good morning. breaking news. the dow plunges at the opening bell as the wall street reacts to the first-ever downgrade of the u.s. credit rating. an historic decision being plasted by the obama administration. casualties of war. new details this morning on the mission that led to the tragic deaths of 30 americans when their helicopter was shot down in afghanistan. most of the victims members of the navy's elite s.e.a.l. team six. we'll talk to the wife and of one of the heroes who died. and can she do it? a 61-year-old woman begins her quest to become the first person to swim from havana, cuba, to key west, and she'll have to

brave unpredictable weather, currents and, yes, shark-infested waters. today, monday, august 8th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. it's about 7:00 on the west coast. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. good morning. investors are weighing in on the downgrade. they're not happy. >> no, they're not. the dow down about 200 points following a weekend of finger-pointing in washington over the cause of that downgrade. president obama's treasury secretary, tim geithner, lashed out saying standard & poor's showed terrible judgment and a stunning lack of knowledge. straight ahead, the latest on what's happening on wall street with cnbc's jim cramer and maria bartiromo. also ahead this morning, the

sci joins the manhunt for two young brothers and their sister. the trio is accused of shooting at lis police during a high-speed chase in florida and brazenly robbing a bank in georgia. the ominous message wasn't sent to their mother. and new concerns for parents, as if we don't have enough concerns, but these are for the parents who make their children school lunches. a new study has found an astounding 90% of those lunches are not kept at the right temperatures even if you use those little ice packs. you know what that means -- bacteria and bad food. how can you guard ens it? more on that. also ahead this morning, the mystery woman in this iconic image of elvis presley. for 55 years, his fans have wondered just who she is. this morning we're going to meet her exclusively live in our studio. but first, let's begin with how wall street is reacting to the downgrading of the u.s. credit rating.

cnbc's jim cramer and maria bartiromo join us. good morning. >> good morning. >> where is the market now? >> well, it's kind of holding in. it's actually holding at some of the levels we saw on friday. there was an element at the initial minute of panic, a lot of retail orders coming in, people at home, a lot of people thought we would be down substantially more than we are. i actually take that as quite heartening, ann. quite heartening. >> what do you think, maria? >> the market initially down turned to 50 points, because there's a lot of confusion out there. people are trying to figure out how to invest in an environment where the u.s. economy is quite fragile and perhaps worsening going into the second half of the year. >> we need to mention for the first time ever gold is now selling at $1,700 an ounce. that is the highest the price of gold has ever been. jim, it sounds like people are, however, looking for shelter. >> gold has become an integral part of many people's portfolio worldwide because the paper currency is being debased by almost everyone.

i still think gold is in a good position for people's portfolio. but if you see gold come down today, i believe you'll see stocks go up because gold is a sign of chaos right now. you'll see it in gold. that should embolden people to come in from the sidelines and buy high-quality, multinational companies that pay good dividends. >> i think one could argue one would try to prevent chaos, tim geithner saying over the weekend that standard & poor's downgrading was terrible judgment show, quote, a stunning lack of knowledge about basic u.s. fiscal budget mass. do you think the smart money is taking some of that into account this morning? >> well, i mean, there is a debate about ratings agencies. we know that after many of them miss sod much during the subprime crisis. having said that, some of what the secretary said was spin because the fact is we have major issues in this country and we are spending more than we're taking in. so the structural issues that are behind the actual downgrade are very real, and we need to

get our arms around our financial house and get things in order in order for investors to have confidence to invest in this market. >> a lot of people very worried about interest rates. what can you tell people? >> i think interest rates will probably move higher. we're at rock-bottom rates right now. even if we see a one percentage point move the the next six months to a year, you're still talking about relatively low rates. the economy is still fragile, so rates should stay relatively low for some time. but no doubt with nervousness like this surrounding treasuries, rates will probably go higher. >> part of that nervousness is because there's a threat of a further downgrade. what should americans be thinking about hearing about that threat? >> i think they have to recognize that rather than attack the ms.essenger campaign that geithner is embarking on, they should be looking for signs of any getting together by the special committee, anything so the government recognizes this is a warning shot from the s&p

should be viewed by people at home as our country getting serious and that will help. most of the other countries don't have our kind of rating anyway. you won't see rates spike up. but people at home have to be saying, government, please compromise. >> on that point, the s&p decision basically said in making the downgrade, it said government must take a broad approach, raising revenues and cutting entitlements. this is an interesting comment given the politics. >> it's amazing to me we have not seen more of an effort to cut these entitlements and cut back spending. i mean, that we all know is really where much of the money is spent. at some point, as tough a decision as this is, we are going to have to cut back on medicare, medicaid, and social security. this is where the money is being spent. it just doesn't add up. >> okay, maria bartiromo, jim cramer, thank you so much. 7:06. here's matt. >> we're also following another huge story this morning, deadliest single loss for u.s.

forces in afghanistan. coalition troops have secured the site where a chinook was shot down over the weekend, killing 30 americans. richard engel is in kabul with the latest. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. witnesses have been describing this attack. the taliban has been talking about it. but until recently the u.s. military has been very tightlipped about what happened on that secretive operation that ended with the deaths of so many americans. before dawn on saturday, a senior u.s. military official said elite rangers launched to attack a taliban compound. the rangers arrived by helicopter in the tangi valley about 60 miles southwest of kabul. the valley has steep sides of blue shale, almost impenetrable by road. it's a known taliban stronghold. a taliban spokesman tells nbc news 12 of its fighters are in

the compound during the assault. they fight hard as soon as the u.s. troops arrive. the taliban says the firefight lasts 30 to 40 minutes before a twin-rotor chinook helicopter is is called in, full of reinforcements. on board are mostly u.s. navy s.e.a.l.s, among the most secretive and deadly of american special operations forces. u.s. military officials tell nbc news as the reinforcements arrive on the target, the chopper goes down, apparently hit by enemy fire. the taliban say one of their fighters fires an rpg from as close as 150 yards away. it hits the chinook, apparently a lucky shot by the unguided rocket. a witness says the helicopter crashes in the valley by a riverbank. after it crashed, it caught fire, a huge fire. we were not able to come out during the night because the americans were around .

in the morning, we saw the american bodies, he says. helicopters are especially vulnerable during takeoff and landing, when they fly low and slowly. >> helicopters, no matter how they're outfitted, no matter how well they're armored, are particularly at risk at the beginning and the end of operations. >> reporter: 30 americans are killed on the helicopter, including 22 navy s.e.a.l.s. some of the s.e.a.l.s were from the same unit that killed osama bin laden in pakistan. but u.s. military officials say they weren't involved in the afghanistan raid. >> it's around 300 people. this is a huge blow. but these are very tough, determined people. they'll replace rapidly out of the several thousand s.e.a.l.s in the navy, and it won't impact their operations at all. >> reporter: with the chopper down, fighting erupts again. the battle lasts until nearly 3:00 a.m. the taliban says eight of its fighters are killed, four

escaped. nato officials, matt, have now confirmed that the chinook helicopter was shot by an rpg. matt? >> richard engel in kabul, afghanistan, on this story for us this morning. richard, thank you very much. it's nine minutes after the hour. here's ann. >> all right, matt. thank you. the grief is particularly acute in one san diego community. nbc's jim miklaszewski is there with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. as you can see by the aircraft carrier "carl vincent" san diego is a huge navy town. coronado is the west coast base for the navy s.e.a.l.s, and many here who live and breathe the military are still in shock. here in coronado, the small island community took the news hard. i just felt like i was meting. i didn't know what to say or do. i think everyone feels that way right now. >> reporter: in a flash, 30 american forces, including 22 navy s.e.a.l.s, were killed. at the navy memorial in

washington, where mourners pay tribute, former s.e.a.l. john maguire said the number of victims doesn't end there. >> it's been a tough weekend, you know, because there are wives involved, mothers involved, children involved. tough times. >> reporter: and who are these heroes who fought in the shadows for so long? 30-year-old navy s.e.a.l. aaron vaughn of virginia beach left a wife and two young children. his family calls him a devout christian but a hardened warrior. his grandmother, geneva, says he loves to hunt. >> he was going to come back and see granny and go hunting. that's the last thing he told me. >> reporter: s.e.a.l. kevin houston, also 30, wanted to be a s.e.a.l. since the fifth grade and swam with a knife in his teeth for early training. cousin teresa hayes calls it a commitment he held to his death. >> he said this is what i had to do. >> reporter: for some, it was a twist of fate. air force tech sergeant john brown's mother calls him a gentle giant who wanted to go

into medicine. elizabeth newland says her son instead became a medic for special operations forces. >> if there is a comfort in this situation, i'm so proud of my son, so very proud of him. >> reporter: for sergeant patrick hanburger with the nebraska air national guard, it was simply bad timing. he had been in afghanistan only two weeks. as president obama returned to the white house sunday, this tragedy is sure to renew the political debate over the entire afghanistan war and the withdrawal of american forces. but at coronado, former navy s.e.a.l. ryan mccomebie says the nation must first grieve. >> these men are national treasures, irreplaceable. you don't find them everywhere. so this was a tragedy for the entire country. >> reporter: the u.s. military aircraft that will carry all 30 of the service members remains

are expected to arrive at dover air force base in delaware tomorrow for that dignified ceremony that will bring these service members home for the last time. matt? >> jim miklaszewski in san diego this morning. mik, as always, thank you very much. kimberly vaughn's husband, aaron, was one of the navy s.e.a.l.s who died in that attack. she's here with us along with his parents. please accept my condolences. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> kimberly, even as i express my condolences to you, and mr. and mrs. vaughn, i was reading last night that you think we should start by making sure that our condolences are expressed to all the families who are grieving this morning because aaron truly felt he was a member of the team. >> exactly. although i'm able to be here this morning and i'm thankful to share aaron's story, the other people have also lost their loved ones and they're feeling

no less grief than i am. >> mr. vaughn, i was reading about your son. and, boy, he was an impressive young man as a child, as a young adult, as a son, as a father, as a husband. he was a young man who stood out. why did he want to be a s.e.a.l.? >> matt, i can just tell you that after 9/11 aaron told me and his mother that he wanted to be a s.e.a.l. and he said that he had wanted to ever since he was a little boy. and aaron, if i can just say it, god bless him, he loved his country, he loved god, he loved kimberly, and he loved reagan and chamberlain, and he honestly believed and saw black and white that what we were involved in, and he told me this, is a war for survival of our republic.

aaron knows that the war, islamic fundamentalism, radicalism has gone on for hundreds of years if not thousands. and it can be traced through history. and he felt, and so did the other members of his team, felt that the very existence of our republic is at stake. and because of that, aaron was willing to give his life. and what i have to say is that s.e.a.l. team six, i just know those men felt the same way and they see it clearly, they see it black and white. so many of us don't. aaron told me right out of his own mouth that he had a class where he said, dad, there's three kinds -- the man told us there are three kinds of people in the world, sheep dogs, sheep, and wolves. i can honestly say that s.e.a.l. team six are the desheep dogs. sheep dogs always see the warning, black and white, clearly. most of us are sheep.

we don't usually see it. >> karen -- >> and there are some wolves out there -- >> go ahead, sir. i'm sorry. >> there are wolves out there, and aaron explained it to me. and, you know, it's really strange, matt, that -- that 90 some odd days ago s.e.a.l. team six had a big victory and possibly sheep in higher places said thinkgs what made many of s very uncomfortable. and now some 90 some odd days later s.e.a.l. team six has suffered a terrible tragedy. i just pray that during these last days, these next days, they will allow s.e.a.l. team six, the wives, the children, the families to grieve, to bury their dead, and not make it political. >> karen, you -- you said something over the weekend that

really struck me. you said, now, if there is anything good to come out of this for the first time you get to talk about the amazing things that aaron did in his life and his career with the s.e.a.ls because there's a huge code of secrecy here and now you get to brag a little about him. what are you most proud of in terms of his accomplishments? >> well, i'm most proud of aaron's humility and his nobility. but more than anything, i'm most proud of the way he loved god and how important his faith was to him. and you know, aaron, everything he did, like you said, was secret and it just feels really strange right now that only in his death can we celebrate who he was in his life. it's very -- it's a very

difficult concept to understand. but aaron would want everybody to know most is that he loved america, he believed america could be great again, and he fought for the america he grew up in, matt, and we believe -- we're a very patriotic family, we believe that america will be on its feet again and a country that the rest of the world looks to as a leader. and we're just really sad about this huge loss. we're really sad that our son is gone, but we know -- we know that he would have done it all again. >> kimberly, you met -- >> and he loved every minute of his life. >> kimberly, you met aaron in guam. he was serve ing there. you were a member of the washington redskins cheerleaders. here was this tough warrior but you saw a tender side of him. you have two children, reagan is

2, i believe, and your daughter was born only eight weeks ago. he made it home for both of those births. so he was home just in june. what was that visit like? >> it was wonderful. as much as our men are gone away from their families, over hundreds of days over the years, that we make the most of our time together and we were blessed that we could be together for the birth of our children. aaron was an amazing father. and i'm proud that i will get to carry on his legacy through our children. >> what do you want your kids to know about him when they get old enough to understand who he was, what's the one thing you want them to take away? >> they will take away his love for christ, they will take away his strength and his love for

this country. and they will know what an amazing man he is/was. >> karen and billy and kimberly, thank you so much. i know how difficult it is for you to join us this morning. please accept our condolences. and we thank aaron for his service to this country and you for your sacrifices. >> thank you, matt. >> thank you. >> god bless you. let's get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories with natalie at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. hard weekend of news, indeed. this morning in the news, chaos erupted again in london overnight as riots and lewding swept through the city. the violence was touched off saturday night when police shot and killed a 29-year-old father of four. police arrested 160 people and some 35 police officers were injured as they tried to crack down on the city's worst rioting in three decades. today education secretary arne duncan offers his plan for

waivers to prevent failing schools from sanctions that could force them to close their doors. more than 80% of all u.s. schools could be labeled failures next year under the no child left behind policy. a shooting rampage is sending shockwaves through a small ohio town after a gunman tore through a neighborhood killed killing seven people, including an 11-year-old boy. he was killed soon after in a firefight with police. a besieged city came under deadly military fire yet again today. residents report explosions and they say they have been blocked from leaving the city. more than 300 people have died there in the past week. 4,000 furloughed federal aviation administration employees head back to work today. though the partial shut down of the faa is over, the agency is only funded until september 16th. after that, the battle for a long-term solution resumes. and 41 nutty inventors tried

out their human pow wered flying contraptions trying to take to the skies off of a 20-foot deck in moscow. luckily they were judged on their creativity and not just liftoff because, as you see there, every machine dropped right into the water with a splash. very creative though. give them a lot of points for that. 7:22. let's turn it back over to matt, ann, and stephanie. >> let's take a look at the weather. al is off this morning. so we've got stephanie abrams from the weather channel. >> talk about the heat. heat advisories still right through the heart of the country. the southern plains are going to be feeling it down into the south east. we could see record highs today. triple digit readings from oklahoma city to corpus christi. the t >> we've got pretty thick fog developing up in the north bay down to a half mile visibility in novato. santa rosa and fog so thick it's generating drizzle. you might use your wipers on the

way to work. later on this afternoon, the sun will be out in full force, 79 in fremont, 77 in san jose, and 75 degrees up in wine country, comfortable in santa rosa. not a lot of changes we head through the next few days, temperatures in the upper 70s, low 80s all the way through friday. >> matt, over to you. >> stephanie, thank you very much. coming up, a siblings on the run after allegedly robbing a bank and shooting police. this morning fbi has joined in the manhunt. we'll get the latest, but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ bailiff ] fee court is now in session.

