buyer, it turned into more. >> when they said we want to sponsor, that became a bigger project. the first bottling was 20,000 cases. >> reporter: the goal now, continue making colby red and raise funds for organizations that support heart research. >> it feels good that i have accomplished something bigger than myself. something that helps more people than just me. >> we know it could make a huge difference to a lot of people. and the wine is delicious, too. >> reporter: colby is with us today along with his parents darryl and lisa. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> colby, i see pictures of you when you were sick and you look so good. how do you feel? >> i feel really good. i feel just the same as anybody else basically. >> how did you come up with the

idea? >> i came up with it to make a wine with my dad and then knowing that i have heart problems and a lot of other kids do since it's a bigger killer than even cancer for children, i wanted to raise money to find a cure for them. >> darryl, i know this started sort of small. 50 cases. and now how many? >> now it's 20,000 cases. with the backing and treasury wine estates helping us do the wine it's grown into a very meaningful program out of colby's inspiration. it's great to see. >> lisa, how do you feel as a mom to have gone through this with his heart to find out what a good heart he has. >> when colby was going through surgery, we closed ranks around him and gave him a lot of love. we were really proud of him then for his bravery and courage. we're even more proud today that his mind and heart arecoming up

great project. >> you were in orlando over the weekend? >> we were donating the first check from colby red. he asked everyone in the film to match the donation. we're on track at the end of the month to already have $100,000 raised. >> who have you been giving the proceeds to? >> initially we started with the heart groups. we started in orlando, dallas, then our own backyard. >> colby, why was it important to do this? a lot of people that went through this would say, i want to be a normal kid and forget all that happened? >> it's important to do something because for every move there is an opposite. i can't remember the quote perfectly, but i just wanted to get out there, do something that i could say i have done. >> you have, indeed. we have the fruits of it right

here. we'll try some colby red this morning. sorry, colby. i don't know if you have tasted it here, but not here on national television. >> it's delicious. really fruity, soft and round. enjoyable for a lot of people. i have been able to make great wines in my life and this is one of the best wines i have ever made. it not only tastes good, it feels good. >> it's fruit forward. >> beautiful. everyone tells us how much they love it. >> colby, darryl and lisa, thank you very much for being with us. >> thank you. >> up next, presidents who have appeared on "today" over the decades. plus, the real story ahead of princess diana's wedding dress ahead of its visit to studio 1a. thas after this.

[ male announcer ] did you know that aquafresh iso-active was just voted product of the year? in a national consumer survey on production innovation thousands of americans voted. aquafresh iso-active was the clear winner! we guarantee it will be your favorite, too, or your money back. try aquafresh iso-active. amazing. morning! mor-ning. i'm your genie. you're wishing for... a tasty fiber cereal? well you don't want that one. kellogg's fiber plus cereal. the delicious taste of berries, 40% of your daily fiber... plus...wait for it...

antioxidants! so, two more wishes! mmmm. mmmm. maybe later, then. [ female announcer ] kellogg's fiber plus cereal. positively delicious. and i wondered what it was. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can do more with the ones i love. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these,

new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior or any swelling or affected breathing, or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. back now with our special ser seri series, 60 years of "today."

>> harry truman was in office when "today" began in 1952. when he was in new york he'd plan the morning walks to coincide with the "today" broadcast. one day he joined the crowd resulting in this photograph. every american president that's followed has appeared on "today." >> good morning, mr. president. >> we have responsibilities. >> the president is here. >> what is the biggest fault? >> if you had anything to do over again would you do anything different? >> i certainly wouldn't have made the last lung against tufts. >> i noticed it was the first television interview with any president on a regularly scheduled program. >> i'm delighted to have this chance with dave garroway.

this country deserves the best of all of us. >> we came to the conclusion that we should have a special program on poverty and try to make more progress in the next 20 years than we have made in the last 20. >> good morning, barbara. >> this morning we'll have president ford. >> this ought to be a very important election because there is a political difference between fwov ngovernor carter o one hand and myself on the other. >> do you think a balanced budget by 1981 is a realistic goal? >> obviously i can't guarantee it. >> i appreciate you appearing on my final day on "today." >> i used to worry about being responsible for closing a treattreat theater or two. here i am closing out your show. >> i need to convince you to talk with me because it'm so

easy. >> i don't want to get in a fight with you. >> when a baseball doesn't perform you fire the manager, not the whale team. why should the american people do otherwise? >> let's think of another analogy. >> you didn't like that one? >> kids are growing up in a culture more violent. the crime rate is going down, but it's the violence. >> you watch the first hour of "today" before you go into the briefing? >> i watch your best moments. all 30 seconds. >> thank you. >> have you ever thought about what the first four years of your presidency might have been like were it not for 9/11? >> i haven't had the luxury. it was defined by 9/11. >> you have a big stake in this. if this falls apart this is not for you. >> this is absolutely important to me. but this is not as important to me as it is to the people who don't have health care. i've got health care. >> this is a time to spend more time in the gulf.

i never thought i would say this to a president, but kick some butt. >> we talk to these folks because they have the best answers, so i know whose ass to kick. >> that made a lot of news when the president said that. it's amazing to watch the way this show reflected on the history of the country, through presidents, wars, civil rights. we have been there the whole time. >> also fascinating is how some of the issues don't change. we saw tom brokaw asking president carter about a balanced budget. >> president obama doesn't walk past the glass like truman did. >> i love his sign, waving to us through the window. kate middleton and prince william's wedding is approaching and there is much speculation about who will design the dress and how it will compare to princess diana. that dress will be in studio tomorrow on "today." first, nbc's peter alexander has the story behind it. peter, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. i know wedding dresses are in

your sweet spot. back then everybody knew who was designing princess diana's dress but the problem was keeping the design a secret. reporters did everything they could for a scoop. designers referred to her as debra so no clues would leak out. they had nightmares about a break-in at the show room so they locked the now famous dress in a metal safe each night. it was undoubtedly the dress of the century. a victoria-inspired hand-sewn wedding down lady diana spencer wore when she was married. >> it was romantic. "gone with the wind," magical, almost old hollywood. >> reporter: the designers, david emmanuel and his then wife elizabeth. a young team that had been in business only seven years. the call came from diana herself. >> she similarly ran up and

said, hello. >> reporter: diana called? >> oh, yes. she's a regular human being, you know. very sweet. beautiful-looking. >> reporter: they had worked with diana before. once their names were announced they faced a task as daunting as making the iconic dress itself. >> reporter: this was perhaps the best guarded secret in fashion history. how did you keep it that way? >> we hired two security guards working 12-hour shifts. journalists at the time were making appointments, pretending to be clients. they would walk in and i would say, i know you. >> reporter: they were pretending to be brides? >> or guests. we had roller blinds. >> reporter: the british paparazzi were relentless, even trying to tempt employees with suitcases full of cash. it didn't stop there. >> you saw people rummaging

through a rubbish bin. what are they doing? >> reporter: they were looking true the trash? >> they were looking for fabric. so we'd throw in threads, fabrics. >> reporter: throw them off the trail. >> you have to have some fun. >> reporter: then there was the wedding day, watched by more than 700 million people worldwide. >> the only time i got nervous was standing inside the top of the stairs at st. paul's and we were waiting for her to arrive. >> reporter: you were the last one to speak to her before she went down the aisle. what did you say? >> i'm not telling you. >> reporter: the dress begins its journey east this afternoon arriving here tomorrow morning. >> this is an incredible operation, just getting the dress here. comes with an escort, security guards, has its own lighting. it's a big production like savannah. >> wait until they put it on

you. that's a production. >> i will look sharp in that dress. princess diana's wedding dress will be here, train and all, tomorrow on "today." we are back after your local news. good morning to you. it's 8:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. we want to check the forecast with christina. >> good morning to you. it is a holiday, if you have to get to work, watch out for pesky showers. right now for the most part they're coming down north of san francisco and that will be the case throughout the day today. showers most tloi our north but it's chilly out there and with all of the moisture left over from the showers we had last week and to the weekend, make sure you give yourself extra time to get the frost off your windshield. today, highs in the mid 50s. find out how we're doing in the traffic department with mike. >> well, highway 4 drivers have a chance to sit at home and

defrost that windshield before they hit the road. no major slowing. clear all day and through the rest of the maze. folks at the limit approaching the bay bridge toll plaza, show you oakland, 880, look at the nimitz freeway. light volume there. moving smoothly locally and 80, freeways are open. more news after this.

a weekend adventure turned deadly for two teenagers in the

east bay, the 16-year-old and 17-year-old tried to go rafting in a rain-swollen drainage creek in walnut creek saturday. they were in a two-person inflatable raft, helmets but no life preserver, they were supposed to meet a friend downstream but they never arrived. boits were well-liked. their bodies were found in the rough waters about a mile apart m concord. another local news update in half an hour. "today" returns in less than a minute. [ female announcer ] why settle for plain bread when you can have pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits? the warm, light delicate layers are like nothing else. add a layer of excitement to your next meal. ♪ but i've got a warm, fresh baked strawberry toaster strudel. see the difference?

mmmm. i do. (announcer) pillsbury toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat. this presidents day, a dynamic portrait of former president clinton. all right. 8:30 now on this monday morning, february 21, 2011. it's presidents' day. our holiday crowd in a great mood considering the weather. packed into our rockefeller plaza. good morning. i'm savannah guthrie, alongside willie geist and tamron hall. our regular crew took the day

off today. >> i feel i have to ditch this. >> that's all right. in this half hour, we'll be alking about the former nba player who was paralyzed from the waist down, teams up with an old friend to walk again with the help of bionic legs. and the whereabouts of some long lost books that belonged to thomas jefferson. they've been a mystery for some 185 years. now they've been found. we've got them here in our studio. we'll tell you where they've been for all these years. you ever wonder why you have a hard time concentrating? you wonder if it's a lack of sleep? >> i never wonder that. >> sometimes i'm just happy with what i have. >> for the rest of us who can't concentrate, we'll have tips on how you can avoid draining your attention span and what you can do to regain your focus. especially when you're juggling, multitasking, we'll check on it. >> first a check of the weather with the weather channel's maria la rosa. i can tell you the weather.

