tv Today NBC December 2, 2011 7:00am-11:00am PST
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we'll be back with a local news update at 7:25. >> have a great friday, enjoy your weekend. sounds like a nice one. > good morning. kind round two. an epic windstorm lashes the west leaving extensive damage from california to colorado. schools are closed for a second day. thousands are without power and more highways are expected today. the big dip. the unemployment rate has dropped from 9% to 8.6%. that's a 2 1/2-year low, but it's not all good news. and custody standoff -- country singer mindy mccready defies a court order to return her boy to florida. she says she's trying to protect him from abuse. what does the boy's father have to say?
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he'll speak out in an exclusive live interview today, friday, december 2nd, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a friday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> good morning. i'm savannah guthrie here for ann. matt, luckily for those folks out west, winds will not be nearly as strong as on thursday. >> the region was slammed by some of the strongest santana winds in a decade that caused widespread damage. gusts in colorado topped 120 miles an hour. straight ahead, the very latest on the cleanup and what people will face today. a live report from pasadena. also ahead, we're going to talk some politics. republican presidential hopeful herman cain is scheduled to meet with his wife face to face for the first time since accused of
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having an extramarital affair. it comes one day after he admitted he never told his wife about his 13-year relationship with the woman, which he dubbed a friendship, and he didn't tell her about money he had given to the woman, who was struggling financially. on a much lighter note, hard to believe but it's been 40 years since the waltons first premiered on television. mom, john boy and the rest grew to become one of the most beloved television families of all time. this morning we are reuniting the cast live in our studio. we're going to begin with the powerful winds hammering the west. nbc's miguel almaguer is in pasadena this morning. good morning. >> reporter: take a look at this 60-year-old tree. neighbors say it snapped in a matter of seconds and toppled in thursday's storm. more than 200,000 are without power in this region, and today they're still assessing the damage.
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>> reporter: in los angeles county, a state of emergency. whipping winds uprooted hundreds of trees, brought down power lines and damaged countless homes. across pasadena, houses are split in two. thursday, 340,000 in southern california lost power. some neighborhoods are still in the dark. >> it's been a disaster and lights off. everything, refrigerators, everything is kind of dead. >> reporter: these santana winds the most power informal a decade. gusts clocked at nearly 100 miles an hour. >> wires! >>. >> reporter: brush fires sparked by transformers threatened to become massive wind-driven blazes. in l.a., first responders were dispatched to a new call every 12 seconds. schools are closed today for the second day. the damage is in the millions but cleanup will take weeks. >> it was very frightening. the noise was unbelievable. i've lived here for 25 years,
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and this is the worst it's ever been. >> reporter: california isn't the only state being hammered by wicked winter weather. in utah, hurricane-strength winds toppled big rigs and shut down i-15. cars pelted by debris, windshield smashed by flying rocks. >> i didn't even know what to think. like an explosion of the window. i couldn't hear for a second. it just blew up right by my ear. >> reporter: in steam boat springs, colorado, wind speeds topped 120 miles an hour. roofs peeled back. this sea town shut down. back in los angeles, the famous sunset boulevard was littered with two of southern california's iconic palm trees. nearby in beverly hills, an actor's home damaged by winds. >> anytime you get winds 80 to 100 miles an hour, it's a significant event. it's almost like the atmosphere took a ball of cold air and d p dumped it over southern
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california all at once. >> reporter: the forecast calls for the winds to calm today, but the cleanup is far from over. cities will try to clear out these trees over the next few days but on private property they'll likely be around for a couple of weeks. many people again are still without power, and they're expecting another storm to roll through here on saturday. savannah? >> miguel almaguer in pasadena, thank you. 7:05 pacific time. here's matt. stocks are up about a hundred points in early trading on the heels of this morning's new jobs report. the unemployment rate dropped from 9% to 8.6% in november. that's the lowest level since march of 2009. courtney regan is at cnbc's headquarters. courtney, good morning to you. i'm going to read you two different takes on this. >> sure. >> two websites of major newspapers. according to "the new york times," the united states logged yet another month of mediocre job growth. according to "the wall street journal," private employers continue to add jobs at a healthy pace. so which was it? >> it's hard to say. you know what's interest, matt,
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is what these employment numbers come from are two separate survey, one that's done with businesses, one that's done with households. the unemployment dropped. that's good news. but the underlying details are important, and that's what these reports are talking about. part of that unemployment rate dropped. it's a direct result of more than 300,000 americans who simply gave up looking for work. that being said, 120,000 nonfarm jobs were added. that's good. but it was shy of economists' expectations by a couple thousand. part of the bump-up in jobs also came from the addition of more than 22,000 temporary jobs. so that's something that we need to consider going into the holiday season, too. and like one of the reports said, we're going to need to add a lot more jobs in order to keep pulling this unemployment rate down. >> so, in other words, it's hard to read between the lines and say or draw a conclusion that the economy is on firmer footing because of these numbers. >> exactly. but one positive note, matt, is
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that the government also upwardly revised both october and september's numbers. that helps us to see a bit more of a positive trend, but like you mentioned, these details are very important to consider when you look at the headline numbers. >> courtney regan, thank you very much. it's 7:07 out on the west coast. here's savannah. now the presidential race. we could know later today if herman cain will drop out or stay in. that's because he has a very important meeting on his schedule, with his wife. nbc's political director, chief white house correspondent chuck todd, has details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. that's right. later today, herman cain meets up face to face with his wife, gloria, in georgia for first time since the latest allegations surfaced last monday. part of the process he says he's going to to decide by this monday if he'll even continue his campaign.
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campaigning in new hampshire, he met with "the union leader" newspaper, admitting he never told his wife about a 13-year relationship with ginger white. cain has denied the allegation all week. his wife sent him 70 text messages between october and november but consisted they contained nothing inappropriate. >> she wasn't the only friend i had helped in these tough economic times. and so her messages to me were relating to, you know, need money for her rent or whatever the case may be. i don't remember all the specifics. >> reporter: as for white, she continues to insist the two were more than just friends. >> it wasn't a love affair. it was a sexual affair. as hard as that is for me to say and as hard as it is for people to hear it, you know, it pretty much is what it is. >> reporter: white says she never met gloria cain but
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adds -- >> i would be surprised if she is surprised by this. honestly speaking. i would be surprised. >> reporter: what would she say to gloria cain? >> i'm not a cold-hearted person. i'm a mother of two kids. and of course my heart bleeds for this woman because i'm a woman and being in a situation like this cannot be fun. and i am deeply, deeply sorry if i have caused any hurt to her, to his kids, to his family. >> reporter: as for cain's future as a candidate, if actions speak louder than words, it appears he plans to stay in race. his super pac is quoting this ad today in iowa. >> the media won't tell you what one of the foremost lie detector experts said about herman cain.
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>> the allegations saying she had been sexually assaulted by him did not occur. >> meanwhile newt gingrich barnstormed iowa on thursday and was quintessential newt, making broad assertions while trying to explain how he'd teach young kids a work ethic. >> really poor children in really poor neighborhoods is have now habits of working. they have nobody around them who works. so they have no habit of showing up on monday. they have no habit of staying all day. they have no habit of i do this and you give me cash. unless it's illegal. what if you paid them part-time in the afternoon to sit at the clerical office and greet people when they came in? what if you paid them to work as the assistant librarian? and i pay them as early as is reasonable and practical. >> reporter: well, newt's chief rival, mitt romney, flaunlted his establishment credentials
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yesterday, still trying to stay above the fray. paid a visit to former president h.w. bush in houston, texas. while he didn't come away with an endorsement, potentially a little more presidential. of course the entire bush family has been staying on the sidelines. >> chuck todd, thank you. david gregory is mold ray or the of "meet the press." breaking news, unemployment numbers down to 8.6%. there may be a little more to it in terms of why we saw that drop, but psychologically, people wake up, see this in the newspaper, has to be good for president obama, i assume. >> you cover the white house, you know. they want a trend line that shows the economy is getting better. there's a couple of underlying facts that are not so great politically, and that is that we're still not creating enough jobs, economic growth is still way too slow. but i do think psychological it matters. the president will force headwinds with unemployment higher than it was in world war ii. but the trend is what's important. >> let's talk act herman cain.
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a key meeting today with his wife. you know, he seems to have weathered those allegations of sexual harassment, but now it seems voters may be over him. they may have moved on. >> kind of surreal. talking about a meeting set up with his wife who apparently didn't know about ginger white and that he was both friends with her and providing her financial assistance. i didn't need to check with my wife this morning to know that would be a problem. >> have you ever seen a tv ad citing a lie detecting expert? >> i never have. this is way off the viability question, which he's gotten too far away from. he's losing key support and the chance to raise money. if he can't do that, he can't stay in. >> let's talk about newt gingrich. atop all the polls now. perhaps the real indicator we would look to is romney aides are apparently preparing a strategic offensive against gingrich. this is his best indication of anything that they think this is a real challenge to them. >> they do. it's because who's going to win the fight for the right. that's what romney's got to do.
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he understands that gingrich has the potential for some staying power here, even though as chuck todd noted his lack of discipline where he can go off and talk about poor kids working or sending them to orphanages as he did years ago, that's the kind of thing that could create another implosion in the campaign. what's interesting is the romney campaign has wanted to exclusively attack president obama. that helps him with his base. here he knows he's got to protect his right flank by trying to deflate this gingrich boom. >> is there a potential for a long battle between a gingrich and romney like in the 2008 campaign between hillary clinton and barack obama? >> well, there is, and that may favor romney. you know, it's not winner take all in these early states. it's proportional delegate apportionment. you could come in second and still get some delegates. that portends a longer race nap will go to organizational strength and how much money is being raised. romney likes his chances in that kind of fight. >> what do you have on "meet the press" this weekend? >> we'll talk about president obama, david axelrod, senior
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campaign adviser, rinse priebus, as well. >> it is 7:13. here's matt. secretary of state hillary clinton on an extraordinary visit to myanmar is pledging to help bring democracy there. nbc's ian williams has the latest on her trip. ian, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt, from the lakeside home of ang san suu kyi. she's faced years of persecution as a result of her struggle for democracy but today plays host to the secretary of state. a stroll in the garden of a house that's also been a prison for 15 of the last 21 years during which suu kyi was kept in house arrest, at times in almost total isolation. this meeting comes a year after she was released. today talk of working to hasten the pace of democratic change. >> we hold the dream you have so long represented to many of us around the world. we want to be a partner with
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you, with the new government and with all people of goodwill. >> reporter: behind myanmar's stunning facade lies grinding poverty. they spoke up of stepping up the assistance of the u.s. and other international organizations to what has been a closed and secretive state. suu kyi said she was happy with the u.s. engaging burma. >> this will be the beginning of a new future for all of us providing we can maintain it and we hope to. >> reporter: they appeared at ease together, and it seemed a momentous moment for both of them. a short distance away, we witnessed the scramble to distribute the day's newspapers. with censorship eased there is a story worth reading. for two decades this lakeside home has been a symbol of resistance. now, as myanmar begins to open up, it's a symbol of hope for people hungry for change.
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secretary clinton is now on her way home, leaving a country at the beginning of a surprising reform process that's not just a challenge for myanmar but for u.s. policy in this region. matt? >> ian williams reporting for us. thank you very much. >> time to get a check of the day's other top stories. natalie is on assignment so tamron hall is at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning. a 70-year-old aid worker kidnapped in pakistan is being held as an al qaeda hostage. richard engle has the latest. richard, what are the demands to release warren weinstein here? >> al qaeda is asking for everything it can get. it wants the united states to stop drone attacks in afghanistan, pakistan, yemen, somalia, to close guantanamo bay, to release all al qaeda and taliban prisoners. it seems very unlikely that these demands will be met. mr. weinstein was kidnapped in lahore, pakistan, last august. he was getting ready to leave
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the country, and he was about to have a going-away party, and there are many people in pakistan that believe this was an inside job, that his driver or one of the security guards tipped them off. >> all right. richard, thank you very much. the u.s. military handled over camp victory in baghdad to the iraqi government this morning. the former palace compound built by saddam hussein became the military headquarters throughout the war in iraq. it is now under the authority of the iraqi government as part of the effort to move troops out by year's end. the senate has blocked obama's plan for a tax cut which would have taxed wealthier americans to pay for the extension. a centerpiece of the jobs plan. in a rare move that broke party lines, more than half of senate republicans also voted to axe a competing alternative plan by mitch mcconnell. capitol hill is demanding information from carrier iq. the software program discovered to be hidden in smartphones that
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record information without user consent. senator al franken says the application may violate federal laws, and present security and security and privacy risk. the new national christmas tree is bringing holiday happiness to the capitol. they had help from kermit, you see there, and santa. the tree was planted back in march to replace one that was toppled by high winds. and they don't call them daredevils for nothing. as two motorcyclists showed off their skills, take a look at this one, a theme park. a deadly miscalculation, slamming headfirst into a car flying 80 feet into the air, rolling on asphalt for another 40 feet. but all is well that ends well, i guess. somehow that biker escaped serious injury and is even back at work the very next day. not sure if that's the job he went back to. it is now 7:18 pacific time. back to matt, savannah and al. boy. >> that's crazy.