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you have your idea of summer fun, and we have ours. now during the summer event get an exceptionally engineered mercedes-benz for an exceptionalce. but hurry, this offer ends august 31st. >> good morning to you. it's 7:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning an east bay man is clinging to life and a manhunt under way for the person who shot him. police say the man is in surgery right now in critical condition. he was shot just before 11:30 last night on fifth street near franklin just under interstate 880. police have found several shell casings on the scene. so far they have not released details about potential suspects. >> time now to check the forecast with meteorologist christina loren. >> we have another gorgeous week to look forward to. temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below our seasonal average.

what we're noticing is thick fog. we're picking up drizzle on the radar so take it easy out there. you might use your wipers. sunny skies later on. a beautiful day on tap. the mild weather all week long. good air quality all the way through friday. no spare the air. 79 in fremont, 77 san jose and 81 degrees in gilroy. as we head throughout the remainder of the week temperatures don't come up that much. they hover in the upper 70s, low 80s, all the way through friday. so, if you've been enjoying this wonderful weather, well, more of the same all week long. let's check your drive right now with mike inouye. >> we're looking at the south bay with this build. let me move these sensors so you can see capital up past the airport. 237 off 880, also into mountain view. slowing now through palo alto and san mateo in the southbound direction, that's the beginning of the peninsula commute.

and the east bay we're watching the tri-valley slowing out of livermore and toward pleasanton. smoother with a 33-minute drive out of the altamont pass. our typical pattern but over a half hour over to the dublin interchange. tough problems after accidents cleared but there were two of them at 580/680. >> a busy monday. we'll keep tabs on it for you. for the latest, check out nbc bay area morning news on facebook.

morning, august 8th, 2011. a happy day outside our window of the world here at rockefeller plaza. i want to thank them for starting their day right. meantime, inside studio 1-a, i'm ann curry along with matt lauer. a trio on the run. >> two young brothers and sister are accuse of robbing a bank and then leading police on a high speed chase. a message one of them sent to their mother. also, we all pack our kids' school lunches so they can eat

healthier and fresher foods but will it still be fresh just a few hours later when they eat it? there was an alarming new study out this morning. we'll tell you all about it. and how does kate gosselin try to keep life as normal as possible for her eight kids? well, she's here for an exclusive live interview. she'll answer some of the questions that you have posed to her. but let's begin this half hour with the on going court case to determine if casey anthony will have to serve out probation in florida. nbc's mark potter is in orlando this morning. good morning. >> good morning to you. court officials say the judge's ruling is expected this week, but not before wednesday. it will determine whether casey anthony remains in hiding or has to come out to report to a probation officer. after a hearing friday casey anthony defense team was in no mood for reporters. and all their questions. >> microphone in my face one more time, somebody is going to get hurt. get away. >> reporter: the question before the court is whether casey

anthony should now serve a year of probation after pleading guilty to a check fraud case long before she was tried and acquitted of murder charges in the death of her 2-year-old daughter caylee. >> i'd like to apologize. >> reporter: after stealing checks from her friend anthony went on a spending spree at target and winn-dixie. the defense team argues that for anthony to serve probation now should be double jeopardy. >> she has served probation. so the issue is moot on several grounds. >> reporter: her lawyers say she already served probation while on jail awaiting the murder charge. the florida department of probation sent a letter saying that she fulfilled her obligation. but the sentencing judge stan strickland said he meant for anthony to begin probation after her release from jail. strickland has now recused himself from case. they accused him of making bias statements against anthony after being found not guilty of murder. >> i would argue that judge

strickland's participation in the media would suggest that this was a vindictive sentence based on his disapproval of the jury's findings. >> reporter: the decision on what to do now falls to judge belvin perry who presided over the murder trial and who says the probation issue is a mess and not clear cut. >> it is quite evident that this is a legal morass that, if anything could go wrong, it went wrong here. >> yes, your honor. >> reporter: legal experts say the argument in favor of probation is that it is usually served after a jail term ends to help monitor a prisoner's returns to society, although there are exceptions. at the end of the hearing judge perry said he would have to think about it. >> i don't know what i'm going to do. i know i've got to do some more reading and do some more research. >> reporter: now, if the judge rules that case say anthony does have to serve probation for a year the next question becomes

where will she do that, here in orlando or in some other place, perhaps enoven out of state because of the security. 33 after the hour. here's ann. >> matt, thank you. a manhunt is under way across the southeast for three siblings wanted in connection with a brazen crime spree. police say the group opened fire on police in florida and robbed a bank in georgia. now their mother is urging them to surrender. nbc's john yang has the details. >> good morning. they have long criminal records and friends and families fear they're headed for a violent end. surveillance cameras captured the initial moments of the sibling's flight from justice. >> white four-door vehicle failed to stop. shots were fired at the police officer at different locations on state road 54. >> reporter: in fact, at least 20 shots during the five-mile police chase at speeds of up to 100 miles an hour.

police say 21-year-old ryan dougherty, his sister lee grace dougherty, 29, and 26-year-old half-brother dylan dougherty stanley escaped when they shot out a police car's front tire. >> i thank god the officer is safe, the deposition tuties inv okay. >> reporter: authorities believe the trio is responsible for a brazen bank robbery hours later in voaldosta, georgia, firing shots in the ceiling and ordering everyone to the floor. the bandits escaped with an undisclosed amount of money. >> we're not talking about three youths driving around the state of florida, we're talking about three violent people who have a tendency to kill a police officer. >> reporter: the three have troubled pasts. ryan was convicted as a sex offender for sending explicit text messages to an 11-year-old girl. a posting on a flickr page says she loves to shoot guys and wreck cars. i'm a redneck and proud of it.

causing mayhem with my siblings. now their mother barbara bell has urged her children to turn themselves in. ryan sent her an ominous message. >> he's actually texted her saying in the past couple of days at one point we all have to die. >> reporter: across florida more than 100 wanted billboards are part of the intensifying police dragnet, abandoned house where the trio once lived authorities found an elaborate underground bunker adding to their worries about what the three have in mind. >> it is very collear that thes three are on some type of mission and we must do everything possible arrest them and bring them to justice. >> authorities have no indication of where the three are now or where they might be headed. that is the fbi has joined this manhunt, the search has gone nationwide. >> john yang this morning. john, tunchts lethank you. let's get a check of the weather. >> narrator: "today's" weather is brought to you by advil. make the switch to advil now. >> even moms not at home can

still tell you to clean your room. you're missing one of your kids. >> my beautiful daughter anna, i can't tell her to clean her room anymore. she's married and has a beautiful baby lela. >> once you're married you don't have to clean your room anymore. apparently matt is responsible for the good weather. aren't you supposed to be thanking me for the nice weather, not matt. man, matt gets credit for everything. let's look at the weather today. it's through the plains and also ttoinhemidwest. otherwise, we are going to see the sunshineto into the northea. storms have already started a fire from kansas where you desperately need the rain, on into missouri. you will see that sunshine along >> now here's a look what's happening outside your door. >> we're going to have to wait a while for the sunshine to break through that thick deck of clouds overhead. inland 61 degrees at 8:00 a.m. as a result at noon 72 degrees, and as you make your way home from work if you work inland, 75 comfortable degrees. cooler in the bay, in the

mid-60s. overall gorgeous weather considering yeah, we're deep in the heart of august now. 79 in fremont, 80 in los gatos and 77 degrees in redwood city. we hold on to this all the way throughout the work week. can i borrow those glasses? let's find out where it's going to be sunny today. go to weather.com 24 hours a day. over to you. >> thank you, stephanie. coming up next, how safe is your child's sack lunch? why it could be filled with bacteria even if you packed it hours earlier. the mystery surrounding one of the photos ever. we're going to meet the woman whose identity has remained a secret for 55 years. but first, these messages. e at quicken loans, we take special pride in servicing clients that serve our country. my name is marjorie reyes. i'm a chief warrant officer. i am very grateful and appreciative that quicken loans can offer service members va loans. it was very important for me to be able to close and refinance my home quickly.

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back now at 7:41. food for thought as you begin to prepare another year of packing your kids' school lunches. according to a new study, many of those bags or boxed meals are being kept in unsafe detheys d snyderman and nutritionist who is the author of the book "so we eat." good morning to both of you. this new study looked at more than 700 preschoolers' box lunches. the results were significant. >> published in the journal pediatrics and found that 99% of the school lunches in a certain preschool group they looked at, the foods were kept at unsafe temperatures. the reason that's important is that when your lunch is refrigerated, bacteria are held in suspended animation. when they get warm and moist enough the bacteria can grow. the concern is kids will come home with vomiting and diarrhea you may think it's infection.

may be food poisoning that started at home. >> my goodness. what is the temperature that -- >> less than 40 degrees fahrenheit and if you're going to have hot foods, it should be higher than 140 degrees. any food kept in that no man's zone between those two should only be left out for two hours, not more. >> okay, now, some people will pack ice packs with their food. some people freeze water bottles. >> 40% of the people in this study packed ice packs. most people didn't. >> if you're going to do it at least pack more than one ice pack. we were talking before, really you need refrigerators or big cooler 'you need to think about refrigeration that we haven't before. >> the chance of depending on a refrigerator for your kids' lunch is a bad decision. >> it needs to happen though. they need -- i think school administrators need to be aware that they need to be refrigerated. even getting a cooler and making an ice cooler, that would help.

doesn't require a lot of cost. that's really important. an important part of this. >> when you can't have a cooler, what can you go to school with that's not going to perish. >> show us. what are some options. >> it's good news. >> i love that. >> make it easy. basically, before we do cut or peel a vegetable or a fruit, they're pretty much safe at room temperature at least for sure from the time you pack the lunch until lunchtime. i love things like, in this lunch here i have snap peas, sugar snap peas. wash them but they don't have to be peeled or cut. the same thing with whole fruits. whole apple. and dried fruits, for example. dried fruits, dried vegetables. also nuts. you want to check, of course, with your school. a lot of times they don't allow peanuts but they will allow certain tree nuts. do check.

also, aaeaaseptic milk. you can have cereal with milk for lunch. >> i think one thing is you look at everything here. there are basic whole foods or prepackaged food. what i don't want parents to do is go out and get these prepackaged lunches that are just filled with fats and bad foods and preservatives. start to think about the basics of foods. what you and i would take on a hiking trip. >> that's right. >> also making the point that you cut up the fruit or you cut up the vegetables or whatever you're going to introduce a certain amount of bacteria. >> that's a big point. so a lot of bacterial contamination starts at home. went your preparing lunch, start right there. clean hands, so you're making, say, a almond butter sandwich here. make sure you're doing that on clean surfaces. that's really, really important. that will keep it safe at room temperature. again, soy milk.

cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are my daughter's favorite and stay well. apple sauce, banana. here, more dried fruit. hard cheeses, so cheddar cheese, colby, jack. any prepackaged, individual wraps, they will be safe at room temperature. >> sandwiches with mayonnaise? >> no. skip it. >> no more. >> no. >> over. >> unless you know for sure that you can have a lot of -- this is actually all freezer packed. >> the data came out last week only 1% school lunches are at the right temperature. play it safe. keep that for at home on the weekends. >> thank you for trying to help our kids. coming up next, we're going to turn to a terrifying and deadly polar bear attack on a group of teenagers during a camping trip. details are coming up right after this. hi parents, it's going to be such a big school year. your kids will each take care of our class hamsters, lewis & clark. then i'll tell them the story of pluto, the sad little planet that was.

i'll introduce them to some new friends, the fractions, and some cold blooded ones, the dinosaurs. [sfx: dinosaur growl] clark! anyway, here's what they'll need: markers, scissors, crayons, pencils, folders, juice boxes, pretzel sticks, glue sticks, tape that sticks, and glitter. so much glitter. school takes a lot. target has it all.

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back now at 7:50. with a horrifying and deadly polar bear attack in norway, the victims, a group of teenagers, on a wildlife adventure camping trip. martin fletcher is in london with details on this. good morning. >> matt, good morning two british survivors of that horrific attack by the polar bear returned home this weekend, two in the hospital in norway, attacked at dawn by a bear looking for food. they're adorable at a distance and when well fed. when the polar bears are mean killing machines. ten feet tall, they weigh half a ton and they can be ferocious.

today in the arctic circle one of the most beautiful places on the planet, it's warmer than usual. there isn't much food for the polar bears. so when a group of british youngster on a wildlife adventure trip set up camp for the night they became bait for a bear. they woke to a roar, a polar bear burst into a tent, slashing with razor claws, snapping with razor teeth. terrified, the boys fought back. two guides badly injured and 17-year-old chapel killed, a schoolboy who wanted to study medicine. >> by all accounts, he would have made an excellent doctor. >> reporter: patrick flynn is here with his father preparing for the trip of a lifetime was bitten in the head. >> the polar bear got into the tent where patrick was and they just for some reason grabbed horatio and just killed him. >> his parents devastated said in a bizarre twist, his

namesake, the 18th century british naval hero, had fought a polar bear on the very same glacier and survived. moore would have been killed but for the bravery of 29-year-old mike reid. four times he fired his gun at the bear but it misfired each time. as the bear slashed him, severely cutting his neck and head, reed bloodstreaming reloaded, fooird and killed the bear. there are about 2,000 polar bears here, but it's believed that with global warming, food is scarce. a post-mortem showed this polar bear was 110 pounds underweight with almost no fat reserves. it must have been starving. >> if there is any food source there, they will come after you for that. it's just a natural process. whether you can put them off is the key question. >> reporter: tragically the british youngsters could not. >> the expedition cut short its

trip and questions. why did the gun not fire, why did the warning trip wide stop bears not work and especially this time of year when polar bears were hungry why were the youngsters there in the first place? hard yeses questions as the fam mourns their son. >> your heart really goes out to the families. coming up, we're going to make a hard turn and talk to kate gosselin and ask her things after the local news. every day you live with the pain of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis could be another day you're living with joint damage. help stop the damage before it stops you by asking your rheumatologist about humira.