it's snowing with the chance of a very bad hair day. >> i feel your pain. you guys okay with the snow? you're here on the "today" show. we do have more snow coming along with that moving through the northeast. we're going to see another wave. that one is back through the lower ohio valley. that's going to swing through later this afternoon and overnight and bring another patch of snow especially across central pennsylvania. be on the lookout. in d.c. tomorrow, you could see a few snowflakes. that moves out early tomorrow. in the meantime, sunny in florida. midsection, lots of cold air, 20 to 30 degrees below average high temperatures. sun returns across the good morning to you. we're still watching these pesky showers creep on shore but they're starting to thin out right now. we had a good line of showers, that is now pushing to east of antioch as we head through the next 15 minutes and as we head through the morning hours this will really start to deteriorate, partly cloudy skies second half the day and futurecast shows you by 3:00

p.m. clear skies. 55 in san francisco, for tomorrow, a little bit warpmer but another cold start. conditions. good friend willard scott in florida. >> ah, to be in ohio in the summertime and to be in florida for the winter. who could ask for more? happy birthday from smuckers. we have some birthday funnies just for you. this is floyd farmer of elkton, michigan, 100 years old. golfs in three different leagues. loves that golf. i don't know if he rides on a cart or walks. elizabeth orris, clinton township, michigan. third time she tried to get on the show. she's 102. she goes to the casino and plays penny slot machines. i didn't know they had them anymore. benjamin murphy, a good irishman. he'll plant his potato on st. paddy's day.

bridgeport, connecticut, 100 years old. retired fire captain, lives on his own. secret to longevity, keep breathing, he says. still works. helga sparman from excelsior, minnesota, 101. makes the best swedish cookies in all the land. people love her cookies. i bet at christmas her house smells good. anthony abraham, coral gables, florida, 100 years ol donated thousands of dollars to local communities during the hurricane season. how about that? and morris weiss, southfield, michigan. another michigan, three on one show. volunteers at the jewish program service center every week. head over heels in love with lenore, his wife. isn't that sweet? that's all. now back to new york. >> all right, willard. thanks a lot. coming up next, a giant pad, literally. a former nba player getting back

on his feet with the help of some bionic legs.

back now at 8:37 with today's american story with bob dotson. it comes today from chicago where a couple of high school buddies from the '80s are teaming up to take a giant step forward, getting a former nba player bionic legs. >> reporter: anyone looking for wonder among the world's ordinary stuff should follow the bone mobile. massive mike williams and big dan ivankovich are taking it for a drive down memory lane. >> give me the ball. i'm going for the hole. >> took this path for, what, about four years every day. >> going to high school basketball games around chicago. mike and dan played together on all-star teams.

they were both good enough to turn pro. >> and williams with the rebound and the putback. and mike williams. >> massive mike made it to the nba, played for sacramento and the atlanta hawks. dan blew out his knee. the kid from yugoslavia became a blues musician. >> and a flame throwing guitar player. >> eight bullets brought the old teammates back together. on thanksgiving weekend, 2009, mike tried to break up a fight in an atlanta nightclub. >> i started hearing shots, and i felt one hit my back, and my legs went straight numb. i'm thinking, no, man, not me, man. i can't go out like that. no way, man. are you serious? >> paramedics said the hospital was 18 minutes away. >> dude, hurry up, man. i ain't got 18 minutes, man. what are you doing?

hurry up. >> mike slipped into a coma for two months and woke up paralyzed from the waist down. he figured he'd be in a wheelchair the rest of his life. then he saw a face he had not seen for 30 years. on television. saving children in haiti. >> dang, that's dan, big dan. >> the blues musician had become a world class orthopedic surgeon. maybe his old pal could get him walking again. mike isn't totally paralyzed. but those eight bullets dusted bone shrapnel all over his nerve endings. >> is pain the worst opponent you've ever had? >> pounds, man, the needles. >> push, man. come on. >> all day long every day. >> the man who went one on one with the best in the nba now

battles his own inability. >> when i see mike, it's -- you know, i feel it. every step when pains are going through his legs. >> mike's life has become one long dental appointment without novacane. >> almost there, man. okay? >> a series of operations should ease the agony, but dan is trying for something more, the two playing basketball again. >> there's some old scores we've got to settle, you know. >> long odds but -- >> friendship is a powerful medicinal force. >> reporter: when teamed with cutting edge science. dan called berkeley bionics, a company that's developing electronic legs, computer controlled manmade muscles got this paralyzed woman walking again. but mike stands nearly 7 feet tall. >> if you make this work for mike williams, it will work for everybody. >> reporter: massive mike would

test the limits of those robotic legs. none of the models built so far are strong enough to hold him. but one day when he puts them on, he'll become a symbol of more than just senseless violence. he'll also be a testament to what teammates, old friends can do. >> he wants a chance to get back at me. >> reporter: they're already trash talking about the bionic man's game. >> see, i'm going to have like an e-legs override box. there's going to be a kill switch. so he's going to be going like errwr. >> bye. good luck. >> bye. see you later. >> reporter: nobody wins this game because he's tall or strong. you need a team of friends to help you do better. than you think you can. for "today," bob dotson, nbc news, with an american story in chicago. and up next, the long lost books of thomas jefferson that were just recently discovered. but first this is today on nbc.

my second diagnosis-- i was told to go home, retire, and enjoy the time i had left. to say it was a shock is just a complete understatement. i mean, i don't think there are words. she had put up a really good fight, but it was her time. you... don't have a choice of getting breast cancer. i had no choice. i wanted to do something bigger than myself. that 3-day gave me that opportunity. and i can actually do something to help. i think it's a very bold thing to do.

60 miles in 3 days-- i can do that. i'm sure if it was 100 miles, we'd still walk it. it was a big statement for me of... (voice breaks) i'm alive. we can do this. we can do this. we can rid the world of this terrible disease... so that no mother... granddaughter... sister... daughter... mother... go through what my wife had to go through. this is more than just three days. this is a lifetime. (man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime.

back now at 8:43 on this presidents' day morning. following his death in 1826, a number of books belonging to president thomas jefferson were considered lost to history. thanks to intrepid researcher, 74 of the books have been discovered. ann lucas is here as well as shirley baker. good morning. >> good morning. >> ann, this was an historical mystery of sorts. we knew the books were out there. where did you begin to look for them? >> i had been doing research on jefferson's grand daughter and we knew they had purchased a number of volumes after jefferson's death.

i asked and i was coming up empty with answers. i had a colleague at the international center who was also tracking jefferson's volumes. i had the lucky happenstance one day of hitting -- having a hit on google books when i was searching for information about joseph coolidge, ellen's husband. up popped a reference to joseph coolidge's library being given to washington university in st. louis in 1880. instantly -- >> must have been exhilarating. >> it was. october 20. it's a day seared into my memory. i took it to my colleague and we said this makes sense that they were somewhere safe but somewhere we never would have thought to look. >> shirley, these books had been sitting in st. louis at the washington library for 130 years. >> 130 years. >> how did you put two and two together? when did you realize you had a treasure on your hands? >> ann talked with aaron davis, our rare books curator and said, do you have a coolidge

collection. we didn't have records in the online catalog in those days for our donors, so in the archives we found records that, in fact, the books had come here. there were 3,000 of them which doubled the library at the time. >> wow. >> the students wrote about it in the student newspaper at the time. they were very excited. >> thomas jefferson leaves a mark to let you know these were the real thing. >> we had a list of books we knew the coolidges brought and we could track them from joseph and ellen saying these are the books we'd like. these are the books shipped to them. these are the books they've received. so we sent them a list of call numbers for volumes and said, go ahead and pull these volumes and look for jefferson's mark. he marked his booked in a way that was unique, not unusual. he put a t in front of the i

signature and an i after the t signature. i being latin for j. so these are each marked with a t and a j in at least two places. we were getting e-mails back as they were pulling back volumes. every day we'd have more and more coming back until we hit 74. >> shirley, let's talk about the books. we know this is an architecture book that led to a crowning achievement. >> exactly. ann can probably talk about it better. >> what are we looking at? >> this is a book by chambray, "parallels of architecture, modern and ancient." you can see the bookplate. it's amazing that this is the one volume with his bookplate and the original binding. we are so thrilled by this. this is the volume that jefferson would lend to his workmen building the university of virginia. >> they used this as a guide to

build -- >> to build the university of virginia. he used this same volume to design monticello and he sold the early version to the library of congress. he reacquired it. you can see where he's marked calculations so he doesn't have to do it twice. there are letters, drawings. these are all filling in pieces of puzzles for historians. >> shirley, what do we take away from books as we look at the other ones? what do we learn about thomas jefferson with the discovery? >> the first thing that struck me was how important it was, how interesting and important it was that they be in st. louis. thomas jefferson did the louisiana purchase. >> right. >> and the -- and he sent lewis and clark there to find it. so finding the book was particularly appropriate.

>> they will stay there for w? >> they will stay there, yes. >> ladies, congratulations on the sleuth work, uncovering the works belonging to thomas jefferson. ann lucas, shirley baker. thank you. still ahead, the smartest ways to spend your tax refund. first this is "today" on nbc.

they may not be household names but thousands of men who accepted settle the west for african-american. mara schiavocampo has the story about their often overlooked contribution to american history. good morning. >> good morning. it's named after one of the most famous black cowboys, bill pickett and the rodeo has allowed black cowboys and cowgirls to show off their skills and share the tradition with a new generation. cowboys, the faces of the frontier. depicted in movies as fast-riding, gun-slinging pioneers. when it comes to scenes from the wild west, one character is often left out -- the black cowboy. >> black cowboy. >> i'm a rodeo boy. >> i'm a fifth generation cowgirl. >> reporter: rarely seen in history books or movies it is estimated up to 25% of cowboys were african-american. today, you will find many of

them here at the all-black bill pickett invitational rodeo, dubbed the greatest show on dirt, more than a hundred modern day cowboys big and small compete in a number of events, chasing down steers, racing around barrels and roping calves. stephanie hanes is one of the most decorated female rodeo champions in the country. you could say it's in her blood. >> my dad rodeoed. he calf roped. it was passed on to me. >> reporter: now it's become part of her family, too. stephanie's daughter also competes. her husband sedgwick, from a rough houston neighborhood, started riding as a teen and said road know helped him get on the right road in life. >> half the kids i grew up with were on drugs n jail or got killed. >> reporter: they have a practice arena in the backyard

and a room full of prizes to show for it. history buff paul stewart has a few prized possessions of his own. >> these are all tool as cowboy would use? >> yeah. >> reporter: the 85-year-old spent the last 48 years collecting artifacts. in 1971 he founded the black america west museum, the only one of its kind dedicated to telling the stories of the nation's black cowboys, men like bill pickett and deadwood dick. >> the slaves broke the horses, so who would be better than a man born into it? >> reporter: while stewart shares oral history, the hanes family teach people things like calf roping. i got it! and barrel racing. >> ladies and gentlemen, we have

mara schiavocampo from new york. >> all right, walmart. let's do it. >> for the championship and $10,000. ♪ >> you're a cowgirl now! >> reporter: just one family passing along often forgotten african-american traditions before riding off into the sun set. though the rodeo circuit is a way of life for many of the participants in the rodeo, most have day jobs. kanesha jackson told me she wants to compete professionally after graduating from college. >> mara schiavocampo may stick to her day job. >> for sure. >> a little more time at rodeo school for you. >> the outfit looked good. >> that's half the battle. >> to learn more about black cowboys and the american west head to thegrio.com. >> still ahead, five reasons why you can't concentrate. >> first, your local news and weather. ♪