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>> it is. bananas. >> i love the job but you can only do it once. >> yeah. all right. mr. roker, we've got a beautiful day here for the holiday shoppers out on the plaza and beyond. >> we certainly do, but our friends out west are still cleaning up from the remnants of that santana anna, the strongest one in ten years. there's a weaker one that's about to kick in again saturday on into early sunday. we're looking for wind adviso advisories going up later today. high wind gusts could approach those warning criteria. we're talking about 70-, 80-mile-per-hour wind gusts. we're also looking out west for 38 degrees in denver, some showers in phoenix, and 58. look for some snow showers arnold billings where it will be windy and 36 degrees. seattle, you're under an air stagnation alert, 41 degrees. up and down the eastern seaboard, we have fantastic weather, plenty of sunshine, rain in parts of eastern and central texas, icy conditions in the panhandle there. look for mountain snows in the
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four corners and the central great lakes. i should say the central rockies. we're also expecting plenty of sunshine. windy conditions continue in southern california, and the winds are up around the central great lakes. try that again. here's a remik. the winds are certainly relaxing in our neck of the woods except in the north bay. calm winds in hayward, sunnyvale, santa cruz reporting calm wind. what a difference just 24 hours makes. as we head throughout the day today, we start out really mild. so your temperatures will end up in the mid-70s. 75 in fairfield. 71 in livermore. a nice looking weekend ahead as well. savannah? >> thanks, al. coming up, a popular country singer defies a jundge's order o
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ruff! ruff! ruff! ruff! jingle! [ female announcer ] it's for bringing stories to life in a whole new way. jingle, stay. and jingle did. [ female announcer ] hallmark interactive story buddies. when you read key words, jingle responds. is . good morning to you. 7:26 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the winds have calmed down. but now we have to clean up the havoc they cause maryland the south bay. take a look at this jeep in downtown san jose. a tree snapped and fell on top of it overnight. crews had to close the roads for several hours while they cleaned it up. in santa cruz county, more than 24,000 people are still without power this morning. the san lorenzo school district has canceled classes because there's no electricity. >> you see fences blown down, signs blown down.
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and the power outage, normally in the winner time you get a day or two total. >> no word yet on when the power will be restored. we doe know the sunshine is coming. time to check in with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning to you, laura. good morning at home. the sun is out. the winds are calming down. especially locations south of the golden gate bridge. you can see it's still gusty through the forth bay hills. that will be the case the next couple of hours. we continue to drop out throughout the day. good news if you need to get outside and rake the leaves. i'm sure you have a lot of work tood. saturday looks good. clear start. cold start. but we'll see mostly sunny afternoon. sunny patchy coastal am fog. mild and quiet. sunday looks really warm. today is the warmest day in the extended period. we're starting out at 68 in novato. you'll hit 75 later in santa rosa. temperatures today 5 to 7
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degrees above the seasonal averages. nice and dry through the weekend. the breeze picks up more on sunday. let's check your drive with mike. >> we'll check the bay bridge. the east shore freeway is slow. a 24-minute drive. most of the slowing from university avenue to the bay bridge toll plaza. but the rest of the approaches are close to the limit. upper 50s, lower 60s approaching the bay bridge. the south bay is also cleared. but northbound 101 is slow from capitol expressway the airport. i'm circling the bottom of your screen. northbound 75 slow from 17 up. >> thanks for the update, mike. thanks for joining us this morning. for the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook. see you then. ♪ laces? really? slip-on's the way to go.
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7:30 now on a friday morning. it's the second day of december 2011 as we take a look at the empire state building in lower manhattan from the top of the rock just above us here in rockefeller plaza. down at street level we have nice people there as well enjoying time with us before they head off for holiday shopping. we thank them for stopping by. we'll get out there in a few minutes. meanwhile inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside savannah guthrie. just ahead, your kid may not like this news. in one city toy giveaways no longer come with children's
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meals that don't meet certain nutritional standards. >> two chains found a clever way around the law and not everyone is happy about it. we'll have details. >> then you want to save money and wrap up your holiday shopping? jill martin has great steals & deals. we are talking deep discounts up to 80% on clothing, jewelry and more. >> a couple of electronics, too. also we'll catch up with one of tv's most beloved families of all time. "the waltons" was a hit starting in 1971 and has gained new fans over the years. we have the family together for a special 40 ohth anniversary h in studio. >> we begin with country singer mindy mccready facing legal troubles after violating a judge's order to return her 5-year-old son to florida. tamron has details on this. >> reporter: matt, mccready was once nashville's darling and now
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is in hiding with her son. the courts call it a case of parental abduction. mindy mccready exploded to the country scene in the late '90s, selling millions of records and burning up the charts. ♪ >> reporter: now the 36-year-old country singer is defying a court order to return her 5-year-old son zander. >> she was crying at several points in our conversation. she was clearly very upset. she also had a resolve that she was going to keep her child, fight for her child and not send her child back to florida. >> reporter: mccready's battled legal issues in the past. in 2007 her estranged mother was named zander's guardian. mccready is now pregnant with twins and said she was visiting zander around thanksgiving and decided to leave because she said he wasn't safe. >> she said her son has experienced abuse at her mother's house while living there over the last few years.
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>> i can't explain it. >> reporter: nbc news spoke to mccready's mother who denies all allegations of abuse. as for mccready, her personal troubles have been well publicized. suicide attempts, dui arrests, a month in jail after resisting arrest after an altercation with her mother. >> she had a voice of honey and sold a lot of records. then her personal troubles seemed to spiral out of control. her life became like a bad country album. >> it was really scary. >> reporter: last year mccready was on celebrity rehab as she battled her addictions, even singing on the show "i'm still here "which she said she wrote in jail for zander. >> there is a full story i'm dying to tell. >> reporter: she spoke to "access hollywood". >> i may be in the lowest point but i am still here. don't count me out. >> reporter: she said she wanted to become a good mother for her son. >> i've got to do better. >> reporter: last year she talked about conversations she'd
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had with zander about bringing him home with her. >> i said will you be excited to come back to nashville with mommy? he said, i'm scared. i said, what are you scared of? he said, i'm scared that i'm going to get my heart broke again. >> reporter: with zander now a missing person law experts say she could hurt her chances to regain custody of her son. >> she's justifying why she's not had custody. she's reinforcing the judge's decision. she thinks she knows best buzz bu the judge get it is last word. >> reporter: mccready's whereabouts are unknown. the ruling issued thursday is a take into custody order which mean law enforcement officials can get the boy and bring him back to florida no matter what state he's in. there is no arrest warrant out for mccready so far. >> billy mcknight is mccready's ex-boyfriend, the father of their 5 a-year-old son. he joins us exclusively. good morning to you.
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>> good morning. >> i know you have spoken to min dand texted her. you did speak by phone after the judge's order went into effect. how did she sound? >> she sounded okay. she sounded upset wlith the situation. my son sounded well. >> he doesn't seem affected by the drama surrounding him? >> i don't know about that. i know that he sounded okay. i think he misses me. he's been down here for four years. i haven't seen him in a few weeks now. but he did sound healthy and okay. you know, he wasn't crying or scared. >> mindy is facing serious legal issues if she doesn't comply with this order. does she seem cognizant of that? does it faze her? >> i don't think so. i think she believes she has a case and doesn't realize that she's pushing her luck on this one. >> to say that she's had some
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trouble in the last couple of years is an understatement. drug and dui arrests, suicide attempts. she spent a month in jail for violating probation. is she a fit mother? >> well, you know, i can only be accountable that we have gone through it in the past. there are people that can help you. if you take that help you can get back on track. that's what i can say. i have been through it. i got back on track. my life is in order. i'm doing things right now. she has the same opportunity. instead of taking it, she chooses to abut it. i wish she would do what's right, especially for our son. >> with all due respect, i'm not sure you answered the question. at this moment as she has control of her son do you think she's a fit mother? >> not until she completes the case plan. >> do you worry? we talked about suicide attempts.
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do you worry the longer this goes on she might bring harm to either herself or your son? >> well, she has in the past. i pray to god that she doesn't. it does give me concern. i don't want her to hurt herself and i certainly don't want my son to live a life without his mother. >> i'm curious about your opinion also on another aspect of this case. she has now accused her mother, who has custody of your child, of abusing that child. do you agree with that? do you think that's possibly true? >> i do not agree with that at all. he's a very healthy, happy kid. i have a great relationship with her mother. it's unfortunate that they don't between themselves. but i have never seen anything that would lead me to believe that at all. >> you alluded to this a second ago. in 2005 you were charged with attempted murder after an assault on mindy. you talked about your history with drugs and alcohol. but you have been dpranted by a court unsupervised visitation
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four nights a week with your son. they do not think you are in a bad place now. is there a lesson in that a for mindy? >> yeah, there is. there's help. i went ahead and re-evaluated my life, did what was right, listened to the people that can get you through programs, got myself back on track. i'm out there pushing our record and raising our kids and doing well for myself. she can do the same thing, too. it's there if she submits to it. >> thanks for your time. >> thanks for having me. >> now a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. >> as we look at high temperatures around the country we have chilly weather in new england and the northeast. warming into the midatlantic states, gulf coast. the western plains, 20s and 30s there. 20s in the northern plains as well. we have sunshine though from minnesota all the way down into
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the midwest. icy conditions through the panhandle of texas. arctic air making its way into -- air stagnation in the pacific northwest. sunshine up and down the eastern seaboard. good friday morning to you. well, the camera here over the golden gate bridge is no longer shaking. winds are calming down substantially. we have a nice clear start. cities that are getting wind are nice and warm this morning. take a look at your temperatures. 63 right now in napa. 68 in novato. 62 in stran. on your way to 67 later on today. you'll hit 71 degrees in san jose. making this the warmest of the week. saturday and sunday, we look good. nice clear start on saturday. a cold night. but temperatures in the 60s. of course today's friday. that means you're two days away from the best night of the week. sunday night. football night in america. the lions of de-twah make their
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way to the super dome to take on the saints. we will play football in your general direction on sunday night, football night in america. >> i have no idea what you're doing. but that's okay. up next, mcdonald's finds a way to skirt a law against toy giveaways in kids' meals. and the waltons reunion live in studio. first, these messages. - neil lane's jewelry designs are uniquely beautiful. one look, and it's easy to see why his rings are worn by hollywood's biggest stars. now you can have a neil lane ring for the star in your life.
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grandparent of children, this happy meal and the toy inside need no introduction. in san francisco these toys will no longer be free thanks to a new law that bans such giveaways in the name of public health. >> who is that? >> hello kitty. >> they first think about the toy. >> reporter: san francisco stirred audiotape national debate last year when it passed a law designed to keep fast food chains from using toy giveaways to sell the type of high fat meals that nutritionists say kids should avoid. >> low in nutrients, high in calories. and the toy is an attraction to get the kid to eat the food. that's not a good connection. >> reporter: now that the law has taken effect, mcdonald's found a way for kids to have their toys and eat happy meals, too. the solution? selling the toys for ten cents apiece with the purchase of a happy meal, of course. the company says that proceeds will be donated to the ronald mcdonald house charity. burger king says it's planning
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to do something similar. supervisor eric maar who drafted the ordinance said it is a cynical way around a law designed to fight childhood obesity. >> they are being sneaky and manipulative about getting around a local law. >> reporter: franchise owner scott roderick who has ten mcdonald's locations in the city says the new system is driven by what customers want. >> they wanted us to provide choice on our menu. they wanted us to follow the letter of the law. >> reporter: roderick call it is law misplaced saying that mcdonald's added a variety of healthier options to its menu in recent years. >> customers want lower fat items, more nutritious items. >> we have healthier options but we want them to meet basic standards. >> reporter: some say they are by passing the spirit of the law but there is an important message. >> we have raised childhood obesity and the connection of big fast food to a national
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level. >> reporter: mcdonald's announced it is moving to make the happy meals more healthful adding things like apple slices and downsizing french fries but san francisco says the toy giveaways are still banned. savannah? >> george lewis in los angeles. thank you. still ahead, a waltons family reunion 40 years in the making. we catch up with the cast. first, these messages. e . heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems.
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tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. [ man ] still love that wind in my face! talk to your doctor. don't kid yourself about the risk of heart attack and stroke. if lipitor's been working for you, stay with it. lipitor may be available for as little as $4 a month with the lipitor co-pay card. terms and conditions apply. learn more at lipitorforyou.com.
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these days we can't seem to get anywhere without the help of gps. what if you were lost in the wilderness without the help of technology? one man is now teaching people a very old way of getting around. here's nbc's michelle kosinski. >> reporter: don't woyou hate i when this happens? suddenly lost in the english countryside? no phone, map, gps, only your wits to guide you. thank goodness for tristan goolie who wrote the book on
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natural navigation. we are lost. what would be the first thing you would do? >> i encourage people to have a good look up. >> that's the sun. >> as the sun moves into the southern part of the sky. >> reporter: think mid-day sun, south. if it's cloudy -- >> feel the wind on each cheek. >> reporter: remember the prevailing winds are generally from the southwest. >> spot on. you're within ten degrees there. >> reporter: if that fails, hug a random country gravestone. >> the southern side will be warmer. this is sloping down. >> reporter: consult the trees. >> like a giant hand has combed the top branches. >> reporter: and in the direction of grass, all from the prevailing wind. why don't they teach us this in kindergarten? >> good question. >> reporter: when you see a stump the heart will be closer to the sunny side in the south. the sun fades paint on the southern side.
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>> another clue. >> reporter: what have we here? >> here we have horse poo. the southern sun is drying the southern side. >> you are way too close to it. >> now it's your turn. >> reporter: then the test. blindfolded. led astray. >> i'm going to ask you to head northeast for one mile. >> reporter: and deserted. >> good luck! >> reporter: okay. the wind is definitely coming from here. if that's southwest. okay. if that's southwest. okay. wait. now i'm confused. okay. so that's southeast. um. once you find the sun, the wind -- the northeast would be that way. ♪ you can go your own way >> reporter: clues everywhere. that has to be the sunny side. that's south.
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that's north. that's northeast. i made it! one more success story from the natural navigator who now teaches this. >> the horns of the crescent moon are in a line. that gives you a rough idea of south. this church is aligned west to east like most churches. >> reporter: in the city, satellite dishes, south. >> it bring the environment to life in a fun way. >> reporter: how would one navigate to the nearest pub? for "today" michelle kosinski, nbc news, sussex, england. >> you show me. >> i'm worried about those two actually. just ahead, jill martin's steals & deals. we are talking about the holiday edition just to the north of us here. >> electronics, jewelry and maybe a gps device. you may need one. coming up after your local news and weather. two medium cappuccinos!