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>> good monday morning. it's 7:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning elderly woman and her caregiver are in the hospital with serious burns after flames ripped through their home overnight. firefighters dragged the woman out of their home on jackson street shortly after the fire broke out before midnight. it was in the pacific heights area of san francisco. rescuers say they found the women unconscious inside the home, both are being treated for smoke inhalation and burns. the fire sparked in a bedroom. it could have been caused by a cigarette. >> let's check the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning to you. well, it's kind of dreary outside. we have overcast conditions from the coast inland through livermore and we're noticing a little of the drizzle popping up on the radar so you might fid slick conditions.

temperatures are mild at 60, 58 in hayward. 53 in the city of san francisco. by noon bumping up to 58 in the city and round out the day with the high of 66 in san francisco. otherwise, 77 for san jose, 79 in concord. we head through the remainder of the week into the weekend with mild pleasant weather continues across the bay area. 82 degrees on friday, and another picture perfect weekend ahead. let's check your drive with mike inouye. >> we do have slowing, typical spots. the ears shoe freeway looking good. the top of the screen, it will be coming down westbound out of hercules into the 40s and 50s where you see that yellow. clearing up past golden gate field so. about 23 minutes off of the carquinez bridge. slowing heading away from the bridge through berkeley. watch for that. no incidents there. 680 slow south of the walnut creek interchange. that's the major part of that east bay commute around the maze. further south, in the east bay, southbound 880 starting to jam

up south of 92. there is an accident in the northbound side around tennis son that might be visible and typically we see the volume bum up, 92 and 84 about this time as well. slowing toward willow on the southbound side of 101. an accident there, moving to the shoulder but causing a bit of distraction as that bump in traffic in the southbound side down in the south bay starts to kick in about now and the south bay shows slowing 101 past the airport and capitol expressway. >> thank you, mike. for the latest traffic and news updates check out nbc bay morning news on facebook. i'll have another update in a half hour. ♪

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---- monday morning. it's the 8th day of august, 2011. it's a pretty morning here in the northeast. although, around 90 today. add some humidity to that, kind of sticky. we will see you out on the plaza. that doesn't happen until later, though. we're happy to have them around. out on the plaza, matt lauer along with ann curry. there is a reason why we're playing a little elvis presley music in the background. we'll show you photographs taken back in 1956. they have become iconic for elvis fans. you know who he is but who is the young lady seen in the photo with him?

it's been a mystery for over 50 years. and now today we'll reveal her identity, a very interesting story. >> that's right. there are a couple more images. looks like they're very close in those images. also coming up, we'll be talking to kate gosselin. she, of course, has her tv show "kate plus eight." this morning she will be talking about the future of her reality show and answer so e-mail questions that the viewers have. and then we are going to meet a woman who is attempting to do something no one has ever done before. at 61 years of age, diana nyad is attempting to swim the straits of florida, all 103 miles, between ave. vannah, cuba and key west, florida. she set off on her quest last night. natalie recently spent some time with her. we're going to learn more about that challenge coming up. all right. but first, how about we get a check of the news?

>> okay. good deal. >> okay. natalie's inside with a check of the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. new details this morning in the weekend helicopter crash in afghanistan that left 30 u.s. troops dead. the deadliest day for troops there since the war began. the u.s. is still trying to confirm the taliban's claim that it shot a rocket propelled grenade, causing it to crash. on board were mainly navy s.e.a.ls from the same unit that took down osama bin laden. and they were on their way to save a group of army rangers who were caught up in a fire fight with the taliban. their remains will arrive at dover air force base tomorrow. overseas markets tumbled this morning with asia losing between 2% and 4%, reacting for the first time to the u.s. credit rating downgrade from aaa. treasury secretary timothy geithner said there is no risk the u.s. will not meet their obligation and called standard & poor's irresponsible. more chaos this morning in

london where a weekend of rioting and looting has left 35 police officers injured and more than 160 people under arrest. e nbc's michelle kosinski is in london with,000 this all began. >> reporter: natalie, yeah, this is south london but the trouble actually started in north london. it just exploded saturday night and spread. the rioting and looting continued into last night. and finally this morning, things have ended. in a weekend-long explosion of fury, embattled police in the streets. at least 50 fires were set. shops looted and destroyed. more than 100 people arrested. >> this level of violence escalated beyond all proportions. what was a peaceful vigil by a grieving family was highjacked by mindless criminal thugs who set fire to police cars, damaged

local businesses, who destroyed people's homes. >> reporter: last week father of four mark dug ginn was shot dead by police after a traffic stop. they said he fired on officers, but that's under demonstration. the demonstrations saturday turned ugly, sparking this. >> for a long time it's been boiling. i didn't expect it to be this much. >> reporter: just as london starts to gear up for the 2012 olympics, it is cleaning up from the worst rioting in 30 years. the violence right now is over but the situation really is not. the city wants to know what exactly were the circumstances of that police-involved shooting last week and why such violent anger just below the surface in these neighborhoods. natalie? >> as we see there behind you, michelle, still lots of tension. thank you. and now for a look at what is trending today. a quick round of what you're talking about online. last night's teen choice awards

are a top search item on yahoo!. selena gomez was a big winner with five awards but it was her public displays of affection with boyfriend justin bieber dispelling any break-up rumors that has everyone talking. and also show of support for bieber's buddy sean kingston who showed up after his serious jet ski accident in may. many commenting on how great he looks as we reported last week. the blogosphere is buzzing after kanye west was boo'd at a performance saturday night when people look at him like he's hitler and that one day people will understand him. and they lined up at the thousands at the metropolitan me see mm-hmm of art. al tweeted, going to central park, line for a. mcqueen at the met stretches forever. i had a friend standing in that line for five hours. very much worth it. let's go back outside to matt and ann.

apparently it's an amazing exhibit, and i missed it. >> you're not alone. glad we got the video. now, let's get a check of the weather. the aforementioned al is off this morning but stephanie abrams has been working the line. >> maybe he's still in line or it wore him out. these girls flew from nebraska. you know they make airplanes now. you're going to be a freshman in college where at? >> northwestern university. >> you? >> northwestern university. >> let's take you to wisconsin. we're going to keep it in the midwest. temperatures are going to be average through the day today. mostly sunny and warm for you. otherwise, we do have the storms that are going to be firing here throroug the center of the u.s. and also throughout portions of the south. for today, that threat for severe weather is highlighted in red. well, if you're waking up anywhere near the coast, it's likely pretty foggy in your neck

of the woods. let's take you live to san jose. still overcast here. not as ach as that cloud cover touching the ground. as a result, the sun will shine through. earlier, we're up to 80 degrees in livermore. 79 inro fremont. as a result of all of that thick cloud cover, only 66 in san francisco and 69 in oakland today. not much of a change as we head into the weekend. more beautiful weather. >> we have honeymooners on the plaza. thank you for what you do. thank you for your service. when we come back, kate gosselin is live in the studio. she's going to talk to us and answer some of your questions. also ahead, who is this woman snuggling up to the king of rock 'n roll? we'll reveal her identity right after this. also get a free flight.

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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 at 8:11 with kate gosselin, her tlc reality show "kate plus eight" returns tonight and it looks like life is getting back to normal with the goes palestinian group. kate, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> boy, you look beautiful this morning. life must be good. before we get to that, do you want to answer all those talk about whether your show, the reality show, is about to be canceled? >> there is a lot of talk about it. and nobody has told me. so as long as, you know, we're happy to continue on and we will do so as long as people are

watching. you know, there's been a lot of fans and subpoepporters who hav continued to watch us through good and through bad. i take this opportunity to say thank you. we will still be on tv as long as you watching. >> as long as you're watching. you could see this foreseeably when they're in high school? i mean, what are you thinking here? >> gosh. i might be dead by then. you know -- gosh, teenagers, i don't even want to talk about it. i -- i do. i mean, the kids and i are still having a lot of fun. there's, you know, some real moments. these shows that are coming up here soon are very real and raw moments. and you know, i'm not going to lie. it's really setting in now two years later being a single mom of eight kids is difficult. i have a lot of difficult moments. and stressful moments and you're going to see it. the good, the bad, and the ugly. >> a very intimate look at your life. what do you want to say about how your kids are doing, how

your love life is doing. all that is what people are interested? >> the kids are doing fantastic. i don't think they could be doing any better. they are great, well-mannered, awesome kids. they help me around the house so, so much. we really have pulled together, the nine of us, and i have to say as far as that goes, you know, motherhood is amazing. it's, overall, you've got the rough times but it's great. and the kids -- they just make me so proud. as far as love life, i mean, you know, i've said it a lot of times. i'm definitely ready to start dating. i think there's a lot of obstacles for me. you know, i hope to just sort of bump into somebody, but in all honesty, i talk to my best friend about wouldn't it be great if she could go around the country and collect suitable people because the odds of me sort of bumping into someone are rare. >> you mean it's more rare because you have eight kids were more rare because of the reality show that you have?

>> all of the above. i have eight kids. i have a crazy work schedule. i'm known. so there are a lot of obstacles. and i am ready to start dating. it's sort of daunting though when i think of my obstacles which is why my best friend and i talk about can you go out and sort of collect some people that you think would suit. so i don't know. i don't know, you know, where life will take me. i'm hoping that that person is out there because the kids on a daily basis are just begging for me to get married again. they bring it up all the time. i'm like, i don't -- i'm not dating anyone. >> i want to get to some of our,mail questions. one is from meg dale. she writes, how do you handle all the negativity thrown at you? >> it's one of the biggest lessons that i've lanearned and sbog publicly seen. most of it i just ignore. i have a really thick skin. i don't allow it to get to me. the things that i do see and read i sort of turn around, you

know, people that say, oh, you can't do this, you'll never do that, i take it as challenge. and go from there. >> kim asked an interesting question. she asked, any advice on finding calm within a storm? >> you know, calm comes from within. you can choose to be happy and you can choose to look at the positive. and i can't say i've always been able to do that, but through everything i've gone through. and there's always something good in every day, even if there's ten really bad things. and i have, you know, personally eight wonderful healthy kids. and, you know, i have a job, i have a way to support eight kids. i have a career that i love. and there's always great things. >> that's right. >> and that to me is the calm. you can choose calm amidst chaos. >> that's right. if you live in gratitude. kate gosselin, thank you for stopping by this morning. >> i have to say hi to my kids, i'm sorry, before i go. i forgot last time.

hi, guys. >> hi, guys, from me, too. again, you can catch "kate plus eight" tonight on tlc. coming up next, 55-year-old mystery finally solved. we're going to meet the woman captured in this iconic image with elvis press spip [ both ] you just said... [ both ] you go first. [ both ] no, you. [ both ] i was just saying... [ both ] we did it again. [ both ] miniature pony. [ both ] rubber bands. [ both ] an elephant has four knees. i think you're pretty. [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] introducing a brand-new taste in perfect harmony. mcdonald's new premium chicken sandwiches. a new chicken breast fillet with oven-roasted or home-style flavor on a new soft bakery-style bun. it's the simple joy of a delicious combination. ♪ it's not ready yet. (announcer) every smucker learns to wait for fruit to reach the peak of perfection to make extra delicious jam.

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with a young elvis presley and a woman whose identity was made unknown for 55 years. the most iconic of the series is known as "the kiss." "vanity fair" is here and the lady known behind the pictures. barbara gray is here with us along with the photographer albert. now you're known. is this a good thing or a bad thing? >> we'll see next week, won't we? >> exactly. before i get to the story of these photographs from your side, let me bring alfred in. take me through this photo shoot, what was happening? >> you mean how i got there or how i got to elvis? >> no, what was happening this day? what were you capture sding? >> we went from the jefferson hotel in richmond, virginia, where i first saw barbara in the lobby with elvis. after a little bit of coffee shop things, we took a cab to the mosque theater which was

where elvis was performing two shows, both by colonel tom parker. >> you were taking pictures the whole way, on and off. >> i was taking pictures before then and after then. but to cut to the chase. i was up in the men's room where elvis was changing and combing his hair and the jordanaires were there. somehow i got distracted with the jordanairs and elvis left me. i left them and walked down the fire stairwell and on the same platform as the show that was taking place that the colonel had booked, after all, it was the elvis presley show, there was elvis at the back of a long corridor with this woman in silhouette. i said, there he is. and i started photographing him. >> which leads me perfectly, good story teller, leads me right to you. what were you doing in that

stairwell, how did you come to meet the king of rock 'n roll? >> we were talking about the things we had talked at on the show earlier. >> you called out of the blue. this was kind of a spur of the moment date, if you will. >> well, yes, you could kind of call it that. >> is this the first day you had met him? >> yes. >> wow! barbara. this is the first day you met him and these photos were the result? >> right. >> so there were sparks? >> no. >> no? >> maybe he had sparks, but i -- i didn't even know who he was. >> he was very young performer at the time. >> yes. >> and by the way, on the day of the shoot you never got her name. >> no, i never did. i never realized that these would bb eecome iconic. you see, after elvis died in 1976, remember, 19 years went by from '58 to '76, when nobody called me for an elvis presley photograph. it was the day he tied, "time"

magazine called up, bring your pictures over immediately. >> what do you remember about "the kiss", the picture called "the kiss." tell me what was going through your mind at the moment? >> he was a very funny kid and very silly and we were running around chasing each other and just being young. and he narrowed me down in the hallway there to ask me if i wanted to go to "the steve allen show" with him. i said, no, i don't think i can. i'm on my way to philadelphia to see my boyfriend. and that's when the challenge started for him. >> he was going to have his way. did you talk to elvis after that day? did you keep in touch with him? >> i got a christmas card from him once but that was it, because shortly after that i left the states, so i don't even know whether he tried to reach me or not. >> alfred, i know over the years some women have come to you and said, claiming to be the person, the woman in that photograph.

>> yes. >> turns out those were not really the women. >> no. >> how did you know barbara was the real thing? >> let me put it this way, i knew that they weren't the real thing because if you look at the photograph barbara's head is at the same height as elvis. everybody thought that she was at least 5'8" or 5'9", maybe even 6 feet. turns out she's up on the landing and elvis is one step down. she's actually 5'10", she tells me. at the time i thought she was 5'11". >> 4'10". >> 4'10", right. she's a short woman rather than tall woman. when they tell me 5'8" i know sheer immediately telling me a fib. >> 20 seconds left. now that the mix industry has been eliminated, do you think in some ways it takes some of the mystique away from the photograph? >> a lot of women say we don't want to know who the woman is because that can allow us to put ourselves into her position. >> fantasy. >> you know, the photograph is from 3/4 from the rear.

but now that the story is out, well, that's the way it is. you know, you can't control everything. >> i still like the fact that barbara says there weren't sparks flying. that's your story and you're sticking with it, young lady. thanks so much. pleasure to meet you, alfred.

good morning to you. it's 8:26. this morning, firefighters are still on the scene of a fire that ripped through a home in san carlos overnight. the fire started inside of a home on cedar street near hall drive around 6:15 this morning. there are reports that one person was injured in the fire but it hasn't been confirmed by fire dispatch. firefighters are still on the caene trying to determine used that fire. it is 8:26 right now. weather and traffic after this.

good morning. it's 8:28. temperatures now in the 50s and 60s, headed up towards the upper 70s and low 80s. it's not going to be warm at all. comfortable weather all week long. 69 degrees in oakland. 66 in san francisco. as we head throughout the week, we have a weak high pressure in control of our weather pattern. that's not going to bring weather temperatures up all that much. below seasonal averages throughout the extended period. let's check the traffic with mike inouye. the accident on 101 is

causing issues there. it's cleared and should be recovering over the next 20 minutes. still slow as you pass by the san mateo bridge. that's better news. slow through livermore towards 580 and still over half an hour and slow heading down through sunol. we talked about the low clouds and fog, laura, especially along the coast. >> thank you very much, mike. 8:29 now. for the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area morning news on facebook. another update in half an hour. see you then.