[ female announcer ] picking tights isn't always easy. ♪ picking a free detergent is. switch to tide free & gentle in the white and blue bottle. no other free detergent is milder on skin and unlike the leading free detergent, it removes more residue from dirt, food, and stains. so nothing spoils this tights enthusiast's enthusiasm. ♪ tide free & gentle. style is an option. clean is not. also look for downy and bounce free. and this is a look at mt. hamilton. look at the snow that fell over the weekend. it's 8:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. making for a cold start to the day. hoping for a warmup, christina. >> yes, because it's cold, some snow will stick today, unfortunately, the road to get up there is closed for today. and it is a holiday. i'm sure a lot of people want to play in that snow.

there is a little bit more precipitation coming down across the north bay right now but these showers are wining down significantly by noon should see clearing over the entire bay area. today's highs in the low 50s. yod tu' jacket. laura is back with more news after this. [ alarm clock buzzing, indistinct conversations ] [ female announcer ] important events can sneak up on you. oh, i am not ready. can i have a couple weeks? [ female announcer ] but with yoplait light's two week tune up, you could be ready. you could lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks when you replace breakfast and lunch with a fruit, grain, and yoplait light. betsy bets. you haven't changed a bit. oh...neither have you... sean. well, yeah. [ female announcer ] go to yoplait.com to start your two week tune up.

transit drivers say something needs to be done to pro at the time them on the job after a shooting in north richmond. drivers say they're often condition fronted with angry ride worse sometimes become threatening. earlier this month someone shot the back window of a bus in north richmond, because of that sheriff bepties escorted buses in the area for a week. but the union representing ac transit drivers and mechanics plans to push for better

standards, ac transit will put more cameras on buses to try to keep them safe. thanks for joining us. "today" continues, another update in half an hour. our latest editorial stated we believe in teacher tenure reform. reform that protecting effective teachers and refuses to give ineffective ones a hall pass. responses with passionate and polarizing. one teacher exclaimed, i can only do so so much, many parents don't follow up at home with homework checking or participate in conferences. we guarantee employment after two years a socialistic profession. this viewer adds when teachers are come pin say theed like those in business we'll have a more competitive environment. one says peer pressure isn't a

bad thing. let other teachers evaluate them and put them in the shape up or ship out. teachers would not let ineffe ineffective teachers stick around. back now with more of "today" on this presidents' day, the 21st day of february, 2011. a little bit of slush and snow out here in the plaza and across new york today making the sight-ssight site-seeing difficult. i'm willie geist along with savannah guthrie. matt, meredith, al, they're all gone. we have a lot more on the winter storm pummelling the midwest causing travel headaches from minneapolis to detroit. hundreds of flights cancelled.

forecasters saying some 15 inches of snow could afall in te twin cities. >> also, not to bum you out, but taxes are duel april 18th. so you do get three extra days. if you expect a refund some of you may have spent the money on new clothes, home improvement or a trip. but first we'll show you the five smartest ways to make it work for you in the future. plus, why do i ask? are you easily distracted? >> huh? >> that's what i thought. this segment is for you. pay attention. if you have trouble focusing on just one path or you can't concentrate on the blackberry, youtube and e-mail all at the same time it could be information overload or signal adhd or a sleep disorder. we'll take you through some reasons why you could be having trouble concentrating. i always hang on your every word. >> thank you. stay focused. later, how would you like to be one of the lucky people to have an invitation in the mailbox to

the royal wedding? the invitations are out. we'll tell you who made the guest list and who didn't. and how you can be in london during the week of the wedding come april. >> even if you're not invited? >> going to be excited. first a check on the top stories from tamron hall inside at the news desk in for ann. >> good morning, everyone. libyan protesters and security forces reportedly battled for control of the capitol city of tripoli as foreign journalists were barred from the country. stephanie gosk has details from cairo. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, tamron. at about 1:00 a.m. there was an unscripted and at times speech to the nation given by moammar gadhafi's son. he accused the foreign media of plotting against the government and said if the protests don't stop there could be civil war and rivers of blood all over libya.

overnight protesters in tripoli took to the streets. gunfire ran out and state buildings burned. the government has banned journalists from covering the growing violence. these grainy youtube pictures, some of the only video of protest that threatens to topple colonel moammar gadhafi. his son and heir blames the foreign media, exiles and drug-fuelled hooligans for the violence and offered protesters a chance to negotiate and promised a bloodbath if they didn't. >> translator: we will fight to the bullet. >> reporter: the violence began five days ago in the eastern city of benghazi, the second largest in this oil-rich nation. demonstrators inspired by tunisia and egypt surrounded a courthouse chanting "the people want to bring down the regime." the regime answered with gunfire. late on sunday there were reports that the protesters had taken control of the city. witnesses describe scenes of anarchy. >> i think the civilians have armed themselves. i can see civilians with arms.

>> reporter: this video appears to show ehly armed civilians. weapons including rpgs and tanks were stolen. human rights group and the u.s. state department claims hundreds of people have been killed and wounded. the government puts the death toll at only 84. >> they are afraid a human rights catastrophe is unfolding as i speak. >> reporter: in the last few days, state tv has aired pictures of a smiling leader, surrounded by supporters. there are reports today that colonel moammar gadhafi is rapidly losing control of his country. we are hearing now that there are a number of buildings on fire in tripoli including the parliament building and state tv and a number of police stations. there is a town on the coast that is said to be in the hands of protesters. tamron? >> stephanie, thank you. the waves of unrest are spreading globally.

yemen's embattled president refused calls for regime change as shots were fired during demonstrations in the capital. bahrain saw its largest protests yet as teachers joined demonstrations. peaceful protesters filled the streets of mo rocca by tens of thousands calling for changes to the constitution. in china the jasmine revolution led to the rounding up of dozens of dissidents. many are confined to their home or missing. the weather channel's eric fisher is in washington square park this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. we are looking at snow falling again in new york city. plenty of people are saying "say it ain't snow." we don't want to see any more of the white stuff. this storm had better timing. as it's presidents' day lots of kids are off school and people are off work. you can go make a snowman in the

park. the bad side of this is the fact that the financial burden on the city is heavy. $40 million over budget. every inch of snow costs another million. this one brought heavy snow to minneapolis over to detroit. it will take a while to pay for the snow removal. we are on pace for a record season in new york. tamron, back to you. >> the line of the day. "say it ain't snow." state democratic governors in wisconsin are staying away from the capitol to prevent an anti-union bill from passing. protesters say they will continue fighting the plan to cut bargaining rights. lost and found. 77-year-old rudolph resta got back the wallet he lost 40 years ago. a security guard found the wallet in a wall near where it was stolen in new york. resta said the old pictures of his wife, sons and late father are bringing back memories.

and "unknown" took top spot at the cinema this weekend. "i am number four" was second. sometimes it takes a panda to know a panda. so chinese handlers took bear suits to release a mother and cub -- look at this -- into the wild. researchers are trying to keep the pandas unaccustomed to human contact so they maintain a healthy fear of us, but taking off this panda suit may send the wrong message. it's 7 minutes past the hour. now back to willie geist and savannah. if i turn around to anyone in a panda suit -- >> that's disturbing. >> it didn't fit right. >> wasn't tailored right. maria is with us from the weather channel. >> good morning. we have a lighter snow falling. it's presidents' day. we have a birthday girl here. happy birthday to you, lovely

lady. we have winter storm warnings across much of the country now. still through the midwest and into the northeact. we have more to go. you can see the area in blue. notice the area in ligth blue. that's a winter storm watch. we have another wave rolling along behhed t latest one through the northeast bringing another punch of snow to places like central pennsylvania and washington, d.c. could see flakes by tomorrow morning. we are talking an additional one to three inches in spots. six to nine inches of snowfall. the rest of the country behind the system, we'll see a little bit of a good morning to you. well, we promise that these showers would start to subside and look at what we're picking up on the imagery, radar shows the showers lifting to the north a bit. that's a good sign we'll see clearing a krots bay area before we hit noon. 52 is the forecasted high in fremont, 56 in oakland and 55 in la los gatos. cold start, a.m. frost, next

round of showers thursday into friday, low snow levels. tamron, back inside to you. this morning on "today's money," smart ways to spend your tax refund. if you're getting cash back this year, some of you may have already spent the money. if you are looking to put it to good use, the anchor of cnbc's worldwide exchange is here. nicole, good to see you. there are new laws which could mean more of a refund. >> absolutely. new taxbreaks. great news for you and i and refunds. if you're self-employed you can write off your health insurance premium. if you have college age kids in the house and make up to a certain amount you can deduct up to $4,000 for education-related expenses. cents per mile is a big one. that is increased. you can write off medical

expenses, business expenses, moving expenses. remember, it's not free money. it's your money and you are getting it back. >> and you have parents adopting children and charitable donations for seniors to add on. people are seeing a larger tax refund. 2009 it was $2600. now it's over $3,000. >> yes, $3300. up to $650 extra dollars. that's about 90% of americans going to receive that. it is important to be smart about how you spend it. >> all right. you have ideas on how to spend it the right way. you say first, check your outstanding debt. makes sense. >> absolutely. look at the higher interest rate debt first. that would be credit cards. if you can pay off credit cards with $3300 you are my hero. most people can't. if you do look to car lackacar after that and student debt. >> you say honey-do list. look at projects around the house.