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let's show 'em what a breakfast with wholegrain fiber can do. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medium macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos, make one a double. she's full and focused! [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good. of mid-morning hunger. here's a little holiday secret. there's only one place that has the new kardashian kollection. apostrophe, uk style by french connection. structure and bongo... all under one roof. sears has all the styles they love, at prices you'll love. and all the money you save... well, that can be your little secret. right now, get an extra 15% off with your savings pass. that's real gifts. real joy. sears
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dad. did you know it's 22 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours... [ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas. 12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament. 5 hours and 59 minutes and 41... 40...39... 38...37...36...
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good morning to you. 7:56 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the mayor has called off a vote to declare a state emergency in the city. they voted on whether to declare an emergency to deal with an $80 million deficit. the firm that analyzes the city's pension cost said yesterday that pension costs will actually go down next year. city leaders say it doesn't eliminate the need for pension reform, but it gives them more time to deal with the problem. let's check the forecast now with christina loren. >> i have good news. the winds are relaxing. but the cities that are getting the winds, you're getting the warmest temperatures this morning. novato, wind out of the north at 18 miles per hour. your temperature there, 68
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degrees. you're at 63 in napa. 62 in san francisco. because we're starting out so mild. easily climbing to the 70s in redwood city. 75 in santa rosa. through the weekend temperatures will off will built bit. particularly through your saturday. sunday afternoon looks good for outdpo outdoor activity. still no rain in the seven day forecast. >> christina, a lot going on as far as commuters going through highway 4 and the portion of the east bay. antioch is very slow. an accident has cleared off summerville. we have more slowing for pittsburgh and bay point. continuing down to the walnut creek interchange and starting to bag that down to this the southbound side of 680. approaching the bay bridge, we have a relatively smooth drive. as 880 approaches the maize, we have a disabled vehicle that might affect the ramp to the bay
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8:00 now on a friday morning, the second day of december 2011. it's a beautiful day here in new york city. moderate temperature, about 40 degrees. and we have a big crowd for a friday morning. i guess a lot of people -- no, you're here. we thank them for stopping by. there's the tree in the background. savannah guthrie, al roker and i'm matt lauer in the foreground. coming up, great deals for the holiday season.
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>> jill martin's steals & deals and we have electronics, accessories, jewels. what doesn't she have? exclusive deals up to 80% off. >> can you believe it's been 40 years since the premiere of "the waltons"? they remain one of the most beloved television families of all time. we are going to catch up with the cast live in our studio. >> i am looking forward to talking to them. also, a programming note. back in october e news host revealed to us that during fertility treatment she found she had breast cancer. coming up monday she'll be back telling us how her treatment is going. we look forward to talking with her. >> let's get a check of the news with tamron at the news desk. good morning. >> hey there. an american aid worker kidnapped in pakistan is being held as an al qaeda hostage. ayman al zawahiri said the group
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is holding 70-year-old warren weinstein and will release him if the u.s. stops air strikes in ak stan and afghanistan and releases the world trade center bombers. he's the first american civilian kidnapped since daniel pearl was abducted in 2002 and eventually executed. western states are bracing for more strong winds today. but nothing like the powerful santa anas that left a trail of destruction on thursday. hundreds of thousands of people throughout california lost power as winds toppled hundreds of trees. some splitting homes in half as they fell. some wind gusts topped 100 miles per hour in colorado and in utah, hurricane-strength winds toppled big rigs and blew debris across highways into windshields. herman cain heads to atlanta to see if he'll stay in the race for the republican nomination. he'll have his first face to face meeting with his wife since
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he was accused of a long-term affair. he acknowledges giving the woman money without his wife's knowledge. ginger white said she's deeply sorry if she caused harm to cain's wife and children. honda is recalling more than 300,000 vehicles because of air bags that may inflate with too much force sending metal and plastic pieces flying. honda said there have been 20 accidents related to the problem including two deaths in 2009. 2001 and 2002 civics and accords are affected. now a quick roundup of what's got you talking online. the huntsman girls used the internet to boost their father's internet bid. now they have a parody of justin timberlake's "sexy back." ♪
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this video upset some staffers because it wasn't authorized and mocked other candidates by name. the new coke can is a hot debate online. coke said the white design was to raise money for endangered polar bears but customers said the white can looks too much like diet coke and others thought a holiday can should be red. and lady gaga's new video for "marry the night" is all the talk. gaga directed the 14-minute epic which she said was inspired by the worst day of her life. now back to matt and savannah. she's had a lot of good days since that one bad one syst. >> she certainly has. >> let's get a check of the weather with al. >> thank you very much. she's erin and she's 30. where are you from? >> knoxville, tennessee. >> wbir. >> that's right! >> good to see you. let's see what's going on. my wife worked there.
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eau claire, wisconsin, sunny and cold, 32 degrees. plenty of sunshine. we have rain and snow back through the eastern great lakes. low pressure spinning in the southwest bringing storms and rain. air stagnation in the pacific northwest. snowshowers through the western plains. we have rain in texas. unusual for this time of year. they will pick up two to four inches and the sunshine up and down the east coast. you're 30! what's your name? >> erin! >> kiss me -- mwa! happy birthday. he did mention his wife earlier. we're looking really good this morning. high wind warnings for your local bridges. those should expire in the next couple of hours. gusty winds over the open water and higher elevations. wind speeds that are high are
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really confined to the north bay right now. 68 in novato, 65 in napa versus gilroy, where winds are calm. you'll hit 70 degrees in many places across the bay, 64 tomorrow. look, some sort of bear, animal thing there. i'm not sure what they are. but they're cute. matt? >> al, thanks. when we come back, a special holiday edition of jill martin's steals & deals. we'll save you big money. and then, yes, they are in studio 40 years after they captured our hearts. enieuon r a. reunion. first, these messages. how are we going to make this season better than the last? how about making it brighter. more colorful. ♪ and putting all our helpers to work? so we can build on our favorite traditions by adding a few new ones. we've all got garlands and budgets to stretch. and this year, we can keep them both evergreen. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot.
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can you smell those savings? fresh cut christmas trees are arriving weekly. ♪ i think i'm falling ♪ i think i'm falling [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ for you [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. take up to an extra 15 percent off storewide now through tuesday. with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help.
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cymbalta is a non-narcotic treatment that's fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help.
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holiday edition of jill martin's steals & deals. from jewelry to shaving kits we've got something for everyone on your list at exclusive discount. today us weekly contributor jill martin is here to take us through the deals. good morning. >> good morning. >> how does it work? >> i feel like everyone's been doing this because we sell so much but go to today.com now and we'll link you to these retailers up to 80% off. i want to start with with the basics so you can get a lot of holiday shopping done in less than five minutes. >> these are beautiful love scarfs. i like the sound of that. >> feel this. 100% cashmere. retail $132. this is one of the best sellers, 100% cashmere. celeb fans include julianna margulies and there is free shipping. this is the biggest discount. the deal is $39. that's 70% off for a cashmere
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scarf. >> it passes the softness test. >> we are telling you it beyond passes the test. >> next, kenneth cole wallets. >> this is another item people buy to start the new year. available in three styles, all faux leather. the wristlet and organizer wallet in black. sold at macy's, lord and taylor and dillard's. the deal is $14. 77% off. they are great for day to night. it's a wallet and a wristlet. >> great for parties and stuff. >> a lot of parties coming up for everybody. that's perfect. >> and we have the constellation necklace. >> i love them. retail is $145. great gift available in all 12 zodiac signs. 18 carat gold plated or silver plated. double sided. one side has the crystals on
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kons stlags points and the other has your zodiac. celeb fans include eva longoria, jessica simpson and britney spears. retail is $145. the deal is $29. that's 80% off. >> incredible. where are the crystals or whatever? >> this is one side. right here. on the other side is your sign with "happiness" different sayings. choose between gold or silver. it hangs long. you can layer it. it's personal, too, because it's the zodiac. >> let's go to guy things. the shaving kits for the guys. >> i get e-mails. what about us? this is the guy's version of a facial. the only for us shaving set. give them the best shave ever. includes the short black handle shave brush, preshave oil, shave
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cream, after shave soother, all part of the verbena lime collection. the retail is $129. the deal is $45. that's 65% off. >> and i love verbena. is it manly enough? it's very macho. okay. >> i did the test, too. i was letting you let everyone know, too. >> now we have electronics. maybe saving the best for last. >> the crew almost took it. the retail is the first. $119.99. it's an ipad 2 case with built in stereo speakers. can be configured as a stand to watch movies. built in lithium ion battery with a cable included. the retail is $119.99. the deal is $39.60. 67% off. >> over here, great for travel. >> this is cool.
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sp the app enhanced rechargeable portable speaker system. $199.99. compatible with ipad, iphone and ipod. works with ihome sleep app for custom settings and ihome radio for global internet radio. you can personalize it to your sleep and radio likes. the retail is $199.99. the deal is $66. that's 67% off. >> jill martin, thank you very much. let's review what we have. the cashmere love scarf, women's faux leather wallets from kenneth cole reaction. zodiac necklaces from leila, a holiday gift grooming kit from shave and it's manly, and electronics from ihome. we'll have questions about them on twitter. use the hashtag # steeals and deals. thank you, jill. coming up, the waltons turn
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40. we'll catch up with them after this. you want to make a healthy choice for your hair and a healthy choice for the planet? [ female announcer ] try pantene nature fusion shampoo. its pro-v formula captures the potential of cassia to make weak, brittle hair up to 10x stronger. and now it comes in pantene's new bottle. made from up to 59% plant-based material. ♪ healthier hair... healthier planet. one small step at a time. [ female announcer ] nature fusion from pantene. hair so healthy it shines. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card.
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save money. live better. walmart. we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. laces? really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like a -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. ♪ i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. okay. what's your secret? [ male announcer ] the new united mileage plus explorer card.
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all right. here we go this morning on today's update, one of television's most cherished families. 40 years ago america fell in love with the waltons. a big family with seven kids growing up during the great depression and world war ii in the blue ridge mountains of virginia. we watched them face hardships they always seemed to overcome together. >> where'd you get the money? >> working for the baldwin ladies. >> somebody show me how this thing works. >> when we were living through them we called them bad times and thought we were poor. only after we had all grown up were we to realize what good times they add been and how very rich we were. often in memory, i returned to
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that house and to the echoes of those voices. >> good night, john boy. >> good night. >> good night, daddy. >> good night, son. >> we're happy to say we are joined now by ma. richard thomas was john boy. the youngest walton played by kami cotler. eric scott was ben. mary beth mcdonough was erin. and jon walmsley was jason walton. okay. we're out of time. you haven't changed a bit. do you stay in contact? what's it like to stit in this group again? >> we get giddy. >> i was reading last night this material. do you know what jumped out at me? this all these years with all
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the time you spent together on the set and all you know about each other, not one person went out and wrote a tell-all book. is that not true? >> my book is not a tell-all, but it does tell the loving, wonderful memories. >> that's not what i mean. you know what i mean. not one person said, yeah, let me tell you what was really going on. >> it wasn't like that. >> no arrests, no convictions. >> confidentiality agreement? >> gag orders all around. >> was it a happy set? >> it was. >> it really was. >> what was it like? >> just great fun. >> like family. >> practical jokes. >> this one and john ritter. >> ritter and i were naughty together. >> we had a great time, all of us. >> except me. >> you didn't love it? >> no. >> for those of you who were the kids on the show, raise your hands. what was it like being so famous
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at such a young age? >> we were pretty isolated from the public a lot of the time. i don't think we had a real sense of the impact of the show. i think a lot until almost the show being over. >> it's also -- it was a different time to be famous. >> not like the all reality tv time we live in now. >> not at all. on the whole, when waltons fans meet you, they feel like you're family. so there isn't that kind of get you or gotcha intrusive thing. people want to give you a hug. >> so many of us. there were six of us so it wasn't like one star. and everybody in the world is focused on that. we all had each other and we became like siblings. >> the show was based in a time of depression and war. yet -- those aren't cheery subjects. why do you think so many people embraced it is this. >> family is family. >> community. >> you know, we really did have
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a strong bond, all of us together. i think it came across on camera. people could relate. it was just family stories, family stuff. nowadays, i think it's on all the time. >> three different cable channels run reruns. do you check it out? >> every now and then. >> does it hold up or seem dated to you? >> it was dated when we did it. >> it was already a period show. so it holds up for that reason. >> i think the writing is so good at home. >> you have all heard it a thousand times. just tee off on this. what do you say when people say, it was just too sugary. >> you know, it wasn't. that's what annoys me because in the beginning it was not. toward the end it fell in love with itself but in the beginning we were dealing with book burning in germany, the dust bowl cousins, the hindenberg. we were dealing with segregation. we were dealing with real issues
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as well as the warmth of the family. >> i think the criticism tends to come from people who really didn't watch the show and weren't aware of it. >> even nowadays with what we are going through as a country. you see people are still having good times laughing as a family. may not have anything to go and buy, but they are together. that's what we were doing then. having a good time. >> refresh my memory. who was part of the original movie "the homecoming"? you were not. michael, you took over for patricpa tri patricia neil. what was it like joining a cast? >> i said, please help me out. i haven't done television in a long time. i tested with richard and ralph what was a blessing because i was hung over and didn't know what i was doing. >> you pulled her through? >> there was always a dinner scene. did you like them? >> no! >> no!
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they were awful. >> that was my favorite part. >> i was always in tears at the end. they went on forever with mashed potatoes getting shoved back in the bowl and rescooped out. >> it was one camera and a lot of people. >> the kids would be flinging peas. >> the breakfast scene, the dinner and maybe another dinner scene. you were at the table all day long. >> all i did was pour coffee. more coffee, jon? >> and people would laugh during the prayer. >> people were always visiting. you always had guest stars which had to keep it fun. >> i have heard that before. >> was it fun to have the visitors? >> always. >> a lot of people started out. sissy spacek started on our show. >> ritter. >> how many times have you heard over the years, richard -- >> good night, john boy?
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countless. >> is it fun or does it haunt you? >> it's wonderful. the idea that 40 years later people will still shout it to me on the street is the most extraordinary thing. >> it haunts us because they ask us to say it. >> did someone say that in the middle of a play you were doing? >> yeah. >> every now and then. >> guys, a big thank you. great to have you back. happy holidays. because we must -- >> good night, john boy! we are back with much more right after your local news and weather. well done. nice job.