8:30 now on this monday morning. it's the 8th day of august, 2011. it's a pretty summer day in the big apple. nice green in the air. great looking crowd. meantime, just ahead, we're going to talk to you about hot dogs, 101. >> there's a question for you. how many hot dogs does average

american eat? how many in here? >> 100. >> 130? >> 25. >> 25. >> 15. >> 50. >> do i hear 300? 70. 70 hot dogs a year for the average american. we consume 20 billion hot dogs a year. but how do they stack up in terms of nutrition? what should you watch out for when you go to the store and pick up a pack? joy bauer is going to join us to talk about that. >> okay. that sounds like important advice. plus, a really incredible woman who just launched on a daring swim at the age of 61. she wants to become the first person to ever swim from havana to key west. she started it last night. 103-mile swim through shark-infested waters. she first tried this 30 years ago and didn't make it. this morning i had a chance to catch up with her and get to know her before she launched on this quest. >> did you swim a little with her? >> i did swim a little with her. she gave me some good pointers.

amazing. >> my husband just swam the strait of gibraltar. a reminder we have country great zac brown band taking our summer concert stage this friday. they want you to pick one of their songs. here are the choices. "toes," "chicken fried," or "as she's walking away." cast your vote, text the song's number to 622639 or vote on our website at today.com. and then tune in on friday to hear which song won. >> as we go country here on the plaza. right now let's get a check of the weather. al is off today. stephanie abrams is filling? >> do i get to vote in "chicken fried." i'm going to vote when i upstairs. celebrating their birthday today. you're turning 12. almost a teenager. what are you most excited about?

>> almost driving. >> happy birthday to you. we'll leave it at that. >> all right. >> let's have a look at our weather here and find out we have beautiful birthday weather. everywhere except for the midwest. storms today. happy early birthday. celebrating now. just extend it, who cares. we should see that threat for severe wea it looks like it's going to rain outside your front door. we have overcast skies and actually some drizzle coming down it's that really deep marine layer. that will make for a really comfortable afternoon. 77 degrees in san jose. 66 in san francisco. you'll probably be dealing with that cloud cover until 2:00 p.m. today. otherwise, we're seeing the sun shine through already. 81 degrees today in gilroy. we continue to stay nice and mild and below seasonal averages all week long. 93 today. >> 93, willard, not quite, but

just soon to be there on your list. >> i love her. send her down. we'll take her to dinner. you can come, too, if you want to. >> i'm there. >> happy sweet birthday from smuckers. take a look at the jam jar spins about. here is sweet and exciting eugene reichenfeld of mckeys port, not pennsylvania, massachusetts, 100 years old. former musial director. loves classical music and crazy about jay leno and other tv stars on nbc. here is dorothy garfield, evanston, illinois. 103. lived in the same house all her life, never moved. loves doing cross word puzzles. she's crazy about jay leno. jay, you've got a big fan. here you go. this is ernie may, colorado springs, colorado. 100 years old. loves to play the saxophone. he and mr. clinton ought to get together.

happy man. we love him. happy birthday to you, sir. and we have mae weiss of delta, colorado. 106. loves to go to church. contributes her longevity to eating lots of veggies and. fruits. good for you. gwen zischke, state college, pennsylvania. 100 years old. loves to play bridge and sew. makes fruit pies and i bet she uses large crusts. that makes it the best. and angelina maher. 100 years old today. and can speak three different languages. that's it, that's all. and now back to new york. >> all right, willard. thank you so much. coming up next, just how healthy are hot dogs? everything you need to know about the summertime favorites. this is "today" on nbc.

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back now at 8:37. this morning on "eat smart today," hot dogses, quintessential summer food, americans eat them by the billions but how healthy are these favorites? "today's" nutritionist joy bauer is out with a revised best-seller called "food cures." welcome back. 20 billion hot dogs consumed by mens. 70 per person. my thought is the average person who eats a lot of hot dogs doesn't think. >> they're definitely not a health food. typical hot dogs are 70% to 80% pure fat. very little protein in a hot dog. just to show you visually, this one hot dog has the same protein equivalent as this tiny piece of meat. less than an ounce. if you eat a piece of sir loin steak after that first bite, matt, you've surpassed the protein. >> you are not asking people to give hot dogs up completely.

this is one of those cases where moderation is a good thing. >> that's right. because some of the fat that's in hot dogs is saturated fat. we know that promotes inflammation and dries up the bad cholesterol. also loaded with sodium which increaseses your blood pressure. last year there was a harvard study and it shows that people that ate fatty processed meat, the equivalent to one hot dog a day, had an increased risk for heart disease by about 42%. and 19% increase for type ii diabetes. >> when you say processed meat, this is not just hot dogs, this study -- >> salami, bologna, ham. >> we're in hot dog season right snu. >> yes. by the way, we reached out to the national hot dog and sausage council and they stated while that some studies have been widely reported to link processed meats and cancer there are plenty of other studies which found the opposite. do you know about those studies? >> i do. while it's true that all studies don't link fatty processed meats like hot dogs to cancer, this is

really telling. the world health organization and the american cancer society both, after reviewing all of the evidence, think that they warrant people to minimize their intake. not saying don't ever eat them but you want to occasionally splurge at a ball game. >> if you're going to eat them, especially at home and you have the choice at the supermarket, there are options better than others. >> that's right. you want to go for brands that on the label says either reduced fat or light or fat free and watch the sodium. ideally under 500 milligrams. i found good brands. applegate farms have both a beef version and turkey version. people like them, too. the boar's head. >> when you talk about light, light in fat? >> yes. the fat is reduced. again, you still have to make sure that the sodium is not an issue. all of these brands are under 500 milligram 'this is a ballpark light franks. these are made with a

combination of beef, turkey, and pork. these are turkey dogs, jenny-o. and these are turkey dogs. people like them. fall into a much better category. >> you have creative ways to eat hot dogs to give a boost in terms of nutritional value. >> try to satisfy yourself with one. pump up the volume of the dog by adding healthy things on it. stop at one and try attorney crease t -- try to increase the nutrition. reduced fat cheddar cheese on a whole grain bun. this is a mexican taco bun. anything that goes on a taco, chopped lettuce, corn, black beans, sour cream. >> i'm just trying to picture the guy at the bleachers at the jets game ordering the hot dog with the cheddar and diced apples on it. >> that is the time you just go for the regular dog. >> and a big beer at the same time. >> this is not going to work. >> no. it's healthy solutions or at least some healthier options for

hot dogs. joy, good to see you. thank you very much. still ahead, the website and apps you should be using to find the best travel deals. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" money, protecting your retirement savings. a lot of americans have concerns given the recent grip on wall street and the first ever downgrade of the u.s. government's credit rating. so what does it mean for all of you? a contributor to yahoo! finance and also the author of "psyche yourself rich." good morning. >> good morning, ann. >> the question a lot of people are asking now, how will this downgrade affect their personal savings, their portfolios? is there an answer for that? >> the economic answer to that is that when there is a downgrade on debt at the american level, at the government level, that's going to trickle down to the consumer

level to main street to mean higher interest rates on consumer loans. ranging from mortgages to car loans, credit cards, all those interest rates theoretically could go up in the aftermath of the downgrade. that's going to put pressure on personal savings because the more you have to pay to borrow the less you have to save. >> do we have any idea how much they will go up given the two other agencies, credit rating agencies, did not actually lower it and also because of the white house's argument that actually s&p actually made a mistake, $2 trillion mistake? is there some doubt about how much and even if the interest rates will go up? >> that's a good point, because of this one agency we're dealing with right now that has downgraded u.s. debt, the aftermath is not going to be as severe. i don't think we're going to see interest rates skyrocket. but here's the other thing, ann. this downgrade is unprecedented. it's added uncertainty to the financial market. so we may see prices on everyday goods go up because corporations want to have this sort of pre-emptive strike against what

may be the worst case scenario down the road of another recession happening. we may see prices go up on oil, on gas, on food, on clothing which can hurt ultimately personally. >> you're saying that while we don't know we should protect yourself, sounds like what you're saying. >> absolutely. you can't control what happens in d.c. but you can control your ability to save money. >> talking about saving money, 401(k), those of us lucky enough to have them, what do we do? >> don't make any knee-jerk emotion driven movements in your 401(k). remember that your 401(k) is a long-term investment vehicle. right? and as long as you are diversified, you have a risk adjusted portfolio. meaning that your portfolio speaks to your age. and when you want to retire. that's really important. i think everyone should take a moment to look and review it, how their allocation is spread. make sure if you're young, you can afford more risk, you should be in the market. if you're approaching retirement, in your 60s, you want to be more allocated towards what i call fixed income

assets, bond, cds. you take the guesswork out of the return on your investment. >> they're going to be less likely to fluctuate. that's a sure bet. depending on how old you are, how soon you need your money, you can decide whether or not you want to move your money around. >> yes. once a year is a good time to review. >> anyway. >> anyway. >> okay. how much should people think about staying out of this market though? some people are thinking, hey, this might be an opportunity, do something crazy. what would your best advice be to your average american about that? >> think about your five-year plan. what goals do you want to hit in the next five years, whether it's sending your children to college, buying a home, starting a business. what are those price tags attached to those goals and what is the money you need to make sure you accomplish those milestones. take it out of the stock market because five years, frankly, is not enough time to really afford the volatility to lose that money. five years, i don't think, is a long enough time to recoup all

of those losses in order for you to move forward with your life. >> that's a good rule of thumb. meantime, you know, it seems that we lehear the experts from cnbc or analysts in general, we get an idea they know the market is going to dip or not depending on -- what's the best advice you can give to the average american how to know when things are not going to be so good? >> i think the best of investors don't really know on a day-to-day basis. i read about this in my book, recessions, ann, happen about every five to six years. going back to as early as 1797, the great panic, when your country went into a credit crisis along with england, ever since then we had a contraction or a recession every five to six years. which, again, is why i say have a five-year plan and keep that money safe and liquid savings. >> which is also to say we actually end the session, too. >> very cyclical. >> thank you so much for your advice this morning. coming up next, we're going to meet a 61-year-old who is

trying to be the first person to swim from havana to key west. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are back at 8:50. a swim of a lifetime last night for a remarkable 61-year-old. her mission, to make it from havana, cuba, to key west, florida. natalie is here with her story. >> i got to meet her.

and while others her age might be content to kickback and relax, diana nyad has set her sights on concurring a feat that has alluded her for 30 years. she will try to prove that age really is just a number. it is the swim of diana nyad's life, never mind that she is 61 years old. 103-mile, 60-hour journey across the straits of florida from havana, cuba, to key west, florida, is a swim no man or woman has ever completed. diana, former long distance swimmer tried the same swim back in 1978 when she was 28. >> and now she is on her own trying to swim to florida. >> reporter: after 40 hours, weather and wind pushed her way off course, she never made it. but she never really gave up on her quest as she later spoke about it with jane pauley on "today." >> the swim was rough. i mean, i don't think anybody knows at this point if i can be done. but that was part of what makes

it exciting. i believe i can do it. >> reporter: in 1979 diana made it from the bahamas to florida swimming 102 miles in just over 27 hours. she still holds the world record for the longest ocean swim. after that, she quit the sport and didn't swim another stroke for 30 years, until she turned 60 and decided to challenge herself in a way that few people her age would ever dream of. >> i started thinking, i want to feel alive and alert and awake and challenged. i want to do something that takes everything in me. >> reporter: over the past 18 months diana has trained extensively, working out and swim for 6, 15, even 24 hours at a time. on her journey she's not alone. she has a vast support team of 22 people who ensure she stays on course and is healthy and hydrated. also, helping her fight off fatigue, boredom, and

exhaustion, her friends, janice joplin, the beatles, and bob dylan. >> i feel like dobob dylan -- ♪ -- and i'll sing that entire song. and i know how many strokes it takes me and how many minutes. i'll sing it 2,000 times. >> reporter: her age is not the main concern. weather and ocean conditions also have to be almost perfect. if there weren't enough to worry about, the florida straits are full of sharks. she's not swimming in a shark cage. her line of defense, a team in kayaks providing a shark shield around her. >> we have kayaks that carry, you know, this electronic device underneath that emits a field of electricity. it's very effective but it's not 100%. >> why not use the shark cage? >> i don't want to use that after my name of it. i want to be the first swim ever done without a shark cage from cuba to florida.

point blank. >> what if you don't make it? there is that possibility. are you going to try and try again? >> you know, i just can't go there. i would have to go into a state of unconsciousness before i would not make it across. >> reporter: with a little fanfare, diana began her swim sunday, insisting it's not about ego or past regret, she wants to be an example and inspire the boomer generation. >> it doesn't have to be a big moment. it just means be engaged in your life. don't let it go by. we all have one life and a it's a one-way street, so live it. live it large. >> as we mentioned, diana is currently in the midst of her swim. she took off at 7:45 eastern time last night. if successful she should arrive in key west in the next few day. you can follow her progress on her website as well as twitter and facebook. for details head to our website, today dol. you know, matt, you know diana. >> long time. she really is. just sounds so weird when you're talking about swimming to say she will arrive in the next few

days. that's a long haul. >> whether or not she makes it, though, she is already inspiring, i think, our generation. >> so many people. absolutely. >> thank you very much. we want to turn now to something that every parent can relate to. it all started when this photograph of senior producer's son leo was passed around the office and the captions read, i clean this sort of thing up every day. >> so we ask for your best photos cleaning up after the kids. here's a look at some of the dirty work. ♪ ♪

[ woman ] sam begged and pleaded... so i sent him to camp. we'd earned lots of points with our new citi thankyou card... and i put them to good use. he told me about his bunkmates, and how he signs up for every activity. ♪ he even hangs out with the camp director. just like that. [ male announcer ] the new citi thankyou premier card gives you more ways to earn points. what's your story? citi can help you write it. . good morning to you. it's 8:56 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning a. 9-year-old phillies fan is in critical condition after being hit by a drunk driver in san francisco. his family is not making the

boy's condition public but that he is making progress. 21-year-old andrew vargas slammed into several parked car. we'll have a look at the forecast right after this.

good morning. the temperatures are coming up where the sun is coming up. san francisco, novato, santa rosa, still socked in with low cloud cover until 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. at the earliest and the sun will come through, warming you up to 66 degrees in the city. today, 66 in oakland and 70 degrees inland a comfortable in san jose. no fluctuation as we head through the day. beautiful weather continues.

back to you, laura. >> thanks so much, christina. check out nbc bay area morning news on facebook. another local news update in half an hour. have a great day. >> i'm suzanne shaw, editorial director. just weeks ago, a back door deals with slipped in the state budget with no public debate. this new law bans teacher layoffs and if revenues fall short, as many suspect, the school year may be cut to 168 days, one of the shortest in the nation. critics call this outrageous and a recipe for disaster. we're all for saving jobs but ñi nbc bay area believes it's up to local districts to decide the best way to balance their books. it's wrong for sacramento to take management power away from local leaders and wrong to put

big money lobbyists, like the teacher's union ahead of local control like promised, to empower schools to do what is right for students who don't have a lobby. join us online at nbceditorials.com. we are back with mor we are back with more on "today" on a monday morning. it's the 8th day of august, 2011. sunny and warm one here in new york area. these people are up and out early, and then they can get into the cool air conditioning a little later on. we're happy you stopped by. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and savannah guthrie, who is back from vacation. nice to have you back. >> great to be here. >> nice to have you back. unfortunately, we're going to be talking about some very serious things. that tragedy in afghanistan where the chinook helicopter was shot down apparently by the taliban. 30 americans were killed, including 22 elite navy s.e.a.l.s. coming up we'll talk to the

family of aaron vaughn. he was a s.e.a.l. he was a husband and a father of two little children, and his wife will remember their loved one. also this morning we'll be talking about the scary financial headlines these days with the market falling on wall street, but also the concerns about the downgrade of the u.s. credit rating. we're going to have some advice on refinancing your home, paying down your credit card debt, and protecting your savings this morning in the wake of the financial news. plus, if you are planning a summer getaway or winter break already, there's an app for that. we're going to check out some of the top ranked apps and web sites for getting the best deals on your vacation. before we go any further, a few minutes ago we showed you the pictures that our viewers have sent in of their messy children. well, let's keep this thing going. if you have pictures of an unusual collection that you have, why don't you send those to us. for example, dick and wendy have sent us a photograph of their hot sauce collection. >> wow. >> so if you have -- >> look at that.