>> if you have particular projects like a high efficiency dishwasher, that will save you money in the future. it will save on water bills. if you want to put in a storm door, that will help with utilities and it's a good investment in your home if you are selling. >> also, jump start your investments. that's a good way to spend your refund money or use it. >> low consumer confidence and less disposable income means personal investing has taken a beating. if you are scared of going into the market, the refund might be good seed money to start. there is nothing wrong with just exploring the option with a broker and you can find out what investments would be best for you and your family. >> nothing wrong with a regular savings account, saving for a rainy day. >> it's easier said than done, i know. but there are higher interest rate options online. ing, hsb. or you can try a local branch. you would be surprised how much is in the can when you need it.

>> you were saying it is your money. people often think that you're getting something back, but you're getting your money back. >> it came out of your paycheck and went to uncle sam. >> then the last thing on the list is to set aside a portion of money to have fun. >> i love joy bauer who says, you want a big chocolate bar but you get a hershey kiss. here is the financial hershey kiss. everyone wants to have fun but only 10% of people go on luxury vacations with the refund. i would say take 10% of your refund. 10%. that's your hershey's kiss. if it's $3300, take $330 to buy yourself something nice, a new outfit, a spa day, an ipod. whatever you want. the rest, remember, it is not a free lunch. it is your money. hence the refund. >> i like the way you think. end it on fun. >> absolutely. >> thank you very much. it's good to see you. up next, information overload. is too much technology keeping you from concentrating or could

it be something more serious? we'll help you sort it out. then signed, sealed and delivered. who made the cut for william and kate's wedding? we'll tellouho w g ot the invites. first, these messages. right? right. with the bankamericard cash rewards™ credit card... i get 1% cash back on every purchase. 1% cash back on groceries. highlights. frog leg green. 1% cash back on... whatever that is? and there is no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn. no expiration on rewards. no hoops to jump through. -simple. -i love this card. looove it. [ male announcer ] the refreshingly simple bankamericard cash rewards credit card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. bankamericard cash rewards credit card. hey! hey! hey! that's our snack machine. you should try something new. activia parfait crunch! crunchy granola you mix right in to creamy and delicious activia yogurt. mmm! crunchy! and creamy! watch your toes! new activia parfait crunch. you know what i want? lipstick that makes house calls.

i want someone to bring the make-up counter to me. i want to be the first to discover the latest. and get a little advice from my avon representative whenever i ask. this is beauty that delivers from avon. see how avon can deliver extra income for you. go to avon.com or call 800 for avon to become a representative. that's what's incredible about quaker oatmeal squares. a single serving has 46 grams of whole grains. that's 96% of your minimum whole grain needs for the day. are you kidding me? they fuel you up to start your day right... and they taste great. ♪ amazing mornings start with quaker oatmeal squares. so come on, get up and get going. ♪ and more. if you replace 3 tablespoons of sugar a day with splenda®

you'll save 100 calories a day. that could help you lose up to 10 pounds in a year. that's how splenda® is sweet...and more. that could help you lose up to 10 pounds in a year. heaven comes to earth. rich, creamy, thick dannon greek, the most delicious yogurt imaginable. heaven on earth! discover dannon greek get an extra ten percent off mattresses already half off. and instant savings up to four hundred dollars on select mattresses. head to sears to talk with our mattress experts or shop our largest selection online. hurry, it's all on now! sears. morning! mor-ning. i'm your genie. you're wishing for... a tasty fiber cereal? well you don't want that one. kellogg's fiber plus cereal. the delicious taste of berries, 40% of your daily fiber... plus...wait for it... antioxidants!

so, two more wishes! mmmm. mmmm. maybe later, then. [ female announcer ] kellogg's fiber plus cereal. positively delicious. this morning on "today's health," let's concentrate. are you constantly misplacing your keys, daydreaming conversations? it could be because of your daily routine or could signal a serious problem. dr. raj is here to help us. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> well, a lot of people are going to feel connected to this segment and recognize themselves

in it. how do you know if it's something just normal distraction or something for serious like adhd? >> we often have trouble concentrating or prioritizing but adhd really stems from early childhood. if you go back in the past and you have had issues with focusing and impulsive behavior, being reckless and it's affected major areas of your life -- career, family, education -- then it could be a sign of a disorder and you should seek help. but for the day to day memory problems that's something many of us experience. >> we have some of the five top causes. number one it has to be technology overload. everybody can relate to this. blackberry, phone. >> sure. >> you still need to look at things but how do you keep it in balance? >> you have to set limits. we love to multi task but it makes us less efficient. if you use technology, use one device at a time. so many people are on the phone,

checking the computer and they have the ipad on the side. that really distracts you from focusing on one task. limit it to one. you should absolutely have technology-free time during the day whether it's while eating or after a meal. certainly before bedtime, turn everything off and give your mind time to relax and regenerate neurons. >> it seems hard to complete a task because every three seconds an e-mail pops up. >> exactly. some people have times they will not check e-mail if you are doing work. put a block so you don't get the e-mail right away. deal with it later. >> another big culprit is lack of sleep. something we can all relate to on this show. how much sleep should you get optimal optimally. >> on average people need 7 to 8 hours. some can do okay with 6 but most of us need that much to function well. lack of sleep affects memory, the ability to concentrate. so you want to get the full 7 to 8 hours. >> how can you tell if you may have a sleep disorder?

>> if during the day you feel very tired, grumpy, not able to communicate well or focus you may have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. you really need to be evaluated to see if there is a problem. >> another factor is poor job satisfaction. that distracts you? >> it can. if you are not feeling passionate or interested in what you're doing it's hard to focus. you may miss a deadline. maybe you won't get a good job performance review. it's important to find a job you find interesting or at least within your job find some part of it you can take ownership and feel invested in. if you have had a string of jobs where you haven't felt interested, you can't keep a job for a long time it may be a sign of something like adhd. >> this is not just for people who had a bad day or bad period at work for weeks or months. >> it's not just the bad boss. it's really just not focusing at

work and not being able to meet a deadline. >> stress is a huge one. it affects so much of our health. in particular, our memory. >> yeah. you know, the hormones released when you're very stressed out can affect your brain and the way neurotransmitters or chemicals work. it can affect your ability to concentrate. stress has many physical health problems but can also cause mental health problems. >> what are your top stress reducers? >> i recommend meditation. it's something that's been shown to reduce stress. it can help adhd as well. deep breathing, relaxation, yoga. anything to calm and center you will help with stress. >> lack of exercise. >> sure. exercise can help with stress, but absolutely can help release some of the restless energy so people with adhd do well with it. we all benefit from exercise. you may feel so over stressed you don't have time but just 20 to 30 minute as day will focus you and reduce these issues.

>> all right. it's good to have you here. >> thank you. >> we paid attention during the whole segment. still ahead, should it stay or go? ntat to tosso thomes to the wardrobe. first, these messages. on that can take so much out of you. i feel like i have to wind myself up just to get out of bed. then, well, i have to keep winding myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, trouble concentrating, the lack of energy. [ male announcer ] if depression is taking so much out of you, ask your doctor about pristiq. pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain -- serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nset pain relievers,

aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease, or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side-effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. for me, pristiq is a key in helping me treat my depression. ask your doctor about pristiq. for me, pris♪iq is a key in helping me treat my depression. looks like it's time to stock up. so, save big at the petsmart stock up and save sale. save $5 on purina one dog food and save $4 on beneful dog food. at petsmart.

thanks, i already have some yummy black forest cake. black forest cake? ♪ [ female announcer ] need a guilt free treat? try yoplait light. and i've lost weight. [ female announcer ] with 30 delicious flavors all around 100 calories each. but i'll be right there. ♪ [ screams ] [ people screaming ] [ tires screech ] ♪ [ tires screech ] ♪ [ man screams ] [ man on radio ] l.a., the end is near. ♪

[ male announcer ] without all-wheel drive, it's the end of the world. with dodge all-wheel drive, it's just snow. ♪ still to come, the celebrities, the royal family, the heads of state, the who's who and who's not attending kate and william's wedding? >> plus, time-tested staples,

how to clear the clutter from your closet. >> and what happens when joan and melissa rivers move in together? they will tell us after your local news. >> where is my stuff? >> i gave it away to the bogart foundation. . young? that's why it's so important, as an agent, to sit down with our clients, so we can get to know them and talk about stuff like this. why don't they just turn off the main water supply? you do realize this is just an exercise, right? - i do now. - moving on. okay, let's get the fire-retardant suits on. [ man announcing ] we are insurance. ♪ we are farmers bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ introducing honey bunches of oats, raisin medley. there's nothing like it! the only cereal with 1, 2, 3 kinds of raisins and crunchy multigrain flakes. you gotta try new honey bunches of oats raisin medley. today we're going to surprise people with the taste of activia. mmm. this is really good. great flavor. it's really creamy. it's really tasty. oh, wow!

jamie lee curtis! it's activia! it's really yummy. it's delicious. taste it, love it, or it's free. ♪ activia good morning, everybody, time is 9:26. i'm brent cannon. nice looking shot, alcatraz. great day to have off for presidents day. a little cold, some sprinkles maybe. check in with christina. >> do you even need me, brent? excellent job, you basically broke it down. showers lingering in the north bay. a little bit pushing south toward the peninsula, starreding to wind down, a nice second half of the day, 3:00 p.m. daytime high comes in, we'll look toward 56 degrees in oakland, 56 in redwood city and 55 in los gatos.

temperatures cool all week long. cold start again tomorrow, frost on the windshield. see how the roadways look right now with mike inouye. >> we have green all over the roads now, that's good, speeds close to the limit. very light commute because of the president as day holiday, and the road to the pete because of a snow and ice, closed. extended through tomorrow, probably a few more days. san mateo, live look, light drive across the bay here and bay bridge, no metering light there is. more news after this break.

a group of san francisco parents helping to get part of governor brown's idea on the special election ballot, wanting an extension of taxes that are set to expire july 1. without the back of voters public education will face drastic cuts. the first hurdle is getting that measure on the june ballot. he need 2/3 vote in the

legislature but right now the governor's four votes shy and that is where the parents come in. >> they don't have the strength to get it done and they don't have the political will like let us as parents give them that will and let's get it passed. >> educate our state.org hopes to pressure lawmakers to get the initiative to the voters. there is a link on the website for parents to send e-mail to their local representative. they hope to have 10,000 letters sent by the end of the day. more local news in half an hour and "today" returns in less than a minute. see you here in about half an hour.