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good morning to you. it is 8:26 right now. i'm laura garcia con on. the woman accused of killing an east bay nursing student is expected in court this afternoon. giselle esteban is accused of killing michelle le. she finished her shift on may 27th. her body was found in mid september. let's get a look at the morning commute with mike inouye. driving through the south bay right now, slowing for northbound 101. 87 up into downtown san jose. 880 in both directions. new accident of concern,
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northbound 85 at winchester. sounds like three cars are involved in it. it is in lane and happened a few minutes ago. there is slowing at the scene. northbound 880 a look past the coliseum. bogging down north of 98, past high street and then clearing by the time you get into downtown oakland again. overall, not looking so bad. back to you. >> thank you very much, mike. thank you for joining us. check out nbc bay area on fa facebook. another local news update for you in half an hour.
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elf. >> i'm holding savannah. >> i didn't know what you were doing there. we are going to talk to maya in a few minutes. meanwhile out on the plaza i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie who's here while ann is on assignment. al roker and tamron hall as well. good thing you're here tamron. it's meatball madness. >> i love meatballs. >> we have done the nationwide search and we have three finalists. bobby flay will judge the best. these are interesting types of heatballs. not your grandmother's meat balls. >> or mom's. >> or anybody's. >> or bill murray's meatballs. >> one of the most prestigious universities in the country, georgetown, has quite a class. it's all about jay-z. you know -- ♪ new york
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never mind. i know all about jay-z because i took the class, in my head. we're going to take a look at the unique class that focuses on jay-z. >> thanks, beyonce. he was a movie and tv legend. do you know the real story behind rin tin tin? coming up, we're going to fill you in on his fascinating ride to fame. >> all right. before we get there, let's bring in maya rudolph, one of the stars of the nbc comedy hit "up all night." good to see you. a former alum of snl. so, eva, all right? >> yes. >> she's a talk show host. >> yes. >> a little bit demanding, needy. what else? >> fun-loving, ready for the party. she's definitely got some personal kinks to sort out, i think. she's got a great on-camera presence. >> did you pattern her after
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anyone in particular? don't worry, she's on assignment. >> i definitely didn't. she's an amalgam of people i have played over the years and in terms of the on-camera persona. >> you played oprah. >> i did. there she is. we made up eva. she's needy and nuts. those are fun people to play. that's the made up part. >> this show "up all night," speak of fiction, you can draw on your experience with parents, little kids, juggling it all. you can relate. >> right. i have three kids at home. pretty crazy. i have a 5-month-old at the moment. and a 2-year-old and a big girl. >> you have your hands full. >> do you miss snl? >> i do. i was just saying to someone, that's my old office on the 17th floor. >> you're pointing at the whole
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side of the building. >> we used to stay up writing the show and i would hear your audio staff saying, it's time to go home. >> you started the show called "up all night". >> i use that phrase a lot. how are you doing? oh, i was up all night. all the time. >> thanks for being our elf. nice to have you here. maya rudolph, everybody. happy holidays. >> happy holidays. >> and now, mr. roker will have a check of the weather. >> if you're up all weekend we have the forecast. starting with saturday, sunny skies along the coast. heavy rains texas to oklahoma. snow in the upper great lakes. sunshine but windy in southern california. sunday, sunny and mild along the coast. rain in the lower mississippi river valley. up into the mid plains we have plenty of frigid air coming into the western plains. sunny and cold in the pacific northwest. cool in southern california.
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good morning to you. take a look at this beautiful live picture in the city by the bay. the camera is still shaking a little bit. breezy conditions. those will continue to drop off as we head through the next couple of hours. by this evening, we should be nice and calm. the cities that are getting the highest wind speeds right now are the warmest. novato, 63 there, 65 in santa rosa. 75 later on today, 71 in san jose. the weekend looks good. little breezy on sunday. don't forget. check your weather any time day or night. especially this weekend. weather.com online or weather channel on cable. >> catch "up all night" weekends at 8:00/7:00 central time. coming up, a college course on jay-z and bobby flay judges our meatball madness competition. fi
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back now at 8:37. jay-z is leaving his mark on the classroom. craig melvin is here to explain. good to see you. >> good to see you as well. jay-z inspired a course at georgetown. race, gender, culture, things that would be covered in most sociology classes. the issues are examined in a way that uniquely appealed to college students. ♪ >> reporter: the record-setting rapper and hip-hop icon has become a business tycoon and best selling author. but now jay-z's street rhymes are being taught at one of america's top schools.
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>> i'm from the murder capital -- >> reporter: in the syllabus it's called the sociology of hip-hop, the odyssey of jay-z. for 140 students twice a week it's 90 minutes of head bouncing and dissecting. ♪ >> you have someone who perpetuates the same impediments imposed upon him. >> reporter: dr. eric die son has taught a hip-hop class for 15 years. jay-z gives him a fresh angle. >> this is a way for kids to explore the big ideas in sociology. >> god forgive me for my brash delivery but i remember vividly what these streets did to me. he's trying to make a connection and a link to the people who are similarly suffering. >> reporter: die son uses jay-z's memoir to break down lyrics but maintains a traditional classroom using guest speakers, articles, essays and exams. >> we'll have the tests back for you as well.
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>> reporter: not surprising, the class is wildly popular. >> being somebody who grew up with second chances i'm allowed to explore. >> reporter: learning at georgetown isn't cheap. tuition costs are among the highest in the country. some students say their parents wonder whether the class is worth it. >> we are paying so much for this. we want you to take classes that will get you a great job. >> reporter: it's not just skeptical parents. critics knocked the class, in part because of jay-z's occasional celebration of miso gyn y like this video for big pimping. ♪ >> within hip-hop we are pointing this out to ridicule it, criticize it, ask where it comes from. >> reporter: old school themes being taught in a new school way. >> i want students to understand, look, learning doesn't have to be boring. i'm trying to make it sexy.
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>> i'm trying to learn about a society i have never been exposed to, probably never will be. it's another way of thinking about things. >> reporter: jay-z is currently touring the country. at the concert in d.c. he gave a shoutout to dr. diyson which gae him more street cred with his students. we have more on today.com. >> interesting story. appreciate it. up next, our search for america's next top meatball. bobby flay helps to crown the winner. first, this is "
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marcie from maryland, philip from new jersey, anita from los angeles, california. here to crown the winner, famed chef bobby flay. good morning. nice to see you. >> good morning. >> are you looking for originality, classic taste? >> all of them. there is always, of course, the old school italian meatballs we all love. that's where meatballs get their fame. i'm looking for flavor and moisture. very important. >> these are three very different recipes. fan out, folks. i'll start with marcie here. first of all, where did you get the recipe? >> i got the recipe from my mom. she passed away last year. i'm doing it in honor of her. she never wrote anything down, so i had to kind of reconstruct and i turned them into meatballs because she made them in a patty. >> these are super meaty salmon meat balls. >> they are great for holiday parties coming up. the ingredients are ritz
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crackers to give it a buttery feel, oatmeal for heft, flaxseed for nutrition. >> cook them in the pan and what oil? >> walnut oil. it's a delicate oil. so i try to be a little bit more unique. >> bold flavors. i like that and i like that you're putting in the oats and flaxseed. that's interesting. also, the key to these is not overcooking them. >> right. >> you want the moisture. >> you have an interesting dipping sauce. >> people like to dip. i thought it was fun to add it. they can be naked on their own. they're great, not fussy. you can have them out of the freezer, grill and fill. >> what's the sauce? >> spicy thai chili sauce from a bottle. >> these are papa's meatballs, philip? >> papa's meatball. this is a traditional meatball with some of his favorite ingredients. two types of cheese. romano and parmesan.
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my grandfather put in two types because my grandmother liked that one and he likes that one. >> smart man. >> he kept it simple at home. some of the other ingredients are bread crumbs, onions, garlic. standards. >> classic, but most of the time in classic meatballs there are three kinds of meat -- veal, pork and beef. philip decided only to use beef. any reason? >> that's what my grandfather used. we bake them in the oven, finish them in the home made sauce which is very simple as well. this maleal is important becaus it was the last meal we shared before papa passed away. honoring him. >> very good. we appreciate it. the entire west coast resting on your shoulders, no pressure. yours are different. they are jamaican style. >> i add a little bit of orange zest and ginger beer which is a
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nonalcoholic beverage. it has a nice bite of ginger. it's a strong ginger ale. you can do the dipping sauce or put them right in the sauce. >> you have plantains also? >> yes. green and yellow and then there's black. this might look rotten to you, but it's perfectly ripe. this is the one you want to use. >> that helps to bind it? >> it does. >> that's important. what you use to bind it without drying out the meatball and also delivering flavor. maintains is interesting. and she has jerk seasoning, ginger beer. >> where did you learn this? >> i made this up myself. >> i notice as we have been going along you have taken your first taste of all three meatballs. any initial responses before i put the pressure on you for a winner? >> they are all interesting. philip, yours is the most traditional. you deliver on a traditional meatball in the best way. that's why you're in the finals. marcie, the salmon is a great way to make a fish meatball.
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salmon is a good choice with all the natural fat to create moisture. >> thank you. >> these are incredibly flavorful and very interesting. >> take 30 seconds to talk to yourself, think about it. >> 30 second. this will be my favorite conversation of the day. >> like in the oscars, they can't all be winners but they are all happy to be here. is this the first annual? who's the winner of our first annual meatball madness competition? >> i'm a man of flavor and originality. i'm going with the jamaican meatball. [ applause ] >> lift that over your head. >> fantastic. >> exactly. >> congratulations. you must be happy about that. >> these are good. >> thank you so much. we appreciate that. i can't wait to try these. bobby, thank you. up next, the real story of one of hollywood's most famous dogs. we are talking about rin tin tin who loves meatballs, by the way.
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first, this is "today" on nbc. [ cheers and applause ] howdy folks! jack box here, with my new outlaw burger. other places have bbq burgers, but not with the kick this one has- outlaw means it's loaded with hickory-smoked bacon, onion rings and topped with my bourbon barbecue sauce. and i'll tell you somethin' else they don't have- -my outlaw spicy chicken sandwich. yehaw! whoa! whoa whoa whoa whoa..
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ride that spicy chicken! and even though you do what you can to take care of it, sometimes you want to give your immune system some support. try new airborne chewable tablets. each serving contains 14 vitamins, minerals and herbs... including zinc, echinacea, ginger, and a blast of vitamin c. it's the easy, great-tasting way to help support your immune system. airborne. in fast-acting effervescent formula, and new super-convenient chewable tablets! for those of a certain generation, no animal elicits the same love and adoration as rin tin tin, the heroic friend to all who fought for justice and saved the day.
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♪ so brave ♪ is corporal rusty >> reporter: rin tin tin, three words that instantly capture the imagination. >> rin! sure, he knows it. >> reporter: for children around the world the german shepherd was a celebrity, hero and friend. back as a puppy on the battlefields of world war 1 he epitomized the scrappy determination of two generations. rinty, had star power from the beginning. in 1918 corporal lee duncan spotted the dog in a bombed kennel in france. after the war he brought rin tin tin to los angeles where he trained him for silent films. the dog soon became a marquee name starring in 23 blockbuster movies, outearning even his human costars. the original rin tin tin passed away in 1932 but his descendants
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continued his legacy inspiring films, radio and a hit tv show. popularizing german shepherds and creating an enduring american icon that lives on. susan arlene is the author of the new york times bestseller "rin tin tin, the life and legend." good morning. >> great to be here. >> i know you spent seven years researching and reporting on the topic. the fact that you wanted to write about an actor dog surprised, most of all, you. >> absolutely. i grew up with rin tin tin, the television show. that seemed like there wasn't really a book to write about that. what got me interested was learning that he was a real dog who had been found in world war i by a young american g.i. and the story of that man, lee duncan, and his devotion to the dog and his conviction that he would make him into a star
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became a wonderful story. >> we'll talk about that relationship in a moment. give us the gist. we know he was found in world war i and he came back and suddenly became a star. for people who may not remember him, what was so special about the dog that he had acting ability? >> he did. he had charisma. he was a great athlete. he was first filmed jumping over an 11-foot fence in a dog show. he was an amazing athlete and was phenomenally responsive to lee. he could kind of do anything. >> there was a time when rin tin tin was the most bankable star in hollywood. you argue that he saved warner brothers studio. >> he did. warner brothers was a small studio at the time. they began releasing rin tin tin films. they were huge hit, not only in this country but around the world. suddenly warner brothers became warner brothers, the big studio. >> what's compelling about this is the bond between rin tin tin's owner and rescuer, lee
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duncan, and this dog. what was so special about it? >> they were both, i think, lonely and saw each other as each other's savior. lee found the puppy on a battlefield where he would have certainly died. lee himself was a pretty lonely guy who had been placed in an r orph orphanage as a kid. had a life that was always most connected to animals. he found this dog and they just found each other. they were never apart. they had a connection that if you take the usual connection we have with dogs which is very profound and just multiply it. that was their love. >> i love how your book jacket puts it, rinty was born in 1918 but never died. his descendants lived on. there was a television show. why do you think this character resonated through the ages? >> we love dogs.
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we are able to look at a dog as a perfect hero. more even than we can look at a person that way. they are so selfless and they love us without expecting anything in return. so a dog becomes this wonderful embodiment of heroism, loyalty and love. >> fair to say you are an animal person. tell us what you have in up state new york because we have the time. >> it's a long list. a dog, three cats, nine chickens, four turkeys, three ducks, two geese, 13 black angus cattle, a couple of goldfish in there. >> show's over. thank you so much. great to have you. we're back after your local news.
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ordered. one officer is receiving treatment for an injury suffered during those clashes. meteorologist christina loren has your forecast. we've gone from windy to breezy over our high elevations and calm winds right at the surface in the south bay. still a little gusty through the highest of elevations. watch out for that the next hour or two. 75 degrees later on today in santa rosa. the weekend looks good, nice and dry. 60s inland. have a great day.