>> -- quirky collection, send it to us or go to today.com and we'll show it on the program. >> that's fun. >> yeah, it is. let's go inside. natalie is standing by at the news desk with a look at the hldz. >> good morning, everyone. coalition troops are scouring the site with where a chinook helicopter crashed over the weekend to recover every last piece of the chopper and any remaining evidence. 30 american troops were killed in the crash in afghanistan. the deadliest single incident for u.s. forces in a decade-long war. included in the victims were 22 navy s.e.a.l.s. nearly all of them&r from s.e.. team six, and this morning matt spoke to the widow and parents of aaron vaughn, one of the men who died in the crash. >> after 9/11 aaron told me and his mother that he wanted to be a s.e.a.l., and he said that he had wanted to ever since he was a little boy, and aaron, if i can just say to you, god bless

him. he loved his country.ú he loved god. he loved kimberly, and he loved reagan and chamberlain. >> i am most proud of aaron's humility and his nobility, but more than anything, i'm most proud of the way he loved god and how important his faith was to him and, you know, aaron, everything he did, likec;juáu said, was secret, and it just feels really strange right now that only in his death can we celebrate who he was in his life. >> what do you want your kids to enough to understand who he was, what's the one thing you want them to take away? >> they will take away his love for christ. they will take away his strength and his love for this country, ask they will know what an

amazing man he is. was. >> aaron vaughn leaves behind his wife, kimberly, and their two children, 2-year-oldson reagan and 2-month-old daughter chamberlain. wall street is bracing for another volatile week after the credit agency standard & poor's lowered the u.s. government's credit rating on friday. treasury secretary tim geithner slammed the move saying it showed terrible judgment. meantime, geithner has informed the president that he will remain in his post. he is the only top official remaining from the president's original economic team. chaos erupted in london overnight adds riots and looting swept the city. the violence was touched off as a result night when police shot and killed a 29-year-old father of four. police arrested 160 people and some 35 police officers were injured as they tried to crack down on the city's worst rioting there in three decades. renewed bloodshed in syria this morning where a besieged city came under deadly military

fire yet again today. residents report explosions and they say they have been blocked from leaving the city. more than 300 people have died there in the past week. some new guidelines this morning from leading pediatricians who say playing sports in hot weather is safe for healthy kids, as long as precautions are taken and parents and coaches use commonsense. the american academy of pediatrics says with adequate training, water, time-outs, and sideline medical treatment, children are not more vulnerable than adults as previously thought. and the prime position for some primates. rise of the planet of the apes took in $54 million. the smurfs remained in second spot for the second week in a row and cowboys and aliens came in third. there's a glimpse of an exhibit off the florida coast. the image is encased in plexiglas, and they're mounteded on an old military ship being used as an artificial leave.

you have to be a die-hard for that. let's go back outside to matt, anna, savannah. >> thank you so much. >> let's get a check of the weather. al is taking some time off today, but we have stephanie abrams filling in. >> i want to introduce you to jennifer, and actually an original song for the "today" show. everybody be quiet so we can hear. ♪ i'm on today ♪ it's monday, and i'm singing on national news ♪ ♪ i'm on "today," new york city ♪ >> a lot of people are singing about the heat wave that's burning you up into the southern plains. especially here into texas. 37 consecutive days of 100 plus temperatures. the record is 42. we might just tie or break that. here's a look at the afternoon temperatures. the heat continues through the southern plains, but through the northern tier, it is going to be on the cooler side, and also on well, we've got a lot of

improvement down in the south bay. this is a live look at san jose. all of that cloud cover gone. in fact, we've got mostly sunny conditions from fairfield through livermore. you can see that yellow here on the map. sunnyvale, 64 degrees under full sunshine. later on today, we'll see the sun shine through the clouds. really we don't have any big changes on the way all week long. temperatures hover in the upper 70s, low 80s inland. upper 60s and low 70s at the coast. >> savann savannah, it's all yours. >> all right. stephanie, thanks. this morning on "today's" money, protecting your finances during tough economic times. last week was a bumpy ride for our struggling economy from the dow dropping more than 500 points to the unprecedented downgrading of the country's credit rating, but how will that impact your own finances and how can you protect your money? vera gibbons is an msnbc financial analyst. good morning. >> good morning. >> well, this is the day, i guess, we'll learn what this credit downgrade -- what affect it will have on the markets.

what is the fallout expected to be? >> well, hopefully we won't see the sea of red we saw last week, right, with the dow tanking 700 points, but i think the market will look beyond the credit downgrade and focus on the fund mentals which are extremely weak. the slew of issues facing up right now. we have the european debt crisis. we've got concerns about the global economy, growth here is essentially nill. you have growing concern and growing talk about possible double dip. >> you use a technical word. you said there's a lot of craziness in the markets right now. how real are the fears that we could see a double dip recession? that is, the country going back into -- >> economists have put those as much as 50-50 at this point given the downgrade, but nonetheless, to protect yourself in this type of veemt, i think to alleviate some of the anxiety, it's nice to have a nice cash position, particularly if you are in equities, and that's why something like dividend paying stocks are particularly attractive in an economy that is slowing. >> that was our first tip. you find these dividend paying stocks. why is that important, and how do you find them? >> you can get exposure through your 401k at work just by

investing in good solid mutual fund, but that's the way to go. it's really about the preservation of capital. >> we also talked about the importance of having an emergency fund. it's always important, but you say all the more so now. >> only about one-third of us an allocated emergency fund, and about half of us who have had these emergency funds are still hard pressed to come up with $2,000 if we lost our job or had some sort of other emergency, and that's crazy considering it's taking, you know, over 40 weeks on average to find a new job. that is a record high. >> how much should be in an emergency fund ideally? >> ideally a year's worth of savings. >> after the deal in washington, we know the u.s. avoided a default, but, of course, there's also been a credit downgrade. how will that impact the average consumer, if at all? >> it's not good for confidence, right? i mean, confidence takes a big hit. i think americans are feeling down and out. the psyche of the americans are feeling low. they feel they're on a losing team. there are economic consequences

and financial ramifications because if it costs the borrow money,e tocc1: it will cost you to borrow more. student loans to credit card rates, mortgages, and the job situation could get even worse as well because if it costs companies more to borrow money, you know, they're going to say we can't possibly add to our head count. >> that's because the rates for: cards, studentcc1: loans are tied in some cases. >> tied to treasuries. >> that's why the cost of borrowing for the u.s. government goes up, it goes up for all of us. >> we need to be watching that. one thing you might want to consider doing in light of what's going on here is consider refinancing your mortgage. you might want to pay down your credit card debt because if rates go up, and some experts say rates on mortgages and rates on credit cards could go up by a full percentage point, you know,ure going to be hit. it's based on credit cards go up by 1%, that new rate is going to apply to all new purchases, and they only have to give you 45 days notice. >> maybe you are saying do the refinancing if you were thinking about doing it, lock in.

>> 4% right now. you want to do this perhaps sooner rather than later. >> okay. another of your tips is maintain a good credit rating. >> well, it's more important -- >> it's more important now than ever to maintain good credit. i mean, 720 is the rate you need now to get the best rate on your loans, according to research from zillow mortgage marketplace. before the housing collapse, it was 620. not too long ago 700 was considered good. we are in a market where credit is very tight, and it could get even tighter given the credit downgrade. >> how do you keep your credit score in good shape?cc pay your you have to1: bills. >> well, paying your bills on time is the most important thing. pay your bills on time. watch the amount of debt. don't have too much on your credit card. ideally, don't use more than 10% of your available credit if at all possible. >> let's talk about employment. you mentioned we did actually one sliver of good news relatively speaking with the jobs report not being as bad as it is. the unemployment rate ticked

down .1 to 9.1%. what's your advice to job seekers? >> the people that are finding jobs in this economy are people who are totally reinventing themselves, moving into different industries, trying entirely new things that they never thought they would even see themselves doing, and they're going for the part-time, the freelance, the contract work. that's sort of the name of the game now. it's definitely the wave of the future. no benefits, no 401k, no nothing, but at least you have a job. >> you are saying once you have that job, if you're lucky enough to have it, make yourself indispensable. no more i don't do windows, right? >> no time for excuse. don't come in late. 60% in july. they're now at a 16-month high for layoffs. >> vera gibbons, it's good to have you here.cc1: >> thank you. coming up next, the top travel web sites and apps for planning your next getaway before the summer is quite over. and, later, back to school. how to ease the stress for your kids when it comes to making friends. first, these messages. has left you nowhere to go.ren when you've lost interest in everything. when you've had one too many days feeling sad or anxious...

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this morning on "today's" travel, now getting the web to nextcc1: trip.our with all the apps and website, searching and finding a good argain on a hotel can becc1: overwhelming. "travel and leisure" has done all the hard work for us in their digital tool box annual guide they direct us to their 80 favorites. good morning. >> good morning, natalie. >> that's a lot of research. how did "travel and leisure" apps it down to 80 favorite cc1: and websites? >> our consumer news team did not sleep for three months. they tested them all so we wouldn't have to. whether you're looking to book a cheap fare, whether you want to save money, save time, these are the apps to use. honestly, there are so many out there, how do you know which one especially when you1:

spend money on them. >> not all the recommendations are on the web, some are apps. >> some are both. so they're a little icons with make it easier. >> make life easier. make your life easier, for tocc1: if you're looking book an airline ticket, when yo: thethe ticket can really becc1: whole difference in whether you end up going or not. and to help with your decision it recommenday forcc1: bing.com. >> bing.com is great because they have a fare predictor. now, a lot of us sit there in front of the web and say, when should i buy, should i buy now, is it going to go down, is it going to go up? moment of anxiety. use algorithms and historical data, much left of the anxiety. i go to figure out, right now people are looking at holiday travel. we have gone straight from summer to holiday. when you look to see when the book, bing is the way to go. >> if you're comparing airlines to figure out which one is cheapest or to get to your destination the fastest, tipmonk

is "travel and leisure"s top choice. >> it's a new one. we found something we like with this. it's intuitive and the design is very minimal. so it's very natural to look at it and figure out what you want. if you're looking based on time, based on money, you can do that. funny category which is agony. agony is the least of, the most -- the stops, amount of the cost, and the amount of time that it's going to take you. >> less agony. >> less agony, the better. >> now, there are a lot of apps and websites that help you track you're airline and find out your flight is doing. flight track helps you if you are looking to see if your flight is delayed. >> flight delay makes us crazy, especially if you're making a connection or picking someone up from the airport. it's our absolute favorite of all the different apps. $4.99. well spent on this app in the itunes store. useful, y is it1:

information on flight is delayed, luggage. it also -- it's so beautiful. the satellite imagery if you're on the plane and can watch the progression of the flight. >> wow. >> and if or some reason you do you can call the airline to see what other flights because you will see the flights right there, i want that flight. >> perfect. >> you are beating the lines. >> you just saved me on my next delay. thank you. next we all know price line, of course. it is still the most recommended booking a hotelcc1: room by "travel and leisure." >> who would have thought that 13 years ago when price lynn started nobody else would beat them at their own game. still number one site of "travel and leisure." go online and decide where you want to go. the quality of the hotel.cc1: put in a bid and either just accept it or if it doesn't get accepted you wait 24 hours before you bid again. there's a booming industry to tell you how to use price line. one of them is called

betterbidding.com. fast. that three timescc1: >> i know. good advice. 40% off et as much ascc1: the lowest internet rates if you book on credit line. >> wow. >> that's a value. >> good. >> learning how to do it. >> all right. next is -- now, this is one you all need to know. once you get to your destination you want to find the best places to eat. you've got an app for the best food in your december snags. >> that is called food spotting. the reason we like food spotting is we always wish we had a friend to give us their favorites in the destination. this is the equivalent. location based. which means wherever your phone, is wherever you are, is where it's going to serve you the best dishes and foods around you. excessive foodies, take pictures and recommend. if you're not sure, you can tell those people the likes of mario, and anthony bourdain are also guys on this website. >> perfect. straight from the gourmets. >> exactly. >> the men who know, and women as well.

next, if you then want to pay for your meal and i think what ofcc1: us, how much do you tip, especially in other know what you don'tcc1: the going rate is. globe trotting -- what's the name? >> globetipping. >> almost too cute. >> globetipping, it's good. we like it. >> this app is 99 cents. when you're jet lag and get off a plane and taking your taxi in paris and you don't know how much to tip you either end up feeling guilty that you're undertipping or overtipping which makes you crazy. this is fantastic in that it ha: tips for about 200 different countries. because it t alsocc1:cc calculator. if you're home and having dinner with a bunch of friends and don't want to deal with the math can help youulatorcc1:cc1: at home. >> thank you. appreciate it. coming up, does your kid want to be the next hollywood action star or just look like one? we're going to visit a stunt camp to show them how to get started.

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[ ding! ] and we give you a discount on both. sort of like two in one. how did you guys think of that? it just came to us. what? bundling and saving made easy. now, that's progressive. call or click today. coming up, as a parent are you more concerned about your child's grades or the friends they make? >> plus, the latest member of the boy fit club who dropped an amazing 152 pounds. he's going to tell us ho youcc: she did it and show off her new body. but first, your local news and weather. hi! i brought champagne. wow! the best in the world. ...some chocolates swiss! ah...the best in the world.