♪ that was the scene on july 29, 1981, almost 30 years ago when charles, prince of wales, married diana spencer and all eyes were on that breathtaking gown. now as the talk turns to what kate middleton will wear, we'll check out princess diana's famous gown in our studio tomorrow on "today." we may need a bigger studio. >> this is a big production. security and everything. speaking of the royal wedding you may want to run out to the mailbox this morning.

the invitations are out. some 1900 invites. among the guests, kings, queens, former flames, royal family members and celebrities. there are surprises including those who did not make the cut. we'll tell you about that and how you can be there during the wedding courtesy of "today." >> i know most women -- >> we can relate. >> we confess. tons of stuff in the closet and you say, i have nothing to wear. probably because it's cluttered with the wrong things. we'll tell you what to wear and what to toss to look your best, just in time for spring cleaning. in "today's kitchen" we are celebrating presidents' day with a tangy cherry tart in honor of george washington's famous run-in with a cherry tree. i thought that was a myth. >> i think so, too. they're just cooking tarts, not selling myths. >> i had to go there. >> first a check of the weather with maria larosa. >> good morning. we have to talk about the snow

rolling through the northeast. underneath it, record temperatures for the midatlantic. once it rolls out we have another wave tomorrow. behind that the real cold takes over the mid section. then for the rest of tomorrow across the west we've got mountain snows. some of it could be heavy as well. again, across the northeast the snow will be moving out ear good morning to you. rain showers are moving out of our area as we speak. you can see this little cell here kind of lifting off to the north in petaluma, that will be the pattern as we head out the next few hours. showers are winding down now. 56 later in oakland, 53 in san jose. another cold start as you wake up tomorrow, temperatures in the 30s, expect frost on your windshield. rain and low snow levels into this weekend and thursday. back to you. >> up next, who made the cut? we'll tell you about some of the lucky people who got an invite

to the royal wedding after these messages. if your racing thoughts keep you awake... sleep is here, on the wings of lunesta. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com. sleep well, on the wings of lunesta.

then get to sears big presidents day event plus get a ten dollar award card when you spend fifty on apparel. friday through tuesday. at sears. imagine what it can do to your skin. but dove isn't soap. it contains pure 1/4 moisturizing cream because, everyday moisture is the key to beautiful skin. and who knows moisture better than dove. to cover up flaws and make skin look pretty but there's one that's so clever, it makes your skin look better even after you take it off. neutrogena healthy skin liqup. meuak 98% of women saw improvement in their skin's natural texture, tone, or clarity. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics

recommended most by dermatologists. surprise. [ noisemaker honks ] [ goat bleats ] [ male announcer ] of all the things that happen on your wooden surfaces, disinfecting has to be one of them. clorox disinfecting wipes. safe on wood. hard on germs. clorox disinfecting wipes. heaven comes to earth. rich, creamy, thick dannon greek, the most delicious yogurt imaginable. heaven on earth! discover dannon greek losing weight clicked for us when we realized we could do weight watchers online together. it was easy, it was flexible and it worked. ok -- i've got ground turkey, i've got bell peppers so he'd plug it into the recipe builder and it just pulls up tons of recipe options. laura's very competitive, whenever i was beating her in weight loss numbers -- i always was winning in percentage. i am a little competitive. together we lost 162 pounds. i don't know if you've noticed, but look at this guy. [ female announcer ] hurry, join now for free.

offer ends march 12th. weight watchers online. finally, losing weight clicks. ♪ we are back with our countdown to the royal wedding, just 67 days from now. if you are one of the lucky ones expecting an invitation, check your inbox. the invites are out. keith miller is at buckingham palace with details this morning. keith, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. most people will only get the invitation in the local newspaper where they are printed around the country. the queen sent out invitations at the end of last week. for anybody who's anybody, in fact, they are looking in the mailbox this morning.

the royal mailbox has rarely received so much attention on a monday morning. about 1,900 invitations were posted last week in the name of the queen. a treasure to those who received them. the elegant wedding invitations are beveled with guilded edges. >> i live in hope one day we might get one. who knows? >> my mum would love one. >> reporter: among those invited, 50 members of the british royal family, 40 kings, queens and princes from royal families from around the world and an estimated 1,000 family and friends of prince william and bride-to-be kate. not on the list, the duchess of york. no explanation from the palace, but commentators say sarah ferguson, the ex-wife of prince andrew, is seen as a distraction. >> it would seem insensitive for her to turn up and possibly

divert all that media attention from their big day to her. that's what the press would do. she's done the right thing. >> reporter: also not on the list, president obama and first lady michelle. this is not a state wedding, so no presidents. there will be plenty of celebrities. elton john is rumored to be on the list since he was a close friend of prince william's late mother princess diana. the soccer player david beckham and wife victoria will be there. and the singer kanye west. ♪ >> reporter: buckingham palace won't confirm who's on the guest list, but sources say members of the military and people representing william's charities are invited to the social event of the year. the wedding ceremony will be followed by lunch at buckingham palace for a select 600. that number will be reduced to 300 crown heads and close family and friends for a wedding reception dinner fit for a

future king. savannah, if you get an invitation, there is no dress code for you other than having to have a hat during the church service. for men, it is required either military uniforms, mourning coat and they even listed a leisure suit. >> that was a relief to willie geist. keith miller in london for us, thank you. now to today's royal treatment, our con troy westwood where we are sending a lucky viewer and a guest to great britain during the royal wedding. here is one of the latest entries. >> i have been told i look like prince william, but i just don't see it. i have also been told i'm a royal pain. so i'd like to go and fit in over there. think about it. >> a funny chap there. the winner will get two first class tickets on british airways to london during the wedding of kate middleton and prince william. >> so get out the camera and create a video no more than two

minutes long telling us why london is calling you. remember, creativity counts. for details go to the website, todayshow.com. >> still to come, is your closet full of clothes but kind of empty on style? we'll show you why your wardrobe could be dragging you down after these ages. usa prime credit. my name peggy. you have question? ok...peggy. yes, i have 100,000 reward points. what are my options? ooh, many options. ooh. one keychain. b, trucker cap. look good for ladies. uh ok, how 'bout cash? cash? he want cash! want better rewards? peggy? switch to discover. america's number 1 cash rewards program. it pays to discover. today we're going to surprise people with the taste of activia. mmm. this is really good. great flavor. it's really creamy. it's really tasty. oh, wow! jamie lee curtis! it's activia! it's really yummy. it's delicious.

taste it, love it, or it's free. ♪ activia with aveeno nourish plus moisturize. active naturals wheat formulas target and help repair damage in just 3 washes. for softer, stronger... ... hair with life. [ female announcer ] visit aveeno.com to save on nourish plus. [ baby crying, teapot whistling ] everything's fine. [ male announcer ] of all the things that happen on your wooden surfaces, disinfecting has to be one of them. clorox disinfecting wipes. safe on wood. hard on germs. clorox disinfecting wipes. your favorites, in pieces. get an extra ten percent off mattresses already half off. and instant savings up to four hundred dollars on select mattresses. head to sears to talk with our mattress experts or shop our largest selection online.

hurry, it's all on now! sears. pancakes! ♪ from dawn 'til sunset, i'll never walk away ♪ ♪ blueberry pancakes are so good ♪ [ male announcer ] bisquick. pancake lovers unite. for a limited time, choose any pan pizza, any size, with any of your favorite toppings for just ten dollars! the legendary pan pizza. only ten dollars. and only at your pizza hut.

the legendary pan pizza. only ten dollars. hey! hey! hey! that's our snack machine. you should try something new. activia parfait crunch! crunchy granola you mix right in to creamy and delicious activia yogurt. mmm! crunchy! and creamy! watch your toes! new activia parfait crunch. this morning on "today's style" a guide for spring fashion. if you find yourself digging through racks of clothes in your closet onlile to come up empty-handed it could be you have too much of what you don't need or not enough of what you do. author of "wear this, toss this"

is here. i love that you wrote this book while pregnant with your second child in the middle of the night. >> i'm a working mon, devoted to family. but i'm always answering questions from real women. does this blouse go with these pants and does this shoe go with this hem? i wanted to cull all this great information in a book that's simplifying women's choices so they can navigate it all. >> you say dressing poorly costs you. what do you mean? >> it costs not to look our best in a job interview for the first impression, but most importantly for self-confidence and self-worth. >> first we have a before photograph of our model. this is what she looked like when she came in. cute, but how do we step it up? >> this is about spring fashion and the hot trends is the stripe. here with a baggy sweater and the 18970s jean pant. >> this is the right way. >> the bell bottoms were weighing her down.

it's about the proportion of the stripe. they are thinner, placed closing together. petites wear smaller prints and larger frames can wear big prints. this is a flair jean, not a full bell bottom. it koucounter balances her gorgs hips and we have a nice medium width belt. last but not least, layers necklaces, elongating her gorgeous petite frame well. this is a timeless look she can wear this spring and throughout the summer. >> it's amazing to look at the before and after. similar, but just a few changes. you look great. next we have with us raina. we are focused on white here. this is the before picture when she came in. come on over. don't be shy. >> literally one of the hottest trends on the runway was all white. >> it was jean on jean, the s t

sweater was thin and it hugged her frame in the wrong by. it is about depth. we added ruffles. she's nipped at the waist with a blazer from express that hits her at a great place in the hips and elongates her tall frame. >> renee has long legs so this flatters her more. >> we exposed, showed skin on the arms by cuffing the jacket. we added great platforms. let her keep the jeans but with a pop of color you can do it easily with accessories to add color to an otherwise neutral look. >> you may not pick up on air that this is a cotton jacket as opposed to denim on denim. >> that's a big no-no. >> you look great. let's go to this table. you will show us what to toss. >> for spring, the platforms are hot. this season like this cutie patootie from betsey johnson.

this is a flatform. nearly impossible to walk in. >> not cute either. what about these flats? >> flats of every variety, but certainly strappy sandals are hot. avoid the super skinny heel. toss them to the back of the closet. they will come back. >> super strappy and get rid of the skinny heel. what do we do with the bag? >> the it bag will be the oversized tote, but there is such a thing as overwhelming your frame. you would go for a tote proportional to your frame. one to two inches normally bigger. >> how do you huseliachoose? >> get a bag that doesn't dip much lower than your side. >> what about jewelry? >> i love statement necklaces that are layered. you can do it differently every time. these are gorgeous and so easy to wear. skip the choker.