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[ cheers and applause ] we're back now with more of "today" on a friday morning, the second day of december, 2011. you know, we said it a couple of times this morning. it's a sensational day in new york city. not a cloud in the sky. moderate temperatures and a wonderful crowd. people from out of town here in the plaza. i'm matt lauer here with savannah guthrie here while ann is on assignment. al roker joins us as well. coming up we'll talk about a serious story, the case of the
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missing florida mom, michelle parker. for a second day police and divers have searched a lake near where they traced her cell phone. the last place they heard it pinging some two weeks ago. do they have new leads? we'll talk more about the case in a few minutes. >> all right. also ahead, another serious topic this time of year. financial infidelity. a lot of married people go through it. hiding your expenses, having secret bank accounts. hiding the shopping you have done. this is a sign your marriage may be facing trouble. we'll talk to experts about how to keep it real. >> speaking of real, we are talking about today's real estate. barbara corcoran shows us homes for sale for $300,000 or less from california wine country to the gulf coast. later, whether you've got high blood pressure or a bad cough, we've got natural remedies that really work. >> and it's nice to see your mom
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and sister in the area. even though they don't want to have dinner with me, that's okay. >> nancy and annie. >> right. tamron is here while natalie is on assignment today over at the news desk. >> hey there. good morning, everybody. we begin with economic news. the nation's unemployment rate dropped to the lowest point since march 2009 falling from 9% to 8.6% in november. 120,000 jobs were added last month. however part of the reason the unemployment rate fell was more than 300,000 people gave up looking for work and were no longer counted. an american aid worker is being held as an al qaeda hostage. ayman al zawahiri said in a message the group is holding the 70-year-old warren weinstein and will release him if the u.s. meets demands. he's the first american civilian kidnapped in pakistan since wall street journal reporter daniel pearl was abducted in 2002 and
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executed. the mystery of missing mother michelle parker is deepening today as her family establishes a new timeline of the hours after her disappearance. mark potter has the latest from orlando. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, tamron. if the police have any new kribl leads in this case they are not saying so publically. none of the searches has led to michelle parker but the local community strongly supports her family. at a bar in orlando called the barn where michelle parker was a popular bartender a fund-raiser for the family and the search effort drew a large crowd. >> these are all of our friends, family, her friends and family. it's just good to be surrounded by a lot of love here. >> reporter: meanwhile police searched for a second day at a lake near the area where a ping from parker's cell phone was last heard two weeks ago. orlando police and sheriffs divers combed the waters and the shoreline. a spokesman said nothing of
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importance has been found here. police say the only suspect in the case is parker's ex-fiance dale smith. they have not arrested him. smith knocked a news photographer to the ground before a child custody hearing wednesday insists he had nothing to do with the disappearance. a timeline put together with the help of parker's family shows how quickly they became alarmed for her. >> this is the defendant, michelle parker. >> reporter: at 2:00 p.m. november 17th, the people's court episode featuring parker and smith, her ex-fiance, arguing over an engagement ring airs in orlando. at 2:30 michelle's family last sees her at a salon. at 3:15 according to a police source michelle is seen on a security camera arriving at smith's home, but the angle doesn't allow them to see her leave. smith said he then took the children to his parents' house an hour later. at 4:26 michelle's brother
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dustin gets a one-word text from her cell phone which the family insists is uncharacteristically short saying waterford. at 6:50 michelle's son calls the family asking where is his mom. at 6:53 michelle's sister sends her a text, call me asap, please. gets no response. at 7:20 lauren calls police after michelle fails to show up for her 7:30 bartending shift. at 8:15 the ping is found from the lake. an area she never frequented. the next day her hummer is found in a parking lot miles from her home. a sign in the truck advertising her business is missing. family members say they are not giving up hope of finding michelle alive, but this now two-week-long search without results has been painful for them. >> thank you. the skating santa isn't looking
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so sharp these days. paul chernowski arrived, fetched his $900 skates out of storage but left the skates in a taxi. santa's making due with rental skates but said he isn't getting the same performance from them. he'll take you off the naughty list if you return those skates. not a good thing for santa. >> we have to get him on his own skates on the rink. thank you very much. now let's get a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> thank you. this side said they weren't feeling the love. we're showing them the love. hello and merry christmas. let's check your weather. out west we have stuff going on. santa ana into sunday. not as bad as they have had over
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the last 48 hours but windy. another storm system through the southwest on into texas. a look for mountain snows through the four corners and a lot of wet weather from austin, brownsville up into oklahoma. over the next 48 hours we could be talking about a half inch to an inch. some areas may pick up a little good morning to you. winds are really calming down, especially in the south bay. south of the golden gate bridge, getting a nice break. the north bay, we have the strongest winds rietd now. good news is that with those strong winds you're warming up with that downsloping, dry effect. two degrees shy of 70 degrees. it's only 9:00 in the morning. temperatures will start to drop off a little bit up in the north bay as we lose those strong winds. nonetheless, 75 today in santa rosa. and one of the great shows from the '60s, my three sons.
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savannah? >> thanks, al. this morning on "today's money" financial infidelity. a money magazine survey finds 71% of americans keep secrets about spending from their spouses. before you head out for holiday shopping we have good advice to keep the peace in your relationship. jean chatzky is today's financial editor and we have the host of "you're cut off." appropriate title. good morning. jean, define the term financial infidelity. >> it's lying about money and if you are just hiding information by not revealing it, that would be included in financial infidelity as well. >> keeping secrets or maybe not saying how much things cost. that kind of thing. >> exactly. >> from your perspective what does the survey say about why couples commit financial infidelity? >> they do it to keep the peace. they don't want the scorning look from the spouse or an argument about what you spent on
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x, y or z. the result is when things are uncovered it's a bigger problem. >> in terms of the damage this can do to a relationship, do you think it's as serious as cheating in some cases? >> it's obviously very different in the sense that infidelity, regardless of what it is, exposes what's going on in the relationship. it exposes the fact that you cannot be honest with your spouse. it's not as grave but it says you can't communicate well. >> you say sometimes it's about control issues. >> without a doubt. and i don't think financial infidelity is that bad. women need to have independence in their relationship. they have to have private money to do whatever they want with. >> okay. i agree. but let's acknowledge that we are each going to have a pool of money we can do with what we
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want and we don't have to talk about it. >> that gets us to the tips. i want to get to some ideas. you think couples need three bank accounts. >> one for you, one for me and one for the house. the house is taken care of first. >> this is controversial. some people think you shouldn't. >> without question you should have separate bank accounts. you should be able to do whatever you want with your money. >> once you have provided for savings and taken care of the household expenses. >> when that budget gets cut, every budget gets cut. just because you get your nails done doesn't mean that gets cut. his money gets cut, food, everything equally. >> you say you should use the money in your account to further educational opportunities. >> yeah. education and feeding yourself with opportunity is like spanx for the future. it tightens it all up. it gives you the opportunity to
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remember you can be independent outside the relationship. >> we were talking about the numbers and unemployment fell to 8.6%. people who have done well were educat educated. >> you say to trade places with your spouse financially. >> if a f they don't understand why you can't get out of the grocery store for under $150. let them go to the store. >> don't let them do your clothes shopping. >> walk a mile in your high heels. >> good advice. thank you. coming up on today's real estate, what you can get for $300,000 or less. later, what some fast food restaurants are doing to beat a ban on free toys with kids' meals.
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hi, could you read my list? it's all crossed out... it's 'cause i got everything on it. boom! thank you! [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. if you find a lower price on a local print ad before christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. ♪ vegetables picked at their peak ♪ ♪ so fresh my knees grow weak [ male announcer ] new hearty bertolli meal soup for two, with crisp vegetables and tender chicken. [ chef ] ♪ fresh tasting restaurant style ♪ ♪ bertolli soup's in the freezer aisle ♪ bisquick makes amazing pancakes... and pizza... chicken tenders... even strawberry shortcake. unleash the hidden power of bisquick.
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this morning on today's real estate what you can get for under $300,000. barbara corcoran is here to show off great homes across the country. good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> let's go to napa. i'm surprised. it's a one bedroom, one bath bungalow. >> the average listing price there is $1.3 million. this is the tiniest house on the best block. the porch is great because every house in the neighborhood participates in porchfest. you go from house to house. a really cozy neighborhood where
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people like each other. this is only 754 square feet. little or big, whatever you want to call it. look at the fence. you get a big fence with this little house. inside it has a modern kitchen with big glass doors that open the room to the outside. i like the brown touch on the wall. it really pops the cabinets. black granite counters. it's fresh and sexy for a nice little house. the living room isn't big but has bamboo floors which suit it is house well and two hopper windows and the brick fireplace make it a friendly room. it's not that big. there is a sunny blue office and it has a separate entrance. you can feel like your business is away from home. the panel door leads to the great outdoors and there is a private backyard which needs a new fence and furniture. the fact is it could be nice and it's the only thing in the house that's not perfect.
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>> now to the home of brett favre, hattiesburg, mississippi. >> this is a southern style house with a shaded covered front porch. it has a separate garage you see off to the left. the kitchen has old fashioned white cabinets, tile counters and a leaded window over the sink. that middle thing -- >> it makes everything so small. >> get rid of it immediately. the sunny breakfast room has plantation shutters. it feels spacious, appropriately designed with a glass door and a nice window above. charming. the living room light is blocked by the shades that really ought to come down because it is a sunny room. it has long windows, a stone fireplace and nice crown molding. let that sunshine in. >> what about the big armoire thing? >> it's nice. big. it just lacks light in the room.
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the faster bedroom has an oversized window. that's a charmer. that window is a knockout. an inviting seating area and wood floors. out back you have your own private forest. look at this. >> gorgeous. >> lovely. just small enough to feel cozy and private surrounded by mature trees. >> now to phoenix, arizona. nicknamed the valley of the sun. we have a contemporary three bedroom home for $282,5 00. this is a nicely landscaped contemporary home on a cul-de-sac. i like that they were clever enough to photograph it at dusk. much prettier at that time of day. the kitchen looks straight out of a magazine. blond wood cabinets, granite counters and an open dining rare area. that's a lovely family space. the living room photo is photographed again at night.
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unusual but it shows off the recessed lighting. >> looks like a magazine. >> it's great. it's sexy. that was a great move. there is a snug office clever as can be off the corner of the living room. that's a smart move. it's carved out of the entry hall but counts as another room. the backyard looks like an oasis. it's elegant. man cured. >> is that a fire pit? >> i think they don't use the fire pit because they are busy mowing that lawn. perfect for that climate. you need that cover. >> lastly, frisco, texas. just outside of dallas. >> not only outside of dallas but it's the fastest growing city in america by population and jobs. shopping, museums and lots of jobs. a whacky looking front. >> almost looks like a mall. >> yes. it does. people like that kind of thing in that part of the country.
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there you have it. it's grand and impressive. five bedrooms, three and a half baths and 4,000 some square feet. look at the nice stepway. makes you look like you will see something special and you do when you get inside. formal dining room. a stop sign red, orange, whatever. wrong move. but it is what it is. that's the dining room with a great picture window and lovely molding. the house is fancy enough to have a parlor with crown molding. that's a spare room to hang out in. the kitchen is big enough to land a plane in. look at that thing. miles of expensive cabinets and counter tops. flagstone patio with two umbrellas. they're opposites. i don't get it. >> what's going on there? >> a lovely backyard if you get those umbrellas to match. beautiful home. $299,000. >> for that you can get matching umbrellas. >> you bet.
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ensure that you're always in the loop. [ male announcer ] what if we could keep enough plastic waste to cover all of manhattan out of landfills each year? the equivalent of 140 million trash bags, gone. by using new glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. why se ttle it's a small change that can make a big difference. for a why se one-note cereal? ♪ more, more, more... get more with honey bunches of oats 4 nutritious grains come together for more taste, more healthy satisfaction. get more with honey bunches of oats. just a second. just, just one second. ♪ what are you looking at? don't look up there. why are you looking up? ♪
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get outta the car. get outta the car. ♪ are you ok? the... get in the car. get in the car! [ male announcer ] the epa estimated 42 mpg highway chevy cruze eco. from spending time together, to spending your lives together, chevy runs deep. well, a little earlier this morning -- >> that was smooth. >> i was just going to ignore it all. >> earlier this morning it was a treat to see maya rudolph. she was so kind to come out and work as santa's helper for our 18th annual holiday toy drive. we received some great toys and donations from a lot of companies as well. >> one of the companies is ugly dolls. they donated again this year. we have elita freeman and avery, the daughter of one of the
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executives. tell us about your donation. >> good morning. thanks for joining thanks for having us. we are so excited to donate 10,000 ugly dolls. this brings our total over a million dollars to donate. it's important to give and we are happy about it. >> you come back year after year. what is it? >> there are kids all over north america and the toy drive that you do is so amazing. it allows tous reach kids from new york to california. everybody in between. it's important to give for the holidays. >> nice to give things kids love. my dog loves the ugly dolls, too. >> i love them. >> i love your hat. >> thank you. >> why are kids crazy about us? >> they're like us. they love candy, cookies. i had them on my bed and backpack. >> how many do you have? >> like all of them. my friends love them. >> thank you so much. we appreciate it. don't forget, we need everyone's
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help to get needy kids toys. kids up to age 18. donate on the plaza. the nbc experience store. details at today.com. >> coming up, natural remedies after your local news and weather. can you believe it another thanksgiving. oh your turkey was delicious like always sweetheart. ah...thanks mom. bye. drive safely. yes, we will we will love you. ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ♪ ♪ toys in every store.
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egg nog? ♪ the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door ♪ good morning, everyone. time now is 9:26. i'm jon kelley. be careful what you have in your hands as you walk down the streets these days. thieves targeting shoppers not for their purchases but for their smart phones. police reporting 40 cell phone muggings last month alone in san francisco, a lot of them happening near the heart of the city's shopping mecca, that being union square. the target? mostly women, the disabled and young people. the robberies almost always involve physical violence, a punch in the face, knife or gun to the head. >> walking down the street, talking on your cell phone, you're an easy target for somebody to take it out of your
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hands. >> police warn you should not fight back, because that could be very, very dangerous. how about this? a staged robbery scene mistaken for a real-life crime in san francisco. here's what happened at the alpha market. a film crew was shooting a robbery scene at the store. that's when police say a passer-by called 911 to report a masked gunman inside the store. officers arrived to find a man pointing a gun at the ceiling. police rushed in and tackled him and then discovered that the gun was actually fake. the film crew had gotten the store's permission to film but failed to get the permit from the film commission. happily, nobody was injured.