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a very good morning, everybody. it's now 9:26. i'm jon kelley. nato leaders are investigating whether the taliban is behind the chopper that crashed. navy s.e.a.l.s, all of whom but two are from s.e.a.l. team 6, the unit that killed osama bin laden. the impact of that crash is stretching all the way to the bay area. kevin houston, whose father and mother live in san jose. the 36-year-old dreamed of being a s.e.a.l. since he was a boy. >> he was my son.

and if i could trade places with him, i want to trade. >> i was thinking, what was he thinking when he was hit and going down? knowing kevin, he probably had that smile and said. he enlisted in the navy right after graduating from high school and had been on several tours to afghanistan. s arounord fhe t breakta and a check on your weather and traffic out there. cc1:cc1:

it's a back to work monday. weather this week looking phenomenal. we're staying below our seasonal averages, much cooler than we see in this portion of august. 66 in san francisco, 77 in redwood city and 80 in los gatos. the biggest story when it comes to our weather, there's no change in sight. temperatures staying comfortable as we head through the next few days. all the way through the weekend, only talking about the low 80s,

even the warmest spots throughout the bay. highway 4 as been a treat all morning but off of northbound 680, that is a problem. and further south we have an accident that is on dublin boulevard. watch for that. the fire department is on the scene there. 24 through lafayette, slow through caldecot. there's the folks waiting for you at the maze. westbound 80 is a problem through livermore. jon, back to you. for the latest updates, morning nbc bay areacc1: news on facebook. another local news update in just about half an hour. see you then. cc1:cc1:cc1:cc1:cc:

♪cc1:cc1: dust off your ten-gallon hat because that is the zac brown band coming to the big city on friday for our summer concert series. and then the following friday, ou love him every time he'scc1: here.cc1: enrique ewill be here. cc1:year he pulled a girl off the stage and started dirty

dancing with her. back to the zac brown band for a moment. set list.lp pick thecc1: we have three songs to choose from. if you want to weigh in send your text message with the song number of your choice. 622639. check 1 for "toes," text 2 for "chicken fried" and text 3 for "as she's walking away ". tune in friday to see which song the zac brown band will play. >> it's fun. different kind of country. >> it is. meanwhile -- >> you had me at hello. hour,cc1:g up in this half back to school jitters, making friends and fitting in can be a real worry for your kids. social media to the mean girl phenomenon. we're going to help you help them navigate cha can be a very stressful school world. forget canoeing or archery and camp. no, there's a new kind of camp

in town. they can have your kid zip line for 800 feet or practicing falling off a three-story building. we will take you to stunt camp. >> wow. 1:ope there's a lot of paddingc involved there. plus, a classic portuguese fish dish perfect for this time of year. we're going to help you add it to your kitchen repertoire. but first, a check of the weather with stephanie abrams. >> chicken fries and then -- i'm still on the zac browne band "she's got whatever it is," great song. >> they're going to play it just for you. >> let's have a look at where you will have front row kind of weather, good weather. that's on the west coast. otherwise, severe weather through the center of the country and still steaming hot : still pretty foggy out there. you can see from the live picture at the golden gate bridge, socked in in the city of san francisco. as a result, something is going to come through and it will take a while, between noon and 2:00. 66 degrees is a high.

77 degrees today in places like san jose, 80 in los gatos and 72 degrees in santa cruz. if you like this weather, we've got more on the way all week long we stay nice and below the seasonal averages this time of year. no substantial changes in the near future. looking good. he >> so still hot, as you were saying. but also in the northeast, heat advisory. >> stephanie, thank you. coming up next, what you can do to help your kids make friends when they head back to school. friends when they head back to school. that's right after this. erywhe the pain was so frustrating. 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 feel better and do more of what 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,

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this moment on parenting today, can you kids make friends? going back to school can even give the most out going kids new jitters, new kids to contend with, social dynamics and the everyday anxiety that can come with starting something new. here are tips on how you can help your kids. editorial director of "pregnancy parenting" or i village and cc1:saltz. good morning. >> good morning. >> questions posted on ivillage. are you worried about your kids making friends at school. 64% of those responded said yes. 36% said no. does your kid have a hard time making friends? 71% said yes. it's just surprising that parents are so worried about their kids success. >> huge issue. if any mom has ever seen their kid on the playground being treated meanly by another kid, no, those numbers make perfect sense. cc1:ant to get in there and

kid,1: right?n cc of course you can't do that. there's a lot of anxiety around these few weeks before school, the beginning of school. i think it makes perfect sense. >> and, a lot of what we're seeing, our parents probably didn't worry about it so much but social dynamics have changed. we're seeing a lot of bullying with kids. it starts early and, also, not to mention the media, the social media and how much that's changing. they're tweeting or on facebook. >> in some ways not in a good way because i think it's great the idea that you have zillions of friends to kids and they think, i have to have lots of friends or something's wrong with me. and these friends on facebook, they're not your friends. friends.not cc1: it's not teaching them anything how to really relate and be in a friendship and work out the difficulties that friendships have. >> the question is really how involved parents should really to get your kid out there to make more real friendships. >> exactly. we're talking about being supportive and actually i would say even insightful in getting

your kids some coping skills which we'll talk about. get1: overly drawn into the drama that will go on about all the -- you know, you want to look at the climate, not the weather. the overall how things are going as opposed to the day-to-day weather of things that are upsetting. >> what if you have a painfully shy kid? kids know1: o have a hard time approaching other kids. how do you know if there's a difference between the shyness and whether or not it's something more like anxiety. are born temper mentally more shy and it has an upside, too. shy kids tend to be more loyal, very creative. they have a lot of plusses. you want to let your kid know that. but you want to help them to know when they appear shy, people may rimisread that as beg unfriendly in some way. you want to give them ways to show who they are and they can reach out, whether that's in words or in body language. you want to teach them a little

bit about that. there's a difference between that and social anxiety which is really does happen to a number of kids. is impairing them. so if they're not able to make thends and they're not able to be in new situations and they start not wanting to go to school, they should bring them to somebody for help. social anxiety is treatable. >> let's get back to you, liz, because some ways parents can help their kids. you say one of the things they can do is trirehearsing conversation with them. >> yes. >> what do you mean by that? giving them opening lines? >> exactly right. obviously the best case scenario, if we could stand there and talk for them but, of course, we can't do that. >> we don't want to do that. >> we don't want to do that. they need the skill sets and coping strategies. if you have a teenager, teach them how to start a conversation. hey, cool jeans. where did you get them. >> role playing. >> then the person -- what if the person doesn't answer you, what do you do? give them a role play. >> exactly. younger kids. i love legos.

do you have legos, do you want to play? that gives them a way to start and break in when they see a bunch of kids playing together. then you set up play dates. high school beyond that. >> younger set, going into elementary school. take advantage a couple of weeks after camp ends and before kids start school. this is something the parents can do. find kids that are going to be in your kid's kindergarten class and second grade class. invite them over to your house to your kid, in the comfort of their own home, can relate and meet. >> and two, not three. triangles tnend to create difficulty and drama. try to have it be two and a time and not overwhelming if you have a shy kid. push your shy kid a little bit to have a play date. >> it only takes one friend do have your back. >> you think everybody else is great and what's wrong with me? let them know that everybody is having a bit of a struggle. you're all in it together. if you have just one or two

people, it's great. >> not a popularity contest, either. thanks so much. >> thank you. coming up next, how to make sure your kids get an action-packed summer. stunt camp. we'l this. ht after is. for a while now, you've been taking an antidepressant. but your cloud of depression is still with you. maybe it's time to ask your doctor about adding seroquel xr to your antidepressant to treat your depression. seroquel xr is a once-daily, extended-release tablet, which means medication is released around the clock. for many, seroquel xr, when added to an antidepressant, was proven more effective than an antidepressant alone at helping people feel less depressed. call your doctor if you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. elderly dementia patients taking seroquel xr have an increased risk of death. call your doctor if you have fever, stiff muscles, and confusion,

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what are your kids up to right now? there's a good chance they're off at summer camp making new friends, lifelong memories. but are they leaping tall buildings in a single bound? today's jenna wolfe checked out a wild ride. >> good morning to you. when i was a kid my parents sent me away to summer camp. i ate bad food, spent way too much time doing arts and crafts and swam in a pond that i'm pretty sure gave me frostbite. today camps have come a long

way. name your interest and there's a summer haven designed especially for you. one of the most exciting, hollywood's stunt camp. it's bourne or bond are part of your childhood dreams, here's one way to spend your summer. >> you're laurening how to be a stunt person, right? >> basically, yes. >> reporter: it's hollywood stunt camp, where you're guaranteed an action-packed time. >> what kid doesn't love action movies, marvel movies coming out, super hero stuff. kids want to do their own spider-man moves. acting out stuff. >> action. >> you feel like an action star. >> reporter: so it's not actually in hollywood but 80 miles west, atop a mountain in running springs, california. >> it's fun. >> keep both of your hands up here. >> we bring in boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 16. we introduce them to the basics

of the stunt community, whether it be live action, whether it be film and television, we kind of bridge those gaps. she put a tattoo on your back. action! >> reporter: they're fighting, flipping, and what would be stunt camp without falling. >> took out five different falls that you can see in a lot of movies. >> how high is that? >> the highest we've ever taken a kid is 28 feet, which might not sound that high -- >> that's almost a three-story building. >> pretty high up. >> i would love to do stunts with my job when i get older. it would be an excellent job. >> reporter: if these kids can do it -- >> come across my hip. >> reporter: -- i wanted to give it a shot, too. but none of the stunts are as easy as they might look. so to get it right, like they do in the movies, you need to follow some rules. >> you call that forward, you're going to swing step up and out. forward.

>> falling! safety and style are critical. was that good? and if you need to make a fast escape, you can zip yourself away across a daunting ravine. >> it's a place where your dreams come true. >> reporter: but if your dreams don't involve stunts, not to fear. circus camp, space camp, sea camp, the unusual and the extreme camps abound now more than ever. but for those stunt-hungry kids like 11-year-old destiny, this is one summer well spent. you were pretty rocking on the stunts. >> i had to do it a few times to get it right. and it was really fun. >> so the truth is not all of the kids from these camps are going on to be a professional stunt person but it is a good start for those who want to try their hand at a stunt career. as most of adults in the studio

said, they want to try it. it's fun. it's a good time. >> what happened to roasting marshmallows? >> what happened to singing songs. >> yeah. >> and doing these fun games and all the arts and crafts for hours and hours. not so much. not anymore. things have changed, savannah. >> it's great. thanks so much. coming up next, a portuguese specialty in today's kitchen. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" kitchen, what is for dinner? a traditional portuguese feast. one of the most popular dishes in portugal. >> here to prepare it is the executive chef and owner of a restaurant in grenich, connecticut. good morning. >> good morning. >> apparently cod is the thing to have this portugal. >> it is. they say that portuguese eat cod 365 days a year 365 ways. it's very true. it's one of the most favorite dish toes have around the

holidays, family gatherings, and sometimes just in general. versatile fish. >> this is a salted cod. >> right. the cod comes in basically salt cured and dried. we then cut it up into some nice chunks, put it in water for three or four days. >> rehydration process? >> right. basically takes the salt back out of the fish, brings it back to its meaty, flaky consistency. the salt can be overpowering if you try to cook it that way. >> fresh cod or -- >> this is more the way it's the tradition. >> the salt gives the fish a little bit of a background bite but then also it firms up the texture. if you've had fresh cod it's flaky and -- >> breaks apart, white. >> this is meatier and a little bit fresher. >> how are we preparing it? >> to prepare the dish, start off with onion. and we're just going to slice it up nice and thin. >> okay. >> you don't want to go too big so it doesn't have too much of a bite and intrude on the cod. so once we have the onion in,

take a little bit of sliced garlic, fresh garlic. this is portuguese chilies. >> can you get those anywhere? >> probably specialty stores, not easy to find but they add a little bit of background flavor and heat to it. >> what's the taste of that spice? >> it's basically like a red chili flake but it has a little bit more of a milder tone to it. >> maybe you could substitute a red chili flake? >> absolutely. >> after three or four days -- >> after three or four days, taste it as you go along. shred it up like this. we add it in. this is a very quick dish to make because cod, like some seafood dishes, basically either you cook it a long time or a very short period of time. not in between. add parsley to it. >> a short period of time? >> a short period of time. sweat out the onion and garlic and to get the flavor into the dish. going on to the next level here, sauteed cod with the onion, garlic, and a little bit of

parsley. >> you add eggs. >> this is where the portuguese get a little crazy. >> add eggs. >> eggs is a great source of protein. it's very inexpensive way to eat. by the way, it's named because it was a very family that was prominent in for the portugal and the family's favorite preparation of the cod was the eggs. >> this is not breakfast. >> in america it would be interpreted as a brunch. >> because you added the eggs. >> once you have the scrambled, go firm or keep it nice and loose and some people like the eggs runnier, some people like it firmer. i prefer to go it a little bit runnier because it stays moist. once we have this going here, add parsley. >> extra spice. olives. >> olives. >> whole olives. >> now we're going to step over here and this is the crispy shoestring fries. you just basically go right on

top. >> a favorite in my family. my parents always -- >> you know this dish? >> i don't know it like this but the salted cod. give it a taste. thank you so much. >> you're welcome. >> i'll give it a try. thank you. >> please enjoy. meanwhile, coming up, cathy lee is here. >> and we'll hear

good morning. it's 9:56. i'm jon kelley. this morning, two new accusations being hurled at pg&e in connection with last year's deadly explosion in san drun

know. the chronicle reports that they were warned two months before the explosion that there was unacceptable risk of damage on the company's gas line. the company says gaps in the company's records created that risk. meantime, a whistle blower claims workers were concerned about retaliation if they raised safety concerns. a former welder tells the newspaper that he was laid off when he was told about potentially explosive gas leaks. the company denies the accusations saying, we encourage employees to bring things up because that is the only way we can be a safe company. time now for a quick check on weather and christina loren. well, that is something that you can count on for at least the next week. weather is going to be really, really comfortable. 77 degrees in redwood city. hard to believe it's august. 72 degrees in santa cruz. typically we're about five to ten degrees warmer than the numbers that you're seeing on the forecasted high temperature

map. as we head throughout the remainder of the week, we don't come up all that much. 80 degrees by wednesday. low 80s prevail all the way through the weekend. hope you like this weather because it's sticking around for a while. mike? >> livermore, 580, yet another problem for the westbound commute. an accident reported at north livermore and debris reported all over the lanes. it's causing an issue even if you want to cut down through the city and 608 as well. the sunol section is smooth so far for 680 and 101, a little slowing on the southbound side. 237 with a slow down off of 880 as well as 85 comesing across 880. an earlier accident and still at 17 and idle wide. the problem is i don't know if it's north or southbound. watch for slowing there. >> we shall keep our eye out. for the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area morning news on facebook.

feel free to bounce around. another update in half an hour. we'll see you then. gasoline that cleans. chevron with techron. care for your car.

from nbc news, this is "today," with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. live, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. it is fun-day monday, august 8th, everybody, we hope you had a lovely weekend. hoda-woman is off, unless this is her and she needs a shave. "access hollywood"'s billy bush is here. hello. >> great to be here. >> you've hosted with me before, but it's been too long. >> i don't think i've ever sat with you. i sat in for you. i always wondered, when would hoda take a vacation. >> she rarely does.