it really takes a swan neck to pull it off. they can really enhance a double chin. with all these tosses if it's wearable, give it to charity. >> toss the choker. go for long and lean. and the belt? >> this belt is long and lean. this one adds girth. >> nobody wants that. >> this is the save me of belt. it looks good in any situation. >> what about thin belts? >> we saw them on the red carpet. long gowns with a nice skinny belt. the skinnier the belt, the thinner the fabrication. >> sold. >> so good to see you. the book is called "wear this, toss that." amy goodman, thank you. up next, an easy cherry tart in "today's kitchen." first this is "today" on nbc.

this morning, a step-by-step

guide to cherry tart worthy of the white house. we have the co-host of wgbh radio's daily dish. annie, good morning. >> happy presidents' day. >> let's talk about the significance of the cherry tart on this day. >> george washington, the whole cherry incident. >> i cannot tell a lie. >> well, i can. i have been known to. >> doesn't apply to you. what do we have? >> super simple recipe. everyone can have it on the table tonight to celebrate the big birthday. we have flour and chilled butter. we want a flaky crust. oh, i want the dry ingredients first. >> what do we have? >> semolina flour to add a nice crunch, sugar so it's sweet. a pinch of salt. then we put the top on. >> you say there is a risk of overprocessing. don't spin it too long. >> once the ingredients are in. i will pulse this twice. pop the top back on -- oh. >> mm. breathe it in. >> it's good for you, i'm told.

toss the butter with flour so it protect it is butter so it doesn't smush all over. then cream, milk or water. i started with two tablespoons because we don't know how it will be -- if it's a wet or dry day you may need more or less liquid. an egg yolk so it's rich. >> toss that up. >> pulse it just a few times. just until it comes together. >> then that's going to eventually turn into this. >> presto, magic. >> i'm told you are quite a baker. >> i don't know who said that. >> roll it out. >> that's good. >> look at you. like a trained professional. after it came together we would have popped it in the refrigerator and chilled it for 30 minutes or so. >> and knead the dough. >> not too much. i think you need a cooking show.

no morning show. you need a cooking show. after it was rolled out we press it into a tart pan with a removable bottom. press it into the side. with the rolling pin so we have nice, neat edges. we can go on that side, too. cut off the excess and save this. cherry preserves is the secret ingredient. >> anything? >> whatever your favorite is. you could use orange preserves, apricots. but because it's washington's big day we are using cherry preserves. isn't it gorgeous? smush it out to the sides. instead of worrying about a top for it. yeah, get the corners. perfect. this is the dough. we're going to grate it. >> this is excess dough? >> right. roll it up. >> instead of the top? >> instead of the lattice top. cherry and almond, i think, are a gorgeous combination.

>> this almost looks professional despite my handiwork. >> it is professional. this will go into a 350 degree oven. isn't it gorgeous? >> beautiful. >> we have whipped cream. we'll add a little bit of c rr s creme fraiche to it for flavor. >> hi. >> did you see how he rolled that out? >> masterful. >> very important. use canned tomatoes. i'm kidding. this just takes the bottom off. cut into it like so. it's so good. >> it looks good. can we taste it? >> we have to put some topping on there. >> do you put it right on? >> you know what you're doing. >> okay. good grief. all right. >> pull it together, everybody. here, savannah.

have some. >> we have a jumper! >> it's elusive but delicious. >> annie, i'm going to have some. thank you so much. >> happy presidents' day. >> coming up, joan and melissa rivers stop by.

never in my lifetime did i think i could walk 60 miles in 3 days. 60 miles compared to what a cancer patient goes through is a walk in the park. from the moment i registered, people started immediately supporting me and asking me how they could help. you meet the most wonderful, inspiring people. when you accomplish those 60 miles, it's truly life-changing. (man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime. good morning once again. it's 9:56. i'm brent cannon. nice live shot, look out across the golden gate bridge. starting to see sunshine which we need, because we were starting off cold.

here's christina. >> i'm sick of the rain. probably you as well. good morning to you. we have a bit of spotty activity but it's thinning out and looks like as we head through the next few hours, this will be the case, light showers pushing onshore, mostly the coast north of san francisco. 52 in fremont, 53 in san jose. make sure you're ready for the frost and cold night tonight. see how the roadways look with mike. >> despite the rainfall in the north bay, no major slowing. light volume of traffic. you see in the east bay. speeds across the board, close to the limit but northbound 880 oak street, accident in the clearing stages toward downtown. and high street, a live look, northbound 880, at the curb high street off-ramp, i haven't seen anything in the last few minutes but should be cleared in next few. i'll give you updates if there are delays on fais cebook or twitter. >>. >> east bay refinery set to come

on line, beginning to test equipment throughout week. the public should not be concerned. if they hear a hissing sound from the steam pipes or see flames shooting out from the stacks, those are normal procedures. they plan to restore special equipment to control emissions. that had been yund goehring repairs since last december. free spay or neutering for pit bulls and pit bull mixes and cats, the spca partnering with the veterinary center for the pet fix program. pets can get free vaccines, pain medications and e collars. only a few hundred spots. actually, 100 surgeries are available and by appointment only. it's tomorrow between 7:00 a.m. in the morning and 5:00 in the evening. a fixed dog is much less aggressive, free spay and neutering available for cats and low income residents to reduce the overpopulation. more local news in half an

hour. eves it with moisturizers plus the power of cortizone-10. new hydratensive lotion.

. hey, everybody, welcome to the show. it's monday fun day. it's february 21st. it happens to be presidents' day. >> and in honor of the presidents, we invited them to join us during our talk. >> we have abe and george with us today, and they look great for 300-some years old. >> there is a new museum that

opened up in washington. >> a whole presidents' gallery. people can interact with them, all 40 presidents. >> look at the eyes. they look like real eyeballs. >> hoed a who is hotter? george is so hot? george is looking a little leonardo dicaprio to me. abe isn't doing it for me. >> i can't believe how real they look. it's creepy. >> you can visit them when you go to washington, d.c. >> we're doing trivia. i don't really like trivia. i just don't. >> we don't like looking as idiotic as we are. but you at home seem to enjoy us looking like idiots. >> on what day was president

washington born? what's the answer? >> the 12th. you only know it because you looked it up. >> yes. yes, i did. >> i love that. the people that do the cards go, oh. >> which president received a speeding ticket for riding his horse too fast? was it john adams, john quincy adams, ulysses s. grant. >> let's go with ulysses s. grant. he was issued a ticket for $20 for riding his horse down the street too fast while in office. see, the law applies to everyone, hoda, and don't think it doesn't. >> i'm shocked. which president was a tailor? andrew johnson, lyndon johnson or zachary taylor. >> i'm going with zachary just

because. >> i'm going with andrew johnson. in 1827, he moved with his family, finally settling in greenville in eastern country where he opened his tailor shop. thomas jefferson might be one of my favorite of all of our founding fathers. he invented all the following except what? the coat hanger, a dumb waiter -- >> what's a dumb waiter. >> back then it was on pulleys and you brought it up from a secret compartment in the floor. >> brought what up? >> anything. i'm going with the martini. >> roll tup. >> the martini! he was credited with inventing the coat hanger, the hideaway bed and the dumb waiter. >> how did he lose it in the

fire? >> i'm going with a tantrum. >> i'm going with a fire. >> poker. >> what did i say? tantrum. well, he had the tantrum after losing at poker. >> and he set the house on fire because he was upset. there we have it. >> happy presidents' day for all that trivia. >> how many states have you visited? i can think of a couple i've never been toch. i've never been to alaska, i've never been to north dakota, i've never been to arkansas. >> they say the avrnl person in the united states has visited 20 or more states. the average is 16 for most people. >> that is a lot. i remember when cody was little, we were flying to mississippi to do something for my dear friend

sam haskell and cody looked at me and said, mommy, do we have to go through customs? to get to mississippi. i thought that was cute, but apparently no one else did. that's why humor is dangerous. the three most popular places to visit. what are they? >> in the country. number three is washington. >> no, number one is times square. >> i like to go from three to one to build to one. >> one is times square, two is the vegas strip and three is the national mall. >> while you're there at the national mall, you can go to the presidents' gallery at the madam trousseau. >> you know why they look creepy? because you stand around them. >> because we always look at pictures of them older when they have wooden teeth. i think now he has real teeth. it makes a difference. i insist on them having real

teeth. hoda probably doesn't care because she's not as picky. >> this is going to make you laugh. remember the song "memory." >> from the musical "cats." >> there is a 54-year-old and she's a cabaret singer and she decided to do her own take off the song "memory." before we roll it, 3.5 million hits on youtube. that's how much women of our age are liking it. let's watch. ♪ midnight, i wake up and remember ♪ that i've left the door open ♪ with the groceries outside ♪ where the hell did i put my keys ♪ oh, here they are ♪ underneath the tv guide ♪ what the heck did i think ♪ things with me inquire

♪ did i turn both of the burners off ♪ or is my house on fire? >> she is so cute. good for her. shoot me? oh, i love that version. >> that is genius. >> it's true. all of it's true. hoda, it's right around the corner for you. >> you know what the funny thing is? i have been losing things and misplacing things and looking for things my entire life. if i totaled up all the time i spent trying to find my blackberry, my shoe, everything -- >> it's all in the black hole known as your purse. >> when i find something, i'm so excited, it's like a gift. it's nice to get something that you've lost and you find it. >> wouldn't it be nice to always have it right where it's supposed to be? >> that's boring, boring, boring. >> you and i are going to disagree about these things, but this is our subject right now. what is it okay to lie about from the frisky.com.