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relaxation from the gradient. 70 degrees, downsloping winds through novato right now. 9:28 and you're at 70 there this morning. on our way to the 70s in most inland cities across the board. let's check in with mike. northbound 880 because of an accident blocking one lane at 101 and 680 at mckee. oakland is jamming up past the coliseum as well. slow drive past the coliseum. >> looking a little thick out there. thank you very much. thank you all for joining us. we'll be back in one half hour with another local update. see you then. if i can take classes year round on campus, online, or both and earn my bachelor's degree in 3 years you can, too. [ male announcer ] at devry university, whether you study at one of our 4 bay area locations, online or both, you can prepare for a career
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in a growing field... and with year round class offerings, you can even do it in as few as three years. if i can let nothing nothing...stand in my way you can too. [ male announcer ] classes start january 3. learn more at devry.edu through my attempts to get pregnant through ivf we sadly found out that i have early stages of breast cancer. and it's been a shock. >> that's giuliana rancic, e news host and reality star. back in october she announced here on "today" that while going through fertility treatments she found out she had breast cancer. she's going to be back here on monday on "today" to tell us how she's doing. of course as you might imagine she's had quite the outpouring of support after she came forward with the shocking news. >> we all wish her the best. in the meantime just ahead we'll
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look at something you're really into. natural remedies, things that will cure the things that ail us. traditionally you think of them as old wives tales but some work from cherry juice to dark chocolate and chamomile tea. what can treat everything from cough, high blood pressure and why they work. >> when it comes to your kids out in san francisco they have actually banned the high calorie fast food meals that come with toys because they want to curb childhood obesity. now big names like mcdonald's and burger king have come up with a clever way around the rule. it's controversial. some say, now you're violating the spirit of the law. we'll tell you about it. >> all right. who doesn't like a nice steaming bowl of hot soup? >> who doesn't? >> right now. >> it would be very nice. in today's kitchen, we are going to be showing you how to make
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fantastic butternut squash and crab bisque. first let's check in with our own weekend bisque -- >> that's bisque. >> sounds like you were going to practice that. >> that was dangerous. >> he pulled it off. >> this weekend. >> my heart is thumping. we have a big show. 23 days left before christmas. i don't know if you mentioned it once or eight times so far. we have to get shopping. we'll talk about the biggest mistakes consumers make while holiday shopping. we'll tell you how to avoid pitfalls that can cost big money. plus, from "happy days" and "pretty woman" gary marshall tells us his plans for "new year's eve," the movie. probably not his personal plans. we'll ask him. and who's that girl? she just turned 5 and looks just like mom. can you tell? wait until you hear who she is.
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>> who is she? >> no, no. >> you may get up early saturday and sunday to watch. >> i'll tell you. >> oh, my god. you've got to watch this weekend! >> crazy. >> in the meantime how about the weather. >> that's comedy. >> let's show you what's happening as far as the weekend is concerned. saturday and sunshine. showers on the eastern coast of florida. heavy rain in texas into the mid mississippi river valley. nice but windy out west. then on sunday, the sunny and mild conditions continue along the east coast with the exception of new england. heavy rain in the gulf coast to the mid ohio river valley. look for frigid conditions in the plains. good morning to you. we are mostly done with wind event at this point. take a look at what that wind is doing to your temperatures this morning. novato, 70 degrees.
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it feels like a warm summer morning. san francisco, 64. by noon, we're in the mid 70s in some cities, rounding out the day at 75 in fairfield. the wind will warm you up a little bit as we lose that breeze tomorrow, 64 degrees. now that it's friday that means we can get ready for the best night of the week, sunday night, football night in america. get them lions from detroit down to new orleans. the mercedes benz superdome. it's a dome, so the weather will be good inside. but outside it will be cloudy and mild. temperatures mid to upper 60s on the best night of the week. sunday night, football night in america. >> how are we supposed to go on after that? >> i don't know. that's not my job. >> al, thank you. now let's bring in charles from
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"neverland" a new syfy series. it tell it is back story of peter pan and captain hook. >> it's a prequel. it's how "neverland" came about. i play a 500-year-old apothecary. i made "neverland." it's the most extraordinary place. i created it. i harnessed the power of two as steroids and it's fantastic. >> the thing we didn't realize, captain hook wasn't always a bad guy. >> indeed not. something happened to him and his life changed a little. >> sounds like "wicked," the back story of oz. i think keiera knightley is the voice of tinker bell. so we have familiar faces. >> and a unfamiliar faces. captain hook, that's a strange
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mixture. you have to see it. but it takes you on a most wonderful trip. for sure. >> that sounds cool. fantastic. thank you so much. you can watch part one of "neverland" this sunday at 9:00/8:00 central on syfy. >> charles, thank you so much. >> nice to see you, al. >> and smartly, he leaves. he knows how to make an exit. hey, what ails you? we'll try to help you cure it with all natural remedies. first, these messages. sally, you don't need toys when you have... ♪ imagination ♪ imagination imagination ♪ ♪ helps you see the world in different ways ♪ yay! yay! ♪ this is a pony ♪ and this is a choo-choo ♪ [ male announcer ] it's movie time. and this is a... [ male announcer ] with a wii twist. what is this? [ male announcer ] netflix now delivers unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through wii and nintendo 3ds. all for only 8 bucks a month.
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[ sniffs ] ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] when you fill your home with glade fragrance... ♪ ...the holidays come alive. wow! [ female announcer ] release the magic with candles [ santa ] ho! ho! ho! from the new glade winter collection. s.c. johnson. a family company. [ younger brother ] oh, do you want it? yeah. ok, we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light... ...buttery and flaky... this is half. that is not half. guys i have more.
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[ female announcer ] do you have enough crescents? gives you a 50% annual bonus! so you earn 50% more cash. according to research, everybody likes more cash. well, almost everybody... ♪ would you like 50% more cash? no! but it's more money. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? woah! [ giggles ] woah! twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. what? pay you? hang on. kitchen counselor here. mom, i think what she means is "greasy dishes." cascade complete pacs fight tough greasy messes better than the other tablet.
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there's only one cascade. love it, or your money back. it's good. honey, i love you... oh my gosh, oh my gosh.. look at these big pieces of potato. ♪ what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. this morning on today's health, natural remedies. 4 of 10 adults are turning to alternative medicine to help with certain health problems, but do they work and are they safe? today nutritionist joy bauer is here with a list of the most effective natural health remedies. >> good morning. they work. >> that's what our grandparents told us. we would hear people pass along great advice and they work. >> some of them do work. the ones we'll go over are natural food remedies. there is no down side. you may as well try them. you can alleviate lousy symptoms
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you may be having. >> what are the natural concerns we should have here? >> certainly if you have a serious medical condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, first you want to go with your doctor's advice. a lot of times that will involve prescription traditional medications. these are natural food remedies and things we'll go over are safe. but the intense concentrated herbs, supplemented herbs and things, check it out with your doctor. >> the first thing you have is vinegar for lowering blood pressure. >> blood sugar. >> i love this strategy, particularly for people with type 2 diabetes. if you take in two to four teaspoons of vinegar with the meal or before the meal it can blunt the rise in blood sugar you get from the meal. nobody wants a shot of vinegar, but mix vinegar with olive oil and start your meal with a salad
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or drizzle balsamic on a vinegar, tomato and onion along with your meal to reap the benefits. >> mixing it with the food makes it the same. >> we have honey. for years we have honey that helps with a lot of things. >> plain old honey helps your child falls asleep when coughing. again, regular honey helps to coat and soothes the throat and loosens mucus. for kids 1 to 6. no honey for kids under 1. half a teaspoon 30 minutes before bedtime. if kids are over 6 you can have one teaspoon up to two. >> same effectiveness in adults? >> absolutely. this is good news. the american academy of pediatrics is not recommending cough syrup for young kid spms for menstrual cramps, a specific
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tea. >> chamomile tea. the herb has been around for years used as traditional medicine. the reason i particularly like chamomile is it elevates glycine in the body which is an amino acid which squashes muscle spasms. it will help women who struggle with cramps to feel better. one to three cups a day during the menstrual cycle. it's caffeine free so you don't have to worry about it interrupting sleep. >> and pepper mint oil for people with irritable bowel syndrome. it relaxes the muscles in the lining of the intestines. pick up pepper mint capsules and take one three times a day, 30 minutes before a meal. it can really help. >> that's a nice list of things. put those many your medicine cabinet. >> food as medicine. we love it. >> up next, the ban on kids'
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meal toys. right after this. [ horse neighs ] you're leaving. it is my destiny. ♪ take this. it is a piece of me. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's movie time. with a wii twist. netflix now delivers unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through wii and nintendo 3ds. all for only 8 bucks a month. seriously, what is it? a big thank you this friday & saturday. save an extra 20% off all your holiday gifts when you use your jcpenney rewards credit card. don't have a card, you still get an extra 15% off. no exclusions! doors open extra early saturday. go to jcp.com to see everything on sale. jcpenney. yoohoo, hi. i noticed you used the largest cash back card... why is that? they give me 5% cash back at department stores this quarter. but only on up to $300 worth of merchandise. so the most you can earn is $15 dollars.
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chase freedom also gives you 5% cash back at department stores this quarter but on up to $1,500 worth of purchases. that is $75. that's 5 times more! woo. get your cash back. activate today at chase.com/freedom. to find you a great deal, even if it's not with us. [ ding ] oh, that's helpful! well, our company does that, too. actually, we invented that. it's like a sauna in here. helping you save, even if it's not with us -- now, that's progressive! call or click today. no mas pantalones! time to deploy the chex mix boring potato chip decoy bag. now no one will want to steal the deliciousness. with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix
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is a bag of interesting. write "you're pretty." you're pretty! ♪ i think he hurt his tibia. what's a tibia? [ female announcer ] cards are not for sending. ♪ they're for bringing us together. this holiday, select cards come postage-paid. best foods and holiday leftovers become irresistibly creamy turkey casserole. real delicious best foods. make it real. make it different. gives you the lowest plan premium in the country... so you can focus on what really matters. call humana at 1-800-808-4003.
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it's me? alright emma, i know it's not your favorite but it's time for your medicine, okay? you ready? one, two, three. [ both ] ♪ emma, emma bo-bemma ♪ banana-fana-fo-femma ♪ fee-fi-fo-femma ♪ em-ma very good sweety, how do you feel? good. yeah? you did a really good job, okay? [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. in an effort to fight childhood obesity san francisco has banned fast food restaurants from giving away free toys along with kids meals. now big chains have a plan that a critics say violates the spirit of that law. nbc's george lewis is in los angeles this morning with the latest on this. good morning, george. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. if you're a parent or a grandparent with small children, this happy meal and the toy that
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comes inside are no surprise to you. but now in san francisco the toys will no longer be free. that's because of a new law in the name of public health. >> who is that? >> hello kitty. >> they first think about the toy. >> reporter: san francisco stirred up a national debate last year when it passed a law designed to keep fast food chains from using toy giveaways to sell the type of high fat meals that nutritionists say kids should avoid. >> so it's low in nutrients and high in calories. and the toy is an attraction to get the kid to eat the food. that's not a good connection. >> reporter: now that the law has taken effect, mcdonald's found a way for kids to have their toys and eat happy meals, too. the solution? selling the toys for ten cents apiece with the purchase of a happy meal, of course. the company says that proceeds will be donated to the ronald mcdonald house charity. burger king says it's planning to do something similar.
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supervisor eric maar who drafted the ordinance said it is a cynical way around a law designed to fight childhood obesity. >> they are being sneaky and manipulative about getting around a local law. >> reporter: franchise owner scott roderick who has ten mcdonald's locations in the city says the new system is driven by what customers want. >> they wanted us to provide choice on our menu. they wanted us to follow the letter of the law. >> reporter: roderick calls the law misplaced saying that mcdonald's added a variety of healthier options to its menu in recent years. >> customers want lower fat items, more nutritious items. >> we have healthier options but we want them to meet basic standards. >> reporter: supervisor maar says mcdonald's and burger king are manipulating the spirit of the law, but maintains san francisco's efforts sent an important message to the fast food giants. >> we have raised childhood obesity and the connection of big fast food to a national level.
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>> reporter: mcdonald's in a press release notes that it is making the happy meals more healthful, downsizing french fries and adding things like apple slices as san francisco keeps up pressure on the fast food chain. >> weren't there ten french fries in there earlier? now there's just one in the bag. >> there is nothing like day old french fry, savannah. >> george lewis in los angeles, thank you. up next, a bowl of warm goodness for the long winter nights. first, this is "today" on nbc. state farm. this is jessica.
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i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. state farm. this morning in today's holiday kitchen, butternut squash and crab bisque, perfect for cozy nights in front of the fire. here, the star of chef roble and company. good to see you.
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>> good to see you. >> excited for the new show? >> very excited. >> we're excited about the soup. first of all, butter nutsquash, one of my favorites. this is an easy soup to make. >> straightforward. >> how do we start? >> i have onions sweating in the pan. going to add in the ginger and garlic, get your aromatics in there. let it sweat down in the pan for a few minutes. add in white wine. >> nice. >> and chicken stock right here. get that in there. stir it around a little bit. now for the star of the show, the butternut squash. >> right. >> we have raw squash cubed here. >> which you can buy already peeled in the store. >> actually, yes, sir, they have that. go with that or roast it off. oil, salt, pepper, 400 degrees for 20 minutes. >> i make this as a side dish at home. >> definitely. it adds another level of flavor. >> sweeter. >> yes.