terrifying like someone like you is going to sit here. >> her cheeks are like this big, she's got the skinniest little buns. >> mine are bigger. >> yours are bigger, actually and you have more product on your hair than she does. >> no, i don't. but i will say i am wearing a slim-fit shirt. >> you look buff. >> i've been lifting, running, i played ten sets of tennis this weekend. >> you've been here since friday, in this muggy weather, you were playing tennis? >> my best friend from childhood, we went out and stayed with them on long island. it got very kpet ev. it got aggressive, mother was in, father was in. ten sets of tennis, we wouldn't stop. 18 holes of golf when we were done. >> you're a crazy man. is this what happens when you get away from your wife and kids. >> yeah. >> because you don't have the time. >> i got to tell you the craziest thing. have you ever had where there's an errant smoke detector in the house. that it drives you every 48

seconds, there's a -- eeenn. and then it hits you again. i don't want to lose sleep, it's already late. getting out of bed and trying to find the thing. finally i gave in about 2:00 in the morning ando to go and look for the thing. i know where it is, i'm standing underneath it. and then beep, it's over there. and then i ran that way. i'm in my undershorts. nye buddy's wife could come out, worse, his kids could come out. >> where is tmz when we need them. >> very dodgy last night. but it's okay, i'm here. >> i have a little rose here, because i asked what your drink of choice is. it's not a manly drink, but you like a rose in the summer. >> i've come to terms with it. last summer was my first rose summer. you don't want to be seen with the rose. but now i'm fully fine. it's the greatest summer cocktail, is it not? >> it's lovely.

have a sip. you're from new york, right? >> i am. >> jerry, that's a lovely rose, thank you. >> jerry, you've done a brilliant job again. thank you. >> you go to starbucks a lot? >> i do. >> frank calls it staubach's, because of roger staubach. they give you free wi-fi. which to someone like me, doesn't mean a thing. i don't go in for the wi-fi. >> they have people who go in all day with the wi-fi. >> spend the entire time. now there's talk here in new york city. that they're going to replace the electrical socket with blank face plates. >> i think it's a good idea. sometimes -- i mean look, jk rowling, she wrote "harry potter" in a coffee shop, i get it. i hope there's someone with a great next film or project or great book in front of them. but most of the time they're just taking up space and not even coming in for a refill.

one cup of coffee, seven hours. >> and ythey never look up. they never make eye contact with you, because they know you want their seat and they that's just basic rudeness. >> and if you take away the free wi-fi, don't they buzz off? >> i think it's unfortunately because people have abused the lovely gift they gave, as usual. >> what are you laughing at? >> they buzz off. it's true. you provide, it's like putting a piece of cheese out there. a bunch of mice come in free wi-fi. >> and when it's gn, it's gone. you and i have kids, you have three or two. >> i have three daughters, six, ten and going to be 13 this month. >> whoa. so you and i, and the little bit we talked this morning, i think you and i have similar parenting consensus. >> i think we do. >> what's your attitude about your kids? especially girls? >> i'm very worried about online. it's the one thing i watch more than anything. my daughter who is turning 13 the other month, she's been

lobbying me for a facebook page and working mom. i speak to mom more than i speak to her. we got to stay tight. don't crumble. >> and your reason for not wanting her on facebook is ha? >> things live forever. a stupid upload, a dumb comment. and then the attacking that goes on. >> the cyberbullying. the cyberbullying is tough. and i think every school has mean girls and cliques and things like that. but with online, it makes it much worse and scarier. >> people are giving their 2-year-olds smartphones and everything like that. and i personally think it's way, way, too early. you've got to -- before you get that sort of thing, you should be potty-trained. it's kind of important. >> 30% of moms now and dads allowing their 2-year-olds to operate smartphones and they can. and we're talking about you know, the droid, we're talking about the iphone, ipad. now i have a 6-year-old, she can

work the ipad like nobody's business. i have to confess. if i'm on the airplane, i make sure the ipad has 100% charged. burn it out, kid. because you want to give them something to do. >> i think it's harder to be a parent today than our parents. >> you have a beautiful daughter. you showed me a picture in the makeup room. is1: she beautiful. let me ask you, would you have agecc1: of ten? the >> it depends on what it would be. french "vogue" is getting quite a bit of negative attention because of this young girl is ten years old. and -- >> check her out, thank you so much, britney. she's ten years old. wearing tons of makeup. there's seductive poses. a case could be made she's got more clothes on than you would have at the beach. she's not wearing a bikini. for me it's the sexualization of young women. >> i think that's okay to use that word, sexualization.

>> and the exploitation of them. >> the pose is alluring. it's to bring in that kind of attention. >> kelsey has modelled for "seventeen" and other things and she's an actress. and she's 18. but i would have never let her do that kind of stuff. it's a fine line. every little girl here, you've got three at home. goes into their mom's makeup and puts it on and puts the little dresses on. and wear's mom's shoes. it's just one thing to play at home. it's another thing to leave your house looking like a hooker when you're -- yeah. that's where i draw the line. >> anything short of hooker, i'm usually fine with. hooker, you're over the line. >> all right we're going to play a little east coast/west coast game. although you're from the east coast and live on the west coast. >> i spent many years in l.a., i guess i'm west coast now. friendlyready for somecc1: competition, apparently. it's on our cards? okay. billy, please name three new york sports teams. >> the rangers, the giants, i'm

not going to say the jets, because giants, the rangers and the yanks. >> okay. billy, finish the lyric to this york-based song. let's hear the song. ♪ new york ♪ there's nothing you can't do ♪ now you're in new york >> what's the title of it? >> "empire state of mind." >> that's right. ask me one. >> all right, kathie, here we go, you need to name three los angeles-based sports team. your husband is a great professional athlete. a bit of a blemish if you couldn't come up with it. >> yes, but the los angeles rams left, right? they had to go someplace else. >> this means you're not listening. does it have to be los angeles-based? >> los angeles-based. >> there's the ducks. >> there you go, that's in the

area. >> there's the -- oakland raiders. >> san diego chargers. the lakers. >> wrong. [ buzzer ] >> oakland raiders? >> they're in california. i think that's the west coast. >> closer to san francisco, but anyway. >> they're called the oakland raiders, aren't they? >> kathie, you muffed that one up. >> that's what he said, east coast/west coast. >> you went down. kathie, what comes next in this song about california. music.cc1: ♪ once you party with us ♪ you'll be falling in love ♪ california girls are unforgettable ♪ >> it's katie perry, i know that. >> daisy dukes -- bikini --

♪ daisy dukes, bikinis on top >> i'm going to hit you with one more, because you know what, redemption is in order here. name two real housewives of beverly hills. >> oh, kelsey grammer's wife, camille and lisa, who owns villa blanca. i know her because i love that restaurant. i went to that restaurant many times before i knew she was on the show. and i'm sweating in one of my favorite things. mondays we do favorite things. i went into my little michael kors shop in greenwich. feel that. it's a little michael kors dress, $135 and i loved it. and bobbie told me about this stuff a couple of weeks ago and i fell in love with it. can you get a close-up of my

eyes, please? it's the -- chanel eye makeup. >> this is beautiful. >> you're so gorgeous. it's beautiful shimmer eye shade. apparently this fall is all about metallics and even at my advanced age.cc1: we women care about these things. >> your eyes look terrific. i was going to say that. >> thank you. poor jerry has to -- >> look at what jerry has been holding these for the last ten minutes. >> you also got a prize for winning east coast/west coast. it goes with the rose. >> i said the oakland raiders. >> how manually. >> now, drink your rose wine. now drink your rose wine. there you go, buddy. your wife is having a fit right now. >> she's jealous that i've got the rose and she doesn't. >> dell us about these shoes real quickly. then we've got to run off to sara. >> these are for men. these are, i've already ordered frank a pair, size 11. guys, this is incredible and ladies, for your husbands. this is the -- sometimes you

backs1: down on your loafer because you're too lazy to get the heel in there. collapsable heel, check it out. it pops up, fellas like that. to go to the : mailbox? sometimes we guys like to shuffle. ba-boom, it's down, you're shuffling and then you need to and you're ck upcc1: running. the name of the shoe is called the moloa-kula and from a company named molokai. >> are we going to sara? thanks for being here, billy. sara, update. >> everybody asks us every day about our makeup. because mary does such a good job. my favorite thing is the foundation she uses, an oil-fre: with an spf by l'oreal. it's amazing. that's my two cents. and i also have a fan update. ast week we discussed thecc1:

survey from gps mobile apps developer. do you remember this, would your rather lose your cell phone on your wallet. we asked our facebook fan. about a quarter of us would rather lose our wallet and purse than our phone or blackberry. slightly fewer would rather go a week without a toothbrsh than our phone and one in three would give up sex for a week rather than their phone.cc1: that's a little crazy. had more time. up next, the luck of the irish. nicolette sheridan will be back to tell us about her trip to ireland.cc1: cc1:

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ph the mu in the new hallmark channel, "honeymoon for one" nicolette sheridan heads c: off to an irish castle for an idyllic honeymoon alone. >> in the movie she plays eve fiance who finds out hercc1:cc: has been cheating on her, she's alone and upset. but i'm guessing possibly a happy ending? >> it's hallmark -- >> hallmark sucks you in, doesn't it? >> she's here with us today. it's so nice to see you again. >> likewise, it's been a long time. i watched this movie this morning, this is a hunk of an irish guy who happens to be an nglish guy, you're a gorgeousc: englishwoman who happens to -- i

didn't know that. >> how did i know you were going to bring him up and he asked about you. he's looking forward to coming and meeting you. >> i didn't know that. >> yes. >> he's adorable, i had never seen him before. he's quite charming. >> he's done quite a few things. he was in "sense and sensibility." he's actually a wonderful, wonderful actor. he is.ecc1: look at -- everybody bumps into 1:ple and everybody falls offcc horses. >> a boot to the bum. >> you didn't like him in the a little it takescc1: while? >> he's a rough irishman. > he who wants to save thecc1: irish countryside from developers, such as what donald trump is doing in scotland, trying to build a golf course there. >> must we bring that up? .cc1:st save the environment >> but what do we lose? when we get -- >> there's already great golf courses over there.

>> they could have did the natterjack toad. >> i would love to tell you i know what a natterjack toad is, but i don't. finger?ith your1: >> i call this my girdle. >> that's the only place you need one. >> thank you, darling. i had a little horse accident in january. this?ile were you shooting cc1: >> no, no, no. that was a complete success. swimmingly ts wentcc1: well. but when i came home to attend to my four horses, one of them is a strong young horse and i which is when cc1: you have them on the end of a rope and he's galloping around and he bolted. and i thought i'm going to hold superwoman and i grabbed the rope and flew through the air, 20 feet through the air and landed and snapped my finger off. >> off? >> yeah. reattached finger? >> well, it snapped that way -- yes. >> oh, my gosh. accomplished cc1:

horsewoman, i understand. in the movie you play a woman who has never been on one before? it was good acting. because you looked like. >> thank you very much. it allowed me to do whatever it was i wanted to do. when you know what you're doing, you can look like you're hanging off the horse and you won't break your neck. there was a large allure, riding a beautiful white steed across the wild irish countryside. >> had you been to ireland before? >> no, growing up in england, i hadn't been there, and actually i had never been to scotland, either? >> how gorgeous is scotland? >> i've got to go. >> now, listen, there's news, we'll talk about a little later in today's buzz, they just announced it's the last season of "desperate housewives." i saw in the paper today that they're hoping you're going to come back for it. >> that's news to me. >> have you read the papers? >> i haven't. i had to get ready to come do

your show. >> read it and answer billy's question. >> if asked by mark cherry and the producers, would you come back and edie britt, you were nominated for the golden globe in 2005. it's a great character, would you come back and do it? >> i had an amazing time playing that character, i loved doing it, but they killed her, she's dead. >> it's turning into a daytime soap opera? >> in other words, she's dead -- no. i think she said no. >> nicolette, great to see you. terrific to see you. when does this air? >> "honeymoon for one"? it better be saturday on the hallmark channel. f not, i've got do change my plans. >> who is our viewer of the week? we'll find out after this. i know you're gonna love. [ barks ] yes, it's new beneful healthy fiesta. made with wholesome grains, real chicken, even accents of tomato and avocado. yeah! come on! [ barking ] gotta love the protein for muscles-- whoo-hoo!

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[ male announcer ] for the most slam-dunk whites, it only takes three-quarters cup of clorox bleach. in the game. [ cheers and applause ] we are back on this fun-day monday, with fan of the week. it's time to announce another winner.: who who is proven to us that they are our biggest fans.

>> i think i missed the entry deadline, here's sara haines to announce this week's winner. >> there's always next week. announce this week's winner. >> there's always next week. kathie lee has been trying to win for weeks. winner is please, thecc1: lynn striker from houston, texas. lynn watches on krpc channel 2, morning from1: rycc work. good to know you're working hard. her week wouldn't be the same without fun-day monday, booze-day tuesday. lynn's favorite part of the show is today's talk. because she respects everything that kathie lee and hoda have to say. work always has to wait while work is on. she emulates hoda with similar hair and favoriters. she thanks to kathie lee for her prime skin and luscious eyelashes. if picked for the trip, she promises to share the trip with her friend, who works tirelessly for others and is an incredible woman just like kathie lee and hoda. so lynn, congratulations we're sending you and your best friend to beautiful aruba. you will enjoy four days and

three nights at the aruba marriott and stolaris casino. round-trip airfare for two and accommodations. >> we ran out of music. >> such beautiful music. >> don't forget to visit our website, klgandhoda.com to be week.xt fan of thecc1: >> coming up, bobbie thomas with her hair care secrets and the newest member of the joy fit club. >> plus all the latest celebrity buzz. you know when something's bad -- but you do it anyway? that's me with the blow dryer and the flat iron until i see smoke. so pantene said, "breakage and split ends? no problem." they gave me this pantene called breakage to strength. [ female announcer ] the keratin protection pro-v system helps prevent then repair split ends.

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beat chobani 2:1 in a national taste test. mmmm... this may be the best in the world. oikos greek yogurt possibly the best yogurt in the world. good monday morning. it's now 10:26. i'm jon kelley. here are today's top stories. an east bay man is in critical condition after being shot at 11:30 last night near fifth street and franklin. so far, no arrests. in san francisco, firefighters pulled two elderly woman from a house on jackson street. the 80-year-old woman and her caretaker both have severe burns. the fire sparked in a bedroom caused by1: a beencc cigarette. and police are looking for the driver who led police on a high-speed chase on southbound 880. the car crashed at the 66th avenue off ramp and the driver

apparently ran away. the time right now is 10:26. weather and traffic right after this. [ male announcer ] if you're ready for more from your tv service get at&t u-verse today. at&t u-verse tv. make the switch! [ female announcer ] call now to get at&t u-verse tv for only 29 a month for six months. hd-ready dvr receiver included at no extra charge. plus, get up to 132 channels, with hbo and cinemax free for 3 months. [ male announcer ] u-verse tv lets you record up to four shows at once on a single dvr. and you can record and play back your shows from any room.