>> here are some of the things. they say you can lie about some of the sexual partners you've had. >> plus or minus five. >> that's weird. how many? >> 86 for me. i don't know about you. >> who has that many sex partners? that's weird. >> we're not going to name names. joann lemarco. you totally just washed your hands. >> this is true, though, we've all been in a public restroom and you've watched someone go from the stall out the door. >> maybe they were adjusting their spanks. i've gone in there for other reasons, but you still should wash because you touched the door people came in and out of. >> but you should not assume that they did something nasty and didn't wash up afterwards. >> that's one of the lies, though. i've just washed my hands. come on. here's the big thing, though. sometimes you go to wash your hands and there's no soap.

then what did you do? >> that's when you carry your own purell with you. >> the toilet doesn't flush automatically so you try to fake it out. you're like, i'm out the door. you come back, you go back again, because you want it to go off. then you've got to go out halfway and it doesn't -- you come back -- they should just have a handle so you can push it. >> here's my bigger thing. people that don't flush. >> who does that? >> people. people that don't wash their hands, they don't flush. they just leave it for you. >> let's do our favorite things. >> theye sitting in front of you and there are lots missing already, hoda? have you been at it already today? >> can i just say, if you could have just one thing to put in your mouth before it's your last moment on earth -- you're sick. >> gee, that's a tough one.

let me see. >> i'm telling you, this is better than that. okay? this is better than that. >> i'm sorry you guys have to hear this. things have changed since you were around. >> this is a -- it's levane cookies. levainbakery.com. this is a dark chocolate peanut butter extravaganza. you're not sure if it's a reese's, peanut butter, chocolate. have a bite. >> i'm not having any. >> are you sure? >> positive. positive. huh-uh. >> kath, try a bite. >> i'm leaving it for you, hoda. though i don't know if you washed. close your eyes. come on. it's pretty darn good. >> pretty darn good.

she never goes all the way. pretty darn good. >> it's really good. it's very, very good. >> it makes my teeth ache. for me, i've always been an angel girl. but i've really fallen in love -- i add this to it. it's pure dkny, donna karan scent spray. $45 for one ounce. but i think you'll like this because it's really like it's name, pure. >> want some cookies? oh, that's good. >> isn't that nice? it's so clean. sara is not with us today, so we're going to have to wait to find out what her favorite thing is, but we hope wherever she is, she's having a wonderful presidents' day. >> before you check your e-mail or you friend somebody on facebook today, we're going to show you how somebody could be watching you. >> and you're not going to like what we found out about you, hoda woman. he went into your purse.

>> two women who talk more than we do. >> hard to believe, but they're here. >> joan and melissa rivers in the house. >> hide the children! ♪ [ female announcer ] unlock the potential of nature and shine. with pantene nature fusion shampoo.

experience cassia essence fused with pantene pro v science. the advanced formula conditions damaged hair to unlock radiant shine today and up to 10 times more strength in 14 days. nature fusion from pantene. healthy makes it happen. takes care of 33 loads. tide stain release only handles 11. and clorox 2 gets rid of tough stains right before your eyes. clorox 2. find it next to the clorox bleach.

special k protein shakes -- ♪ a truly great-tasting breakfast shake. with 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, it's the creamy, delicious way to satisfy... your hunger to help you lose weight. ♪ so you can kick the tin can habit. try special k protein shakes today.

nowadays everybody is connected whether you're a facebook fanatic or an e-mailer, but there is a skype looking over your shoulder. >> how do you protect yourself from getting hacked? >> your wife warned you about coming on? >> yes, she did. >> what did she say? >> she said, it's a nice show, i just can't picture you being on it. >> a lot of us have little compute computers with cameras right there and you can skype and things. what's the issue with that?

>> now you have these web cams on all of your computers, but people don't realize hackers can get into your computer. even whp you don't have your camera on, they can turn your camera on. we have a laptop we've already hacked that's in the green room right now, and there's a web cam. this is what the hacker can do. they can kick this on, and as you can see, we can monitoring through their web cam some kids in the green room. >> do they know they're on? >> i do not think so. >> do their parents know? >> let's hope. >> so they don't even have to enter your home. they know how to do it digital y digitally. >> they'll send you an e-mail, they give you a little link and you're on. >> tell us what to do. >> the best thing you can do, first of all, is make sure your computer is secure. when you first boot it up, sometimes a little message will pop up that says, there is an update to install.

don't ignore it. install that and it should keep hackers out of there. >> is it free? >> yes. >> why don't people do it? i just click ignore, too. >> if you don't use your camera, a little piece of tape. it makes it so simple and so easy. >> this next one is interesting to me, too, because someone can break into your house and you think, they haven't stolen anything. but what they have done is taken a cd and downloaded all of your business, right? they've taken your cd and your stuff. >> how can they do that if they don't know your password? >> this is the password we've put on this computer. it took about five minutes and that's the password to get in. i assume this is your password. hannah -- >> you're saying it out loud! >> let's hope you're going to change it later. >> okay. that's the end of that one.

oh, my gosh -- >> put me in, nobody will ever suspect. >> so some stranger could hack into my computer how? what could they do? they have to break into your house and put a cd in like you did? >> criminals are smart now. they're not just stealing tvs anymore. that just gives them a few bucks. they can monitor everything you do from that point on. so if you make a purchase on line, they now have your credit card number. >> she uses the same password for everything. >> why are you telling people that secret! >> he's going to tell everyone, don't do that. >> but nobody knows i did it. >> this could be dangerous. but that's true, right, you should have different passwords? >> and if you have a little 1 at the end, just change the last -- >> why don't we put my credit card as the last --

>> home number, social security. >> change the last digit or two of your password. >> we have a minute, but when you get into facebook, you think you're just getting into facebook, but you're actually going much further than that. >> we have a lot of data we're putting out there. a lot of web sites that something called face connect, and it allows you to interface book through their log-in. it will tell you something to the effect of, you're going to get all of it, it's access to everything, your pictures, your data and all your friends' information as well. >> well, they deserve it. >> you got some splaining to do. >> your wife is right. you never should have come on. >> literally. >> thank you, jim. >> he used to work for the cia. you're very cool. still ahead, mama knows

best. joan rivers moves in with her daughter melissa. >> what could go wrong here, seriously? >> look what she's doing. breaking in the bathroom. taking pictures. depression is a serious medical condition

that can take so much out of you. i feel like i have to wind myself up just to get out of bed. then, well, i have to keep winding myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, trouble concentrating, the lack of energy. [ male announcer ] if depression is taking so much out of you, ask your doctor about pristiq. pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain -- serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior,

or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nset pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease, or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side-effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. for me, pristiq is a key in helping me treat my depression. ask your doctor about pristiq.

it is time to surprise one of our devoted viewers at home in our series we call "fan of the week." >> sara is here to announce this week's lucky winner. >> for the moment you've all been waiting for, drum roll, please, our winner is kristin bacher. she lives in salem, oregon. she watches on khow. she's a stay-at-home mom with two sons. she enjoys the simple things in life like trying to go to the bathroom with the door shut, eating a meal. she hopes to someday become a teacher. her favorite show is kathie lee and hoda. she indulges in the show every day even if it means cranking it loud to hear over her screaming one-year-old. she thinks they are the funniest women on tv. we are sending chrkristin to th renaissance aruba resort and

casino. she will enjoy a three-night round-trip stay and a complementary couples massage. furnished by the renaissance resort and casino. don't miss your chance to be our next fan of the week by going to our web site and tell us why you deserve to be our fans. doesn't it look aamazing? >> she seems like an absolute doll. thanks, sara. so we have a new book that describes what he wants and she wants, in detail with pictures. >> it's all there, that's for sure. >> plus the mother/daughter duo like no other. who knows what's going to flow from joan rivers and melissa, after your local we can design our own plan to avoid interest by paying off diapers and things each month. and for the bigger stuff, we can pay down our balance faster to save money on interest. bigger? bigger.

announcer: chase slate with blueprint helps you save money on life's little surprises. trip...lets... announcer: start your path to saving today. call 855-get-slate. for a limited time, choose any pan pizza, any size, with any of your favorite toppings for just ten dollars! the legendary pan pizza. only ten dollars. and only at your pizza hut. in 44 shades that love your lips to perfection. lip perfection. new from covergirl. a lip loving formula with silk therapy moisturizers that leaves lips smoother in 7 days. what a feeling! new lip perfection from covergirl.

good morning, everybody. 10:26. i'm brent cannon. live look outside. oracle arena, talking about purple rain in a minute, just the usual kind of rain with christina. >> way to build me up there. good morning to you. we're looking good this morning, most rain subsided, some in the north bay that will clear through this afternoon. 57 tomorrow. it's going to be cold again tonight so make sure you bring in sensitive plants and pets. let's find out if we're -- is anything going on out there. it's a holiday, what do you have? >> folks might be going union square for shopping or sightseeing, a lot of

construction there between sutter and market. if you're traveling around through the area that might be a problem. no major issues, for the roadways, bart on a saturday schedule, so skeep that in mind and out of the area a look at the web cam through the sierra. interstate 80 snow on the side of the road but 80 and 50 open, but use caution.

the question is not who is on first but who is going to be in left for the giant thgs year? manager says he's staying

open-minded about that position since he has a logjam of players up for the spot, pat bur ell, aubrey huff is possible. mark derosa was opening day left fielder, he could be back in it. he could also platoon the position so we'll see what happens in spring training. the bay area ready for a party that on prince can throw. the pop icon will arrive in the east dbay today, the prince's welcome to aamerica playing tonight and wednesday at the oracle arena. opening act is local syringe sheila e. prince announced he was playing oracle arena last week, very smort notice, that's what he's been doing on the tour so fans have to jump on the tickets and go if they're going to go. thanks for joining us this morning. see bayou back here tomorrow morning. have a great day.

welcome back to "today" on this fun day, presidents' day, and we've got to loudmouths, but i love these women in the studio. >> we're not talking about us, we're talking about joan rivers and melissa rivers. they have a show on reality tv called "joan and melissa: mother knows best?" >> if you're going to get a car, how about something a little more practical like when you got the station wagon? >> god, i don't want a big car. all my life i drove the good

car, the right car, the family mother car, thehrow the dogs in to get washed car. i want a car that says hot patootie, and i want a horn that plays music. >> oh, they're here with us, so let's get going. >> this seems so real this, show. >> it is. >> so it's not one of those that they sort of constructed and figured out? >> no. my mother is still living with me and we're at four days a week now. so instead of thinking of it as living with me, now she comes to stay. >> you live with the daughter you love so much. >> how can you not? when a lamp is in the wrong place. >> just you wait. this will all come back to haunt you. >> you also have a live-in boyfriend. >> my son lives with me, too.