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it's good to get the char on the edges. right in the pot. let it simmer for an hour. everything's pretty much cooked. you're just bringing the flavors together, letting them marry. then once it goes down you have all the veggies and aromatics. take two ladles of that into the blender. blend everything together. we need to season it at all. hook me up with a little salt and pepper. all right. there we go. >> all right. >> and give it a little whiz in the blender. nice and easy. like that. super simple. >> uh-huh. >> little bit more. and right into the bowl. we have the crab already in the bowl. see if i can do it without making a mess.
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>> here we go. >> all around, just like that. >> very nice. >> here i have creme fraiche flavored with rum and vanilla. normally you would have heavy cream. >> there is a little bit of heartiness there. >> little bit of that around. >> ooh! >> beautiful. >> there we go. >> just in time. >> you can serve them socially like this at a cocktail party. >> i like that. >> cheers. >> chef, thank you so much. you can catch the series premiere sunday night at 10:00/9:00 central on bravo. >> coming up, hoda and kathie lee choose lucky ladies for an instant ambush makeover. >> there is no crying in catering. i love that line.
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jamaica. unfortunately the band's budget has hit a sour note. made up of kids from montego bay who come from troubled homes. the group raised $50,000 to get to the bay area to perform in oakland's holiday parade but now is short on its food budget. parade organizers are asking for food donations to be sent to the jack lemmon hotel, where they are staying. people are drumming up support for the band members, members are are leaning on each other. >> share with each other. >> one dollar, two dollar, we can help. >> marching band will be playing at the tree lighting in jack london square and also saturday in oakland's holiday parade. time now for a check on your local weather. good morning to you. winds are start iing to calm do. cities that are getting the sustained wind speeds on the strong side are really warm. take a look at your temperature
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in novato. you're at 72 degrees at 9:57 in the morning. 68 in napa. we'll all see the 70s later on. temperatu temperatures warming as we speak. 9:57, that's rather unusual to have a 72 degree reading in novato. 64 tomorrow. nice, comfortable weekend shapes. let's check your drive with mike inouye. >> 880 through san jose heading toward 101, easier now that the accident has cleared. also, new accident at the dublin interchange. not disturbing the flow there. past the coliseum, starting to break up now, jon, as we're moving north from 66 to high street, a slow spot. into downtown, it's okay. >> appreciate it. check out nbc bay area on facebook. we'll be back in one half hour from right now.
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at progressive, you can bundle your home and auto policies and save. don't worry, tiny people. flo is a gentle giant. bundle home and auto at progressive.com. keurig has a wide variety of gourmet coffee and tea to choose from. keurig is the way to brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute. way to brew.
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so with keurig, every cup tastes like it's brewed just for you. because it is. captions paid for by nbc-universal television it is try day friday, december 2, 2011. we are so glad you're here with us. a nice day in new york. >> we are in the festive holiday spirit, aren't we? >> we went to a party last night. >> we whooped it up is what we are saying. there is a restaurant that is really cool called peba. it's downtown. it's 18th and park.
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it is the abc carpets and antiques that is a main stay down there i love that place. >> we should tell people what this was. this was a party for our advertisers and people who work with us in that department. the man whose leg kathie lee is grabbing is john kelly. he is in charge of advertising. look what she is doing to him in front of all the people. >> as long as my legs look good, doesn't matter what you're holding on to. >> this is our motley crew. you can tell there are folks from advertising there, tammy, christine, sara and joanne. on the end is meghan. let's talk about meghan. >> she is amazing. she puts everything together. we are crazy about meghan. >> we gave away our favorite things. we are going to give three lucky people at home a gift bag of our favorite things. we'll tell you what they are later in the chat.
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>> well, well, well, what you started yesterday. something that will not be in your personal gift bag. it's your brookestone personal massager. >> they have a catalog and in it they have a massager and they don't tell you what it's for. >> i know what it's for. ♪ i did it my way that's what it is. >> if you look in the catalog, it gives a description -- >> we are not going to read that again, are we? >> they say -- that's not for that. is it? >> i think anything you want for whatever hurts. you know? i have a bad back and a bad neck. i can see that that could be helpful. >> we were wondering when we talked about the product on the air what they would think about us discussing it. they liked it. >> they sold a trillion of it.
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>> you can use your imagination. sorry. >> sick. you're sick. >> anyway, just put it over here. >> i don't want it. i've got my own anyway. >> there is a whole new trend. the world is changing around us. you are embracing these things. i am not. >> she is fighting them. when a man proposes, it's one of those great moments, you get the engagement ring, people ask you about it, you show it, it's fun, fun, fun. everybody knows the girl is engaged, nobody knows the man is engaged. there is a trend where they want man engagement rings. mangagement rings. you know she is taken so we should know he is taken, too.
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>> it also has another use, which is if you want to be the leader or the aggressor in the relationship, if you want to ask a man to marry you, you give him an engagement ring. i don't know many men who would go for that. i don't know. >> i'm not into that. i'm just not. some people say it's old fashioned, but i think you want -- >> some things are nice that are old fashioned. we are going to throw everything away, stuff that works? you know? >> here is the thing. men are getting so feminine. >> emasculated. >> we talked about men getting manicures and pedicures. do you guys ever get a manicure, pedicure? raise your hand. >> walter? >> walter? >> come over here. >> walter? no, i want to see your hands. you better not be lying to me. >> no, no, no. >> when i travel i get a manicure and pedicure.
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>> and pedicures. what else do you get? >> that's it. >> you sure? >> walter. >> walter? >> you can't escape, walter. >> why when you go away? >> so i have clean fingers, clean know nails. >> for whom? >> the wife. >> he says he likes to do it when he is going out of town. >> vacation. but his wife lives with him at home. you've got to think this thing through. >> every time i travel, i get them. >> if he is not a real man, who is? >> he feels secure enough to get a manicure and pedicure. how about a brazilian? >> no. >> oh, god. >> he stops at that. everybody has their comfort zone. >> i don't like the idea of a man saying to me, i'll be back, i need to get a pedicure. i lose that loving feeling. >> what if his toe nails are like howard hughes. >> there is a difference between
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trimming them. no one likes skanky feet. >> i shouldn't say this. >> then don't. >> no. i'm sorry. my husband is one of the most gorgeous human beings god ever put on the planet. just is. he's hot, hot, hot, and still is at 81. he'll be the first one to tell you his feet have been through the mill. i'm not talking about the second wife. i'm talking about his feet playing football and losing his toe nails to cleats. on the football field they would rip your toe nails off and make you keep playing. oh, yeah. there he is. so frank always said he gets a pedicure, but they need the jackhammer. poor baby. i fell in love with him anyway. i have a huge thing about hands and feet. >> people get nervous being around kathie. people show up like this. they don't want to show their bad hands. >> i'm not that shallow. >> yes, you are. i put band-aids on when you're
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around. not today because they are done. >> we'll show you beautiful new opi. let's do it. >> these are our favorite things we had at our party last night. >> we are drinking one of them. >> it's called cultivate. >> everyone was enjoying it very much. philanthropic company. they give 10% of their profits all year around. >> the folks were trying to come last year and got stuck in a snowstorm. they brought that active wear. >> and the jog bra. >> look we are flashing our spanx. >> because we are proud. >> i wanted people to smell my arms. >> that is weird, i have to say. >> i like this fresh. it smells like that fresh lemon sugar body thing. >> not at the beginning it didn't. >> i piled it on. i love the fresh stuff. you love that laura mercier
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stuff. >> she has a beautiful primer for foundation which works beautifully. also beautiful palette -- don't do it. eye shadows. i was naughty last night. >> we are not going to repeat. >> it was naughty, even by my standards. >> it was. >> then opi, which we love. my color which is san tantonio. the other is getting miss piggy with it. then this gorgeous jewelry by lia sophia. i wore this last night and i loved it. >> they had the bracelet. >> here is what we are doing for you at home. >> cupcakes baked by melissa. >> she is the only one that wasn't drunk last night. >> these are so bite-sized
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delicious. they taste like reese's cups and h-hos, everything you love. we are giving away three of these bags. >> go on our facebook page. >> let's go to our girl bobbie thomas. >> hey, girl. how are you, beautiful? >> i'm so excited it's the holidays. this is my favorite time of year. i get to share fun gifts. i have fun ones today. this company i was so obsessed with, pillow mob.com. for $25 you can buy a pillow with your face on it. it looks like i sneezed. then there is bobbie like a victoria's secret model. >> i ordered bambino and hanna. they didn't get here yet. they make even with baby heads. the best part, 25 bucks, shipping included worldwide.
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>> sara looks hysterical. i look like someone hit me in the back of the head with a 2 x 4. >> you're going to love this this next idea. >> the next idea, lisa hoffman, such a cool idea. these bracelets come -- >> the hand is back. >> come with little charles. the coolest part is that the charms hold the fragrance. inside this, if somebody is allergic to jewelry -- there goes the minute. if you can't wear the set, you can put the wooden infused balls on the bracelet so you have the jewelry. smell it. it's cool. >> who wouldn't love that? >> it's $65. i wear your jewelry. if you're one of lady gaga's 45 million fans on facebook, she collaborated with barney's to create these christmas stuff, chocolate skulls. >> nothing says christmas like chocolate skulls. we love you, bobbie. >> we want to give a big
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congratulations to lindsey. she had a baby boy. >> cole earnest grubb was born two weeks ago. we did not mention it because she waited to give him a name. she never looks pregnant. she looked like she had a bagel. some things in life are not fair, but we are glad she had a beautiful baby. >> coming up next, our big ambush makeovers because it's friday. >> the latest on everything. >> no time for friday funny. that's too sad. >> that's all right. hi, could you read my list?
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it's all crossed out... it's 'cause i got everything on it. boom! thank you! [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. if you find a lower price on a local print ad before christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. ♪ but the fire is so delightful ♪ nothing melts away the cold like a hot, delicious bowl
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of chicken noodle soup from campbell's. ♪ let it snow, let it snow left behind by some mop. why you... nobody's taken a shine to me in a long time. phooey. i don't need anybody...but you! ♪ i believe in miracles [ male announcer ] swiffer attracts dirt. used mops can push muddy water around. swiffer wetjet's new, upgraded solution helps prevent streaks and residue to reveal more shine than a mop or your money back. you're a fresh swiffersnapper! put a little more k'ching in your christmas! this friday and saturday... this 50 inch zenith hdtv, just $499.99... all sesame street toys are on sale...
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and take 50% off apparel during the big half-off apparel holiday sale! now that's kmart smart. >>. >> we are back with today's plaza ambush makeovers where we pluck two lucky ladies out of the crowd. we haven't had an unhappy customer yet. >> except for that one. >> one lady needed a psychiatrist afterwards. >> our today contributor and stylist to the stars, luis lacari. >> and "us weekly" contributor and author and pin-up girl -- yes, we spotted jill on the beach. >> whoa, jill. >> snap-snap. she is known as the babe around here. >> they were waiting for a pris hilton. i think she was staying at the
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hotel. >> you look fabulous and we are just gel ruse. barbara mccormick, 42 years old from carson, virginia. her 13-year-old daughter is constantly begging her to change her hair. they were thrilled when we saw them on the plaza and picked them. let's take a listen. >> no make-up and she hasn't cut her hair in 19 years. what do you think about this? >> i think we need a makeover. >> are you excited for this? >> yes. >> tell me why. >> we really haven't done anything for myself in a long time. this will be fun. >> you know who is the most excited? >> i'm most excited because she wears those pants all the time and she wears those hoodies all the time. it looks really bad. she doesn't wear any make-up either. >> here we go. we are going to change all that. are you ready to go?
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>> yes. >> hi five, dylan. >> dylan is ready and so is the rest of the gang. they have their blind folds on except dylan. he's okay. keep the blind folds on until i give you the green light. here is barbara mccormick before. let's see the new you. >> oh, my gosh! you ready? all right. >> oh, my gosh. >> oh, my god! >> look at her husband. >> oh, my god. >> it's short, it's sassy. >> you look really great. that is a sexy haircut. >> lena did the haircut. barbara knew her hair was too long so she did keep the front cut shorter. what lena did was plended the
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back with the front. >> it's darling. >> it's a great haircut. i softened the colors which were too frosted on the ends and she looks fantastic. >> what a great holiday outfit. >> she wears sweats all the time. great sweater with cashmere it. you can wear it with jeans. >> i love that. >> the skirt from macy's and a basic black tank. >> do you like it? >> i love it. >> i love it. >> a big round of applause for barbara. you can join your family. >> our second lady is christy adam, 28 from pittsburgh, pennsylvania. she had no time to focus on herself since her daughter was born a year ago. she was excited at the chance to be pampered for a few hours. >> even though i'm a giants fan, we still picked christine. why do you want this for your wife? >> she deserves it. she is a great mom and great
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wife and she deserves everything. >> are you ready for a whole new look? >> absolutely. it's been long overdue, probably. >> she is here with her husband chris. jill has a picture of their little daughter. she is precious. let's take one last look at christy before and bring out the new christy. >> oh, she knows it. >> hold on. stop the presses. all right, chris, take them off. >> chris likey what he sees. >> turn around christy. >> oh, my gosh. >> working it girl. >> and liking it. >> we scored. >> wow, what a difference. >> she is beautiful before. >> yes. a beautiful girl. she just wanted to have a little more glamour, a little more
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sophistication. she was beautiful before. more beautiful now. i slightly changed the hue of her color. toned up the make-up to go with the new hair color. lena made her haircut a little bit longer to give it more movement. she looks younger. >> she's 28. come on. >> that dress is sexy. >> adrianna arpel. and simply vera vewang at kohl'. >> sara has the crowd. we are ready to take them on. [ female announcer ] today...is the day
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and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart. -here you go, lulu. -hey?! you had an imaginary friend once, too. she's full. [ female announcer ] hamburger helper beef pasta. helpers. forty dishes, all delicious.
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[ female announcer ] hamburger helper beef pasta. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. [ grandma ] ok. ♪ ah. then we will all do it together. treats! teets...teets...teets... yeah, look at this. [ female announcer ] it seems like the best family traditions... always start in the kitchen. ♪ rice krispies®. happy holidays.