[ female announcer ] call now to get at&t u-verse tv for only 29 a month for six months. hd-ready dvr receiver included at no extra charge. plus, get up to 132 channels, with hbo and cinemax free for 3 months. [ male announcer ] with u-verse tv, you get the ultimate viewing experience with 100% digital picture and sound. u-verse tv is ranked highest in residential television service satisfaction by j.d. power and associates three years in a row. [ female announcer ] at&t u-verse: tv like you've never seen before. good monday morning to you. taking a live look at san jose. the south bay is now clear from the low cloud cover. still have the marine air, though, that marine layer hovering over the city of san francisco and oakland as well. as a result, you'll only make it into the upper 60s. 66 for san francisco, 69 in oakland. 77 degrees in san jose for today and 79 in concord.

a really comfortable week ahead with temperatures only climbing into the mid-80s in the warmest cities across the bay. meanwhile, upper 60s and low 70s at the coast. picture perfect for this time of year. make those outdoor plans where we usually can't do so in august. let's check your drive with mike. >> where we were talking about fog earlier, the accident is on the northbound side of 17. that's not great news because the southbound side can see the northbound side. all of the activity is slow in both directions approaching idlewyde. the rest of the south bay looking much lighter. slowing on 101 and 237 and typical spots for milpitas alike. a smooth driver for livermore. an earlier accident has cleared. pleasanton and dublin looking much nicer. the metering lights are still on. fast track, a big advantage for

you, no way there. thanks a lot. for the latest updates, check out nbc bay area morning news on facebook and join us tomorrow morning for the today in the bay rock and roll show starting ndht a early at 4:30. hopefully we see you then. ♪ on today's buzz, award shows, gossip. emmy predictions, drama on the sets of two popular tv shows, all in day's work. >> maureen o'connor from gawker.com is here with the scoop. what's up? >> hi, how are you? >> great, how are you. >> paulie d, all them guys, michael sorentino, also known as the situation, "jersey shore," season four. >> the premiere was the biggest premiere in mtv history. 8.8 million viewers. the fear has always been that the injurecy shor kids would get

overexposed. and yet,ed show, "jersey shore" keeps getting bigger. now they're in florence. >> the florentines were not too thrilled that they were there. >> 8.8 million, they should be a little proud. look at the beefcake on ronnie. look at the size of that. ensues, yeah.ty cc1: all right. what are the emmy predictions, my darling? >> the television critics association have their awards show on saturday. a surprise was that the program of the year went to "friday night lights" the little-watched but critically adored movie, or show. >> that was the problem, not many people watched. >> they have five seasons and now the show is over, so the critics are recognizing it. they are nominated for an emmy. although most people think "mad men" is still the front-runner. they won for the drama at the

television critics awards. >> there is talk about there 1:ng a "friday night lights"cc up.cc1:oming >> we thought it was a movie and it turned into a tv series. >> they're thinking of another movie. >> "friday night lights ii"? 1:"saturday night lights." night.g awards show lastcc1: >> the tcas, teen choice awards. >> the best lip lock which went to the harry potter movie. i think the first time "twilight" didn't win that one. hermoine and ween cc1: ron. >> people were waiting for that one. they said, i think they asked emma watson about that and she said it was really awkward together.hey grew up cc1: >> and taylor swift won six wards at the teen choicecc1: awards. fashion, country singer,

break-up songs. and then won the ultimate choice award. she only stopped being a teenager two years ago. >> last year she went on an absolute tear and won every award show. now she's doing it again. >> people forget after we talk about the "jersey shore," we forget that there's still award talent on owe case indicationly. and she's one of the most talented young ladies to come along in such a long time. my daughter was saying the other day, mom, she's a terrific songwriter. even as she gets older, she'll be able to write songs. >> they brought it up when she won her award. she started her career really young. just a high schooler. that thought i can do this and i think that's, we're seeing the two sides of the coin. >> you be careful dating her. >> you date her and you get a song. >> let's talk a little bit about, what was the thing -- >> nicolette was just here. >> and ashton. >> ashton kucher is going to teen he got an award, acc1: choice award.

he is also the "two and a half men" premiere with him taking charlie sheen's role coming up in september. >> and he's doing well on the set. >> the rumors are that he's doing well on the set. the premiere is coming up. as luck would have it, charlie sheen is doing his comedy central role on the same night. >> they're going to kill him spectacularly, is what i heard. he's going to get his. >> chuck laurie and his just desserts. >> we're going to have to come back later for nicolette. >> all right. >> up next, she shed 152 pounds, now she compete in triathlons. can i get a -- you go girl -- out of that. you'll find out how this iron woman changed her life. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain

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time for another installment of "look at me now." >> dammy holden realized she needed to make a lifestyle change after a routine visit with her doctor. >> let's take a look at her story. >> my name is tammy and i weighed 336 pounds at my heaviest. i live in new york city and have a ten-block walk to the subway. most days i would wait for the bus or even take a cab, because walking was way too hard. i'm a musician and have to travel with work. flying was always a nightmare. asking fr a seat belt extension. always trying to get an aisle seat. trying to book flights that were not full was a big hassle.

the worst thing was going it see a broadway show, my favorite thing to do. the seats in the theaters are cramped for an average-sized person and trying to squeeze myself into the seat was miserable. the scariest thing was how all the weight as affecting my health. i was only 39 years old. but had multiple problems, including back and knee paper. type ii diabetes and my blood pressure and cholesterol were dangerously high. unwilling to consider gastric bypass surgery and medication, i decided to take control. food became fuel. i started walking to the subway stops and eventually joined a gym. i lost 150 pounds in two years. after being thrown off-course by an injury, i gained 40 pounds back. i set a goal for myself. the trek women's sprint triathlons. with this goal, i got back on track and lost the added 40 pounds. in september of 2010, i completed that triathlon. today, i have a new body. i can do anything i want. i said yes to good health and the results have been

life-changing, maybe even life-saving. >> definitely. good for her. >> i'm excited to meet her. but "today's" nutritionist, joy bauer, the leader of the joy fit club. >> and the best-selling author. great to see you. >> she does triathlons now. that woman does triathlons. >> how did she do it? what were the changes she made? >> one of the big changes she made was what she grabs on the go. and i think a lot of viewers are going to relate to this. so the vending machines before, she used to go for snickers, 280 calories or two bags of chips, 480 calories. now she sticks with the granola bars, 190, or nuts. and i know that nuts are higher in calories, but they also have more filling power. >> they're so good for you, too. >> they're really healthy. >> what's the best nut if you're going to go for it, the almond? >> you know what, every single nut has a different unique quality. i can't even answer that.

>> all nuts are good. >> she would hit starbucks and she would get a vente frappuccino and an apple fritter. almost 900 calories. >> calories, fat, sugar, now she gets an unsweetened green tea and either a banana or almonds, each of them under 200 calories. >> you mean staubach's? >> starbucks. >> we have a picture of her before. now let's bring the new tammy out. our tri-athlete! >> look at that! [ cheers and applause ] >> you go, girl. >> you go girl. >> i love it. >> congratulations. >> tammy, there you are. you look unbelievable. >> thank you. >> i feel great. i feel great. i feel healthy and i feel strong. >> you slipped one time and you

had an injury and you then you got the 40 pounds. >> what curbed it from there? >> i signed up for the trek women's triathlon i had a goal and it made all the decisions for me. >> you have another triathlon coming up this sunday. she's amazing. >> you are great inspiration, thank you so much. >> thank you. keep going, do great on sunt. >> all right. >> she'll be swimming 100 miles. >> with diana nyad. >> up next, bobbie thomas with hair care tips. >> the highlights are gone now. which one of us shops smarter when it comes to food and wine? >> am i going do lose again? [ birds chirping ] ♪ mmm! hot fudge sundae?!? ♪

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♪ [ folksy whistling ]] [ man ] quitting is a fight you can't let yourself lose. it can take many tries. but keep trying, you will beat smoking. honey, you okay? yeah, i'm fine. ♪ [ ukulele ] now on bobbie's buzz, ideas to help your add lift, curl, volume to your tresses even in

this wilting weather. >> today's style contributor, bobbie thomas is here with hair tricks and skretsz for a great 'do. >> hey, bobbie girl. what's up, would bobster? >> extensions are everywhere today. no longer just on women. but there's something so cool and easy out there. it's called effortless extensions. there's no clips, no glue. this something you literally slip in. you can see, they have every kind of hair. >> would they damage your hair? >> no, it's a really thin fish wire. if we take a look at andrea. she's got a piece in right now and watch. let's get a a close-up on her. i am just going to flip this off her hair, if i can. so andrea had this piece. >> that would come as a surprise to a guy, wouldn't it? if he was running his hands through your hair? >> what's great about this is

there aren't the clips he'll run his hands through. if you get a close-up of me, i have one in, too. it's literally, if i can find it. you see the fish line? and then -- i'll pull it out. and literally, that's all it is. >> you would be the grand finale. and now for the final -- >> another really -- >> another really cool thing out there in the world of hair extensions is something called hot strands, brand-new on the market. an in-between option. hot strands has these self-adhesive glue strips that last up to two months. you can do that. and then of course -- >> that would worry me, that would feel like it's damaging your hair. >> this is actually less damaging than the professional. that's what i like about that. and this is just something to help you change your shape. you can pop up in bang. and you actually -- >> it's kind of -- you look

adorable. that was quick and easy. >> i look like a shih tzu. opposite -- the first syllable -- >> you can pull anything off. you can just shift your hair shape for one day. you look hot? >> i know. i am hot, i'm post menopausal. what else? >> you mentioned you have hair extensions in a drawer because your hair is healthy now. for women that are noticed their hair is getting thinner. nioxin has six hair systems to help you bulk up your hair shaft. if hoda was here, she would love this curly pudding. this is a fantastic line for girls with curls, they have curly pudding. a ton of products to help get the right kind of curl you want. >> we both, we both use orbay in the make-up room.

their dry texturizing spray. the opposite of the hoda's problem, we want to pump up the volume. >> don't men love lots of hair? >> for volume. you like the volume. >> the j. lo hair. >> the bobbie thomas hair. >> no, that's my secret. >> one last thing? >> we're going it stay here. this is a filter for your shower, rescue, by couture color. and then this -- if you don't want to go do a drug store and pick out your hair color. you can go online and have experts help you. they'll send you your color and keep it on file. if you're coloring grays by yourself. repel is a stick you put on the skin to help shield the skin from getting dark from the black hair dye. and there's much more and i'm going to share the rest of it on "bobbie's buzz." up next, which one of us can sniff out a barringen in the

grocery store? we'll find out. but first, we say this together -- this is today on nbc. this is an nbc news special report. here is brian williams. >> good day, we're coming on the air from new york after what has been a demoralizing couple of days for americans on top of word of course, that we lost two dozen navy saels and others in afghan friday night's news is the credit rating of the united states had been downgraded and the markets are having a terrible day. the dow down over 400 points. the s&p 500 down over 14%. we're about to hear from the president, from the white house.

a statement meant to calm things before we do, cnbc, watching along with us, david, what to make of today? >> yeah, it is a particularly poor day, especially given the purr moil given last week, brian. there is a number of things given with the s&p down 4 1/2 percent. the credit rating downgrade took place friday night. we have continued concerns about the financial situation in europe, many of which -- countries of which interest there is concern they ultimately won't be able to pay their debt, a very similar of course here in the states. they are far ahead of us in the unfortunate per session. and of course with the global economy and whether or not we will go into another recession as the second half of the year moves along. >> david, as you accurately point out, the stakes couldn't be higher. it has been a demoralizing

couple of days. we are about to watch the podium, the president will step up and it will be curious to hear what he says. >> good afternoon, everybody. on friday, we learn that the united states received a downgrade by one of the credit rating agencies. not so much because they doubt our ability to pay our debt, if we make good decisions, but because after witnessing a month of wrangling over raising the debt ceiling they doubted our political system's ability to act. the markets on the other hand continue to believe our credit status is aaa. in fact, warren buffett, who knows a few things about good investments, says if there was a quadruple rating, i would give the united states that. i, and most of the world's investors, agree. that doesn't mean we don't have a problem. the fact is, we didn't need a rating agency to tell us that we need a balanced long-term approach to deficit reduction.

that was true last week. that was true last year. that was true the day i took office. and we didn't need a rating agency to tell us that gridlock the last few months hasn't been constructive, to say the least. we new from the outset that a prolonged debate over the debt ceiling, a debate where the threat of default was used as a bargaining chip, could do enormous damage to our economy and the world's. that threat, coming after a string of economic disruptions in europe, japan and the middle east, has now ruined markets and dampened consumer markets and slowed the pace of recovery. so all of this is a legitimate source of concern. but here is the good news. our problems are imminently solvable. and we know what we have to do to solve them. with respect to debt, our problem is not confidence in

credit. the market continues to reaffirm our credit as among the world's safest. our challenge is the need to tackle our deficit over the long-term. last week, we reached an agreement that will make historic cuts to defense and domestic spending. but there's not much further we can cut in either of those categories. what we need to do now is combine those spending cuts with two additional steps. tax reform that will ask those who can afford it to pay their fair share and modest adjustments to healthcare programs, like medicare. making these reforms doesn't require any radical steps. with a it does require is common sense and compromise. there are plenty of good ideas about how to achieve long-term deficit reduction that didn't hamper economic growth right now.

republicans and democrats on the bipartisan fiscal commission that i set up put forth good proposals. republicans and democrats in the senate's gang of six came up with some good proposals. john boehner and i came up with some good proposals when we came close to agreeing on a grand bargain. so it's not a lack of plans or policies that is the problem here. it is a lack of political will in washington. it's the insistence on drying lines in the sand. a refusal to put what's best for the country ahead of self interest or party or ideology. that's what we need to change. i realize that after what we just went there, there is some skepticism that republicans and democrats on the so-called super committee, the joint committee set up, will be able to reach a compromise. but my hope is that friday's news will give us a renewed sense of urgency.

i intend to present my own recommendations over the coming weeks on how we should proceed. and that committee will have this administration's full cooperation. and i assure you, we will stay on it until we get the job done. of course, as worrisome of the issues of debt and deficit may be, the most immediate concern of most americans and of concern after the marketplace as well, is the issue of jobs. and the slow pace of recovery coming out of the worst recession in our life times. and the good news here is, that by coming together to deal with the long-term debt challenge, we would have more room to implement key proposals that can get the economy to grow faster. specifically, we should expand

the payroll tax cut as soon as possible to workers have more money in their paychecks next year and businesses have more customers next year. we should continue to make sure that if you are one of the millions of americans who is out there to look for a job,ou can get the unemployment insurance that your tax dollars contributed to. that will also put money in people's pockets and more customers in stores. in fact, if congress fails to extend the payroll tax cut and the insurance benefits that i've called for, it could mean one million fewer jobs and half a percent less growth. this is something we can do immediately. something we can do as soon as congress gets back. we should also help companies that want it repair our roads and bridges and airports so that thousands of construction workers who have been without a job for the last few years can get a paycheck again. that will also help to spur economic growth. these aren't democratic

proposals. these aren't big government proposals. these are all ideas that traditionally, republicans have agreed to. have agreed to countless times in the past. there's no reason we shouldn't act on them now. none. i know we're going through a tough time right now. we've been going through a tough time for the last 2 1/2 years. i know a lot of people are worried about the future, but here is what i also know. there will always be economic factors that we can't control. earthquakes, spikes in oil prices, slow downs in other parts of the world. but how we respond to those tests, that's entirely up to us. markets will rise and fall but this is the united states of america. no matter what some agency may say, we've always been and