>> but he isn't allowed an opinion. he adores grandma. >> this guy looks like a doll. i just saw one episode. >> jason is a saint. he is a very patient man. >> he's a patient guy. >> back to you, you, you. >> do you like jason? >> i like him. i like to see him in a towel. >> would you like to see him out of the snoul. >> i want to see him with a wedding ring on his finger. >> if you locked doors -- >> but i was told on shothe shoe never lock doors. >> we snuck into one of your episodes. we were trolling around your house. it ended up being a little more grand. >> they sat in our bedroom. >> everybody has been in there at one point or another. >> here you go. >> this is the episode i saw.

it's very funny. >> there we are in my bedroom. >> you haven't folded yet, right? >> i'm looking for a very rich arab. i need more beds. i could put a mattress on the floor and those girls would say, oh, here's a couch. but i like my neighbors. i couldn't do it to them. >> i sense there is a little tension with a couple of the neighbors in the building. >> well, you know, we have a mafia in the building who i really like. we have -- we think we have a hooker. we really do. >> enough about you. so are you thrilled with the way the series is going, the fashion police? by the way, you're family now. welcome to the party. >> it's so funny because when you're at nbc, everybody is so crazy. the comcast network is like,

we've acquired. and when you talk to nbc it's like, it was a takeover! >> we're all owned now. >> we all got stock. we all got our 25 shares. >> you didn't get that? >> not yet. it must be in the mail. >> give me a quarter, i'll show you mine. >> the show is a lot of fun, you guys. >> it's at 9:00. >> your little boy is delicious. you do a nice job with him. how to keep it hot between the sheets. >> that's all we talk about. right after this. >> don't ask me. i'm hot for different reasons. [ female announcer ] to do well, kids need to eat well.

and eating well means getting enough whole grain and calcium. general mills big g is the only leading line of kid cereals with at least 8 grams of whole grain and a good source of calcium. help your kids get more of what they need, with general mills kid cereals. help your kids get more of what they need,

how are you getting to a happier place? running there? dancing there? how about eating soup to get there? campbell's soups fill you with good nutrition, farm-grown ingredients, and can help you keep a healthy weight. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do.

wouldn't you love to know what men really want in bed? now you can. it's the guide to making love last. >> here to test our sex iq -- i hope my mother's not watching. >> mine, either. >> editor and chief of both magazines, pom and loco. >> the book is kind of interesting, it's got one side for the guys, and you flip it -- >> and you've got the other side. and you meet in the middle. that's where all the sex is.

>> that's a particular sex act i can think of as well, so that's very clever. >> we're going to start. here we go. the first question is, what is the average number of times a day a man thinks about sex? >> what are the choices? >> three, eight, 13 or 45. >> 45. >> you did not ring it first. >> yes, i did. i rang first. >> i say 18. >> you're both wrong. the actual answer is 13. and that is because -- >> you don't have a teenage son. >> that's true. the hypothalumus, the pleasure center of the brain, is two times larger than a woman's. >> teenage sons think about it all the time. >> average. >> 72% of women surveyed says it turns them on when a man, a, draws a bubble bath for them, b,

does chores around the house, c, walks around the house in the buff, or d, massages their feet. >> feet. definitely feet. >> did hoda win that? >> she buzzed in and it's wrong. >> chores around the house. >> kathie lee is right. >> i've been married 25 years. >> it doesn't take much. >> they flex those muscles. i'm there. >> the walking around in the buff thing i don't think is attractive at all. i don't like that. >> it depends on the guy, but maybe not so much. >> okay, here we go. next question. according to women surveyed, 50% of women would lose interests sb in a man who, a, takes himself too seriously, drinks too much on the first date, c, has bad manners, d, watches porn. >> all of the above.

>> pick one. >> takes himself too seriously. >> is she wrong? >> she's wrong. >> what are the other ones? >> drinks too much on the first date, has bad manners or watches porn. >> drinks too much on the first date. >> you're exactly right. >> i haven't been on a date in 26 years. >> that means that 50% of women don't mind a guy who drinks too much, which could explain why mel gibson keeps getting married. >> you planned that. >> it is right in this big book. it is in there. >> dave! >> no wonder, she's got her hand on it. no hand on it. >> there's nothing wrong with that. >> when trying to conceive, how many times does the average couple have sex before getting pregnant. a, 3, b 12, c, 52, d 104. >> for me it's three. >> no. try again. >> 52. >> it's shockingly 104.

typically it takes six months. if a woman is having sex about four times a week, it adds up -- it's shocking. >> all right, kids, we're going to have to go, we're sorry. >> what percentage of people have admitted to fooling around while driving? a, 7%, 10%, 15% or 33%. >> 33%. >> no, it's 15%. they should have a lane for this. >> i think you guys have to divide up. >> thank you very much. thanks, you guys, very much. work with the skirt. we've got the hottest look for spring right after this. 3 o'clock. my daily meeting with a salty snack and then a 3:15, with my guilt. [ female announcer ] new special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. mmmmmmm...good meeting. same time tomorrow? [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. i see a bag and think... i could have a chip.

yeah right. that's why they're called chips? [ female announcer ] new special k cracker chips. 27 crispy chips. 110 delicious calories. another cracker chip? don't mind if i do! [ female announcer ] find them in the cracker aisle. takes care of 33 loads. tide stain release only handles 11. and clorox 2 gets rid of tough stains right before your eyes. clorox 2. find it next to the clorox bleach. right before your eyes. you could spend as much as $200. for a whole lot less. new olay pro x advanced cleaning system. >> going to a job interview, i make sure i've got

the right guidance. it's the same with my taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. and calculations are guaranteed 100% accurate. they even offer audit support. and help me reach my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> man: try turbotax now. ovmore an ltening to ouravoritsong

than liste our favngs. t r fari is eatnoizol. e'reheids in ♪ in today's style, we're springing into skirts. i just love the word spring.

the must-haves in every woman's closet. >> there is fit to flatter every single woman. she is from style magazine. >> we're so glad to have you. >> work pants are not for some people. >> it's about fun skirts, beautiful skirts, and something for everybody. >> we have a familiar face coming out. looking good, girl! >> tell us about this skirt. >> this is our flirty and flared skirt. what's really nice about it is it projects femininity. pair it with a men's-inspired military jacket. >> the makeup looks great, too. kate, loving it! >> loving it! >> thank you, honey.

>> next step, we're talking about the subtly draped skirt. we have jenna with us. >> jenna is wearing, again, another feminine styled skirt, but this is drapg. drapg draping is elegant. the key to wearing draping, because dit has volume at the waist, you -- >> wear something else with it. >> you absolutely do need to. that's why we paired it with a narrow blouse. >> shirley, bring it out, baby! i saw this downstairs and it was so cute. i thought, is it a tube top? >> if you're shirley, it's a skirt. >> the key to wearing mini skirts is you don't want to be too racy, so you want to pair it with something more conservative like a tailored blazer. you need to be comfortable,

obviously, and more youthful can probably go a little bit shorter. but if it's not a look you're entirely comfortable, you can always wear mini skirts with flats for a sporty look and in cooler months, you can wear it with tights. >> you have to be teeny like shirley, though, to get away with that. >> we've also paired it with a jacket that's longer so it sort of con seaceals as well. >> darling, thank you. >> long skirts are in. we love long skirts ask itnd it such a popular trend for the season. if you don't want to look little house on the prairie, you don't want to look dowdy, so you need to pair it with a belt and then put on like a graphic type of top. you might want to pick a shoe with a bit of a wedge heel to really give your silhouette some length. >> is that where it should hit?

>> a long skirt can hit mid-calf, it can hit -- >> it depends on your body type. sometimes you don't want it to hit at a certain point because it doesn't flatter. >> which is why you also need height in your heel. >> the pencil skirt never goes out, does it? the pencil skirts are adorable. >> what we're seeing, too, is a longer hem in the pencil skirt. this is a very 1940s type of look. >> she's been around the block a few times, you can tell. >> it looks great. >> this is another look where you really need to wear a higher heel, or at least a heel with some height to create length. it doesn't look as great with flats, unfortunately. and with a top, you can either wear a top tucked in or have it belted out with a little bit of volume so it creates a nice balance. >> i love that. that looks great. >> thank you, everybody. you look beautiful. >> yes, you do. up next, hail to the chef. we're making dinner fit for a

president. but first, this is "today" on nbc. we're so proud.

in today's kitchen, we're getting saucy with this chef who is honoring the presidents. >> you should know his restaurant has been serving presidents and their family since the truman administration. not you! you look extremely well. >> french cuisine in the white house has been a tradition since thomas jefferson. and i've been doing this so long that i can tell how people vote by what they order in the restaurant. >> is that true? give us an example. >> if you order a 48-ounce cowboy rib eye, if you order the steamed squash blossom stuffed

with tofu, then that kind of gives it away, don't you think? >> so you're either an independent or a liberal? >> well, it gives it away, you know. >> i think that's fun but not necessarily true. >> let's have lobster, shall we? >> we have a lobster salad with vanilla vinegarette. >> the reagans loved seafood, right? >> they loved seafood, but mrs. reagan always had veal scallopini. >> we're going to add a little chateau brion, a little salt and pepper. chateau brion comes named after the french poet. we cut it like this. we do it nice and rare,

hopefully, medium rare. >> how long does that take? >> that takes about 20 minutes if you're going to brown it well and put it in the oven. you can let it rest for about 15 or 20 minutes. then we're going to slice it. look at that. >> how long does that cook in the oven? >> about 20 minutes. don't be afraid to use a meat thermomet thermometer. >> you should serve it medium rare? >> certain presidents who will remain nameless like their meat a little more well done, but it's a state secret. we're not allowed to tell. you should have it any way you want. >> that looks delicious. that's beautiful, chef. >> isn't that nice? serve it with a tradition sauce, which is eggs and butter. what's wrong with butter? >> nothing. >> not a thing. you need it. >> it's better for you than margari margarine. >> margarine is terrible.

>> i'm going to get a crusty one because i like it a little more well done. >> this is one of the most popular dishes, especially the earlier presidents liked their beef. we serve almost all the presidents, and we have crepes. that is a tradition. >> that was for the kennedys, wasn't it? >> the peace corps was right next door to the restaurant sorks restaurant, so we saw them very, very often. >> you are adorable. >> happy presidents' day to all. >> we wish everyone at home a wonderful presidents' day. how to get back hours of free time you're wasting. >> join your presidents' day, everybody. goodbye. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com [ female announcer ] why settle for plain bread

when you can have pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits? the warm, light delicate layers are like nothing else. add a layer of excitement to your next meal. ♪ but i've got a warm, fresh baked strawberry toaster strudel. see the difference?