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we are back with three, two, one, live with sara haines. sara has a crowd with questions over at the nbc experience store across the street. >> first up we have missy from texas with a question about bucket lists. >> you both already accomplished so much, but what is the one thing that you all still have left on your list to do? >> what do i still have on my list to do? i was married. that wasn't great.
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>> that again? >> that's what she says. >> i don't know. i don't know. we only have 1:30. i don't know. go. >> i do know. i want to bring "saving aimee" to broadway, and i want to make "under the bridge" my first musical into a film and shoot it in paris. is that too much to ask for? >> we like it. andy from michigan has a question for you guys. >> turning 40 today. i know. thank you. my girlfriend and i are in town for the weekend to celebrate. we are wondering what you did to celebrate the new decade. >> i thought you meant when we turned 40. when i turned 40, i had just given birth to my daughter cassidy. unlike lindsey grubb who had the first child and popped her out in 20 seconds, i was recuperating, thank you very much. >> 40 wasn't so monumental to me, i thought. i'm 47. i've come to enjoy my 40s so much. >> you won't like 50. >> your best decade is starting right now. i'm telling you right now.
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>> it is. enjoy every minute because before you know it, it's over. everything you had before is someplace else. half the time you can't remember where it is. >> any hoo, happy birthday. we'll be back with party food. >> sara hits the streets. ially. so we switched to the bargain detergent, but i found myself using three times more than you're supposed to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. thanks, honey. yeah. you suck at folding. [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] just one cap of tide plus bleach gives you more cleaning power than six caps of the bargain brand. visit facebook.com/tide to learn about special offers. that's my tide. what's yours? kmart is the place... to find this season's hottest toys! that's right, thousands of toys for girls... and boys are at the prices you've been waiting for! like vtech infant toys - now buy one get one 50% off! now that's kmart smart.
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i don't have to settle anymore. you're just talking about pizza though, right? of course. [ male announcer ] right now, any pizza is just ten bucks when you carryout. any pizza, any size, any crust, any toppings -- only ten bucks when you carryout. and only at your pizza hut. i'd like a decaf 360 calories please. i'll have a triple iced 410 calories please. you know what... i'll have this instead. [ female announcer ] swap one thing a day for a yoplait light at around 100 calories. it will add up to amazing. good morning, everyone. it is 10:26. i'm jon kelley. those working minimum wage in
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elevations in the north bay. are you ready to have your mind blown? take a look at this. temperature right now 73 degrees at 10:30 in nov aato. you'll actually hit the beach comfortably in places like that in novato this morning. coastline looking good. 64 in san francisco. downright balmy in the city right now. 64 in san jose. high temperatures will be ready to go during my full forecast at 11:00. let's check that drive with mike inouye. love those novato beaches. b.a.r.t. system, minor delays, recovering from earlier delays we did have out of daly city heading south to the airport. should be 10 minutes at the most and continuing to recover. oakland side, much better flow of traffic now past the oakland coliseum to downtown. bay bridge toll plaza, basically no backup. jon, back to you. thank you very much, mike. woman accused of killing michelle le is back in court today after she finally will
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enter a plea. we'll find out all the details, coming up. plus the lights are still out in the santa cruz mountains, school canceled for one school district. when the power is expected to come back on. we'll har.hat ue pdou hr. we are back on this try day friday with our resident guy's guy, donny deutsch-man. >> it's not your turn yet. >> he already insulted us so he is sort of in the dog house. >> i'm not going to answer questions. i'm like a human pinata. >> you love every minute. >> i'm a stay at home mom of four. my hubby works out of the town all the week, do all the running for the kids, cook, clean, he comes home and acts like he's on vacation. when do i get a break? >> there is a lot of tension
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there. >> the simple thing is you have to educate him. say, i know you're working all week, i want to explain to you what my week was. not in a nagging way. we both work and have a contract on what goes down on the weekend. who gets their four hours alone time. some guys are not thinking. >> the word you used, educated. >> i mean that. you have to teach him. he probably does not know what's going on. he better care or he is going to have problems. >> lisa wrote in, why do i have to direct my husband when it comes to being romantic. for once i would love for him to be romantic without me telling him, let alone bringing it up. >> it's a woman saying you never bring me flowers then he brings you flowers, you don't want the flowers. >> here is the reality. some guys have a sensitive humor. once every two months i like romance. we like sometimes to be told when we are not getting it done
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right. >> maybe he wasn't romantic when they met. he is not going to change. >> right. if you have certain needs, say, this is important to me. >> when i ask for something and i get it, i don't enjoy it. >> it's good, but it's a second place. that's as good as it's going to get. >> next question from jennifer, do i have to spell out what i want for christmas? >> yes! >> i left several hints. >> this is the theme. i want to be told what they want. i don't want to guess. what will make you happy? tell me what you want. why does it have to be this guessing game? i'll tell a woman what i want for christmas. >> what do you want? >> you're looking at all the wrong places. >> what is wrong with your voice? >> i don't know. when i get nervous or feel put upon. >> tiffany is asking, is it okay to start out a relationship as friends with benefits? >> you know, i think it's great to start out a relationship as
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friends. once it's friends with benefits, maybe i'm old school, you're in a relationship. i don't get that. the definition of friends is people with opposite sex, no romance, no sex. once the benefits are in there you're already in a relationship. you're letting the guy get away with benefits. no relationship, no benefits. >> why is it so hard for a husband to defend his wife against his mother, especially when the wife is right? >> we had things like this before. if you're with a man that cannot understand that at this point his wife comes first, you are not with a man. it's that simple. >> i love hearing that. >> when i get tough, you like that. >> we like it a lot. >> when i hear these grown men with their mothers, that is the most unmasculine thing to do. you can love your mother. i have the greatest mom in the world, hi, fran down in boca. >> fran in boca?
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>> mommy. >> i'd like to call you mommy. >> wow. >> let's go back to sara. >> peggy asks, is it really -- >> i'm sorry. i came in good will. >> is it possible for a happily married man to avoid advances from another woman, including suggestive pictures of herself or is my husband lying? >> the answer is yes, you can avoid it. in this day and age, women are more forward. >> so aggressive. >> i like to use the word forward. >> no. it is aggressive. >> this will be the last installment of "the other view." women are incredibly forward. if you're not open for business, you're not open for business. if you're getting them, you're sending a signal it's okay. don't let him play, i'm mr. innocent. >> we are only responsible for what we say and we do. we can't control what the world does around us. >> if there is a picture coming in, it's a picture going out.
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>> guys, can we take a vote. do you think this has been fair today as far as the abuse? >> i think it's fair. >> i'm kind, i like to share, i like to help, i get punished and abused. i like it. >> you can make it up to us in shoes. >> anyway, sara is going to drink her way through new york. >> the best hot chocolate. nnouncer ] holiday plus cookies plus memories pillsbury holiday star cookies start with pillsbury cookie dough
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it is time for sara in the city. sara haines sets out to experience all the metropolis has to offer. >> we hope she was thirsty she had to toss back a few. >> a few hot chocolates. when the temperatures drop, what is better than snuggling up with a big mug of cocoa? >> i'll tell you. >> i hit the streets to find the creme of the cup. my first stop was to city
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bakery. heart of union square and known especially for its endless vat of hot chocolate. maury ruben is the founder, baker and hot chocolate maker at city bakery. you guys have a festival in february with all kinds of different hot chocolate flavors. are those top secret? >> it's very secret. >> if i said you shouldn't put blank in hot chocolate. >> mashed potatoes. meet the hot chocolate. it's rich, thick, it's unctious. >> the final touch, a homemade marshmallow. >> ready? >> oh, yum. >> voila. >> oh, my gosh, that is amazing. >> i floated on to the chocolate bar for toasty treats. >> we'll try our bittersweet belgian chocolate and pour it into milk and steam it with a steam wand and that is that. >> i was steamed to sample the
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autumn spice variety. that one is delicious. it truly tastes like thanksgiving in a cup. delicious. >> thank you. >> right now i'm at serendipity. they have a slightly different take on what we are trying today. it's frozen. you get funny looks. i don't understand. >> what is it, is it hot chocolate? do you take hot chocolate and freeze it? >> i poured and mixed and before i knew it, it was time for a taste test. >> whoa. >> this is called a byos, bring your own straw. >> it was good. >> delicious. >> scale of 1 to 10? >> 10. >> i ventured back downtown to max brenner restaurant. i'm in a hot chocolate mood. i think i'll take one of the spicy hot chocolates.
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i thinkle's also try one with crunchy things in it. even the mug -- >> this is the hug mug. >> kept me warm. i think i have to hug it out with the choco cup. when i arrived at our final location jacques torres, i was swept off my feet. >> bonjour. >> at jacques' house, it's not just about making the perfect hot chocolate, it's about enjoying the ride. what do you say in france? >> chin-chin or something. what do you think? you want a little bit of rum inside? >> this is so romantic. >> i just fell in love. >> that's it. yes! come on, guys. hot chocolate on the house! >> if kathie lee and hoda come
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down here, would you put a little rum in their drinks? >> i will put a lot of rum and i will have a party with them. the best hot chocolate, salte! >> i love that. >> to his health again. >> he is a big fan. >> not going to happen. very, very nice. he's adorable. what a sweet personality. >> coming up next, we'll take you into our kitchen to make mini appetizers. mary? what are you doing here? it's megan. i'm getting new insurance. marjorie, you've had a policy with us for three years. it's been five years. five years. well, progressive gives megan discounts that you guys didn't. paperless, safe driver, and i get great service. meredith, what's shakin', bacon? they'll figure it out.
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getting you the discounts you deserve. now, that's progressive. call or click today. prego?! but i've been buying ragu for years. [ thinking ] i wonder what other questionable choices i've made? [ '80s dance music plays ] [ sighs ] [ male announcer ] choose taste. choose prego. o kmart is the place... to find this season's hottest toys! that's right, thousands of toys for girls... and boys are at the prices you've been waiting for! like vtech infant toys - now buy one get one 50% off! now that's kmart smart. in 15 minutes, you can serve some warmth with your bread. and some flavor with your bread. and some layers with your bread. if you're serving bread honey, then serve it. grands! dinner ideas made easy. ♪ vegetables picked at their peak ♪ ♪ so fresh my knees grow weak [ male announcer ] new hearty bertolli meal soup for two, with crisp vegetables and tender chicken. [ chef ] ♪ fresh tasting restaurant style ♪
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>> thank you. you're adorable, too. >> what are you making? >> first off, these are simple and trendy ideas on things you can do for holiday parties. we'll starts with chips and dip. this is super easy. the secret is in the sauce. we know that. this is spicy chutney. you mix it equal parts with creme fraiche, which is like the french version of sour cream. take potato chips and do salmon, i've got chopped up salmon here. or chicken, whatever you want to do on there. put a little chip like that. >> get a flat chip. >> you get the idea. >> you can do it with a little piece of beef? >> yes. >> i'm intimidated with this set-up in the donut section because these look fright evening. >> this is one of my favorite
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things. boozy donuts. are you ready for boozy donuts. >> why do people think of us? it's sad. >> you're getting this if you're coming to a holiday party at my house. this is cream and coffee liquer. you mix them together and fill your syringe. >> where do you get that? >> at your dentist. >> this is a turkey briner. >> this is a regular store bought donut. >> it's in there already. >> this is full. excuse me. >> take a little in there. just take a little bit in each. >> do it on the bottom there. don't go too crazy. >> no, this is bad.
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that's why you're the celebrity chef and we are not. >> i have some ready ones. >> that was delicious. let's eat. >> now what? >> when you're done. >> we're not done? >> once you fill them up, dip them in water and sugar, put them on a sheet pan and pop them in the oven on broil, just like that. cook them up. they get like a creme brulee glaze on it. it's like a white russian donut, right? >> that is really good. >> over here, here are s sikouskis.
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they are like little tapas, traditional from russia. i think it's time to bring these back. the cool thing is two things. one, they are like little plates, but they are served in a prescribed order. whatever order the host puts it out, that's the way you eat it. set it out, you don't have to be stuck in the kitchen. >> that makes no sense, if somebody is on that side they get the eggs and will knock everything over. >> this is a mingle party. not sitting down. then each little plate is matched with a sipper cocktail. >> now we are talking. >> are we going to eat any of that? these little devilled eggs. >> i was going to teach you these cocktails. >> i don't think we have time. >> just try it. they are strong. sipper vodka cocktails. >> it gets very cold in russia. >> thank you so much. >> you're i a sweetheart, thank you for putting up with us. >> we'll be back with more of
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you'd do that for me? really? yeah, i'd like that. who are you talking to? uh, it's jake from state farm. sounds like a really good deal. jake from state farm at three in the morning. who is this? it's jake from state farm. what are you wearing, jake from state farm? [ jake ] uh... khakis. she sounds hideous. well she's a guy, so... [ male announcer ] another reason more people stay with state farm. get to a better state. ♪
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nearly 200 charities representing 3 million kids living in difficult situations are on our toy drive list this last season. that's the longest list we ever had. >> so far thanks to wonderful donors, we've been able to distribute $14 million in gifts for those children. one of the partner companies this year is tony. you came with gifts. >> tiny tim is a great tv show for preschool kids, teaches social and emotional development and helps kids get ready for school and is a lot of fun. >> this is for young boys, i would guess, right? >> there are some girl
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characters, but trains is mostly a boy toy. >> there is magic about a train, there just is. how many of those are you donating? >> over $150,000 of product this year. >> you guys do a lot of philanthropic work, it's not just during this time of the year. >> around the world we probably do over $1 million of giving. we do things with the american red cross, kids in distressed situation. this has become an annual thing for us. we've done this since the late '90s and becoming one of my favorite things. >> a lot of people this year seem to need it. >> we just heard the unemployment rate went down. we are happy to hear about that. >> i think it will come back around, right? in the meantime, there are a lot of kids out there. they don't have everything. they all have imaginations and we can help them fulfill their dream with toys. >> jamie, thank you so much. >> everyone at tomy, a big thank you. if you want to make donations, check our website for details. >> we also forget the teenagers.
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